"Behaviorist models of learning have proved inefficient and constructive approaches to learning have been recognized as appropriate approach for contemporary pedagogy. Collaborative models of learning must be accepted as the principal for any new learning environment."
Dr. Leo Pekkala Faculty of Education University of Lapland

The Communications Research Centre in conjunction with the National Reseach Council, both of which are Canadian government-funded research bodies, have developed a broadband interactive virtual learning facility entitled the VirtualClassroom Program. The facility allows students and their teachers from across Canada to collaborate with students in other countries on learning projects that address global issues. To date, Canada has linked with Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Russia, Hong Kong, Finland, United States, Italy, and Singapore. Students sitting in a classroom in one country simultaneously are able to see and interact with students in other countries by the use of video cameras, computers, and high-speed, broadband transmission of voice and visuals. They are, virtually, in the same classroom, together at the same time, discussing the same issues.

(For examples of past encounters, and information about future encounters, select Past Encounters or Future Encounters from the submenu at the top of this page.)

Rationale

Geoff Irvine leads an encounter in the CRC BADLab.

Our collective challenge is to research, influence and manage the migration from traditional pedagogically and didactically poor learning environment solutions to new collaborative models of learning. Over the last 4 years The CRC/NRC VirtualClassroom program has continued to research and develop a broadband enabled learning environment to provide the opportunity for K-12 students and their teachers to engage in synchronous and asynchronous collaborative learning. Students and their teachers from across Canada, Europe and Singapore have been provided with access to broadband tools and applications to collaborate in a series of broadband project-based learning activities.

Participating students and their teachers have expressed the need to incorporate broadband tools on a regular basis into their daily learning activities. With K-12 schools expanding their access to broadband tools, our goal is to move from proof of concept demonstrations to providing students with on demand access to these tools for collaborative problem solving and knowledge building with other students across Canada and the world.

Our initial work suggests that broadband tools and applications provide an expanded and engaging collaborative space for constructive approaches to learning. However further research and evaluation is required to refine the management process to create functional interdependence amongst distributed student teams. Using technology to connect "brains to brains" to cultivate individual and collective intelligence requires careful design of the whole learning environment. Broadband collaborative space for learning includes not only reorganization of physical environment but also the reorganization of mental learning space of all participants of the learning process.

Research and Evaluation

The CRC/NRC VirtualClassroom broadband test bed and virtual encounters will serve to research and evaluate the pedagogical and technical requirements to develop and sustain a broadband enabled learning environment for student learning. Dr. Marion Barfurth, of the University of Ottawa will lead the pedagogical and virtual community research and evaluation of the program. Research and evaluation of Infrastructure requirements will be lead by Michel Savoie, Manager of the CRC Broadband Applications Development Lab. Dr. Martin Brooks of the National Research Council and Dr. Thom Whalen of CRC will lead the software and video mediated learning research and evaluation components. The program's research policy and research ethics approval forms will be provided to all participants for their approval. Research and evaluation results will be made available to all members contributing to the research and evaluation component of the program.