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=02.779 Applying Technology in Distance Education = Spring 2009 Term B Cameron Mateika This is a class I chose to take as my first elective for my program. I completed it in the spring of 2009, and I still use a few of the tricks I learned here in my teaching. It was nice to take a class with so many practical ideas that I could use in my classroom. I had definitely heard of a few of the tools, such as wikis and podcasts, but my eyes were opened to quite a few more online web tools. The problem though, is there are so many that I quickly become overwhelmed. I start out wanting to try everything I read about, and end up hardly doing any. Over the years, I've learned that I need to find one good tool at a time, and give it a try. I also have to watch not to get sucked into the "shininess" of the tool. The bells and whistles might look very cool, but, is it the right tool for the job - the most effective. As I was taking this course, I remember thinking that every teacher should be forced to stay current with educational trends, but especially with technology because of its speed of change. If I wasn't "forced" to learn about these technological tools, I'm not sure I would find the time to do so. I usually have great intentions to do so, but there are only so many hours in the day.

I believe this was my first experience with a completely online delivery method for a class. I think Cameron recorded a couple of sessions/lectures that we could listen to in real time, or he would post it online for us to listen to at a later date. Looking back, I wish I would have taken advantage of the real-time lectures so that I could participate and ask questions. Being it was my first time in this situation, unless forced to participate, I quickly took the passive role. I have changed a great deal as a student over the last five years, and especially since my undergraduate days. I have become an active participator in my courses, and take great pride in my work. It makes it much easier to do this when my course work connects to my every day teaching or administration job.

Below, I have attached links to my assignments for this course, along with a brief reflection piece for some.

Class Outline

I used the program called Audacity to create two podcasts, and then created a blog entry on each topic. I found Audacity to be very user-friendly, and thoroughly enjoyed creating the podcasts. I've always had a hidden wish to have my own radio show, and with the hit that podcasts have made, maybe a few teacher-friends and I should make that happen! Although, my initial love of music would have to be interwoven in there somehow. Since learning more about wikis, I've used them a few times throughout my teaching, and as you can see, to help me collect my reflections for this portfolio.
 * IP based video conferencing equipment in a school setting - Videoconferencing
 * Wikis in the classroom - Wiki Podcast
 * Integrating Podcasts and Videocasts into the Classroom

8 Classroom Web Tools It was great to look back at this list of great web tools - I've completely forgotten about a few of them!! Each half-page synopsis lets the reader scan over a quick blurb about the tool, along with a few ways to utilize them in your classroom. I have since used a couple of these web tools in my teaching and personal life - especially Jing, Google Docs, and Flickr. The trouble with technology is that it changes so quickly, and there's probably newer and better tools out there to use.

My Delicious collection of websites This was my first introduction to Delicious, and of all the tools I learned about during this course, this is the one that I found the most effective. Before Delicious, I would bookmark sites on my personal computer, my classroom computer, and my husband's computer, without any way of accessing them from other computers. I was also introduced to tags, which is an organizational blessing and wonderful time saver! I love that I can search other lists, and it will show me how many times each website was tagged - showing popularity and usefulness.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Below are links to annotated bibliographies for articles that I found particularly interesting and helpful from this class:


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Experiences from ICT-based teacher education: Technology as a Foundation for Active Learning. Journal article by O. Eriksen (2004)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">"A Prophet Never Accepted by Their Own Town": A Teacher's Learning Trajectory When Using Technology. Journal by W-Y. Lim, Y-J. Lee and D. Hung (2008)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Technology and School Leadership. Journal by M. Afshari, K. A. Bakar, W. S. Juan, B. A. Samah and F. S. Fooi (2009)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Technology Infused Professional Development: A Framework for Development and Analysis. Journal article by J. Gess-Newsome, M. Blocher, J. Clark, J. Menasco and E. Willis (2003)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Final Grade: A

=<span style="color: #06d5cf; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">02.780 Introduction to Curriculum = <span style="color: #06d5cf; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Regular Session 2011/2012 Term 1 <span style="color: #06d5cf; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Dr. K. P. Binda <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I originally started my Master's degree program in Curriculum and Instruction. I really love teaching math to students, and wanted to become more of an instructional expert in this field. A couple of things pushed me to change course over to administration. First of all, there didn't seem to be very many courses offered through BU in Curriculum and Instruction, especially ones offered through distance education. Secondly, there seemed, at the time, to be a possibility of movement within my own school's administration, and I was encouraged by my principal to head in that direction. I'm glad for the push, because I've thoroughly enjoyed my administration classes, and I'm also glad that I chose to take this class. It made me see that there is so much more to the educational field than just what goes on between the classroom walls. We have also been going through a huge curriculum reform in Saskatchewan over the past few years, and still continue to do so. This has made me really look at what has been successful with the curriculum itself, as well as its implementation.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Below, I have attached links to my assignments for this course, along with a brief reflection piece for some.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Course Outline

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Chapter Questions: <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I've found that having questions to think about while reading a chapter or article, helps me to focus while reading. The questions also allowed me to put my own reflections and thoughts together with the content from the readings.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Chapter 1 || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Chapter 5 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Chapter 2 || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Chapter 6 & 7 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Chapter 3 || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Chapter 8 & 9 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Chapter 4 || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Chapter 10 ||

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Journal Article Reviews: <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">While writing these reviews, I was teaching in a one-school division. I have since moved to a school division operating 28 schools in 17 communities, with some communities being 200 kilometers apart. What a difference in how things are run. Decisions in no way feel like they are made at central office with the students of Esterhazy High School specifically in mind. How can they be when so many schools and students are involved? There seems to be many more resources at hand in this division, with many coaches and consultants on hand, yet I feel more removed from decisions being made at the division and provincial level. These articles helped me see just how difficult a job it is to manage curriculum reform throughout an entire, diverse province.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Change Dilemmas for Curriculum Leaders: Dealing with Mandated Change in Schools
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Learning Communities for Curriculum Change: Key Factors in an Educational Change Process in New Zealand

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Case Studies

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Analysis of Grade 7 Mathematics Saskatchewan Curriculum Guide

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Class Reflections

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Below is a link to an annotated bibliographies for an article that is related to curriculum (although used in another class):


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Science, Technology and Culture: Supporting Multiple World Views in Curriculum Design. Journal article by M. Fleer (1997)

Final Grade: A <span style="color: #e2104e; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;"> =<span style="color: #e2104e; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0a66; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">01.768 Current Issues in Aboriginal Education = <span style="color: #cc0a66; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Regular Session 2011/2012 Term 2 <span style="color: #cc0a66; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Dr. Sherry Peden <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Working in a Northern Saskatchewan pre-kindergarten through grade twelve school, my eyes have been opened to just important it is for everyone to focus on issues in Aboriginal education. Not only important for those of us up North, but for everyone in the entire province. Now teaching in Esterhazy, SK, with a comparatively very minute Aboriginal population, I also see how people do not realize the importance of it. Our community has a large influx of immigrants from various nations around the world, and ESL issues seem to be the focus of our school right now, and rightfully so. With many of the statistics brought to my attention during discussion and research for this class, I understand why it is so vitally important for all students in Saskatchewan to learn about the current issues in Aboriginal education in our province.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I loved the current aspect of our discussion in this class. Many issues where happening in the national news, such as the crisis on the Attawapiskat reserve, and our discussions made me look at the news differently. I read newspaper headlines from a different perspective, and my ears heard discussions around me differently.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">One of my favourite quotes gathered from my studies came from Dr. Sherry Peden, and I've since come across it online, by John C. Maxwell, "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." I've come to believe that relationships are at the root of everything, not when it comes to the education field, but to life in general.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Below, I have attached links to my assignments for this course, along with a brief reflection piece for some.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Course Outline

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Reaction Papers <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Reflection #1 <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Reflection #2 <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Reflection #3 <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Reflection #4 <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I enjoyed the format of these reflection papers. I was able to reflect on two weeks worth of discussions and readings, while making references to lectures and related readings. It gave me the opportunity to really reflect on my beliefs, and to challenge how our educational system approaches certain issues when it comes to Aboriginal education.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Group Presentation - Aboriginal Student Engagement: A Student's Perspective <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">What sticks in my head the most when I look back at this assignment, is that my partner and I tried to incorporate a new technology tool in our presentation. We used www.polleverywhere.com to conduct a quick survey at the beginning of our presentation. It worked alright, and I'm glad we took the risk to try it. This was also the first time I had to collaborate with another student to put together a presentation to do during a class via teleconferencing. My partner and I had different approaches to our learning and our assignment, so I had to let go some of the control I'm used to.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Action Plan - Aboriginal Academic Student Engagement Action Plan <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I enjoyed writing this action plan, and received excellent feedback on it. CCS is a school that is doing very impressive work with their Aboriginal students, and could be used as an exemplar for others to follow in their foot steps. What they are doing is working, but as always, things could be improved. Another of my favorite quotes, "Good is the enemy to great!" One must always strive to be better.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Below are links to annotated bibliographies for articles that I found particularly interesting and helpful from this class:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Aboriginal Education and Anti-Racist Education: Building Alliances Across Cultural and Racial Identity. Journal article by V. St. Denis (2007)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Circles of Disadvantage: Aboriginal Poverty and Underdevelopment in Canada. Journal article by J. Kendall (2001)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Claiming Space: Aboriginal Students Within School Landscapes. Journal article by C. van Ingen and J. Halas (2006)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Fostering Aboriginal Leadership: Increasing Enrollment and Completion Rates in Canadian Post-Secondary Institutions. Journal article by T. King (2008)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">In Their Own Voices: First Nations Students Identify Some Cultural Mediators of Their Learning in the Formal School System. Journal article by Y. Kanu (2002)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Residential Schools: Impact on Aboriginal Students' Academic and Cognitive Development. Journal article by R. Barnes, N. Josefowitz, and E. Cole. (2006)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Science, Technology and Culture: Supporting Multiple World Views in Curriculum Design. Journal article by M. Fleer (1997)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Getting Them Through the College Pipeline: Critical Elements of Instruction Influencing School Success Among Native Canadian High School Students. Journal article by Y. Kanu (2006)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Final Grade: A

=<span style="color: #3b0acc; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">04.760 Education of Children who are Gifted, Talented and Creative = <span style="color: #3b0acc; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Spring 2013 <span style="color: #3b0acc; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Dr. Maryanne Ploshynsky <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I just completed this course this past spring. I am very glad I took this class towards the end of my studies, mostly because my children are now both school-aged, and the text we read applied just as much to parenting as it did to teaching. In the first couple of years having children in the school system, I see how hard it is to want and expect the best for my kids at school, yet be realistic, understanding, and empathetic to the huge job their teachers have. I see that I need to do as much as I can at home to supplement their learning at school, and not rely on their teachers to do everything.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">This course was very much about Differentiated Instruction, which has been a big term around my past school division, and now becoming to be one around my current division. I see just how important it is, yet I also see how difficult it can be. As a parent, I don't want my child "lost" in the group, yet I know in reality they sometimes, if not often, are. I have also seen many students who did not fit our picture perfect model of a student, so in a way they were written off from being successful. In reality, the very opposite is probably true - they may have possessed gifted or creative talents, but they went unrecognized. I still don't really know how to help some students like this - ones that excel to the max when on an outdoor education trip, but have a heck of time trying to sit through my math class. I'm afraid that I allowed myself to become too critical and discouraged about our education system, instead of inspired and hopeful. It's as though I know what needs to be done, but I don't know how to do it within our system. A small group of close friends (all teachers) and I always, somewhat jokingly, yet seriously, discuss what our own private school would look like. Within the 4-5 of us, I believe we would have everything it would take to do it, especially because we share extremely similar philosophies.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">There really wasn't an online component to this course, although there were a few very short lectures to listen to. It was more of an independent study course, and I felt myself missing out on the discussion. We had to comment on each others' journal entries, but it still didn't feel as though it was enough. I love listening to others' opinions and perspectives, and felt that I could have learned so much more given the opportunity for some real-time discussion.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Below, I have attached links to my assignments for this course, along with a brief reflection piece for some.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Course Outline

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Journal Entry #1 - The Nature of Giftedness <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Journal Entry #2 - Giftedness in the Culture of Poverty and Diversity <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Journal Entry #3 - Optimizing Learning Through Thoughtful Differentiation <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I appreciated the opportunity to reflect on the class textbook, as well as the weekly lecture. The textbook really made a strong case for differentiated instruction. This is great because I've had the opportunity over the past few years to develop my background and instruction knowledge on this very topic. What was great, was to look at it from the perspective of gifted, talented, and creative students. Most discussions are centered around students who are struggling learners, and what we can do to change our teaching to suit their learning needs, and we sometimes neglect the needs of others.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Case Study #1 - Zach <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Case Study #2 - Anna

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Final Paper: What We Can Learn from Erin Gruwell in Freedom Writers

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Below are links to annotated bibliographies for articles that I found particularly interesting and helpful from this class:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The Path Leading to Differentiation: An Interview with Carol Tomlinson. Journal article by E. H. Wu (2013).
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Peer Coaching to Improve Classroom Differentiation: Perspectives from Project CLUE. Journal article by A. O. Latz, K. L. Speirs Neumeister, C. M. Adams, & R. L. Pierce (2008).

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Final Grade: A