Explore the resources, instructional design materials, and presentations that I have created to build the capacity of teachers and students to improve teaching and learning through assistive and educational technologies.

• Three years of experience as an AISI learning coach building relationships of trust to plan and implement school-wide instructional design and technology strategies through change leadership and embedded PLC support
• Applies research to practice in school leadership, emerging educational and assistive technologies, and personalized learning for 21^st century learners using engaging, real-world, inquiry-based, and distributed learning environments using D2L and Web 2.0 tools (e.g. Google apps, WordPress, wikis, blogs, digital storytelling, Creative Commons, online databases, and multimedia tools)
• Supports administrators and teachers in using action research, data-driven decision making, the adjustment cycle, and inquiry-based, real-world practices in the high school setting
• Takes a collaborative, flexible, and contextual approach to instructional design and school development

Digital Storytelling / Podcasting

• English
  • Graphic novel podcast (2009) – A 50-second audio demo that I created while working with a class in which they studied a graphic novel, created their own storyboard, and then recorded the audio track for it
  • Podcast adaptations of short stories (2009) – Full documentation of a project that I undertook in collaboration with an English teacher and her students to create interpretations of short stories. Includes samples of student work, resources, and reflections from teachers and students after the project.
  • Intro to the Creative Commons & copyright free resources (2010) – Tip sheet with links to videos that introduce the CC and links to resources that I have used with many teachers and students.
• ESL
  • Hatchet novel study (2009) – Students used Inspiration mind mapping software and D2L to organize a podcasting project around the novel Hatchet, by Gary Paulson. This is a link to complete documentation of the project, resources, examples of student work, and their personal thoughts and reflections afterwards.
• Plot diagram digital storytelling exemplars (2010) – SMART Notebook presentation example (pdf copy) and The Three Pigs Rising Action Photo Story video – Students used SMART Notebook and Photo Story to create a presentation of their understanding of different aspects of a plot diagram. These exemplar were created to show teachers and students what the final product could look like. I also included a simplified story board to help them plan their own stories. Students used only Creative Commons resources to create these projects.
• Second Languages
  • French as a second language digital research project (2009) – Students used Adobe Premiere and Audacity. Includes full documentation and resources, samples of student work, and teacher and student reflections of the process.

Multimedia

• ELA public service posters using Photoshop (2009) – Full documentation of a project that I helped an English teacher undertake in which her students created anti-bullying public service announcements related to the novel, About a Boy. Includes samples of student work, resources, and student and teacher reflections after the process. (Part 1 included a short story podcast project and Part 2 involved Photoshop).
• 7 Rules for making a good short film (2008) (pdf) – An introduction that I put together with the input of students during a project.
• Website creation and research in grade 10 Social Studies (2010) – Students used Adobe Dreamweaver to design websites from scratch, learn about writing for the web and web design, and used D2L support to create websites covering their research into globalization. This is a link to the finished products.
• ePortfolios using PowerPoint (2009) – PowerPoint example (pdf copy) and instructions on how to create an eportfolio by using PowerPoint like a website
• Effective PowerPoint exemplar (2009-2010) – PowerPoint example and accompanying checklist that has been used by many teachers to help students understand the elements of well-done presentations

SMART Technologies

• Special Education
  • Cross-curricular Romeo & Juliet project (2009) – Full documentation of a collaborative project between a special education class and an English 10-2 class where students learned literacy skills, social skills, and built extraordinary relationships while studying themes of friendship and choices in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Includes student feedback, samples of student work, and teacher reflections.
  • Interactive drink inventory calculations (2009) – Video demo (visuals only) of a SMART Notebook file that helps students learn math concepts using real numbers as they plan drink purchases for school vending machines
  • ACCESS class reflections on technology use over time (2009) (pdf) – An incredible document revealing special education student reflections in their own words, about their use of the SMART Board and other technologies over the course of five months.
  • Implementation of SMART Technologies in special education (2009) – Full documentation of how a special education class incorporated technology seamlessly into learning with support and collaboration. Includes teacher and student reflections, samples, and images.
  • Astronomy SMART interactive presentation (2009) (video demo, visuals only) – Worked with a teacher to create a SMART Notebook presentation to generate prospective student interest in the program and show her how Notebook could support her teaching.
• English
  • SMART Board SPICE Poetry Analysis Presentation (2010) – Project with an English class in which students created presentations using SMART Notebook to explore and analyze poetry and song. Check out the assignment outline, rubrics for content and technical application, and a simplified exemplar of the SMART Notebook file (visual-only video demo).

D2L Distributed Learning Management System

• Introduction to D2L (2010) – Handout that I created for a short workshop for teachers who want to learn why and how they can use D2L to support student learning.

Related Blog Posts

• Computational Thinking: A 21st century skill
• Flip your classroom = No more lectures! (+ free resource list!)
• Tech changes practice; Practice changes tech
• Publish first; write second
• Checklist for evaluating tech tools, apps, software, and hardware
• Online tech tutorials: Not just for teachers

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