Research Results
Impact of the IMYM Project on Grade 7 Pilot Teachers: A Follow-up Report
March 2000
Prepared by Distance Learning and Information Technologies Unit, Program Development Branch, Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning
1.0 Background
During the 1999-2000 school year, Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning selected 22 pilot schools (19 funded pilot schools and 3 unfunded pilot schools) for Phase 3 (grade 7) of the Interdisciplinary Middle Years Multimedia (IMYM) Project. There were a total of 44 grade 7 pilot teachers from these 22 schools.
The pilot teachers participated in 10 days of professional learning on the pedagogy related to integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to support the grade 7 interdisciplinary unit Balance & Harmony. Teachers piloted the Balance and Harmony over the 1999-2000 school year to explore promising practices and issues involved in integrating Technology as a Foundation Skill (TFS) in an interdisciplinary context.
At the conclusion of the pilot, in April of the 1999-2000 school year, the Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning IMYM Project Team conducted a follow-up sharing day for these grade 7 pilot teachers. This follow-up day gave pilot teachers an opportunity to reflect upon and discuss their experiences during the pilot and to "share the learning" with each other. There were four parts to this follow-up day.
1.1 Think-Pair-Share Self-Reflection
Pilot teachers used a "Think-Pair-Share" strategy to reflect on the following questions
- What skills did I develop this year, through piloting the Balance & Harmony interdisciplinary unit?
- How have I grown personally and/or professionally, through piloting the Balance & Harmony interdisciplinary unit?
- Other thoughts and connections...
1.2 Discussion of Guiding Questions
During this follow-up day, pilot teachers also worked in small groups to discuss guiding questions, and then to share with the large group, their thoughts on the following topics
- implementation of the Ongoing Learning Experiences (OLE) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) learning experiences
- ideas for balanced assessment
- student ability to recognize the Balance and Harmony conceptual theme and connections to the EcoTrip within the interdisciplinary unit
- design of a hardware model and software suite for an IMYM classroom
- design of a technical support and training model for an IMYM classroom
- design of a professional learning program for IMYM teachers
1.3 Self-Directed Professional Learning
Pilot teachers reported on the choices they made for their day of self-directed professional learning.
Pilot teachers reported on the various ways in which they had shared or were planning to share, their knowledge of and experience in the IMYM model, with colleagues, parents, and administrators.
As an exit slip, at the end of the follow-up day, pilot teachers reflected on what they expected, what they got, and what they still needed.
