I'm not really a Luddite, I'd just prefer you to pay attention (2011)
Good educators have always used the latest media tools in order to enhance their pedagogy. It is only in recent years that these media have begun to undermine the social and humanistic goals of education. If the purpose of education is to develop citizens who will take our world forward into the 21st century and beyond, what responsibility must educators take for flash mobs, texting while driving, and the Vancouver riots?
In this talk I shall contest some of the assumptions made by those who automatically integrate all new multimedia into their classrooms. In considering the effects of new media on the social fabric of our communities, I will take into account the fact that the isolating power of social media is not an unknown concept. I will argue that educators must take some responsibility for the outcomes of a connected world, and in their teaching must consider the effects of technologically supported isolation on community coherence and social cohesion.
Professor Goddard is Dean of the Faculty of Education and Lead Dean (International), at the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Dr. Goddard has worked as a teacher, principal, superintendent of schools, university professor and education consultant. He has extensive international experience, including a six year period where he was the Team Leader of the Leadership component for a CIDA funded initiative to design and deliver an educational reform program in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, where his focus was on the design and delivery of educational leadership training programs to school principals and regional education officers in post-conflict Kosovo.
Dr. Goddard’s primary area of research and teaching is educational leadership and administration, broadly defined, with a focus on the role and impact of cultural and demographic change on structural systems within schools, particularly those serving minority and marginalized populations.
PhotoCLUB: Designing a virtual community using digital photography to empower marginalized youth (2011)
The literature on the use of technology for education has focused primarily on mainstream academic settings. Our work represents a shift from that focus and presents creative options for simultaneously enhancing both the educational and psychosocial development of marginalized youth. This paper will describe our PhotoCLUB project that we are conducting at Freedom House, a domestic violence shelter in New York City that specializes in serving women and children who are domestic violence survivors with disabilities. As a crisis shelter, Freedom House can only house residents for a maximum of 135 days. This limit poses significant challenges to the resident youth who, due to their transient circumstances, are not attending school consistently and who often experience this shelter as their only source of belongingness in a supportive community. Freedom House uses state-of-the-art accessibility technology throughout the shelter and is committed to using technology to the greatest extent possibility to support their services for their residents. We introduced our PhotoCLUB program at the shelter with the following aims in mind: (1) to provide a means of engagement and creative expression for youth residing in the shelter; (2) to encourage the youth to collectively explore their educational and life goals by using digital photography to capture images of their “ideal possible selves”; and (3) to work collaboratively with the youth to design an online community that will allow them to remain connected to the PhotoCLUB and its members beyond their 135-day stay at the shelter. In this paper, we will present various photographic images taken by the youth participants along with the specific strategies they developed for achieving the educational and personal goals represented by their ideal possible selves. We will also describe the participatory process of collaborating with the youth to create the online virtual PhotoCLUB community.
Alisha Ali PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at New York University within the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Her research investigates innovative approaches to serving the educational and psychosocial needs of low-income communities in urban settings. Dr. Ali’s recent projects have examined factors related to depression in low-income women, including the effects of poverty, violence, and discrimination. Among her current research is a series of projects, funded by the Allstate Foundation and the American Psychological Foundation, examining the psychosocial impact of economic empowerment programs for families residing in domestic violence shelters. She is also the creator of the New York-based PhotoCLUB project, a digital photography program aimed at supporting the attainment of educational and personal goals of high-risk youth. Findings from the pilot evaluation of the PhotoCLUB program have demonstrated positive academic and psychosocial effects among the youth participants. PhotoCLUB is being implemented as an after-school program in various settings in New York City, including shelters, schools, and low-income housing projects. Dr. Ali also recently completed a longitudinal investigation of the effects of a poverty transition program on depressive symptoms of program participants and found the program to be highly successful in reducing depression. Dr. Ali is editor, along with Dana C. Jack, of the book Silencing the Self Across Cultures: Depression and Gender in the Social World published in 2010 by Oxford University Press.
Using multimedia technology to teach North Indian vocal music (2011)
The tradition of music education in Hindustani (North Indian) classical music known as the “guru-sishya parampara,” is a unique system of transmitting musical knowledge, which can be trace back to the Vedic period (1st-6th centuries BCE). The terms guru (mentor/master), sishya (pupil/disciple) and parampara (tradition) collectively refer to an oral tradition that transmits the art/music through a preceptor. In India it is the basis of transmission for all art forms and embodies the living and learning relationship between master and disciple in both formal and informal learning settings. Although the guru-sishya parampara is being supported by variety of institutional setting in India and abroad, currently many gurus (instructors) are employing multimedia technologies for teaching music. These technologies include interactive DVDs, websites, and most prominently video conferencing primarily through “skype.” Indian classical music requires face-to-face interaction between pupil and student. The use of skype facilitates learning in diverse geographical locations, as it is often difficult for students to find competent gurus outside (and even within) India. However, skype lessons require greater use of written materials and fixed lesson plans. Multimedia technologies do not replace traditional learning systems, but have great potential for the teaching and learning of many styles of music throughout the world.
Teaching information
North Indian Classical music is prevalent throughout the North, West and Eastern regions of India as well as in the neighboring countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Languages used in compositions
The North Indian classical music compositions are in written in several north Indian languages and dialects such as Hindi, Braj, Marwari, Bhojpuri, Khariboli, Punjabi and Bengali etc.,
Teaching materials:
Usually basic music lessons for HM/North Indian Classical music follow a standardized system from Bhatkhande Kramik Pustak Malika (six volume set containing Raga composition with notation and descriptions).
Content of lesson
1. Basic vocal exercises for voice culture by teaching the notes of a Raga
2. Graduated series of vocal exercises for various embellishments, improvisation techniques, and to increase vocal range and flexibility.
3. Reading and learning to sing from notation
4. Learning to sing in tala, intricate nuances of tala or rhythmic cycles, and rendering of raga and tala as bandish (composition) by oral demonstration.
5. Learning to elaborate with technical details like Alap (non-rhythmic verses) , taan (rapid melodic improvisation) etc.,
Utpola Borahis an Ethno-musicologist, Educationist and Cultural Archivist and Performer of Hindustani Classical Music. She has made important contributions to the discipline from the time she started her Doctoral research at the University of Delhi. Utpola has done an extensive study on “Bihu songs of Assam” which has found expression in her book, “Bihu Festival of Assam-Music, Dance & Performance” published by B.R. Rhythms, Dehli (2005). Her experience in the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology (ARCE) has earned her recognition in the field of Ethnomusicology and in other areas of Cultural studies like Folklore, Anthropology and Performing arts of India. Utpola has worked as a Course Writer, Content editor and Expert for the PG Diploma in Folklore and Cultural Studies in the School of Interdisciplinary and Trans-disciplinary Studies at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi. She has presented lectures and given demonstrations at International and National seminars and conferences in India and USA. Utpola is aneminent Hindustani (North India) Classical vocalist. She has been trained extensively in the traditional “Gurukul” system and is an accomplished performer.
The application of film mixing to interactive media design (2011)
My earliest research is based on taking the auditory hierarchy used in film and animation and applying it to instructional message design to strengthen narrative comprehension for the learner. I based my research on instructional message design theory, the auditory hierarchy, and on various aesthetic and technical principles of sound design derived from my film and animation studies.
My work began with the study of sound design to enhance the use of still imagery and text through presentations developed in Microsoft PowerPoint. My ongoing research on the topic has forced me to ask new questions concerning the application of film mixing to interactive media design, specifically in the context of 3D simulations and non-linear media. The interactive media design component addresses the progression from a static, ‘linear model’ of presentation to an interactive, learner-centered narrative enhancement, informed by learner input. A key question that comes from this style of interactivity is: “Will the learner acquire the required narrative content if they select an interactive path different from the original intention of the instructor (content creator)?” And “How can sound design seamlessly support narrative in a non-linear, ‘ever changing’ Constructivist environment?”
This is where the principles of film sound design can assist the structuring of audio and visual information in an instructional interactive environment. Expertise in film mixing theory and practice can inform the creation of more ‘immersive’ narratives. Additionally, a technical understanding of interactive audio ‘gaming’ tools, such as Wwise, can also be instrumental in the creation of dynamically adaptive ‘sound design spaces’ that change in real-time, maintaining user engagement.
John Born is an instructor in the Multimedia Studies Department at UNB and an Instructional Technology Specialist at UNB’s Center for Enhanced Teaching and Learning. He is the owner and operator of his own media consulting company bornThinkers Consulting, that combines the design world of multimedia with leadership and personal coaching.
John has been working in the professional area of media production since 1999 and is actively involved in the education and learning field, having presented workshops and training in media design worldwide from Fredericton, New Brunswick, to Las Vegas and Trinidad & Tobago. John is a recipient of the New Brunswick Rising Stars Award recognizing IT leadership in New Brunswick.
But where are the resources? (2009)
By using technology, we have the potential to engage learners and weave a strong fabric of curriculum-based learning without giving away the loom! When the content is relevant and designed with the overwhelmed, sincerely engaged teacher in mind, what is possible? How do we teach art using a technology-based approach – one that leads directly back into the art classroom and to challenging student-centered content, processes and outcomes?
What does technology offer? What do the arts ask? What do the arts offer? Where is Saskatchewan’s art? To whom do public gallery collections belong? How do we gain access to public collections? Who visits? Who sees the collections of public galleries? Join us for a discussion and demonstration of some of the possibilities…
Carol Casswell has extensive experience in curriculum and professional development planning for Regina Public Schools, currently teaches high school Arts Education Grades 9-12, is a doctoral student at the University of Regina, and is Co-Director of ARTSask, a project involving a partnership among the University of Regina, the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon, the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education that has been designed to create an online, contemporary visual art curriculum resource, using images from the collections of the Mendel and MacKenzie Art Galleries of Saskatchewan.
Norman Yakel is a senior professor in the Arts Education Program of the Faculty of Education, University of Regina where in addition to teaching, he is involved in numerous innovative community field work activities, supervises students in Graduate Studies in Art Education and is Co-Director of field work activities, involving a partnership among the University of Regina, the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon, the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education that has been designed to create an online, contemporary visual art curriculum resource, using images from the collections of the Mendel and MacKenzie Art Galleries of Saskatchewan.
Representing the University of Regina, the presenters are the co-directors for the development of the ARTSask website, which received generous funding support from Canadian Heritage, in a competitive context, for two separate stages of the website’s development.
Presenters are also developers of ARTmakerapp, an application for iPad and iPhone, designed for digital art-making that is intuitive, inspiring and by its design simplicity, accessible to everyone.
A Multimedia Installation for Encouraging Learners' Self-Reflexivity (2009)
A central objective of social work education is to engender critical forms of self-reflexivity in the social work practitioner. One recent social work text goes so far as to say: “...critical reflection on the use of self is the link that mediates theory and practice in social work” (Mandell, 2007, x). A broad body of literature has explored various pedagogical approaches for facilitating self-reflexivity (Fook, 2002; Sakamoto & Pitner, 2005), some of which has focused on the potential limitations of text-based learning processes (Kumsa, 2007). Little attention, however, has been given to the role of multimedia technologies might play in encouraging more reflexive uses of self. In response to this gap in social work education, we developed a multimedia learning environment to enhance the teaching and learning of self-reflexivity. The installation focuses on the core concept of 'self-determination' and is comprised of audio-visual and text-based technologies, and installation objects. Our aim was to create a pedagogical process that exceeded the limits of text-based approaches to promoting the critical use of self.
The installation has been piloted with the MSW students at the University of Western Ontario, and at the University of Toronto's 2008 “Social Work Theory Conference” as part of its graduate student orientation. Most recently, we provided a learning/training session to field educators at the Faculty. Extending our educational research outside academia, we have been invited to conduct professional development workshops in a range of organizations, including The Hospital for Sick Kids, Baycrest Geriatric Services, Integra and Catholic Family Services. Arrangements are also being made to offer the multimedia workshop to psychiatric-survivors at the YWCA. The interactive installation format has been adapted to its various audiences and settings, and is evolving as we more closely consider the potential of multimedia technologies to foster learning that includes embodied, affective and analytic dimensions. Our research, funded through a SSHR grant awarded to Adrienne Chambon, queries how this technologically infused pedagogy can contribute to the profession's efforts to bridge the divide between theory and practice in diverse cultural contexts. We propose a special, one-hour, interactive session for the upcoming conference. This would entail three components. First, participants would experience the multimedia learning installation.
Second, we would present our research on the unique learning outcomes potentiated by this technologically enhanced workshop. Finally, we would facilitate discussion on the implications of and possible directions for future developments in the area of multimedia teaching and learning.
Rory Crath, Chris Trevelyan, and Adrienne Chambon are all at the department of social work at the University of Toronto.
Harnessing YouTube as an in-class educational aid (2011)
A generation grown up with high tech media is bound to have a different neurology and different patterns of thought than one brought up on linear media such as print. Even broadcast media have changed in the manner they affect attention and interest; the sequential plot has been replaced with quick-cut vignettes that demand rapid eye movement and rapid reassembly of the storyline.
This new generation requires new methods of teaching. The text is no longer sufficient to engage the interest and involvement of students. In a YouTube video viewed by over 3 million people (“A Vision of Students Today”) students confess what they do with their time every day. A great deal of it is spent on social media. In my presentation I will propose that, in view of limited funds in schools and universities for the acquisition of videos, YOUTUBE offers tremendous opportunities for multimedia teaching aids. In my own director’s channel youtube.com/sociologicalI maintain playlists for each course. I am able to accompany my lectures with excellent videos that provide living examples of the material being discussed. I will share this concept and practice at the Conference and be available for anyone who wishes to know how they can also set up such a teaching aid. I will also discuss empirical evidence showing how the brain processes images and thoughts and how such knowledge can facilitate the educational process.
Benet Davetian is former chair of the Sociology and Anthropology Department at UPEI and Associate Professor of Sociology. He is also director of The Civility Institute (http://www.civilityintsitute.com). Dr. Davetian also maintains a sociology website which provides students with web resources and access to online course materials (http://www.bdavetian.com). His latest book is Civility – A Cultural History (University of Toronto Press, 2009).
PhD University of Sussex; SSHRC Doctoral and British Commonwealth Scholarship
Post Doctoral SSHRC Fellow Concordia University.
B.A. and MA with great distinction Concordia University
The Use of “Clickers” in the Classroom: Teaching Innovation or Merely an Amusing Novelty? (2009)
The individual response system, or “clickers” are now being used in many classrooms as an active learning component of courses. Educators considering the use of clickers in their own classrooms may wonder whether the clickers are a worthwhile, pedagogical tool or merely an amusing novelty. As Pengfei (2008) points out, research has examined the clicker effects on interaction within the classroom, but little research has examined whether clicker use can affect the understanding of concepts. This chapter will discuss ways in which clickers may help students organize and understand material presented in the classroom.
Michael Lantz is a professor of psychology at Kent State University.
Using On-Line Tools to Drive Group Development Projects (2011)
Traditional approaches to software development involved extensive planning and scheduling of nearly all development tasks in advance. As such, the actual development of the functioning system ('coding') happened with a minimum of day-to-day communication and tracking. With the development of modern Agile approaches to software development, much of the planning and scheduling is done 'on the fly', necessitating a well-developed system for communication and for keeping track of who is working on what and how they are progressing. In this talk I will discuss how a simple on-line tool (Google Docs) is used by students to coordinate, schedule and track group development projects that run from 3-8 months.
David LeBlanc is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Prince Edward Island. He has a background in artificial intelligence, cognitive science and theoretical linguistics, with degrees in computer science and linguistics. His current research focuses on cross-cultural variation in interface design—work he is eager to expand to the study of variation in player preferences within video games. This work involves experimental usability testing.
Learning processes and assessment: students’ learning in a mandatory course in Teacher Education (PED 3517: “learning processes and assessment”) (2009)
The objective of the presentation is to identify and present the learning objectives attained in a mandatory Francophone teacher education course (PED 3517: learning processes and assessment) at the Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa. The presentation will start with a contextual description, followed by an analysis and a synthesis of the professors’ teaching steps showing the integration of theoretical concepts with a focus on cognition into the learning processes, in addition to the factors that contributed to successful learning. Concrete examples of five former students’ learning portfolios and their associated challenges will be included. Technology (i.e. Blackboard Vista) will be used throughout the presentation mirroring the learning tool that was used by the professor and students in the classroom. The presentation will conclude with a discussion regarding successful integration of theory into the learning processes, the role that technology plays as a medium, and implications for teacher education will conclude the presentation.
Cameron Montgomery, Ph.D., is a professor in the department of Education at the University of Ottawa.
Towards a “Poor” Presentation: What can Jerzy Grotowski Teach Engineering Students in the Digital Age? (2009)
Edward R. Tufte, critic of Microsoft’s Power Point, is concerned that slideware reduces the analytical quality of presentations (Tufte, 2003). Yet, in the field of engineering communication, the visual representation of abstract information is necessary for the communication of complex concepts to the audience. The problem arises when presenters over rely on the visuals by using slides to present the “script” of the presentation. This generally involves presenters reading from slides that are text heavy. On the other side, novice presenters may get caught up in creating visually stunning presentations at the expense of planning what to say and how to say it. Presenters need to be made aware of the specific relationship that is created when they become “performers” in front of an audience. It is imperative that presenters understand that Power Point is a tool that is meant to be integrated and in support of the presentation. According to Philip Auslander, performance is competing with mediatized forms (Auslander, 1999), and in a sense, Power Point, as a pre-recorded electronic medium can easily upstage the presenter. This paper aims to examine a methodology of performance training that a theatre instructor can teach engineering students to help them in the “performance” of classroom presentations in the digital age. The kernel of Jerzy Grotowski’s theory on theatre practice is that the essence of the theatre lies in the relationship between the actor and the spectator. This theatre is called the “Poor Theatre” since it opposes the synthetic, rich theatre that tries to create the “total experience” – a redefined notion in an age of film, television, and now internet. Grotowski identified three key concepts and tried to systemize them: powerful acting (performing) occurs at the meeting place of the personal and archetypal, the most effective kind of performance takes place if there is a minimum of accoutrements, and finally, the theatre (or performance) is intercultural and needs to relate “truths” to many cultures (Schechner, 1997). Grotowski’s desire to demystify the creative process and develop a methodology of performance training will be examined in relation to technical presentations and their (arguably) necessary integration of digital media.
Amy Franklin Whittaker is part of the Engineering Communication Program at the University of Toronto.