Research Results
Impact of the IMYM Project on Grade 6 Pilot Teachers: A Follow-up Report
September 2000
Prepared by Distance Learning and Information Technologies Unit, Program Development Branch, Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning
3.0 Impact of the IMYM Model on Instructional Practice
Teachers were asked to describe the impact of the IMYM project on their instructional practice in terms of teaching style, curriculum integration, and information and communication technology (ICT) integration.
Grade 6 IMYM pilot teachers have observed the following changes in their teaching style since their implementation of the IMYM model. They noticed a(n)
- increased integration of ICT into curriculum areas (N=8)
- change in their role as teacher - becoming more of a facilitator of active learning and less a provider of direct instruction (N=5)
- increase in the use of group work, learning centres, and collaborative learning (N=4)
- increased awareness of, comfort with, and use of an interdisciplinary approach (N=4)
- improved ability to manage a classroom with multiple simultaneous activities (N=2)
A number of teachers provided IMYM training to other teachers in their school. One teacher mentioned being proactive about ICT integration and was seeing positive changes among the teaching staff as a result of implementing the IMYM model. Another teacher reported a change in their style of assessment, including more peer-assessment, self-assessment and the use of ICT in assessment contexts.
Most IMYM6 pilot teachers (N=9) felt the level of integration among core curricular areas within their classroom had increased since their implementation of the IMYM model. Four teachers felt their level of subject-area integration had always been high and therefore had not changed much.
3.3 Integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
All but one pilot teacher (N=15) reported an increase in the level of integration of ICT in their teaching practice, as a result of their implementation of the IMYM model. (This teacher has become an ICT teacher mentor and is now encouraging teachers to use ICT at the divisional level.) Some of the teachers' comments about the level of integration of ICT in their classrooms are detailed below
- The level of integration of ICT in my teaching practice has increased dramatically. (N = 9)
- I feel more competent about using information technology and I am using it daily. (N = 3)
- I try to integrate ICT in every subject.
- My students and I developed increased ICT skills and competencies throughout the school year.
- My students have profited from the use of the large screen in the classroom.
- I found my students and myself using the Internet a great deal for student projects.
