Course:Edcp473

Digital Media and ICT: Ethical Uses

Link to the EDCP 473 WP in DLC Portal http://dlc-ubc.ca/dlc2_wp/edcp473/

Graduating Projects (INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH)

Please place the Working INTRODUCTORY PARA of your graduating project below (130-210 words)

Bell, Carolyn

The expression, “you are in your own world,” has never been more accurate then it is today when talking about my current high school students. With the access to ipods, youtube, smart phones and video games, it seems our students are constantly plugged in. They leave my classroom to rush home, to then sit by themselves facing a screen that is instantly connecting them to others doing the same thing somewhere else. It is this concept that sparked my own interests and teaching practice to investigate what it is about technology that promotes a sense of connectivity among students and how that concept can be taught in the classroom to promote a stronger sense of community through 21st learning skills. I work at Princess Margaret Secondary School in the Surrey School District. The school is considered to be an “inner city school,” where our new immigrant and ELL population is high. For 90% of our student population, English is not their first language and not spoken at home. Even though at my school there are a myriad of cultures, and at times many language barriers, we pride ourselves on being a community. Being a part of a community is something that we hold to be very special at my school because for many of my students a “safe community” is exactly what they are lacking. However, many of my students feel safe online and they often spend more time on their electronic devices then they do being actively involved in their classes. It is for this reason that my research will explore the concepts and definitions of community and face to face collaboration and what this means and translates to in a 21st century classroom.

Boucher, Robert

“Teachers are often cut from the same cookie cutter” and “those kids just need some real teachers” are something I hear often from my mother-in-law, a former mainstream elementary school teacher. However, I remind her that there is a small population of alternate schools and teachers that are trying to “catch” a pocket of students that have many barriers to success. This made me question how I could ensure that this student population could increase their life cirumstances. I my project I questioned what are the conditions that occur when students engage and use technology to learn about employment and life-skills? The purpose of this inquiry is to empower students through technology to learn about life-skills. How has empowerment and self-efficacy been defined in the context of at-risk youth education? How can participatory learning and technology be used to help support student empowerment and self-efficacy? How can at-risk youth use technology to learn about 21st century life-skills?

Chan, Alfred

In my project I would like to examine characteristics of student learning, engagement and the formation of digital citizenship in relationship to 21st century educational experiences that incorporate the use of technology. This year, students in my class have learned and used various types of digital tools to create presentations to represent their learning. Through a combination of direct instruction, collaborative discussions and developing strategies to solve technical problems the students were able to create presentations that were interesting to watch and listen to in addition to enabling students digital means to represent their learning. Skills necessary to be able to operate and use digital tools are numerous. All of the grade 6/7 students have grown up with some form of technology and most are able to use digital tools in basic ways. Certain students seem to always be able to go beyond the basic to either combine multiple mediums in one presentation or find new creative features within a program. These students take risks and always seem to find innovative ways to enhance their use of technology. What characteristics do users need to become engaged and motivated to further develop their ICT skills?

Cheng, Leo

Over the past seven years of teaching, I have mainly taught senior mathematics. Teaching students at this grade level and subject area comes with a lot of perks and challenges. Because grade 12 math courses are admission requirements for most university programs, the students who take these courses are generally quite intelligent with good work habits and are striving for academic excellence. Despite having wonderful students to teach, they are also extremely marks driven and want to understand each concept fully. Normally this is a good thing because, as teachers, we want our students to achieve academic excellence. However, it also means hours of extra help outside of class time because the content is difficult. I needed to find a solution to help students with the difficult concepts without sacrificing my personal time.

Fung, Anita

Online learning is commonly perceived to have less merit than the traditional classroom (Chen, Gonyea, & Kuh, 2008; Hoskins, 2012). The absence of the teacher on a daily basis leaves much responsibility on the student to be self-directed and take ownership of their learning. Unfortunately, this physical lack of teacher presence can lead to disengaged students who associate little meaning to the activities they perform for the course (Palloff & Pratt, 1999). It has been a personal mission of mine to change this perception to show that student engagement and active learning is still possible and sometimes even more successful than that of the traditional classroom. The purpose of my project is for students to feel a sense of community in the course where they are active learners who are engaged and motivated. Through designing constructivist activities and incorporating multimedia in a quality blended learning environment, I hope to increase engagement in my classroom and for my students to leave the course feeling a sense of academic accomplishment in addition to having a new arsenal of 21st century skills.

Grigg, Nicole

If you surveyed experienced teachers in any given school about “students these days”, it would not be surprising to hear remarks about how hard teachers are finding it to engage the learners in their classrooms, or how difficult it is to get these students to think critically. The reality is that the needs of our students are changing and so our educational system and practices must change as well (Gardner, 2008). By embracing the 21st century learning movement, we can adjust our teaching practices to better meet the needs of our students in this new global and technological age. It is understood that communication and collaboration are essential elements of 21st century learning, and are necessary for students to be successful. Incorporating technology such as mobile devices and Web 2.0 have afforded me a new breadth of possibilities for creating lessons built on communication, collaboration and the construction of knowledge.

Hodak, Alicia

Recently there has been a lot of attention around 21st century learning in education. Since there is a focus on promoting skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication, many theorists believe teaching must change to facilitate a more personalized learning environment. Personalized learning involves a shift toward a learner-centered environment in which “teachers become co-learners” and where “students [are] being provided with more time to reflect on what they are learning and why they are learning it” (Personalized Learning in BC, p. 20). This relates to the purpose of my inquiry. My goal is to balance direct instruction and personalized learning experiences by integrating technology in order facilitate student engagement and develop 21st century skills. To investigate this topic, I will focus on how student engagement has been defined by literature on 21st century learning, the pedagogical approaches that support student engagement and motivation through the use of digital technology, and how student motivation and engagement can be examined through formative assessment.

Irshad, Arsala

The discourse on 21st century learning and use of technology has permeated educational settings worldwide. Many organizations including C21 Canada argue that proliferation of technology in society has changed the way students learn, and thus we need to “shift what we teach and how we teach to engage, empower and position learners for success” (Shifting Minds, 2012, p. 4-5). In response, educational systems worldwide are embracing the change called the 21st century learning. In BC, likewise, school districts are investing in educational technologies such as SmartBoards, computers and iPads for the implementation of Personalized learning in schools and development of 21st century skills in students. Integration of technology with pedagogy is one of the key elements of 21st century learning: “In 21st Century Learning, students use educational technologies to apply knowledge to new situations, analyze information, collaborate, solve problems, and make decisions” (www.bced.gov.bc.ca/ dist_learning /21century _learning.htm). The growth of Internet and web technologies has led to an evolution of the learning process and consequently, many innovative models of teaching and learning, distant and hybrid, have emerged on the educational landscape. Use of Learning management systems such as Blackboard and Moodle by educational institutions has gained prevalence in the last decade making it possible for students to access and manage information at their own pace and convenience. I believe, as educators, this is a critical time for us to recognize our responsibility and examine, evaluate and make meaningful use of these technologies to meet the learning needs of our students. The purpose of my inquiry, therefore, is to examine how a VLE can be employed to create an effective blended learning environment that supports the learning process and engages students in 21st century learning.

Knight, John

I chose my research topic because of a desire to establish a class website as an online presence for my students, and a desire to choose a project that fits within my own zone of proximal development – challenging and new, but with connections to my current understandings and abilities. Through coursework so far I have become very interested in seeing what motivation and engagement look like in my students and how I can provide opportunities for them to be actively involved in their own learning. This stems from my own love of knowledge and the positive experiences I have when engaging in topics of interest. If it is indeed true that learning best occurs when students are motivated to actively engage/invest themselves in experiences where knowledge is presented/explored in a meaningful and relevant context, then I hope to use a blog to present this opportunity to my students, in addition to what I am doing in a face-to-face environment.

Mann, Marian

Since the dawn of humankind, speech and communication have served as primary cultural tools that shape our thinking and allow us to socially interact. It is through these interactions that children develop higher mental functioning and learn the habits of mind of their culture: speech patterns, written knowledge and symbolic knowledge (McLeod, 2007). This culture in which students find themselves today in the 21st century, in particular how they communicate, is unlike no other in history. No longer are the choices limited to analog technology, snail mail and good old fashioned face-to-face conversations. In the last decade alone, we have witnessed the rise of social networking sites, smartphones, multi-player online games, and video-sharing software, all of which have become commonplace in our day-to-day communication (MacArthur & MacArthur, 2008). Easily and constantly accessible, these ‘new’ forms of communication serve the exact same purpose as their predecessors and remain essential to social and cognitive development.

What does this mean for educators who create and provide the learning environment for their students? It translates into integrating Information and Communications Technologies into their teaching methods and pedagogy. Extending the learning environment to online technologies still allows for the social participation, student reflection and metacognition that bear the social construction of knowledge, all while acknowledging and meeting our students’ cultural values.

Martin, Sean

Different students learn best in many different ways, so I believe that there needs to be a good mixture of learning opportunities within the classroom. Many students benefit from the traditional teacher-based instruction and the visual examples that they can provide. I also feel that the experiences and prior knowledge that students bring with them to school every day cannot be ignored, as they can be just as valuable when shared with their peers to benefit everyone’s learning. Meaningful learning can also be achieved by giving students the opportunity to actively participate and ultimately have a greater say in what their learning will look like. When students are engaged, they are more likely to listen, absorb, share, collaborate, participate, think and learn. The use of technology in the classroom can help achieve these higher levels of student engagement, which ultimately supports the goals of 21st Century Learning and serves as a guiding principle for my project.

Mergens, Jolene

Increasingly, science is front-page news and the discipline of biology has definitely seen more than its fair share of coverage. Biology helps to shape our understanding of the world and how we relate to it. As such, it is imperative that we educate our students to connect the classroom content we teach to real life situations and experiences (Chamany, Allen, Tanner, Gilbert, & Sterling, 2008). If we do not, we run the risk of teaching biology in a vacuum, which is completely counterintuitive to the interconnected nature of the subject itself. In the 21st century, science along with other fields, are evolving beyond the boundaries once associated with single disciplines (NRC, 2005). The National Research Council (NRC) (2005)has suggested that in order to prepare students to deal with the interdisciplinary nature of 21st century challenges we need to utilize the pedagogical approach of blending disciplines and giving context to content. How do we engage students in subject-oriented curriculum content by using inquiry and by teaching knowledge needed for 21st century learning?

Ng, Christina

“If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.” ~John Dewey

Though John Dewey’s words were not referring to technology specifically, his idea nevertheless, supports the current trend of integrating more technology into educational practice. A decade ago, it was only a handful of families that were adding a personal computer into their household. Today, laptops, tablets, High-definition TV’s, gaming consoles, and smart phone devices litter the home environment. Through these devices, technology is at the disposal of the user. Information is personalized, shared, and evolving as each individual navigates, searches, links, reposts, responds, likes, and tweets in an endless web of virtual activity. Subsequent generations of users are growing in environments that stimulate and gratifies with a click and a tap. They are adept to computing, analyzing, multi-tasking, and learning to communicate and express themselves with technology. The Internet is now an open source of limitless information and has changed and challenged our traditional views of how we learn and communicate in the classroom. Our form of communicating and connecting with each other naturally plays a major role in language learning and development.

Phillips, Christopher

The push towards the acquisition of 21st century skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and computer technologies is upon the education system today. As such, the traditional pencil and paper method of instruction may not be the best approach towards engaging all learners on a continued basis. As I think back about the students I have taught over the past five years, I see a keen interest amongst them in working with technology. Students today live in a digital world where information is easily accessible and the demonstration of knowledge can take many creative forms. So, with this in mind, how can today’s students be best supported and provided with opportunities to develop 21st century skills while being engaged in their learning? One method is through the integration of information and communications technology (ICT) into the learning environment as it has been shown to be a requirement for the development of 21st century skills (C21 Canada, 2012). With this framework, this project was designed to examine the effectiveness of integrating certain web 2.0 technologies into the learning environment and the impact they would have overall student engagement and the development of 21st century skills.

Rowe, Jessica

Teaching needs to continue to evolve with our learners and the current youth culture to stay relevant. Technology is a large part of today’s youth culture. These “digital natives” as per Spires, Lee, Turner & Johnson’s (2008) demonstrate a preference towards researching and creating their own knowledge, rather than listening to a teacher’s explanation. This preference lends itself well to both Social Studies and Science topics in the grade 6/7 curriculum; could language arts also make use of technology to increase student engagement and enjoyment of the learning process? The purpose of my inquiry project is to enhance the reading strand of my English Language Arts curriculum through the use of online literature circles. By moving this portion of my language arts curriculum into new media and online formats, I hope to see my students more actively engaged in their learning with the inclusion of some of the elements necessary for engagement as described by Taylor and Parsons (2011) such as: interaction, the use of multimedia and quality assessment.

Schofield, Bryan

Children have a zest for learning that is spontaneous and contagious. The traditional model of a teacher driven instruction can stifle this creative spontaneity. When students are presented with a learning platform that allows them to discover, explore and seek out knowledge without the restraints of a top down teacher knows all approach they can be highly motivated to learn. In order to tap into the students’ natural curiosity for learning educators need to provide students with a student or learner centered model. Within this model students would be able guide their learning inquiring after subjects and knowledge that interests and motivates them personally. This learner centered approach would also include opportunities to self-regulate and afford students the use of technology to increase motivation. One such student centered model is SOLE’s or (Self Organized Learning Environments). These learning environments help provide students with the platform to guide their own learning with the use of technology through a self-regulated, collaborative, inquiry based. The facilitation of these SOLE’s within a Grade 4 classroom will be the driving force behind this project.

Soo, Elginn

It is near impossible to avoid the use of technology in our world today, so why not embrace it and incorporate it into my curriculum. Along with the many benefits, there are also many challenges. One of the main concerns surrounding technology is the amount of screen time that we spend on technical devices. My inquiry addresses this in that technology seems to have become a large distraction with my students, which often interferes with self-regulation of learning while in the computer lab or at home. In the past two years, I have used the online space, Edmodo, as my ‘go to’ site to encourage the sharing of content related to my curriculum. My students have access to the site at home and it is a helpful supplement in my assessment. In addition, I feel it is beneficial to teach the importance of proper online etiquette at this age level as children begin to experiment and explore more of the virtual world.

Wood, Alexander

Introduction

This paper is a description a self-study (Bullough & Pinnegar, 2001, Samaras, 2011) conducted over the two-year period in which I have been enrolled in the Digital Learning and Curriculum Program. In this self-study I have attempted to utilize what I have learned through my reflections on human development, curriculum theory, media education, and the potential of the virtual to consolidate my understandings of the pedagogical possibilities of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in the elementary classroom. In the twenty years I have been teaching in elementary intermediate classrooms, I have developed an ambivalent attitude towards ICT. I am convinced that these technologies have pedagogical potential, but have witnessed years of ‘computers’ being treated as a subject in which students are sent down to the computer lab to be taught how to use computers by the ‘computer teacher’ while the classroom teacher has his or her prep. Even when the classroom teacher takes his or her own class down to the lab for the, typically, twice-weekly scheduled 45-minute blocks the students are often learning to type, doing word processing, or using the computers for research in which they cut and paste unattributed text and images into documents or slide show presentations which are structurally analogous to those I created as a student in the 1970s with the (often unattributed) help of World Book Encyclopaedias. In describing curriculum development through “Backwards Design”, McTigh and Wiggins (2004) articulate a desire to help educators avoid activity-oriented curriculum planning whereby students are given assignments that cover prescribed learning outcomes drawn from curriculum documents with insufficient attention paid to the need to have students demonstrate their understanding of the interconnected global “big ideas” which underlie the lived curriculum. Similarly, my goal has been to use the backward design approach to explore the possibilities for using ICT and the virtual to provide students with engaging opportunities to investigate cross-curricular big ideas. Through readings and discussions on media studies and digital and media literacy, my focus has narrowed to questions of the potential of the virtual in enabling students to develop media literacy–a central component in most definitions of 21st Century Learning/Education (Kereluik et al, 2013)–by producing, displaying, analyzing and discussing film.

Yager, Jennifer

I have been involved with working with technologies professionally for years before embarking on a career as a teacher. During my first teaching assignment, at a private International Baccalaureatte middle school on Bowen Island, I experienced first hand technologies power as an educational tool. The school itself was not equipped with laptops, SmartBoards, or Ipads, like many schools are these days. They had a small computer lab and a student population that was eager to explore, connect and learn. The most significant use of technology that I saw was how students used it to connect with kids at an orphanage in Uganda. Students would write emails, send videos of themselves, their school, their friends and their community. Technology was their platform to leap from and connect with a world around them. Students organized a fundraiser concert, reaching out and contacting a popular local band, and every student had a part in putting the event on. There were sound crews, camera crews, decorations, marketing, security, etc. From the first inkling of the idea, to the final clean up, students were engaged and involved. it was a learning experience accessible to all, despite their learning needs and perceived strengths and weaknesses. The final connecting piece was that students filmed the concert, which included information about Uganda and the specific orphanage, edited the film and emailed it to the orphanage so they could participate and experience the event as well. It was through this experience that I became certain in technologies inherent ability to connect us and educate our hearts, hands and minds.

Graduating Projects (ABSTRACTS)

Please place the Working ABSTRACT of your graduating project below (250-350 words)

Writing Abstracts http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-of-writing/abstract

Bell, Carolyn. Teaching to Build Classroom Community.

Teaching in today’s classrooms with the myriad of teaching strategies available to promote 21st century student learning can at times seem overwhelming. Students have access to many web 2.0 technologies and are constantly engaged only in their own digital worlds.

The purpose of this project was to determine if classroom community and student collaboration would increase with the use and implementation of digital teaching strategies as well as to determine if students would develop 21st century learning skills by using the technology.

The inquiry project consisted the use of a classroom Weebly website which was used for a means of communication between students and parents, as well as a discussion forum where students shared ideas and learning processes. Research was also developed from the use of web/online interfaces, which students used to demonstrate their summative learning as well as the production of various media projects. The students that participated in the project ranged in age from 13-18 and were enrolled in Humanities 8 or Community Leadership 9-12 classes.

Based on visual observations and student generated feedback it was clear that the website was very successful in terms of the discussion forum where the students expressed that the online space encouraged them to share their learning with their classmates and it especially helped to improve the depth in their dialogue. Students overall enjoyed working with the digital strategies and web 2.0 technologies, however reported that when using technology for summative assignments they found working independently more efficient and productive. In contrast, when working on the media projects collaboration was evident.

The inquiry project is still ongoing, however findings up to date show that collaboration and community can be fostered while using web 2.0 strategies, while 21st century learning skills require both traditional teaching methods as well the use of digital technologies.

Boucher, Robert. Using Technology to raise the SES of at-risk youth.

There is a population of students that often get forgotten because they are the “problem” students, the ones that teachers and administrators ask to leave their schools because they can’t ‘fit’ into the square peg we call mainstream. Creative use 21st century learning could be a way to help these students.

What are the conditions that occur when students engage and use technology to learn about employment and life-skills? The purpose of this inquiry is to empower students through technology to learn about life-skills. How has empowerment and self-efficacy been defined in the context of at-risk youth education? How can participatory learning and technology be used to help support student empowerment and self-efficacy? How can at-risk youth use technology to learn about 21st century life-skills?

Two years of student feedback as well as measurable improved life circumstances were noted and the results clearly indicated students felt and demonstrated that having a “space” that met their needs all in one place made measurable differences for them. As a result, some students were able to gain employment, create a healthy meal budget and contact drug and alcohol support workers and more.

However, through open discussions with students and my self-reflections there have been areas noted that can and will be improved upon. Overall my findings suggest that offering a participatory learning approach increases students’ self-efficacy, which translates into other areas of at-risk students’ non-academic life.

Chan, Alfred Learning from collective intelligence.

This paper explores the conditions necessary for students to be able to develop digital literacy skills when asked to produces projects using various modes of technology hardware and software. (Powerpoint, Smart Notebook, Keynote, Camera work with movies and stop motion, Ipad screen capture programs and Imovie) Throughout the course of 2 school years, students seem to be able to learn skills and also discover additional functionalities that help to enhance and better convey their understanding of curricular content. After the initial direct instruction from the teacher of basic features of the technology and time given for exploration the students, through, peer to peer sharing and patience when troubleshooting, some students seem to be able use computer programs to create presentations that are engaging, informative and innovative.

Throughout the paper, 3 questions will guide the observations of student learning and ICT development:

1. My working definitions of learning and its relationship with engagement 2. Communication and collaboration in the 21st Century Learning framework 3. The characteristics users need to become engaged and motivated to further develop their ICT skills?

The 21st century learning framework challenges teachers to be able to individualize learning to enable students to learn similar skills at their own pace with the goal of them also experiencing the same successes. Peer to peer, participatory model seems to encourage conversation as well as motivation to learn beyond the basic skills.

Cheng, Leo. Heads or Tails.

Teaching senior mathematics comes with numerous perks such as highly motivated and intelligent students as well as interesting and challenging content. However, it also means hours of extra help outside of class time because of students having difficulty with curricular concepts. In an effort to increase efficiency of my time without sacrificing student’s learning, I was extremely intrigued with the flipped classroom approach in delivering instructions and notes. With the increasing interest in the educational community on flipped classroom (Ash, 2012), I wanted to do an inquiry project to study the effectiveness in enhancing student learning. Videos of the class notes were recorded and uploaded onto a website where students watched at home and class time were used for collaborative practice of concepts.

As noted by Ash (2012), implementing successful flipped classrooms require students to be self-regulated learners. This inquiry project was implemented in an AP Calculus 12 class because majority of students are highly motivated to learn the material. With good work habits, these students can be or at least have the potential to become self-regulated learners. One aspect of personalized learning is the flexible scheduling and pacing (Jenkins & Keefe 2002), and flipped classrooms allow this flexibility.

Student feedback was collected and the results have shown that majority like the concept and implementation of a flipped classroom. Some of the top reasons why student enjoy this pedagogical approach are the ability to work collaboratively with friends to practice and solve problem, the availability of teacher’s assistance, and the flexibility to learn the material at their own pace.

Despite all the positive responses from students about the flipped classroom approach, there were several challenges associated with the implementation. The creation of these videos were too time consuming, often taking three to five hours to complete one lesson. Not all students were able to self-regulate and often videos were not watched prior to class time, therefore unable to participate in the group work nor practice the concepts. A more balance of schedule flexibility and accountability is necessary to implement the flipped classroom to its full potential.

Fung, Anita. The Blended Learning Recipe.

Blended learning combines teaching methods from both face-to-face and online learning, giving schools new approaches and strategies to develop 21st Century Learning skills. The purpose of this inquiry was to investigate various pedagogical engagement strategies to improve overall learning experience. The project focused on constructivist activities and several web 2.0 technologies delivered through the learning management system, Moodle.

Over the course of two years, a complete re-design of the structure and format of senior secondary humanities courses took place. Key changes include designing new units of study in English 12 and geo-caching in Geography 12. In order to build community in a virtual learning space, communication tools such as the creation of a news forum and online users report played a significant role in connecting the class. To monitor engagement and motivation, the activity completion tracker, calendar, wiki, and chat features on Moodle were also included.

Results were gathered through activity reports produced by Moodle, teacher observation, student reflection, discussions, and informal voluntary feedback.

Overall, students felt that their learning experience was positive and felt a sense of pride and accomplishment by completing a course “on their own”. The structure and organization of the course helped them remain motivated to complete course work. In terms of engagement, the incorporation of various web 2.0 applications made their learning tasks more meaningful in addition to learning a new skill. My findings suggest that blended learning environments flourish for all learners when student engagement and motivation drive the curriculum.

Grigg, Nicole. Web 2.0 s’il vous plait.

The purpose of this inquiry was to adopt a learning environment modeled on 21st century learning strategies, using web 2.0 technologies to engage students in 3 strands of the French and English Language Arts programs: reading, writing and oral speaking. Building a learning environment that encouraged flexibility, personalization and collaboration were key areas of the 21st century learning movement that were explored in this project.

Web 2.0 technologies and portable devices such as iPads were chosen for the application of this project because they allow for their users to gather information, connect with others and create collective intelligence. Further to this, Web 2.0 technologies make it possible for classrooms to connect with other learning communities around the world. Students from diverse backgrounds can construct richer and more meaningful knowledge with one another while developing a sense of global awareness.

For the English component of this inquiry, students participated in a program entitled “The Global Read Aloud” where classrooms around the globe read a novel at the same pace and connect with one another to share their reactions, questions and understanding. My students mainly connected with one another and other classrooms via Edmodo, Skype and GoogleDocs. Student interest in the novel was overwhelming, and students were eager to hear from their peers. For the French component of the project, students connected with correspondents in France via GoogleDocs and the classroom Weebly website. While certain methods for communication proved to require more risk-taking than others, the overall experience was positive.

The benefits of 21st century learning environment are visible as children build communication skills and engage in the learning that takes place around them. Using interactive technologies extended the possibilities for learning as boundaries for interaction moved beyond the school hours, classroom walls and country boarders.

Hodak, Alicia. 21st Century Learning and Student Engagement.

As part of 21st century learning initiatives, which promote skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication, there has been an increased focus on the idea of facilitating a more personalized learning environment for students. The focus of this inquiry is on the promotion of student-centered learning using a class website, blog and student e-portfolios in order to engage and motivate students as “co-learners” in the learning process.

The first year of this inquiry focuses on the use of a class website created using Weebly in order to engage a group of grade two and three students and communicate with their parents. Blogging and e-portfolios were attempted, but were not successful mostly due to the lack of access to technology in the school. In year two, the class website and blog were re-worked to engage a group of grade seven students. Students also created e-portfolios using Edublogs as a means of formative assessment in which they were given the opportunity to reflect on the process of their learning in a collaborative environment.

Feedback from parents suggests the class website has helped them stay informed as to what is happening in the classroom. Students have also indicated that it has been useful to be able to access homework, assignments and other related resources outside of school. The class blog and e-portfolios continue to be developed. So far, the creation of student e-portfolios has provided students with the opportunity to be creative, work at their own pace, share and reflect on their learning and receive authentic feedback. The blog has been successful in that some typically reluctant students were more willing to share their ideas with the class, however the ability to have meaningful conversations continues to be limited by lack of properly functioning technology.

Irshad, Arsala. Blended Learning 2.0: Integrating Social Media, Apps and Web 2.0 for 21st Century Learning

The purpose of this inquiry was to examine how a virtual learning space can be employed to create an effective blended learning environment that supports and engages students in 21st century learning. While many teachers at the K-12 level use VLEs such as class websites for communication with students and parents, or structured LMSs like Moodle to deliver distant courses, this inquiry was aimed at exploring the role of VLEs in fostering 21st century learning, augmenting classroom instruction, making learning accessible and mobile, and engaging students by nurturing a participatory community of learners. The context of this inquiry included high school physics classroom with many students having preconceptions about the subject such as it is irrelevant, difficult to understand and inundated with complex mathematical equations. Since students’ perceptions of a subject play a critical role in their learning and understanding of it, and the way a subject is taught can affect their attitudes toward it, a social learning network, Edmodo was chosen as a platform for blended learning to connect with them, engage them, and bridge the gap between their lives and their learning. One of the main reasons behind selection of Edmodo included the fact that it allowed for sharing of digital media, encouraged communication, peer-based learning and provided seamless embedding of a variety of web 2.0 tools and iPad apps. It was used to post, receive, annotate, assess and return student assignments; continue classroom discussions online; administer formative quizzes online, conduct quick polls, and as a space for collaborating and sharing students’ digital portfolios and projects. Some of the web 2.0 technologies and apps used in conjunction with Edmodo were Notability, Showme, RSS feeds from newspapers, Khan academy, and PBS Learning Media.Students used Prezi, Glogster, Tumblr, Weebly, Wix, Pixton and blogspot to create and share digital portfolios and projects. Students’ engagement in their learning through interactive technologies was evident in their work, online communication and collaboration. An interpretivist methodology was employed and anecdotal evidence was collected through informal observations, quick polls, and student surveys. Results clearly demonstrated that blended learning using a social learning network and web 2.0 technologies created engaging and supportive learning opportunities for students, extended the learning beyond the physical boundaries of a classroom and provided with avenues for communication, collaboration and creative expression.

Knight, John. Promoting Student Engagement through a Virtual Learning Environment.

With the inevitable implementation of 21st Century Learning initiatives it is vitally important that educators closely monitor and reflect upon the relationship between student learning and the incorporation of ICT and digital literacy goals into the learning environment. Research has shown that when a student is intrinsically motivated to learn, is engaged with the learning activities, and has developed a strong, positive relationship with classmates and instructors, then the chances for authentic learning to take place are greatly increased. The purpose of this inquiry was to explore the characteristics of student engagement, motivation, and collaboration that could be presented when students interact with each other, and with curriculum, in a virtual learning environment.

Over the course of two years, a website was developed in which students were encouraged to express themselves and their understandings. The first year involved creation of the site, troubleshooting technical issues, and determining improvements needed to help increase engagement. During the second year, the site ran smoothly and students were able to fully utilize its potential. A qualitative, interpretivist methodology was adopted in which I was integrally involved as the classroom teacher. Students completed surveys, and anecdotal evidence was recorded to see if characteristics of motivation and engagement were present in their class website/blogging activities.

As student online activity grew, it became clear that all students in the class had been given a voice to express their interests and passions. They were encouraged to comment on and share connections made with their peers in a positive, productive manner. Students posted curricular connections that may not have been expressed via regular class discussions due to time constraints and/or a lack of confidence with speaking aloud. Various widgets, such as a Poll, RSS feeds, and a Chatroll, also allowed for the further development and expression of such connections. Survey responses and anecdotal evidence collected suggest that when a virtual learning environment is used to encourage student personal expression in a positive, diverse, and creative manner, and not simply as a medium for the posting of assignments, then greater opportunity for increased engagement with curriculum is provided

Mann, Marian. Connecting a Class Community Online.

Today’s 21st century student, raised in a technological world, communicates, interacts, and develops social relationships online. Recognizing this shift, educators have begun to integrate Information and Communications Technologies in their teaching practice in order to engage and motivate student learning. Digital technologies such as class websites and blogs bring the classroom into the home, allowing for further student communication, interaction and increased learning opportunities. This inquiry demonstrates how an established face-to-face classroom community can be extended online to further develop critical thinking skills and the construction of knowledge. It also examines the positive effect of peer feedback for intrinsic motivation and skills development in writing.

The inquiry involved the creation of a WordPress class website for students to primarily respond to teacher and student posts in an effort to simulate ‘class discussions’ and promote critical thinking. In addition, polls and various asynchronous activities were published with the intent to have students share ideas to stimulate questions and foster further reflection. A Writers’ Workshop was conducted via Google Drive on which students shared their drafts with peers and the teacher for the purpose of collecting positive comments, questions and specific suggestions.

Taking an interpretivist approach, the teacher collected and analyzed data from surveys, observations, samples of posted responses and student posts, and samples of writing. The inquiry found that students were mostly comfortable communicating online with their classmates provided that this community was closed to others. A limited amount of comments showing a synthesis of material using classmates’ contributions were made suggesting a hesitancy to engage in higher ordered thinking skills online The study also found that students were motivated to create work on Google Drive and were at ease with sharing their writing, and giving and receiving feedback. Student’s writing skills improved as a direct result of the constructive feedback provided by peers and the teacher. During the inquiry, it became apparent that the digital divide contributed to the further marginalization of students in low socio-economic households. Relationships, peer interaction and writing skills for this group minimally strengthened although most activities were completed in class.

Martin, Sean. Support for the Present to Prepare for the Future.

With 21st Century Learning being “the next big thing” in education, it is important to understand what that means for students and teachers and what skills are needed to be successful in a 21st Century classroom. With technology integration into the curriculum being an integral part of this educational movement, many teachers appear resistant to changes that would incorporate more technology use in their classroom.

The purpose of this inquiry was to observe the willingness of teachers to use digital technologies in their classrooms with the support of a mentor as a part of the goals of 21st Century Learning. The project focused on the creation of a class website to promote communication between teachers, parents and students, as well as to provide opportunities for class discussions. For many colleagues, the mentorship relationship progressed further to include support using other technologies, most notably the use of ipads for a variety of class specific purposes.

This inquiry found that if teachers had a strong desire to learn and wanted to integrate digital technologies into their classroom, they would benefit more from the mentor-protégé relationship, regardless of previous familiarity with using digital technologies. While most teachers were excited to explore the possibilities of improving learning opportunities for their students, others were not as keen and had difficulty experimenting with the technology individually and making time to work with the mentor. While the support provided by the mentor was paramount in helping teachers find success using digital technologies, it seemed to be of secondary importance to a teacher’s commitment to learning.

If our schools are to truly embrace the full integration of digital technology into the curriculum, it will certainly require support and training, but that must also be coupled with a commitment from teachers to want to make a change. Teachers can be presented with all of the training and mentorship opportunities that can be made available, but without the desire to want to use the technology as a part of their teaching practice, it will be difficult to have real progress with the goals of 21st Century Learning.

Mergens, Jolene. Enhancing Student Engagement Through Blending Content with Inquiry and Interactive Technology.

This project was designed to improve student engagement within a senior Biology classroom. The objective was to increase engagement by increasing interactivity amongst students and with the teacher beyond the classroom by utilizing social media they were familiar with and by allowing student inquiry to guide their learning.

60 senior Biology students that ranged in academic performance were required to generate a somewhat complex human biology based question. This question needed to be one of personal relevance that they were previously or currently curious about. This became known as their INTU question (I Need to Understand). Using a class website that students were familiar and comfortable with, students were required to answer their question, read their peers’ questions/answers and interact with each other. Significant efforts were made to increase an online presence for the class. Students regularly used twitter and the class website as the forum to ask questions, reference important dates and seek out resources.

Results were gathered through informal student feedback in the form of anonymous questionnaires, class discussion, online polls and tracking class website user navigation information.

Overall, there were many organic conversations that resulted between students. Students felt that their age, background and similar experiences generated many common curiosities and interests that they too wanted to understand. Most students found it increased their interest in Biology, allowed them to view Biology and Science in general as relevant in their lives and felt it increased positive interactions with peers and the teacher. A handful of students felt that this caused them to regularly and actively search out the answers to Biological questions outside of their required INTU. A few students were neutral about this process and felt it didn’t benefit them greatly nor did it affect them in a negative way, but they did find level of interaction did increase.

This project suggests that genuine interest and engagement levels increase when students are given the opportunity to pose their own questions, select areas of interest and then put them into context within the curricular content. Interactivity between students validates their curiosity as valued and therefore as relevant.

Ng, Christina. Blended Learning in the ESL Classroom.

Learners today are growing in environments that stimulate and gratifies with a click of a button. The Internet is now an open source of limitless information and has changed and challenged the traditional concepts of Education and Technology. Language instructors have been using audio-visual tools such as audio tapes, video recordings, overhead projectors and computers, to assist in developing students skills in listening, speaking and overall understanding of a second language long before the internet. With the emergence of the Internet and advanced language soft wares and devices, it was natural to adopt them into the fold of Second Language Learning. Additionally, today’s form of communication naturally plays a major role in language learning and development. Through an Educator’s lens, various media have become a valuable resource to enhance and move second language learning towards more authentic and engaging experiences.

This project investigated the language-learning experiences of English Language Learners and the development of their English skills by incorporating a web based curriculum and digital media: YouTube, Google Docs, Google Drive, and Gmail, within a Blended Learning environment. This inquiry primarily looked at the language development of ESL students from China and Korea new to Canada. My school is working in partnership with another Language School and had developed web-based curriculum for young students to motivate and help further their language development.

A majority of the students have never interacted with Google Apps beyond gaming and watching videos for fun. Overall, students expressed and showed more engagement when learning lessons online and become more adept navigating the web, and utilizing Google Drive, Docs and Gmail for academic use. Teachers have noticed that blending computer based activities and media with traditional instruction, is not only beneficial for the auditory, visual and kinaesthetic learners, but it also gave their students opportunity to engage and be exposed to English in the digital form. This I feel has helped create a positive experience in students’ language development and growth.

Phillips, Christopher. Incorporating Web 2.0 Technologies in the Elementary Classroom.

I have always had a keen interest in technology and as I became an elementary school teacher, I knew that I wanted to find ways of implementing this in the classroom. The classroom where I was educated is now becoming a thing of the past. Students are more apt to utilize a tablet or laptop when doing their work over the traditional pencil and paper method. As such, education appears to need to implement new strategies and ideas in the classroom that engage all learners. Students today are connected and it was my aim through this project to see if incorporating web 2.0 technologies in the classroom would enhance overall student engagement and develop 21st century learning skills.

During this project the following web 2.0 technologies were examined for their influence on student engagement and development of 21st century learning skills, both inside and outside the classroom: • Classroom website designed using WordPress • Google Drive (as managed by our Burnaby School District Learning Technologies Team) • Online tutorial videos • Discussion forums for reading

While examining this project, it was important to consider how these chosen technologies have been connected with current research in the areas of student engagement and 21st century learning. It was also necessary to identify key 21st century learning skills that could be developed both by using these web 2.0 technologies and their connections to curriculum at the grade six and seven level as outlined by the Ministry of Education’s Integrated Resource Package (IRP). In addition, it was important to reflect upon my teaching beliefs and how they changed over the course of this project.

Information was collected by teacher observation, and feedback was generated from both students and parents on the effects towards student engagement. The overall belief was that incorporating these technologies into the teaching and learning environment did have a positive impact on student engagement, especially for those students who identify as being quieter individuals. While there were many positives, there were a few learning opportunities that resulted because of choices made by individual participants. These are outlined in the paper.

Rowe, Jessica. Language Arts and Technology.

The following document describes a teacher inquiry project examining the integration of technology into one classroom’s language arts curriculum over the course of two school years, with a focus on online literature circles. Student input shaped much of the process and format with students responding via online surveys, discussion posts and polls on a continuous basis to give feedback.

In the first year, two different grade 6/7 classes completed traditional literature circle roles such as discussion director and passage picker using two different sites. One class used the forums on a Wordpress site while the other class used pages on a Weebly site to share and respond to roles. Feedback from students showed a preference towards shifting away from the traditional literature circle roles as followed in year one and a need for a more user-friendly format. Year two focused this time around one grade 6/7 class using the Wordpress site to participate and share teacher-chosen assignments integrating technology and open-source sites in online literature circles. Sixteen out of thirty of the students had previous experience with online literature circles due to being a part of the inquiry project in year one.

Students expressed frustration regarding the technical difficulties faced throughout the process including: outdated browsers, difficulty accessing sites needed to complete assignments and the speed of the school’s internet. This study, originally intended to increase engagement and on-task behavior in language arts, was greatly hindered by these technical difficulties. This indicates the necessity of keeping school technology and infrastructure up-to-date, an ongoing challenge for school boards faced with budget restrictions and shortfalls.

Schofield, Bryan. SOLE Projects in a Grade Four Classroom.

Students learning can be optimized through the use of technology in the classroom as well as the facilitation of a self-regulated, inquiry based model of education, in short a student centered model of learning.

The purpose of this project was to learn if the use of SOLE (self-organized learning environments) in a Grade 4 classroom would promote increased student motivation and engagement as well as facilitate self-regulated learning practices and build technology skills. Increasing the depth of student questioning was also a goal as they explored and learned through an inquiry-based model. There were a total of 60 students that participated in these projects. The ages of students that participated were 9 and 10. These students participated in these projects for an hour once a week for a period of 3 months.

Through observational data and anecdotal feedback the Grade 4 students thoroughly enjoyed this method of student centered learning. They were highly motivated to engage in the projects on a weekly basis and enjoyed the opportunities that the regular use of technologies afforded them. Students also displayed increased capacities for self-regulation when engaged in these projects.

Soo, Elginn. Self-Regulation: Fighting the Temptation of Distractions on Technology While Using Technology for Learning.

The purpose of my inquiry is to investigate the ways of assessing progress of self-regulation in students’ learning while using technology in the classroom. To assist me in my study, I will be using a virtual social learning platform.

In order for learning to occur in the ‘ideal’ environment, it is important for my students to be able to self-regulate their ability to sustain focused attention for a set period of time in the school setting. There are an infinite number of distractions in a classroom environment as is, and incorporating another variable such as technology and a virtual space, does not help to alleviate their desire to engage with other potential tempting activities on their technological devices, while working on a computer assignment. If my students are able to divert their full attention to working on a task to the best of their ability then I believe that teachers will be able to receive a more accurate assessment of learning that is happening when using technology.

Through various computer-based assignments with my Grade 5/6 class, I recorded informal anecdotal notes as I monitored my students’ habits as they worked on slideshows, online quizzes, animations, writing and research. In addition, my class completed some online, impromptu polls after some work periods to determine whether or not they were on task. On average, 30% admitted that they were not completely focused as they were doing “other” things on the computer. When asked why they did alternative things, their reasons ranged from a mere shrug of their shoulders to a strange excuse followed by a smirk or look of guilt. As a class, we also discussed the possible reasons for why people may get distracted with the internet or other programs while working on their computers.

I think the first step to addressing self-regulation in learning while using technology is to bring awareness to my students. Once they are conscious of their unhelpful computer habits, then we can assist them with some strategies to maintain more focus and control over the temptation to ‘play’ or procrastinate.

Wood, Murray. Student Engagement, The Virtual, and Media Literacy in 21st Century Learning.

This paper represents a two-year self-study conducted by a teacher in an elementary intermediate classroom. Following a brief review of the literature, the writer postulates that, while the underlying rationale for the current wave of curriculum reform under the banner of Twenty First Century learning may be flawed, initiatives such as the current reworking of curriculum by the British Columbia Ministry of Education provide possibilities for teachers to design curriculum which facilitates students making the transition from passive receptors of information participating primarily in superficial interactions through social media, to fully engaged active participants in rich virtual communities. Ambivalent about the immersive nature of students’ relationships with information communication technologies, the writer seeks to use the ICTs available at the school–22 tablets, a portable lab of 15 notebook computers, and a stationary lab of 30 desktop computers–to provide his students with opportunities to develop skills, knowledge, and attitudes conducive to media literacy–a consistent element across the wide range of definitions of twenty first century learning and a central component of the BC Education Plan. Following the principles of backward design, the writer documents how, as early intermediate students come to understand the basic conventions of film by creating their own works and analysing the work of their peers, they better understand that film and, by extension, other mass media, are not objective reflections of reality but are constructed by the creators to communicate specific messages. This understanding represents an important first step towards media literacy. The writer then considers the question of how to overcome the many challenges associated with using film in the classroom in order to provide a balanced curriculum in which students have opportunities to use ICT and other media to create representations of their learning and to enrich their experience of the curriculum through collaboration, discussion and critical analysis of their work, the work of their classmates, and that of members of virtual communities.

Yager, Jennifer. Using Technology to Foster Social Emotional Development within a Holistic Education.

Technologies are an integral part of our society. Many students are exposed to various technologies prior to their first steps down a school hallway. Inherent in technology is the power to connect us to the world and the knowledge and people that are held within it. Despite all of the opportunity for connection, there is a pervasive concern that technologies overlook the important social and emotional skill development that is inherent in face to face interactions.Due to the current push for 21st Century education and a concern for what that means for social emotional learning, my inquiry focused on how technology could be used to foster the development of Social and Emotional skills.

For the inquiry I created a class Edmodo website, which was used as a platform for activities focused on collaboration and empathy. The study was designed around the school social responsibility model STAR (Safe, Thoughtful, Accepting, Responsible), with each activity being focused on one aspect of STAR. A variety of resources (i.e. videos and web 2.0 tools) were used to educate about online safety and expose students to the experiences of children around the world, while assignments were given to facilitate group collaboration. Throughout the study observations were made, surveys were taken and assignments were given.

Student engagement in the website was high, from the beginning of the inquiry and remained high throughout the study. Students were reflective and communicated honestly when frustrations arose. The misunderstandings and problems that arose were most effectively resolved when they were discussed in a face to face interaction. The findings of my study demonstrated the importance of having a blended learning environment, where students learn with technology while being enhanced and supported by face to face interactions. The inherent benefits of technology, the interface to connect with people, places and knowledge beyond the scope of their community, needs to be incorporated with meaningful interactions with those within their immediate community.

Graduating Projects (working titles)

Please place the working title of your graduating project below using the following format: 

Airey, Robert. (2012). Using Technology to Track and Demonstrate Understanding of Learning Outcomes in a Junior Science Classroom. M.Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Browse example titles of DLC1 Projects http://dlc-ubc.ca/dlc2_wp/edcp508b/projects/

Bell, Carolyn (2014) Teaching to Build Classroom Community: A Look at One Classroom's Transformations Using 21st Century Learning Skills and Digital Technology. M. Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Boucher, Robert (2014) Using Technology to raise the SES of at-risk youth. M. Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Chan, Alfred (jan 2014) Learning from collective intelligence: developing digital skills through peer sharing

Cheng, Leo. (2014) Heads or Tails: Successes and Challenges of Implementing a Flipped Classroom in Senior Mathematics. M.Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Fung, Anita. (2014) The Blended Learning Recipe: Student Engagement, Motivation, and Community. M. Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Grigg, Nicole (2014) Web 2.0 s’il vous plait: Enhancing the Language Arts Classroom Community Through Interactive Technologies and 21st Century Learning. M. Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Hodak, Alicia (2014) 21st Century Learning and Student Engagement: Motivating Students using a Class Website and Blog. M. Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Irshad, Arsala. (2014). Blended Learning 2.0: Integrating Social LMS, Web 2.0 & Apps for 21st Century Learning. M. Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Knight, John (2014) Promoting Student Engagement through a Virtual Learning Environment: Student Blogging and Connections to Curriculum

Mann, Marian. (2014). Connecting a Class Community Online: Motivating Learners to Communicate and Construct Knowledge Through the Use of Technology. M.Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Martin, Sean. (2014). Support for the Present to Prepare for the Future: Using a Mentor-Protégé Relationship to Help Motivate Colleagues to use Digital Technologies in the Classroom. M.Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Mergens, Jolene. (2014). Enhancing Student Engagement Through Blending Content with Inquiry and Interactive Technology. M.Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Ng, Christina. (2014). Blended Learning in the ESL Classroom: Incorporating a Web-Based Curriculum and Emerging Technologies to Enhance English Second Language Learning and Experiences. M. Ed Graduating Thesis.

Phillips, Christopher. (2014). Incorporating Web 2.0 Technologies in the Elementary Classroom: A Means to Develop 21st Century Skills and Enhance Student Engagement. M. Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Rowe, Jessica. (2014) Language Arts and Technology: A Platform for Engagement & Collaboration. M.Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Schofield, Bryan. (2014). SOLE Projects in a Grade Four Classroom: A Self-Regulated Inquiry-Based Technological Approach to Learning. M.Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Soo, Elginn. (2014). Self-Regulation: Fighting the Temptation of Being Distracted by Technology While Using Technology for Learning. M.Ed. Graduating Thesis.

Wood, Murray. (2014). Student Engagement, The Virtual, and Media Literacy in 21st Century Learning. M. Ed. Graduating Thesis

Yager, Jennifer. (2014). Using Technology to Foster Social Emotional Development within a Holistic Education. M.Ed. Graduating Thesis.

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