Destinations 3 & 4: Luang Prabang (ETEC 565 and ETEC 510)
From Thailand, I came down the Mekong River on a longboat through Laos to the picturesque town of Luang Prabang (ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ), see above. It was a busy place, full of natural wonders, incredible restaurants, a vibrant culture, deep dark caves, and friendly Laotians.
This was the first time in my program that I enrolled in two courses, since most of the term would occur during my summer holidays. I found it quite difficult to keep up with the work in both courses, and I was very busy for much of the summer. Ultimately, it was a very rewarding experience, and I learned many things from both courses.
This was the first time in my program that I enrolled in two courses, since most of the term would occur during my summer holidays. I found it quite difficult to keep up with the work in both courses, and I was very busy for much of the summer. Ultimately, it was a very rewarding experience, and I learned many things from both courses.
Destination 3: ETEC 565 - Learning Technologies: Selection, Design and Application
While I did not take as much from this part of my journey as I had hoped, I was able to spend some time looking at alternative Learning Management Systems (LMS). I here present a paper on Learning Management Systems, and I have also included the "Why I became a Teacher" Prezi created for this course on the HOME page of this website.
PAPER TRAIL: Learning Management System EVALUATION
This part of my journey provided me with the opportunity to examine a number of Learning Management System (LMS) programs, and compare them for their utility in an international school Grades 9-12 setting. While Moodle was ultimately chosen as the LMS for this particular investigation (see paper, right), I'm not sure I would have supported the same LMS today. I have used Blackboard Connect (the LMS being used for the UBC MET program, as of 2017), Moodle, Schoology, Edmodo, and Google Classroom.
My school has been using Google Apps for Education (which is now called the "G suite for education"; the link takes you to a site I built later in my journey), and in the last few years Google Classroom has made a number of improvements, making it a stronger contender for such a study. While I actually prefer creating Weebly sites for my courses (such as my AP Biology site) due to its ease-of-use and aesthetics, I think for privacy reasons Google Classroom would actually be my current choice. I am hoping that my school eventually decides to ask all teachers in my school to create Google Classrooms, as it is most effective for students and teachers when everyone has 'bought in' to the same LMS in an institution. |
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READING MATERIAL: KEY REFERENCES for LMS EVALUATION
Coates, H., James, R., & Baldwin, G. (2005). A critical examination of the effects of learning management systems on university teaching and learning. Tertiary Education andManagement, 11(1), 19-36. doi:10.1080/13583883.2005.9967137
Cooper, M., Colwell C., & Jelfs, A. (2007). Embedding accessibility and usability:considerations for e-learning research and development projects. Research in LearningTechnology, 15(3), 893-896.
Dimopoulos, I., Petropoulou, O., Boloudakis, M., & Retalis, S. (2013). Using Learning Analyticsin Moodle for assessing students’ performance. In 2nd Moodle Research Conference.
Lawler, A. (2011). LMS Transitioning to “Moodle”: A Surprising Case of Successful, EmergentChange Management. Australasian Journal Of Educational Technology, 27(7), 1111-1123.
Lonn, S., & Teasley, S. D. (2009). Saving time or innovating practice: Investigating perceptions and uses of learning management systems. Computers & Education, 53(3), 686-694. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2009.04.008
Cooper, M., Colwell C., & Jelfs, A. (2007). Embedding accessibility and usability:considerations for e-learning research and development projects. Research in LearningTechnology, 15(3), 893-896.
Dimopoulos, I., Petropoulou, O., Boloudakis, M., & Retalis, S. (2013). Using Learning Analyticsin Moodle for assessing students’ performance. In 2nd Moodle Research Conference.
Lawler, A. (2011). LMS Transitioning to “Moodle”: A Surprising Case of Successful, EmergentChange Management. Australasian Journal Of Educational Technology, 27(7), 1111-1123.
Lonn, S., & Teasley, S. D. (2009). Saving time or innovating practice: Investigating perceptions and uses of learning management systems. Computers & Education, 53(3), 686-694. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2009.04.008
Destination 4: ETEC 510 - Design of Technology-Supported Learning Environments
TOUR VIDEO: STOP-MOTION ARTIFACT
This part of my journey included an examination of design in learning environments. The following artifacts are centred around the iBooks application, which is currently Mac-only. This stop-motion video (right) was created for ETEC 510 to illustrate the benefits of iBooks Author, the main tool by which students and teachers can create iBooks. This introduction to iBooks can be seen as a companion piece for the proposed Water Systems Inquiry project (below).
I have been using iBooks extensively since taking this course, and have conducted Professional Development sessions on their use. If you have never used iBooks Author you may be surprised by how easy it is to create great-looking, interactive e-Books! |
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TOUR HIGHLIGHT: SCIENCE 8 WATER SYSTEMS iBOOK PROJECT
This website will be useful for those interested in having students perform an open-ended, Inquiry-based project that will ultimately result in the creation of an interactive iBook artifact. It can be used to demonstrate their learning in science as well as technological skills, and due to its open nature, can be applied to any topic, in any subject area.
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I enjoyed collaborating on this website; I was able to incorporate many of the recent developments regarding Inquiry-Based Learning that are being employed specifically in the new BC Curriculum into this project. Student-centred learning, 21st Century digital skills, and the creation of individual artifacts have all become prominent in today's classrooms. While "Water Systems" is no longer part of the Science 8 curriculum in BC, the fundamental aspects of this project can easily be applied to the new "Big Ideas", such as Plate Tectonics or Atomic Theory. While the idea of creating an iBook for Grade 8 students may sound daunting from the outset, current tools have made the user interface very 'kid-friendly': In Encheff's study, fifth grade students were able to effectively created their own interactive books (Encheff, 2013). I look forward to implementing this project to achieve many of the aims of the new curriculum, as well as providing students with a great hands-on activity in my science classes.
READING MATERIAL: KEY REFERENCES for iBOOKS SCIENCE INQUIRY PROJECT
Bray, B. & McClaskey, K. (2013). A step by step guide to personalize learning. Learning & Leading with Technology. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1015153.pdf
Capt, R.L., Oliver, D.E. (2012). Student-centered learning and an emergent developmental student taxonomy. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 36. 793807. doi: 10.1080/10668920903381789
Encheff, D. (2013). Creating a Science Ebook with Fifth Grade Students. Tech Trends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning. 57(6). 6172. DOI: 10.1007/s11528010307038.
Fedynich, L.V. (2013). Teaching beyond the classroom walls: The pros and cons of cyber learning. Journal of Instructional Pedagogies. 17. (EJ1060090).
Greener, S. (2015). What do we mean by “student-centered” learning? Interactive Learning Environments. 23(1) 12. doi:10.1080/10494820.2015.1005423
Hobbs, R. (2010). Digital and media literacy: A plan of action. Washington, DC: The Aspen Institute.
Institute of Museum and Library Services. 21st century skills definitions. Retrieved from http://www.imls.gov/about/21st_century_skills_list.aspx
Saavedra, A.R., Opfer, V.D. (2012). Learning 21st century skills requires 21st century teaching. The Phi Delta Kappan. 94(2). 813. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/stable/41763587?pqorigsite=summon&seq= 1#page_scan_tab_contents
Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st century skills: Learning for life in our time. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Capt, R.L., Oliver, D.E. (2012). Student-centered learning and an emergent developmental student taxonomy. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 36. 793807. doi: 10.1080/10668920903381789
Encheff, D. (2013). Creating a Science Ebook with Fifth Grade Students. Tech Trends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning. 57(6). 6172. DOI: 10.1007/s11528010307038.
Fedynich, L.V. (2013). Teaching beyond the classroom walls: The pros and cons of cyber learning. Journal of Instructional Pedagogies. 17. (EJ1060090).
Greener, S. (2015). What do we mean by “student-centered” learning? Interactive Learning Environments. 23(1) 12. doi:10.1080/10494820.2015.1005423
Hobbs, R. (2010). Digital and media literacy: A plan of action. Washington, DC: The Aspen Institute.
Institute of Museum and Library Services. 21st century skills definitions. Retrieved from http://www.imls.gov/about/21st_century_skills_list.aspx
Saavedra, A.R., Opfer, V.D. (2012). Learning 21st century skills requires 21st century teaching. The Phi Delta Kappan. 94(2). 813. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/stable/41763587?pqorigsite=summon&seq= 1#page_scan_tab_contents
Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st century skills: Learning for life in our time. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.