action research 2010

1. “Technology for Learning”
Literacy Innovation Action Research
Backward Design
AFL
Collaboration & Partnerships
Mt. Sentinel Secondary School
Glen Campbell, Principal
Greg Osadchuk, Social Studies 10
Mike Malakoff, Russian 8
Kathi Knapik, Science 8
Tamara Malloff, Teacher-Librarian & Tech Integration
Support Teacher
Shellie Malloff, Learning Support Teacher

2. T
" he biggest mistake we
can make...is to assume that the
challenge is to prepare
teachers to do the usual
things better."
-John Goodlad, Educational Renewal:
Better Teachers, Better Schools

3. Action Research Question:
“Will the use of a teacher-selected collaborative technology tool,
aligned with criteria and “feedback for learning” effectively engage
and improve learning for all students if they are put to work as
learning resources for each other according to the BC ICT
Performance Standards?”
Rationale:
1. School Growth Plan continues to build on AFL strategies, differentiating
instruction, and successful completion rate for all students.
2. Technology survey (January 2010) indicated that students are engaged in
using technology outside of the classroom. Responses noted that technology
wasn’t fully being utilized to provide descriptive feedback for learning.
3. Teachers noting difficulty in engaging learners of all abilities and learning
preferences.
4. 21st Century Learning Skills including core technology literacies needed to
be addressed in school context.
Target Group:
Grade 8’s (Science & Russian) and Social Studies 10
Goal: Establish baseline data using BC ICT Performance Standards

4. Social Studies 10: Project
Nelson
•Photography and history
•Day Tour to Nelson to photograph
historical buildings and to conduct
research on Nelson and Kootenay
history
"Students are
Russian 8: Travel Guide to
a Russian City engaged when
•Students research a city of
their choice
•Present their research to a
technology is
“client” using the brochure
they designed as a result
combined with rich
tasks"

5. Steps to Effective Collaboration for Technology Integration
• Plan Together using Backward Design
• Technology In-Service
Step 1
• Partnership with Technology Integration
Support Teacher
Step 2 • Implement Unit with AFL as Anchor
• Use BC ICT Performance Standards for Assessment
• Feedback and Reflection / Next Steps & Goals
Step 3

6. Teachers Collaborating and Modelling Technology, AFL, and
Backward Design Process using Wikispace

7. Social Studies 10, Greg Osadchuk
PROJECT NELSON
“My goal was to bring local history alive for students…”
-Greg Osadchuk, Socials 10 Teacher

8. Social Studies 10: Project Nelson -- Using Moodle* to Organize Learning
We started with an online 5
minute chat session to get
ourselves warmed up with
the prompt you see here.
Flickr is an online photo
sharing application which
allows you to leave feedback
on other people’s photos.
Learning journals help
students process their skills,
insights, challenges, and
celebrations—all online.
*Moodle is an open source, Learning Management System (LMS) which allows students and teachers to
interact with each other in an online or hybrid learning environment.

9. Social Studies 10: Project Nelson Learning Journal Sample with Feedback
Comments provided by
teacher are not evaluative

10. Social Studies 10: Project Nelson

11. Social Studies 10: Project Nelson
Rich Task using G.R.A.S.P.:
"You have been challenged by
the Nelson Chamber of
Commerce to create an
engaging, informative, and
historically accurate
photographic "Walk through
Nelson's History." You will
potentially be presenting your
project before the Chamber
and Community members,
with the possibility of having it
on permanent display at the
Chamber Office."

12. Science 8, Kathi Knapik
APPLE DLP PROGRAM
“My goal was to integrate Science content with technology applications…”
-Kathi Knapik, Science & Biology Teacher

13. Apple Digital Learning Trial Program Click video
•Digital Media Trial for one month
•Use of Macbooks and iPod Touches
•Blogging as a collaborative learning tool
•AFL anchor for criteria, feedback for
learning

14. Science 8 Blog Posts and Feedback Comments
Student Blogs
are linked to
main blog.
Cybersafety is
a main
consideration
in online
identity.
Mrs. Knapik’s
Science 8 Main Blog

15. Science 8 Blog Posts and Feedback Comments
Sample Peer
Feedback/Comments
Student’s Blog
“All comments were based on criteria…”
Post -Kathi Knapik, Science 8 teacher

16. Science 8: Apple Digital Media Learning Project Post-Survey
“How Much Did Using Computers Help You To...”
share your project with others
polish and present your work effectively
work with your classmates
get and give feedback
A Lot
Quite a BitA Little
improve your writing
A Little
create multi-media projects Not At All
develop ideas for projects
organize information
find information
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

17. Grade 8 Anecdotal Feedback Highlights
"We got to show our learning in
creative ways"
"I could send and receive my work
without paper”
"My spelling improved, my projects were clear,
and they had better detail”
"We got to blog and email"
"It made everything we did a lot more
fun and interesting"

18. Russian 8, Mike Malakoff
TRAVEL GUIDE TO RUSSIA
“My goal was to learn more about wikis…to move from
a paper-based assignment”
-Mike Malakoff, Russian 8 Teacher

19. Russian 8 Travel Guide Wiki
Student Page
“Independent research skills
Feedback Page
including interpreting
information is an area for
growth”

20. Russian 8 Project Anecdotal Feedback
I learned a lot
Using tech helped me
learn
Could communicate my
learning
Could make sense of my
info Somewhat Agree
Agree
Feedback helped Strongly Agree
Research well-organized
Expectations were clear
Enjoyed the unit
0 2 4 6 8 10 12

21. Synthesis of Overall Results: Establishing Baseline Data
with BC ICT Performance Standards (Adapted)
Grade 8
1. Areas of Strength: enthusiasm, on-task engagement, developing online
communication skills, experiencing success with technology as a learning
tool, visual learners 1st
2. Areas of Struggle: paying attention to specific criteria (Science 8), inferencing
skills (Russian 8)
3. Area for Growth: improved fluency with meaningful feedback, learning to
work with and meet criteria, learning to interact and provide feedback in an
online and hybrid learning environment, developing HOTs (inferencing,
synthesizing)
Grade 10
1. Areas of Strength: on-task engagement, creativity, hands-on learners
2. Areas of Struggle: working without specific criteria at onset of project (with a
couple of exceptions),
3. Area for Growth: improved fluency with technology, learning to interact and
provide feedback in an online and face-to-face learning environment, self-
managing learning in an online environment (self-directed)

22. Implications for Instruction:
Enriched, Engaging, Authentic Tasks
Clear Criteria...but...Encourage Creativity
Checklists/Check Ins for Progress
Provide Resources Online (Scaffolding)
Develop Purposeful Skills (Feedback, Inferencing)
Partner Talk for Processing
Multi-Modal Learning Opportunities
Choice in Demonstrating Learning
Incorporate Technology

23. Next Steps for School Growth: Big Picture
1. Continue to develop capacity of Technology for Learning Action
Research Team via distributed leadership model
2. Align school Technology Plan to Meet Learning Needs and 21st
Century Goals based on Survey and Action Research Data
3. Begin to fully integrate Moodle as a Learning Platform
4. Explore options for handheld devices and laptops
5. Further integrate AFL, Backward Design, and HOTs into instructional
planning
6. Continue leveraging learning partnerships with learning network
and resource people
7. Synthesize common learning outcomes from across the curriculum
in order to develop cross-curricular authentic learning projects
“Be the school you wish to see”