Teaching and Learning with Emerging Technologies: Research Proposal

Using Google Classroom to Facilitate Collaborative Construction of Knowledge in a Final Year Engineering Class  

The emerging COVID-19 pandemic has forced higher institutions of learning to rethink delivery of teaching and learning activities, from the traditional face-to-face to online classes. As such, all interdependent systems (socioeconomic, family, education, etc.) need to be adjusted. Being an emergency, there is a global unpreparedness, which is associated with multifaceted challenges that require a systematic approach. 

In this study an approach to continue teaching and learning activities is explored. The current investigation proposes that authentic learning can be achieved by adopting Google classroom where students can write proposals to solve real-life engineering problems. The solutions can be formulated using engineering software for simulations. Considering the current circumstance of nationwide lockdown, this serves as an authentic learning activity situated as a realistic task set in an academic setting. “It’s a pedagogical approach which gives complex, but cognitively real tasks for students that can be done in the classrooms as if they were performing the skills in the real world setting” (see the video below) (Herrington et al., 2010).

Authenticity in Academic Settings (Herrington et al., 2010)

AODM will be employed as a guide to investigate the use of Google classroom as a teaching and learning tool to facilitate collaborative construction of knowledge, in a final year engineering class at CPUT. This research proposal is in response to the Call for Special Issue – Smart Learning Environments, by AJET (Asutralsaian Journal of Educational Technology) (AJET Special Issue Call). The specific focus of this paper is "Smart Learning Environments". Other posts in this Blog provide details on the proposition (Sociocultural theory; Authentic Learning) and methodology (AODM) of the proposed study.

It is envisaged that this study will aid workplace preparedness for students and this approach can be adopted as a standard practice beyond the crisis period. 

Details of the proposed study are provided in the Flipbook below

EDN4503 Research Proposal_Oluwaseun Oyekola


Reference

Herrington, J., Reeves, T.C and  Oliver, R. (2010). How real does authentic e-learning need to be? In A guide to authentic e-learning. Routledge London and New York.

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