TLEF 2007 Adjudication Results
Faculty of Arts
Arts Resource Centre
M Engel, J Gnarpe, W Caplan, R Boora
$10,000
University of Alberta E-Learning Days
We propose to design and host the University's first ever E-Learning Days, and to gather instructor feedback in order to encourage the adoption of E-Learning across the University. Instructors will be recruited from across our Faculties and Campuses to present their courses as examples of best practices in E-Learning and will participate in both centralized and decentralized presentations of their work. The event will serve as a celebration of the innovative teaching already underway at U of A, and as a model for other instructors to emulate. Our aim is to inspire instructors to experiment with new pedagogies, to connect them with one another across disciplinary divides, and to listen carefully when they tell us what they need in order to make those things happen. What we learn from these instructors, and what they will learn from one another, has potential impact across our entire institution.
Department of Drama
B Moulton, T Derwing, M Campbell
$90,373
Research into the Most Effective Way to Deliver a Teaching Enhancement Program at the University of Alberta for Professors, Sessionals and Post-doctoral Fellows for whom English is a Second Language
International professors and instructors who are non-native speakers of English face teaching challenges. A program of training and research will be developed to address those challenges. This research will address how the University can best realize lasting changes in the teaching effectiveness of instructors for whom English is a second language. A summer program and follow-up sessions will be offered; two groups will be compared for the retention of positive changes in behavior - an intensive session with periodic follow up and a similar intensive session with no follow up. The necessary elements of an efficacious program will be identified, implemented, and evaluated over a two-year period. The program will result from collaboration of Drama, Educational Psychology, and Speech Pathology. It will create practicum placements for students from those programs, contributing to sustainability. Participants from all departments will be sought. Videotape/audiotape samples before and after the program and student evaluations of teaching from three time periods will comprise the data.
Augustana Faculty
Library
N Goebel
$2,000
Augustana Information Literacy in Academic Libraries Workshop
The Augustana Information Literacy in Academic Libraries Workshop will be offered for its 7th consecutive year in December of 2007. The workshop offers an innovative approach to discussing library instruction in a University context because it involves both teaching faculty and librarians. Each year between 75 and 100 participants register for the workshop; up to 20 of those registrants are members of Augustana?s teaching faculty and the remaining registrants are from University libraries across North America. It is a rare opportunity that teaching faculty and librarians are afforded such an intentional time to discuss strategies related to teaching library-based research and information gathering, assessment and use. The workshop?s themes always focus on teaching-related topics as the goal of the workshop is to consider teaching excellence as a primary focus for teaching faculty and librarians. To date the workshop?s themes have covered issues such as of assessment of learning, librarians as teachers, teaching student?s how to do undergraduate research, writing learning outcomes, and teaching to support undergraduate research.
Department of Fine Arts
A Ries, D Cairns
$8,000
Choral Conducting Summer Intensive: A Holistic Approach
Choral conducting is a multidisciplinary activity that encompasses musicianship, pedagogical and educational method, psychology, vocal technique, body awareness and arts administration. Due to large class sizes often scheduled in 50-minute blocks, instructors of undergraduate courses in choral conducting during the regular academic year only have time to teach conducting gesture in isolation (i.e. beat patterns with primary concentration on hand and arm gesture and body position) ignoring the other important facets of the craft. Several universities across Canada (the Universityof Alberta being the first!) have established graduate degrees in choral conducting. As a result of less than ideal undergraduate conducting experiences, students interested in pursuing graduate studies in choral conducting are often not provided with adequate foundational skills. A spring or summer session choral conducting intensive taught by a multidisciplinary team of specialists provides undergraduates with an excellent enrichment vehicle whereby all facets of choral direction can be explored. This course will eventually grow to accommodate not only foundational skills but also intermediate and advanced levels, relying on renowned teaching faculty drawn from the national and international choral conducting community. At this time an accredited summer course in choral conducting at an undergraduate level that provides such comprehensive study does not exist in Canada.
Department of Fine Arts
Milton Schlosser
$42,300
Online Music Practicing Log
Dr. Milton Schlosser proposes to develop an online music practicing log for use by students and faculty. As tools for self-directed learning, music practicing logs have been available until recently only in paper format. While online versions now exist, they are limited in scope and format, being designed primarily for pre-university learners. This project situates the experiences of the university musician at the centre of teaching and learning through a series of innovations. The log will not only track and total practice times, but also isolate specific types of practicing for analytical purposes. The design provides space for extensive critical reflection on issues related to practicing (e.g., mind, body) and, related to Dr. Schlosser's McCalla research project, may serve to store video files. A computer and video camera will be provided in each of the Augustana Campus's practice rooms to promote the log as a ready tool in experienced-based learning.
Campus Saint-Jean
Department of Science
M de Montigny, I Delisle, Y d'Entremont, S Pelletier
$57,779
Framework and Tools for Teaching and Learning the Sciences in French at Campus Saint-Jean
Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ) is a linguistically and culturally unique teaching and learning setting, where a large majority of students are functioning in French as a second language. In response to a paucity of resources appropriate for our course content and language of instruction, this project aims at maximizing the undergraduate experience of science students at CSJ. Specific objectives are to characterize the students and their learning styles and needs, and to use this knowledge to design better adapted teaching and learning resources. Our approach will be that of action research, a process which will inherently involve the continuous evaluation of the project outcomes. This project is a collaboration between professors and instructors who teach different scientific disciplines and science didactics, who are dedicated to teaching and learning, and who will continue to use and build on the research and development outcomes.
Faculty of Education
Department of Educational Psychology
M Carbonaro, N Steinhauer, L Makokis, Y Norton
$92,000
Developing e-Pedagogical Strategies to Support the Cohort-based Aboriginal Teacher Education Program
In line with the University of Alberta's commitment to become a university of choice for Aboriginal people, the Faculty of Education has emphasised Aboriginal education within our Academic Plan. This TLEF proposal will enhance access to technology and the integration of technology within our community-based Aboriginal Teacher Education Program (ATEP). Building upon the MOU signed in March 2006 between U of A and Blue Quills First Nation College, the program will involve unique technical infrastructure and related e-pedagogical support for the cohort of students beginning the collaborative B.Ed. through Blue Quills in September 2007. This project will strengthen collaboration with Aboriginal communities and transform teaching and learning in ATEP. The development and research results will inform future e-pedagogical practice in the undergraduate program.
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
U Sundararaj, F Forbes
$24,800
Effective Teaching - Active and Cooperative Learning in Engineering Education
We will prepare and educate Engineering faculty in better ways to teach today's engineering students, in particular using active learning and co-operative learning techniques. Our goal is to change the way a professor instructs students and interacts with them. This is important for the University of Alberta especially considering the ACCESS programs which have brought more students to university with a wide range of learning styles. Traditional teacher-centered instructional methods are inferior to instruction that involves active learning, where students are expected during class to solve problems, answer questions, formulate questions, discuss, explain, debate, or brainstorm; and cooperative learning, in which students work in teams on problems and projects under conditions that assure both positive interdependence and individual accountability. These techniques have been shown to provide short-term mastery, long-term retention, and depth of understanding of course material, in addition to acquisition of critical thinking or creative problem-solving skills. 1,2 1R.M. Felder and R. Brent, "Learning by Doing." Chem. Engr. Education, 37(4), 282-283 (Fall 2003). 2R.M. Felder and R. Brent, "Effective Strategies for Cooperative Learning." J. Cooperation & Collaboration in College Teaching, 10(2), 69-75 (2001).
Faculty of Extension
M Adria, S Varnhagen, M Hotrum, J Daniels, P Mcrae
$10,827
Podcasting at the University of Alberta
This project aims to assess the potential utility of podcasting as an educational tool. We will examine the efficacy of podcasting in a broad range of programs and courses across campus. The objectives for this project are 1) to develop a grounded perspective on the role of podcasting in teaching and learning by conducting a comprehensive literature review, a needs assessment, and a survey of existing applications of podcasting on campus; 2) to establish a community of practice around podcasting and similar technologies by inviting other faculties, departments or individual professors into the project through the distribution of surveys and the use of focus groups/interviews. This study will inform Marco Adria?s McCalla professorship research.
Department of Liberal Studies/Professional Programs
D Foth, G Wiebe, M Beaudoin, V Fielding, B Braul, B Wuetherick
$44,640
Language Lab 2.0: Assessing the Use, Needs and Future of CALL at the University of Alberta
Language instruction plays an integral role in internationalization at our University and in providing our students with a global education. Language courses and programs are offered at the Faculties of Arts, Augustana Campus, Campus Saint-Jean and the Faculty of Extension, reaching a diversity of students. This proposal brings our faculties together around a common goal: the provision of a superior language learning environment for our students. With changing student demographics, convergence in the theory and practice of computer assisted language learning (CALL) and recent and future acquisitions of CALL equipment and software, we feel it is important to undertake a study of our current practices, pilot projects and needs. The study proposed aims to provide a comprehensive picture of language learning programming and CALL across and within our faculties. Through an action research process we aim to work collaboratively toward developing our shared capacity to integrate CALL effectively and appropriately.
Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
Departments of Pediatrics/Infectious Diseases
S Forgie
$5,600
Integration of Innovative Learning Techniques Including: Podcasts, Narrative Auditory and Visual Patient Simulators and Electronic Learning into a Block of the Medical Curriculum
Millennial medical students are a technologically savvy group that value diversity and embrace change. These students crave the freedom of learning at their own pace on their own schedule, and have a high expectation of technology?s usefulness in all settings1. As they transition to adult learning, they must discover their own learning style, and in this age of the Internet, they have come to expect limitless choices2. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the educators to provide and expose the students to many different education techniques, to make the learning process in medical school as fun and interactive as possible. This project attempts to integrate innovative learning modalities, including pod-casts, narrative auditory and visual patient simulators and electronic learning into a block of the medical school curriculum. 1Borges N, Maneual S, Elam C, Jones B. Comparing millennial and generation X medical students at one medical school. Academic Medicine 2006;81:571. 2Anderson C. The Long Tail ? The New Economics of Culture and Commerce. New York, Hyperion Publishing 2006
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology
J Gnarpe, R Hayward, B Fisher, E Karpinski, L Saxinger, W Caplan, G Loppnow, M Engel
$128,000
Asynchronous Multi-Player Games for Undergraduate Education: Development of an Educational Resource to Improve Student Experiences in Undergraduate Courses
Game learning is a powerful student-centered teaching methodology. An asynchronous multi-player educational game piloted during fall 2006 was seen as an innovative and exciting method for student self-directed learning in undergraduate health science programs. Anecdotal evidence showed that students? engagement with course material in game format was extremely high. Medical/Dental students (n=168) spent 32% of their 1442 online hours within the course site playing games. Students reported an increased motivation to use the interactivity within the game format, increased enjoyment in learning the course material, and satisfaction with the challenges and competition inherent in the game. The ?game? is not at present in a form suitable for dissemination, and improvements in design are necessary. This project aims to develop a games generator in order to facilitate the creation and dissemination of unique games for all instructors at the University of Alberta, and improve the potential for learning across disciplines.
Department of Internal Medicine
R Hayward, S Aaron, C de Gara, B Fisher, T Graham, M Joffe, S Kimber, D Rayner, N Shaw, E Swartz, K Stobart, S Nagendran, T Voth, J Yacyshyn, A Sales, D Strating, M Carbonaro
$46,200
Health Information Literacy Experiential Training Program
After years of investment in health information systems, there is a growing realization that the expected benefits will not come from simply delivering more data to a beleaguered health care workforce. Front-line decision-makers need help connecting information with practice. To be ?literate? in the information age, they need unique privacy, confidentiality, security, information retrieval, and other information management skills. We describe a longitudinal program in health information literacy spanning the four years of undergraduate health science education. The curriculum incorporates sentinel information events in a learner?s journey from classroom to bedside. We seek support for innovation in experiential learning, including deployment of clinical system ?sandboxes?, personal learning portfolios, and monitoring information behaviours. The health information literacy initiative will generate new knowledge about how health information use can be optimized through self-directed learning interventions.
Faculty of Nursing
F Myrick, W Caplan
$75,861
Connecting Preceptors / Field Teachers through Virtual Learning Spaces
Opportunities for rural, national and international student placement are exciting and mutually rewarding and rely heavily on faculty accessibility. Presently however, there is no mechanism in place to adequately support the ongoing teaching/learning needs of our distant partners. Ultimately, our vision is to create a virtual learning community without borders for educators in the professional disciplines involved in field teaching or preceptorship. The purpose of this particular project is to leverage our established research and teaching experience in field teaching/preceptorship in nursing with technologies that allow us to create accessible and engaging learning environments. The goal of the learning community is to improve the quality of the student practicum experience while enhancing professional teaching capacity. The on-line environment permits us to develop content and materials that encourage interaction and dialogue while creating a social learning space in which our local, national and international partners can interact.
Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation
J Vallentyne, C Lau
$22,495
Development of Illustrative Video Tapes to Support Student Learning of Positive Motivational Climates for Children's Physical Activity Environments
This project is requesting funds to enhance student learning of children?s physical activity environments, and motivational climates, through the production and use of video footage. Research in pedagogy suggests that student knowledge and attitudes can be influenced by the presentation of real-life instructional scenarios designed to illustrate teaching styles and student behaviours. Textbooks do not provide the type of contextual details which are significant in a child?s motivation to participate. With video footage, rich in contextual material, students will be able to practice observing and analyzing physical activity and activity settings.
Faculty of Science
Department of Chemistry
G Loppnow
$112,000
Science E-Learning Environment (SEE): Building Community, Engaging Students, and Enhancing Citizenship
Traditional undergraduate educational practice in the sciences emphasizes lectures to provide disciplinary content and labs to reinforce the practical application of those concepts. While this model is suitable for traditional students, it does not resonate well with millennial learners, students who are adept, but naive, at information retrieval and multi-tasking. We propose to provide an optimized e-learning environment for Science, which supports a diversity of teaching and learning styles, facilitates a sense of discipline, global community and citizenship, and fosters the development of soft skills, in addition to providing the required subject matter. In the second phase of this project, this space will be utilized to provide a novel science experience in a third-year chemistry class in thermodynamics, CHEM 371. This class will emphasize discovery-based active learning with an emphasis on developing the content knowledge of the course within the context of the societal and global responsibilities of the scientist.
Department of Computing Science
E Stroulia
$39,400
Supporting Enquiry in One-to-One Mobile Computing with the Annoki Toolkit
The proposal seeks funding to support collaboration with teachers and students in the Elk Island Public Schools that participate in the one-to-one mobile learning project. The objective of the proposal is to design a set of specific projects in the context of the core subjects in junior high school around the Annoki toolkit and to experimentally evaluate how the use of this technology, developed by the applicant, impacts the student learning. The toolkit has been under development and testing by the applicant's team for the past year, and it is mature enough to be made available more generally. The Elk Island Public Schools one-to-one mobile learning project provides a unique opportunity for assessing the effectiveness of the toolkit and its potential for wide use in the secondary education.