OISE Courses

This course is directed at those students who want a deeper historical understanding of the changing relationship between one of Canada's oldest institutions - the family - and the growth of the modern world in general, and the educational state in particular. Although Canadians usually associate the family with the personal and private aspects of their lives, the institution of the family has also been at the centre of Canada's economic, political and cultural structures for hundreds of years. This course will examine the changing and varied relations among many different kinds of parents, children, and the larger social formations within which they lived, with particular emphasis on the dynamic, often vexed, relationship between schooling and family life in the wider contexts of Canadian history.

This course provides an examination of how faith groups, often at odds with one another or the state, have shaped and continue to shape the Canadian school system, its organization, curriculum, and culture.

This course explores the changing dimensions of gender relations in Canada from the late 18th to the 20th century. It will examine selected social, cultural, economic, and political developments, shifting meanings of femininity and masculinity in these developments, and their effect on formal and informal forms of education.

This course will examine historical literature that looks at the different ways in which historical commemorations and historical memory have been forged, the hegemonic meanings of the past created by elites, and the contestation of those meanings by those often formally excluded from these processes: women, members of ethnic and racialized groups, and the working classes. We will look at areas such as state commemorations and the creation of 'tradition', the development of museums, historical tourism, and the designation of monuments and battlefields as sites of national memory. The course will conclude with an exploration of current debates over the place of 'history' in the schools and universities.

This course explores how immigration and immigration policy have shaped and continue to shape the Canadian social, economic, political, and linguistic reality with special reference to education. As schools are a primary place of encounter between immigrants and the Canadian receiving society, the class will examine the often-differing agenda of immigrants and educators hoping to meet the needs of immigrants and their children.

This course explores issues of ethnic and racial identity as factors influencing Canadian civic culture and the educational system in particular. Special attention will be paid to the changing nature of ethnicity in Canada and the social, linguistic, economic and political challenges ethnic and racial identity represent to keepers of the Canadian gate and educators in particular.

This course explores the ways in which gender relations have been an integral part of colonial and imperial expansion and national identities, from the mid-18th to the mid-20th centuries. We examine both how gender relations helped structure these historical developments and how gender relations were subject to change in various colonial contexts (including 'settler societies' such as Canada). The course readings explore the uneven and historically contingent ways in which processes of colonial and national expansion created new forms of gender asymmetry in both colony and metropole.

This course examines a range of themes in the history of education and popular culture, drawn primarily from nineteenth and twentieth-century Canadian history. Topics that will be covered include the impact of popular forms of amusement and education: theatre, tourism, public parades and festivals, and commercial exhibitions and museums. We also will explore the relationship of various levels of the state and of capitalism to popular culture and the relation of "high" culture to mass culture. This course will pay attention to the influences of gender, race and ethnicity, class, and sexuality in shaping and, at times, challenging, particular forms of popular culture.

Canadians, like other peoples around the world, have witnessed a breakdown in consensus about what history should be taught in schools, and a heightened awareness of the political nature of deciding whose history is, or should be, taught. Debates about what to teach, and how, are appearing as strands within larger discussions about the social and political meaning and purposes of history, and 'historical consciousness' is emerging in a wide range of cultural activities, from visiting museums to watching the History Channel. Adults and children alike seem to be seeking answers to questions of identity, meaning, community and nation in their study of the past. Students in this course will explore through readings and seminar discussions some of the complex meanings that our society gives to historical knowledge, with particular emphasis on the current debates about history teaching in Canadian schools, and the political and ethical issues involved. This course was previously listed under TPS1461 - "Special Topics in History: History Wars: Issues in Canadian History Education".

A seminar course required of all M.Ed. students in History of Education, normally taken at or near the beginning of each student's program. The course will both explore selected topics in educational history with special reference to historical research methods in use in the history of education and assist students in undertaking their major research paper.

An overview of the uses of computers in education and consideration of critical issues of those uses; recommended as a first course in this area. Current practice and research in the use of computers to guide instruction are examined. Includes aspects of computer-aided learning: computers in the schools, computer-managed instruction, computer assisted instruction, internet resources, computer mediated communication, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence applications. Specific topics change each year. It is strongly recommended that this course be taken early in the student's program.

This course examines the role that knowledge building can play in school and work settings. We will review the distinction between knowledge building and learning, analyze recent knowledge building literature, and discuss socio-cultural, logistical and design considerations when constructing an online Knowledge Building community. Students will visit and study existing Knowledge Building communities as one of the course assignments.

This course deals with the use of computers in schools as tools for students in curricula other than computer studies. The role that technology can play in school restructuring is examined. Also included is a discussion of issues related to teacher training and classroom implementation, and the ways in which technology applications can influence the curriculum content and process. The major emphasis is on determining the specific educational needs (of students, teachers, etc.) that computers can meet.

This course will examine the theory and research that underlies constructivist learning and its historical and philosophical roots. The educational applications that have developed out of these ideas, like problem based learning, collaborative learning and knowledge building will be explored in regards to how such concepts can inform and enhance the design of online environments and methods of teaching. We will look at different learning environments, both research projects and applications current in the field that instantiate various elements of these ideas.

A survey of the use of computers for human communication for educational purposes. Applications and issues of teaching and learning in the online environment, related to all levels of education, are examined. The course is conducted via OISE's computer conferencing system.

While many recognize that forms of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is increasingly infused in our everyday lives, AI’s role in education (K-12, higher education and corporate) is less clear. Some are predicting that AI will enhance teaching and learning by complimenting instructional and assessment practices through big data collection, machine learning and sophisticated prediction. Some see the promise of AI through the fulfillment of support roles such as through the use of chat-bots and intelligent tutors. Others are concerned about the impact of AI on educators and learners, particularly related to security/privacy and data collection, ambiguous decision making/inherent bias, job loss and loss of control. AI is showing promise in the area of research tools, too. In this course, we explore the implications of AI in education (AEID).

Included in the course is a discussion of related terminology and core concepts, the history and current state of AIED, practical considerations, current applications and future predictions about the impact of AI on the educational field.

The readings will focus on a variety of theoretical concepts and will explore the integration of and implications of AIED.

The key, overarching questions we’ll be considering in this course are: What definitions, terminology and core concepts of AI are important to understand as they relate to education? How do we stay current with AI developments in education? What are the implications of AI integration in education today and in the future?

This course examines current issues and applications of blended learning, where some learning is facilitated in a face-to-face environment and some is facilitated within a digital environment. Purposeful and pedagogically sound methods of digital teaching and learning in a blended learning environment are explored. This course examines applications and issues related to blended learning at all levels of education. Underlying this examination are the theoretical frameworks of constructivist learning and TPACK, and the issue of technology transience as it affects the design and incorporation of a digital learning environment. The digital tools available to facilitate blended learning are explored from the perspective of how such applications can support, inform and enhance the design of digital learning environments and methods of teaching. Included in the course is a discussion of related terminology, the current state and trends of blended learning, and future predictions about teaching in digital environments that facilitate blended learning. Assessment, competencies, Universal Design for Learning and inclusion in blended learning are also examined. The readings will focus on the theoretical ideas themselves, along with the integration of digital tools and instructional methods to support student learning in a blended learning environment. The key, overarching question we’ll be considering in this course is: In times of technology transience, how can we best support student learning in blended learning environments? In other words, how do we design blended learning opportunities in ways that reflect what we know about how people communicate and learn through digital interactions?

This course explores issues related to the use of social media in education contexts. There will be a particular focus on K-12 schools but the course will also examine the use of social media in higher education. Some of the topics that will be discussed include: popular social media tools and their application to teaching and learning, policies and practices related to integrating social media into classrooms, student safety in online environments, cyber bullying, elements of digital citizenship, e-professionalism and teachers as models of digital citizenship.

The course format will include a combination of whole class instruction, small group activities, and independent work.

This course examines the theoretical foundations of teaching and learning, and how that theory informs the design and delivery of online instruction. The course utilizes a textbook that is entitled, “How Learning Happens: Seminal Works in Educational Psychology and What They Mean in Practice” by Paul A. Kirschner and Carl Hendrick (2020). Kirschner and Hendrick’s book is organized around a set of 28 significant studies in educational psychology that illuminate different aspects of how learning takes place. Each week, students in this course will read one or two of these seminal articles and discuss its implications for online education.

This course involves a combination of theory and project design. Students will be introduced to key educational theories that inform how we design instructional media: cognitive load theory, dual coding theory, and Mayer’s Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. Using the ADDIE model as an overarching framework, this course will focus on techniques for designing and developing educational media, including how to make effective use of colour, text, audio, video and different interface elements (menus, buttons, icons, etc.). The course will also examine principles of accessibility and the University Design for Learning (UDL) standards, which students will incorporate in their final projects.

Formative and summative assessment are critical components of teaching and learning. This course introduces you to the theory and practice of assessing students online. Key topics include: a) the goals of assessment; b) systematic practices for the development of assessment instruments; c) the strengths and weaknesses of different online assessment instruments and their suitability for different instructional goals; d) how to effectively communicate online assessment criteria and procedures; and e) how to design online assessments to be fair, culturally-sensitive, equitable and effective. During the course, you will use an assortment of free web-based tools to develop, test, and refine assessment instruments of your own design. This course will explore assessment strategies both for use in elementary and / or secondary contexts and in adult education contexts.

This course deals with the appropriate use of immersive technology (virtual reality, augmented reality, 360° video, 3D learning environments) as it pertains to curricula and education. This course examines the novel role of immersive technology as tools for educators and students to engage, enhance, and extend curricula beyond conventional methods. Also included is a discussion of issues related to educational trends and initiatives, theoretical frameworks, as well as subject and classroom integration. The major emphasis is on assessing the specific academic context (of students, the teacher, the learning environment, and curriculum objectives) that immersive technology can address in an educational and safe manner. This course will consist of twelve (12) lessons which will offer a variety of study methodologies, approaches, and activities: online videoconferencing with lectures, small-group student discussions, and student-led tech insights. Student reflection exercises will be conducted via online peer feedback forms, academic readings, online discussion forums, and exploration of digital resources.

Instructional design is important aspect of education. Today, we see many job postings for instructional designers in both the education and the corporate sectors. This course aims to equip students with both the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to become a successful instructional designer in the 21st century. The course will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of instructional design using technology in flex-mode, and fully online delivery modes. Students will have the opportunity to apply their understanding of instructional design principles through the assessed learning experiences. Online discussions will explore current issues in instructional design, and assessed learning experiences will provide students with individual and collaborative opportunities to develop their instructional design skill set.