The integration of emerging technologies and their application to innovative pedagogy often begin... more The integration of emerging technologies and their application to innovative pedagogy often begins with an individual teacher who has a passion for teaching and learning, and is willing to take risks to make it happen. In an effort to expand this approach to teacher development, a graduate level course titled, "Integrating Technology, Pedagogy and Content" was created in our Master of Education program. The content of the course included theoretical frameworks of technology integration and learning theories, application of technology-enhanced solutions to authentic problems in the classroom, and a final collaborative proposal co-authored by all students in the class and the instructor. The approach to the course used a TPACK framework, including technology as both content and pedagogy. This presentation will include reflection on the process and outcomes of this approach to a hybrid course encouraging theoretical and practical application of TPACK in practice.
This chapter addresses the research question of how learners utilize hand-held mobile technology ... more This chapter addresses the research question of how learners utilize hand-held mobile technology (e.g., iPods, iPads, BlackBerry ™ devices) for learning at varying levels in education. Mobile technology is an “anywhere, anytime”, creative learning tool that has the potential to support the development of self-regulated learners. The chapter examines user-defined utilization of the mobile technology in both elementary and higher education settings (Wood, Mueller, De Pasquale, & Cruikshank, 2011) through two separate studies. The first study is a longitudinal examination of the implementation of BlackBerry ™ devices in a graduate business administration program. The second study is a comprehensive examination of the integration of digital mobile technology in the form of iPods and iPads in an elementary school. Specific student use, independent of prescribed teacher use, is considered in examining the self-regulated learning supported by the mobile technology.
This study investigates the integration of technology and the creation of TPACK in pre-service te... more This study investigates the integration of technology and the creation of TPACK in pre-service teachers through examination and evaluation of an in-house approach utilizing peer support and just-in-time instruction. The round table will briefly present the structure of the ...
Qualitative answers from a comprehensive survey of 185 elementary and 204 secondary teachers were... more Qualitative answers from a comprehensive survey of 185 elementary and 204 secondary teachers were analyzed to identify the barriers and supports to successful integration of computer technology and to compare patterns of themes between high integrators and low integrators. ...
Growing diversity and globalization in education demands that we examine patterns, measure impact... more Growing diversity and globalization in education demands that we examine patterns, measure impact, and consider onsequences for both teachers and students. This symposium is a collaborative response to four big questions related to the diversity of students; diversity of teachers; international experiences; and an examination of international teacher education.
International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 2017
The potential of physical activity to support self-regulated learning in the classroom has encour... more The potential of physical activity to support self-regulated learning in the classroom has encouraged the implementation of stationary bicycles across Canada and the United States. Positive testimonials suggest that their use by students has positive outcomes, but there is limited empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of this pedagogical practice. The current study analyzes teachers’ perceptions of the use and impact of stationary exercise bicycles in classrooms as part of a community running program initiative through a nationwide survey of 107 participants. Key findings identify teacher perceptions of positive outcomes in students’ social, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as to the learning environment. A small set of unique challenges were posed by the bike integration, including limited distraction and some scheduling difficulties. Teachers approached the integration of the bikes on a spectrum of control from “student-regulated” to “teacher-regulated” with...
As a problem-solving approach, design thinking (DT) emphasizes iterative, user-focused designing.... more As a problem-solving approach, design thinking (DT) emphasizes iterative, user-focused designing. While DT is being readily adopted into education, little is known about how educators integrate DT across curricula. To address this question, we collaborated with a tech-ed industry partner and a focus group of experienced educators to assess curriculum content developed using a DT framework. Results showed that educators expressed positive impressions of the DT framework and lesson plans, but also identified potential challenges to integrating DT into classrooms (e.g., assessing skills and attitudes related to DT). Findings suggest that DT-based learning aligns with a shift from project-based instruction to experiential learning aimed at achieving global competencies.
The purpose of this study was to assess the educators’ perspectives on the introduction of comput... more The purpose of this study was to assess the educators’ perspectives on the introduction of computer technology in the early childhood education environment. Fifty early childhood educators completed a survey and participated in focus groups. Parallels existed between the individually completed survey data and the focus group discussions. The qualitative data provided a richer understanding of the issues faced by these educators. Thematic analyses of the focus group discussions revealed that many of the educators’ concerns involved the effect of technology on the educators themselves, with secondary emphasis on how computers affected the students and parents. Although educators generally supported the integration of computers, they also identified critical concerns and limitations.
We examined the effectiveness of a professional development school model of teacher education in ... more We examined the effectiveness of a professional development school model of teacher education in Canada. Teacher education candidates responded positively to program features related to sustained participation and collaboration in school communities throughout the year. Their efficacy beliefs about developing professional knowledge were most strongly related to the school component of the program. This highlights the importance of careful selection and preparation of associate teachers where teacher candidates are placed in only one school. EXPLORER UN MODÈLE DE DÉVELOPPEMENT PROFESSIONNEL DE FORMATION DES ENSEIGNANTS EN MILIEU SCOLAIRE AU CANADA RÉSUMÉ. Nous avons fait l’examen de l’efficacité d’un modèle de développement professionnel de formation des enseignants en milieu scolaire au Canada. Les candidats enseignants ont réagi positivement aux dimensions du programme relatives à une participation soutenue et à la collaboration au sein des communautés scolaires tout au long de l’a...
Handbook of Research on Barriers for Teaching 21st-Century Competencies and the Impact of Digitalization
In our globally connected, ever-changing society, the ability to adapt to new environments and te... more In our globally connected, ever-changing society, the ability to adapt to new environments and technologies can greatly enhance success. In Canada,“21st century skills” are being prioritized in the education system so that young children can develop skills to thrive in our technologically advanced world. However, current teaching practices do not always appear to include 21st century skills in the curriculum. This chapter seeks to examine Canadian university Bachelor of Education programs to gather information about where, and how often, 21st century skill training occurs in pre-service teacher education. A keyword search was conducted on program and course descriptions from 45 Canadian university websites to determine where 21st century skill terminology was present. Next, a more in-depth examination of one specific teacher education program in a consecutive, pre-service program in a mid-sized urban centre in Ontario was conducted. Recommendations are discussed for pre-service educ...
Emerging Research, Practice, and Policy on Computational Thinking
Computational thinking (CT) refers to a set of processes through which people arrive at solutions... more Computational thinking (CT) refers to a set of processes through which people arrive at solutions to problems using principles based in computer science. A CT approach to problem-solving is increasingly valuable in education and workplace settings as the economy grows more dependent on digital literacy. Given the importance of CT, it is essential to assess these skills. However, a reliable assessment tool is absent from the current literature. This chapter, therefore, defines CT across the Ontario (Canada) Elementary School curriculum in elementary classrooms and addresses the need for effective instructional strategies and assessment of CT-related problem-solving abilities. Finally, we establish where CT concepts and skills already exist or are missing from the curriculum and suggest a workable tool to assess CT based on existing literature.
Given a growing digital economy with complex problems, demands are being made for education to ad... more Given a growing digital economy with complex problems, demands are being made for education to addresscomputational thinking (CT) – an approach to problem solving that draws on the tenets of computer science. Weconducted a comprehensive content analysis of the Ontario elementary school curriculum documents for 44 CT-relatedterms to examine the extent to which CT may already be considered within the curriculum. The quantitative analysisstrategy provided frequencies of terms, and a qualitative analysis provided information about how and where termswere being used. As predicted, results showed that while CT terms appeared mostly in Mathematics, and concepts andperspectives were more frequently cited than practices, related terms appeared across almost all disciplines and grades.Findings suggest that CT is already a relevant consideration for educators in terms of concepts and perspectives;however, CT practices should be more widely incorporated to promote 21st century skills across dis...
Literature on teacher learning has shown links between being a self-regulated learner, reflecting... more Literature on teacher learning has shown links between being a self-regulated learner, reflecting effectively on one’s own practice, and being described as an “adaptive expert”. For instance, the metacognitive skills needed for effective reflection on teaching practice are seen as critically important to developing adaptive expertise in the context of the highly complex classroom environment. Similarly, self-regulated learning is often defined, at least in part, in terms of using metacognitive skill to adapt one’s approach to complex learning situations or problems. Although there is rich literature on reflective practice in teacher education, less is known about measuring teachers’ self-regulated learning or the relationship between self-regulated learning and teacher reflections. This research examines reflective practice and self-regulated learning through pre-service teachers’ written reflections. The study makes a novel adaptation of a rubric designed to evaluate teacher educat...
2014 Conference of the Canadian Society For the Study of Education, Jun 5, 2014
An on-line survey was distributed via social media sites (Twitter, LinkedIn) and email correspond... more An on-line survey was distributed via social media sites (Twitter, LinkedIn) and email correspondence through a professional network in an effort to collect data regarding current use of on-line collaborative tools for teaching and learning. 37 participants from 3 countries completed quantitative and qualitative questions regarding their experience with these tools such as wikis, blogs, social media, etc. A general picture of the tools used, the barriers and supports to their use, and the background of those using them will be created, in conjunction with more detailed examples of specific use of the tools. Conclusions of this study will inform researchers and educators about effective practice of on-line collaborative tools for the creation of knowledge and critical thinking supported by this pedagogy.
The integration of emerging technologies and their application to innovative pedagogy often begin... more The integration of emerging technologies and their application to innovative pedagogy often begins with an individual teacher who has a passion for teaching and learning, and is willing to take risks to make it happen. In an effort to expand this approach to teacher development, a graduate level course titled, "Integrating Technology, Pedagogy and Content" was created in our Master of Education program. The content of the course included theoretical frameworks of technology integration and learning theories, application of technology-enhanced solutions to authentic problems in the classroom, and a final collaborative proposal co-authored by all students in the class and the instructor. The approach to the course used a TPACK framework, including technology as both content and pedagogy. This presentation will include reflection on the process and outcomes of this approach to a hybrid course encouraging theoretical and practical application of TPACK in practice.
This chapter addresses the research question of how learners utilize hand-held mobile technology ... more This chapter addresses the research question of how learners utilize hand-held mobile technology (e.g., iPods, iPads, BlackBerry ™ devices) for learning at varying levels in education. Mobile technology is an “anywhere, anytime”, creative learning tool that has the potential to support the development of self-regulated learners. The chapter examines user-defined utilization of the mobile technology in both elementary and higher education settings (Wood, Mueller, De Pasquale, & Cruikshank, 2011) through two separate studies. The first study is a longitudinal examination of the implementation of BlackBerry ™ devices in a graduate business administration program. The second study is a comprehensive examination of the integration of digital mobile technology in the form of iPods and iPads in an elementary school. Specific student use, independent of prescribed teacher use, is considered in examining the self-regulated learning supported by the mobile technology.
This study investigates the integration of technology and the creation of TPACK in pre-service te... more This study investigates the integration of technology and the creation of TPACK in pre-service teachers through examination and evaluation of an in-house approach utilizing peer support and just-in-time instruction. The round table will briefly present the structure of the ...
Qualitative answers from a comprehensive survey of 185 elementary and 204 secondary teachers were... more Qualitative answers from a comprehensive survey of 185 elementary and 204 secondary teachers were analyzed to identify the barriers and supports to successful integration of computer technology and to compare patterns of themes between high integrators and low integrators. ...
Growing diversity and globalization in education demands that we examine patterns, measure impact... more Growing diversity and globalization in education demands that we examine patterns, measure impact, and consider onsequences for both teachers and students. This symposium is a collaborative response to four big questions related to the diversity of students; diversity of teachers; international experiences; and an examination of international teacher education.
International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 2017
The potential of physical activity to support self-regulated learning in the classroom has encour... more The potential of physical activity to support self-regulated learning in the classroom has encouraged the implementation of stationary bicycles across Canada and the United States. Positive testimonials suggest that their use by students has positive outcomes, but there is limited empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of this pedagogical practice. The current study analyzes teachers’ perceptions of the use and impact of stationary exercise bicycles in classrooms as part of a community running program initiative through a nationwide survey of 107 participants. Key findings identify teacher perceptions of positive outcomes in students’ social, emotional, and cognitive development, as well as to the learning environment. A small set of unique challenges were posed by the bike integration, including limited distraction and some scheduling difficulties. Teachers approached the integration of the bikes on a spectrum of control from “student-regulated” to “teacher-regulated” with...
As a problem-solving approach, design thinking (DT) emphasizes iterative, user-focused designing.... more As a problem-solving approach, design thinking (DT) emphasizes iterative, user-focused designing. While DT is being readily adopted into education, little is known about how educators integrate DT across curricula. To address this question, we collaborated with a tech-ed industry partner and a focus group of experienced educators to assess curriculum content developed using a DT framework. Results showed that educators expressed positive impressions of the DT framework and lesson plans, but also identified potential challenges to integrating DT into classrooms (e.g., assessing skills and attitudes related to DT). Findings suggest that DT-based learning aligns with a shift from project-based instruction to experiential learning aimed at achieving global competencies.
The purpose of this study was to assess the educators’ perspectives on the introduction of comput... more The purpose of this study was to assess the educators’ perspectives on the introduction of computer technology in the early childhood education environment. Fifty early childhood educators completed a survey and participated in focus groups. Parallels existed between the individually completed survey data and the focus group discussions. The qualitative data provided a richer understanding of the issues faced by these educators. Thematic analyses of the focus group discussions revealed that many of the educators’ concerns involved the effect of technology on the educators themselves, with secondary emphasis on how computers affected the students and parents. Although educators generally supported the integration of computers, they also identified critical concerns and limitations.
We examined the effectiveness of a professional development school model of teacher education in ... more We examined the effectiveness of a professional development school model of teacher education in Canada. Teacher education candidates responded positively to program features related to sustained participation and collaboration in school communities throughout the year. Their efficacy beliefs about developing professional knowledge were most strongly related to the school component of the program. This highlights the importance of careful selection and preparation of associate teachers where teacher candidates are placed in only one school. EXPLORER UN MODÈLE DE DÉVELOPPEMENT PROFESSIONNEL DE FORMATION DES ENSEIGNANTS EN MILIEU SCOLAIRE AU CANADA RÉSUMÉ. Nous avons fait l’examen de l’efficacité d’un modèle de développement professionnel de formation des enseignants en milieu scolaire au Canada. Les candidats enseignants ont réagi positivement aux dimensions du programme relatives à une participation soutenue et à la collaboration au sein des communautés scolaires tout au long de l’a...
Handbook of Research on Barriers for Teaching 21st-Century Competencies and the Impact of Digitalization
In our globally connected, ever-changing society, the ability to adapt to new environments and te... more In our globally connected, ever-changing society, the ability to adapt to new environments and technologies can greatly enhance success. In Canada,“21st century skills” are being prioritized in the education system so that young children can develop skills to thrive in our technologically advanced world. However, current teaching practices do not always appear to include 21st century skills in the curriculum. This chapter seeks to examine Canadian university Bachelor of Education programs to gather information about where, and how often, 21st century skill training occurs in pre-service teacher education. A keyword search was conducted on program and course descriptions from 45 Canadian university websites to determine where 21st century skill terminology was present. Next, a more in-depth examination of one specific teacher education program in a consecutive, pre-service program in a mid-sized urban centre in Ontario was conducted. Recommendations are discussed for pre-service educ...
Emerging Research, Practice, and Policy on Computational Thinking
Computational thinking (CT) refers to a set of processes through which people arrive at solutions... more Computational thinking (CT) refers to a set of processes through which people arrive at solutions to problems using principles based in computer science. A CT approach to problem-solving is increasingly valuable in education and workplace settings as the economy grows more dependent on digital literacy. Given the importance of CT, it is essential to assess these skills. However, a reliable assessment tool is absent from the current literature. This chapter, therefore, defines CT across the Ontario (Canada) Elementary School curriculum in elementary classrooms and addresses the need for effective instructional strategies and assessment of CT-related problem-solving abilities. Finally, we establish where CT concepts and skills already exist or are missing from the curriculum and suggest a workable tool to assess CT based on existing literature.
Given a growing digital economy with complex problems, demands are being made for education to ad... more Given a growing digital economy with complex problems, demands are being made for education to addresscomputational thinking (CT) – an approach to problem solving that draws on the tenets of computer science. Weconducted a comprehensive content analysis of the Ontario elementary school curriculum documents for 44 CT-relatedterms to examine the extent to which CT may already be considered within the curriculum. The quantitative analysisstrategy provided frequencies of terms, and a qualitative analysis provided information about how and where termswere being used. As predicted, results showed that while CT terms appeared mostly in Mathematics, and concepts andperspectives were more frequently cited than practices, related terms appeared across almost all disciplines and grades.Findings suggest that CT is already a relevant consideration for educators in terms of concepts and perspectives;however, CT practices should be more widely incorporated to promote 21st century skills across dis...
Literature on teacher learning has shown links between being a self-regulated learner, reflecting... more Literature on teacher learning has shown links between being a self-regulated learner, reflecting effectively on one’s own practice, and being described as an “adaptive expert”. For instance, the metacognitive skills needed for effective reflection on teaching practice are seen as critically important to developing adaptive expertise in the context of the highly complex classroom environment. Similarly, self-regulated learning is often defined, at least in part, in terms of using metacognitive skill to adapt one’s approach to complex learning situations or problems. Although there is rich literature on reflective practice in teacher education, less is known about measuring teachers’ self-regulated learning or the relationship between self-regulated learning and teacher reflections. This research examines reflective practice and self-regulated learning through pre-service teachers’ written reflections. The study makes a novel adaptation of a rubric designed to evaluate teacher educat...
2014 Conference of the Canadian Society For the Study of Education, Jun 5, 2014
An on-line survey was distributed via social media sites (Twitter, LinkedIn) and email correspond... more An on-line survey was distributed via social media sites (Twitter, LinkedIn) and email correspondence through a professional network in an effort to collect data regarding current use of on-line collaborative tools for teaching and learning. 37 participants from 3 countries completed quantitative and qualitative questions regarding their experience with these tools such as wikis, blogs, social media, etc. A general picture of the tools used, the barriers and supports to their use, and the background of those using them will be created, in conjunction with more detailed examples of specific use of the tools. Conclusions of this study will inform researchers and educators about effective practice of on-line collaborative tools for the creation of knowledge and critical thinking supported by this pedagogy.
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