Building the Future Together

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Instructor David Bell bell_at_sfu.ca EDB
8514 Office 778-782-4436
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What is this course about?

• This course is designed for current and future
  teachers in the K-12 system
• It covers three content areas
• Its partly about mastering computing ( other)
  technologies that are used in schools
• Its partly about understanding the ideas and
  problems that shape how computing technologies
  get used in schools
• Its partly about learning to design meaningful
  uses of computing technologies for K-12 classrooms

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How will the course work?

• A combination of
• Discussions
• Demonstrations and Labs
• Design assignments
• Readings, research and written work

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We will

• Learn about some of the most common applications
  of computers ( other technologies) in schools
  today
• Lab work, readings
• Learn about some things that are not used much in
  schools today, but should be
• Design assignments, readings
• Feel comfortable about trying new things with
  computing and networking technologies
• Work on design assignments in class
• Begin developing a critical stance on uses of
  technology in schools
• Written responses to readings
• Class discussions
• Position paper

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Technical support

• I will give you as much time as possible to work
  on your technical projects in class, but...
• You will need to spend additional time in this
  lab
• 1 day per week on campus will not be enough,
  unless you are technically self-sufficient
• I can only support you technically if you work in
  the CET using the applications I know

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Your Grade

• 50 design assignments
• 15 brief written responses to assigned readings
• 25 position paper on a course-related topic of
  your choice
• 10 PowerPoint presentation on you position paper
• (Details will be on the course web site)

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Extra Credit

• Bringing interesting Ed Tech news items or web
  sites to class for the whole group to discuss
• Its helpful if you can e-mail me about these a
  day or two before, so I can plan them into the
  lecture/discussion
• Helping your peers with their assignments in
  class (peer tutoring)

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Late Policy

• If you are late in submitting any part of an
  assignment, marks will be deducted at a rate of
  5 PER DAY.
• This means
• At one day late, it is still possible to get an
  A on a perfect assignment.
• After three days, a perfect assignment could only
  get a B.
• At six days late, the best a perfect assignment
  could get is a C-
• Do not ask me for extensions without
  documentation of a medical or compassionate reason

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How can I do well in this course?

• Show up every week
• If you miss more than 2 sessions in the semester,
  I will deduct two percentage points for each
  class missed
• Hand in all the assignments on time
• Pay close attention to the posted grading
  criteria
• Submit a full-length draft of your position paper
  (not point-form notes) on time
• Keep an open mind about the issues

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Questions for You

• What is a computer?
• Why should anyone want students to use computers
  in schools?
• What have you seen computers used for in schools
  recently?

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What do we mean by technology?

• Anything people create and use to extend what
  they can do with their minds, bodies, senses and
  voices
• Includes
• Writing (alphabets, paper, pens, chalkboards,
  etc.)
• Tools for measuring and recording
• Photography, film, video
• Telecommunications (radio, telegraph, telephone,
  satellite)
• Calculating machines
• Computers
• These are all part of the society around us
• They effect (for better and sometimes worse) the
  ways we think, solve problems, and communicate

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Learning to teach with computing technology

• We know that
• It takes progressive refinement
• It takes a long time (years, not weeks or months)
• Few teachers do it alone
• Most have ongoing support from peers in their
  schools, administration, and the surrounding
  community.

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Contacting me

• David Bell
• e-mail bell_at_sfu.ca
• Office EDB 8514
• Office hours by appointment
• On campus most days, but often in meetings. Be
  sure to make an appointment by e-mail if you
  dont want to be frustrated!