Student engagement is about interaction and relationships. In this article today from the Calgary Herald, it is apparent that by promoting these two key characteristics – there is evidence of student achievement and success.

Antoinette Bruised Head, principal of Kainai School, is proud of the 20 student graduating from high school this year (up from 1 student graduate only 4 years ago). Based on the article, developing relationships with students, giving immediate feedback when students need help, morning thoughts scribbled down on post its,  listening to the students, giving them a voice, promoting exercise and academic expectations, promoting literacy,  (literacy tests), cultural content and language integration, changing the timing of the semester to meet student needs and ensuring that the students are accounted for make a HUGE difference in student learning opportunities.

This article is an inspiring, yet realistic view, on the possibilities of focusing on student engagement in FNMI youth.

Verena 🙂

Module 1 – Post 4 – Chatting with Sean Lessard

This picture was retrieved from: http://www.ammsa.com/publications/alberta-sweetgrass/lessard%E2%80%99s-passion-fills-halls-school-success-stories and shows Sean (on far right) chatting with some his students from EPSB.

Yesterday I spent some time chatting with Sean Lessard about some of the work he is doing with FNMI youth in Western Canada. This is the kind of ethnographic research any MET student would like to do – eating hot wings (especially created for Sean) and hanging out.

We were discussing how to create alternative programs for FNMI youth focusing on student summer “school” opportunities, camps, course credit, learning models and student engagement.

Here’s some information about Sean: http://www.ammsa.com/publications/alberta-sweetgrass/lessard%E2%80%99s-passion-fills-halls-school-success-stories

For me, Sean emphasizes the power of storytelling. He is passionate about the fact that youth are learning in a wide variety of ways (especially unique cultural projects) and that hey are not getting credit or “value” for their learning.

We specifically discussed what kinds of learning models could be used for his summer projects and how I could support him from an “online” perspective.

Our focus revolved around NOT “creating content for the students”, instead, having the students “create their own learning through storytelling” and tracking the learning for themselves.

I think that “tracking” my own exploration of “alternative blended learning design” with FNMI as the focus, is a possible research project?

I’ll keep thinking…

Verena 🙂

Hello!

I felt that the last two posts were very academic…so this one is more about a great Indigenous Resource – http://indspire.ca/

“Over 280 educators, parents, and sponsors participated in our first annual National Gathering for Indigenous Education in Calgary, AB on March 15th and 16th, 2013. Twelve Guiding the Journey: Indigenous Educator Awards were presented by Indspire Patron His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada.”

At the National Gathering the Indspire (Blending the words Indigenous and Inspire), the website was “unveiled”.

Part of the website is dedicated to educators and anyone who learns with Indigenous youth.

To get the the resources and educators network:

Click on:

Institute

For Educators

Sign up for an Account

and you are in…

Good luck! Verena 🙂

This is a recent post I received a bout a free webinar TOMORROW:

Institute Moderator posted a school update to Indspire Institute.

“May 28, 2013 12-2pm EST
A conversation with Sakoieta Widrick
http://indspire.adobeconnect.com/r5tj61m58x9/

Join us tomorrow for our first webinar! We will have a conversation with Sakoieta Widrick, Indigenous Studies and Mohawk Language Instructor, Brock University, Tecumseh Centre for Aboriginal Research and Education. I hope you are able to join for a portion or all of the webinar. If you questions please contact Ali Darnay, Online Moderator,institute@indspire.ca or post here.”

Module 1- Blog #2  Parsons/Taylor

This article was a literature review about the current research on student engagement. It did not mention anything about Indigenous or FNMI students in the summary. As a result, I will look through all of the references to see if there are any examples that relate to this course and if not, that’s my next step- looking for specific research on student engagement FNMI youth.

Summary and Notes of the Parsons and Taylor article on Improving Student Engagement.

The article opens by emphasizing that there does not seem to be a clear consensus in any of the research on student engagement really means. There were examples that encouraged technology, there was emphasis on the differences between youth today and their parents and some examples of researchers who found evidence that society was coddling and “dumbing down” a generation.

The Common Elements within the research focused on:

1) Interaction

The development of relationships with people. Interaction with people and in the virtual world.

Connections, communication, dialogue, discussions, collaboration.

No social engagement category, included in interaction. Social engagement includes interaction.

2) Exploration

Classroom practices are predominantly inquiry based, problem-based and exploratory

Students want to figure out things for themselves

Want more hands-on, Do-it -yourself (think of youtube how-to videos as example)

Learning happens in action (not passive)

3) Relevancy

Application to real life, authentic application and not theoretical and text based

Communities issues

Working towards solving a problem

Making learning contextual

4) Multimedia & Technology

“Technology brings learners accessible and relevant subject matter and experts and is a tool for engaged learning” (Parsons and Taylor, 2010, p. 14)

Access and opportunity to integrate tools/ideas/media  into their own learning

5) Engaging and Challenging Instruction

Need to change “how” we teach and “what” we teach

Moving from didactic to constructive pedagogy (Teaching “to” learners as opposed to Everyone learning together)

Constructivism: Click HERE

Creating “safe” environments

6) Authentic Assessment

1) Creating thoughtful,intentional designs for learning

2) making learning meaningful

3) building relationships

4)improving teacher practice in the presence of peer teachers

5) using assessment to improve learning and guide teaching

Co-creation of assessment will increase student engagement – because they are part of the process.

Assessment for Learning: (10 Guiding Principles)

AFL should be part of effective planning of teaching and learning

AFL should focus on how student’s learn

AFL should be recognized as central to classroom practice

AFL should be regarded as key professional skill for teachers

AFL should be sensitive and constructive because any assessment has an emotional impact

AFL should take into account the importance of (and foster) learner motivation

AFL should promote commitment to learning goals and a shared understanding of the criteria from which they are assessed

AFL develops learner capacity for self assessment so that they can become reflective and self-managing

AFL should recognize a full range of achievements for all learners

Learners should receive constructive feedback on how to improve

(Barrett, 2005, p.17)

Overall – I think that this article can give me a great framework of what to consider in my learning design for my online course delivery and possible final project.

Barrett, H. (2005) http://www.taskstream.com/reflect/whitepaper.pdf

Taylor, L and Parsons, J. ( 2011) http://www.taskstream.com/reflect/whitepaper.pdf