2006 e-Fellows
Read about the projects being undertaken by the 10 e-fellows for 2006. Use your mouse to point to a name, which reveals their picture, and click on the name to read about their project.
- Liz Fitzsimons
- Gillian Gibbs
- David Goodwin
- Kerry Hall
- Faithe Hanrahan
- Jan-Marie Kellow
- Paul Lowe
- Carol Marks
- Elaine Newton
- Brian Waller
Liz Fitzsimons – Port Ahuriru School
Research question
What are the learning outcomes when junior children, with the support of their teacher, use information communication technologies (ICTs) to produce their own resources?
Overview
I am investigating the question that if young children have ownership by making their own ICT resources, does it lead to more meaningful learning, and what are the impacts on learning when children use these resources? I am interested in the potential of sharing the resources to strengthen home–school communication and parents supporting their children at home with their learning. My research involves a case study of a new entrant year 1 class.
As an outcome of my research, I intend to share a variety of activities to be used, adapted, or modified by teachers to suit the learning needs of their junior children.
Partners
John Phelps, New Era IT (IT partner)
Fiona Murray, Massey University (critical friend)
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz
Blog
http://www.efellows.org.nz/?q=blog/17
Gillian Gibbs – Aberdeen School
Project
Engaging Māori students through digital video authoring by using digital stories as a vehicle for sharing experiences of whānau and iwi and engagement with school life.
Overview
If we are not providing authentic learning opportunities for Māori students to be successful and engaged learners who are able to problem solve creatively and transfer knowledge there is a risk of under achievement and/or disengagement.
My study will take the form of a practical action research where I will be focusing on exploring what is authentic learning for Māori students. I will also be examining the effects of authentic learning, using digital authoring on the level of motivation to learn/ engagement in learning for Māori students.
Partner
Garry Leet, SITECH Systems
Prof Darrell Fisher, Curtin University
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz
Blog
http://www.efellows.org.nz/?q=blog/20
David Goodwin – Hauraki Plains College
Research questions
What are some of the key competencies demonstrated when secondary students use ICT?
Overview
I am a secondary school teacher currently teaching at Hauraki Plains College, which is situated beside the Piako River in the small rural township of Ngatea.
In my project, I want to find out how some of the key competencies – participating and contributing, self management, and thinking – can be identified in classroom lessons using ICT. I am interested in the effect of practice with ICT and how this is linked to the key competencies.
Partners
Immersive Education
http://www.immersiveeducation.com/uk/
CODE
http://www.education.auckland.ac.nz/codenz/
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz
Blog
http://www.efellows.org.nz/?q=blog/21
Kerry Hall – Cashmere School
Research question
How does the use of e-portfolios meet the school goal of empowering learners, and what are the implications for the teachers and the school community?
Overview
My research will investigate how e-portfolios can be used with gifted and talented students to empower them as learners. I want to find out how e-portfolios can be used to engage students in their learning in more meaningful ways.
From a teacher's perspective, I also want to discover what the impact is on the classroom programme when e-portfolios are used to keep a digital record of learning and assessment, and children are empowered to become independent learners.
The final aspect of my research will focus on the implications of empowerment through e-portfolios, for the wider school community.
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz
Blog
http://www.efellows.org.nz/?q=blog/19
Faithe Hanrahan – Opotiki College
Project
Exploring the use of e-portfolios as tools for improving educational outcomes for students.
Overview
With the advance of the information age it is almost imperative that in order to interact within a digital world, our students will need to be able to present themselves digitally.
Our traditional methods of managing and presenting our students' records of learning via scrapbooks and flip files needs to be reviewed if we are to meet this need. The use of digital portfolios and life-wide e-portfolios has the potential to assist us to do so.
This research aims to examine and challenge the way secondary schools collect, manage, and share their learners' portfolio artefacts with a view to extending current practises to include the use of life-wide electronic portfolios.
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz
Blog
http://www.efellows.org.nz/?q=blog/22
Jan-Marie Kellow – Opoutere School
Research project
Implementing Inquiry Learning in ICT-rich Environments. Keywords: inquiry learning, ICT supporting inquiry.
Overview
My research project is inspired by my work with the Kopu Digital Opportunities Project. I intend to research how teachers and students use ICTs to support their students' learning when involved in the inquiry process and how they perceive that use. I will also look at what available research has to say about inquiry learning in an ICT rich environment.
I wish to collect and develop resources which will empower and inspire teachers to effectively implement inquiry learning using ICT. I intend to develop a website where teachers can find information and links to quality information and resources related to implementing inquiry learning with the help of ICT.
Partners
Mark Treadwell, Teachers@work
http://www.treadwell.co.nz/
Dataview
http://www.dataview.co.nz/
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz
Blog
http://www.efellows.org.nz/?q=blog/18
Website
www.opoutere.school.nz/Efellows_Research.htm
Paul Lowe – Morrinsville College
Research question
Can cluster-wide resources and personnel be successfully managed to meet the needs of gifted and talented students in a cluster-wide science class using problem-based learning strategies in an ICT rich environment?
Partners
Phillip Buchanan, Coronet
Prof Darrell Fisher, Curtin University
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz
Blog
http://www.efellows.org.nz/?q=blog/16
Carol Marks – Selwyn Kindergarten
Project
Imagined Possible Selves.
Overview
The main purpose of my project is to use ICT activities to see how they impact on the learning through imaginary play. A key part of the research will be allowing children to take a leading role in their own learning by using ICT to document their pretend play. This will involve case studies of children and I look forward to working with children and families in this project.
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz
Blog
http://www.efellows.org.nz/?q=blog/15
Elaine Newton – Westmere School
Research question
Do new entrant teachers recognise, value, and use the new entrant child's knowledge, experience, and understanding of ICTs in their classroom programmes?
Overview
After nine years teaching new entrant children I am aware that children start school with widely varying experiences and that it is possible to overlook the child's prior knowledge when planning classroom programmes.
I am proposing to follow two groups of children starting as new entrants at two different schools. I will interview and observe the children prior to starting school and again after 6 and 12 weeks at school.
I will also interview the new entrant teachers who will be receiving the children before the children start school and after one term. In order to determine the beliefs that the teachers in the study hold about new entrants and their ICT knowledge and capabilities I will also be observing the classes involved in the study.
Partner
Phil Coogan, UNITEC
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz
Blog
http://www.efellows.org.nz/?q=blog/24
Brian Waller – Taradale College
Research question
How can ICT be used in a way that matches the learning style preferences of students? Keywords: learning styles, ICT, applications, student engagement, student learning.
Overview
I have been investigating the use of learning style preferences over the past three years. Additionally I have been experimenting with ICT in the classroom, particularly using a data projector and interactive whiteboard. I will be using a case study to research student engagement and learning when being taught using ICT which enables students to learn via their preferred learning style.
Partner
Barbara Prashnig, Creative Learning Company
www.clc.co.nz
Email
efellows2006@tki.org.nz