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CCL is pleased to announce that it has agreed to fund the following research projects on the theme of Structured Learning.
Project Title: Exploring Three Non-Completion Factors at Fanshawe College Project Lead: Fisher, Roger Institution: Fanshawe College Report: Factors Affecting Attrition at a Canadian College View project description »
Project Title: Improving Student Success: Predicting the At-Risk Status of Males and Students with Disabilities Project Lead: Jorgensen, Shirley Institution: Dawson College Report: Improving Student Success: Predicting the At-Risk Status of Males and Students with Disabilities View project description »
The objective of this research is to develop models that can predict attrition and poor academic achievement from characteristics of students on entry to college, with special attention being paid to male under-achievement and students with disabilities. This longitudinal study will evaluate high school grades and psycho-social and study skill factors obtained through surveying students at admission. Students who drop out will be mailed a measure that assesses their reasons for leaving and random samples will participate in focus groups. The models developed will allow early intervention with services tailored for those at greatest risk, allowing resources to be allocated more effectively.
Project Title: Historical Literacy in 21st Century Ontario: An Experimental Research Using the Virtual Historian Project Lead: Levesque, Stephane Institution: University of Ottawa Report: Historical Literacy in 21st Century Ontario: An Experimental Research Using the Virtual Historian View project description »
Based on constructivist epistemology, the goal of this experimental study is to investigate the role and impact of digital technology (the Virtual Historian) on Ontario high school students’ historical literacy and reasoning about complex issues in Canadian history. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to examine: (1) whether students’ experience of the Virtual Historian facilitates their understanding of a key episode in Canadian history (World War II and Dieppe Raid); and (2) whether students’ historical learning with the Virtual Historian improves their knowledge of the discipline and literacy skills.
Project Title: Increasing Academic Performance and Retention in Undergraduate Mathematics Students: An Achievement Motivation Intervention Project Lead: Muis, Krista R. Institution: McGill University Report: Increasing Academic Performance and Retention in Undergraduate Science Students: An Achievement Motivation Intervention View project description »
The purpose of this research is to address achievement and retention issues at the undergraduate level of education. I will examine whether manipulating classroom goal structures increases students’ personal achievement goals, motivation, cognitive engagement, achievement, and retention in the context of first-year undergraduate mathematics classes. I propose to conduct a repeated-measures quasi-experimental with control group design whereby classroom goal structures will be manipulated to reflect a mastery goal, performance approach goal, and combined mastery/performance approach classroom goal structure. I predict that students in the combined classroom goal structure condition will have the greatest benefit across all dependent measures.
Project Title: Fostering Metahistorical Knowledge in Canadian History Learning: Developing Innovative Methods for Enhancing and Assessing Students' Understanding of History Project Lead: O'Neill, Kevin Institution: Simon Fraser University Report: Fostering Metahistorical Knowledge in Canadian History Learning: Developing Innovative Methods for Enhancing and Assessing Students' Understanding of History View project description »
This project investigates a new way to teach students about the nature of history. The Internet provides many resources for historical study, but teachers find it difficult to use these without significant pedagogical support. In this research, students will complete assignments designed to parallel how historians work, with guidance from volunteer history “telementors” provided online. Students are expected to develop improved metahistorical understandings while they cover mandated high school curriculum. To assess outcomes, the research team will establish treatment and comparison-group classrooms, which they will compare with respect to provincial exam scores, as well as on learning measures refined together with CCL.
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Project Title: Understanding the Nature of Science and Scientific Progress: A Theory-Building Approach Project Lead: Scardamalia, Marlene Institution: University of Toronto/Ontario Institute for Studies in Education Report: Understanding the Nature of Science and Scientific Progress: A Theory-Building Approach View project description »
Research indicates students have little inkling of science as a creative, idea-driven enterprise that creates new knowledge. This project tackles students’ understanding of the nature of science and scientific progress and explores the potential of a theory-building approach, Knowledge Building. Science classrooms following commonly recognized “best practice” will be compared with knowledge building classrooms focused on theory creation and students taking collective responsibility for idea improvement. A strong theory-building approach, with epistemological reflection, is expected to elevate students’ understanding of the nature of science and scientific progress beyond inquiry approaches that lack a framework for theory creation and idea improvement.
Project Title: Invented spelling: An intervention strategy for kindergarten Project Lead: Sénéchal, Monique & Ouellette, Gene Institution: Carleton University & Mount Allison University Report: Invented spelling: An intervention strategy for kindergarten View project description »
The goal of this research is the prevention, through better instruction, of early reading difficulties, and the social and affective problems that frequently accompany them. The research will test whether entry into reading is facilitated when young non-readers explore sound-to-letter associations through spelling. Many young children attempt to capture speech with their limited knowledge of the alphabet. For example, a young child may spell the word rough as rf. We argue that these explorations with the written code facilitate reading acquisition. Our initial work with normally-developing kindergartners supports this view. In the proposed work, we extend this work to children at-risk of reading failure.
Project Title: Do Electronic Portfolios Help Students Learn? Project Lead: Abrami, Philip Institution: Concordia University Amount funded by CCL: $70,000 Report: Encouraging Self-regulated Learning through Electronic Portfolios, July 2008 (PDF 593 KB) Summary: Encouraging Self-regulated Learning through Electronic Portfolios July 2008 (PDF 341 KB)
Project Title: Intégrer les données probantes dans les pratiques éducatives des intervenants scolaires Project Lead: Dagenais, Christian Institution: Centre de liaison sur l’intervention et la prévention psychosociales Amount funded by CCL: $70,000 Report: Integrating research-based information into the professional practices by teachers and school administrators: Towards a knowledge transfer model adapted to the educational environment
Project Title: Evaluating the Impact of Learning Objects on Classroom Learning Project Lead: Kay, Robin Institution: University of Ontario Institute of Technology Amount funded by CCL: $70,000 Report: Examining the Impact of Learning Objects in Secondary School April 2008 (PDF 540 KB) Summary: Examining the Impact of Learning Objects in Secondary School April 2008 (PDF 134 KB)
Project Title: Reading Research Phase III Project Lead: McMillan, Brian Institution: Holland College Amount funded by CCL: $70,000 Report: A Comparative Study of Small Group Classroom Literacy Instruction and Computer-based Literacy Instruction on the Success of Adult Learners in GED Preparation: A Province-wide Intervention
Project Title: Preparing Children for Grade One: A Study of Emergent Literacy Project Lead: McNamara, John Institution: Brock University Amount funded by CCL: $84,000 Report: Preparing Children for Grade One: A Study of Emergent Literacy
Project Title: Bridging the Gap: Dissemination of curriculum for patterns and early algebra Project Lead: Moss, Joan Institution: OISE, University of Toronto Report: Bridging the Research/Practice Gap: Planning for Large-scale Dissemination of a New Curriculum for Patterning and Algebra Amount funded by CCL: $70,000
Project Title: L'Internet et les musées virtuels du Canada Project Lead: Paquin, Maryse Institution: Université d'Ottawa Amount funded by CCL: $70,000 Report: L’intégration de l’utilisation des objets d’apprentissage des musées virtuels du Canada chez les enseignants francophones de l’élémentaire et du secondaire : Une recherche pan-canadienne
Project Title: Educational Planning and Preparation in Vulnerable Families Project Lead: Sweet, Robert Institution: Lakehead University Amount funded by CCL: $20,000 Report: Managing the home learning environment: Parents, Adolescents, and the Homework Problem
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