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Educators: * Please see the software use guidelines. Researchers: * Please see the authorship and acknowledgement guidelines. |
The Learning Toolkit (known affectionately as the LTK) currently consists of two comprehensive and well-developed evidenced-based tools: ABRACADABRA and ePEARL, along with a third tool in development called ISIS-21. The LTK is designed to support the development of literacy, inquiry and other cross-curricular competencies within an environment that encourages self-regulated learning, an essential strategy for effective, lifelong learning. All three tools provide just-in-time multimedia and scaffolded feedback to support student learning and teacher professional development.
The LTK is available without charge.
Electronic Portfolio Encouraging Active Reflective Learning (ePEARL)/Portfolio Électronique Réflexif pour L'apprentissage des Éleves (PERLE):
A bilingual, process and presentation e-portfolio tool designed for use in K-12 classrooms. This multimedia container supports the process of literacy development (and other content areas) by encouraging goal setting, reflection, conferencing, and continuous improvement. For further information visit our ePEARL website
http://grover.concordia.ca/epearl/en/.
A Balanced Reading Approach for Canadians Designed to Achieve Best Results for All (ABRACADABRA):
A highly interactive, flexible, and powerful web-based tool designed for use in early elementary classrooms across Canada. Taking a balanced reading approach, ABRA aids beginning readers by offering a variety of resources such as professional development training for teachers, literacy activities, digital stories, assessment capabilities, and a communication tool. Currently ABRA contains 32 alphabetic, fluency, comprehension and writing activities linked to 17 interactive stories and stories written by schoolchildren. For more information visit our ABRA website http://grover.concordia.ca/abracadabra/.
Inquiry Strategies for the Information Society in the Twenty-First Century (ISIS-21):
A web-based environment designed to introduce late elementary/early secondary students (and their teachers) to the fundamental components of information literacy by guiding students through the inquiry process. Topics covered within the Planning, Searching and Using Information modules include, the articulation of a big question and corresponding sub-questions, the selection of appropriate retrieval tool(s), introduction to search strategies for web retrieval tools, the evaluation of the quality of the information found using criteria, and note taking on the relevant sources to be used. The development of additional sub-skills such as critical thinking and self regulated learning have also been addressed through a link to ePEARL. For more information visit our ISIS-21 website http://grover.concordia.ca/isis/.
Emerging Literacy in Mathematics (ELM)/Orienter la réussite des mathématiques émergentes (ORME):
A new evidence-based bilingual tool designed to develop foundational skills in mathematics and integrated into the existing Learning Toolkit (LTK). The goal of the tool is to increase numeracy proficiency (eg. understanding of numbers, arithmetic operations, fractions etc.) and decrease math anxiety in students. The tool will provide an environment where students can become intrinsically motivated and more likely to self-regulate their learning of mathematics leading to greater feelings of competency and a higher likelihood of entering math based careers. http://grover.concordia.ca/elm_promo/
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Developed in PhP, the LTK uses a MySQL database and is installed on a school board/division/district's server. It is available at no charge to the educational community. For further information on the LTK, please contact Anne Wade at wada@education.concordia.ca or visit each tool's website and click on Contact Us. RESOURCES
Learning Toolkit Newsletter provides the latest news on the LTK research and development project and is distributed to our partners. To read more about the Software, Authorship and Acknowledgement Guidelines please click here. OTHER Abrami, P.C., Savage, R.S., Deleveaux, G., Wade, A., Meyer, E. & Lebel, C. (2010). The Learning Toolkit: The Design, development, testing and dissemination of evidence-based educational software (pp.168-187). In, P. Zemliansky & D.M. Wilcox (Eds.). Design and implementation of educational games: Theoretical and practical perspectives. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi: 10.4018/978-1-61520-781-7.ch012 Abrami, P.C., Wade, A.C., Savage, R.S., Deleveaux, G.& Meyer, E. (2009 May). The Learning toolkit (LTK): Evidence-based educational software. Presented at the Canadian Association of Educational Psycholoy (CAEP) conference during the Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE) Conference, Ottawa, ON Abrami, P. C., Savage, R., Wade, A., Hipps, G. & Lopez, M. (2008). Using technology to assist children learning to read and write. In T. Willoughby & E. Wood (Eds.), Children's learning in a digital world. ( pp.129-172). Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing. doi:10.1002/9780470696682.ch6 See also our list of papers and publications under Resources on the ePEARL, ABRACADABRA and ISIS-21 sites. LTK Award of Excellence Each year the CSLP recognizes a teacher, principal or pedagogical consultant who is an active supporter/implementer of the Learning Toolkit software. Criteria
Nominations Nominations are accepted in the early spring of each year. Nominations for the 2013 award are now closed. Past Recipients 2012: Ms Irene Tsimiklis, Cycle 1 teacher, Hillcrest Academy, SWLSB [Link] 2011: Ms Tanya Beccat, Cycle 1 teacher, Leonardo da Vinci Academy, EMSB [Link] |
The Learning ToolKit (LTK) is designed to support the development of literacy, inquiry, self-regulation and other cross-curricular competencies within an environment that encourages self-regulated learning, an essential strategy for effective, lifelong learning. All three tools provide just-in-time multimedia and scaffolded feedback to support student learning and teacher professional development. This book is comprised of teacher guides (manuals) and resources that will guide the user towards the proper use and implementation of the LTK tools in a classroom setting. A bibliography of the substantive body of research, which exists to support the development, as well as the effectiveness of each of the tools, is also included.
