EDPB 530 - Course Intro

EDPB530 FINISHED ON DEC 10TH. HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY!

EDPB 530

Course Intro Videos and Information

Intro to EDPB 530

Why does Avi move his hands in this way throughout the video?

No idea.

We just have to live with it, I guess.

DESIGNED BY AVI, BUT ALSO DESIGNED BY STUDENTS

EDPB 530 & 531 were initially designed by Avi.

BUT

Every year Avi asked for and received feedback on course design and student experience.

AND

Every year Avi has taken the feedback quite seriously and has had his courses go through a process of continuous improvement and development.

Aspects of what you experience this year will be completely different from what last year's students experienced.

EDPB 530 & 531: INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN: Application of Educational Technology

An introduction to pedagogical perspectives for teaching and learning, and integrating technology. Technical skills required for the design and use of custom, technology-enhanced curriculum are experienced, developed and applied. A technology-rich course which models intensive technology integration practice, including gamification principles (Narrative, points, quest-based learning, experience points, badges, rewards,...) and use of up-to-date pedagogical strategies (Social learning, inquiry, project-based learning, ePortfolio,...). Content and strategies may not all be directly related to technology integration; in such cases the learning process will be steeped in technology.

EDPB 530 and EDPB 531 are typically offered as ONLINE or BLENDED (Some in-person classes and some online) courses. In the Fall of 2022, EDPB 530 is offered as a fully online course, with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous activities.

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COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Through course activities and research it is expected that students will:

Develop, through intensive hands-on experience and reflection, an enhanced ability to "figure out" technology (BCTC Standards: 7);
Develop a sound understanding of technology use and integration in educational practice (BCTC Standards: 2, 3, 5, 7);
Apply strategies and theories derived from course content, discussions, research, workshops, and social media (BCTC Standards: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8);
Build capacity in the use and understanding of education technology by practicing and applying technology skills in guided practice and self-directed settings (BCTC Standards: 5, 7);
Critically examine and design web and technology-based resources (BCTC Standards: 2, 5, 7);
Build a professional learning community through discussion, debate, presentation, and sharing of ideas and resources (BCTC Standards: 4, 5, 7, 8, 9).

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From REQUIREMENTS ON THE ADMISSIONS SITE:

“Applicants are advised that the Faculty of Education utilizes a variety of technologies, online services, and tools in providing an array of pedagogical experiences. An up-to-date laptop will be an asset to the student experience.”

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DESIGNED TO BE COMPLEX

EDPB 530 is NOT the "academic study" of eduction technology. One of the education concepts to which Avi ascribes is the constructivist learning model, where students LEARN BY DOING. These courses are designed to be experiential and constructivist.

Examples:

Rather than studying gamification in education, students experience a type of structural gamification.
The pandemic has shown us (educators) that we need to be able to adapt to teaching online if needed (or wanted). Rather than "studying" how to teach online,
- - students EXPERIENCE an online course which uses best practice approaches, and
  - STUDENTS TEACH hands-on seminars, fully online.

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Expect some confusion at the start.

Think about learning to play a game. Think about learning to play Monopoly. It took a bit of time to learn the protocols and strategies, but then you learned how and it became second nature. Folks find that this is often the case with these courses; it takes a bit of focused concentration at the start and then students have found that the courses become like an old, comfortable sweater.

Folks have also found that it is better to "swarm" the course at the start rather than attend to it in short "dribs and drabs". Students found that it takes less overall time when you give it some serious time and attention at first.

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NARRATIVE

Throughout Avi's more than three decades as a teacher, he has tried to use narrative in various forms to help engage students and provide context for concepts. The narrative could be stories, but often, student were sent on a quest by King Luxenburg the Transmogrified to find an island of hope and sanctuary in troubled times, or students designed a dream home as a way to learn about geometry. Avi often attempts to use narrative to help contextualize learning.

In EDPB 530 & 531, you will find that Avi uses a rather strange form of narrative to contextualize learning and "lighten things up". This narrative approach has been one of the items which has developed with student feedback and enthusiasm over the years and has taken on "a life of its own".

Talk, talk, talk... It's probably better if we have a look at what Avi is talking about.

LET'S MEET AVI'S SIBLINGS, who will be an integral part of these courses

Intro to Yesvi & Novi

THE BROTHERS REVEALED

Novi; Yesvi; Avi

The brothers become more important as you engage in the course. You will learn more about them as you progress.

EXAMPLE: THE BROTHERS DISCUSS HOW YOU ARE ASSESSED IN THIS COURSE

Yesvi, Novi, & Avi on Assessment

It is always entertaining to listen in on conversations between the three brothers. You should see what a weekend BBQ sounds like. Yesvi brings his own BBQ because he wants to make sure that the BBQ he uses has never made contact with any form of meat. Novi loves to throw an occasional rib onto Yesvi's BBQ to make him go out and buy a new one. Novi keeps Yesvi's "old/new" BBQ. You get the picture.

The gist of the conversation DOES represent a shift in thinking regarding assessment. Like gamification, this type of assessment is not truly understood without experiencing it. You will be experiencing it.

LET'S GET SERIOUS AGAIN

Not that the brothers aren't serious!

TIME COMMITMENT EXPECTATIONS

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How much time in the week will the course take?

EDPB 530 & 531 are designed to take about five hours a week, but this is adjustable for various goals. (Examples: investing five hours a week will usually earn an A+ in the course; investing 3.5 hours a week will usually earn a B-. You choose your goal.)
The courses runs for 9 to 10 weeks
The five hour expectation includes class time. Each class is two hours and 15 minutes and we have at least seven classes per semester.
Some folks love to work ahead in this course and that works well for them. This course is designed so that you can work ahead if you wish. I have had students who complete everything they could (about two thirds of the course) within the first five or six weeks of the course. The majority of students find that sticking with the recommended schedule works best for them.
The gamified format utilized in this course allows for quite a bit of leeway in how you earn credit and in the pace you adopt. Some aspects of the course are required, but as you progress from EDPB 530 to EDPB 531 you will find that there is quite a bit of room for self-direction.

Purchasing a Laptop?

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Purchasing a Laptop for the program?

If you are going to purchase a new laptop for the program, please note that you do not need anything skookum or expensive. We have had folks purchase Chromebooks for about $300 and they have been sufficient for most tasks in the program (Although they do rely on cloud storage and are not terrific for activities like video editing.).

Make sure to ask plenty of questions when purchasing something new. "What are the pros and cons of this machine?" "What can this machine not do?" "What is the best thing about this laptop?"

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