Active Learning

Students are actively engaged in using technology as a tool rather than passively
receiving information from the technology.
Active learning is when students use the information as they receive from the faculty.
Students create notes, write reflections and discuss their learning with each other.
Interactive teaching, group work, case studies are some effective pedagogies in this
type of learning environment. The goal is to move from passive use of technology to
active use of technology. 
Let's look at different examples to understand how each of these lessons have been
implemented using varying levels of technology integration in the classroom. 
A comprehensive Active Learning Resource can be downloaded here. 
Click on your department/discipline to view lesson plans developed using technology
integration. 

Collaborative Learning
Students use technology tools to collaborate with others rather than working individually at all times.
The Collaborative characteristic describes the degree to which technology is used to facilitate, enable, or enhance students’
opportunities to work with peers and outside experts. This characteristic considers the use of conventional collaborative technology
tools as well as other kinds of technology tools that assist students working with others. Schoology Discussion Boards, Blogs,
ePortfolios and G-Suite Applications enable collaborative learning. The goal is to move from individual use of technology to
collaborative use of technology.
 
Find your discipline/department tab and view the technology integrated lesson plans. 

Constructive Learning
Students use technology tools to connect new information to their prior knowledge rather than to passively receive information.
The Constructive characteristic describes learner-centered instruction that allows students to use technology tools to connect new
information to their prior knowledge. This characteristic is concerned with the flexible use of technology to build knowledge in the
modality that is most effective for each student. For example, connecting with students through their preferred social media tools, using
online/cloud tools that enable project management, mind mapping and hypermedia representation of student learning. The goal is to
move from content-centered use of technology to learner-centered use of technology.
 

Authentic Learning
Students use technology tools to link learning activities to the world beyond the instructional setting rather than working on
decontextualized assignments.
The Authentic characteristic involves using technology to link learning activities to the world beyond the instructional setting. This
characteristic focuses on the extent to which technology is used to place learning into a meaningful context, increase its relevance to
the learner, and tap into students’ intrinsic motivation. Examples include: meeting with an expert, virtual field trips, blogging for a
business etc. The goal is to move from a de-contextualized use of technology to contextualized use of technology. 
 

Goal-Directed Learning
Students use technology tools to set goals, plan activities, monitor progress, and evaluate results rather than simply completing
assignments without reflection.
The Goal-Directed characteristic describes the ways in which technology is used to set goals, plan activities, monitor progress, and
evaluate results. This characteristic focuses on the extent to which technology facilitates, enables, or supports meaningful reflection and
metacognition. Examples include making classroom rules together, creating goals for learning, daily learning agenda etc. The goal is to
move from a conventional task-oriented use of technology to productivity-oriented use of technology. 
 

What is TIM?
The Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) provides a framework for describing and targeting the use of technology to enhance learning.
The TIM incorporates five interdependent characteristics of meaningful learning environments: active, collaborative, constructive,
authentic, and goal-directed. These characteristics are associated with five levels of technology integration: entry, adoption, adaptation,
infusion, and transformation. Together, the five characteristics of meaningful learning environments and five levels of technology
integration create a matrix of 25 cells, as illustrated below:
Assessment of learning assists teachers in using evidence of student learning to assess
achievement against outcomes and standards. Sometimes referred to as ‘summative assessment’, it
usually occurs at defined key points during a teaching work or at the end of a unit, term or semester,
and may be used to rank or grade students. The effectiveness of assessment of learning for grading
or ranking purposes depends on the validity, reliability, and weighting placed on any one task. Its
effectiveness as an opportunity for learning depends on the nature and quality of the feedback.

Assessment for learning involves teachers using evidence about students’ knowledge,

understanding, and skills to inform their teaching. Sometimes referred to as ‘formative assessment’, it
usually occurs throughout the teaching and learning process to clarify student learning and
understanding.

Assessment as learning occurs when students are their own assessors. Students monitor their own
learning, ask questions and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and how
to use assessment for new learning.

The following assessment OF/FOR/AS learning table is a compilation of from a wide variety of resources that goes a bit
further than simple definitions (Chappuis et al., 2012; Fenwick & Parsons, 2009; McNamee & Chen, 2005; Rowe, 2012;
Schraw, 2001; Sparks, 1999):

Assessment Of Learning For Learning As Learning

Type Summative Formative Formative

What Teachers determine Teachers and peers check progress Learner takes responsibility for
the progress or and learning to help learners to their own learning and asks
application of determine how to improve. questions about their learning
knowledge or skills and the learning process and
against a standard. explores how to improve.

Who Teacher Teacher & Peers Learner & Peers

How Formal assessments Involves formal and informal Learners use formal and
used to collect assessment activities as part of informal feedback and self-
evidence of student learning and to inform the planning of assessment to help
progress and may be future learning.  understand the next steps in
used for achievement
 grading on grades. learning. 

When Periodic report Ongoing feedback Continual reflection

Why Ranking and reporting Improve learning Deeper learning and learning
how to learn

Emphasis Scoring, grades, and Feedback, support, and collaboration Collaboration, reflection, and
competition self-evaluation

1. Expert Power

Expert power is the knowledge and experience a teacher brings with them into the classroom.
Teachers with this form of power not only know their "stuff" but also can express it in a way that is
clear to the students. In addition, teachers with expert power are comfortable in the classroom and
bring energy into the learning environment through their joy of teaching. When students can tell
that a you know what you are doing it gives you, as a teacher or a leader in another profession, some
authority and right to lead them. If a teacher does not know what they are doing, students may not
want to follow them. The point is a teacher must know their stuff, and express it confidently and
clearly to their students.

2. Referent Power

Referent power is a measure of how much students like and respect a teacher. This form of power
can be developed through being fair and concerned about students. Not only does a teacher need to
have expertise but they also must show warmth and care for their students. Examples of relationship
building includes providing beneficial feedback, talking with students about matters outside of
school, and even having high expectations. This combination of subject knowledge and caring could
contribute to academic success. Love and respect are not exclusive concepts but are connected and
the combination of these in the classroom is critical for developing power. To summarize, show
them that you care and that you want them to succeed.

3. Legitimate Power
A position that natural confers power is called legitimate power. By just being a teacher, a person
has a certain amount of authority over their students. However, this form of power does not last long
with children. As they become comfortable, the students will begin to test the teacher unless he or
she develops other forms of power such as expert and or referent power. There is a saying that goes
"familiarity breeds contempt" and this helps to explain the short-term influences of legitimate
power. This form of power is useful in the beginning to exert influences but requires support from
other sources of power or influence. To put it plainly, your position gives you a temporary amount of
power in the beginning but this does not last.

4. Reward Power

Reward power is the ability to provide approval, privileges, or some other form of compensation.
Reward power can be connected with operant conditioning in that rewards could be given when the
student demonstrates appropriate behavior. When students complete assignments, maybe the
teacher gives them a star. When students are quiet, perhaps they get to go outside early. Reward and
referent power could be thought of as closely related because rewards can be used to develop
relationship. This due to the desire of many people to reciprocate acts of kindness. Most teachers
have many forms of reward at their disposable, however, it is also important to remember that if the
students do not value the rewards, it means that the teacher cannot use them as a form of power. To
make my claim in one sentence, rewards are a form of power that teachers can use to maintain their
leadership and authority.

5. Coercive Power

Coercive power is in many ways the opposite of reward power. In this form of power, students are
given punishment instead of rewards. Any book on conditioning will indicate that punishment will
stop misbehavior for a time but will normally not work in the long run. Students will grow stubborn
towards it and could become antagonistic towards the teacher. In addition, punishment reduces
referent power mentioned earlier. There are times for punishment but it should be used sparingly.
Negative reinforcement (the removal of a stimulus the students do not like) is seen by many as more
appropriate than punishment (the application of a stimulus the students dislike).

Of the five types of powers mentioned above referent power may be the most important. Having
warm relationships with students who believe that the teacher cares for them. It is much more
acceptable to lack expert power and coercive power may not even be needed if students believed
they are loved. However, it would be unfair to the students if a teacher did not develop expertise in
their field. Rewards through positive feedback can help in establishing referent power. As such, the
following model provides a step-by-step process of applying these different forms of power and is
one way of many for teachers looking to establish power in the classroom.

1. Use legitimate power to begin school.

2. Establish expert power through teaching.
3. Develop referent power through developing relationships.
 4. Use reward power to enhance referent power and to avoid using coercive
power.
5. Use coercive power when necessary but reestablish referent power after
punishment.

Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (Definition & Example)

The Kuder-Richardson Formula 20, often abbreviated KR-20, is used to

measure the internal consistency reliability of a test in which each question
only has two answers: right or wrong.
The Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 is as follows:
KR-20 = (k / (k-1)) * (1 – Σpjqj / σ2)
where:
 k: Total number of questions
 pj: Proportion of individuals who answered question j correctly
 qj: Proportion of individuals who answered question j incorrectly
 σ2: Variance of scores for all individuals who took the test
The value for KR-20 ranges from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating
higher reliability.