Professional Learning Goals

• Investigated various information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance teaching and learning
• Test drove these ICTs with our classes to find what worked best for each class and the teacher
• Improved the quality of feedback to our students utilizing appropriate ICTs
• Assisted students to develop the habit and improve their comfort level of utilizing appropriate ICTs on a daily basis

Activities and Resources

Initially, we spent some time investigating various ICTs that we hoped would enhance and diversify our teaching, and allowed students to take more ownership of their learning. We investigated:

• D2L, Google Classroom, Edmodo (learning management systems) – distribution of lessons, assignments and activities, and links to supplementary information and activities; used as a discussion forum to display their learning that might not have been shared in a traditional learning setting, and allow for feedback from both students and the teacher; referred to for future reference; acts as a student notebook for some; alleviates excess hardcopy printouts of notes and worksheets
• Wix (website) connected to LinkedIn for a working portfolio for students entering the workforce, apprenticeship or as promotional materials for application to post-secondary programs
• GooseChase app – used it as an introduction and review; student engagement increased with its use
• FreshGrade – used as a portfolio to show student progress throughout the semester; provided feedback in a timely manner; allowed online access for parents to see student work and achievement (including video and photos); to demonstrate student ability to move towards an expectation; used as part of the final evaluation for self-assessment of student work; acts as a student notebook for some
• Padlet – provides instant feedback, brainstorming opportunities in a non-threatening, anonymous format, used as a personal organizational tool
• G Suite – used for organization, collaboration and completion of tasks, and ease of submission

Unexpected Challenges

A number of activities created challenges in meeting our goals:

• Students do not bring devices to school/class every day, creating roadblocks to lesson execution
• Communal devices (to support students without) not always readily available as a quick solution
• Not all students enjoy using computers/devices (and some have medical conditions precluding them from using them for extended periods)
• Learning Management Systems (Google Classroom, Edmodo, D2L) can be time-consuming upfront, compared to conventional lesson planning
• Students can have limited attention spans, and devices can be distracting. Students use these same devices as their entertainment, and are often not disciplined enough to self-regulate.
• Some programs/apps don’t work on all devices (e.g., Flash on an iPad)

Enhancing Student Learning and Development

We felt that our project enhanced student learning and development in a number of ways:

• Allowed students prompt and individual feedback
• Provided an easy-to-access (mobile) format for checking progress, submitting assignments, allowing for differentiation of tasks
• Promoted collaboration, even among students who were shy or not confident in their contributions
• Allowed students to have a record of their learning for study purposes and evaluations – worked well for many of our students with inconsistent attendance
• Enhanced responsibility on social media, for some
• Provided skills that are transferable to the workplace (e.g., practice for online training, self direction, self regulation, use of technology)
• Prepared students to be ready by the end of Grade 12 for responsible learning using ICTs in further education

Sharing

Sharing of our project results and best practices was multi-pronged:

• We each were able to share with our respective departments at department meetings
• We shared with colleagues during collaborative lesson planning
• Whole school sharing at staff meeting
• Team/co-teaching opportunities to demonstrate best practices and mentor

Project Evaluation

Our project was somewhat successful.

• We were able to investigate various information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance teaching and learning
• We were able to test drive these ICTs with our classes to find what worked best for each class and the teacher
• We were able to improve the quality of feedback to our students utilizing appropriate ICTs
• We were able to assist students to develop the habit and improve their comfort level, somewhat. None of our classes were using appropriate ICTs on a daily basis by the end of semester 1. Some students still felt it cumbersome and frustrating and preferred to use traditional methods; learning and utilizing technology on top of completing the task was sometimes overwhelming.

We determined that we were successful because we as teachers became more fluent and habitual in our usage of ICTs, and the students showed a willingness to use the ICTs in their practice more regularly.

To facilitate ease of use and increase student participation, we would have liked to have a class set of Chromebooks/laptops to ensure that every student had a device every day. This would allow students to practise incorporating these methods into their daily work, and use them to monitor their own success and share with their families. We had hoped that they would use the evidence collected to monitor their progress and motivate them to make improvements.