Category: EdTech Page 1 of 2

Well here we are, COVID-19 has sadly shutdown UVIC and we are carrying on with online classes and school work… Luckily, there are a number of computer-accessible platforms that can help students and professors to share information, finish assignments, and facilitate various forms of online discussions (whether those be written or oral through phone calls or programs like facetime and Zoom).

In this blog post, I am specifically discussing Zoom, as it is the program allowing this Technology class to continue. Zoom is a free video-conferencing application that is compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, hosts up to 100 participants, and features the following and more:

• HD video
• HD voice
• Active speaker view
• Fullscreen and gallery view
• Simultaneous screen sharing
• Virtual backgrounds
• Private and group chats
• Host controls
• Raise hand function
• Breakout rooms

There are Zoom plans that cost money and boast more exclusive features, but for this class’s purposes, the free version worked magically. Four or so groups used the screen sharing function to present slideshows on their inquiry, while the rest of us were able to mute ourselves, watch, and listen. There was also the option to turn off your camera so that you could hide your face while still observing and partaking actively in the discussion. I made use of this simply because I hadn’t showered or gotten ready for the day when we started the call and was still rocking some major bedhead. I am interested to see how using this program goes next week when it is my group’s turn to present and make use of the screen sharing function, so I’ll keep you updated!

In today’s class we were joined by a teacher from Colquitz Middle School and several of her students. They showed us how Minecraft can be used in schools as a way of enhancing students’ learning experiences and engaging classes that are hard to keep focused.

I was very skeptical of using Minecraft at first, but after the presentation, I understand why this teacher is so passionate about educational Minecraft. Traditional Minecraft has two modes (survival and creative), whereas EduMinecraft is a blend of the two and allows the teacher to control the students’ settings and controls. Through this program, teachers can teach math, language arts, science, history and culture, computer science, and art and design.

Here is a link to a website that provides Minecraft lessons plans for each of these subjects https://education.minecraft.net/class-resources/lessons/

Despite the clear benefits that Minecraft can have in an educational setting, I would still hesitate to implement this sort of technology in my own classroom because of its association with video games and its addictive aspect. In today’s world, children are surrounded by screens so often that it is important for them to learn to navigate technology; however, it is also important that they be taught ways to learn and entertain themselves without technology. For this reason, I’m not sure it would be my first choice as an educational tool, but I am happy to now have it in my tool belt in case I ever change my mind.

Today I experimented with ScreenCastify, a Chrome program that allows you to record your voice as well as your computer screen. This seems like a great educational resource as it allows teachers to share lessons and other materials outside of the classroom.

Once creating an account, I was able to navigate a simple recording fairly easily. The little ScreenCastify icon that appears at the top of your browser allows for quick access to this tool and makes it easy to record at any time. I decided to make a short clip using an elephant Gif I found (https://images.app.goo.gl/FzkpGH74qLdaRDFn9).

In the recording, which I have included at the bottom of this post, I prompted my hypothetical students to begin an inquiry into elephants. This topic is aimed towards a younger group of children, as the students are simply asked to note what they know about elephants, what they see in the Gif, as well as what they wonder or would like to know about elephants in the future.

This clip would be the provocation for a small unit on elephants!

The biggest wish I have for my video is better audio quality. I’m not sure whether the poor sound is due to the program, the quality of my laptop’s microphone, or the amount of noise in the classroom around me, but either way, if I were to use this tool in my class, I would attempt to better this aspect of my videos.

The field trip to George Jay Elementary School was both authentic and memorable as it gave us a real-life peek into the life of a practicing teacher. Rebecca Bathurst shared a number of ways in which she implements unique philosophies — such as Inquiry-based learning, flexible seating, and the Reggio Emilia approach — into her own teaching.

I loved the layout of her classroom, as it incorporated a lot of student work and it boasted an open, welcoming space for students to learn and explore their interests. I initially wondered how a teacher could conduct an inquiry-based approach to learning with such a young group of students, but Rebecca’s style of teaching goes to show how much of education relies on scaffolding knowledge and that the primary steps of this should be started young.

She showed us her “teaching heart” which emphasizes connected learning, visible learning, seamless tech, celebration, relationships, learner interest, and inquiry-based. I had never seen a teacher make something like this, but it made me consider what might go into my own if I were to make one… Student-Choice? Inclusivity??  I feel like there are too many core values I would want to include as of present, but after a few years of teaching, I think it is a great idea to narrow down a couple of key principles to uphold.

Today we went through some of the basic editing tools in iMovie. I edited a short clip I took in grade 12 and came up with this as my final product!

In this 15 second video, I made a title, split the clip, added three transitions, used slow motion, and inserted a sound effect.

Peer assessment (while beneficial in many ways) can be a daunting experience for many people. It requires students to open up to their classmates and be vulnerable to others’ thoughts, judgments, critiques, and praise.

Personally, I don’t mind peer assessment if I am allowed to choose who is assessing me, but being paired with someone  I may not be totally comfortable with, often makes me feel self-conscious and nervous. I know from conversations with my friends that this feeling is shared by others.

Before a teacher implements peer assessment, I think that they should have a conversation with the class about respect and consideration for others’ insecurities. Even a brief conversation surrounding this can help put people’s concerns at ease, evoke more constructive feedback, and create an environment that fosters positive communication and trust.

For this class, I feel that peer assessment can be very helpful since my peers can look over my work with fresh eyes, and even relate their own work to mine. This allows us to contrast and compare different ideas and approaches to writing and website design.

After a little group inquiry into iMovie, here’s what we found!

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iMovie Features 

• Make a trailer or movie                                          
• Choose themes                                                     
• Add photos or video clips from your device      
• Rearrange clips 
• Can extend or shorten clips 
• Add voice over
• Delete audio from clips
• Add audio clips
• Add transitions 
• Text and titles 
• Import music from Itunes (be aware of copyright)
• Add audio clips from the application 
• Export to many places/ in many formats

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Examples Of iMovie Implemented In The Classroom

• Book trailers (an alternative to book report projects 
• News Report (current events)
• Interviews (ex: family or community) 
• Documenting experiences through clips they filmed during the experience (ex. Thoughts on a field trip)

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Benefits Of iMovie

• Multimodal ways of sharing knowledge – videos, pictures, audio and words
• Interesting to kids, spices up their lives !!
• Teaches photography/ video skills 
• Allows students to document experiences, which, in turn, can help teachers see the world through their eyes
• Students can work individually or collaboratively

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Drawbacks of iMovie

• The trailer format doesn’t leave a ton of room for creativity in terms of videos editing, which means projects can be completed quickly but will be relatively formulaic 
• Students experiencing technical difficulties may get easily frustrated and unmotivated 
• Not all students enjoy performing/ acting and may feel uncomfortable showing their video trailers to their classmates 

This field trip was such a unique experience!

Learning about the inquiry-based educational system was both intriguing and enlightening. Although I still have a lot of questions about how the school fully functions, the Principal, Jeff Hopkin, did an amazing job sharing some of the school’s main goals, principles, and methods. He was so visibly passionate about the school and clearly believes in its ability to better children’s education.

I found it intriguing to see how affordably budgeted the school is, how personalized all the students could make their learning plans, as well as how the teachers’ role within the school differs from regular schools. Coming from a traditional public school background, I was intrigued by the approaches used here and the different standards they attributed to education.

One of the students working near our presentation shared her views on public school teaching and described how PSII had embraced her learning styles and adapted to her needs in ways that other schools never had. It was neat to hear firsthand how the school was benefitting its students; however, I still wonder how PSII ensures all of its pupils are on task, achieving their learning goals in a timely fashion, covering all of the curriculum competencies that BC’s Ministry of Education requires, as well as how students with diverse abilities and needs are accommodated in the school – seeing as there didn’t appear to be any extra teachers or student assistants.

All in all, I had a great time here and would love to further explore the notion of inquiry in education.

Inquiry-based learning, like any concept ever, has both advantages and drawbacks.

I think a large part of what makes this learning approach successful or not is whether or not students are given the opportunity to study a topic of their own choosing. By exploring a question or problem that they find interesting helps to maintain motivation and engagement, which, more often than not, results in more in-depth, quality work than a teacher-chosen topic would.

In my experience, if a teacher is going to integrate an inquiry-based project into their curriculum, a level of trust between the teacher and students needs to already exist. Inquiry requires students to be somewhat self-directed and to be confident in their ability to acquire knowledge without direct teacher guidance.

This is definitely not a traditional approach to learning, and similarly, requires teachers to utilize less traditional methods of assessment. With inquiry, right and wrong is less evident than it may be on something such as a multiple-choice test and involves more interactive and thoughtful reflection towards the content found, the student’s efforts, and the processes used to support their learning.

All in all, I really enjoy inquiry-based learning, but it is definitely a method that requires both the student and teacher alike to be engaged and to fully invest themselves in the process.  ✍🏼 ✍🏼

Wow… looking over the website now, I’m not sure why this was such a difficult process, but I found Trello’s set up a little overwhelming. I appreciated how quickly the confirmation email that allows you to begin creating your account came, but the number of options to explore and tricks to discover was a bit of an overload. In hindsight, this was definitely my own fault as I tried to take in so much at once.

After I began to adjust to the website and set up my own personal lists and cards, I started to feel motivated by the sense of organization I gained. Trello allowed me to create checklists which I intend to use to stay up to date on projects and deadlines. It also features a way to share boards and posts with peers – a super beneficial element for the group inquiry we are starting in this class.

Right now, this is what my board looks like and I only expect it to grow from here!