POWER+ QUESTS: TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
POWER+ QUESTS: TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
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EDPB530 FINISHED ON DEC 10TH. HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY!
Up to 300 XP
Up to 300 XP
CONTEXT
CONTEXT
Batman is still batman without his utility belt, but by utilizing technology to leverage his powers, he augments his abilities and improves his chances of success. Because Batman is a mortal human, who did not get special powers from accidents or deities or other planets, he is constantly finding ways to enhance his chances of success by using technology: He tinkers with cool stuff in his lair (with Alfred’s help) and has a coolio car and motorcycle… and of course, there is the utility belt, with all manner of gadgets to fight badness.
A great teacher does not require technology to succeed. However, a great teacher will do everything and anything in her power to build capacity and success in young people. By utilizing technology as a seamless and natural integration of powerful pedagogy, the teacher leverages her powers to build student success. Power+ leverages Power. Technology integration leverages powerful pedagogical strategies.
Throughout the course, you will be developing ideas, gathering research, engaging in discussions and completing quests on technology integration as a means of leveraging pedagogy. Areas of focus may include:
Ways to:
Present content
Differentiate instruction
Demonstrate learning
Organize learning
Communicate as learning
Communicate about learning
Assess learning
Barriers to technology integration
Tech tools you might consider using in your practice
What you like and do not like about technology integration
Research on Tech Integration
A word from Avi
More and more publications backed by research, such as Alive in The Swamp, discuss the need to NOT put technology first when deciding on educational improvement; rather, selecting technologies which augment powerful pedagogies.
Too true. Pedagogy focused on student success is number one. If a pedagogy can assist in engendering student success, then "Bob's your uncle".
However, one can be inspired by a technology to think about an older pedagogical system in a new way. My quarter of a century of (attempting) integration of technology has shown me that sometimes technology can lead the way. Sometimes a technology changes the way you think or are able to do things, and that, in turn, changes your pedagogical approach.
I bet you want an example about now.
Let's take report cards. I know it is probably difficult to think about report cards as a pedagogical tool, but let's just take it as an example. Report cards are a part of our lives, whether we like them or not.
As they stand, report cards are a (not so efficacious) means of informing parents of assessment of learning. They provide information to the parent (and sometimes to the student) after all of the learning and proving is over. What if I wanted to make the report card process more an assessment as learning for students, where the very process of report card development helps the student to see where s/he has been, and decide where to go next. And what if that desire to make the report card experience more meaningful for students, meets with a technology with which I am tinkering, and it gives me an idea.
After years of playing with Google Docs as a tool for word processing and for collaborative work, what if I used Google Docs to have the students write their own report cards?
With me in full control, of course.
The Google Docs would allow for easy sharing of the doc and collaboration.
So, I tried it and here is what happened
First, this is the site page we used:
(https://sites.google.com/site/grade9laketrailsite/humanities-9/report-card (This site uses the old Google Sites, which is discontinued. Please let Avi know if the site is no longer available)
The students made a copy of the document (Google Docs makes this very easy), completed it, and then called me over to discuss and approve. The conferences with individual students were not only most revealing, but became an assessment as learning experience event. We discussed, negotiated, made changes, shook hands, understood each other better, printed, and signed the reports.
This worked so well that we decided to try having all of the teachers use one document per student. Google Docs made sharing between several people possible. In this case, the technology provided the inspiration for an improvement in pedagogy and a means for implementation.
And here is a fringe benefit which Novi would like: In addition to being a better process for students, It took a class and a half to complete the process, eliminating the hours and hours of teacher work in completing report cards.
I hope that was a useful example for you. I can give you more if you wish.
QUESTS
QUESTS
Process & Submit Quests
Process & Submit Quests
NOTE: Below you will find the content of or possibilities for the individual Quests.
Submission reminder: Use the SELF-DIRECTED REPEATING QUEST to submit.
Please remember to NOT submit any work which does not conform to these givens:
All instructions followed carefully and completely.
Time on Task: Engagement in the quest is substantial enough to warrant the XP for the quest. A 60 XP quest has what looks like approximately 60 - 70 minutes of work completed.
Engagement is thoughtful and meaningful: Obvious attempts have been made to engage in the content of the quest in a way that is meaningful to the person completing the quest. View Exemplars which demonstrate this Given (Critical Reflection Exemplars are a good starting point)
Undergraduate Level Engagement: Evidence of fairly deep handling of the topic; references made to assigned reading|viewing; connections made between assigned reading|viewing and other referenced material; concepts fully explained; opinions fully backed up… View Exemplars which demonstrate this Given (Critical Reflection Exemplars are a good starting point)
It is the responsibility of the student to note when a quest has been returned or when there is an instructor comment on a quest.
Introductory and Paradigm Shifting Quests
Introductory and Paradigm Shifting Quests
Introduction to Technology Integration (Three Quests)
Cutting EDGE (Personalized Quests) Cutting Edge: Science Fiction Meets Reality - Find out what is going on in the world of cutting edge technology and think about how these developments might affect education.
2021 Educause Horizon Report deals with trends (social, economic, political, environment & technological) in the education landscape. This is not one quest, as there are many topics from which you can pick and choose. This is a highly recommended quest for our changing times. Engage with each topic as a separate quest in your recipe. (added 2022)
Horizon Report: K-12 Edition, 2009-2017 - Many trends and topics from which you might choose.
Create your own pathway
Create your own pathway
Lessons on Google Workspace Tools: Each lesson is between 45 - 90 minutes; various fascinating tools and uses. Please only choose lessons which have you learning something new that is education-technology-based.
Create or Follow a Tech Integration Learning Path. Learn to use an Education Technology Tool or Resource.
Deeper Learning Quest. Follow an interest with more research and/or experiences.
Cutting Edge: Science Fiction Meets Reality - Find out what is going on in the world of cutting edge technology and think about how these developments might affect education.
Coding/Robotics: This is a multi-levelled, self-directed, repeating quest where you move from research to hands-on engagement.
Individual Quests
Individual Quests
Quest Topics and Content
Quest Topics and Content
For you to engage in any way you choose.
Please let Avi know if you find a topic which should be included here.
10 Assessment Questions when Adopting Digital Technologies in the Classroom - David Staley provides some exceptional background considerations when adopting digital technology in the classroom. Included in this piece is the concept of Information Ecologies. Fascinating and hopefully helpful. Feel free to utilize any other resources, including your personal experience, to respond to this quest. If you see more than one topic which "calls to you", feel free to do as many as you like in the "Choose Your Own Source Quest" linked below. Read David Staley's 10 Assessment Questions when Adopting Digital Technologies in the Classroom (For Educause)
3D Printing - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 40. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report.
Adaptive Learning Technologies - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 42. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Augmented Reality - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 28 Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Cloud Computing - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 36. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Digital Badges - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 44. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Disruptive Innovation is a concept which is experiencing increasing attention in education. This quest has you view Avi's somewhat pathetic attempt at a video bringing you some of the core concepts of Disruptive Innovation. View Avi's video on disruptive innovation (11:09)
Envisioning the Future of Education Technology - Envisioning is a virtual research institute founded in 2011 by Michell Zappa. This image of a concept map paints an interesting picture of the potential future of Educational Technology. Open the concept map on the Envisioning Site: Envisioning the Future of Education Technology
Gamification and Game-Based Learning. (Three Quests) There is a substantial difference between Game-Based Learning (GBL) and Gamification.
Games & Gamification - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 38. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Game-Based Learning uses games to augment learning or build skills. Visit Edutopia's Game-Based Learning Dashboard and select one article, video, or blog post. View or read the piece you selected.
Gamification: A Gamified Learning Environment uses gaming principles embedded into a course or unit or lesson. EDPB 530-531 is an example of a Gamified Learning Environment, where we use XP, quests, a narrative, points, badges, rewards... Principles normally associated with games. Visit Edutopia's Gamification Search Page and select one article, video, or blog post. View or read the piece you selected.
Learning Analytics - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 40. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Maker Spaces - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 38. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Mobile Learning - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 16. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Online Learning - Visit Edutopia's Online Learning Dashboard and select one article, video, or blog post. You choose a piece.
Power Plus Video Series View one of these videos or select another you feel is relevant to Technology Integration. Note: These choices were not selected because they are "just great". The selections here are meant to engender a Novi/Yesvi response. Feel free to select your own videos. Some Choices:
Watch this great video by Forward Thinking
This is an interesting "ad" by Intel: The Classroom of Tomorrow
Social Media - Visit Edutopia's Social Media Dashboard and select one article, video, or blog post. You choose a piece.
Technology in Physical Education by Tanner Cassidy.
The Internet of Things - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 42. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Virtual & Remote Labs - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 32. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
Virtual Field Trips (Interactive) A Quest by Felipe Sequeira
Wearable Technologies - NMC Report Quest: Click here for the Horizon report. Go to Page 46. Have a read through the two pages in the Horizon Report
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