http://www.education.alberta.ca/department/policy/standards/goals.aspx
Summary:
The New Alberta Education Act highlights the importance of contributing to a student’s overall learning, growth and personal attitude as they advance in their schooling years. It emphasizes a balanced student who is accepting to various perspectives and challenges all while being an independent and critical learner to their surrounding. Students are aspired to reach their full potential by growing in multiple areas, not just a specific one. Instead of a more traditional method to inquiry-based teaching, the New Alberta Education Act stresses the importance of the student making self-discoveries leading to self-reflections, engaging in a thorough understanding of a vast range of competencies. The goal is to produce students who are engaged thinkers- who critically reflect, explore and communicate information; ethical citizens- who are committed to building positive relationships and value individual diversity; and an entrepreneurial spirit- who are motivated, goal driven, and strives for success when faced with adversity.
Through supporting the sharing of knowledge, the New Alberta Education Act encourages technology as a mode to “innovate, collaborate, communicate and discover”. As part of a large aspect of our society, technology has become a foundational component to construction and communication of both learning and teaching. In applying multiple literacies, such as technology, opportunities to create, play, analyze and reflect become effective means of enabling students to strive for excellence in their learning journey.
1. Do you think the Education Act allows for the advancement of technology for education?
I do believe that the Education Act allows for the advancement of technology in education because it is encouraging a transition from the past into more practical and realistic way of learning for today’s students. Having a more technology focused lifestyle today has encouraged teachers to progress their teaching styles into what will be accepted and be of benefit to the student’s of today. Adjusting educational methods through the New Alberta Education Act will foster a positive attitude towards the innovation and creativity of technology for creating a “context for successful learning and living”. As the article highlights how engaged thinkers use technology to “learn, innovate, collaborate, communicate and discover”, the advancement of technology in education through this act supports life long learning through competencies in all subjects. In striving for engagement and personal excellence in a student’s learning journey, it is pivotal in today’s society to provide the learning tools, methods and attitudes that cater to teaching today’s individuals and their learning needs. The Education Act allows for opportunities for students who are motivated to discover, develop and apply information through technological means to foster that life long learning.
2. Do you think the Education Act creates any barriers or challenges for educators in the area of technology?
Barriers or challenges for educators may be their level of knowledge and confidence with technology and adopting it within the curriculum and daily classroom activities. I personally didn’t grow up with the amount of technology we have today, and therefore I am not entirely comfortable implementing it into my teaching methods. However, I am fully aware that technology is a critical contributor in our society today and therefore I need to embrace it since it will only continue to expand as years go on. The Education Act highlights how students will be able to develop competencies to multiple areas of literacies, such as “reading, writing, mathematics, technology, language, media and personal finance”, however physical literacy wasn’t mentioned. I may be biased as a Kinesiology Major, but being able to do basic fundamental movement skills is necessary for survival and without physical literacy, students wouldn’t be able to share in different forms of communication and learn in ways that best fit their needs. Technology within a Physical Education class has always been difficult to address because of the courses objectives and physical goals. Technology can be a benefit in some classroom situations, but the overall effectiveness for a Physical Education class is minimal in comparison to a Social Studies or Math class. I also don’t know if there would be any barriers to other courses such as Woodworking, Sports Medicine/Performance, Calm, and Cosmetology etc. because of the irregular use of technology to begin with. Challenges arise when technology is put in situations where it is not normally encouraged or seen as a benefit, such as some courses listed above. But as aspiring teachers, we can use this to encourage a healthy and appropriate amount of technology use and provide students with ways to learn that still contribute to being innovative, collaborate, and communicative.
Summary:
The New Alberta Education Act highlights the importance of contributing to a student’s overall learning, growth and personal attitude as they advance in their schooling years. It emphasizes a balanced student who is accepting to various perspectives and challenges all while being an independent and critical learner to their surrounding. Students are aspired to reach their full potential by growing in multiple areas, not just a specific one. Instead of a more traditional method to inquiry-based teaching, the New Alberta Education Act stresses the importance of the student making self-discoveries leading to self-reflections, engaging in a thorough understanding of a vast range of competencies. The goal is to produce students who are engaged thinkers- who critically reflect, explore and communicate information; ethical citizens- who are committed to building positive relationships and value individual diversity; and an entrepreneurial spirit- who are motivated, goal driven, and strives for success when faced with adversity.
Through supporting the sharing of knowledge, the New Alberta Education Act encourages technology as a mode to “innovate, collaborate, communicate and discover”. As part of a large aspect of our society, technology has become a foundational component to construction and communication of both learning and teaching. In applying multiple literacies, such as technology, opportunities to create, play, analyze and reflect become effective means of enabling students to strive for excellence in their learning journey.
1. Do you think the Education Act allows for the advancement of technology for education?
I do believe that the Education Act allows for the advancement of technology in education because it is encouraging a transition from the past into more practical and realistic way of learning for today’s students. Having a more technology focused lifestyle today has encouraged teachers to progress their teaching styles into what will be accepted and be of benefit to the student’s of today. Adjusting educational methods through the New Alberta Education Act will foster a positive attitude towards the innovation and creativity of technology for creating a “context for successful learning and living”. As the article highlights how engaged thinkers use technology to “learn, innovate, collaborate, communicate and discover”, the advancement of technology in education through this act supports life long learning through competencies in all subjects. In striving for engagement and personal excellence in a student’s learning journey, it is pivotal in today’s society to provide the learning tools, methods and attitudes that cater to teaching today’s individuals and their learning needs. The Education Act allows for opportunities for students who are motivated to discover, develop and apply information through technological means to foster that life long learning.
2. Do you think the Education Act creates any barriers or challenges for educators in the area of technology?
Barriers or challenges for educators may be their level of knowledge and confidence with technology and adopting it within the curriculum and daily classroom activities. I personally didn’t grow up with the amount of technology we have today, and therefore I am not entirely comfortable implementing it into my teaching methods. However, I am fully aware that technology is a critical contributor in our society today and therefore I need to embrace it since it will only continue to expand as years go on. The Education Act highlights how students will be able to develop competencies to multiple areas of literacies, such as “reading, writing, mathematics, technology, language, media and personal finance”, however physical literacy wasn’t mentioned. I may be biased as a Kinesiology Major, but being able to do basic fundamental movement skills is necessary for survival and without physical literacy, students wouldn’t be able to share in different forms of communication and learn in ways that best fit their needs. Technology within a Physical Education class has always been difficult to address because of the courses objectives and physical goals. Technology can be a benefit in some classroom situations, but the overall effectiveness for a Physical Education class is minimal in comparison to a Social Studies or Math class. I also don’t know if there would be any barriers to other courses such as Woodworking, Sports Medicine/Performance, Calm, and Cosmetology etc. because of the irregular use of technology to begin with. Challenges arise when technology is put in situations where it is not normally encouraged or seen as a benefit, such as some courses listed above. But as aspiring teachers, we can use this to encourage a healthy and appropriate amount of technology use and provide students with ways to learn that still contribute to being innovative, collaborate, and communicative.