1 Jill French

2 Who am I? Masters of Educational Technology through UBC (2005) Masters of Educational Technology through UBC (2005) Masters of Educational Technology Masters of Educational Technology I teach grade 5 using a blended environment I teach grade 5 using a blended environmentgrade 5 grade 5 guiding question is always: which technology best supports my students’ learning (high/low) guiding question is always: which technology best supports my students’ learning (high/low)high/low goal: to use technology purposefully & seamlessly throughout the day goal: to use technology purposefully & seamlessly throughout the day

3 What is a blended learning environment? face-to-face + computer mediated learning (Charles Graham) face-to-face + computer mediated learning (Charles Graham)

4 Why use digital technology in the classroom? changes is society changes is society online Connectivity Conference 2007 online Connectivity Conference 2007 changes in learning changes in learning leads to some changes in teaching practices leads to some changes in teaching practices

5 Benefits I Have Noticed engagement levels engagement levels access to experts access to experts transparency transparency independent learning skills independent learning skills new ways to teach, model, extend student learning new ways to teach, model, extend student learning

6 Challenges I Have Encountered time time classroom classroom personal learning personal learning sufficient equipment sufficient equipment reliable equipment reliable equipment technology support (everyone busy) technology support (everyone busy) displacement of other resources displacement of other resources using computers in diverse ways using computers in diverse ways

7 Classroom Support Online own class website own class website example: Mrs. French’s example: Mrs. French’sMrs. French’sMrs. French’s benefits: benefits: transparency transparency disseminated information disseminated information asynchronous access asynchronous access supports independent learning (e.g. PS) supports independent learning (e.g. PS)PS

8 Synchronous, Asynchronous synchronous: information or learning occurring at a specific time synchronous: information or learning occurring at a specific time examples: examples: V-class lessons V-class lessons live interviews live interviews benefits: benefits: ideas and thoughts can be exchanged immediately ideas and thoughts can be exchanged immediately

9 Synchronous, Asynchronous asynchronous: information and learning not dependent on a specific time asynchronous: information and learning not dependent on a specific time examples: examples: video cams (San Diego Zoo) video cams (San Diego Zoo)San Diego ZooSan Diego Zoo current events (CBC news) current events (CBC news)CBC newsCBC news follow a researcher (Catt Trax 2 ) follow a researcher (Catt Trax 2 )Catt Trax 2Catt Trax 2 benefits: benefits: information accessed at the convenience of the learner information accessed at the convenience of the learner information can be revisited at a later date information can be revisited at a later date

10 Elluminate in the classroom Elluminate vRoom free for 3 participants Elluminate vRoom free for 3 participants Elluminate for example: for example: conference session video conference session videovideo benefits benefits supports real-time collaboration and construction of learning between students not in the same physical location supports real-time collaboration and construction of learning between students not in the same physical location

11 Daybook Online interactive daily schedule interactive daily schedule example daily schedule example daily scheduledaily scheduledaily schedule benefits benefits schedule is archived schedule is archived accessible to parents (homework, child away) accessible to parents (homework, child away) accessible to teacher to revisit a lesson accessible to teacher to revisit a lesson accessible to students to revisit a lesson accessible to students to revisit a lesson

12 Cross Curricular holistic instruction holistic instruction for example: for example: CattTrax2: BC researcher exploring global connection i.e. economic, environmental (project) CattTrax2: BC researcher exploring global connection i.e. economic, environmental (project)project benefits: benefits: constructed knowledge constructed knowledge non-linear learning non-linear learning

13 Language Arts vocabulary vocabulary: easy access for daily vocabulary building vocabulary: easy access for daily vocabulary building for example: for example: vocabulary building Daily Buzz Word vocabulary building Daily Buzz WordDaily Buzz WordDaily Buzz Word benefits: benefits: dynamic: new word daily dynamic: new word daily social construction social construction

14 Language Arts mini-lessons access mini lessons quickly and efficiently access mini lessons quickly and efficiently example: example: mini-lessons online mini-lessons online mini-lessons spelling rules spelling rules spelling rules spelling rules benefits: benefits: students can access at any time students can access at any time teacher faces students, easily monitoring participation level teacher faces students, easily monitoring participation level minimal time used to access, discuss lessons minimal time used to access, discuss lessons

15 Language Arts novel studies example: example: novel study novel study novel study novel study benefits: benefits: enhances the ability to explain the activity (hyperlinks provide further information) enhances the ability to explain the activity (hyperlinks provide further information) can be linked to mini-lessons chapter summaries can be linked to mini-lessons chapter summarieschapter summarieschapter summaries

16 French Teaching French can also be supported with interactive sites Teaching French can also be supported with interactive sites examples: examples: support teaching (resources, lesson plans) support teaching (resources, lesson plans)resourceslesson plansresourceslesson plans support learning (resources) support learning (resources)resources benefits: benefits: online pronunciation (essential phrases) online pronunciation (essential phrases)essential phrasesessential phrases

17 Science Sturgeon Recovery Project real life, current and relevant science units real life, current and relevant science units example: example: Sturgeon Unit Sturgeon Unit Sturgeon Unit Sturgeon Unit benefits: benefits: current, relevant text can provide the information Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative current, relevant text can provide the information Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery InitiativeWhite Sturgeon Recovery White Sturgeon Recovery connections to local field trip opportunity connections to local field trip opportunitylocal field trip local field trip review material e.g. Jeopardy review material e.g. JeopardyJeopardy

18 Science & Social Studies Catt-Trax2 access current scientific research access current scientific research examples: examples: Catt-Trax2 Catt-Trax2 Catt-Trax2 Units with goals, vocabulary, assignments, and support links online Units with goals, vocabulary, assignments, and support links online Units benefits: benefits: real-life, current research real-life, current research relevant relevant constructed knowledge (wiki) constructed knowledge (wiki)wiki networks students with global issues networks students with global issues

19 Math supporting students’ learning in math supporting students’ learning in math examples: examples: visualization tools (addition with regrouping) visualization tools (addition with regrouping)addition math term definitions math term definitionsdefinitions post lessons and quizzes online post lessons and quizzes onlinelessonsquizzeslessonsquizzes benefits: benefits: instruction: diverse tools instruction: diverse tools helps address different learning styles: visual learners helps address different learning styles: visual learners access by students and parents at any time access by students and parents at any time

20 Fine Arts supporting our Fine Arts content supporting our Fine Arts content for example: for example: music theory music theory music theory music theory how to play how to playhow to playhow to play online lessons online lessonslessons benefits: benefits: provides support material provides support material supports independent learning supports independent learning

21 Examples from the Classroom e-journals (private blogs) e-journals (private blogs) e-journals Show What You Know: representing new knowledge Show What You Know: representing new knowledge Show What You Know Show What You Know Power Point Presentation Power Point Presentation Power Point Presentation Power Point Presentation Socially Constructed Knowledge Socially Constructed Knowledge wiki wiki wiki

22 Technology Used to Support These Activities Hardware SMART Board SMART Board digital projector digital projector Computers Computers Digital cameras Digital camerasSoftware All The Right Type All The Right Type Macromedia Dreamweaver Macromedia Dreamweaver Elluminate (free access online) Elluminate (free access online) Office PowerPoint Office PowerPoint Wiki (open-source)…..watch carefully Wiki (open-source)…..watch carefullyOther Internet Internet web space (provided by my local school district) web space (provided by my local school district)

23 Further Resources Learning Theories Learning Theories Instructional Strategies Instructional Strategies Other Professional Development links (more on my list) Other Professional Development links (more on my list) Other Professional Development Other Professional Development Blended Learning Environment (video) Blended Learning Environment (video)video &hl=de &hl=dehttp://video.google.de/videoplay?docid= &hl=dehttp://video.google.de/videoplay?docid= &hl=de

24 Further Resources Continued Social Networking Tools Global Learning Communities Global Learning Communities Curriki ebHome Curriki ebHome ebHome ebHome Taking it Global Taking it Global Learning Circles (video clip) Learning Circles (video clip) clip clip more………. more……….

25 Social Networking Tools Technology software available online Technology software available online SMART Technologies Elluminate: Wiki: open-source software moodle: open-source software Blogging: open-source software Blogger.com

26 Social Networking Tools continued Questions & Answers: Teacher Magazine hosted this chat with Will Richardson, author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms and founder of Connective Learning. Questions & Answers: Teacher Magazine hosted this chat with Will Richardson, author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms and founder of Connective Learning.chat

27 Ideas in Practice working with the experts: Virtual Astronomy working with the experts: Virtual AstronomyVirtual AstronomyVirtual Astronomy Pro D Connectivity global conference (52 countries, 1000 registered participants) at home: University of Manitoba Pro D Connectivity global conference (52 countries, 1000 registered participants) at home: University of ManitobaConnectivity daily technology use (example from my class) daily technology use (example from my class) daily technology use daily technology use