PROFESSOR WINS TECHNOLOGY AWARD FOR REFLECTION FORMS

Professor, Dan Zen, has won the 2005 ETC Innovative Teaching with Technology Award for a full-time faculty member or team within the Ontario College system who has demonstrated innovative use of technology when implementing a specific learning activity with defined learning objectives.

REFLECTION FORMS

The Reflection Form activity is a short online form where learners are asked to reflect on the current lesson and indicate their learning status for each outcome of the lesson. Learners are also asked what they found interesting and what they are unsure about. Learners are given time at the end of each lesson to submit their reflection.

The objectives of the Reflection Form activity are to:
1. have learners review the lesson
2. have learners sign-off on any further study required to meet each outcome
3. flag which learners require extra help
4. give professors an indication of whether outcomes are being met
5. help professors assess lesson delivery, content and pacing
6. provide an established conduit for feedback
7. provide systematic collection and reporting of assessment


"The Reflection Form enforces review. In each lesson plan, I schedule 15 minutes at the end for reflection. I display the form with the outcomes up on the screen and read over the outcomes as they fill in the forms. Sometimes I add examples of where in the lesson we dealt with an outcome. I may ask them for specific feedback, for instance, what did they think of a certain activity. This technique has led to a 95% completion rate and over all, the Reflection Form activity has led to tailored lessons and better student learning."

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DAN ZEN

Dan Zen teaches in the one year post-grad Interactive Multimedia Program at Sheridan. He has been with the Program for three years and was responsible for developing the curriculum. He was the Canadian New Media Awards Programmer of the Year in 2002 for his site www.danzen.com and has had extensive practice making Web applications. He uses a custom program called V-Bod to keep track of industry and student advisory boards. Several of the other custom applications he uses are Pigeon for newsletters, Slate for surveys, ExamLock for online exams, The Commentizer for study of programming code and The Alumnizer to keep track of Alumni.

"It is a great environment to test out tools and bring communication and efficiencies to Education. Thank you to Co-worker, Andrew Smyk, and all the students for providing feedback on usability."

SHERIDAN INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA

The Sheridan one year post-grad Interactive Multimedia Program lets students combine programming and design to make Web applications and tools; games and puzzles; artistic and experimental work; and simulations for education and entertainment. Graduates can do everything from audio visual and motion graphics to database communications and multi-user applications.

Applications to the program are accepted until the end of the summer. Successful applicants are accepted on a first come first serve basis. Please contact imm@sheridanc.on.ca or visit http://imm.sheridanc.on.ca for information on how to apply to this exciting and ever-changing field.