ATEP Technology Initiative

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ATEP Technology Initiative

• Our Adventures So Far

March 28, 2008 Kim Peacock, M.Ed.
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Rationale

• EDPY 303 (Assessment ) was the first full course
  offered by the Faculty over Elluminate to
  students at Northern Lakes College.
• Overall students had a generally positive
  reaction to the course.
• Unfortunately, many aboriginal students didnt
  have the equipment or high-speed connections at
  home and were still having to travel to campus
  for the sessions.

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Rationale

• This course highlighted the need to level the
  playing field for future collaborative projects
  that might use the technology.

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Funding - Hardware

• A call went out to the Fund Development Office
• Telus Community Development Fund (Hardware) 30
  000
• Matching contribution from the Office of the
  Vice-Provost 30 000
• In-kind contribution from Telus EVDO air cards
  and discounted air time
• In-kind contribution from Hewlett-Packard
  half-price laptops

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Funding - Research

• Two year TLEF grant for research 92 000
• In-kind support from the Faculty (e.g./ Noella
  Steinhauer, Mike Carbonaro, Yvonne Norton)

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Purpose

• To train ATEP teachers in a technology rich
  environment.
• To provide the necessary tools for this level of
  integration.
• To provide the necessary training and PD for this
  level of integration.
• To conduct meaningful research related to our
  experiences.

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A Quick Snapshot of Our Students

• In some ways, the demographics of this group are
  similar to the Faculty overall
• 14 females, 5 males (19 total)
• 17 seek to teach within Alberta when theyre
  done.
• Almost all express a desire to make a
  difference or having a lifelong passion for
  teaching as the reason they are in the program.

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A Quick Snapshot of Our Students

• In other ways they are NOT
• Average age is 34.8
• 13 of them transferred into the program from
  other post-secondary institutions.

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PD Methodology

• Combination of work with instructors and
  students.
• Students receive PD on the use of their
  computers, software, etc
• Instructors have the option to integrate one or
  more projectsor activities in their course.

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Instructor Variations

• Some opt to teach the activity themselves with no
  support.
• Some opt to teach the activity themselves with
  training from myself.
• Some opt to teach the activity with my support in
  the classroom.
• Some will opt to have me come in and do the
  activity with students.

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Organic Project

• As challenges arise, new research ideas emerge.
• E.g./ How do students feel about courses where
  the instructor taught the activity vs. ones where
  I did?

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The Technology Projects

• Focus on integrated project-based learning.
• Focus on cross-curricular learning.
• Focus on time tested activities (though not
  necessary).

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Project Development

• Projects were identified from online sources
  they are what teachers are doing out there right
  now.
• Projects are listed without prejudice.
• Projects are mapped at the subject area level
  with curriculum levels integrated (will be online
  soon).

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Project Development
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From Map to Web Site

• A living site with project ideas.
• Goal to serve the entire faculty, not just the
  ATEP program.
• Will eventually incorporate student exemplars.
• http//www.atep.ualberta.ca/technology/

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Some Research Goals

• To describe how the students understanding of
  the concept of technology integration evolves
  over time.
• To identify best practicesin our model.
• To identify specific cultural issues with
  technology and Aboriginal pre-service teachers.

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Research Questions

• ATEP Students
• How has their attitudes and comfort with
  technology changed?
• How has their skill level changed?
• How has their concept of technology integration
  within the curriculum changed?
• What skills with students emerge with as a result
  of this project that will be useful to them in
  their teaching careers?

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Research Questions

• ATEP Students (cont)
• How has their concept of cross-curricular
  outcomes changed?
• How does Aboriginal culture come into play, if at
  all, in terms of technology integration in the
  classroom?
• What successes and challenges did students
  experience and did these impact their interest
  and motivation to use technology in the
  classroom?

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Research Questions

• ATEP Instructors
• What progress or lack of progress did instructors
  see in their students (in terms of technology use
  and pedagogy)?
• What were instructor experiences learning and
  doing the technology activities/assignments
  themselves?
• How supported did instructors feel? What could
  have been improved and what worked well?
• Did instructors feel that an enhanced technology
  assignment/activity was a worthwhile activity for
  their course?

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Research Questions

• Project Team
• How has this project impacted the Faculty?
• What needs led to the development of this
  project?
• What lessons learned can be identified from our
  experiences?
• What impact might our research in this area have
  on the faculty overall?
• How replicable is what we did within the ATEP
  program?

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Methodology - Qualitative

• Ongoing correspondence
• Ongoing meeting records
• Student interviews / questionnaires
• Student concept maps
• Student work exemplars
• Instructor interviews
• Student reflections
• Project team reflections and blog

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Methodology - Quantitative

• Skill
• Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment (TPSA)
• EDUCAUSE Students and Information Technology in
  Higher Education Survey
• Massachusetts Department of Education Technology
  Self-Assessment Tool
• Attitudes
• Teachers Views of Technology and Teaching
• Survey of Teachers Attitudes Toward Information
  Technology (TAT)
• Attitudes Toward Information Technology (ATIT)

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Methodology - Quantitative

• Learning Style
• VAK Learning Style Inventory
• Paragon Learning Style Inventory (PLSI)
• Memletics Learning Style Inventory

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Early Challenges

• Technology acquisition
• Multi-institutional technical support
• Cultural differences among students (e.g./
  student registrations and laptops)
• Instructor time
• Distance
• Personal issues
• Equipment thefts and breakdowns

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Early Challenges

• Cross-curricular projects and change
• Absenteeism in PD and research sessions
• Instructors seeing the technology tool as
  opposed to the pedagogical rationale/impetus/et
  c
• Instructor participation

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Early Successes

• Flexible and enthusiastic students and
  instructors.
• Wide range of student ages and abilities.
• Early interactions have shown a sense of
  fearlessness.
• Students have been very willing to work with
  each other when they need help.

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Early Successes

• Many students are taking the bull by the horn
  and integrating themselves.

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Early Modifications

• TA during first term
• Change in tech help process
• Change in ethnography methodology
• Change in interview methodology
• Change in PD day format

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Needs

• To examine the impact of culture (if any) on the
  project.
• Identify an external interviewer to interview
  students.

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Project Examples
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Project Examples

• Class Blogs / Podcastshttp//www.bobsprankle.com/
  blog/C1697218367/index.htmlhttp//newanda411.type
  pad.com/mrbrandow/
• Class Wikishttp//stratford78logos0607.pbwiki.com
  /http//terrythetennisball.wikispaces.com/http/
  /chooseyourownadventure.wikispaces.com/

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Project Examples

• Interactive Timelineshttp//www.xtimeline.com/ind
  ex.aspx?t5len-US
• Community Walkhttp//www.rebooting.ca/place/
• Google Lit Triphttp//www.googlelittrips.org/

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Project Examples

• Oral History Archivehttp//www.ourvoices.ca/
• Social Storieshttp//www.symbolworld.org/stories/
  index.htm
• Flicker Storieshttp//www.flickr.com/groups/sixwo
  rdstory/discuss/72157601185227439/

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Project Examples

• Comicshttp//stratford78logos0607.pbwiki.com/Adam
  20N2020Anubis20Pivot20Projecthttp//toondoo
  .com/ViewBook.toon?bookid453
• Bubble Plyhttp//www.bubbleply.com/player.aspx?pi
  db1bf700f-6f47-4364-9dd7-e413706860b9

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Project Examples

• Voicethreadhttp//voicethread.com/q.b11753.i7800
  7http//voicethread.com/q.b10257.i70748http//v
  oicethread.com/q.b8909.i62826http//voicethread.
  com/q.b3352.i28616 (for education)

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Project Examples

• Mapwinghttp//www.mapwing.com/explore/view_tour.p
  hp?t11GkktO2672thttp//www.mapwing.com/explore/v
  iew_tour.php?tllcTuzcJccFre
• Movie Makinghttp//www.moviemaking.ecsd.net/borr
  elli.htm

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Thank you!!!

• kim.peacock_at_ualberta.ca