Schools broaden technology use to transform students’ learning opportunities
Videoconferencing capability highlighted during Education Week 2008Edmonton – The Alberta government is investing over $55 million this year to broaden technology initiatives in schools across the province to encourage students to complete their education and create meaningful learning experiences.
“Today’s students live in an interconnected world. They are digitally literate and technology is part of their daily life,” said Education Minister Dave Hancock. “Through these investments in innovative technologies, Alberta’s teachers are empowering today’s learners and improving student success in high school.”
Budget 2008 includes $18.5 million in new funding in each of the next three years to support the further integration of technology in Alberta classrooms. This funding will be allocated for a variety of initiatives which will be announced in the future. This is on top of the $36 million in ongoing funding included in the budget for enhancing and supporting videoconferencing and online resources.
An additional government grant of $700,000 was allocated to the 2Learn.Ca Education Society for the Video Conferencing Regional Leads Network (VC RLN) to support the educational system by developing the skills and human capacity required for the successful implementation of videoconferencing and associated SuperNet applications.
“The Network provides Alberta's teachers with the opportunity to take exceptional ideas about using technology for learning, and convert those ideas into effective practice," said John Hogarth, Executive Director for the 2Learn.ca Education Society. “We have seen exciting transformations in curriculum delivery and truly enhanced learning opportunities for students.”
The VC RLN is also a sponsor of the Video Conference for Hope, a student fundraising activity being held during Education Week 2008, involving 15 schools across Alberta. Students are using videoconferencing technology to raise funds to build a school for street children in Nicaragua, while learning the values of global citizenship.
In addition, an investment of $6.5 million from 2007-08 supports 24 pilot projects in schools across the province that use a variety of technologies, including electronic whiteboards, videoconferencing, laptops, and other hardware and software. Each project received one-time funding to a maximum of $300,000 for a two-year period. School jurisdictions are also required to commit funding or in-kind support to the total cost of their projects. Each jurisdiction will conduct its own internal project evaluation. Alberta Education will also evaluate the success of these projects to identify promising practices that use technology to improve student engagement and high school completion.
Studies indicate that technology can be used to create a dynamic learning and teaching environment that engages the 21st century learner. In our knowledge-based economy, technology can improve collaboration, and analytical and problem solving skills that Alberta’s students need to remain competitive in our interconnected world.
Alberta is seen nationally and internationally as a leader for integrating new technology into the educational system. The government has been instrumental in the development of the SuperNet, which significantly supports the use of technology in schools. For additional information, please visit: education.alberta.ca/admin/technology
Backgrounder
Improving student success in school using innovative technology
Last fall, a call for proposals was issued to all publicly funded school jurisdictions and charter schools for research-supported proposals that explore the use of technology to improve student engagement and success in high school. These 24 projects reflect how new innovative approaches in the classroom are being tried to help Alberta’s students succeed in school.
| Organization | Project Title | Description | Participants |
| Boyle Street Education Centre (BSEC) | Project VITAL: Visual Interactive Teaching and Learning for FNMI and At-Risk Students | This project seeks to improve at-risk and FNMI students’ engagement with their own learning and school. Technologies supporting this project include interactive whiteboards and computer software applications. | 120 students, 14 teachers, 1 school, Grades 10-12 |
| Calgary Catholic School District | Shepherding Students Towards Successful High School Completion | This project will smooth the transition from junior high to high school for at-risk students through technology-based support. Technologies including wireless laptop computers, interactive whiteboards and computer software will be used. Participating students will have regular contact with adult mentors for the duration of the project. | 300 students, 15 teachers, 3 schools, Grades 9-12 |
| Canadian Rockies Regional Division | Innovation in High School Success and Transitions | This project aims to improve the attendance and performance of at-risk Grade 10 students through multidisciplinary, project-based and technology-rich instruction. Technologies used will include interactive whiteboards and laptops designed for education. | 600 students, 23 teachers, 1 school, Grades 10-12 |
| Chinook’s Edge School Division | Technology Mediated Learning at High School | This project will increase the number and variety of courses offered to students, including providing the opportunity for students to link to an outreach learning facility and relevant courses at post-secondary institutions. Technologies used will include laptops, videoconferencing equipment, interactive whiteboards and computer software. | 300 students, 19 teachers, 2 schools, Grades 9-12 |
| Edmonton Catholic Separate School District | myECSD - Portal Solutions Promoting Student Engagement | This project involves the creation of a portal that would allow a variety of sharing and collaborative opportunities for various users, including teachers, students and parents as well as the creation of technology-rich learning activities. | All students and teachers in division, including 11 schools with students in Grades 10-12 |
| Edmonton Public School Board | EPSB Initiatives to Improve Student Engagement and Success in High School | This project will employ a variety of strategies including collaborative teaching across schools and districts, collaboration with outside experts, targeted professional development and integration of technology in teaching, support for student-owned devices and mentorship for students and teachers. Technologies will include laptops, interactive whiteboards, videoconferencing, Web 2.0 tools and student response systems. | 2,690 students and all staff at 4 schools, Grades 7-12 |
| Elk Island Catholic Separate Regional Division | Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century Learner in Elk Island Catholic Schools | This project will implement action research and professional learning groups to support the use of new technologies in the classroom, such as wireless networking, laptop computers and online learning. | 805 students, 37 teachers, 4 schools, Grades 9-12 |
| Fort Vermilion School Division | Engaging Smart Students in Smart Classrooms | This project will concentrate on enhancing remote students’ access to learning opportunities and improving student engagement through videoconferencing activities within and between schools, and with experts at other facilities. Technologies used will include videoconferencing, student response systems and interactive whiteboards. | 1,400 students, 75 teachers, 10 schools, Grades 7-12 |
| Grande Prairie and District Catholic Schools | Technology as a Teaching Tool | This project will improve student engagement and success through enhanced teaching and assessment, with a particular focus on Math, English, Social Studies and Science classes. The project will use interactive whiteboards, laptop carts and a school information portal. | 900 students and all teachers at 1 school, Grades 9-12 |
| Grande Prairie Public School District | Engagement for Success | This project proposes to implement a whole-school approach to improving student engagement by integrating interactive whiteboards and projectors across all curricular areas and grade levels. | 1,400 students and all teachers at 1 school, Grades 10-12 |
| Grande Yellowhead Regional Division | The Innovative Use of Technology to Enhance Methods of Teaching and Improve Student Learning | This project aims to allow greater interaction with teachers, differentiated instruction and use of simulations by students. Technologies will include interactive whiteboards, student response systems, math projection units, digital microscopes, digital cameras and computer software. | 230 students and all teachers at 1 school, Grades 9-12 |
| Grasslands Regional Division | The Global Science Lab | This project will build collaborative and hands-on science learning environments with facilities for a variety of scientific investigations, interaction with outside experts, and data sharing throughout the district using videoconferencing, interactive whiteboards, computer software and specialized scientific equipment. | 800 students, 22 teachers at all schools in division, Grades 10-12 |
| Greater Southern Public Francophone Education Region | Infusion Of Technology Within the CSSA | This project seeks to install multimedia classrooms to provide remote access and greater course availability to Francophone students to improve high school completion rates and rate of students graduating from a Francophone institution. Technologies will include videoconferencing, interactive whiteboards and wireless laptop computers. | 463 students, 26 teachers, 7 schools, Grades 7-12 |
| Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division | GSACRD iLearn Center Services | This project aims to improve student engagement, achievement and student independence through the establishment of distributed learning centers that can provide blended or full program delivery. Technologies will include wireless networking, videoconferencing, online courses and desktop/laptop computers. | 350-400 students, 9 teachers and 3 teaching assistants, 3 schools, Grades 10-12 |
| High Prairie School Division | Enhancing Student Engagement | This project seeks to improve student engagement and enthusiasm in Mathematics classes through the creation of technology-rich classrooms that feature interactive whiteboards and specialized software. | 600 students, 17 teachers, 4 schools, Grades 10-11 |
| Lethbridge School District | Building on Success in a Technology-Mediated Learning Environment | This project will integrate technology-mediated learning to improve student engagement, academic achievement and students’ sense of belonging. Technologies will include laptop computers, interactive whiteboards and videoconferencing. | 975 students, 52 teachers, 1 school, Grades 9-12 |
| Livingstone Range School Division | Building Connections: Every Student a Learner | This project focuses on supporting student engagement and success through the use of an outcomes-based grading and reporting system that enables students to be an integral part of their learning and evaluation processes. Technologies will include an outcomes-based grading system software product, text-to-speech software, student response systems and laptops. | 520 students, 12 teachers, 6 schools, Grades 10-12 |
| Medicine Hat Catholic Separate Regional Division | Narrowing The Digital Divide | This project will focus on improving engagement and learning, increasing students’ satisfaction with their school experience, and improving accessibility to learning through digital technologies, including interactive whiteboards, student response systems and laptops. | 800 students, 40 teachers, 1 school, Grades 9-12 |
| Northern Lights School Division | Engaging Students in Technology Mediated Learning Environments in the Cold Lake Area | This project seeks to engage students in active learning using media and technology-rich learning, collaboration and increased accessibility for at-risk and special needs students. Technologies will include wireless networking, a web portal, laptops and interactive whiteboards. | 172 students, 17 teachers, 3 schools, Grade 9 |
| Northland School Division | Osihtatan (Cree for “Let’s Create”) | This project will focus on the creation of media and fine arts products in fine arts and core subjects to improve student engagement and retention. Technologies will include interactive whiteboards, digital cameras, digital video, desktop computers and specialized software. | 525 students, 30 teachers, 1 school, Grades 6-12 |
| Peace Wapiti School Division | Empowering Students | This project will establish a team-teaching relationship between classroom teachers and virtual school teachers to allow for a blended delivery of courses – face-to-face and online – with the goal of improving course completion rates. Technologies will include videoconferencing, wireless networks, laptop computers and computer software. | 75 students, 6 teachers, 4 schools, Grades 10-11 |
| Rocky View School Division | Creating a Dynamic Distributed Learning Network for Improving Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes | This project seeks to improve student engagement and success in high school by providing student access to an integrated network of distributed learning options, allowing students to take classes more suited to their schedules, learning needs, abilities and interests. Technologies will include laptops, online courses and computer software. | 196 students, 125 teachers, 4 schools, Grades 9-12 |
| St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Separate Regional Division | Building I.T. Together (Building Integrated Technology Together) | This project will establish videoconferencing partnerships between schools, local businesses, and partners in industry to allow students to interact with outside experts to provide more authentic learning experiences. Technologies will include laptops and videoconferencing. | 350 students, 15 teachers, 15 schools, Grades 10-12 |
| Westwind School Division | Reaching Every Student in the Digital Age—a Technology–Mediated Instruction Project | This project will improve student engagement and course completion by providing students with technology-mediated learning. Technologies will include interactive whiteboards, laptops, student response systems, computer software, digital cameras and camcorders. | 610 students, 20 teachers, 5 schools, Grades 10-12 |
