Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology 

About: Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology is an academic journal published by Canadian Network for Innovation in Education. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Educational technology & Instructional design. It has an ISSN identifier of 1499-6677. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 531 publications have been published receiving 7778 citations. The journal is also known as: RCAT & CJLT.

Directions for Research and Development on Electronic Portfolios

Abstract: This lead article for the special issue of the Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology explores directions for research and development on electronic portfolios, which are digital containers capable of storing visual and auditory content; software for which may also be designed to support a variety of pedagogical processes and assessment purposes. The paper is organized around several key questions: What are the types and characteristics of electronic portfolios? What are the outcomes and processes that electronic portfolios support for their creators? What are the contexts in which EPs are most effective and worthwhile? Who are electronic portfolio users/viewers and how do we provide appropriate professional development to encourage correct adoption and widespread and sustained use? What do we know and need to know about technical and administrative issues? What is evidence of electronic portfolio success? How do we move forward with funding and infrastructure?

Social Capital in Virtual Learning Communities and Distributed Communities of Practice.

Abstract: . Social capital has recently emerged as an important interdisciplinary research area. It is frequently used as a framework for understanding various social issues in temporal communities, neighbourhoods and groups. In particular, researchers in the social sciences and the humanities have used social capital to understand trust, shared understanding, reciprocal relationships, social network structures, common norms and cooperation, and the roles these entities play in various aspects of temporal communities. Despite proliferation of research in this area, little work has been done to extend this effort to technology-driven learning communities (also known as virtual learning communities). This paper surveys key interdisciplinary research areas in social capital. It also explores how the notions of social capital and trust can be extended to virtual communities, including virtual learning communities and distributed communities of practice. Research issues surrounding social capital and trust as they relate to technology-driven learning communities are identified.

Digital Learners in Higher Education: Generation is Not the Issue

Abstract: Generation is often used to explain and rationalize the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in higher education. However, a comprehensive review of the research and popular literature on the topic and an empirical study at one postsecondary institution in Canada suggest there are no meaningful generational differences in how learners say they use ICTs or their perceived behavioural characteristics. The study also concluded that the post-secondary students at the institution in question use a limited set of ICTs and their use is driven by three key issues: familiarity, cost, and immediacy. The findings are based on focus group interviews with 69 students and survey responses from a random sample of 438 second year students in 14 different programs in five schools in the institution. The results of this investigation add to a growing body of research that questions the popular view that generation can be used to explain the use of ICTs in higher education.

Using video in teacher education

Abstract: This paper draws on a research study of elementary- and secondary-route preservice teachers in a two-year, after-degree teacher preparation programme The paper includes excerpts of classroom data, taken from the author’s own university classroom, demonstrating preservice teachers’ responses to carefully selected video extracts of children learning mathematics in a high-school class also taught by the author The paper includes commentary on some of the advantages and limitations of video as a teaching tool, develops an argument for the increased use, in both preservice teacher education and inservice teacher professional development, of videotaped episodes that focus on the learners rather than on the classroom teacher, and explores the value of having the teacher whose classroom is featured on the videos present for the discussion of the episodes The paper explores the potential offered by video material to foster the belief that teaching is a learning activity by (i) refocusing attention on the learner rather than the teacher in the analysis of classroom practices, (ii) raising awareness of the importance of reflective practice, and (iii) providing a prompt for the imaginative rehearsal of action Resume : Le present article se fonde sur une etude technique portant sur des stagiaires des niveaux primaire et secondaire dans un programme de preparation a l’enseignement de deux ans apres l’obtention du diplome L’article comprend des extraits de donnees en salle de classe qui proviennent de la salle de classe de l’universite de l’auteur meme, illustrant les reponses des stagiaires a des extraits video choisis avec soins, extraits portant su des enfants apprenant les mathematiques dans une classe du secondaire dont l’enseignant est l’auteur L’article comporte des commentaires sur certains des avantages et limites du video comme outil d’enseignement, il presente un argument pour l’augmentation accrue, a la fois pour l’education du stagiaire et le perfectionnement professionnel de l’enseignant qualifie, des episodes sur cassette video qui mettent l’accent sur les apprenants plutot que sur les enseignants en salle de classe et examine s’il est interessant que soit present au moment de la discussion sur les episodes l’enseignant dont la salle de classe figure sur le video L’article analyse le potentiel du materiel video appuyant la croyance selon laquelle l’enseignement est une activite d’apprentissage en (i) mettant l’accent sur l’apprenant plutot que sur l’enseignant dans l’analyse des pratiques d’une salle de classe, (ii) en effectuant une sensibilisation relativement a l’importance de la pratique reflexive et (iii) en guidant la repetition novatrice de la mesure

A Brief History of Knowledge Building

Abstract: Knowledge Building as a theoretical, pedagogical, and technological innovation focuses on the 21st century need to work creatively with knowledge. The team now advancing Knowledge Building spans multiple disciplines, sectors, and cultural contexts. Several teacher-researcher-government partnerships have formed to bring about the systemic changes required to accommodate pedagogical innovations that range from elementary to tertiary education and require new forms of teacher education. This paper tracks the evolution of Knowledge Building, starting with research on “knowledge transforming,” “intentional learning,” and other processes leading to the development of expertise. It provides an account of how the first networked collaborative learning environment was developed to support such processes and next-generation research and development to advance education for innovation and knowledge creation.