TechTales 6: Horizons of the Future

    Throughout this educating course on the perspectives of integrating technology is how beneficial it can be. I used to have a very rigid way of using technology in the classroom, that outside of Chromebooks for writing papers there was nothing much that technology could be used for. However, through this course I have been able to expose myself (particularly through my Practicum) to the immense and wonderful world of implementing technology in the classroom. My favourite has had to be making a Game Show for review concepts using PearDeck. I had to challenge myself throughout my Practicum in how using technology could be more than just note-taking or assignment writing, the idea of making games and playing review games in the classroom became a fun puzzle of sorts, finding ways to balance the activities with review. This ended up building some bonds between students this way, playing these games and getting into the spirit helped the engagement of students.

TechTales 5: Indigenous Education

Blog #5 Video

 Slides

Hello everyone, welcome to another Blog Post. Today's discussion is on Indigenous Education, we will be discussing the Tsuut'ina Nation Elementary School, Chiila Elementary School, their mission statement and vision, the values they teach students and how they communicate with parents in their community.

TechTales 4: Gamifying Polynomial Review with Scratch Coding in the Classroom

Lesson Plan 

So recently I have been working on ways to incorporate the coding tool called Scratch into lesson planning. Scratch has plenty of games and creations made by hundreds of users all for free. Scratch provides students with an easy entrance into coding using a "Blueprint System" which is exactly what it sounds like, students can visually see the code as it happens.

For the recent lesson plan I have developed I incorporated a game with polynomials work as a form of review for the class. I want to strive away from only paper and pencil review when I can, and I feel this game on Scratch gives that opportunity for myself and for students. Students will be encouraged to play the game if they wish, and we'll be opening the chance for students to participate in a friendly competition with others with a low stakes prize. The goal of the lesson is for students to review so giving students different opportunities of review is an essential tool in my opinion.

TechTales 3: Exploring Blooket and the Shifting Landscape of Educational Gaming

 

    Blooket was a blast to play around with and to learn. I had fun learning how to manage and create questions in a game-like format for review. I'm looking forward to hearing the feedback me and my group will receive. It was an interesting experience seeing how much the curriculum has changed for even Grade 4s, since I was in Grade 4. Blooket is interesting by providing games for studying, however I received a feedback comment that I must say left me puzzled. That was in regards to how students would place value on the task? How many students would value the task as review and how many would value it as they would any other game. I believe that setting the ground rules ahead of time and establishing the use of Blooket as a tool for review is valuable, since it even provides answers. I think it works best as a review tool, since it provides correct answers for incorrect answers, however to that same extent the question must be asked of how much of the tool is for actual review and how much is memorization, similar questions though must be raised for tools like Kahoot and a Class Jeopardy.

Mini-Lesson Plan

Blooket

TechTales 2: Harnessing Twitter for Educational Exploration and Empowerment

 

     @jtheteach on Twitter

How will I use Twitter? (Or I guess X now, I don't know I'm old...)

I plan on using Twitter as a means to further my research in schools and benefitting in finding school resources. As much as X can be a negative mosh pit of hate speech, I believe that there are ways to proactively use the site, no matter what happens we have the power to change it, and use it as a tool and means of good. I do not know yet if I would use it as a way to communicate with parents but I am open to the idea of being taught the right, safe way to use it for that purpose.

TechTales 1: Exploring the Impact of Digital Technologies in K to 9 Education

Previous educational technology experience?

I have had some very nice and fancy smartboards and I have had nothing more than an old school projector. From what I've found I'm not entirely "techy" yet, the fanciest I've gotten is using a webcam to show myself working on a worksheet.

Educational technology being used in your 3rd year practicum placement?

At my school personally, technology is well integrated, every student has the use of an iPad (provided by the school) that they can use to: take notes, answer questions, engage in homework. Now, this is only the observations of a single day (as my second visit was a technology-free camping trip) however it seems teachers and staff have embraced technology as a tool for students, and hold students accountable for using this tool properly.

What “burning” question do you have about the use of digital technologies in K to 9 education?

How openly is technology used?

For classrooms who do have technology deeply integrated into their curriculum and school atmosphere, how has it been impacted?

How has AI been brought into the curriculum? Why do some teachers choose to work with and accept AI while others choose to reject it?

To what position on acceptance vs rejection do some schools stand with AI and Technology (individually)?

Why is the question important to YOU?

 This question is important to me because I have been taught to not fully try to resist the advancements of technology. Fully rejecting or telling students a flat "no" in response to using AI and Technology will solve NOTHING instead it encourages some students to find loopholes and ways of going behind my back to use the resources anyway. AI is something we can use as a tool, and students and teachers can use it to help make their writing stronger and easier for some. I believe AI especially can be helpful for students who struggle to write or struggle to write in English, it can give students good paragraph starters. Provided students learn proper citation when it comes to the use of AI means they learn to use it responsibly and be held accountable for improper use. AI in this perspective shifts from "Cheating for 100% don't let teachers know!!!!!" to being held to the same regard as other citation and plagiarism.