Play centers that encourage literacy development

Teachers are always searching for fresh ideas that address children's growth needs. Ideas that provide learning opportunities which are developmentally appropriate are particularly welcomed. using play as a medium for facilitating literacy growth is one such opportunity. We know from current theory, research and practice that sociodramatic play contributes to children's learning. Its importance in the development of literacy skills has also been investigated and affirmed. See Christie, 1991; Dodge & Frost, 1986; Fisher, 1991; Isenberg & Jacob, 1985; Morrow, 1989, 1990; Morrow & Rand, 1991; Pellegrini, 1980; Rogers & Sawyers, 1988; Schickendanz, 1986; Woodard, 1984.     

Transforming an education system through professional learning: developing educational change at scale in Ontario

There has been increased attention to the importance of teachers and teacher quality in developing and sustaining successful education systems for some time now (Barber and Mourshed in How the world’s best performing school systems come out on top, McKinsey & Company, New York, 2007; Darling-Hammond et al. in Empowered educators: how high-performing systems shape teaching quality around the world, Jossey Bass, San Francisco, 2017). Germaine to the issue of teacher quality, however, is an acknowledgement of the value of supporting educator’s ongoing professional learning (PL). Drawing on findings from a large-scale case study of Ontario, Canada, this paper attempts to shed light on the question of how systems of PL can be developed and scaled? The research was conducted in several phases, including an extensive document analysis, followed by interviews with key respondents across the sector. The paper is framed within the notion of large-scale system change, with a focus on the importance of inter-professional relationships and joint work in establishing shared goals for educational improvement. As we noted in the larger study, a theory of action linked to knowledge of educational change and professional capacity building has informed the mindset, values, and strategies developed and implemented. This paper specifically illustrates Ontario’s whole-system’s focus on professional learning as part of this wider theory of action.     

Gaming in a 3D multiuser virtual environment: engaging students in Science lessons

Based on the exploratory study of a 3D multiuser virtual environment (3D MUVE), known as Quest Atlantis (QA), in a series of Primary Four (10‐ to 11‐year‐olds) Science lessons at Orchard Primary School in Singapore, this paper examines the issues of learning engagement and describes the socio‐cultural context of QA's implementation. The students and teacher were observed during the lessons, interviewed after, and the completed quests were analysed to determine the level of engagement achieved. A pre‐ and posttest on the Science concepts covered was also administered. A seven‐level taxonomy of engagement was used to provide the study with a more holistic perspective of engagement, together with the attempt to concretise the element of engagement into observable traits. Although there was a significant improvement of the posttest over the pretest, the level of engagement of the students was low (between 3 and 4). The lack of engagement might be a result of the distractions in the 3D MUVE, the students’ difficulty with language used in the QA, their lack of computer competency for QA tasks, and/or their inability to complete the quests’ section on reflections. The biggest challenges to the integration of QA into the Science curriculum were the interdependent issues of time (or lack of it) and ‘buy‐in’ by the school and parents.     

Evaluating interactive video: Software and hardware

Summary The evaluation and selection of interactive video hardware is a difficult process even for experts. There seems to be a multitude of models, options, peripherals, and prices. The task becomes even more perplexing because of rapid advances in the technology. What is new today may be obsolete tomorrow. Using the checklist should help make your job easier. It allows you to compare computers “apple for apple.” The recommendations listed are general suggestions. Different organizations may require most or less than what is recommended. Always plan for at least the minimum requirements of your software, even if those requirements are above our recommendations.     

A Community-Driven Metadata Framework for Describing Cultural Resources: The Digital Library North Project

This article describes the Digital Library North (DLN) project, a collaboration among researchers at the University of Alberta, staff at the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre, and communities within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) to develop a culturally appropriate metadata framework for a digital library of cultural resources. It will discuss gathering of data to inform the first iteration of the metadata framework and digital library prototype, as well as revisions made to both the framework and the digital library based on feedback obtained through community interaction with the prototype.