Prior to participating in the course learning, I did not have a full understanding of what digital citizenship is or what it looks like in an elementary school system. I understood that digital citizenship did not get the attention or the focus of the other 6 C’s – collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking, character, and digital citizenship. I noticed over that digital citizenship resources were lacking in the school board and educators, including myself, did not truly understand digital citizenship. I am now confident that I understand digital citizenship practices and the next steps that are required to improve digital citizenship at the school board.
As the Technology Enabled Learning Teacher Contact for the school board, I am considered the leader who promotes the effective integration of technology into the classroom. Over the last three months, I have made great strides to create digital citizenship awareness among educators and students. During Catholic Education Week, I facilitated a Digital Citizenship poster contest connected to the Catholic Graduate Expectations. Students were asked to select one of the Catholic Graduate Expectations and interpret what that looked like as a Digital Citizen. Students also practiced their digital literacy skills that posters were completed using digital tools.
The week of May 24 – 28 was deemed Digital Literacy Awareness Week. To promote digital literacy skills across the school board I created a choice board that promotes digital citizenship resources and games. A live Youtube event was held May 20 with Cobblestone Collective to promote students promoting the skills they have within the Digital Learning Environment (DLE). Parents were invited to attend the event with their students to learn how to create a video tutorial. Students were challenged to create their own video tutorials to share with their parents and teachers about the favourite tool they use in Google. The video and slide deck is will be shared with teachers to share and promote in their classrooms the week of May 24 – 28th.
Another step forward was obtaining approval to purchase a collection of primary and junior books to be kept in each school’s library. As I was conducting research for both course assessments I learned that there are not many digital citizenship resources available for the primary division. I was able to collate a list of 15 picture books that support educators integrating digital citizenship practices into the primary classroom.
Where do I go from here, what is next and how do I continue to move forward promoting digital citizenship across the system. One large project that I will be undertaking is creating a digital citizenship course within D2L Brightspace, Ontario’s Virtual Learning Environment. I would like to develop a course that enrolls all educators within the school board will be enrolled as students. The course will include information about school board policies and procedures, teaching resources, digital citizenship lessons, best practices for digital citizenship, ministry resources, Catholic Graduate Expectations, and professional development opportunities. The course will appear on the SNCDSB Hub landing page. The benefits of developing the course will include teachers learning more about digital citizenship practices but it will also positively impact their ability to navigate with the VLE. Currently, the VLE is only used as a landing page and a curation tool for resources and digital artifacts of learning. Educators will experience firsthand the functionality and features of the VLE.
In my first blog post for the course, I indicated that I would become more active on Twitter to actively participate rather than solely being a consumer. I have increased the number of posts I have noticed an increase in participation with educators across the school board as well. I have begun to feel a sense of community through Twitter as my Professional Learning Network.
Finally, I will advocate for a dedicated professional development day for educators, centered on technology integration, digital citizenship, and digital literacy skills. I will work closely with the leads within the school board who have do have dedicated professional development days to collaborate about how I can work with teachers, offering technology integration sessions.
A 15-minute video was created to explain how effective integration of technology into the elementary classroom can be achieved. Effective technology integration is evaluated through the lens of critical thinking. The15 minute video serves as the media project for the INF 537 capstone research project. The purpose of the project was framed by the teaching role Technology Enabled Learning Teacher Contact (TELTC). The Ministry of Education funds every school board within the province of Ontario with a TELTC position. The 2020-2021 Grants for Students Needs Ministry Publication outlines the four key outcomes that the TELTC is to fulfill. TELCS are expected to support educators and students in effectively using Ontario’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) along with ministry-provided digital tools and resources in both online learning and face-to-face classrooms, develop strong pedagogical knowledge and skills in online learning for teachers, collaborate with the ministry to build an understanding of local school board needs related to technology-enabled learning and teaching and supports building parent engagement through Ontario’s VLE.
Since the inception of the TELTC role, TELTC has been supporting educators to effectively integrate technology into the classroom. The current government has a focus to develop transferable skills in students. The framework for evaluation of effective technology integration into the elementary classroom was selected based on the Ontario Ministry of Education Document 21st Century Competencies: A Foundation Document for Discussion. The 6 Cs of 21st-century learning include critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, character and citizenship. Critical thinking is a key skill identified across many Ontario curriculum documents and it is considered a transferable skill. The media project is a prototype that will commence a 6 video series. The project can be extended to develop a video that evaluates the effective integration of technology through the lens of the remaining 6 Cs.
Critical thinking is a prominent skill in the most recent curriculum documents. The Mathematics Curriculum of 2020, Health and Physical Education 2019, The Kindergarten Program 2016 and Social Studies Curriculum 2013 have critical thinking as a key basis for student learning. The Growing Success Document 2010 identifies critical thinking in the achievement charts for assessment. The Ontario achievement charts have four key components, knowledge and understanding, thinking, communication and application. The thinking criteria include the critical and creative thinking process, see Appendix A and Appendix B.
The rationale of the project is to support a renewed board focus of technology integration through a lens of critical thinking into Superior North Catholic District School Board schools. Ontario curriculum documents have outlined the critical thinking process. The critical thinking process is embedded by practicing digital literacy and responsible digital citizenship. The school board’s policies and procedures support the implementation of digital citizenship skills, however, there seems to be a disconnect between teacher instruction and rich pedagogical practices of technology integration. The lack of resources and directive has led to teachers not actively engaging in digital literacy activities. The intention of the media project video is to enlighten educators on the importance of critical thinking, digital literacy and digital citizenship skills to support student learning and achievement.
The video will serve as a tool for professional development to support educators to promote 21st-century learning in their classrooms. The video explains how technology redefines and transforms educational activities to impact student learning. The video contains photos and videos of student learning at SNCDSB that highlight critical thinking skills. Appendix A includes the FOI Media Parent/Guardian Consent Form. The form gives consent to use student’s images in videos and photos included in the media project. The video concludes by challenging educators to take the next step in their professional practice to integrate digital literacy and digital citizenship skills to foster students’ critical thinking skills.
Scope of research
The scope of the research included a comprehensive review of the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum, publications and references found within the Ontario Ministry of Education documents, that support technology integration. The Ontario Ministry of Education guides and directs educators in teaching and learning in Ontario. For this reason, research was limited to the Ministry of Education publications. The Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum documents is the foundation of education within the province of Ontario. It is worth noting that much of the key ideas discovered and discussed in the media project are contained within the front matter of the curriculum and not the overall or specific expectations. The front matter of subject-specific curriculum highlights the transferable skill of critical thinking as it will support students, as they create their pathway to success both through anecdotal recommendations for teaching and learning as well as the achievement charts.
The process involved in completing the media project
The media project evolved throughout the 10 weeks of the INF 537 Digital Futures Colloquium course. The initial proposal identified the research topic, the audience, the purpose and the tool selected to create the media project. The first capstone proposal drafted did not have a clear research question. The scope of research was not resolved, and it did not discuss how effective integration of technology would be evaluated. After consultation with the course instructor, the second draft of the media project proposal included sufficient details to begin research. The research question, the scope of the research, the framework of the 6 Cs of 21st Century learning critical thinking competency and the deliverable product of a professional development video for Superior North Catholic District School Board educators were determined.
The research question selected was “What does it look like to effectively integrate technology into the elementary classroom?” The question was evaluated through the lens of critical thinking. The scope of the research included foundational Ontario Ministry of Education Documents and publications ranging from 2006 to present as well as policies and procedures for the Superior North Catholic District School Board. Although not all Ontario Ministry of Education publications and curriculum documents were reviewed through the research process, foundational documents that highlighted critical thinking and technology integration were included. The following documents were included in the research:
Throughout the document review process, common themes, big ideas and key components of the research question were observed and noted. A Google doc was created to record the findings of critical thinking in the Ontario Ministry of Education documents. It was through reviewing the research notes that the analysis and synthesis of the research occurred by collating common themes and ideas. A document was created that organised the main concepts of critical thinking and technology integration found in the Ontario Ministry of Education publications.
Through the identification of curriculum connections to critical thinking and technology integration in the classroom, it was determined that digital literacy and digital citizenship were key concepts connected to critical thinking, see Appendix B. Now understanding that critical thinking skills encompass digital literacy and digital citizenship skills, it was identified that these skills are highlighted in the Superior North Catholic District School Board Governance Policies and Procedures, see Appendix A for details.
The creation of the media project began with writing the narration that is the basis of the professional development video. Once the narrative was finalised, it was recorded using the online video editor WeVideo. It took many iterations to finalize the video narration. The next step was to add in visuals to support the voice over. The visuals included text, photos, videos, graphics, charts and images that illustrate and bring deeper meaning to the narration. The sources were input to substantiate and give credit to the visual resources used in the video. The reference list was created and added to the end of the media project.
The final step of the media project was to have it peer-reviewed. Two elementary educators watched the video and provided feedback to improve the viewing experience and maximize the impact of the media project as a professional development tool. The media project was edited to reflect the recommendations and posted on Web 2.0.
A Critical Evaluation of the Media Project
Critical thinking is a foundational and transferable skill that is foundational to the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum. The critical and creative thinking process is found in the front matter of all subject-specific curriculum. It highlights the importance of students learning how to solve problems by acquiring, processing, analyzing and interpreting information to make informed judgments to inform decisions and actions (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2017). The critical and creative thinking process supports student learning to understand media messages, identify the author’s intentions and missing voices from a publication. Students will demonstrate critical thinking by identifying biases, look for implied meaning and develop a personal stance and opinion on gathered information (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2013).
Critical thinking is embedded in the achievement charts within the front matter of the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum documents see Appendix C and Appendix D. Additional Ontario Ministry of Education published documents connected critical thinking, a 21st-century learning competency, to digital literacy skills and digital citizenship skills see Appendix B and Appendix E. This is how the effective integration of technology can be evaluated through the lens of critical thinking. Students are expected to think critically when interacting and engaging with technology-based tools and digital resources.
The research by Fullen and Langworthy highlighted in the 21st Century Competencies Foundational Document for Discussionexplains that digital tools and resources can support the process of critical thinking when used to create authentic and relevant learning experiences. When students have the opportunity to engage in digital learning through the SAMR model, students will naturally practice the critical thinking process. Through the use of digital tools, students are able to demonstrate their learning in ways that were previously not possible without technology. Students are able to create products and demonstrate their learning, using hardware tools such as a webcam, microphone and Chromebook, and create using digital software tools.
21st Century Teaching and Learning Digital Citizenship and Digital Literacy What Research Tells Us document states, “to prepare students for the current globalized world and technology-driven society, students must have digital literacy and digital citizenship skills to be successful. Students must have digital literacy skills to develop responsible digital citizenship skills” (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2016). Digital literacy skills should be embedded in all curriculum areas. To support educators to develop digital literacy skills in order to foster student learning, professional development is needed for elementary teachers. It is important to communicate clear expectations for responsible use of technology and create a school culture that embeds digital literacy and digital citizenship (Research and Resources, January 2017).
Digital literacy instruction and assessment naturally embed critical thinking skills. Digital literacy skills require students to think critically about what information is reliable and evaluate the source. Students using Web 2.0 to learn and conduct research must know how to use a search engine, input keywords and phrases to obtain the information they are looking for. Digitally literate learners in the 21st century need to be critical thinkers, as they analyze information from multiple media sources that can be instantly found through Google (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2015). Students must also know how to organize and curate information to access and archive it for future use. For example, Superior North Catholic District School Board is a Google board. Digitally literate students will know how to name a doc, move the doc to a folder that is named to maintain an organized Google Drive. If all of a student’s work were titled “Untitled Document”, it would be very difficult to retrieve. An organized Google Drive demonstrates a student’s ability as a digitally literate learner.
Educators will access digital tools to support pedagogy. Students will learn what digital tools best support different assessment tasks. As educators learn about and use digital tools, the pedagogical opportunities for effective technology integration will be evident. Digital resources, software and programs are tools. It is important for educators to know the functionality of the tool to identify how it can transform student learning. Educators must also become knowledgeable about how technology can support the learning needs of their students. Assistive technology creates equity and access to knowledge through universal design for instruction (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2015). It is also necessary for students to take ownership of their learning and develop their ability to select from the plethora of digital resources and tools available through the SNCDSB Hub, see Appendix G. The digital structure of the SNCDSB Hub supports students’ critical thinking skills as they identify and select an appropriate tool to demonstrate their learning (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2015).
Students as creators foster student motivation and engagement (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2014). When students create for an authentic audience or to solve a real-world problem, they practice critical thinking skills. Digital storytelling through the use of digital tools such as WeVideo or Book Creator allows students to collaboratively create using rich digital tools. The professional product can be shared with parents, the local community and on Web 2.0. When students create and share their learning online, they are contributing digital citizens that are developing their digital identity. The contributions to Web 2.0 allow students to participate as productive, positive and responsible digital citizens (21st Century Learning and Teaching, 2016).
Through cross-cultural connections, students will practice critical thinking skills as they learn and communicate with others with various perspectives and different viewpoints. Students and educators must take advantage of technology tools that enable them to connect with people and knowledge beyond their classroom walls. With Web 2.0, students are able to communicate and respond to other students from across the globe. Educators can ask themselves who they can connect with their students to enhance their learning experience.
Students and teachers who interact and participate in critical thinking learning skills using Web 2.0, need to practice responsible digital citizenship. According to 21st Century Competencies digital citizenship requires students to know to determine if a source is credible, respect copyright laws, practice responsible use of technology and monitor their own digital footprint. To best support students, educators need to be practitioners of responsible digital citizenship. Educators must be engaged digital citizens, connecting to educators through social media platforms such as Twitter or join a Facebook group. Communities of practice is also an action for educators to foster critical thinking. Communities of practice promote teachers learning as a student, engaging with fellow educators through collaborative inquiry to improve pedagogical practice (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2015). Educators can actively practice digital citizenship through the development of digital identity and reflect on their personal and professional digital footprint. Educators must be aware of the ethical responsibility of the Ontario College of Teachers as the governing body for teachers who hold an Ontario Teaching Certificate as well as board policy and procedures and the school boards policies and procedures, see Appendix A. Educators have the opportunity to contribute knowledge and reflect on their teaching practise by creating a blog. Blogging is a great tool to make one professional practice visible to other educators. Educators who blog connect and share their learning with their peers. Professional practice can be refined and new ideas implemented with the support and inspiration shared by fellow educators.
It is important to note that the scope of the research did not identify barriers to implementing technology into the classroom or to the critical thinking process. This information was not included in the Ontario ministry documents. The ministry documents highlight the requirement and benefits for teaching and learning critical thinking skills. The implication is that it is the responsibility of the educator to teach the critical thinking process and integrate technology into their practice as outlined in the curriculum and learn through the process of implementation and reflection.
The media project titled “Effective integration of technology into the elementary classroom through the lens of critical thinking” will enlighten educators to the fact that critical thinking is a foundational skill outlined in the Ontario curriculum. Critical thinking is more prominent in curriculum documents than one would have considered prior to conducting a comprehensive review of the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum and supporting publications. The transferable skill critical thinking supports student learning and achievement as they develop digital literacy and digital citizenship skills that will support them in their future. Moreover, critical thinking is beyond content knowledge but rather a skill used in everyday life. Ontario students and educators must renew their focus to include critical thinking into the classroom through effective technology integration.
References
21st Century Teaching and Learning. (2016). Digital Citizenship and Digital Literacy What Research Tells Us… Retrieved from http://edugains.ca/resources21CL/WhatsNew/WhatResearchTellsUs-DigitalCitizenship.pdf
Capacity Building K – 12. (2015, September). Literacy for a Connected World. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_LiteracyConnected.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006). Language The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1 – 8. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/language18currb.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2007). Science and Technology The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1 – 8. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/scientec18currb.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2008). Reach Every Student Energizing Ontario Education. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from https://michaelfullan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/13396078200.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2010). Growing Success Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/growsuccess.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). Social Studies The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1 – 6, History and Geography Grades 7 – 8. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/sshg18curr2013.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education & Ontario Human Rights Commission. (2013). Supporting Bias-Free Progressive Discipline in Schools. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/SupportResGuide.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2014). Achieving Excellence A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/drive/search?q=Achieving%20Excellence
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2016). 21st Century Competencies: Foundation Document for Discussion. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edugains.ca/resources21CL/About21stCentury/21CL_21stCenturyCompetencies.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education (2016). Framework of Global Competencies. Retrieved from http://www.edugains.ca/resources21CL/21stCen turyLearning/FrameworkofGlobalCompetencies_AODA.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2017). The Kindergarten Program. Queen’s Printer for Ontario.Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/document/kindergarten-program-2016?_ga=2.33429566.1210672548.1601299585-327187033.1599783717
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2019). Health and Physical Education The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1 – 8. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/2019-health-physical-education-grades-1to8.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2020). Mathematics The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1 – 8. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/curriculum/elementary-mathematics
Research and Resources. (2017, January). Digital Citizenship. Retrieved from http://www.edugains.ca/resources21CL/WhatsNew/ResearchandResources_Digital%20Citizenship2017.pdf
What Works? Research into Practice. (2017, April). Think About It!. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/ww_Think_about_it.pdf
What Works? Research into Practice. (2013, June). Promoting Critical Literacy across the Curriculum and Fostering Safer Learning Environments. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/WW_PromotingCriticalLiteracy.pdf
Appendix A The Categories of Knowledge and Skills
Growing Success Categories of Knowledge and Skills page 17 Retrieved from http://www.edugains.ca/resources21CL/21stCenturyLearning/FrameworkofGlobalCompetencies_AODA.pdf
Appendix B The Achievement Chart – Science and Technology, Grades 1 – 8
Reflection as a practice to deepen and consolidate learning is a fascinating process to me. I am always amazed at how the learning objectives set out at the beginning of the course are the big ideas that are then gleaned throughout the course. Through my graduate study experience, I have experienced that identifying one’s own learning goals is an important piece of the learning cycle. As a lifelong learner, establishing my own learning goals gives me ownership and understanding about where my learning journey will take me. One of the learning goals I posed as a question in my first blog post was “What and how should technology and digital tools be embedded into a teacher’s program?” This question is essentially what my research question was, “What does it look like to effectively integrate technology into the elementary classroom?”
Through the iterative planning process for my capstone project, it was discovered that I needed to select a framework to evaluate what is effective technology integration into the classroom. Since the Ontario Ministry of Education has a 21st Century Competencies Foundation Document for Discussion the 6 C’s was the framework chosen. There are six competencies that could have been selected, however, critical thinking seemed to fit well with technology and the current provincial government has highlighted critical thinking as a focus transferable skill in recent publications.
When I opened up my reflection blogs from the INF 537 course to begin thinking about my thinking over the last 13 weeks, I chuckled when I read the first sentence of my first blog post. “Critical thinking is the cornerstone of teaching and learning in the 21st century”. I found this fitting as having just finalized my capstone project; the final sentence of mycapstone project is “Ontario students and educators must renew their focus to include critical thinking into the classroom through effective technology integration.” When I started the course I did not consider that where I started is where I would end, learning how critical thinking supports student learning and educator practice. The idea of critical thinking in my first blog post was inspired by engaging in the course materials. Critical thinking as an area of study for the conclusion of my study was based on my interest and insight from reading the Ontario Ministry of Education documents. Although my engagement with the curriculum was much less rigorous prior to the commencement of research, I did have an understanding of critical thinking was as a foundational concept in the most recent curriculum documentswas recognized.
My blog post for module 1, the information environment, included discussion about Web 2.0 as a learning tool and the idea of students practicing digital citizenship. Ideas such as participatory learning, being a networked learner, engaging in the critical thinking process and making my learning visible were all ideas that I studied about through course material and revisited through my research to understand what the effective integration of technology looks like in the elementary classroom. The knowledge I encountered through module 1 course readings were substantiated through my research of the Ontario Ministry of Education documents. Without documenting my thinking using my blog, I would not have realized the strong connection between my capstone research project and course content.
Module 2 digital futures, digital scholarship highlighted the impact of technology on learning and teaching. Again through my capstone research project, I understand that digital literacy skills are developed through the effective integration of technology. The critical thinking process is required when utilizing digital tools and resources. The SAMR model is a foundational concept for educators to review to reflect upon their own understanding of how technology impacts their classroom instruction. My module 2 blog past states “To prepare students for the future, students need learning opportunities that foster collaboration, active learning through participation, developing their online identity through networking, social media and digital citizenship.” Again this idea was reflected in my capstone project. It is our role as educators in Ontario to prepare students for their future. We may not fully understand what that may look like, but we can be certain that it will involve technology. The way in which students learn is different in the 21st century. Prior to Web 2.0, society needed to memorize, recall or know where to find information, now students and educators can find information in seconds using the internet. Students can now focus on transferable skills development such as critical thinking.
Engaging in the research of the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum and publications has positively impacted my knowledge as an Ontario educator. I understand the importance of critical thinking and how to navigate the effective integration of technology into the classroom. Prior to the research capstone project, effectiveness was measured on student motivation and engagement. Evaluating technology integration through a framework has supported my ability to continue exploring this question through the lens of the remaining five competencies of the 6 C’s of 21st-century learning.
I have created a 15-minute video that is designed to support Ontario teachers, within Superior North Catholic District School effectively integrate technology into the classroom. The video will support educators’ understanding of critical thinking and how critical thinking connects to digital literacy and digital citizenship concepts.
I began my capstone project by identifying and reading the Ontario Ministry of Education Ministry documents. Below is a list of the documents I reviewed. However, one trend I noticed was that critical thinking was not included as a theme in older publications. The newest documents and resources have critical thinking as a key transitional learning skill.
Another big idea I learned is that curriculum is content, but critical thinking is a skill that can be applied to future situations. The content of learning may not linger, but if a student can think critically they will be able to solve problems and see connections in data sets and information. The content is the material that is delivered to engage students in deeper learning that develop critical thinking processes in students.
Teachers can foster students with critical thinking skills by modelling curiosity and develop an atmosphere of inquiry. They can also provide students with thinking strategies that extend beyond broader relevance and investigate the perspectives of others through a social justice lens.
Critical thinking is the cornerstone of teaching and learning in the 21st century. Web 2.0 has allowed teachers and students to access information and resources that were not possible in the past. Students no longer need to memorize and recall information or knowledge, students now need to know how to find and filter information that is accessed using Web 2.0. In the past, knowledge was subject required funds to purchase up to date and state of the are resources. Web 2.0 has removed barriers to access and encourages and fosters student’s ability to read and process information. Where is direct instruction relevant in today’s classrooms if information can quickly and easily be accessed through Web 2.0.
Students and educators must challenge themselves to defend and justify their thinking and assumptions. The Socratic method is a collaborative model that supports students learning to think critically. Educators are responsible for keeping the discussion focused and prompting students to reflect on the Socratic seminar discussion. The student’s role is to clarify, share analysis, synthesize, defend and ask deep open-ended questions. According to Piro & Anderson (2016), the Socratic seminar is grounded in metacognition – which is a foundational concept across the Ontario curriculum. Socratic seminar is a model of social learning that allows students to arrive at an understanding of a difficult and robust concept, where there is no right answer.
Similarly, participatory learning is facilitated through online discussion forums. I recall taking Additional Qualification courses and a requirement for the course was to post and respond to others on a discussion forum. I didn’t understand before, but can clearly see now that this activity is a form of participatory learning. I was learning through other experiences that are vastly different than mine. Others see experiences differently due to their perspectives and knowledge. I was learning by expanding my thinking and challenging my ideas through other student’s lenses. I was filtering ideas through my experiences and making connections to my personal context.
As a graduate studies student, I now actively participate in consuming information through Twitter and consolidate my learning and thinking through posting on my CSU Thinkspace blog. Ross (2012) highlights two concepts that root online pedagogy – spectacle and placeholder. Upon reflection, I can see that I use Twitter as a spectacle pedagogy, I used to see Twitter as a tool for high profile educators to share what they are learning and doing. I also use the platform to demonstrate my work within the school board. Trustees, administrators and communications follow my Twitter feed and I want to ensure that I am highlighting the engaging and rich programming I deliver in the schools. I haven’t quite developed a community on Twitter and that could come through the use of hashtags, where I can actually participate in a conversation and have others who do the work that I do challenge and extend my work. I see my Thinkspace Blog as a placeholder of my learning throughout my Master’s study at CSU. I have used tags, categories, hyperlinks and menus to organize my learning and thinking. I would also argue, that I could organize my blog to reflect my learning chronologically. I have extended my own ability to think critically, synthesize and analyze information throughout the program. I see my blog as a digital story of my learning, similar to an online journal.
Using Campuswire as a tool to discuss and challenge peer’s ideas has proven thus far to extend my thinking. It is interesting to have a group of students who read the same article and each individual pulls something of value that is quite different than others. I love the discussion forums for this purpose. I have a relatively small sphere of experience, I love learning and reading other student’s posts. I have learned that the more dedicated and investment I put into using the discussions as a tool, the more I learn.
The big questions I have upon completion of Module 1 is what is an ideal blended learning environment for an elementary classroom. What priorities are placed on asynchronous and synchronous learning? What and how should technology and digital tools be embedded into a teacher’s program? What does instruction look like? Is it curriculum content and what is the balance between direct instruction and inquiry? What structure and routines are important for a blended learning classroom?
