SCHEDULE, DET 2001

Session Details:

Title: Communities, Repositories & Optical Networks: Tools for a Shrinking Planet .

Presenter: Griff Richards.

Griff Richards has a B.Sc.from the University of Alberta in Genetics, a B.Ed.from the University of Alberta in Biology and an M.A. & Ph.D.from Concordia University, Montreal: in Educational Technology. Griff confesses to be a practicing educational technologist with over twenty years experience building systems to assess and enhance human performance. Much of that time was spent in R & D of interactive computer, video and simulation systems (NRCC, CFTS, CAE, ACCESS Network, BCIT), some spent managing courseware production facilities (Westerra Institute, Justice Institute), and on-line learning (BCIT). A graduate of the Banff School of Advanced Management, Griff takes his change agentry seriously - Ed Tech is a pragmatic set of tools to help individuals and organizations attain their goals. Currently he is seconded from the BCIT Technology Centre as Research Integration Officer to the TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence. Originally from Edmonton, he winters near White Rock and summers in the Shuswap. E-mail: richards@techbc.ca  

Description: Educators aren't so much looking forward to the promise of the Web, as searching for tools to help cope with its growing complexity. This presentation will overview developments in three emerging areas that will have impact for those in education and all who strive to build communities of practice. Examples will be given from a number of current projects including P.O.O.L, Network 3, and the TeleLearning Exchange.

Session 2 (Saturday, May 19, 10:30 - 12:00): 

Title: The Learning Lab: Teaching & Learning with Information Technology.

Presenter: Bobbie Rollins.

Bobbie Rollins is Coordinator, Product Development and Research. Bobbie has worked on various distributed learning initiatives as well as managed the development of online secondary courses for the Open Learning Agency. She has organized summer training camps for teachers, and was extensively involved in the New Directions in Distance Learning a pilot program in distributed learning. Her current focus is working with the new online teacher training program, The Learning Lab. Bobbie has a previous background as an elementary teacher and graphic artist.  

Description: The Learning Lab provides teachers with an asynchronous, online, mediated, mentored, resource-rich learning program in information technology and its effective implementation in the classroom. The Learning Lab is for teachers who may be in pre-service training, or practicing teachers who need to upgrade their technology skills or enhance their use of technology in their professional practice. The program focuses on self-directed learning as the learner (teacher) strives to increase competency in a particular area of either skill or application. It provides tools and opportunities for participants to design their own learning path, based on their individual curriculum areas, grade levels, and interests. It is designed to meet the needs of a wide variety of learners, from those just beginning to educational technology leaders. 
 
 

Session 3: (Saturday, May 19, 1:30 - 3:00): 

Title: Beyond the Magic: Technology as a Tool for Knowledge Building.

Presenters: Ellen Kinsel, Susan Crichton & Randy LaBonte.

Dr. Susan Crichton received her PhD from the University of Sydney. Her research, "Learning Environments Online: A Case Study of Actual Practice," explored the impact that the virtual classroom had on learning in the New Directions in Distance Learning (NDDL) program. She developed the concept for the Facilitated Learning Centre in New Denver, BC, a self-directed, computer-managed learning environment, and has served as its coordinator for seven years.

Ellen Kinsel has been a student, tutor, and facilitator in the distance education environment. She is currently enrolled in the MDE program at Athabasca University. She also works as the Program Assistant at the Facilitated Learning Centre.

Randy LaBonte is a consultant and trainer with fourteen years experience working with educators, businesses and non-profit associations. He has served as an elementary and secondary school teacher and administrator, and is currently a doctoral student at UBC studying leadership in the implementation of technology in schools.  

Description: Incorporating what we know about higher order thinking into distributed learning environments is the current task of educational professionals. This panel will present:

Current technology is permissive of curriculum development, but it requires the thoughtful integration of research into cognitive development to ensure that technology moves beyond a slick interface to create a knowledge building environment. .
 
 

Title: Gardening with WebCT: A Case Study of Online Education for the Public. 

Presenter: Ramona Materi.

Ramona Materi is President of Ingenia Training. Ingenia helps organizations use training and learning to become more successful. The company specializes in developing projects that blend classroom and on-line training. Ingenia's clients include the Insurance Corporation of BC, Syncrude, Industry Canada, Chapters Bookstores, Simon Fraser University, and others. Ramona has a BA from McGill University and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. She also has a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Environmental Science and completed courses at the Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva. She is an active member of the New Media BC E-learning Committee, the International Society for Performance Improvement and the Vancouver Board of Trade. She started the MDE program in September 2000.  

Description: This presentation will provide a case study of a two-month project to use a combination of a WebCT course and classroom training to provide a composting course to a group of gardeners. Working with a non-profit recycling agency, we developed a course, carried out extensive usability testing, and then delivered the course to 15 volunteers, ranging in age from 35-60 years old. None had taken an online course previously, and computer abilities varied widely. The presentation will discuss the lessons learned, provide tips to others planning to work with the public and describe how it's different from working with academic or corporate audiences.
 
 

Session 5 (Sunday, May 20, 8:00 - 9:30): 

Title: A Really Brief Introduction to Web Page Writing.

Presenter: Tom Kane.

Tom is a student, as well as a teaching assistant in Athabasca University's MDE Programme. He has been teaching computer applications (including web page development and hardware upgrading) for more than 16 years at Centennial College in Toronto.  

Description: The session and follow-up activities will introduce the attendees to a number of very basic web page concepts and elementary web page writing. These include:

Session 6 (Sunday, May 20, 10:00 - 11:30): 

Title: Is Big Brother Watching?

Presenter: Jonathan Baggaley.

Dr. Jon Baggaley is Professor of Educational Technology at Athabasca University. As Chair and Director of Educational Technology at the University, he was responsible for the development of technology policy and practice for the development of the University's online offerings. He has taught previously at Universities in Liverpool, St. John's, and at Concordia University in Montreal, where he was Chair of Education and Director of the Masters and Doctoral Programmes in Educational Technology. His books on educational ommunications include 'Dynamics of Television' (with Steven Duck), 'Psychology of the TV Image', and Evaluation of Educational Television'. Baggaley is a frequent contributor at international conferences. The current presentation is based on his paper at the 'Learning on Screen' conference in the UK (April/2001). He returns to England in July/2001 as keynote speaker at the 1st International Conference on Video and Videoconferencing in Further and Higher Education.  

Description: Few Web users realise the extent to which their selections of Web pages can be monitored. Web server log files generate data that can be used to improve the design and navigability of Web sites. However, the same information could be used against users' interests. The presentation discusses the ethics of web site research, and the protection of CDE site users' rights. 
 
 

Session 7 (Sunday, May 20, 1:00 - 2:30): 

Title: Going on Line in the Surrey School District: Evaluation Results.

Presenter: Karen Gledhill & Kathryn Peterson.

Karen Gledhill is a student in the MDE program at Athabasca University. For eight years before emigrating to Canada she taught secondary school science and math in England and Hong Kong. She taught adult upgrading courses in her first year in Canada. Karen's interest in distance education began in 1996 when she became the coordinator of a Christian home education program. She supervised students using Alberta Distance Learning materials as well as other Christian based programs. Karen is particularly interested in the quality of the learning experience for K-12 distance students, especially for science curricular, compared to face to face, and looks forward to researching this in some depth one day. In the meantime she hopes to finish her MDE program within the next two years, in between home schooling her children.

Kathryn Peterson is working on a Master's Degree in Distance Education from Athabasca University. She lives with her husband, two daughters aged 11 and 14, and one cat in Surrey, BC. For the last five years Kathryn has been a member of the Surrey School District Research Team working on survey design and development, data analysis, and statistical support.  

Description: The Surrey School District has had an Online Learning Group for 3 years and has collected data on student reactions and experiences in the online courses that have been undertaken. Most students have completed Information Technology 11 and 12 or Social Studies 11 online. Teachers in this district have used both OSCAR courses from Open School and locally developed web based courses. 
 
 

Session 8 (Sunday, May 20, 3:00 - 4:30): 

Title: Learning Style of Distance Education Students and Implications for Design and Support in Distance Education.

Presenter: Mohamed Ally.

Mohamed Ally is Associate Professor in the Master of Distance Education Program at Athabasca University. Mohamed has an M.A. in Educational Technology and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology. Previously, he was an instructional designer at NAIT. Mohamed has extensive experience in instructional design, program development, and multimedia.  

Description: This session will be interactive, with a high level of involvement by session participants. The session will discuss learning style and performance in distance education. Participants will have the opportunity to complete a learning style inventory to determine their learning style. This activity will be followed by a discussion on learning style and how learning style can be used to design materials for distance education and provide follow-up support. The session will also present preliminary results of a study of learning style, academic performance and interaction in a distance education course.