Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Students will develop a critical understanding of information technologies in education and learn how to integrate these technologies into classroom settings. An emphasis is on teaching strategies and methods as they complement the guidelines set forth in the BC Information Technology Curriculum.

COURSE DETAILS:

To adhere to current social distancing needs, EDUC 482 has been redesigned for remote teaching for summer 2020, instead of its typical face-to-face format.

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This course offers an introduction to the meaningful use of information technology in K-12 schools, pursuing the question: How can technology enhance learning, and what does it require of teachers? Readings and assignments will balance two principal goals: the development of technical skills and competencies, and the development of students’ awareness of persistent issues surrounding the use of computing technology in schools. Topics covered include:

• Why bother using information technology to support teaching and learning?
• Information literacy
• Representing student thinking using information technology
• Assessment and technology
• Equity and technology
• Simulations and games
• Protecting online privacy
• Blended and flipped classroom designs
• Online and remote teaching
• Kids coding and maker pedagogy
• Cell phones in the classroom

Weekly activity structure
Each week students will be expected to:

• Watch mini-lectures made available on Canvas as videos (5-10 minutes each) and complete readings and/or review multi-media materials related to the theme for the week
• Complete a weekly reading quiz that covers video lectures, readings and multi-media materials assigned
• Most weeks do an assignment to practice/reflect on skills/concepts related to the week’s theme
• Participate in online discussion related to the theme for the week

Semester-long lesson plan project
Throughout the semester, students will work on a detailed lesson plan that makes meaningful use of information technology in relation to a topic or learning objective of interest to them from the K-12 curriculum in British Columbia. This project will be broken down into milestone assignments to be turned in along the way. Peer feedback will be given on a full draft of this lesson plan before the final version is submitted for evaluation by the instructor.

Optional live course attendance via video conferencing during scheduled class time

• The first 1-2 hours of scheduled class time will be used for whole class discussion and/or activities related to the week’s themes
• The second half of the assigned time will be made in 15-30 minute blocks to students or groups of students who want assistance

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

At the completion of the course, successful students will:  

• Be aware of persistent issues that surround the use of information technologies in schools
• Demonstrate familiarity with information technologies or classes of information technology that can be used in classrooms, and understand their potential and limitations for supporting student learning
• Demonstrate capacity to design lesson plans and learning activities that make meaningful use of information technology
• Demonstrate capacity to engage in meaningful online discussion and peer feedback to support their own learning and that of their classmates

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Students should have access to a desktop, laptop or tablet computer and a fast enough internet connection to download and upload course files, assignments and assessments on Canvas. Some of these files may include video, but nothing larger a two-hour Hollywood movie.

REQUIRED READING: