Students

EDCN865 – Learning Technologies in Practice

2014 – S1 Evening

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Co-convenor
Matt Bower
matt.bower@mq.edu.au
Contact via matt.bower@mq.edu.au
Unit Convenor
Pam Furney
pam.furney@mq.edu.au
Contact via pam.furney@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MA in Education Studies or MEChild or PGDipEChild or PGCertEChild or MEd or MEdLead or PGDipEdLead or PGCertEdLead or PGDipEdS or PGCertEdS or MHEd or PGDipHEd or PGCertHEd or MSpecEd or PGDipSpecEd or PGCertSpecEd or MTeach(Birth to Five Years)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit is designed for practitioners who wish to explore ways of integrating technological tools into their teaching and learning. It provides opportunities to consider theory in relation to practice, allows for the development of relevant skills (not necessarily technological), and encourages experimentation and the evaluation of classroom practices. It is also concerned with educational issues related to the use of technology in the classroom – the language involved, the pedagogies that are appropriate, and the new literacies associated with twenty-first century learning.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Students integrate technology effectively into their classroom practice.
  • Students describe a range of contemporary ICTs and critically evaluate their potentials for educational purposes.
  • Students develop ICT-based learning designs based on appropriate selection and use of contemporary educational technologies.
  • Students critically evaluate and justify technology selection and design decisions with reference to current scholarly commentary, research and theory in pedagogy regarding ICTs in educational contexts
  • Participants can explain in a broad sense how ICTs impact on our social, cultural and educational lives
  • In their working context, students model positive attitudes and social behaviours relating to the integration of ICTs within teaching and learning, including effective participation in groupwork processes.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Lesson Plan 15% 24 March
Learning Journal 30% final posts 9 June
Learning Activity 30% 19 May
Showcase 20% 7 June
Participation 5% continuing

Lesson Plan

Due: 24 March
Weighting: 15%

Students will create and present a plan for a lesson, or a short sequence of lessons on the same topic, for those in their work context, designing activities which embed one or more technologies or online tools explored.  It is recommended that students use the UBD framework.  The plan will be submitted with a one page (500 words) analysis.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Students integrate technology effectively into their classroom practice.
  • Students develop ICT-based learning designs based on appropriate selection and use of contemporary educational technologies.
  • Students critically evaluate and justify technology selection and design decisions with reference to current scholarly commentary, research and theory in pedagogy regarding ICTs in educational contexts

Learning Journal

Due: final posts 9 June
Weighting: 30%

Students will keep a learning journal in the form of a weekly (or more) weblog (blog) or wiki to reflect on the ICTs discussed in the course.  It is expected that they will use the blog or wiki to justify how and why specific technologies might be used to enhance their teaching practice and to evaluate their choices pedagogically, through evidence from the literature.

*  The blog is a work in progress throughout the course and cannot be done at the last minute.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Students describe a range of contemporary ICTs and critically evaluate their potentials for educational purposes.
  • Students critically evaluate and justify technology selection and design decisions with reference to current scholarly commentary, research and theory in pedagogy regarding ICTs in educational contexts
  • Participants can explain in a broad sense how ICTs impact on our social, cultural and educational lives

Learning Activity

Due: 19 May
Weighting: 30%

Students design and create a technology-rich learning activity or assignment task suitable for those in their work context.  This can be in the form of a web site, a LAMs sequence, a webquest or other activity, or a combination of activities agreed upon by the student and the facilitator. To complement this activity, a written 1500 word scholarly justification for the pedagogical design of the project is to be submitted. 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Students integrate technology effectively into their classroom practice.
  • Students describe a range of contemporary ICTs and critically evaluate their potentials for educational purposes.
  • Students develop ICT-based learning designs based on appropriate selection and use of contemporary educational technologies.
  • Students critically evaluate and justify technology selection and design decisions with reference to current scholarly commentary, research and theory in pedagogy regarding ICTs in educational contexts
  • Participants can explain in a broad sense how ICTs impact on our social, cultural and educational lives
  • In their working context, students model positive attitudes and social behaviours relating to the integration of ICTs within teaching and learning, including effective participation in groupwork processes.

Showcase

Due: 7 June
Weighting: 20%

Students will deliver an online presentation showcasing one or more examples of their use of ICT in their teaching and in which they reflect on the suitability of and the pedagogy behind the design,  and their learning process. This assessment is peer marked by the cohort.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Students integrate technology effectively into their classroom practice.
  • Students describe a range of contemporary ICTs and critically evaluate their potentials for educational purposes.
  • Students develop ICT-based learning designs based on appropriate selection and use of contemporary educational technologies.
  • Students critically evaluate and justify technology selection and design decisions with reference to current scholarly commentary, research and theory in pedagogy regarding ICTs in educational contexts
  • Participants can explain in a broad sense how ICTs impact on our social, cultural and educational lives
  • In their working context, students model positive attitudes and social behaviours relating to the integration of ICTs within teaching and learning, including effective participation in groupwork processes.

Participation

Due: continuing
Weighting: 5%

21st Century learning requires active and collaborative participation in the learning process.  Therefore contributions to discussions and to class tasks are assessable.

Delivery and Resources

EDCN865 is primarily an online course and all materials are delivered through Macquarie University's online learning management system iLearn http://ilearn.mq.edu.au.  

Technology Used and Required

The course requires access to a device with internet and word processing.  Although this is a unit about technology in education, the aim is not to teach skills, but rather pedagogical approaches to technology in the classroom.  However, participants are expected to have some prior knowledge of the technologies commonly used day-to-day. 

Lecture and Tutorial times

There are three on-site workshops and all participants are encouraged to attend.  The collegiality and sharing of ideas creates valuable learning. 

Dates:  3 March, 7 April, 5 May

Time:   6:00 - 8:00p.m.

Venue: C5A 204

Teaching and Learning Strategy

The assignments for EDCN865 focus on participants designing and creating a technology-rich and real activity to be used in their working contexts, and reflecting on the activity's pedagogical effectiveness.  In this sense, the course aims to be practical but underpinned by learning theories.

Information about iLearn and Resources

Readings for the current topic are posted each week in  iLearn, http://ilearn.mq.edu.au

What has Changed?

The weighting for Assessment 4 has changed from 15% to 20%;  participation is now weighted at 5%. 

Unit Schedule

 

Week

Week beginning

Topic

Week 1

 

3 March

 

Workshop on campus

Introduction: ICT in the classroom

·         Integrating technology into teaching and learning – why do it?

·         The emerging technologies and their implications in education

Week 2

 

10 March

 

21st century learning and the new literacies

Week 3

17 March

Planning ICT-rich lessons

UBD,  inquiry-based learning frameworks and more

Week 4

 

24 March

 

The online environment Part 1 – internet searching, website evaluation

Assessment 1 – Lesson Plan – due  24 March [end of day]

Week 5

31 March

The online environment Part 2 –  online areas and online resources

Week 6

 

7 April

 

Workshop on campus

LAMs – Learning Activity Management System

   

Mid semester break 12-27 April

 

Week 7

 

28 April

 

21st century learning and innovation skills

·         Tools for critical thinking and problem solving

Week 8

5 May

 

Workshop on campus

21st century learning and innovation skills

·         Tools for communication and collaboration

Week 9

12 May

 

21st century learning and innovation skills

·         Tools for creativity and innovation

Week 10

19 May

 

21st century management tools

·         Tools for content management – online tools, portals, intranets and learning management systems

Assessment 3 - Design and create a learning activity due 19 May [end of day]

Week 11

26 May

 

Mobile learning and convergence

Week 12

 

2 June

 

Assessing ICT-rich tasks

Games in education; virtual worlds

Week 13

9 June

Assessment 4 - Showcase – student presentations to be online by Saturday  7 June [end of day]

Assessment 2 – final postings in blog – 9 June [end of day]

 Showcase – peer review

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Students integrate technology effectively into their classroom practice.

Assessment tasks

  • Lesson Plan
  • Learning Journal
  • Learning Activity
  • Showcase

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Students integrate technology effectively into their classroom practice.

Assessment tasks

  • Lesson Plan
  • Learning Journal
  • Learning Activity
  • Showcase

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment task

  • Learning Activity

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment tasks

  • Lesson Plan
  • Learning Journal
  • Learning Activity
  • Showcase
  • Participation

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment tasks

  • Lesson Plan
  • Participation

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Students integrate technology effectively into their classroom practice.

Assessment tasks

  • Lesson Plan
  • Learning Journal
  • Learning Activity
  • Showcase