President’s Update

Program Quality Teach Grant

Hello CUEBC Members, recently CUEBC was successful in their application for a “Program Quality Teach Inquiry” Grant. Over the next few months we will be working with a number of CUEBC members supporting them through a journey in using technology in a meaningful fashion in their classroom. This group will be supported by the CUEBC Executive members. As an organization, we believe in modelling technology enhanced collaboration, with that in mind we will use many of the technologies we believe make a difference to student learning. This will allow the participants to experience them as a learner before introducing them into their classroom.

Depending on the number of applicants, we will give preference with geographic diversity to foster collaboration in a way that isn’t possible without technology. We will also support applicants to ensure they have a reliable modern computer for this project.

The focus of our group inquiry will be to improve teaching and learning with the integration of technology into the classroom by formalizing questions teachers have about learning and teaching with technology and reflecting back on them. The main focus will be the use of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. The project will run from April to November 2010.

Our prime goal is to improve student learning. We will focus on various strategies that will improve learning and understandings about how teaching and learning are impacted with the use of technology and how the role of the teacher changes.

Teachers will develop their inquiry participation through collaborative discussion to find various solutions to their own questions. Each of the group members will set their own topic of inquiry through formulizing questions, identifying and anticipating possible findings, searching out evidence, evaluating evidence and arriving at well-reasoned conclusions.

Participants will use this action research frame to direct their inquiry,

“if I (the teacher) do ___________[the action], the students will be able to _________ [the change], I know it will make a difference by _________ [the data].

The cohort will develop an understanding of the importance of critical reflection to support sound educational decisions. The participants will work with others in teams or as part of a “community of practice” to improve the way they address issues and solve problems.

We will enhance the communication and collaboration of the group by using various online technologies. These include, but are not limited to, Moodle, Elluminate Live, Blogs and Wikis. The intent of using these technologies is to model various tools that teachers can use with students.

The action research group will meet online once a month in a distributed learning method. This will allow for participation across the province and include members in remote locations where travel is prohibitive. Throughout the process, we will model and explore the use of a variety of electronic tools that can enhance teacher professional learning at distance.

Do you think you may be interested?

Participant Requirements:

Completion of Action Research Frame by April 15, 2010
Once a month online meetings beginning early April
Ongoing journaling (Wiki, Blog, etc)
Ongoing online discussion participation (Moodle)
Final reporting and celebration October 22, 2010 at the CUEBC Conference in Richmond