Professional Documents
Culture Documents
OLTD 502
Final Project
http://www.bcedplan.ca/actions/pl.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMFQUtHsWhc
http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education.html
Final Thoughts
As we move forward with this new project, the students have become increasingly
excited at the opportunity to participate in something so different from their usual
classes. They have moved from confused, to unsure, to eager. Parent participation has
been very good and most students have come up with projects that will stretch them
intellectually. I am pleased with the support I have received from all parties concerned.
Both school and district administration have been supportive during the initial phases
and have suggested an increase in the time allotted to this venture. While student work
is in its early stages the experience has been a positive one. It will be some time before
final products and presentations are made, but it is the change in the student's attitudes
toward learning that I am most looking forward to.
On a personal level, I have had a chance to try new ideas and further develop my own
philosophy toward teaching. I have taken to to the constructivist theory of teaching, but
another philosophy from our last readings has grabbed my attention as well. Kanuka,
speaking to the progressive philosophy of teaching says that the progressive orientation
is personal growth, maintenance, and promotion of a better society. The preferred
methods of instruction include the experimental, problem-solving, and situation
approaches to learning (as cited in Anderson 2008). That is the type of instruction I
hope to provide my students with and eventually all students in our school by
introducing Genius Hour. I think we all like to consider ourselves to be progressive in
our chosen field of endeavor, but I now see that being progressive can be done in the
public system, that can at times can be stifling, and look forward to trying new and
challenging activities and lessons with my students.
References
Anderson, T. 2008. The Theory and Practice of Online Learning. [e-book] Edmonton: AU
Press. pp. 91-111. Available through: http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/
99Z_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf [Accessed: 11 Dec
2013].
Bcedplan.ca. 2013. BC's Education Plan. [online] Available at: http://www.bcedplan.ca/
actions/flexibility.php [Accessed: 08 Dec 2013].
Gunawardena, C.N. and McIsaac, M. S. (2004). Distance education. In D. H. Jonassen
(Ed.), Handbook of Research in Educational Communications and Technology, 2nd ed.
(pp. 355-395). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
LaBonte, R. (2008). Leadership and e-learning: Change processes for implementing
educational technologies. In Hirtz, S. & Kelly, K. (Eds.) Education for a digital world:
Advice, guidelines, and effective practice from around the globe. (pp. 277-286).
Vancouver: Commonwealth of Learning. Retrieved from http://www.colfinder.net/
materials/Education_for_a_Digital_World/Education_for_a_Digital_World_complete.pdf.
Labonte, R. 2011. Quality in E-learning: Engaging Learners. [online] [Accessed: 11 Dec
2013].
Mitra, S. 2010. The child-driven education. [online] Available at: http://www.ted.com/
talks/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education.html [Accessed: 10 Dec 2013].