Educational Technology for Schools

*The ‘Summer Institutes’ year 1 and 2 are a two-week, full day, on-campus program.  For Summer 2013 the on campus dates are July 2 - 12.  For those travelling to Calgary, please visit the Summer 2013 Accommodation link for information regarding on campus housing.

Course descriptions (3 credits per course):

EDER 671 Conceptualizing Educational Technology
This course provides an overview of educational technology in the context of research on learning that bridges theory and practice. While the popular notion of ‘technology’ is often associated with a variety of pieces of equipment, such as computers, and product development, such as websites, we will conceptualize educational technology more broadly as the systematic application of knowledge to solve instructional problems. Media, hardware, software and networks are considered in the contexts of design, development and utilization of technology that supports intentional learning environments, relationships and communities.

EDER 677 Distributed Learning 
This course examines distributed teaching and learning processes in educational systems with attention to technology-enabled teaching and integrated instructional design and development methodologies. Learners will explore research and practices related to the rapidly changing world of distributed teaching and learning. Students will examine the history of distance education, analyze media selection and distributed learning methods, and interpret evaluation frameworks. Students will explore issues, challenges and emerging trends in relation to design, development, and delivery of distributed learning.  In this course, learners will be engaged in inquiry into the evolving nature of distributed learning in relation to changes in the design and practice of education and training.

EDER 603.21 Research Methodology in Education
This introductory course is intended designed for graduate students in the first year of their programs. The principal intention is to examine various issues, methods, and techniques in educational research. The curriculum includes some of the issues and dilemmas that frame the context for contemporary research, as well as preliminary consideration of research strategies, methods, and techniques in a manner intended to assist participants in selecting research questions, methods, and strategies for further study. Participants will also be encouraged to approach research articles and reports with a critical eye and provide some skills and techniques for this kind of close reading.

EDER 679.30 Instructional Design and Development
This course combines instructional design theory and practice with principles of instructional development with a focus on K-12 classroom integration.  Graduate students will analyze and evaluate the selection and sequencing of content across instructional contexts and the matching of instructional strategies to characteristics of learners and content. Further, students will examine several instructional development models, the systems approach to developing instruction, front-end analysis and needs assessment, resource analysis, task and technological resource analysis, and evaluation of learning and performance.

EDER 603.23 Writing Educational Research
This course will focus on examining and developing the skills associated with crafting an academic paper. Topics will include genres and purposes of academic writing, and venues for presentation and publication. An academic paper is more than a compilation of a literature review, some relevant information, and a conclusion. An acceptable paper- whether intended for an academic or a professional audience, and whether a research report or a theoretical-philosophical argument – takes a clearly defined topic or idea, situates it in the current literature, and supports it with a well-structured discussion. The principal intensions of this course are to introduce students to the various structures of academic papers and to provide support in their efforts to craft and publish their written work.

EDER 603.24 Program and Practice Evaluation 
The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of evaluation - as a discipline, as a profession, as a process and a product in a wide range of educational and social contexts. The primary focus of the course is program evaluation rather than the assessment of individuals (for example, the measurement of student achievement or personnel review). The course focuses on developing an understanding of the logic of evaluative thinking, the nature of evaluation as a profession and discipline, the knowledge and skills needed to be expert consumers of program evaluation and novice evaluators in contexts relevant to individual career contexts. Topics include: the logic of evaluation; central concepts in evaluation; approaches to evaluation; standards in evaluation; and the social and political nature of evaluation.

EDER 679.17 Digital Game Based Learning
This course is an introduction to the use of digital games and gaming for instruction and learning. In it, students explore the theories; possibilities, considerations and constraints related to the design of instructional games, and the use of learning and commercial entertainment games in classroom and out-of-class settings.

EDER 679.10 Leadership and Technology 
Focus on school-based leadership (both teachers and administrators) in relation to computer technology: assessing technology needs in schools, integration with instructional programs, staff development for teachers, security issues, ethical considerations, policy implications, and accessing relevant information on the Internet.

EDER 679.25 Inquiry into Digital Content
This course is designed with the following objectives: to understand, explore, and practice effective use of digital video content; to examine the social and pedagogical issues surrounding the development of digital video content; to analyze and question the use of digital video content as a medium for education and training; to demonstrate reflective and critical thought about the use of digital video content as a medium for education, research, and training; to think locally and globally about the issues of equity of access and the ramifications of the digital divide in term of media literacy.

NEW Please note:  Ethics approval is required for all research projects involving the use of human subjects, before data collection begins. Prior to starting the Collaboratory course students must begin the ethics approval process by completing: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans: A Concise, Online Tutorial, http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/ethics/CORE_Tutorial, and attach the certificate issued upon completion to the ethics application form.

To initiate the ethics approval process, the student must submit a copy of the application (available on the Research Services website) to the Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board or the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board.

EDER 679.32 Emerging Media 

EDER 692.01 Collaboratory: Technology  
Collaboratories of Practice represent a fusion of two important developments in contemporary research: communities of practice and collaboratories. A collaboratory is a new networked organizational form involving structured experiences of authentic, real-world practice which serve as sources of active inquiry and professional learning. This course provides opportunities for individuals or groups to investigate real world problems and to devise or recommend pragmatic solutions suitable to their contexts. This course facilitates the application of knowledge in real world settings and to investigate and learn from inquiry in the field.

EDER 692.04 Collaboratory II: Technology 
This course follows Collaboratory of Practice I whereby students will continue their work on their action research projects commenced in Collaboratory of Practice I. This course will be integrated with the course Writing Educational Research to ensure a seamless and scaffolded experience to designing, conducting, and writing up research projects.