Author: Tara Avenia

Internet Safety E-Lesson

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It has become a responsibility of educators, parents, guardians, and our greater community to protect our children from the Internet. The world-wide web is a powerful tool with limitless potential. The challenge facing all of us is to lead by example and partake in safe Internet practices. I follow a number of websites that I recommend to anyone studying the topic. Check out, Common Sense Media and CyberTip.ca to get started. When tasked with the challenge to produce a constructivist e-lesson in ETEC 530, Constructivist Strategies for E-Learning, I decided to create a project based lesson targeting Grade 11 media art students, entitled “Don’t Be A Victim”. Constructivism is a learning theory which states that people construct their understanding based on experience and reflection. I believe that knowledge is constructed, and place value in constructivist learning strategies that are project, product, or problem based. I find these types of learning activities to be more meaningful for students. I have found that when the learning activity is personally relevant (as it often is in a constructivist lesson), and a …

The Economics of Technology

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I am one of three educators who created an online learning conference to introduce students to the concept of macro economics as it relates to technology. I’m very interested in economics as the social science has contributed to my decision making and is present in every action I take. Take the concept of opportunity cost as an example. Opportunity cost is the loss we incur when we choose one action over another. Time is an excellent example, as it will “cost” you time simply to read this post. An economist has to then ask himself or herself, is the value I gain from reading this post worth the loss in time. I hope so! The attached online learning conference, The Economics of Educational Technology, will take you through a 7 day collaborative inquiry-based learning activity. You will learn key terms to further develop your understanding of macroeconomics. You can read two academic summarizations, “The Economics of Educational Technology” by Puryear, J.M. (1999, September), and “Some Simple Economics of Open Source” by Lerner, J. and Tirole, …

Wiki Author

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I published the wiki, Computer Assisted Collaborative Strategic Reading (CACSR), in 2012 as part of the course requirements in Design of Technology Supported Learning Environments, ETEC 510. I investigated two instructional platforms that attest to improve the proficiency levels of reading comprehension in school aged students. My research was followed with this publication, that targets educational professionals and fellow scholars. I concentrated my efforts to author this professional work in both a succinct and detailed way. Please click on the card to read my report on the CACSR model. Reference Avenia, T. (2012). Computer-Assisted Collaborative Strategic Reading [Wiki]. Retrieved March 1, 2015 from http://etec.ctlt.ubc.ca/510wiki/Computer-Assisted_Collaborative_Strategic _Reading

Research Review

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My report, Socioeconomic Factors, the Use of Technology in Teaching and Learning, and the Impact on Achievement: A Critical Review of the Research, has taught me that educational technology has the power to bridge socioeconomic gaps and the gender divide. This is also the paper that first sparked my interest in the factors of educational technology that affect academic achievement.

Welcome To My Portfolio

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Thank you for joining me online. I have designed these pages in the hopes of demonstrating my belief that educational technology represents the pedagogy of the future. I think of these pages as a window into my accomplishments as a technological educator and a display of my teaching philosophy. I believe strongly in the value of 21st-century education, and feel it should include the use of technology to facilitate the development of transferable skills. Such skills as, critical thinking, problem solving, confidence, and the ability to communicate as well as collaborate. My ePortfolio includes the most recent posts in the top most order. Every blog post added to my ePortfolio has been categorized and tagged, you can browse a category of your liking or scroll through the entire collection if you prefer. Here you will find examples of my work and lessons that include webquests, podcasts, video tutorials, word-art, animated timelines, research publications, concept maps, and so much more.   Reference Note: Please note that every featured image in this ePortfolio has been downloaded from Pixabay and Shutterstock. All …