Digital Innovation and Educational Technology
From 2-6 May 2022, Nord University was pleased to host the CANOPY Partnership Meeting on Digital Innovation and Educational Technology in Bodø, Norway. This meeting brought together the new group of 14 CPG members from Canada and Norway for a week of networking and research activities related to this year’s theme. Within the group, Canada and Norway were each represented by seven members:
- one representative from university leadership
Dean of Faculty of Education and Arts Egil Solli’s welcome speech - two academic staff
- one local school teacher
- three teacher education students
The week began with enthusiastic greetings from Nord Faculty of Education and Arts Dean Egil Solli, CANOPY Project Manager Morten Edvardsen, and Queen’s University Faculty of Education Associate Dean Theodore Christou. Two full days were focused on the CANOPY Seminar in which each CPG member was responsible for leading an interactive session on the annual theme for the group. These sessions–covering topics such as Micro:bits, digital literacy tools, distance learning, and equity in access, among others–uncovered innovative synergies that were later re-visted during the closing collaboration period in which members began work on their cooperative dissemination strategies.
There were also several related field trips to local institutions, which offered CANOPY members insight into exciting local programs and initiatives in the areas of digitalization and educational technology. Such visits included: trips to the Newton Room at Hunstad Middle School and the Newton Flight Academy, an innovation meeting with the CEO of First Scandinavia, a visit with the Municipal School Office at Bodø City Hall, and a tour of the recently renovated Åspasen School, and a series of networking events for students and staff.
Newton Room and Newton Flight Academy
The Newton Room
The Newton Room at Hunstad Middle School is a joint learning arena for all schools in the municipality. They offer practical teaching in mathematics as well as science and technology based on the current curriculum. Teaching in a Newton Room is characterized by student activity and varied working methods. The visit to the Newton Room spurred discussion amongst the group members about the use of such technology and potential applications in countries around the world.
Newton Flight Academy
Newton Flight Academy is a classroom specially designed to provide pupils with aviation-related education, particularly in mathematics, using full-motion flight simulators. As there are three flight simulators, a visiting class is divided into three groups. The pupils in each group are then divided into pairs, working on one task each, resulting in gathering the information they need to fly a specific routing. The grand prize at the end is that they get to fly in the full-motion flight simulators! The CANOPY members were fortunate to try these simulators after engaging in extensive discussion about the potential learning aims that could be pursued at the academy.
The Municipal School Office at Bodø City Hall
Located in the heart of Bodø, the visiting CANOPY members had the opportunity to learn about schooling in Norway as well as the role of relevant educational structures at city hall. Following an informative presentation, members had the opportunity to ask questions about the inclusion of students with diverse needs, supports available to teachers, and the applications of educational technology across academic settings.
See more highlights of the CANOPY Partnership Week below!
