Professional Learning Goals

• Increased use of GAFE for teacher collaboration and student learning
• Supported learning of mathematical content and skills, while integrating technology
• Used GAFE to develop and share three-part lessons to be strategically implemented and integrated in classroom instructions to support mathematical learning
• Learned about and used a variety of assessment and evaluation strategies including Assessment FOR, AS and OF Learning, using Google Classroom to allow for teacher/student descriptive feedback and peer descriptive feedback
• Utilized a variety of assessment strategies including pedagogical documentation to capture learning and support professional learning
• Deepened our understanding of the geography, mathematics and language curriculum, STEM and transdisciplinary learning, enhanced and extended through technology

Activities and Resources

• Regular professional learning sessions for learning and planning
• Toronto DSB Google Apps for Education Help
• GAFE – Google Docs, Google Classroom, Google Draw/Sketch Up, Google Slides
• STEM resources for constructing (TDSB, Model Schools for Inner Cities, ONAP, Ontario Math Curriculum, TIPS4RM, EduGAINS
• Language, mathematics, geography curriculum documents

Unexpected Challenges

• Timeframe was restrictive for the Geotricity 2.0 three-day main event; potential to expand into more time would have been helpful or half-days in a week-long block
• Some lessons were taught in core classes, not in the main event due to timelines
• More time for pre-teaching was needed
• More time for students to plan

Enhancing Student Learning and Development

• Students had the opportunity to engage in 21st-century learning skills including collaborating with classmates and community
• Students became more familiar with features and uses of GAFE
• Students explored how mathematical thinking is applied in the design and engineering process when creating a community space
• Students made real-world connections to the application of mathematics and geography
• Students presented their ideas in a multimedia presentation

Sharing

• Shared within the school with the Grade 7 teachers at a staff meeting
• Grade 7 students and staff invited to a Share Fair to see the community designs and prototypes that the Grade 8s completed
• Teachers would be invited into the Google Classroom and Google Docs to follow along with the process and contribute
• Geotricity 2.0 would be shared with other area schools when possible
• Google Folder shared
• Target audience is intermediate staff and students

Project Evaluation

The project was successful.

• Teachers and students regularly collaborated using GAFE
• Teachers should be connecting with community stakeholders
• Staff showed interest in expanding the project to include more cross-curricular connections
• Students verbalized interest in having more time for the entire project; suggested presenting their media pitches
• Improvement between Assessment FOR and OF Learning in mathematics due to application of math concepts and skill
• Learning and use of technology for students and teachers
• Increase in student engagement towards mathematics and math in the world around us
• Technology used to support assessment, teacher and peer descriptive feedback, as well as pedagogical documentation
• Staff documented student learning with pictures, conferencing, GAFE, moderated marking of planners using rubrics created by team members, student peer evaluations.