The 3E framework assists teachers with the practical implementation of technology in their classes. It is based on a continuum which includes the following elements:
- Enhance - Adopting technology in simple and effective ways to actively support students and increase their activity and self-responsibility.
- Extend - Further use of technology that facilitates key aspects of student’s individual and collaborative learning and assessment through increasing their choice and control.
- Empower - Developed use of technology that requires higher order individual and collaborative learning that reflects how knowledge is created and used in the professional environment.
The examples provided in the USask version of the 3E learning technologies framework include the six key components of our digital information literacy initiative.
6 Components of Digital Information Literacy:
S - Searchers - Strategically searching for information
Com - Communicators - Sharing information that you have collected, evaluated and / or created
Cur - Curators - Collecting, organizing, and managing information
Col - Collaborators - Working with others to evaluate, manage, create, and build upon information
Cre - Creators - Creating new or building upon existing information
Con - Consumers - Consuming information after evaluating for accuracy, bias, credibility, and other factors
Essays / Research Papers
Enhance
Student Example
Students will search for and collect initial information for their essay. Students will post a list of initial resources in Canvas by the end of the week.
SConCur
Instructor Example
Instructor will create a series of short weekly announcements in Canvas that tells students where you expect them to be in the essay research/writing process by the end of that week.
Extend
Student Example
Students will provide peer feedback to each other via Canvas.
Com
Instructor Example
Instructor will create short 4-to-5 item self-check quiz on a particular topic that ‘releases’ an example of a good essay on successful completion.
Instructor will provide online spaces for formative tutor and peer review of drafts.
Empower
Student Example
Students will engage critically and directly with the public knowledge base in their area by writing accurate scholarly pieces for online sources like Wikipedia, or improve existing or contribute to new open educational resources.
ComCurCreCon
Instructor Example
Instructor will access existing supports at USask to assist students growth in digital information literacy and arrange for access to appropriate public forum(s) for student contributions.
Student Group-work
Enhance
Student Example
Students create and post summaries of the work they have completed that week, increasing accountability, but also potentially greater understanding of the group work.
CreCom
Instructor Example
Instructor will set up groups in Canvas to make the group work more manageable and ‘visible’. Groups will be instructed to post a weekly update of progress to a private discussion board visible to only the group and the instructor/TA.
Extend
Student Example
Students produce content that can be shared with others in the class for formative feedback, but also built upon in future terms.
CreCom
Instructor Example
Instructor will set up collaborative documents for the authoring of group reports to aid version control, provide a space for formative feedback, and be able to see the pattern of individual student’s contributions.
Empower
Student Example
Students work as a team to create work that can be shared publicly for others to learn from and potentially help their local community. For example, students in any of the health related fields create a website or paper handout about a local health issue.
ConColCre
Instructor Example
Instructor adds the course’s group project to Riipen (before the start of the term) and finds a real-world organization (industry partner) looking for the type of outputs the students create (e.g., business analysis, data analysis, report, etc.). The groups create artifacts that facilitate their learning and provide value to the organization(s).
Lectures
Enhance
Student Example
Students access the questions before class to focus their learning during class. After class, student review and reflect on the questions.
Con
Instructor Example
Instructor will, prior to class in Canvas, post a set of self-assessment questions that relate to the upcoming lecture topic.
Extend
Student Example
Students respond to questions on their web-enabled devices throughout class and receive immediate feedback from the instructor.
Con
Instructor Example
Instructor will, using a web-based student response system, pose questions to students to assess their learning. Display and discuss cumulative results.
Empower
Student Example
Students respond to questions that require them to apply and synthesize recently learned concepts to a new problem. After seeing poll results, students try to convince their classmates of their reasoning.
ConCom
Instructor Example
Instructor will, during class a web-based student responce system, pose questions that require students to apply and synthesize their learning. After showing initial poll results, provide the opportunity for students to debate and convince their classmates. Re-poll.
Student Presentations
Enhance
Student Example
Students integrate the use of a web-based student response system, such as TopHat as part of their presentation to the class. This enhances the presentation by providing feedback to the presenters and to the other students.
ComCre
Instructor Example
Instructor provides guidelines for the presentation and includes the use of a student response system, as part of the student presentations.
Extend
Student Example
Students create video presentations that can be shared with students in future course offerings. Students can create their videos using Panopto or upload their completed files to Panopto.
ComCre
Instructor Example
Instructor provides students with the opportunity to create a video presentation in lieu of an in-class presentation. The instructor sets up a location for students to submit their videos, such as a shared assignment folder in Panopto or a discussion forum.
Empower
Student Example
Students create videos or podcasts, which can be shared publicly as part of a collection for future students and the general public to learn from.
ComCre
Instructor Example
Instructor provides students with the opportunity to create a video presentation or a podcast in lieu of an in-class presentation. The presentations are then compiled as part of a public collection.
Posters / Infographics
Enhance
Student Example
Students use appropriate tools to create posters/infographics to share their work with their instructor, classmates, and for possible display on campus.
CreCom
Instructor Example
Instructors provide students with links to online resources and in-person support to learn how to use applications to design posters and infographics.
Extend
Student Example
Students share the learning materials that they create either with students within the course, through a repository available to future students in the course, or openly available to learners outside of the course.
ComCre
Instructor Example
Instructors provide students with either a common site for posting the digital files or a directory of links to student-created posters/infographics.
Empower
Student Example
Students build upon existing openly licensed learning materials created by students in previous offerings of the course or from other sources to improve upon those materials or create new learning resources.
SComCurCol
Instructor Example
Instructors provide students with the opportunity to build upon existing openly licensed learning resources, including those created by previous students, to create new materials.
Blogs / Editorials
Enhance
Student Example
Students compose blog posts related to the content covered in the course and share them privately within an ePortfolio tool. Students will also comment on the posts of others in the course.
Com
Instructor Example
Instructors provide students with summaries of content covered in class including questions to consider on a course blog (allowing people from outside of the class to learn as well, and maybe even contribute to the conversation, by making comments on blogs done in an ePortfolio, enabled by students sharing links).
Extend
Student Example
Students compose blog posts related to the content covered in the course and share them through a class blog run by the instructor. Students will also comment on the posts of others in the course.
CreCom
Instructor Example
Instructor creates and manages a course blog for sharing student work.
Empower
Student Example
Students create individual blogs where they can add posts related to the course content, as well as other writings and reflections they wish to share with others. Students will also comment on the posts of others in the course.
CreCom
Instructor Example
Instructor creates a webpage or blog to act as a hub for connecting individual student blogs related to the course content.
Student Created Questions / Self-testing
Enhance
Student Example
Students create potential exam questions and submit them to the instructor as an assignment in Canvas.
Cre
Instructor Example
Instructor creates an assignment and provides guidelines for students to create potential exam questions. Set up the assignment for students to submit electronically in Canvas.
Extend
Student Example
Students create potential exam questions and post them in a discussion forum, blog, or shared document for the rest of the class to use as a study aid.
ComCre
Instructor Example
Instructor creates an assignment and provides guidelines for students to create and share potential exam questions. Set up a discussion forum or other method for students to share the questions.
Empower
Student Example
Students create exam potential exam questions and post them in a discussion forum, blog, or shared document for the rest of the class to comment on, revise, and use as a study aid. Some of the questions will be chosen to be included in the exam.
ComColCre
Instructor Example
Instructor creates an assignment and provides guidelines for students to create and share potential exam questions. Set up a discussion forum or other method for students to share the questions. When creating exams, select some of these questions.
Tutorials
Enhance
Student Example
Students begin exploration of case studies prior to the tutorial in smaller groups, with the Perusall integration in Canvas.
Con
Instructor Example
Instructor will provide access to online case studies through Perusall integration in Canvas for students to explore ahead of discussion in class.
Extend
Student Example
Students work individually or in pairs in sourcing relevant case studies to be shared online (via a discussion board, or shared document) prior to a tutorial.
SComColCur
Instructor Example
Provide guidelines for what makes a relevant case study. Set up submission details and location, such as a discussion board, shared document or social bookmarking site. During the tutorial, explore the submitted cases.
Empower
Student Example
Students work individually or in small groups to produce an online case study on an allocated topic. Present the case to the class for face-to-face or online discussion.
CurColCre
Instructor Example
Provide guidelines for what makes a relevant case study and assign topics. Set up submission details and location, such as a discussion board, to allow the entire class to read it.
Seminars
Enhance
Student Example
Students post comments and questions related to the week’s seminar on an online discussion board.
Com
Instructor Example
Instructor provides a discussion board for students to post follow-up comments and questions related to that week’s seminar. These comments and questions can be reviewed in person during the first part of the next week’s lecture.
Extend
Student Example
Students (in pairs or small groups) produce a summary of the seminar and a follow-up question. These are posted to an online discussion board. All students then participate in a discussion around the follow-up question either in the discussion forum, shared document, or using Perusall.
ComCol
Instructor Example
Instructor encourages more engagement in seminars by having one group of students produce a summary of that week’s seminar. The instructor provides guidelines for the summary and posts the group’s summary and question in Perusall for students to read and annotate.
Empower
Student Example
Students (in pairs or small groups) design and lead online seminars. The seminars could be synchronous or asynchronous. Other students could be responsible for providing a summary and follow-up questions.
ComCol
Instructor Example
Instructor has student groups design and lead online seminars for particular units. Guidelines, on the topic and format, and the online technology are provided by the instructor. Synchronous seminars could be done using a tool, such as Zoom. Asynchronous could take place on a discussion board.
Finding and Curating Resources
Enhance
Student Example
Students collect resources, evaluate, store, and annotate them in a private folder or note-taking tool such as OneNote, sharing either a final list or certain key resources with the instructor and other learners through Canvas.
SComCur
Instructor Example
Instructor shares resources related to the course that they have curated and annotated. The resources can be shared via email, posted in Canvas, or using a different online tool.
Instructor creates guidelines for the types of resources students should be searching and how to annotate those resources.
Extend
Student Example
Students collect resources, evaluate, store, and annotate them in a shared OneDrive folder, note-taking tool such as OneNote, or through a private group within a social bookmarking tool such as Diigo.
SComCur
Instructor Example
Instructor creates a shared folder or private group where they and students can share curated and annotated resources related to the course with learners within the course. These could also be available to those same learners even after the course is over. This could be set up using a social bookmarking tool, such as Diigo.
Empower
Student Example
Students collect resources, evaluate, store, and annotate them using a note-taking tool such as OneNote, a social bookmarking tool such as Diigo, or a collaborative document such as MS Word.
SComCur
Instructor Example
Instructor creates a public folder or group where they and students can share curated and annotated resources related to the course with learners within and outside of the course. This could be set up using a social bookmarking tool, such as Diigo. Or the instructor could set this up using a collaborative document, such as an Office 365 or a Google doc.
Engaging with Guest Experts
Enhance
Student Example
Students read and explore the provided resources to prepare for a guest speaker who may be joining the class via Zoom.
S
Instructor Example
Instructor provides links to the websites of relevant professional groups and the private websites or blogs of noted experts in the field for exploration online and as part of class activities.
Extend
Student Example
Students read and annotate (i.e., add comments, ask questions, discuss) an article from the guest presenter asynchronously to prepare for the presenter.
Com
Instructor Example
Instructor arranges online guest expert sessions via a video-conferencing tool, such as Zoom or Skype.
Empower
Student Example
Students connect with or interview an expert in the field via video-conferencing tools, such as Zoom or Skype, and report back the relevant findings to the class on a collaborative document.
ComCol
Instructor Example
Instructor provides links to the websites of relevant professional groups and noted experts in the field. Provide a brief tutorial on video-conferencing tools. Set up a class document to collect the student findings.
Laboratory or Field Work
Enhance
Student Example
Students view the provided tutorial resources on their own time and complete the self-tests.
Con
Instructor Example
Provide links to video or narrated visual tutorials of safe laboratory and field work procedure as a means to prepare effectively. Provide short online self-tests to help students gauge their readiness for practice.
Extend
Student Example
Students participate in lab and field work and complete activities that utilize mobile applications. This could include using their phones to record and submit videos.
Com
Instructor Example
Increase engagement in lab and field work by including the use of mobile applications including:- QR codes for ‘point of use’ information and explanation of equipment and field samples
- personal technologies such as cameras, video and mobile phones to record lab and field work
- applications which employ GPS and ‘pin drop’ features to record locations
Empower
Student Example
Students work in small groups to prepare a ‘virtual field trip’ or ‘virtual lab tour’ that will bring together a range of relevant resources (e.g. documents, websites, video clips) that can be assessed as an output of their lab or field work and used as a learning artefact for future students on the same module.
ComColCre
Instructor Example
Have students work in small groups to prepare a ‘virtual field trip’ or ‘virtual lab tour’. Provide guidelines for the assignment and clear submission details that will allow the artefacts to be shared with future students.
Undergraduate Research
Enhance
Student Example
Students share their research with others in the class through online discussions and links to their work.
SCurComCre
Instructor Example
Instructor sets up a location for students to share their research outputs. This could be a discussion board.
Extend
Student Example
Students are given the option to share their research through a variety of technologies including video, podcast, poster, or other tools appropriate for disseminating the results.
SCurComCre
Instructor Example
Instructor provides assignment guidelines that allow students to share research in a wide variety of formats.
Empower
Student Example
Students contribute research to a shared, collaborative resource such as a blog or open textbook so that learners in future iterations of the course may benefit and build upon the research.
SCurComCreCol
Students make connections with experts in the field to improve their research. The connections are made using communication technologies, such as email, social media, phone, or Zoom.
SCurComCre
Instructor Example
Instructors provides assignment guidelines that allow students to create research artifacts that contribute to collaborative resources, such as a blog or open textbook.
Instructor facilitates student-researchers making connections with other experts in the field. Set up online opportunities for the students to connect with these experts via email, social media, phone, or Zoom.
Online Discussions
Enhance
Student Example
Students facilitate the online discussions, initially using the questions provided by the instructor, but building on the answers from other students.
Com
Instructor Example
Instructor provides students with the questions they will need to answer as well as guidelines for the expectations for students to facilitate and contribute to the online discussions. Instructors engage in the discussions as they see appropriate.
Extend
Student Example
Students take turns creating questions relevant to the course content and facilitating the online discussions. Students self-assess their contributions to the discussions and how they supported other students’ learning.
ComCre
Instructor Example
Instructor provides students with guidelines related to the expectations for question creation, discussion facilitation, and student contributions to the discussion. Instructor can provide a rubric in Canvas to guide students’ self-assessment.
Empower
Student Example
Students work in a collaborative document to discuss the assigned topic.
ComColCre
Instructor Example
Instructor provides provides access to the shared document and provides any facilitation necessary for the discussion.
Reflection
Enhance
Student Example
Students will write or create video or audio reflections to be shared digitally with the instructor.
ComCre
Instructor Example
Instructor will write or create video or audio reflections about their teaching or research to share their practices privately with students in the course to serve as a model for student reflection.
Extend
Student Example
Students will write or create video or audio reflections to be shared digitally with the instructor, others in the class, and possibly outside mentors via discussion boards or through an ePortfolio tool. Students will also respond to the reflections of others in the class. Students are given a choice of individual, paired or triad reflections.
ComCreCon
Instructor Example
Instructor will write or create video or audio reflections about their teaching or research to share their practices for feedback, for others to learn, and to serve as a model for student reflection.
Empower
Student Example
Students will write reflections to be shared publicly through an ePortfolio tool or blog. Students will also respond to the reflections of others in the class.
ComCreCon
Instructor Example
Instructors will create a public site where student and instructor reflections can be shared with others within and outside of the course.
This work is a derivative of work by Keith Smyth, Stephen Bruce, Julia Fotheringham and Chirstina Mainka of Edinburgh Napier University and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Getting Help
Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning
The GMCTL can provide consultation and advice if you would like to incorporate learning technologies into your teaching practice.
Information and Communication Technologies
ICT provides technologies support for the various e-learning tools available on campus.
Media Production
Provides support and service in media development and capture for teaching, research, and events.