ETEC 524
Assignment 3 – Final Synthesis
Flight Path Summary:
Looking back on my Flight Path activity, I was able to learn about many of the topics that excited me at the beginning of this course. Beginning with “Good Practice Encourages Contacts Between Students and Faculty,” (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996). By utilizing the question feature in Google Classroom and integrating Padlet discussion into my unit of learning, I was able to gain skills in facilitating the online interactions that students could have with their teacher and one another. I also discussed how I was looking forward to continuing the development of my critical thinking skills when it came to educational technology. By consciously choosing technology that would help facilitate the learning of specific learning objectives, I was able to continue to develop my proficiency in this area. Learning more about the SAMR Model was also a goal of mine that I was able to achieve. It was refreshing and humbling to learn of the work of Dr. Ruben Puentedura. I especially appreciated how it is “better to think of the SAMR Model more as a spectrum,” (Puentedura, 2010). Again, this model allowed me to continue to think critically about the choices of technology use.
There were also a few topics shared in my Flight Path activity that I didn’t get the chance to dive into as deeply as I would have hoped. For example, “Good Practice Emphasizes Time on Task,” (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996). And the idea that “Educators inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world,” (International Society for Teaching in Education, 2018). This is an area I share that can be difficult in the middle school setting and though I learned of a couple of resources that could help, I wasn’t able to integrate them into my unit of learning. I also discussed wanting to learn more about other platforms that could be seamlessly integrated into Google Classroom beyond the in-house tools like Docs, Slides and Forms. Though I did discover a few, I know there are even more out there that I can continue to uncover and implement.
I am pleased and impressed with the learning that I was able to do and am finding it a very rewarding experience to look back on what I wanted to take away from this course and what I was actually able to gain through my studies.
Overall Course Experience:
The first module of learning (Teaching in the Digital Age) was crucial in my understanding of the rest of the content in the course. Beginning by connecting with the First Peoples Principles of Learning (FNESC, 2015) allowed me to come at the modules that followed with a lens of reconciliation and remembering one of my crucial roles as an educator in modeling this for my students. Having this followed by the theoretical frameworks readings and discussions set me up to think more analytically about my unit of learning. The SECTIONS Model from Bates (2014) and the SAMR Model from Puentedura (2010) are both frameworks that I referred back to constantly throughout this course, so being introduced to them so early on, allowed me to really engage with them and see their practical value in producing assignments.
Most of our time in this course was spent in the second module of learning (Designing for Learning). I appreciated being able to explore different learning environments before making the decision to use Google Classroom for my unit of learning. Hearing Mazur’s perspective on learning and sharing the importance of assessment not to be focused on remembering but how to use the information, was very useful when designing the final assessment for my unit of learning (2013). This is a perspective that I plan on integrating into my math classroom in the upcoming year. Allowing students to bring in materials for tests to show that they know how to apply the information that we learned together in class is a much more valuable skill for them in the real world than simply memorizing specific steps only to soon forget them.
When creating content for my unit of learning, I tried to harness the approach from Tobin (2014) who shared that “instructors set the objectives; students define the method and medium,” (p. 16). Getting students excited about the learning activities that they will be taking on is crucial to the success of a lesson. McErlean (2018) shared that “participation is the cornerstone of interactivity,” (p. 138). Dixon (2015) shares that “student engagement is a key element in keeping students connected with the course,” (p. 2). In order for students to interact with their learning environment, including the materials, the technology, their teacher, and each other, they need to be active participants. Utilizing the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines can also help in getting students energized to take on their own learning.
Overall, I was able to step away from the course having learned many new skills that are backed by theory and evidence. It was extremely useful to be an active participant in the discussion threads to learn with and from my classmates throughout the past three months. I am looking forward to implementing some of my newfound abilities in the upcoming school year.
Next Steps:
Moving forward, I hope to continue to prioritize student well-being in my classroom. As the 2020 New Horizon report shared, one of the predicted trends in the social category is “well-being and mental health,” (Educause, 2020, p. 5). In order for students to really be able to get the most out of their experience with technology, they need to be in a mental and emotional state that supports creativity and discovery. Secondly, I think it’s important to remain a critical thinker in the realm of educational technology. Having gained more knowledge in theoretical frameworks and different levels of implementation with education technology, I now feel better equipped to decipher when a tool can be beneficial and when it’s best to stick with a more traditional route of teaching and learning. Lastly, continuing to reflect upon concepts such as The 7 Principles of Learning from Dumont et al. (2010), as well as The Universal Design for Learning Guidelines (CAST, 2018) when creating content for my students, is another way that I plan to continue informing my pedagogical practice. In the future, I would like to step outside my comfort zone and invest more time in learning to use different physical pieces of technology. For example getting more oriented with applications on tablets that can support students, implementing different types of equipment in Science, and learning more about how to bring virtual reality to the classroom setting. It will be beneficial for me to continue to build my toolbox and remain analytical when sifting through the countless opportunities to implement technology into my classroom and practice.
References:
Bates, T. (2014). Choosing and using media in education: The SECTIONS model. In Teaching in digital age. Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/part/9-pedagogical-differences-between-media/
CAST. (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines, version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org/
Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S., C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 49(2), 3-6. Retrieved from http://www.aahea.org/articles/sevenprinciples.htm
Dixon, M. D. (2015). Measuring student engagement in the online course: The online student engagement scale (OSE). Online Learning. 19(4). Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079585.pdf
Dumont, H., Istance, D., & Benavides, F. (Eds.). (2010). The nature of learning: Using research to Inspire practice. OECD Publications: Paris, France. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/50300814.pdf
Educause. (2020). Horizon report: Teaching and learning edition. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/-/media/files/library/2020/3/2020_horizon_report_pdf.pdf?la=en&hash=08A92C17998E8113BCB15DCA7BA1F467F303BA80
FNESC (2015). The First Peoples principles of learning. Retrieved from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teaching-tools/aboriginal-education/principles_of_learning.pdf
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2017). Standards for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
Mazur, D. [Derek Bok Center, Harvard University] (2013, November 19). Assessment: The silent killer of learning / Eric Mazur [Dudley Herschbach teacher/scientist lecture] [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBzn9RAJG6Q
McErlean, K. (2018). Interactive narrative. In Interactive narratives and transmedia storytelling: Creating immersive stories across new media platforms (pp. 120-151). New York: Routledge. Retrieved from https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315637570
Puentedura, R. (2010). The journey through the SAMR model. IPad Educators: Sharing Best Practice in the use of Mobile Technology. Retrieved from https://www.powerschool.com/blog/samr-model-a-practical-guide-for-k-12-classroom-technology-integration/
Tobin, T. J. (2014). Increase online student retention with universal design for learning. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education 15(3), 13-24.
Assignment 2 – Unit of Learning: Part 2 Reflection
Please click here to view my Unit of Learning on Google Classroom. Use the code: 33ajtrv
What was great about creating this unit of learning is that I was also in the position of the learner. Having never taught Science 7 before, I got to figure out the concepts on my own and then decide on ways that would be engaging for the students of this course to learn them too.
When learning new Science topics, there is often a lot of new vocabulary that the learner needs to understand to be successful with the concepts. This is why I chose to include multiple vocabulary activities within my unit of learning. One of the Universal Design for Learning strategies is optimizing choice for students to feel a sense of autonomy (CAST, 2018). Vocabulary terms are often not the most “fun,” therefore I made sure they were provided to students using an online platform (Quizlet) that facilitated choice.
I made the decision to only have one summative assessment for this unit of learning for many reasons. One of them stems from the 7 Principles of Learning that shares that learning environments should have “a strong emphasis on formative feedback to support learning,” (p. 7). Allowing students multiple opportunities to try concepts out and receive feedback without worrying about a grade allows their worries and barriers to decrease. Throughout the unit of learning, students would have the opportunity to receive automated feedback through a Google Form as well as individualized feedback through the weekly hands-on activities. At the end of the unit, they would be very clear about where they are at with their learning and could apply it to their final summative project.
When it comes to interaction, most of that would come when students share the physical space together in the classroom. Because this unit of learning was designed to be for an in-person course, students would naturally interact with one another, with the content and with their teacher. That being said, there is still the vital role of building a sense of community. Anderson (2008a) discusses the importance of building a sense of trust in an e-learning community. I would argue this sense of trust is important in any community of learners. The decision to have weekly discussions through the Question feature on Google Classroom and through Padlet was purposeful. These activities provide students who may not feel as comfortable sharing their thoughts out loud in the classroom, the opportunity to engage with the content, with their peers, and with their teacher in the online space.
While designing this unit of learning, I appreciated the ability to be reflective with my choices. Often when creating content and designing learning experiences for my students, I am very rushed and don’t spend the time understanding why I am designing things the way I am. This assignment allowed me the opportunity to question my decisions and approach the creation of learning materials through a more deliberative nature.
References:
Anderson, T. (2008a). Teaching in an online learning context. In Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 343-365).
CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Dumont, H., Istance, D., & Benavides, F. (Eds.). (2010). The nature of learning: Using research to Inspire practice. OECD Publications: Paris, France. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/50300814.pdf
Assignment 2 – Unit of Learning: Part 1 Reflection
I thoroughly enjoyed designing and creating the introductory module for this unit of learning. It was appreciated to be able to spend my time diving through the immense amount of resources that are available for Science 7 here in Alberta. As I will be teaching this course for the very first time next year, I savored the opportunity to be able to really get into the curriculum and learn more about the content of the course.
All of the course outlines I have ever created have been ones that can be printed out so that a physical copy can be handed to students. I decided to create an interactive website for my course outline this time as I thought it would be something students would be more interested in. The paper copies of course outlines typically end up lost or in the recycling bin so having a digital course outline seemed like an overall better fit. The interactive activities included in the course outline are very small however, they ask students to reflect a little bit on the content of each Unit. Some of these activities also asked students to create accounts for different online platforms that will be utilized throughout the delivery of the unit of learning.
*After revisiting my Course Outline structure, I implemented the feedback from Dr. Bourlova so that all the course outline content was available directly on the Google Classroom. This means students will no longer need to click to external link from their LMS to find things like course objectives and the assessment schedule.
The backward design model from McTighe and Wiggins (2004) is one that I have experienced throughout my education journey but have not been organized enough to really implement well. I enjoyed being able to really work through phases 1 (identifying desired results) and 2 (determining acceptable evidence) of this model for the introductory module of this course. It was also really helpful to be able to create an assessment schedule as this will help me to stay on track when delivering the content of the course. From my experience however, this assessment schedule can be subject to change as sometimes certain concepts take students longer to grasp and require more in-depth study while others come more easily and can be worked through quite quickly. It will be important to make use of the formative assessments each week to more authentically decide when to move on to upcoming topics.
I decided to use Google Classroom for two main reasons. The first is that I am very comfortable using it and am a fan of the Google Suite products that can be seamlessly integrated into the environment. The second is that I know the seventh graders will also be very familiar with this LMS as Rocky View Schools supports and encourages the use of Google Classroom within our division. The discourse portion of a course dynamic is not as well supported through Google Classroom as there is no “Discussion Post” feature however because I am still choosing to deliver this course as an in-person course, I know I would be able to facilitate this building of classroom community in person.
I’m finishing off this assignment with what feels like a very clear path ahead. I’m looking forward to having the time to continue to create engaging and media-filled resources that will enrich the in-person classroom community through which this unit of learning is designed to be delivered.
References:
McTighe, J., and Wiggins, G. (2004). Introduction: The logic of backward designLinks to an external site.. Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (PDF)
Assignment 1 – Evaluation Rubric & Personal Reflection
ETEC 524 – Assignment 1 (Revised)
For this assignment, I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone in selecting to be a part of the Higher Education group. Though I’ve been a long-time student of a Higher Education Institution, I’ve not had any experience on the other end as an instructor, let alone selecting a Learning Management System (LMS) for this institution to use! It was fun to consider how to apply what I know as a middle school educator to an entirely new context.
Our team decided to center the rubric sections on the SECTIONS model from Bates (2014). Our choice to include the 6 categories of Affordances, Interaction & Collaboration, Ease of Use, Openness, Security & Privacy, Technical Support Requirements, and Assessment were choices heavily influenced by the 7 Principles of Learning from Dumont et al. (2010). As a Higher Education Institution, we knew that our target audience would be made up of extremely diverse learners. Those just starting their university degrees to those pursuing further certificates while still maintaining full-time employment, to those who have dedicated their life to academia. The implementation of a LMS for a Higher Education Institution can be risky and as we learned, at times it can fail partly or entirely, (Alshammari et al., 2016). Therefore careful consideration was taken when selecting the categories for our rubric.
After we had conducted our review, we found that Moodle would be the best LMS for Rem College (RC) as they are a newer college looking to expand into offering online courses. Of the two LMSs we compared (Canvas and Moodle), Moodle was the one I was most unfamiliar with. Though I’ve frequently heard of Moodle, and my school district supports it as n LMS, I do not have any personal experience with it as a student or a teacher. I was pleased to learn about its useful features, such as multiple language options and an awesome mobile app, which we learned higher education students frequently use to communicate and collaborate (Wai et. al, 2018).
Ideally, with the implementation of Moodle, RC will see benefits in multiple areas of the 7 Principles of Learning from Bates (2014). As RC becomes more technologically advanced, they may also begin to notice the ways their instruction and teaching practices land on the SAMR continuum as described by Puentedura (2010). Instructors may begin to provide opportunities for their students they didn’t think possible before the implementation of Moodle, just as students may now be exposed to additional methods of learning and expressing their knowledge.
References:
Alshammari, S. H., Ali, M. B., & Rosli, M. M. (2016). The Influences of Technical Support, Self Efficacy and Instructional Design on the Usage and Acceptance of LMS: A Comprehensive Review. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 15(2), 116–125. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1096463.pdf
Bates, T. (2014). Choosing and using media in education: The SECTIONS model. In Teaching in digital age. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/part/9-
pedagogical-differences-between-media/
Dumont, H., Istance, D., & Benavides, F. (Eds.). (2010). The nature of learning: Using research to Inspire practice. OECD Publications: Paris, France. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/50300814.pdf
Puentedura, R. (2010). The journey through the SAMR model. IPad Educators: Sharing Best Practice in the use of Mobile Technology. Retrieved from https://www.powerschool.com/blog/samr-model-a-practical-guide-for-k-12-classroom-technology-integration/
Wai, I. S. H., Ng, S. S. Y., Chiu, D. K. W., Ho, K. K. W., & Lo, P. (2018). Exploring undergraduate students’ usage pattern of mobile apps for education. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 50(1), 34–47
Week 1 – Flight Path Activity
My name is Zoe Armstrong and I currently live, work and play on Treaty 7 Territory in Cochrane, Alberta. I began my teacher career as a High School French as a Second Language and PE teacher in Edmonton (go Oilers!). However, since moving south, I have moved to middle school, beginning as a generalist and now moving in the direction of Math and Science. I feel like I’ve been all over the place and am hoping to be able to settle down into a few subjects and grades to gain more experience with specific curriculum and really hone my skills as an educator instead of constantly bouncing around. My goal in completing this program is that I can become a trusted colleague for my peers and mentor for my students and provide a balanced, researched and sustainable point of view in the realm of educational technology.
Ultimately, I was so intrigued by this course because of the overwhelming amount of learning technologies and platforms that exist. How do we decide which of them makes the most sense for our community of learners?
At this point in my own teaching, my digital learning environment has become a house for materials, assignment due date and offering feedback. A few of the Seven Principles from Chickering and Ehrman (1996) I seem to be falling in line with digitally:
- Principle 4: “Good Practice Gives Prompt Feedback”
- Principle 6: “Good Practice Communicates High Expectations”
The first Principle from the Chickering and Ehrman (1996) reading (“Good Practice Encourages Contacts Between Students and Faculty”) is one that I rely heavily on when it comes to face to face interactions however I would love to learn more about how that same environment can be created in the students’ online interactions as well when they still spend so much in-person time together. The fifth Principle (“Good Practice Emphasizes Time on Task”) is one that, in middle school, I really struggle to help students with. Many have trouble staying off of games when they are not being directly monitored. Encouraging them to make the right choices only goes so far, I look forward to learning more strategies on how to teach students to be meaningful media consumers and more closely align myself with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Educator Standard, “2.3 Citizen” that states “Educators inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world,” (2017).
Through the study of Theoretical Frameworks, as well as collaboration with my peers in this course, I am looking forward to strengthening multiple different areas of my practice. Often, public school teachers’ hands are tied with respect to LMS environments. Most districts support or push only one or two different environments. For me, that is Google Classroom and so that is that LMS that I am choosing to work with throughout this course. Though I’m not entirely settled on what topic I’d like to use to design my unit of learning, I am keen to build my skill set in the tools that can be seamlessly implemented into Google Classroom. I work a lot with the in-house tools such as Docs, Slides, Forms, etc. but I know that there are so many other platforms that can be used and I’d like to discover them to provide students and colleagues with options. Principle #7 from the Chickering and Ehrman reading is, “Good Practice Respects Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning,” (1996). In discovering these different platforms, I will be able to more closely align my practice with this principle.
As a digital-age teaching professional, it’s important to be able to identify whether a technology is truly creating meaningful learning or is acting as a band-aid fix. Many people have approached me when they hear I am studying educational technology and have asked what I’ve been learning about. My response, at this point in my MET journey, is that I largely learn about the frameworks and critiques on educational technology. I’ve learnt how it isn’t a response to all educational problems and how we need to engage with it critically and cautiously. My hope is that ETEC 524 will help me continue on this path of being deliberate about the technology I choose to implement in my classroom and allow me space to discover more options that align with my teaching philosophy and support the educational goals of my students.
I am looking forward to learning more about the SAMR Model in Week 2 as it will likely be something that will help me make decisions about the tools and platforms I choose for my unit of learning. The topic of Week 7 on “Interactive Learning” and the readings from Anderson (2008a, 2008b) are also something I am looking forward to as this is an area of opportunity for me when it comes to my digital classroom. Finally, Week 8 on “Creating Content” is going to contribute largely to my goal of being more well-equipped to choose the right tech and platforms for specific learning scenarios. Though I am familiar with the Universal Design for Learning, revisiting this topic and the reading from Tobin (2014) will present another perspective for me to consider when designing my unit of learning for this course.
As a novice professional, to master the technologies that I will be using throughout this course I think the biggest resource I am going to require is time. Getting comfortable with new platforms and technologies requires exploring. Toggling around on different parts of the website and making mistakes to get acquainted with what possibilities it has in store for learning. As a public school educator, time is not something I typically have a lot of so knowing that I’ll be able to dedicate some serious time to getting to know new resources, platforms and websites as a large part of my learning for this course is music to my ears!
References:
Anderson, T. (2008a). Teaching in an online learning context. In Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 343-365). Athabasca University. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/14_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf
Anderson, T. (2008b). Towards a theory of online learning. In T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds.), Theory and practice of online learning (pp. 45-74). Edmonton AB: Athabasca University. Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/02_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf
Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S., C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 49(2), 3-6. Retrieved from http://www.aahea.org/articles/sevenprinciples.htm
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2017). Standards for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators
Tobin, T. J. (2014). Increase online student retention with universal design for learning. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education 15(3), 13-24. [LOCR]