Melanie

Reflection on “How Technology Can Improve Learner Centred Teaching”
 * [[image:Me.JPG width="240" height="180"]]Week 1 Assignment**

I found it interesting to read about the various ways that technology can be used to engage students in the learning process, but at the same time was intimidated, as well. Technology is expanding so rapidly, it is hard to keep up – often the students are the ones teaching me about what a specific device or program can do. I think it is important, then, that instructors are able to let go of being the one in charge, and follow the first principle outlined in the article: “shift the balance of power toward the learner”. The instructor can set out the requirements of a particular assignment, but it is up to the student to determine the best methods to fulfill those requirements. The instructor might be surprised at the innovative techniques that are available, that he/she is not even aware of. I think that taking this approach also honours the third principle, “think of teaching as facilitating learning”. When the instructor sets out a plan, but gives control of how it is accomplished back to the student, the student learns on multiple levels, in terms of content, organization, and delivery. The fourth principle is also at work here: “responsibility for learning rests with the learner”. When learners are invested in their learning on so many levels, their ownership of the process is enhanced.

I have had the opportunity to play with various technologies as teaching/learning aids (clickers, online delivery on several different learning platforms, multimedia textbook resources, Sharepoint). As an instructor, I continually am reminded that I need to try to stay abreast of innovation; but I also know that my students will be my best teachers in this regard.

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 * Week 2 Assignment**

The flipped classroom is an interesting model, where students watch video lectures at home and then come to class to do the work based on the lectures. This is somewhat similar to how many of our classes already run – students complete their assigned readings at home, and then come to class to discuss what they have read. I try to find ways for the students to interact with the material, so that classroom activities deepen their understanding of the topic rather than simply repeating what they have already read. I like the idea of using videos, and other delivery methods for them to get the information; this frees up the class time for discussion, debate and discourse.

Here is a blog from Australia on children's play. []
 * Week 4, October 9**
 * Find a blog**


 * Popplet of ECE Teaching Strategies**


 * Webquest:**

I would like to create a webquest for a topic I talked about in my individual presentation – the Drive-By Religion class. In this seminar, I usually present students with information about various religions/spirituality views that they may come into contact with in Manitoba child care centres – Islam, Judaism, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhism, Aboriginal Spirituality, Wicca, and Christianity. I have also included information on atheism and secularism, with the caveat that they are not religions. I stress that this is not an exhaustive list of possibilities, but rather a cross section of some of the more likely religions/spiritual views they may come across. Rather than continuing to present the information myself, I would like to have the students research one religion in small groups, and present their information to the rest of the class.

Three websites that I could ask students to look at in the webquest would be:
 * [] This is an excellent website from the BBC that looks at many major world religions.
 * [] An objective website with a lot of information
 * []This website is not directly about religion, but is about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is an important document that I reference in all of my courses. Article 30 of the UN CRC deals specifically with supporting freedom of religion, as follows:
 * In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities or persons of indigenous origin exist, a child belonging to such a minority or who is indigenous shall not be denied the right, in community with other members of his or her group, to enjoy his or her own culture, to profess and practise his or her own religion, or to use his or her own language.

In order to create this webquest, I would need to write text instructions about how to do this research; a big piece of this would be emphasizing the need to research and present this information in an objective manner. Religion can be a divisive topic, and students need to approach this particular assignment in a clinical manner, removed from their own personal beliefs. I always stress to students that their own views about religion need to be put aside at this point, because their job is to support children and families in their own cultural and religious context.

K-W-L - math - clarify the difference between understanding and course content - sense of control - alleviate stress. How to assess? Do they know what they need to know? Scaffolding - looking at it in terms of accounting. Understanding the learning process. Model all the steps. Understand that a step that takes 2 seconds in the mind takes 2 minutes to explain. Roleplay - sales. Provide examples from the real business world, and roleplay scenarios. Go through it and then see how they felt in taking on the roles. See themselves in action. Assess - are they finding their strengths and weaknesses? Can you see improvement in further role plays?
 * Week 5, October 15**
 * [|My presentation]**
 * Learner Centred Approaches**
 * Kyle (Business Admin tutor)**

Great graphic - shows learner in the middle - learner centred. Cooperative learning - break down of some of the components of cooperative learning. Learning outcomes Evaluation strategies - formative assessment, summative assessment - instructor, individual, self assessment Learning centres - hands on, paractical learning; combine learning centres with lectures and cooperative learning. Good picture of a learning centre. Active engagement of students. Discovery Learning - guide and motivate learners. Problem solving, learner management, integrating and connecting - stories, simulations, games, visual maps.
 * Danya (works with people who have cognitive disabilities)**

Has been using learner centred approaches. Does webquests. Online exercise; he supplies the urls, gives them about a half hour to complete; gives a rubric. Sheet of questions to answer. Uses clicker technology - gets each student to compose 5 questions, enters questions into data base, may use the questions on the final exam. Students use the clicker technology to teach their questions to the rest of the students. Practically speaking - gets them to build things in class, experience voltage measurements. Keeps them entertained. Takes about 15 - 20 minutes to complete. Also gets students to build circuitry, then puts "bugs" into the system, gets them to troubleshoot. Cooperate training - build a circuit board in class; mark each other on their work. Outcomes - specific to each learning approach. Evaluation strategy - specific to each approach. Time based - is this really an outcome for the course? Case study - give patient results, and type of disease - they can relay the information to piece things together, highlight ideas that will help them get an answer. Learning outcome and evaluation attached. Role-playing Hand out scenario from workplaces; have students act out the different roles. Evaluate - students can grade each other. Learning outcome - critical thinking skills, troubleshooting. Journals and blogs - write key points from lectures; write comments about articles, blogs; communicate with instructor; Learning outcome - keep current.
 * Rob (electronics)**
 * Betia (Histology)**

Restraint application Discovery learning - find the policy and then do a quiz. Find policy on line - uses the most current copy. PBL and Learning Inquiry - scenario, and then write about it - what the process would be (first, second steps) Role Play - play the role of the patient, nurse, health care aide, and family member. (helps student also see the perspective of the patient???)
 * Carol (Deer Lodge)**

Good graphics!! Cooperative Learning - break into 2 groups, ride and observe the driver, take notes, ask questions, work as a group Simulation - will operate a simulation in their groups the next day. Plan all drop offs and pickups for 2 full trips; do all the paperwork associated with the DART service Role-Playing - fare disputes Pristine outcomes!
 * Darryl (City of Winnipeg Transit)**

Journaling - see how they have progressed through the program - 10 day in vehicle training - journaling lets them record their progression and growth. Outcomes - format??? Evaluation process - participation, personal reflection Simulation - air brakes - students in vehicle training, must memorize air brake system - could use a simulation room in the future Role playing - customer service, fare disputes, intoxicated passengers, disagreements between passengers, mental or social issues
 * Andrew (City of Winnipeg Transit)**


 * Week 6 - October 23**
 * Absent**
 * Week 7 - October 30**

Skipping - fun, easy, alternative to regular exercise routine. Good YouTube video, shows how to do it properly. Asked trainer important questions (length, material). Found out health benefits - 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, 10 minute segments work well. Skipping promotes bone strength. I want to find out more about DropBox.
 * Ruth (Skipping)**

Funny video to start - city boy! Video explaining energy efficient windows - good info. Many types of windows - what are the benefits/drawbacks of each? Information of window performance - helps to make the decision. Questions to ask the company before choosing which windows to get and who will install them. Lots of incidental learning - not just about windows, but about the process of learning. Good insights into what the instructor's role is, when assigning a project based learning assignment.
 * Derek/Scott (Buying Windows)**

Animoto presentation! Great visual, great music. Lots of work. Beautiful fabric (I liked the original fabric as well). Rob - wife paints, a good friend paints; they make Christmas ornaments. Went to different art stores, got the materials, tried - first one was a disaster - painted together a few times. Bitia - wasn't comfortable at first, because she's a perfectionist, but found it relaxing in the end; interesting explanation of the process; enjoyed the process, would do it again. She felt better about the second picture she made, really liked it. Beautiful pictures - can't believe they hadn't painted before. Cool idea! Did some prliminary research - people didn't think she could do it - this spurred her on. Found out it was going to be too costly, Borrowed a hammer drill, which was free, and got the safety equipment.Not much success! :( Video to show what actually happened, and all safety equipment. Great work, lots of humour and interesting project.
 * Michele (Poof Reupholstered)**
 * Rob/Bitia (How to paint with watercolours)**
 * Cindy (How to operate a jack hammer)**

[|My Presentation] Make a movie - music video. Didn't want to show his band, so picked an existing song and added clips. Watched clips on YouTube about how to work the program, work with a green screen. Dust in the wind! Love the shark! Love the horses!! So great! Lots of great learning.
 * Week 8 November 6**
 * Don (video editing - turned into video production)**

Learned how to do a Prezi as well! Nori - the darker the green the better.Didn't expect the variety of each ingredient. I'd like to try making it. Looks great, now I'm hungry!
 * Carole (how to make sushi)**

I've tried it, want to do it again, it was fun. There are three within walking distance of my house, but I haven't found them yet. People who don't geocache are Muggles - don't let them know! Different variations - puzzle one looks challenging. I hadn't heard of the travel bug variation before, that would be really interesting. You can also download a Geocaching program on an I-phone, but you might not have coverage everywhere.
 * Harry (Geo Caching)**

Had never sewed in his life. Researched by talking to a friend, decided to sew a cushion. Came up with 10 important points about sewing.Good points, I used to sew a lot and these are all things I learned (sometimes the hard way). Can't cook - burns water and toast! Looking at the list - that looks like a lot of ingredients! You will have a lot of lasagna from that. Looks really good, I'm sure it was delicious. And of course you need wine, during cooking and eating (you could even add wine to your sauce!)
 * Stephen (Sewing)**
 * Johanna (How to cook lasagna)**

Too bad video isn't available, I'd like to see it. Do something nice for someone else, and instead of them paying you back, they pay it forward. Increase goodness in the world. Steps to doing a random act of kindness. Learn more about the act of selflessness. National Pay It Forward day - April 25, 2013.
 * Danya (How to Pay It Forward)**

Have you seen the website, [|"The Greater Good"?] It is from the University of California at Berkeley, and is about the science of a meaningful life. It seems to fit with your idea.

Android or iPhone. Androids are more hackable. Worked on how to hack his own phone, to make it work the way he wanted to. Rooting (for Mac phones) or jailbreaking (for android phones). Odin program lets you unlock it. I wish I knew what to ask! This is way over my head.
 * Kyle (Superuser - hook into your phone's power)**

Great fiddling video! What's the difference between a fiddle and a violin? Not much, it refers to the style of music, not the instrument. 4 strings on the violin - E A D G. Learned how to tune and restring the fiddle. (I know all about being left handed in a right handed world!) Wow! Really fun, great work!
 * Darrell/Andy (Fiddle Time)**

Plant propagation - sexual or asexual methods. Cloning - making an exact replica of the tree you want. Allows you to ensure the new tree is just as good as the original. Interesting process!
 * Aaron (Cloning Plants)**