Creating an effective learning environment for a secondary school photography course

Rapid advances in the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have directly impacted education and learning. A previous focus on lower-order thinking skills, such as memorization, repetition, and basic comprehension have given way to the much more useful higher-order skills of critical and creative thinking, elaboration, and evaluation. Educators have focused on of 21st century learning environments in efforts to try new and innovative approaches to their teaching. This major project involves the creation of an online photography course as the direct result of searching for ways to increase student engagement by creating a 21st century learning environment where students are at the centre of their learning, take ownership of their learning and are actively engaged in their learning. The exploration of how to increase student engagement has led to an investigation into current research on learning, potential benefits of online learning and the design of effective learning environments. My efforts to address the changes in how and what students learn will hopefully help instill in them a sense of life-long learning and a love of photography.