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| Crisitanduque. (2013) Photopeach logo [Online Photo] retrieved from https://www.flickr. com/photos/93177271@N07/8535317956/in/ photolist-cgkwDw-e1eJEq- |
Monday, 17 October 2016
PhotoPeach: Learning Object
I chose to explore ‘PhotoPeach’ as a digital tool that I could potentially use within the classroom. It was advertised to be an easy medium to create rich slideshows filled with pictures and accompanying music. I found that it was an easy tool to use, however it was als
o quite basic. There were no real opportunities to add dialogue within the slideshow, titles or subtitles to accompany the slides, and there were no options to add citations. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to allow or encourage my students to use this website.When asked to upload photos there were only three options; facebook, picasa, or from the files on your computer. In order to make this tool more efficient, there should have been more options where you could be directed to creative commons licensing websites such as Flickr in order to avoid obtaining copyright photos. This tool would be perfect for personal photos you wish to display, but for academic purposes I found this tool was lacking. Despite its drawbacks, there are some positive aspects of this tool. You have the option of sharing your slideshow with a multitude of platforms, including facebook, blogs, twitter, myspace and so on which can be very useful, and it remains a unique feature of this website compared to other presentation software. As a recommendation for educators who intend to use PhotoPeach, it can be a wonderful way to share visuals but it should be coupled with supplementary information (written text), if used academically. Below I have included an exemplar of a slideshow you can make with this digital tool entitled 'Flowers'.
Friday, 9 September 2016
Copyright: What is it, and why does it matter?
 |
| We are in a digital age
Jacober,
W. (2011, August 11). Matrix. [Online Image]
jacober/14146317398/in/photolist-ny4zj7-
|
‘What
is copyright’, and ‘why does in matter in an educational setting’ are some of
the questions I had asked myself before writing this post, and I would like to
share with you some of the answers that I have found! Original, tangible work
is protected by copyright which ensures intellectual property rights, or the
right to use that work to the creator (Figg, 2013). Rudimentary copyright law
dictates that copying, distributing, performing, displaying or adapting digital
media is prohibited, unless permission is obtained. However, given the range of
multimedia available, and the need for these resources copyright also invokes a
‘fair dealings’ law in Canada which dictates that if these resources are used
for private study, research, criticism, review, or news reporting it is not
considered an infringement of copyright (Figg, 2013).
So
what does this mean for Canadian educators? In a nutshell, you may not show a
video without first acquiring public performance rights, or the video must have
a Creative Commons (CC) licensing that allows for distribution (Figg, 2013). Nonetheless,
we are in the midst of a digital age and the need for access to open
educational resources cannot be understated. Resultant from this was ‘Creative
Common’s’ founded by the Center for the Public Domain, in order to encourage
new copyright licensing that promotes open sharing of all creative works; flickr
is an excellent example (Figg, 2013).
 |
| Example of Creative Commons Licensing: Google Images
Sankar,
S. (2010, October 9). Pumeria Flower
[Online Image] Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Plumeria#/media/File:Fallen_Plumeria.JPG
|
In
order to avoid copyright infringement we should encourage our students to
create their own images and/or videos and apply a creative commons license. If
students must use photos from the internet, they can visit either Flickr or
Fotopedia which will have images with creative commons or a clear identifiable
license (Figg, 2013). Google Images also has the option of finding creative
commons licensing photos (as displayed to the left); Jane Lofton provides a great YouTube tutorial for
finding images with proper licensing (either no conditions or attribution only
which involves citing the image if used) (Figg, 2013). Therefore, although
copyright is legally mandated, it is often poorly understood amongst educators.
When in doubt, encourage your students to develop creative works of their own;
the Clever Sheep has created a comprehensive list of tools/resources for your
students to do just that! Good luck and happy creating! :)
References
Figg,
C., (2013) Handy4class presents: copyright for tech-enhanced teaching.
Jacober,
W. (2011, August 11). Matrix. [Online Image] Retrieved from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wendelinjacober/14146317398/in/photolist-ny4zj7-
Lofton, J. (2014). Finding copyright-friendly
images using Google Image Search. In YouTube.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf0ksrW_Xpo&feature=youtu.be
Lucier, R. (2009). Creative commons chaos. In The Clever Sheep. Leading in New Directions.
Retrieved from
http://thecleversheep.blogspot.ca/2009/02/creative-commons-chaos.html
Sankar,
S. (2010, October 9). Pumeria Flower [Online Image] Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumeria#/media/File:Fallen_Plumeria.JPG
Monday, 29 August 2016
Genius Hour
Welcome back! Day one of teachers college has just begun where I will resume posting about hot topics in education!'Genius Hour' is a topic that I have some familiarity with, but have never fully grasped, as it goes by many names. To my understanding, it incorporates elements of play, passion, and inquiry based learning where students are encouraged to pursue topics of interest in order to engage more deeply with the material. But as it was pointed out by my colleagues, 'Genius Hour' can take a variety of forms, from blogging, to social media posts, YouTube videos and so on. As previously mentioned in my blog posts, Robby Novak better known as Kid President uses his social media prowess to inspire others through motivational YouTube videos. This is an excellent example of Genius Hour, as Robby was allowed to explore his own passions using a multimedia medium.
Wednesday, 30 March 2016
Digital Literacy
 |
CC
Technology (2012) [Video file] Retrieved from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinshine
/6969804185/in/photolist-bBU4XF-efoWfy-
|
Digital
literacy can be defined as the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, and share
information effectively; an essential skill for engagement and citizenship in
the 21st century (Education World, 2016). Students are constantly bombarded with confusing
media advertisements, Instagram and Twitter posts, Facebook and Pinterest
sharing pages and other multimedia digital platforms. We must accept our roles
as partial consumers of the media, but change the narrative in which we receive
and interpret this information; we can no longer be passive and feeble but
critical and informed.
According
to the Ministry of education, technology can be a true asset as it has the
capability of contributing positively to local and global communities by
connecting otherwise isolated groups (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005). The vast wealth of knowledge that is
available to our students is truly extraordinary, and this open accessibility
of information can make learning more meaningful and engaging. There is no longer
an option to ignore digital expansion, but rather educators must learn to
embrace it and utilize it to the best of his/her abilities. Keeping in mind the
ministry’s criteria for a good digital citizen, we must teach our students how
to identify credible sources, respect the intellectual property of others, and
use effective strategies for information searches (including keywords,
narrowing search perimeters, etc.) (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005). Alongside these strategies, Education World
has provided a comprehensive list of digital literacy resources for teachers
that can be used in a variety of educational settings with many age groups.
 |
CC
iPad Dream2 (2010) [Video file] Retrieved from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lancesh/5066618648/
in/photolist-8HHKcW
|
Reflecting
on my own experiences, I was asked to put together an educational video that I
would show to my classmates on a topic of my choosing, and I found this process
incredibly rewarding. For students who do not excel in writing, recording sound
clips can be an effective alternative for displaying information. One of my
most memorable placements was in a kindergarten classroom; I was amazed at the
level of skill and digital aptitude that these students displayed. They were
asked to create a video on Pete The Cat where
the students would count the buttons on his jacket, describe the shoes he was
wearing, and where he was planning on going. The students were excited to share
their stories with the class, and took pride in the videos they had created.
This goes to show how incredibly versatile technology can be, and when employed
appropriately can spark new learning, engagement and creativity.
Despite
the obvious ‘pro’s’ of technology in the classroom, there are also a few
drawbacks to consider when creating lesson plans. It can be a distraction for
the children, so you must create a structure and culture of respect when working
with digital aids. Secondly, not all students will have access to these digital
sources at home, or you make work in a school that does not have iPads, camera’s,
or smartboards in their classrooms. To combat this, teachthought provides a wonderful
list of digital resources for those who are looking to implement technology
into their classroom free of charge.
Ultimately,
we need the full range of skills we associate with media and digital literacy
in order to take full advantage of the rights we hold as consumers, online community
members, and citizens. Technology also has a strong influence on communication,
and allows experimentation in pedagogy and assessment; for example, instead of
grading a paper you may choose to grade a documentary produced by a student. Becoming
digitally literate is an absolute necessity in the 21st century, and
as educators it is our responsibility to prepare them for this task.
References
Acedo, M. (2013, December). 25 teaching tools for
the digital classroom. In Teachthought: We GrowTeachers. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
CC
Technology (2012) [Video file] Retrieved from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinshine/6969804185/in/photolist-bBU4XF-efoWfy-
CC
iPad Dream2 (2010) [Video file] Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/lancesh/5066618648/in/photolist-8HHKcW
Granata, K. (2016). Ten Digital Literacy
Resources for Teachers. In Education World.
Retrieved March31, 2016.
Ontario
Ministry of Education. (2005). The Ontario curriculum grades 1-8: Health and
physical
education.
Wednesday, 24 February 2016
Thematic versus Subject-Based Curriculum
Subject-based
education involves more traditional approach to curriculum and teaching that is
divided into several ‘subjects’ including math, history, English and so on. This
approach of structuring the disciplines is practical, as it isolates specific
skills and knowledge that we hope our students will acquire, and design lessons
around these expectations. However, this approach is often criticized for its
rigid, prescriptive approach to curriculum delivery as it focuses on specific
skills and content rather than an integrated delivery.
 |
CC
Elliot Erwitt (2009) [Video file] Retrieved from
|
Thematic approaches to curriculum
delivery on the other hand, include cross-curricular, integrated and
interdisciplinary design, where knowledge and skills can transcend multiple
areas of study. Lake (1994: as referenced in Putwain, Whitely & Caddick,
2011), identify six characteristics on non-subject-based curriculum: including
combining subjects, emphasizing project work, multiple sources that go beyond
the textbook, holistic relationships among concepts, and organizing the
curriculum to revolve around themes and flexibility in student grouping.
In terms of motivational outcomes, Putwain
et al., (2001) acknowledge that performance-approach goals, or goals intended
to demonstrate learning, declined significantly in classrooms using a
subject-based approach. Although goals are adopted on the basis of personal
antecedents it is suggested that a thematic approach promotes a more
understanding and flexible environment which will improve the learning and
competence of students. Putwain et al., (2001) describe three features of
thematic classrooms that illustrate the positive impacts they can have on
students. Firstly, an educator has the capability of grounding curriculum in
local issues intended to create a more engaging approach to learning. As a result,
students have reported stronger mastery-approach goals, or an interest in
developing their learning, compared to subject-based classrooms. Secondly, the
focus on group and individual projects improved collaboration amongst students,
and often provided the students with more formative assessment and feedback
from teachers than you would expect from a subject-based approach. Thirdly,
social comparison is not as prominent in a thematic model, as students are
often working collaboratively not competitively; therefore a self-referenced mode
of competence judgement may be more frequent using this approach.
Integrated instruction has certainly
become prominent in 21st century education, and is posed as a better
way to meet the interests and needs of students while maintaining
curriculum-specific expectations. This approach has been linked to the idea of ‘spheres
of work’ in which intersecting subjects contribute to a holistic understanding
of a concept or action; an essential framework for educational reform.
References
Putwain, D., Whiteley, H., & Caddick, L.
(2011). Thematic versus subject-based curriculum delivery and achievement goals: findings from a single-school
study. Educational Research, 53(4), 387-398.
doi:org/10.1080/00131881.2011.625149
Wednesday, 13 January 2016
21st Century Education
21st
Century Education
is becoming a dominant topic of discussion among educators today, as it addresses
the need for a shifting educational paradigm in order to keep pace and respond
to an ever-changing global community. Alongside the mandate that every child
must be given adequate resources to support individual learning, as educators we
must also modify individual instruction in correspondence with the strengths
and needs of every student. This includes recognizing the diversity of each
student as well as the knowledge, skills, and perspectives they may already have.
Perhaps most importantly, both educators and students must work collaboratively
to construct a foundation that supports critical literacy so that students are
able to synthesize and interpret information.
My experiences as a fourth year
undergraduate student have shown me that ‘literacy’ is not a segregated and
shallow category that contains only written and/or oral communication skills,
but rather it is a multifarious grouping that contains multiple forms of
literacies with fluid and dynamic meanings. For example, media literacy, moral
literacy, environmental literacy, financial literacy, multicultural literacy,
and so on, are all considered subcategories within the evolving framework of ‘literacy’.
 |
CC
Take Back Your Health Conference (2015) [Video file]
Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/130855607
@N05/16596216868/in/photolist-rhxX59
|
As we take our next steps into the year
2016, I believe there will be a resurgence of interest around health, including
nutrition, and physiological, spiritual, and mental health. The New Year
provides an excellent opportunity for educators to jump on the proverbial ‘health
band wagon’, in order to improve and enrich our student’s understandings of
health literacy. I also believe that technological literacy will continue to
play a major role in the way we communicate and interact with one another. App
education is a booming area of interest, and apps such as Notability, See, Touch,
Learn, Kindle, and so on have proven to be useful and effective within
classrooms. Apps and other technological devices also provide the function of
serving as alternative and differentiated methods of instruction and assessment
which may assist some students.
As I have mentioned, 21st
century education is a framework that supports and encourages student’s
strengths and multiple literacies. Although 21st century makes
repeated references to the curriculum and accompanying expectations, there are
underlying principles that support a holistic educational framework, that
encourages learning and skills that can be transcendent beyond the classroom,
and further applied within a global network. As educators it is important that
we present material that is useful and relevant for our student’s today, and
that we build off of their innate strengths and potentials.
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Using Board Games in the Classroom
 |
CC Wendy (2008) [Video file] Retrieved from
|
Can you say BINGO?! Over the years, studies
have examined the benefits of using instructional games in the classroom to
improve student’s motivation and academic performance. In correspondence with
inquiry, passion, and project based learning, curriculum and lessons should
originate and be designed from the interests, knowledge, understanding,
ability, and experiences of the students (Pinder, 2013). If teachers attempt to
engage students in their own learning through activities that are collectively
managed by all participants, the process can generate a variety of
perspectives, and lead to greater understanding (Pinder, 2013). It is
understood that teachers who add creativity into their lessons can enable students
to fully grasp an understanding of the lesson (Pinder, 2013). The following
examples are cross-curricula suggested uses of game activities, which can
extend to topics like biology and maths, and all the way to ethics and world
issues, as illustrated in John Hunter’s World Peace Game.
Bingo: Bingo cards
allow students to gather, select, and organize information in an appealing
fashion; while simultaneously gauging gaps in their own learning (Drake, Reid,
& Kolohon, 2014). During my placement I have seen bingo used effectively
for math problems. The teacher would read out “5”, and on the students’ bingo
cards would be problems like “2+3, or 2+4”. The students will have to gauge
which equation equals the correct response, and as a reward they are able to
put a chip on that space.
Monopoly: Monopoly offers students a chance to construct
concepts and skills involving probability, basic numeracy such as addition,
subtraction and multiplication, and spotting emerging patterns or trends
(Caldwell, 1998). By engaging children in discussions about chance such as
‘what are the chances of rolling a 6’, it incorporates classroom discussions
about prime and composite numbers, as well as the probability. Both StahlVan-Brackle and Education World discuss alternative games that could be played
in the classroom, but both authors support that position that games can provide an
additional instruction or assessment tool in the classroom.
 |
CC COD Newsroom (2015) [Video file] Retrieved from
|
Create
your Own Game: It
is important to remember that games can be created for different platforms,
including role-play, live scale simulations, or trivia (Nicholson, 2011). Games
with extrinsic integration of context, such as jeopardy, would be relatively
easy to create and an appropriate tool to use when studying for a quiz or exam
(Nicholson, 2011). In order to create a developmentally appropriate game, the creator
must consider the learning outcomes, and strive to make a challenging problem
relatively simple for the players (Nicholson, 2011). Secondly, the creator must
consider the intended setting in which the game would be played, as well as the
interactions that would occur amongst the players. The next step is to integrate the content;
Nicholson (2011) suggests that focusing on a few pieces of content is more
effective for long-term retention than have to focus on many broader topics. Above I have included an example, where a student had created their own game
called ‘Life Happens’ in which a student is divvied scenarios that he/she would
have to budget for in real life. At the end of the game, students discussed how
they would handle the problem which led to a greater conversation about
empathy, and decision making.
 |
CC Saldana (2012) [Video file] Retrieved from
|
Playing board games is a creative way to
support learning at home, and it certainly makes homework more fun! As an
educator, the rules can be adapted to meet the needs of your students; rules
can be slowly integrated, or scaled down, but should be agreed upon before playing.
Overall, studies have shown that playing instructional games has led to
significant improvement in the four components of motivation which include:
attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (Klein & Freitag, 1991 as referenced in Pinder, 2013). So what are you waiting
for? Let’s start playing!
References
Caldwell, M. L. (1998, February). Parents, Board
Games, and Mathematical Learning. Teaching
Children
Mathematics, 4(6),
365-367.
Drake, S., Reid, J., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom
Assessment: Engaging the 21st-Century Learner (pp. 6-8). Don Mills: Oxford
University Press
Education World (2013). Five Reasons to Use Games
in the Classroom .In Education
World.
Retrieved
November 3, 2015, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/reasons-to-play-games-in-the-classroom.shtml
Hunter, J. (Actor). (2011). Teaching with the World Peace Game [Online video]. TedTalks.
Nicholson, S. (2011, September). Making Gameplay
Matter. Knowledge Quest, 40(1), 60-65.
Pinder, P. (2013). Utilizing Instructional Games as
an Innovative Tool to Improve Science
Learning
Among Elementary School Students. Education, 133(4), 434-439.
Stahl-Van Brackle, L. (2015, May 1). How Making
Board Games Can Lead to Real Classroom
Innovation.
In Make. Retrieved
November 3, 2015, from http://makezine.com/2015/05/01/making-board-games-can-lead-real-classroom-innovation/
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