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Abstracts / Résumés 1998 |
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McGill
and Concordia join hands in creating an Instructional Teaching Guide
for Resident Doctors and Teaching Assistants!! Historical
uses of technology The
satellite industry in Canada The
Definition and Design of Communities on the Web A
methodology for software evaluation Student
motivation in computer conferencing learning environments Using
video as a research tool Technology
Integration Questionnaire Enabling
technologies and students The
culture bath Video
production beyond the classroom More
than a helping hand R.M.S.
Titanic Reality
Bytes? Has
anybody seen my umbrella? The
Virtual Apple Listening
to our teachers Students
at risk & EdTech Sailing
the Curriculum Together on the Technological Sea Virtually
Our Selves: Creatively Inhabiting Cyber-spaces for Intergenerational
Collective Learning in Education
Forcasting
empowerment and social change Narrative
as discourse The
Cyber SurfBoard! Teachers helping children ride the huge wave of the
Net Creating
a science playground for children New
Orleans to Bop & Beyond Sun,
sand & serfs The
changing landscape in corporate training Making
the right connections: Learning with and from other cultures through Computer-mediated communications technology has the capability of overcoming distance and political barriers to form cross-cultural learning environments where teachers and students of diverse cultures can learn with and from each other.Such a learning environment presents students and teachers with authentic opportunities to improve communication skills, build shared knowledge and develop cultural awareness. The following paper discusses some of the theoretical and practical issues of extending computer-mediated learning environments across international borders. Its overall purpose is to convey to the reader the benefits of incorporating a computer-mediated cross-cultural learning environment into a course whose content and objectives are conducive to such an activity.The criteria for successful implementation are presented and issues relating to training and design are discussed.
The Faculty of Medicine, Anatomy Department is world known for it's medical school. In preparation to medical school, McGill University has established a prize winning Anatomy Department, through which they take great care in improving student performance from the undergraduate level. Over the years, they have also developed a Faculty Development Department within the Faculty of Medicine to improve the welfare of both students and faculty members. Unfortunately, McGill University lacks a lot of the funds necessary to maintain these initiatives. As a result, Teaching Assistants (TA's) teaching undergraduate pre-medical school students, are not getting the appropriate teacher training they need to become effective laboratory TA's. Although all the TA's have received an A in the course they are TA-ing, a lot of TA's lack the general teaching or tutoring experience needed to competently teach the undergraduate anatomy students. Furthermore, because most if not all Anatomy courses have 100% finals, the primary aim for all TA's is to integrate lecture and lab material effectively. Therefore, in order for the students to successfully learn the different structures and functions in Human Anatomy, a comprehensive teaching guide in important teaching strategies is necessary. As a result, I'm working with Dr. Eugene Daniels, Associate Professor for Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University in the design, development and implementation of the Instructional Guide for Human Anatomy TA's, Potential Dentistry and Medical Residents at McGill University. The Anatomy Department of McGill supports this initiative as the present lack of TA development is lacking (the actual), yet the desire for progress in staff and student development (the optimal) is ever needing. This work in progress will describe the procedure I'm undertaking to complete the Instructor's and Learner's manual. The presentation will provide an overview of the different stages of development of this project, including the findings from the Needs Assessment, and what I'm planning to do in the upcoming months!
Introducing, implementing and ultimately integrating technology into the classroom is not a new phenomenon. From slate to radio to the overhead projector to the multi-media computer platform, various technologies have been introduced into the classroom environment to varying degrees of success and failure. It is not sufficient to have the equipment in the classroom -- productive use must be made of that equipment for it to have any effect. The best of intentions are one thing -- actual use another. What is it, for example, that compels one teacher to use the equipment in all facets of her day and another to let it collect dust in the corner? Is it the teacher's attitude? Motivation? Support system? The use of television in the classroom, for example, was looked upon with promise yet, for the most part, failed to live up to the expectations that were placed upon it (Coltman, 1994; Strommen, 1995). We are currently undergoing another technological revolution (Ohler, 1995; Owston, 1997) -- nevertheless, in some instances, that too has not been as successful as previously hyped and hoped (Graham, 1997; Wallis, 1995). Researching the body of work written about past attempts at the implementation and integration of technology will provide valuable insight into the current phenomenon of technological use and integration. In order to gain insight into the practice of educational integration of technology, I will be conducting historical research into different bodies of literature. Firstly, examining historical uses of technology in education will allow for the determination of best and worst practices. Identifying the elements that are present (or absent) when technology is successfully implemented and the elements that are absent (or present) when this implementation fails is an important step in securing future integration success. By investigating how technology has been used in the past, parallels can be drawn and recommendations made for current purposes. Literature relating to the history of technology as well as that of adapting to change will also be examined. An element of this literature which is particularly intriguing is that of the social shaping and cultural elements of technological use (Ellul, 1964; Feenberg, 1991; Mumford, 1934; Williams, 1997). For any technology to be accepted in to a society, there needs to be certain cultural and social elements in place or the technology will not gain a stronghold. Can this same notion of culture be applied in the educational setting? Should we be looking at the cultural and social climate of a given educational environment before even attempting to introduce a new technology? Understanding how people look at technology can certainly help to ensure successful use and integration of technology. During this roundtable discussion
I plan to present several ideas regarding the social-shaping and cultural
aspects of technology as outlined in the previous paragraph. I invite
participants to draw upon their expertise and critique these notions with
an eye towards their practicability. Is it even feasible, for example,
to draw parallels between society's use of technology and classroom use?
Ultimately, I would like this roundtable discussion to help concretize
and focus the questions to be addressed in my research.
My topic is not that of a research project but rather a subject of interest, that being the satellite industry in Canada. In particular I will examine how various Canadian corporations are utilizing this technology for training and the dissemination of information. Canada's corporations must keep their employees abreast of relevant information wherever and whenever possible in an attempt to remain competitive. I will present examples which demonstrate that training is no longer confined to the classroom. In doing so, I will consider such questions as : What are the benefits and disadvantages to this technology? And, is it being utilized to its full potential? The presentation will briefly cover the technical details of satellite communication as well as its historical evolution in Canada. However, this is not the essence of my presentation. It is simply an introductory section since this information may prove useful to the participants understanding throughout. As mentioned above, the core of the presentation considers the use and helpfulness of satellites for education in the corporate marketplace in Canada. However, time permitting, I will also discuss its utilization in other sectors such as education and government.
Often communities on the internet suffer from what is known as the "Neutron Bomb" effect: The structures are there, but where are the people? In fact, with few exceptions, virtual communities provide excellent examples of the problem of architectural determinism -- the belief that designers can create community as a product of structures and arrangements of physical (or virtual) space. While the structural design is not without influence on the growth of a community, it is not the sole or even most significant contributor. There are several other elements and characteristics of community that must be considered and accommodated when undertaking the design and facilitation of a virtual community. This session presents research I conducted during an internship for a small company interested in developing and supporting virtual communities for parents, students, and teachers. For the internship, I investigated the concept of community with a particular emphasis on communities in cyberspace. Through the examination of 1) theories and models from anthropology, sociology, urban design, and organizational behaviour and 2) case study and observational research on virtual communities, I propose a definition of community useful for making design conjectures for virtual communities. From this definition I mark a starting point for virtual community design based on four different modalities of community: community as an economy, community as a structure, community as a feeling, and community as an organism. Beyond this starting point, I describe the path of growth of community through these modalities should follow using two models: the community of practice (Lave & Wenger) and the learning organization (Senge). The definition, initial design conjecture, and path of evolution is illustrated via a number of proposed and prototyped design features.
This paper proposes a systematic procedure for evaluating software for the classroom, which is especially relevant for novice teacher/evaluators. First, the evaluator defines the instructional context by determining who the learners are; who the instructor is and the learning environment; and what the 'raw' technical limitations are. Consequently, with the instructional context in mind, the instructional goal is determined. This, in turn, helps the evaluator develop statements about the type of software that will meet his/her needs. At this point,the evaluator would choose and weigh checklist items which he/she believes will aid in answering the question: "What is the best software in this context?". Potential software candidates can then be identified and evaluated using this newly created, context-specific checklist.
The primary objective of this preliminary study was to explore the relationship between student motivation and student acceptance of CC systems. More specifically, it was hypothesized that both students' expectations regarding CC and their goal orientations (that is, reasons for engaging in academic learning) would be related to their satisfaction with CC and the frequency of their online activity. In turn, students' CC expectations might be related to students' general expectations about the use of technology in learning and anxiety toward computers. Participants were volunteers from 5 graduate-level face-to-face courses and from 1 undergraduate distance education course at a Quebec university during the 1996/1997 academic year, n=79. This correlational study assessed students at the beginning of the course using the ATCUS to measure attitudes and anxiety toward computers (Popovich, Hyde, Zadkrajsek, & Blumer, 1987), the Goals Inventory measure (Roedel, Schraw, & Plake, 1994) to measure goal orientation, and items constructed by the researchers to measure students' CC expectations. The post-course questionnaire contained 13 items to measure student satisfaction with CC. All results are reported at p< 0.05. Results suggest that: 1) students' expectations were related to their satisfaction with CC and to their total online messages; 2) students' success expectations were related to the number of graded messages they sent; and 3) students' outcome expecations were related to their satisfaction with CC and with the number of ungraded messages they sent. A significant negative relationship was found between high performance orientation and the number of ungraded messages students sent. Computer attitudes were significantly correlated to students' expectations, and success expectations in particular. Computer anxiety and students' success expectations were also found to be correlated. Prior experience with computers did not correlate significantly with students' success expectations. This preliminary study provides
us with the basis for new research currently in progress.
This project set out to explore if raw data from informant-made videos would help in drawing conclusions about political strategies and action in the student protest movement in Montreal from actual student experience.It is based on documentary and ethnographic filmmaking practices developed in, for example, the National Film Board's Challenge for Change series and more recent informant-made videos.It utilizes the stories from the informant- made videos in the same way that storytelling is used in popular education and critical pedagogical realms, i.e. to explore questions of social change. The project was conducted after a period of student demonstrations, strikes and occupations in the Fall semester of 1996.Two students were asked to tell a story, with the aid of a video camera, about their involvement in the actions of that Fall.They were asked to talk about how they felt about the student mobilizations and their personal involvement in them, and to videotape images that would aid them in the telling of their stories. The visual and narrative events in their videos were subsequently analyzed to help in developing critical understandings of the student movement and student activists within them.
Issues related to teachers' use of computers are complex and as a result the implementation of this technology has become more of a challenge than was first anticipated (Collis, 1988).To a large extent the educational value of computers rests on the ability of teachers to accept them as valuable tools and to make the effort to obtain the knowledge that will enable them to use the technology effectively.Kershaw (1996) states that for effective change to occur we must focus on the goals we hope to obtain with the use of technology and on the teachers and students who will use it.Future research is necessary to improve our understanding of the "how to's" of effective educational computing. The expectancy theory of motivation has been suggested as a framework from which to study the beliefs, motives and factors related to effort and performance of teachers' computer use (Marcinkiewicz ,1993-94, 1994-95; Watson & Behnke,1991).The theory holds that people are purposeful beings and as such their motivation to perform depends on what they perceive to be the possible outcomes of their actions (expectancy) as well as the value given to the outcome (value) and the potential success of the outcome (cost)(Vroom, 1964; Steers & Porter, 1975). The purpose of this research initiative is to develop an instrument that would provide reliable data regarding teachers' use or lack of use of computers. The information gathered through the use of such a tool would help identify key factors that should be considered when designing professional development workshops for teachers that addresses computer integration in the classroom. The theoretical foundation of this investigation is based on the Expectancy Motivational theory.The research questions are guided by the value, expectancy and cost factors outlined by Shepperd (1993). The research questions are formulated as follows: 1. What factors enable teachers
to consider the integration of computers as a valuable pedagogical strategy?
E.g. increased student interest and motivation; access to info & resources
The research that is required to develop the Technology Implementation Questionnaire (TIQ) will occur in several phases.To date, field testing has been conducted with an initial draft of the TIQ.This version included three open-ended questions related to value, expectancy and cost and twenty eight closed ended statements rated on a five point likert scale.Fifty one questionnaires were collected from administrators, elementary and secondary school teachers and teachers aides.Preliminary analysis of the data identified several categories which include support, availability of training, student motivation and self-esteem, time, technical assistance, and access to computers.The presentation will consist of a discussion of our work in progress, including the questionnaire development process, and current data analysis.
Advances in computer, information and adaptive technologies are playing a major role in removing barriers that at one time prevented some students from pursuing their study of choice.In addition, these technologies are enablingstudents who have access to them, the ability to compete on a level-playing-field with their nondisabled colleagues not only for academic success, but for a place in Canada's job market. Presenting on behalf of my fellow researchers and collaborators, I will use the round table: to expand upon the purpose and significance of this investigation, to describe the methodology being used for this specialized research, to present some preliminary findings, and to describe my particular involvement as a Master's student in Educational Technology in this work.
As we rocket towards the technological millennium a global community is being created. With the advent of powerful telecommunicational capabilities, on an international level, our world has the opportunity to exchange ideas,information, and lived cultures.What was once a geographical mystery of the past, the cultural force that informs our world views, is now a transmittable reality of the present. This presentation explores the notion that we are culturally driven, and posits that it would, therefore, benefit children to understand their own culture, as well as to try to understand the cultures of the many peoples that they may encounter in their real and cyber lives. Classroom projects delving into the realities of culture, both researched and lived, could make use of the Internet, enabling students to pool their work and thoughts, to hone their critical thinking skills, and to begin to develop their social and political voices in a global community. The Internet has enabled students and teachers to travel the world virtually.This medium can make an authentic kind of cultural learning possible, but teachers and researchers must provide the appropriate cyber venues for this learning to emerge.To address these issues, a web site entitled, The Culture Bath, has been created to provide a pedagogical structure for teachers and an opportunity for students to co-create this source of information. Ultimately, an organic dialogue of culture could be created as children from all over the world are romanced by each others' cultures, immersed in the facts and figures that have defined and articulated these cultures, and ultimately comment on aspects of cultures that may pique their interest, their anger, or their concern.Please come and bring your questions and comments; help co-create this educational web site with me.
Media literacy is an nebulous term often used to describe a variety of programs and approaches intended to diffuse the harmful effects of media (especially television) on young audiences. Originating in Australia and Europe, the study of media at the high school level has become an integral part of many school systems.While the Ontario ministry of education has published specific curriculum guides and objectives to define its media program, the Ministry of Education in Quebec has simply mandated that part of the language arts curriculum be allocated to the study of non-print media.As such , high schools in Quebec have adopted a wide interpretation and diverse application of this requirement.This session will briefly consider some of the work being done in the area of media studies at a local high school.Three or four students from this school will accompany the presenter in order to share their classroom experiences.Sample tapes of productions emanating from this course will also be presented.As the theme of the symposium is 'Beyond the Classroom',the work presented will be video productions that have extended beyond actual classroom activities.
The professional development of teachers plays an integral role in any school's computer integration plan.An interesting strategy which has been found effective for in-service professional development is the use ofmentors/tutors (MacArthur et al, 1995; Gray & Gray 1985). Mentoring is increasingly being used with teachers (Ballantyne, Hansford & Packer, 1995), both for pre-service and in-service teachers.The use of mentors/tutors in professional development for teachers has been found to often improve channels of communication as well as encourage peer support and reflection (Feiman-Nemser & Parker, 1992). There is however, very little in the literature about mentoring with regards to the integration of technology into the classroom. A team of Concordia graduate students and representatives from partner school boards are involved in the development and delivery of professional development training for teachers which incorporates the use of mentors in the different training models. Although still in the preliminary stages of research, our models for professional development include such elements as: whole day training sessions, afterschool and lunch hour workshops, weekly meetings with mentors and ongoing needs assessments. The focus of our workshop topics include:understanding the potential of computers, developing basic computer skills, developing pedagogical applications and peer support.These elements coalesce into our model of professional development, through the use of mentoring strategies.Our training model is evaluated during workshop sessions through the use of questionnaires, observations and informal interviews with the teachers, however the mentoring process is not isolated within these evaluations.We will discuss the results of our evaluations and conclusions as well as ways to develop better measures to specifically evaluate the mentoring process. Our next step is to further develop our mentor model from a workshop setting to weekly meetings with teachers who are in the process ofdeveloping classroom projects.The aim of our research is not only to develop strategies to assist our partner schools with the integration of computers into their classrooms but also to develop a model that can be used by other institutions undergoing the same process. While we may be able to get teachers started on the road to integration, research has shown (Giilmore, 1995; Willis, 1993) that on-going support is essential to the success of integration technology within classrooms.Given the financial as well as time constraints experienced by all schools, continued external support is not feasible.For these reasons we are now exploring the possibility of moving from external mentors to internal ones, whether they be teacher-to-teacher or student-to-student.During this roundtable we hope to discuss the pros/cons of: external mentors, on-line mentoring, teacher-to-teacher mentoring, student-to-student mentoring.In addition we hope to discuss effective transitions (from external to internal) as well as mentor training. References:
Our Powerpoint presentation of an integrated lesson activity revolving about the R.M.S. Titanic is meant to demonstrate that any lesson plan, new or old, can be infused with technology, adding another creative dimension to the entire project. We plan to demonstrate exactly how and where in the lesson plan a teacher can implement computer technology and peripherals, such as the digital camera or scanner, to make the whole process more dynamic both for the teacher and the students. Our topic relates to this year's Symposium theme because technology is becoming more and more implemented in the classroom and teachers may feel that they have to start over when this is not the case. This presentation explores both practical issues involved in taking an existing or favourite lesson plan and playing with it to see where technology can play a role in enhancing the learning and teaching process.
The long-sought after but as yet unmaterialized computer revolution promised to upend traditional teaching and school structure. It was thought that educators would embrace these new electronic tools that appeared in brand new computer labs in schools across the world. Solomon & Solomon (1995) equate this initial stage of computer integration to the "Field of Dreams" , tied to the beliefthat "put [technology] there and it will be used"(1995, p. 38).Unfortunately, it takes more than a lab full of shiny new machines to affect classroom processes that have, for the most part, changed very little for the past several decades. It is wise to ask what steps must be taken to ensure that technology, once placed in a school, is used wisely and effectively by students and teachers alike. At the core of the effective classroom integration of technology are teachers that are skilled, competent, confident, motivated and innovative in the educational use of computers (Gilmore, 1995). For the most part, school administrations In North America and Europe have already identified in-service teacher training as essential in helping educators fill this gap in their professional development (Zammit, 1992; Faseyitan, 1996)and to help teachers adequately"meet the challenge of computers in schools and optimise their instructional potential" (Gilmore, 1995). There is an urgent need to focus critically on the quality and nature of teacher training in this area so that teachers can develop the requisite personal, professional, and technical competences to meet the many challenges ofa sensitive integration of technology into the classroom setting. When assessing any type of in-service education program it is important to examine both the factors that contribute to its success as well as the context in which this training takes place. In the context of a one-day training model, affectionately dubbed our "One Day Wonder,", this paper will examine various aspects of the personal, professional and technical competences that teachers currently require. It also explores teacher attitudes toward both in-service training and toward the integration of computers into their curricula This paper will also discuss the perceived changing role of the teacher from primary vehicle for the delivery of information to instructional designer. It will discuss the barriers to integration,such as lack of time to learn and to prepare, inadequate facilities, lack of administrative and technical support , and accelerating pace of change. Concordia University's Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance (CSLP) in partnership with the bilingual, Montreal-area South Shore School Board (SSSB) began designing technology training initiatives for teachers in April of 1997.In designing the One-Day Wonder, we needed to incorporate the most positive aspects of an existing five-day model into a flexible one-day, five-hour time frame, while remaining sensitive to the varying degrees of computer experience, possible anxiety, and ambivalence about in-service training in general that we expected to encounter from teachers in different schools. With this is mind, an amalgam team, composed of CSLP members and teacher-consultants from the South Shore School Board,co-designed and co-implemented a primarily hands-on approach permitting teachers to manipulate different software and peripherals in the context of a self-designed project with the assistance and advice of trainers in the role of mentors. Since September 1997, The One-Day Wonder has been piloted eight times (between Sept 1997 and Nov 1997) in both elementary and secondary school settings.Although preliminary open-ended evaluation results indicate that overall teachers were satisfied with the training, it is necessary and useful to examine in greater depth what long-term effects, if any, have resulted from the One-Day Wonder in order to assess it relative worth.
As the definition of the term literacy is expanded to include computers and other media, the use of interactive technology plays an important role in the conceptional development of this and similar programs. The educational gaming aspects of the disk make up an important element of the interactivity. An electronic storybook permits the user complete control over the pacing and review of the material.. The development of deductive skills, expansion of vocabulary and word comprehension are encouraged through a number of multi-level word games and other activities. Drill and practice becomes a fun and constantly changing activity. Through the use of storytelling and creative word play, the program provides a vehicle for children to practice and develop a variety of language skills in an entertaining but educational manner. In doing so, this CD-ROM takes the process of the acquisition of literacy skills beyond the classroom through a convergence of old techniques and new technology.
Multimedia and telecommunicational technology are innovative mechanisms in the educational realm. New approaches in education often cause fear and anxiety for the teaching profession, particularly at the elementary level where so many core skills and abilities must be promoted in children. Taking this reality into consideration, we hope to demonstrate that incorporating technology into the curriculum need not be a fearful or uncomfortable experience for any of the classroom participants. We have created a trans-disciplinary lesson plan dealing with the growth of the apple. This lesson plan blends traditional and modern media of teaching: Not only will technology be used by the students in their construction of the project but it will also be used by the teacher in preparing the students for this lesson along with other more tactile and familiar manipulables for learning. Students will present their projects using media as well. Our lesson plan is geared towards the students in the upper elementary levels, however, it could be modified to suit the developmental abilities of children in lower grades. The goal of the lesson plan is to encourage the students to use technology in the process and or the final presentation of their project on the growth of the apple. The class will be grouped (jigsawed) according to the seven stages of the growth of the apple. The end product of the project will be in the form of a pooled set of oral presentations, which allows for both the sharing of resources and the revisiting of familiar pieces of information as newly understood in their context of overview within the whole apple project. Incorporating the use of technology for this project is meant to expose the students gradually to technology and to avoid instilling anxiety in any of the educational participants. Therefore, for example, students will be provided with the opportunity to present in front of the class using the means of media or mixed media for transmitting information with which they feel most comfortable. The use of technology provides the children with a wider access to information. Learning to combine information from a variety of different mediums can be very useful for future learning. Join us on our journey to promote comfort and ease on all sides while using computers creatively both inside and outside of the classroom. (Note: Our lesson plan will be available for those who attend and would wish to have a copy).
Since the introduction of computers into education, research investigating people's attitudes toward computing and technology has become increasingly prevalent. In the last 15 to 20 years, a wealth of information has been amassed concerning how students and teachers relate to, feel, and think about computers and computing (Schnackenberg & Savenye, 1997).However, very little research has explored how teachers are being trained to utilize these new technologies.Schrum (1995) states that "introducing information technologies to practicing teachers is a non-trivial task" and that "teacher education institutions and schools in general have not done enough to support and encourage a thoughtful use of technologies to enhance the teaching and learning process." While some research has been conducted on teacher in-service training and staff development involving technology training (Gilmore, 1995; Ryba, Anderson, & Brown, 1992), most of these studies have involved the evaluation of the effectiveness of an implemented program.While this type of research is crucial, front-end analyses are equally important in implementing professional teacher in-service programs.Chin and Hortin (1993) state that "in designing any technological in-service training program, thorough planning must be done first." Chin and Hortin's (1993) assertion illustrates the necessity for the occurrence and implementation of front end, or needs analysis, in the process of developing teacher in-service training in the integration of technology into education. In an attempt to make educated decisions about "what should happen next," a group of developers/researchers from Concordia University , in partnership with a schoolboard in Quebec, have undertaken a needs analysis as part of the process of developing effective teacher in-service training for integrating technology into education. Prior to the formulation of data collection instruments for the needs analysis, both parties (the schoolboard and the university team) agreed to the terms and conditions under which data collection would take place.More importantly, the types of information sought were discussed among both parties, thereby establishing a working partnership and equal investment on behalf of each partner. Development of data collection instruments was undertaken by the university team using a creation-revision process to ensure quality materials.Data were collected from school administrators and from approximately 20 teachers from two elementary schools via small focus groups and anonymous surveys.All data collection measures inquired about the present use of technology, the degree of integration of technology into teaching, and the level at which integration would optimally occur. At present, data is being compiled and will be studied in order to make recommendations for future teacher training on the integration of technology into teaching.The presentation based on this proposal will include the data collection instruments, data collection process, compiled data, and recommendations for a technology integration workshop based on the collected data. References
Students at-risk of dropping out or who are performing at a relatively low standard have become an increasing phenomena in the United States (Norris, 1994).Alternatives to regular teaching practices are currently being developed and evaluated.The "computer age" is upon us, and technology is a major focus of the current research on improving the learning context for the at-risk student. An increasing body of evidence suggests a decline in achievement test scores and an upward shift in school dropout rates (Norris, 1994).This is indicative of the fact that the educational system in the United States is not meeting the needs of all its students. The focus for considering the effectiveness of technology in the classroom for low-achieving students is one of utmost importance and urgency.The youth of today represent the leaders of tomorrow.Therefore, evaluating and implementing programs that address their needs and areas of weakness should be of concern to all members of society,and especially to members of the educational system. A major determinant of effective software for at-risk students is one which takes into consideration the pupils' psychological, social and educational needs(Braun, 1993).If a student is experiencing difficulties in school, he/she is vulnerable to any situation in the learning environment that will lower or elevate his/her self-esteem.An at-risk student can be experiencing a variety of problems simultaneously.Thus, the way he/she is taught will have a major impact on his/her motivation and level of effort.If previous practices have not been successful with this type of student, other methods of teaching need to be considered. Research has shown that the curriculum and teaching of successful programs for at-risk students need to be individualized, have clear objectives, have prompt feedback, concrete evidence of progress, and place the student in an active role. (Whelage, Rutter, and Turnbaugh, 1987). Technology is by no means the answer to all educational ills.It is a useful tool that can be used to supplement current teaching practices or can be considered when other forms of instruction have not been successful. Students at-risk often respond positively to different teaching strategies and methodologies (Norris, 1994).Technology offers students who are at-risk due to a history of disruptive behavior, poverty, unemployment, learning disability, or a host of other negative conditions an opportunity to move beyond the circumstances that plague them.Being classified at-risk, these students simply need creative, more individualized and flexible learning environments, which can be customized to accommodate their unique areas of weakness. This proposal is for a research paper to be discussed in round table format.The author will give symposium-goers an opportunity to share their experiences in the area of students at-risk and technology.Students at-risk will make up a large part of classrooms in the future, as will technology.The combination of these two factors in classrooms must be explored if education is to remain effective. As such, the theme of this round table discussion directly relates to the theme of of the 6th Annual Concordia University Education Department Student Symposium, Beyond the Classroom: Education for a New Millenium.
Technology continues to rock the anchored ship called "curriculum", and as each wave hits, skepticism, confusion and fear can set into the hearts and minds of elementary school teachers, who see their students willingly jump overboard into this ocean of endless learning. Teachers may feel they must make a choice: walk the plank and drown, or take a deep plunge and learn to surf with their students. The MEQ has allocated money to elementary schools for hardware to support their school technology plans. Meanwhile, schoolboards are scrambling to provide training via pedagogical days along with some forms of online support. I asked myself: What are teachers to do with all of this? How are they to learn to use technology effectively? What kind of support do teachers need to get their feet technologically wet? What cyber sharks are they afraid of? In a sea of learning via analytic, expressive, reflective and explorational technology, how can teachers possibly keep up with their eager students, who have nothing BUT time on their hands to explore? Within the walls of the elementary school classroom, teachers are faced with the challenge of finding ways to swim with their students as they glide towards the power of technology. The only problem is the feeling of isolation that is felt as teachers watch their students dive in without them. As they try to keep up, teachers may not be using their most essential resources -- their own creative wits and experience in tandem with other teachers. As a graduating Education student who believes technology has a valuable place in the classroom, I pondered these questions and wanted to see what inservice teachers had to say. So, I created and conducted a survey at the 1997 PAPT/PACT conference and discovered some hopeful, yet disturbing, results. I invite you all to come and share in what I have uncovered in my search for some possible answers as I will eventually join you on this ship called "curriculum". I don't know about you, but I hope and plan to dig that anchor out with you and sail with the winds of technology to learning worlds which await all of us. I have a few ideas about how we might broach this. Come join in them with me.
Amethyst, BuzzingB, Code<E>, Drusilda, Lumento, Lazuli, MudPuppy,Oni Mnemonic, Romany, Sentinel, Spin, //Slash The current educational trend is towards the integration of technology into the classroom. However, this imaging, imagining, and telecommunicational technology takes curricula beyond the walls of the classroom -- it may take curricula into the realm of psyches, solo and collective. When technology as a reflective, analytic, explorational, emotive, and expressive medium is added to traditional forms of curriculum, there is more than an electronic exchange of cognitive information - there may be a nexus of emotion and cognition, a meeting place of pedagogy and educational psychology. Are we, as teachers and researchers, prepared for this advent? We ask you then: What if? What if a Kindergarten, Grade 3 and Grade 7 class (from different schools), their teachers, five preservice teachers, and two graduate students were to connect creatively through cyber spaces to work on a project, to exchange ideas and information mutually using multiple cyber names to represent themselves to one another and to themselves? What might happen? What if a vivisystem (Keely, 1994), a technologically-enhanced living human collective were born? Kyrie, A Liaison ! To undertake this "Community Learning Project", supported financially by a POIP Grant, an intergenerational learning community was formed in a liaison among three schools (one elementary, one highschool, one university) and seven Concordia Education students. The computer-mediated conferencing system supporting this multi-age learning community is SoftArc's graphical e-mail system, FirstClass, which enables the sending of picture messages as well as of text messages, and which permits the use of colours, differing signature fonts, type sizes, and so on -- all of which may be used creatively to shade text messages to mirror the human emotions embedded in human thoughts expressed, shared, on-line. You and I, and collective entity: We As these Concordia students met on-line and off-line to plan and to explore their participation and mentoring in this distance education project, they found themselves forming and experiencing their own learning community to support this larger learning community project. They found themselves becoming a cogent group of persons, a collective, generating their own definition of what a learning collective is and should be: Sharing relationships with one and another in a safe environment where risk-taking and honesty, which define authentic learning, exist, are promoted, and are explored together. Through the process of this powerful experience, this group of students started to ask themselves: The possibilities and the perturbations.... What if learning were all about connection -- by voice, eyes, ears, modem, tcp-ip, text, smell, touch? What if any student could communicate in multiples of ways with any other student of any age? What if learning could be emergent voyages into one another's psyches? What if school subjects or learning projects or class lesson plans could become shared metaphors for the discovery of one's self, one's thoughts, one's vocation, and for the discovery of, respect for, and delight in others as in one's self? What if learning could be transformational, and what if technology with its attendant cyber spaces were a modus operandi that could enable and enhance this? Please join us and share our experiences, thoughts, and questions about this project and our participation in a "Cyber Community Learning Project", where we may dare to be virtually our selves.
Having recognized schooling as a form of cultural politics, whereby human experiences are produced, legitimated, and contested within the dynamics of classroom life, current pedagogical efforts, according to many critics, must be reevaluated and transformed in light of the educational system's failure to speak to the heterogeneous and variable nature of human existence.An interesting entry point into contemporary deliberations around educational reform, and derivative political/social change, is anti-racism education. Anti-racism education is one of the most pervasive, "in vogue," discourses associated with transformative education.Stemming from educational theories of critical pedagogy, anti-racism education strives to rise to the occasion of diversity and difference by calling for a fundamental restructuring of power relations within schools and wider society. As Dei argues, "current calls for 'alternative pedagogies,' 'inclusive curriculum,' and 'representative environments' must be understood as challenges to the hegemonic Euro-centered norms, values and ideas that characterize Canadian schools" (Dei, 1996: 22). According to educators and policy makers committed to an anti-racism agenda for/in schools, schooling must become a site of resistance and empowerment for the oppressed and marginalized, a place where social identity, perceptions of the self, and potential life chances may be negotiated, resisted, and validated. My presentation will primarily focus on an examination of the theoretical and strategic challenges/contradictions facing anti-racism education.Possible topics of address include the impact of multiculturalism, teacher culture, school organization and administration, student resistance, lack of teacher education, and the anti-oppression movement on the implementation of anti-racism education in elementary and secondary schools.I expect my presentation to consist of a traditional discussion of my research paper followed by a short question/answer session. The topic of anti-racism education is directly related to the Symposium theme in the sense that it is a response to a new millennium characterized by a rising immigrant student population/culture, accompanied by varying student needs and experiences, and an abundance of racism embedded within institutions of education. My research posits itself as a point of departure in attempting to understand how anti-racism education can move beyondcriticism and challenge to become an applied reality in our educational system.The relevance of this type of work becomes obvious when we consider the importance of community, parental, student, and teacher involvement in producing a more socially aware, equal, and just society for all.Thus, anti-racism educationreflects the need to move the very purpose and definition of education 'beyond the classroom' into the everyday lives of those who comprise and sustain society in the first place. References
Literacy has been thought to be the end result of our education system.The latest critical literature suggests that there is not a 'literacy crisis', but a need for change in process.Now educators are looking at why some children have difficulty with basic literacy skills, and are searching for more effective teaching methods.For young children, learning comes form stories.Stories, or narrative, help teach children basic literacy skills, and these skills can be used as a framework for later learning.In this paper, we suggest that narrative can be translated into a literacy tool because it enables students to learn in their own contexts by bringing informal ways of learning (i.e. home literacy's way) into structured school settings.The importanceof narrative is that it is a sense making tool that children can use in a classroom.South African home literacy is an example for how traditional oral stories teach through narrative.This traditional approach needs to be examined as an alternative method for teaching and leaning in Canadian classrooms.Narrative is an innate part if traditional oral stories, and literacy skill are an important component of learning. This paper discusses two important questions: What is narrative? How is narrativeused in South Africa? Moreover, we discuss how narrative can be translated into a teaching tool in Canadian classrooms, by using the example of how narrative is used in the teaching of mathematics.Lastly, based on the assumption that children construct knowledge through meaningful experience we stress the importance of making learning contextual.We challenge teachers to rethink their assumptions about how children come to learn language and other subject matter (literacies) and suggest that they look at traditional African home literacy as basis for a new discourse in the Canadian educational system. This paper illustrates, directly and indirectly, the importance of reciprocity in communication strategies in the field of literacy for an effective participatory development process and for consolidating the gains achieved and the lessons learning from International Development over the past decade.
The huge wave of the Net is splashing into elementary education -- lifting children and taking them to places far beyond their classrooms. Does the thought of using the Internetwith your students leave you in a cold sweat? Do you worry about what kinds of things they will find out there and about their disclosing personal information to strangers?Do you question the educational value of the sites on the Net and their relevance to your curriculum, teaching philosophies, and thematic units?Does it irritate you when you see children performing aimless searches on the Net and not getting into anything concrete from which they can learn?My web site, The Cyber SurfBoard proposes an answer. In the context of a course onthe developmentally-appropriate integration of technology into the elementary classroom, an Internet web-site called The Cyber SurfBoard was developed.This site contains fun learning opportunities and introductory surfing experiences for children in the Grades 4 to 6 age range.Students can read book and movie reviews written by other children, then write and post their own; they can use math and logic skills to solve brain-teaser questions; and they can think about how point of view can change the interpretation of a story dramatically!The CyberSurfBoard also has a section of links to other sites, which change on a monthly basis.Each of the linked sites has been previewed and selected by a pre-service teacher based on itsappeal and interest to childrenas well as its educational content.The limited number of links allows students to become more involved in the SurfBoard's subjects of the month and toexplore the topics more deeply, while effectively avoiding superficial Internet searches that result from children's floundering in an over-abundance of irrelevant information on the Net.Teachers are, of course, invited to submit suggested topics for the subjects of the monthso that The Cyber SurfBoard links may reflect their anticipated thematic units and classroom projects.Please join me forthislaunch of The Cyber SurfBoard.
Young Children, ages 3-12, are an under-represented age group in the educational area of science, technology and the environment.If children are to be prepared for the new millennium, they must be "science literate" and "technology oriented". The "Science Playground" is an innovative educational setting at the Fraser-Hickson Library in N.D.G, which incorporates methods created and used by Captain Catalyst (alias Steven Rosenstein) at science and children's museums across Canada, to help young children explore science and nature through play. The "Science Playground" is part science museum, part day-care, and part invention workshop.Children participate in safe, fun, hands-on and relevent science activities which cover the broad range of science (be it chemistry, physics, or paleantology). The "Science Playground" is for the scientist in everyone.Even adults, join in the play, and many stay to help their children explore science projects. Presently enrolled in the Masters in Child Studies program, my future research will involve my "Science Playground" project.I will be investigating these aspects: 1) What do children learn through their play ?2) Can science play help children to become better problem solvers and to be more comfortable with science and technology?
New Orleans to Bop and Beyond: A Comprehensive Jazz Instructional Programme for Secondary Level Students is the title of the thesis written for my M.A at Concordia.This thesis offers a proposal for the development of an introductory jazz-related curriculum for secondary level students. It is based on a critical evaluation of past pedagogical techniques in the field. Two aspects are proposed, historical and performance. Students learn the history of each stylistic period and then learn to play in that style. New Orleans to Bop and Beyond consists of five 12-lesson modules, each dealing with a specific period of jazz e.g. New Orleans & Early Bop (modules 1&3), one of which is presented in its entirety (module 3) and another that presents the historical aspect (module 1).Generic plans for the instructional programme are included that cover lesson plans, tests, student material etc.Singing as well as playing on an instrument are essential instructional strategies.Cooperative learning exercises also play an important role in the learning process.A formative evaluation of 2 lesson from the Early Bop module was done.Twenty grade 9 students participated in a 2-period learning experience.Findings indicated that on the average students increased their knowledge of this jazz period. My presentation of New Orleans to Bop and Beyond will explain briefly the concept and philosophy of this instructional programme and will include a demonstration of one of the teaching methods i.e. midi keyboard for Early Bop phrasing.Questions will be welcomed after the presentation.
This paper combines the results of an investigation into the education of North Americans when they are five-star tourists in Egypt, with a call for a transformation in how racial identity and culture are co-opted in tourism. It is commonly assumed that a primary function of travel to the developing world is its educational value, however the artificial and limited interaction between tourists and indigenous employees, characteristic of five-star tourism actually serves to exacerbate racial prejudice. Significantly, field work suggested that at least some North American tourists are likely to appreciate a less exploitative and more educational environment than that which is offered to them presently. It will be argued that alternative forms of tourism do nothing to address the structural basis of inequality and are no more ethical than the five-star field. If the educational purpose of tourism is to be fully realized, transformation of its exploitative nature must begin at its core: ideology. Touristic education, both pre-departure, as well as at during visits, should include equipping North Americans with the theoretical tools required to analyze the construction of cultures brought about by colonial, imperial and neo-colonial products (mythology, news media, the travel industry, popular culrute). By replacing stereotypical images of 'natives' with an analysis of how 'the other' is constructed, we begin the decolonization of the western imagination. Only then will travel cease to advance global inequality and will begin, instead, to contribute to a more humane world.
The corporate landscape is rapidly changing (optimization, corporate takeovers, reorganisation). The world of training has also been caught in this tidal wave. Whether you plan to work in Montreal or somewhere else in America, the way companies and institutions are doing training is presently evolving. Many, if not most major corporations are cutting back the size of their training departments and are looking for new ways of doing the training thing. Many companies are now reconsidering the classroom as a cost efficient method for the transfer of knowledge. The cost of trainers, class space, lodging and transportation are being scrutinized under the economic microscope. Under the new corporate values, classroom training is rapidly loosing ground. Many buzz words are appearing to fill this new niche, Electronic Performance Support Systems, microworlds, online help, cognitive ergonomy, multimedia, virtual campus, virtual reality (the list is almost endless because new buzz words appear every day). In this presentation, I will suggest that there is not one model presently on the market to fulfill everybody's needs. A more pragmatic approach should be considered to make tailored solutions for your clients. A few examples of these migrating training situations will also be presented Return to Archives
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