The Navigation and Sailing Report #1

Port Name: ETEC 510

Port Section: 65B

Port Website: http://met.ubc.ca/etec-510

Port Time Frame: (Jan-Apr 2012)

Port Specialty: Design of technology supported learning environments (core course)

Port Director: Dr. Diane P. Janes

Port Administrator: David Roy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Description

Design of technology-supported learning environments is an online seminar examining research, and exemplary media tools, as these inform the design of technology-mediated environments. We will explore constructivist and sociocultural theories of mind, learning and instruction and their significance for the design of educational technologies and environments. Students will design a technology-supported learning environment.

 

Objectives

• Participants will discuss different theories of learning and examine models of design and educational media.

• Participants will learn to identify relevant affordances of educational media, and to think analytically and critically about pedagogical models and related designs.

• Participants will be immersed in a broad and significant field of academic knowledge pertaining to the design of technology-supported educational spaces.

• Participants will discuss a wide range of formal and informal learning environments, including games, e-learning, computer-supported collaborative learning, instructional software, and social networking sites.

• Participants will learn to analyze learning situations and identify associated technology-related design challenges.

• Participants will develop skills in the design of educational media, and the integration of design thinking with scholarship in education.

 

Artifact #1: UBC/MET WIKI article: "Using Power Point As a Tool in the Classroom".

 

For the design WIKI project, I chose to to solo edit and do major editing and updating of the WIKI article: "Using Power Point As a Tool in the Classroom".

That is a major revision to an existing entry that has been authored by previous students in the ETEC 510 course in 2011. I did improve the overall coherence of the article, updated complete article, added new relevant content, updated and added a new links and references.
In order to fully appreciate and credit the work of previous authors, I retained their content that was good and applicable, primarily their screen shots of PowerPoint slides explaining basic presentation creation, and other good content.
Now the article provides more complete picture about Using Power Point As a Tool in the Classroom. I based my major changes on the newest version of Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2010, and the added new features specific to that new version.
After this major edit, the Wiki article better provides basic and advanced facts, tips and features about using PowerPoint in the classroom for teachers, students and all individuals who need to either familiarize themselves with PowerPoint, or advanced users who need to update their knowledge about PowerPoint as a powerful presentation and teaching tool applicable in any formal/informal learning environment.

 

 

Artifact #2: ESL Computer Lab Design project

 

For my main design project I chose to work on the ESL Computer Lab Design project.
During my 8 years of professional experience at NorQuest College, Edmonton, I have been professionally involved in the complex design and improvements of a few ESL computer labs, so I decided to draw my experience and ideas from my professional environment.
I chose to keep the project simple and feasible, so to deliver high quality project, I had to cover all the important aspects of the design, with the ultimate goal to provide the real design project that someone else may practically use for designing ESL Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) lab . As a matter of fact, my intention to cover all the important design aspects resulted in a increased complexity of the project, so drawing from my experinces I am proud that I made an outstanding design project.
As described in the Interactivities, I took into consideration all the important design aspects and recommendations explained in detail including drafts, layouts, pictures, diagrams, etc.
Considering the fact that the NorQuest ESL computer labs have already been designed according to those principles,I did draw the design ideas not only from the literature, but also from the best practices of daily utilization of NorQuest computer labs in the ESL learning environment. 

 

Captain's Log:

 

Meta-Cognitive Reflections and Connections

This was a beginning of my MET journey and everything in the ETEC510 port and its docks was new and challenging, so I needed some time to adjust to the navigational and sailing rules, environments, tools and communication technologies. I had to develop a habit of dedicating a few hours of studying on daily basis and to balance that with working full time and my family obligations. After a few weeks of balancing ups and downs, I was finally able to regain control and develop proper habit of doing daily readings, discussions, assignment work, etc., and remain fully engaged in the course, resulting in exemplary researched and authored artifacts, I am really proud of.  

General meta-reflections on the design of the ESL computer lab learning environment.

By preparing and engaging in this ESL computer lab design project activity, I theoretically updated myself and significantly strengthened my practical knowledge, based on years of experience in designing and supporting ESL learning environments at NorQuest College, in Edmonton.

My general reflection is that this design of the ESL computer lab learning environment is a very complex design and I did my best to cover all the important aspects and requirements of the design process.  I am aware that in order to improve particular learning environment, every new design brings new ideas as well as challenges that technology designers and administrators have to address properly, according to the newest theoretical and practical enhancements of the technology-supported learning environments.

 

Individual meta-reflections on the design of the ESL computer lab learning environment.

Some of my practical design thoughts here may sound probabilistic, though they are based on many years of my considerable and proven ICT, hardware, software and educational technology design experience in that specific learning environment, so while striving for perfection, I am open to any kind of interaction, connection, recommendation, feedback and critical insight, which will initiate mutual learning process, and ultimately lead to building connective knowledge on this design topic, and therefore, lead to updating, defining and applying of the best theoretical and practical knowledge on this topic, available to everybody.   

I believe that this design project brings a lot of meaningful insights into the challenges, recommendations, and practical solutions of the ESL computer lab design process in general.  My intention was to offer an applicable design of this complex learning environment by following the best theoretical and practical design requirements and recommendations, powered by years of related experience in the post-secondary education environment.  Thus, other ESL administrators and instructional technology designers may use this design project as a more than general framework and starting point in designing decent ESL and similar computer lab environments, not only for English language learning, but also for decent 21st century e-learning experience.

 

 

Artifact References:

 

Bates, T., & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education: Foundations for success. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

 

BC's Education Plan. (2011). In BC's Education Plan. Retrieved February 4, 2012, from http://www.bcedplan.ca/welcome.php

 

Cambourne, K. (2010, January 19). Technology in the classroom. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/back-to-school/technology-in theclassroom-20100119-mhn3.html

 

Demski, J. (2012, January 4). This time, it’s personal. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/articles/2012/01/04/personalized-learning.aspx

 

Dick, W., & Carey, L. (1990). The systematic design of instruction. New York: Harper Collins. Chapter 1: Introductions to instructional design (pp. 2-11).

 

Gardner, H. (1987). The theory of multiple intelligences. Annals of Dyslexia, 37(1), 19-35. doi:10.1007/BF02648057

 

Healy, J. (1999). Failure to connect: how computers affect our children’s minds -- and what we can do about it. New York: Touchstone.

 

Jonassen, D. H. (2000). Computers as mindtools for schools: Engaging critical thinking (2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Prentice-Hall.

 

Jonassen, D. (1999). Designing constructivist learning environments. In C. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional design theories and models: Volume II. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

 

Jonassen, D. (2012). Designing Constructivist Learning Environment. In J. Miller (Ed.), ETEC 510: The Design of Technology-Supported Learning Environments (pp. 17-29). Vancouver,BC: University of British Columbia, Vancouver. (Reprinted from C. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models: Volume II, 215-240, 1999)

 

Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy: An Overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 212-218.

 

New London Group. (1996). A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies: Designing Social Futures. Harvard Educational Review. 66 (1), 60-92

 

Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: children, computers, and powerful ideas. New York: BasicBooks.

 

Prensky, M. (2010). Teaching digital natives. California: Corwin.

 

Richard-Amato, P.A., (2003). Making it happen: From interactive to participatory language teaching: theory and practice. White Plains, NY: Pearson Education

 

Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1994). Computer support for knowledge-building communities. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 3(3), 265-283.