Faculty Learning College Portfolio Plan (v2.3)
Name: David Russell Date: May 9, 2007
Contact Information: Institute of Technology
Computer Technologies
5685 Leeds Street
PO Box 2210
Halifax NS, B3J 3C4
(902) 491-4548
david.russell@nscc.ca
Plan Overview/Abstract
I have decided to focus on the following three key areas of learning for my FLCP Learning Plan plus a time to synthesize and summarize those and other PD experiences in my portfolio:
Virtual education (1 ½ yr)
Framework for Learning Resource Production (Learning Objects) (1 ½ yr)
Robotics (1 ½ yr)
I will not only research each of these areas, but also implement each iteratively, based on feedback from either my classroom or seminar to other staff / stakeholders.
In addition to the above, I will take the last six months of the five years allocated to the FLCP in order to integrate and finalize FLCP material into my electronic portfolio and account for the many other PD opportunities that will present themselves over the five year period in question. From these activities I hope to enhance my skills / knowledge and be able to apply new learning to my teaching practice. In addition, I will support NSCC by being familiar with emerging technologies, the production of learning resources, and by sharing the results of my FLCP experience with other staff through my portfolio and other means of presentation / sharing experience.
Self Assessment
I have a broad background in IT technologies. My technical experience is focused in the areas of web design and programming languages. I also have experience with object oriented and database design theory and the many tools / applications required to implement the above technologies.
In addition, I have over a decade of varied experience in education and education management in both private and public colleges. I have earned my Community College Education Diploma (CCEDP) from the Nova Scotia Community College and am well versed in educational theory / practice, having worked as an instructor, education manager, quality assurance specialist and staff trainer for ITI and Control Data.
The enhancements that I want to add to my teaching craft and experience over the next few years are mostly in the areas of emerging educational technologies. Virtual education, the use of robotics, and the ability to create collaborative problem based learning resources are the three areas that are the most interesting to me personally and I believe will best support NSCC as it grows, changes, adapts to new technologies and to the “digital natives” (see Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Marc Prensky 2001) that are and will be our students.
I believe that this combination of skills, experience, knowledge and interest in emerging educational technologies will allow me to successfully complete this FLCP in a way that benefits my students, my colleagues, NSCC, and me.
Teaching Philosophy
Most of my educational experience over the last decade has taken place in institutions that focus largely on technical vocational training. As a result, my orientation has been toward the ‘practical’ and ‘applied’ as opposed to ‘ivory tower’ type theoretical / research based studies. Early on in my career I had the wonderful opportunity to be part of ITI when it was moving off of the Microsoft ‘canned’ style of delivery and into a collaborative, experiential, team based methodology based on the McMaster University Medical School model of problem based learning. It was leading edge at the time to implement this style of delivery into IT programs in Canada and very exciting. During that time, the writings of Malcolm Knowles (the concept of Androgogy), Sue Berryman & Thomas Bailey (The Double Helix of Education and the Economy), W. Galbraith (Understanding Adult Learners), Collins & Brown (cognitive apprenticeship), and many others were required reading and had a profound impact on my views of education.
I have come to believe, through experience, that collaborative, experiential, portfolio focused, problem based learning is the best way for most adults (including myself) to learn. By focusing on these concepts, by giving adults some measure of control over their own learning and ensuring that you cycle the activities in your lesson plans to account for different learning styles, I believe you can be an effective adult educator.
Learning Activities
Activity One – Virtual education
Goal
The goal of this activity is to learn and implement virtual educational technologies and methodologies
Currency area(s)
Teaching and Facilitating Learning Currency
Occupational/Professional Currency
Organizational Currency
Portfolio Currency
Learning outcome(s)
The learning outcomes for this activity are:
1. Learn an avatar based system interface (such as Second Life) in order to be able to participate in an avatar based virtual education environment
2. Join at least two virtual education-focused groups for the purpose of participating in discussions on methodology and technology
3. Utilize virtual education methodologies and technologies in order to implement an example of virtual education
Issue/ trend/rationale
The aim of this learning activity is to familiarize and give me experience with virtual educational environments and technologies. Virtual environments are now being taken seriously as a place ‘where learning / education happens’. As such, this is an important emerging technology that I and NSCC should become more familiar with. This also supports NSCC’s direction of ‘Education Without Boundaries’. By participating in conferences and groups, I also hope that in some small way I may give my own input into this movement as it grows and develops.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this activity are:
1. Installation of a virtual environment and the creation of an appropriate avatar
2. Join organizations / groups related to virtual education
3. Attend and participation in virtual educational conferences on virtual education methodology and technology
4. Participate in NSCC committees related to virtual education
5. Create and deliver, in virtual format, a seminar for other staff or if possible some component of a regular course (with approval from my Chair & Dean)
6. Based on feedback and with suggestions implemented, deliver at least one additional instance of the seminar or course component
Implementation of the learning
The implementation of the learning from this activity will be the production and delivery of a virtual seminar (for staff) or course component (for students) and my participation in NSCC committees related to virtual education.
Assessment and evaluation of implementation
· Seek and use learner feedback to assess seminar / course component delivery and make necessary changes and modifications
· Seek feedback in the form of letters or commendations, from fellow faculty, management, curriculum developers or distance education specialists for committee work
Sharing of knowledge
· I will share my research, knowledge and virtual education experiences with groups and committees at NSCC focused on virtual education
· The seminar itself an opportunity for sharing information on virtual technology and concepts with appropriate debrief
· I will provide access to my electronic portfolio to staff and others actively participating in virtual education activities
Portfolio development and reporting to Committee
I will provide details and evidence of the learning and how the learning was significant to me and others using my e-portfolio as outlined below:
Participation in virtual education groups / committees:
Minutes / resolutions
Correspondence
Pictures
Confirmation of participation letters (that I may request from key members)
Reflection pieces
Production and delivery of a virtual seminar (for staff) or course component (for students):
The work product(s) of the seminar or course component
Lesson plan
Feedback documents from participants
Reflection piece
Activity Two – Research and create a framework for learning resource production focused on collaborative problem-solving at a distance
Goal
To research technologies and design considerations for collaborative problem based learning resources and produce one such resource for use in the delivery of one programming course.
Currency area(s)
Teaching and Facilitating Learning Currency
Occupational/Professional Currency
Organizational Currency
Portfolio Currency
Learning outcome(s)
The learning outcomes for this activity are:
Research models for facilitating collaborative problem-solving in an online or blended learning environment
Identify best practices for collaborative problem-solving at a distance
Use and compare a variety of common tools used to facilitate online learning
Develop digital resources to support and scaffold collaborative problem-solving
Facilitate collaborative problem-solving in an online or blended environment
Issue/ trend/rationale
The aim of this learning activity is to familiarize myself with different models for facilitating collaborative problem-solving with technology. Research shows that one of the most effective ways to learn online is by solving problems of increasing difficulty together. In order to truly deliver on the promise of “Education without Boundaries”, faculty need to be current in methods for facilitating at a distance, whether completely online or through a blended approach mixing face-to-face and online delivery. Flexible delivery allows students not only the opportunity to learn critical concepts in a venue or venues of their choosing, but also to interact with these learning resources repeatedly when and where they want, a benefit not offered by campus-based programs. Creating digital resources also allows faculty to share and “remix” content to suit different outcomes and different learning styles. Given all of the above, I believe that collaborative problem based learning resources are an important emerging technology that I and NSCC should become more familiar with.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this activity are:
Research collaborative problem based learning resource educational theory and technology and summarize findings
Using summary of research, and in consultation with learners, select outcomes for which learning resources will be developed
Develop a framework to effectively implement collaborative problem-based learning at a distance
Develop resources to support a delivery
Facilitate one session of collaborative problem-based learning at a distance
Attain feedback on this delivery
Modify the delivery based on feedback from learners and other key stakeholders and redeliver
Attain feedback on this delivery
Share the learning with colleagues and stakeholders
Implementation of the learning
The implementation of the learning from this activity will be my use of the framework I develop in the delivery of NSCC curriculum. If others find it pertinent, then it may be used by other instructors or perhaps Online Learning.
Assessment and evaluation of implementation
· Seek and use learner feedback to assess the delivery and make necessary modifications
· Seek feedback from fellow faculty, management, curriculum developers or distance education specialists and make necessary modifications
Sharing of knowledge
· I will share my research, knowledge and experiences regarding the production of learning resources and framework with individual instructors or groups of instructors at NSCC interested in the delivery of problem-based learning at a distance either individually or in small workshop format
· I will provide access to my electronic portfolio to staff and others interested in developing this type of learning resources
Portfolio development and reporting to Committee
I will provide details and evidence of the learning and how the learning was significant to me and others using my e-portfolio as outlined below:
Research of educational theory, tools and technologies related to learning resources:
Summary of research and framework
Production and delivery of a learning resources:
The work products of this activity (one learning resource and a framework for creation of same)
Lesson plan used when implementing learning resource
Feedback documents from participants
Feedback from other instructors or Online Learning if they use my learning resource
Reflection piece
Activity Three – Application of robotics as a learning tool in programming courses
Goal
To effectively use robots (specifically the latest version of the Mindstorm series), as a learning tool for programming concepts
Currency area(s)
Teaching and Facilitating Learning Currency
Occupational/Professional Currency
Organizational Currency
Portfolio Currency
Learning outcome(s)
The learning outcomes for this activity are:
Participate in two or more on-line education communities that support robotic development in order to learn related technology and teaching methodologies
Demonstrate an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of robotics as a delivery tool by selecting and validating two appropriate programming concepts for the learning environment
Gain delivery experience with robotic technology and methodology by creating and implementing a lesson plan using this technology.
Issue/ trend/rationale
The aim of this learning activity is to familiarize myself with the use of more advanced robots as a teaching tool in programming courses. Robots in various forms and to various degrees have been used in training programmers for a long time do to their appeal, visual confirmation of instructions, and requirement for well planned algorithms (instructions).
However, most robots and robotic simulations used in the past have been very primitive. New robotic technology such as that in the new Mindstorm II line is practically a whole new level in capability. Able to use USB ports, multiple languages, interconnected kits, communication between robots, a variety of new sensors, motors, etc, they make for a far more capable platform upon which to build lesson plans. Most importantly, they even support object oriented programming which is a critical paradigm shift programming has gone through and something not well supported by older robotic models. Given all of the above, I believe that robotics is an important emerging educational technology that I and NSCC should become more familiar with.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this activity are:
Participate in at least two on-line communities / groups that support Mindstorm / robotic development and education in order to research this technology
2. Select two programming concepts most appropriate to robotic demonstration and create a lesson plan based on knowledge gained from on-line community participation.
3. Select and build a specific robot design for the concept to be demonstrated
4. Install Mindstorm software / interface on computer
5. Program / interface with robot to perform selected tasks outlined in lesson plan
Facilitate one session using lesson plan and robot
7. Attain feedback on this delivery
8. Modify lesson plan based on feedback acquired and redeliver
9. Attain feedback on this delivery
10. Share the learning with colleagues and stakeholders
Implementation of the learning
The implementation of the learning from this activity will be my use of Mindstorm robot technology in the delivery of NSCC programming curriculum.
Assessment and evaluation of implementation
· Seek and use learner feedback to assess the lesson and make necessary modifications
Sharing of knowledge
· I will share my research, knowledge and experiences with individual instructors or groups of instructors at NSCC interested in using robots to teach programming concepts. This may be done individually or in small workshop format
· I will provide access to my electronic portfolio to staff and others interested in using robots for teaching purposes
Portfolio development and reporting to Committee
I will provide details and evidence of the learning and how the learning was significant to me and others using my e-portfolio as outlined below:
Production and delivery of a lesson plan that uses robots to teach programming concepts:
A video and or pictures of the work product of this activity (a robot performing)
Lesson plan used when implementing the learning activity
Feedback documents from participants
Printouts of some of my activities from the on-line communities or groups that support Mindstorm development and education
Reflection piece
Tentative time line and resources for all learning activities
Learning Activity (graphed by date)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Virtual Delivery
Learning Resource
Robots
Portfolio/Wrap
I will need for the following resources* to support my FLCP learning plan:
1. Support from the College in the form of allowing me to borrow and install software for developing learning resources (if required)
2. Support in attending workshops and conferences as required
3. Support for hosting and maintaining my e-portfolio
4. One Mindstorm Robot (Version II approximately $500) or some financial support for me to buy my own
*Note: all moneys will be identified and requested in prior budget year if possible.
Conclusion
It is difficult to ambitiously plan out five years, especially in a discipline like IT. In spite of the fact that all learning has some value, there is always the risk of focusing on areas that will not be very useful at the end of the five year period. On the whole, I believe that my focus on the three specific emerging educational technologies that I have selected significantly reduces this risk. In addition, although they are ‘emerging’ technologies, there are uses in my learning environment for each one immediately as they are completed. In addition, each learning activity (especially virtual learning environments and learning resources) are very much supportive of distance education and alternate delivery; thus supporting NSCC’s strategic plan of ‘Education Without Boundaries’. With this in mind, I look forward very much to these future activities.
_______________________________ _____________________________
Dean’s Signature Chair’s Signature
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