EdCamp Review

Last week I participated in a version of professional development I have never seen before. Some of you may be familiar with the term unconference but I had never encountered it until this class. Last Tuesday I participated with three of me peers in a discussion on the proper incorporation of technology in the classroom. I have sat through conferences and meetings on this, listening to a speaker drone on and on about how we need to keep people engaged. The whole time you are thinking, “does this person not realize they are teaching a double standard?” The unconference experience kept each of us engaged in an interactive discussion rather than an impersonal lecture.

The best part of the experience: we were treated as both experts and learners.

The worst part of a traditional conference is having people tell you the “right” way to run your classroom. We all have our own unique experiences and teaching methodologies that work for us and should never be undermined. At the unconference – a google hangout that you can watch here – we were asked to bring a few points of research we had done on a topic and then facilitate a discussion about that topic. We worked with the other participants, asking questions and posting ideas from our slides into other presentations, until it wasn’t a linear discussion anymore. We were having a multidimensional discussion about practical issues we face daily.

The worst part of the unconference: it was only an hour.

Other than a few minor technical difficulties that occurred, due to us being first time participants, the length of the unconference was just too short! Wait a minute, did I just say that? We had a professional discussion that was so powerful and helpful we actually had to be cut off from saying everything we wanted to get into. If you watch the video you will notice lapses where no one is talking. This is mostly happening because we, again first time participants, were unsure about jumping into the conversation. In any of our learning experiences as students and then as adults we have been asked to sit and listen. It was quite different to be practicing methods that we are trying to teach our students and using those methods to learn.

Here are reasons why this informal meeting* makes such a great professional development.

1. People arrive with an idea of points they want to discuss.
2. The topics of the day are adapted to fit the needs of those present.
3. You are surrounded by peers who are facing the same issues you are.
4. You are establishing a rapport with colleagues.
5. You get to sample a method of teaching we are asked to use in our classrooms.
6. You leave with something you can use.

If I was hosting one of these unconferences for my school or team I would alter a few things. First, google hangouts was a great tool. I would like to have the unconference in person with each person on a computer. We would share screens via google, but could hold the conversation face-to-face.

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References:
*Wikipedia. Unconference. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference

Origami Circuits Part III – UDL

UDL stands for Universal Design for Learning. This concept applies to the fundamental principle that all students are capable of learning. Throughout my research in this course, I am discovering many resources pointing to students learning in different ways (see previous blog posts).

All students have something they can bring to the table. Educators need to recognize what those roles are and give students the ability to access those options.

Obviously, students with disabilities or those who speak another language will sometimes need multiple modes of learning. What we have learned this week is that all students have a unique mindset or way of learning. Just like no two fingerprints are alike, no two brains (ie learning processes) are exactly the same. UDL presents students with the opportunity for options in their learning style, their production of work, and their motivational goals.

The three basic ideas powering the Universal Design for Learning

This week I was tasked with learning about UDL and then applying its concepts to my lesson plan about Circuit Stickers. You can access it HERE. Please note that the original plan was done in black ink, additions and changes based on pedagogy and types of learning are done in red, and UDL editions are done in purple. Please feel free to comment on what you find.

There are quite a few places in which I have edited this lesson plan over the past few weeks. This week I would like to focus on three major changes:
1. The option for students to research and present using different formats
2. The edit from “drawing” an example to “creating” an example
3. The addition of an exit slip

1. The option for students to research and present using different formats

Prior to this experience I had students researching origami on their own. Go out. Find. Good luck. After learning about UDL I realized while my idea for giving students free reign on this portion of the assignment was good, it was also a little directionless and could be overwhelming to many students. Therefore, I have added options.Students are now able to use the captioned video I provide on making an origami flower (video pending), they can use copies of picture instructions taken from my origami book, or they can find their own construction using the internet. The ability for students to choose allows them a sense of ownership in the assignment which helps with Flexibility in Representation and Engagement. However, students who are unable to pick things up on their own, students who require captions, students who don’t have internet access, can now still participate and have viable options for the initial phase of this option.

2. The edit from “drawing” an example to “creating” an example

Previously, students were asked to draw an example of their project before attempting it. This was designed to show me they had a concept of what was expected before making irreparable mistakes. The new methodology still adheres to this purpose but it gives the students an Flexibility in Expression. Students now can draw their own circuit using paper, a drawing tool on the computer, or by printing off diagrams and then either writing or verbalizing an explanation. I, as the teacher, with no extra effort on my end, can now assess what students have figured out in a way that makes sense to them. I can connect with them at a level they are comfortable with rather than forcing them to conform to a way that makes sense to me. Just because they can’t explain a topic through the medium I expect does not mean they do not understand that topic.

3. The addition of an exit slip

Students will receive two things before the assignment starts: the rubric and the exit slip. The rubric will explain what is expected of them in the project. The Exit Slip will give them learning goals to focus on throughout. The multi-dimension comes in with the option for students to answer 2 of the 3 questions on the slip. The first question requires them to memorize key parts of circuitry. The second deals with a conceptual drawing. The final question, also conceptual, deals with a written response to the purpose of different types of circuits. So we have two types of questions: procedural and conceptual, that are presented through three mediums: label, draw, write. This also gives students Flexibility in Expression.

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References:

http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/ (2014). About UDL. Tangient LLC and Creative Commons. Retrieved from: http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/About+UDL

flickr.com (2009). Creative Commons. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rama_miguel/3485095631/

Poe, A. (2013). The Infinite Classroom. Blogger.com retrieved from: http://theinfiniteclassroom.blogspot.com/2013/04/learning-disabled-students-in-your.html

Cook, A.M. & Polgar, J.M. (2008). Cook and Hussey’s assistive technologies: Principles and practice (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier. Retrieved from Google Books.

Rose, D.H. & Gravel, J. (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines (V.2.0). Wakefield, MA: CAST.org.

EdCamp

Here are the materials to my EdCamp presentation.  Tonight’s topic: Strategic Planning for Innovative Pedagogical Practice with Technology. 

Classroom Design: Generating Student Involvement

Have you ever had a class that your weren’t invested in? We’ve all been there. You enter a room and immediately look for the back corner. Take a seat in a solitary location and try to look interested while you take a nap with your eyes open. As a teacher, we try to create ways to motivate that back-row student. We create seating charts that force a child to the front of the room. They have to participate if they are right next to the teacher. We try different lesson plans. We try to get to know the student and find outlying causes of their seemingly lack of motivation. The question this week: Why does that back row of desks exist? What purpose does it serve in a modern classroom? How can we create a classroom environment that promotes student learning, participation, and investment?

The research this week taught me that layout, style, and even colors of a classroom can affect learning (O’Donnell, 2010 & Lee, 2014). Students need to feel welcome to the environment. They need to feel like their voice matters.

When public education first arrived students were sent through school with the intent of generating workers suitable to the times. “Victorian schools were designed to meet the particular needs of the Victorian era. They were created to turn out “obedient specialists”: adults who could work in factories, assembling components, or as domestic servants, not people who need to think for themselves.” – Sean McDougall, educational thinker and designer (O’Donnell, 2010).

Early classrooms were set up like this:

Pupils from a school in Boston, 1933.

Does this look familiar? Students sitting in rows. Working on rote memorization. Now look at a classroom picture taken this year.

Traditional Classroom from 2014

Society in this century is focused on creativity, individuality, and collaboration. So why are we still seating students in rows? How can we expect them to be productive or to care if we teach them in a way contradictory to what society requires of them? In the picture above, how are students being interactive, collaborative, or creative? Students in the back can’t even see the board!

This week we were asked to redesign our classroom and modernize it to the 21st century. Teaching in an alternative school, where my room is a computer lab, this redesign is nearly impossible to implement due to wiring. Therefore, I designed my ideal math classroom. This classroom would still have a “front” with a projector and podium with a computer. But it would not just be for the teacher. This area is for students to present ideas as well as for the teacher to lecture. In higher levels of math, lecturing on more abstract concepts is a must. The desks are drafting tables and are lightweight; easy to move into pods of 2, 3, or 4 students. This area can also be used for students to work out ideas on their own.

This “lecture” area is not the only focus of the room. Along one wall, students would have access to computers. Here they would be doing research or reviewing the video or readings from the night before – this is a flipped classroom, of course. In the “back” of the room, on carpeted area, is a whiteboard table for collaboration. This table has a monitor for students to project to within their small group and is also wired to the main projector, as are all computers in the room. This allows students to share in small or large groups practically at will.

The cabinets are open providing easy access to manipulatives and materials. And there is a bulletin board on the “back” wall where students can post work or ideas and I can post challenging questions and puzzles for students to try solving. This is not in the diagram I created as that wall is lowered to better see into the classroom.

My ideal classroom. Created via SketchUp.

How would I go about implementing this in my own room? Furniture-wise I have many computers and tables in my room. We have recently installed, as a district, interactive projectors into every classroom. My teacher desk is immovable from the corner shown above due to wiring. The only major additional cost would be to the collaborative whiteboard tables. A solution to this would be to add a custom cut melamine to the surface of the tables I already have ($38.00 per table). The Apple TV I would like at this station costs around $300.00 so I may start with a simple computer monitor for $90.00. All told this would cost around $250.00 and a few people helping move the heavier furniture.

Lastly, if you look at the color scheme of the room you will see wood floors and warm, earth-toned walls adding a level of serenity to the environment. This is an impossible addition. But, a girl can dream.

This ideal classroom is what would work best for me, but not necessarily every teacher. An elementary room might include floor space for a reading corner. A science room would have lab tables. A different math teacher may put all students into pods. The room I’ve depicted is what would work for me with the experience I have so far as a teacher and the knowledge I have gained in my own coursework.

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References:

Barrett, P., Zhang, Y., Moffat, J., & Kobbacy, K. (2013). A holistic, multi-level analysis identifying the impact of classroom design on on pupils’ learning. Building and Environment, 59, 678-689. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2012.09.016

Co.Design. (2014). Study Shows How Classroom Design Affects Student Learning. Fast Company & Inc. Mansueto Ventures. Retrieved from http://www.fastcodesign.com/

Education Portal. (2014). The Differences Between Online and Traditional Classroom Education. Retrieved from http://education-portal.com/articles/The_Differences_Between_Online_and_Traditional_Classroom_Educations.html

Lee, C. (2014). What Your Classroom Setup May be Saying to Students. Edudemic. Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/classroom-setup/?fb_action_ids=694559880791&fb_action_types=og.likes

Odonell, Wickland, Pigozzi & Peterson. (2010). The Third Teacher. Abrams; 1st Edition.

All pictures licensed under Creative Commons.

My First MOOC… Hypothetically Speaking

This week in CEP811 we researched MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses. Our task this week was to create our own MicroMOOC. I found the task very interesting as I have participated in Coursera before. The course I have hypothetically created is much smaller in scope and length than those I have seen before and also more focused on collaboration – something technological pedagogy should capitalize on.

Purpose:

In my course, Character Creation: Casting Your Role in D&D, my peers will master building a character and its back story by designing a character and role-playing through different micro-scenarios.

Course Topic:

Creating a Memorable D&D Character

Course Title & Photo: 

Character Creation: Casting Your Role in D&D

Audience:

This course is designed for people new to the game Dungeons and Dragons (5th editions) or those looking to spice up their character generation Due to some depictions of violence described in-game it is recommended that children under the age of 13 participate only with parent permission.

Target Skills:

• Players will be able to produce a game-ready character sheet
• Players will be prepared to react instantaneously with a response fitting of their character to any challenge they encounter

Projects:

• Players will generate a character background over the course of 4 weeks resulting in a playable character following the model for expansive learning.
  • Question – How do you want to portray your character?
  • Explore – Research the listed backgrounds in the Player Handbook and look up novel characters whose traits your character might be based on.
  • Model – Post a forum about your character’s response to one of the week’s five challenges.
  • Question – Is this the best way your character would present themselves in the situation?
  • Explore – Look up the specific rules on what your character tried to do. Is it a feasible action?
  • Model – Comment on your post and other’s giving productive critiques on their character’s actions.

Connections:

Throughout the course, players will be expected to collaborate with their peers in character development. While stats, abilities and rules will be a point of discussion, the purpose of this course is to define who your character is, what their goals are, and how they would respond in given situations. These will be presented via storied documents and artwork, presented via google drive. Players will primarily be working in forums to interact with each other as characters and as themselves. The multi-modal capabilities of drive will allow players to use representations of characters they are most comfortable with, whether it is a list, story, or picture. Different instructional design is also implemented as most of the course is dependent on peer-to-peer consultation and editing.

Design:

Week 1: Let us Play

• Question: What is a character and how are they played?
• Explore: Read the WikiHow Introduction to D&D
• Model: Discuss in the forum the type of character you are interested in playing. This is a brainstorm week and is focused on collaborating with peers to develop complexity of a character.

Week 2: Choose Your Weapon

• Question: This week is all about deciding on what role you want to take within the party. Are you a trickster? Good? Evil? Secretly harboring thoughts of glory? Or are you very vocal about it? We aren’t going to deal with any numbers this week. Focus on who you want your character to be.
• Explore: Research different character types.
  • Look up characteristics of different races and classes.
  • Research favorite characters from books you’ve read or movies you’ve seen.
• Model: Post a list of characteristics you want to present, as stoical or quirky as you like. Generate a sentence or two your character may say when introducing themselves.
  • Example:
    • Simplistic, blood thirsty, single-minded.
      “My name is Maul. This is my friend Maul. Who is also a Maul.” – Dwarf Barbarian, weapon: maul.
  • Comment on two-three other posts. How could their introduction better match the descriptive terms listed?

Week 3: Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

• Question: Who are you as a character? Why do you do what you do?
  • Read through Ash’s Guide to RPG Personality and Background
• Explore: Write a short story of your background. Pictures are welcome additions. Choose from a list of prompts or create your own.
• Model:  Tweet to the class when your story is complete and then comment on someone else’s.

Week 4: Create Your Character.

• Question: How can I create a character that matches my background
• Explore: Read the chapters of the Player’s Handbook that relates to your chosen background
• Model: Design and Test Your New Character
  • Part I: Following the Players Handbook fill out your character sheet. Refer to the forum for questions on rules or ideas as you are working.
  • Part II: Set up a time with a group of 4-5 people and work your way through one of the listed micro campaigns (about 1 hour) as you work through the campaign take time to reflect on how you are presenting your character. Are you simply stating your actions or are you using the descriptive words and the persona we have developed in the past two weeks.

My course is designed to develop thinking about more than just the rules of the game. In my opinion, the how and why of things are what make them interesting. This course focuses on building each week individually following a blend of expansive learning and the pedagogies I have witnessed my online instructors using. Each week is a self contained lesson. Content builds within the lesson so students have a working model or thing that they have created and can take ownership of. This is used to fuel the next week and so on until the student has created a complex thing capable of being used in the real world.

One thing I really enjoyed exploring this week was P2PU. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of courses related to real-world application. The sale’s pitch being: If you want to be better at _______ then try taking this _____. It was very intriguing. The ease with which a course could be created and shared is astonishing to me.The course I designed above is modeled after this concept. I would really like to publish the course I designed above someday when I am not focused on master’s classes (maybe over a summer vacation). I’ll keep you posted.

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References:

Bowie, J.A. (2014). Ash’s Guide to RPG Personality and Background. Retrieved from http://rpg.ashami.com/

khomesclip (2014). dragon wing. Retrieved from deviantart.com

Molomo, B. (2011). The Game Object Model and Expansive Learning: Creation, Instantiation, Expansion, and Re-Representation. Perspectives in education, 29(4), 87-98.

Oates, J.C. (1966). “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Retrieved from https://www.d.umn.edu/~csigler/PDF%20files/oates_going.pdf

P2PU. How Do I Make a P2P Course. Retrieved from https://p2pu.org/en/groups/make-a-course/content/bonus-task-playstorm/

Senteni, Alain. (2013). Expansive Learning. edutech.wiki. Retrieved from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Expansive_learning

WikiHow. How to Play Dungeons and Dragons. Retrieved from http://www.wikihow.com/Play-Dungeons-and-Dragons

Wizards RPG Team. (2014). Dungeons and Dragons Players Handbook. Wizards of the Coast

Origami Circuits: Remixed

Last week I created a lesson plan in which students combined origami with circuits to generate a creative use of circuit learning. The lesson offers a way for students to wire an object in the third dimension as they manipulate their paper construction to allow a circuit to be built around and through it.

An origami rose with a parallel circuit built via circuit stickers.

This week we were asked to research two articles in relation to implementing new teaching strategies with technology using empirical data from known teaching strategies. We were to take this information and edit our lesson plan. My revisions post research are done in red. The two learning paradigms I looked into were expansive learning (Engestrom) and multiple intelligences (Gardner). After researching each of these ideas I went to the MSU online library to find more recent journal articles relating to these topics, see the references below. For those of you unfamiliar with either concept, expansive learning is cyclical, essentially following the sequence of question, explore, model, and repeat (Molomo, 2011) and  “[multiple intelligences] theory states that the human brain is modular and that all humans possess at least seven intelligences” (Tai, 2014) which we will not fully explore today.

I was able to gather information from these articles that allowed me to better understand the implementation of my lesson plan involving circuits. When I first created the plan, I worried that the origami creation would steal the show; students would either focus too much on the art aspect or they would deem it “not for me” and not work as hard. The article by Molomo depicts a classroom study involving game design and how this promoted learning. Reading the article I realized the new technology needs to be used as an “object” until it is understood before it is used as a “tool” (Molomo, 2011). This can be applied to the circuit stickers or to the origami. Both are to be used as tools in helping students understand circuitry. Hence, the lesson plan does not change, however, its implementation does. The origami is not “some art we are attaching stickers too” rather it is a means to “discover circuitry in a 3-dimensional model.” In understanding this I realized it was important to have more of a multi-step attitude towards using the equipment as tools and creating an expansive learning environment:

1. Question
2. Explore
3. Model

Or, as CEP811 presents it:

1. Learn
2. Explore
3. Create

I redesigned the lesson plan with this in mind. Giving the students more “play” time for questions and exploration while still leaving in the pieces where they do follow instructions on using new “tools” in their quest for understanding.

Secondly, I took another look at the group work in the project. I want students to be able to take what they have learned and run with it. Therefore, I wanted to break the groups down and give each member a task to complete – as chosen by the students. “To help students’ diversified learning, effective teachers should strive to understand and recognize the students’ intelligences” (Tai, 2014). Here I added a place for students to self-assess. They are asked to identify their strengths and weaknesses within the project before creating their group. Each student can then play a roll in the group according to their strength and ability.

I am now really excited to test out this lesson plan in my classroom. I will let you know how it goes.

Once again, for the lesson plan, click here.

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References:
Molomo, B. (2011). The Game Object Model and Expansive Learning: Creation, Instantiation, Expansion, and Re-Representation. Perspectives in education, 29(4), 87-98.
Tai, F. (2014). Exploring multiple intelligences. The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning, 10(1), 11-21. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1554975773?accountid=12598

Origami Circuits: A Story of Repurposing

This week in CEP811 we were asked to do add a maker technology to some type of thrifted, or repurposed, item or activity. We watched a video by Punya Mishra on how teachers need to be able to creatively balance content, pedagogy, and technology. As this is a hands on class we were asked to develop a lesson plan that involved a new technology and combined it with a repurposed item we found in a thrift store or our own basement. 

My technology: Circuit Stickers 
My basement item: An origami set

This is the origami set I received for Christmas a few years ago. It is an item any teacher can use as it is really made of colored paper cut in squares and many of the templates can be found online.

We then had to write a lesson plan for this juxtaposition of these two things.

As a high school physics teacher I am always looking for hands-on ways for my students to understand a new concept. Therefore I did not take the circuit stickers beyond the basic lesson of circuit building. What I did add was my own personal interest in art and holidays. I formulated a way for students to work individually to build a circuit, collaborate to create a complex circuit, and show their identity in the artistic addition of the lesson. 

Working in a school where students work online at their own pace it is difficult to establish a sense of community and also to get students involved in external projects (not on the computer). Students do, however, get very excited whenever they can make a contribution to the classroom’s makeup – in this case it would be the decor. 

On the wall of my classroom is a school-wide board game where students are rewarded for positive behavior and academic success. They have really enjoyed adding art to this wall in the past so I am hoping that even though this lesson is directed towards physics, the cross-curricular art aspect should go over well with the students I am working with.

Therefore, the lesson plan I have created supports learning in the following:
1. The artistic aspect will motivate students to be successful in their project
2. The display of their project will motivate students to persevere through any challenges
3. The circuit building is done through the use of colored lights and copper stickers which the students I currently teach will love as they do not get much hands on experience. Stickers are a familiar entity used in a new way. It is a comfortable way to try this new skill of circuit building.
4. The collaboration at the end will help students in building the community of collaborators and creative thinkers that I am working towards.

The finished project will look something like this:

An origami rose with a parallel circuit built via circuit stickers.

How to build this glowing flower:

1. Make an origami flower. I am not an expert on this so I will just direct you to this site: Origami Instructions. Your final flower should look like this:

2. Choose a spot for the battery. I chose between the petals as you will need to have copper touching the battery on each side of said battery.

 

3. Make a complete loop of copper sticker wire from one side of the battery, around the flower and connected to the other side of the battery.

4. Place an LED sticker light on the copper sticker such that the + side of the LED sticker links to the + side of the battery and the – side of the LED sticker connects to the – side of the battery.

5. Add any other LED circuits in parallel to the first by adding a loop of copper sticker around the LED light. See the image below taken from the Circuit Stickers Sketchbook that is included in the purchase of the starter set.

6. Finally, decorate your flower in any way you choose to show your creativity.

Here are all the steps in a How To video I created:

Lastly, here is the lesson plan created to go with this project.

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References:

Mishra, P. & Koehler, M. J. (2008) Teaching Creatively: Teachers as Designers of Technology, Content and Pedagogy. Available from Vimeo.com, http://vimeo.com/39539571

Origami-Instructions.com (2005) http://www.origami-instructions.com/easy-origami-rose.html

 

Learning, Making, and Gamification

Last week heralded the beginning of the next course in the CEP series I am taking for my masters degree at MSU. This first assignment, learning about remixing, we were tasked with exploring Mozilla Popcorn Maker, an in-browser movie maker that lets you upload and add media from the internet to create a remixed version of the content. We learned about the world being made up of “Makers” (Lessig). We explored the idea that everything we create was inspired by creations that came before.

In this light we were asked to choose a topic dealing with educational technology and create something new; a remix of information from credible sources. (My primary source for finding usable media was Creative Commons which I talked about in the previous post). In doing so we would 1. learn a new skill, 2. learn about legal and professional ways to find and use information online, and 3. uncover new methods to repurpose or remix functionality to eventually carry over into our classrooms.

After reading through the week’s lesson, I started my exploration of Popcorn Maker by creating a mashup of Lord of the Rings music. This turned out terribly. No worries though. One of our lessons this week was that it is OK to fail. With Popcorn Maker I was able to create something completely off the wall using solely music I found online. I felt like a world famous producer. Until I played it back… The tool was simple to use and intuitive enough that I was able to dive right into the making. 

Later, I watched a tutorial on popcorn maker and even looked up some helpful tips: editing strategies, keyboard shortcuts, etc. Isn’t it amazing the wealth of information one has access to? I was able to learn a new skill – producing a remix – within an hour. Imagine what my student, who has grown up fully immersed in this technological age, could have accomplished in that amount of time. 

After focusing and learning so much about play in CEP810 I decided to continue on this vein for this assignment. For my remixed video I looked up Gamification and its applications in education. A gamer myself, I have created a board game for the wall of my classroom (which you can see in the video) that grants rewards to students as they achieve academic and behavioral success. I teach in a high school and my students are ecstatic when they get to move their team forward. It was really interesting to look up research about gamification and how it relates to motivation. The video below is only a minute long. I encourage you to foray into the world of games even if you don’t want to use them in your classroom. The motivation strategies can be applied in multiple ways like focusing on gaining points rather than points lost in an assignment.

Check out my video on Gamification and Motivation below.

https://amybeth.makes.org/popcorn/2926

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References

Lessig, L. (2008). Remix: Making art and commerce thrive in the hybrid economy. New York: Penguin Press.

Kapp, Karl M. (2012). The Gamification of Learning and Instruction: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Training and Education. John WIley & Sons.

WhatWeCee. (2013). The Gamification of Education. YouTube.com.

Wikipedia.org.(2014). Gamification. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamification.

Goodhealthmag. (2010). Piano Stairs Auckland.mov. YouTube.com. 

Chou, Yu-Kai. (2014) Top 10 Social Gamification Examples that will Literally Save the World. Gamification Study. Yu-Kai Chou.

Teachhub.com. (2009). Engaging Classroom Games for All Grades. Image: http://cdn.teachhub.com/sites/default/files/field/image/classroom-games.jpg. K12 Teachers Alliance.

Rich, Motoko. (2013). Gym Class Isn’t Just for Fun and Games Anymore. The New York Times. Image: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2013/02/19/education/PHYSED/PHYSED-articleLarge-v2.jpg The New York Times Company. 

 

Let’s Recap

This is the final blog post I will be completing for CEP810 and it has been quite the adventure. I would go so far as to say it has been one of the most informative education classes I have taken in that most of the content included things I could use or adapt to use in my classroom.

What I’ve learned:

1. The online world contains a vast network of resources. Many much more credible than I ever imagined
2. I am connected digitally to more educationally oriented people than I realized. There are some great networks out there beyond those in my district.
   1. Twitter is a big deal and contains some excellent conversations
      1. #MichEd
      2. #MAET
3. There are free resources that can easily be adapted to what my classroom needs
   1. Trello for making interactive to do lists
   2. Haiku Learning for some supplementary online lessons
4. A potato masher can make a great sandwich. 

(You can read through previous blog posts to find out more about each of these.)

There was a lot of information to acquire over only 7 weeks. I am a little overwhelmed by the possibilities. One of the greatest things about the course that I am going to take into my classroom next year didn’t have as much to do with technology. It was the essence of play. Almost every project we did had an element of fun to it. When we researched something or explored a new website or app we didn’t have everything spelled out for us. We had to figure out the ways to use each new thing as it affected us individually. Some of the wacky assignments made us think more about technology use in the classroom than any lecture or recitation I’ve sat through. As I have worked through this course two goals have emerged.

I want to 1. create a sense of community in my online classroom and 2. add a sense of independence and creative freedom to the assignments I give.

I am still working on setting up a good platform for this. And re-working lesson plans can take some time. It is a daunting class. I know my students will be excited to see that I am working towards a more interactive setup than before, even if it’s not at a fully polished stage.

This won’t happen overnight as I have a lot more to learn.

“The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.”

– Aristotle

I am excited to start CEP811 in the fall and continue this delve into the world of technology. Hopefully you will hear from me again 🙂

 

 

Re-purposing Technology… or a Masher

This week in CEP810 we learned about TPACK, Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. In Punya Mishra’s video that we watched we learned about the importance of re-utilizing technology and changing its purpose to fit our needs. An example he used was email: we all email ourselves. Whether we want to send a reminder, save a document, or just vent about something almost every person with email has emailed something to themself. Yet, email was not created to send yourself a message. By sending yourself a message, you are repurposing email to fit your specific needs. Similarly, in education, we need to use what we are given, but in such a way that our needs and the needs of the students in our classroom are met. 

To show another analogy of this re-purposing, we were asked to complete a simple task using improper tools – chosen by a family member or friend with no knowledge of the task. My fiance chose a small, glass plate and bowl and a metal potato masher as my utensil. My randomized task: create a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Here is the video of my work:

I used the potato masher to get the peanut butter and jelly from their containers. I could have put them directly on the bread. With no way to spread the components, I would not get a consistent blend of PB&J. So I used to bowl to mix them, rather mash them, together. It was also really fun. My fiance’s words when the recording stopped, “That is disgusting. I would never eat that.” No matter. I did eat the sandwich and it was delicious. 

A masher was not the most efficient way to make a sandwich, but it was the only tool I had. I made it work. As teachers we have to work with what we are given. Often what we are given is wrong, like when we get materials for a new math program that don’t match the text, or when we aren’t given enough materials to go around, or when we have too little technology and more so when we have too much. We change how we use textbooks, “Read this, skip that, and here are some supplementary materials” (Mishra). So why do we feel the need to use technology exactly as it’s given to us? This lesson is about making things work with what you are given, but also completing your task in a unique, creative, and fun way.