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SAMR…SECTIONS.. wait what?

How can the SAMR theory of technology adoption help you evaluate technologies that you might consider using in your classroom?

Teaching learners new information and skills are exciting! Sometimes in the process of getting excited to teach students, you forget about all of the specifics. It would be amazing if you could teach your entire class of students all at the same time how to use Canva. That may not be possible though depending on the school you are at and the funding that it has. Let’s break down SAMR and come up with some examples!

SAMR model, illustrated by Sylvia Duckworth

Substitution

-We can allow students to work on a computer to type out assignments instead of writing if it works better for them

Augmentation

-We can allow students to work on a computer to type out their assignments plus… allowing them to look up definitions on the internet to improve their assignment

Modification

Maybe it is easier for a student to use talk to text to improve their sentence construction (this is how I prefer to work!)

Redefinition

-Using technology to communicate with parents. For example, having students do self-reflections on google classroom so their parents can see what they are learning

How could the SECTIONS model help you select the most appropriate tool or technology to help meet your learning objectives for your class?

As mentioned above sometimes you have grand ideas but no way of implementing them. SECTIONS gives you questions to ask yourself when planning to ensure you meet your planned objectives. The below links gives a great breakdown of SECTIONS! Enjoy the read!

https://teachingcommons.unt.edu/teaching-essentials/teaching-technology/selecting-educational-technologies-checklist

Could sketchnoting benefit learners in the grade level you hope to teach at? If so how?

I believe that any technology used currently can benefit learners! I feel that sketch noting could help to engage learners in the topic, and allow them to be involved in their learning.

I struggle with sketchnoting as it is not how my brain works. In another class this semester we have been asked to do concept maps for chapter notes.. In theory, this should be more engaging and decently quick, however, I need to write out my notes by hand, then type them and then transfer them into a concept map. I state this so that we remember to think about students who may not get any benefits from sketchnoting.

Below is a wonderful blog that acts as a guide for using sketchnoting in the classroom!

Canva Examples

Below are two examples of Canva infographics that I have made. Unfortunately the “wedding invitation” below was the 5th one that I had to make…. Planning a wedding, then replanning it 2 more times gives you plenty of opportunities to hone your skills on Canva.

Buy Now or Wait?

8 months ago the dealership reached out to my dad and said they wanted to buy his truck back from him. When they told him he could get the brand new 2022 Ford Superduty for only $5,000 more than what they bought his 2018 Superduty back for it seemed like a no brainer! However 8 months later his new truck does not even have a serial number yet… Thankfully he has enough company trucks that he always has a vehicle, but most people wouldn’t be so lucky.

If you know anyone who has been thinking about buying a new vehicle the past year you have probably heard about the vehicle shortage. But why is there a shortage? And when will it end? The short answer is that no one really knows when it will end. How can one tiny microchip cause a worldwide shortage of vehicles?

An article on motortrend.com discusses the reason for the chip shortage and some potential solutions.

  • The shortage is predicted to last into 2023, however it can be partially combated if manufacturers come up with a way to use less chips, or use different ones
  • The global Auto Industry lost 210 billion dollars in sales in 2021 due to the shortage
  • In 2020 when manufacturers were forced to shut down with COVID, the supply chain of microchips got rerouted to electronics to handle the demand for more video games, etc. When the world “opened” back up, chip manufacturers were not prepared
  • There was a fire at a microchip plant in Japan. Ford mainly relied on that plant for its supply
  • Used car prices jumped 42% due to demand. Which is why new vehicles are now more affordable than used vehicles in many cases
  • https://www.motortrend.com/news/automotive-car-industry-semiconductor-chip-shortage-reasons-solution/

I was hoping that the below article would give me concrete insight on whether we should buy a vehicle now or wait. The article did tell me to wait, however it does not give a specific timeline on when it will be a buyers market again. Sounds like the real estate market in Victoria hey?

https://www.cars.com/articles/inventory-shortage-update-should-you-wait-to-buy-a-car-445723/

My husband and I currently have decided on the Toyota Rav4! The below video is long but gives a great overview on why the Rav4 is such an amazing vehicle!!

Managing your Digital Footprint

What is a digital footprint? Watch the video below for a brief description before moving on!

How can we help our learners manage their digital footprint?

In my link2practice last semester I was able to observe a technology class for grade 6 learners. In this lesson, they were being taught about their digital footprint and were asked to think about ways to manage their footprint. I was very impressed that such an important conversation was taking place. It is difficult for an adult, let alone a grade 6 student to grasp how their digital footprint can affect them for years to come. I feel that an open discussion about the use of the internet and social media is a great place to start. There are huge benefits to using the internet, however, we must teach learners how to use it safely. I found two links to assist us in starting that conversation with learners.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/erase/online-safety

https://healthpoweredkids.org/lessons/online-safety-for-kids-your-digital-footprint-and-digital-imprint/

What was the most interesting thing you found when you googled yourself?

I was incredibly proud of myself when I googled my name. The screenshot above was in the top 5 things when you googled my name. I worked very hard to graduate with my Bachelor of Athletic and Exercise Therapy and studied extremely hard to pass my certification exam to be able to work in my chosen field. This google search was a reminder that I have reached that goal. Not only did I reach my goal of working at one clinic, but two! Lastly, I am very proud of myself for planning a wedding not only once but 5 times….thanks COVID. It is a reminder of the best wedding week with family and friends.

Will you change your use of social media after the talk and Q&A with Jesse Miller?

Although I knew that everything sent on Snapchat stays there forever, the reminder was quite terrifying. I was in high school when Snapchat really became a thing, highschool is also a time in your life when you do not always make the wisest decisions. It is frightening knowing that there could be Snapchat’s of things you are not proud of permanently out there. Because of this, I found myself googling how to clear conversations and history on Snapchat…. the short answer is you can’t.

This reminder lead me to reflect on how I am currently using social media. Thankfully I have grown up a lot since high school and I feel that my social media use is appropriate and professional.

Prior to entering this program, I was the Aquatic Supervisor at Esquimalt Recreation Center. During this time I was in charge of all hiring for the pool. The average age of our candidates was 17 years old. One of the first things I did when I received a resume was to search them on social media. When employees called in sick to work for a suspicious reason I checked social media. Unfortunately, I did “catch” employees calling in sick when they had really gone camping and failed to get their shifts covered. When these situations occurred it caused the entire staff to reflect on their social media use, and how their decision to post something could seriously affect their job.

It is my hope that this blog post furthered your learning on your digital footprint and helped you to reflect on your social media use.

Screencast…? Please Load…

Wow! That was difficult. Unfortunately, I have had two Macbooks crash on me in my lifetime, and both times I have spent 100’s of dollars trying to recover things that did not save properly. Due to those occurrences, I get quite terrified that I will lose things that I am working on. But it was a great learning experience!! Watch the video below to learn about multimedia learning prior to reading further.

Screencasts and H5P tools could be quite helpful in the classroom. ESPECIALLY during online learning. I will be honest I was probably only half paying attention when I was watching some of the pre-class videos, however, having prompts and questions built-in helped me to start paying attention! A random situation that could be helpful is when you are sick and have a TOC, you could do a quick screencast to help explain to the TOC what you would like them to do! Or have a random lesson in your back pocket that the TOC could show the class!

Having the text boxes and multiple-choice questions embedded really helps to keep people engaged!

Using H5P is an easy way to incorporate Multi-media Learning Theory. As a review, multimedia learning theory is using multiple simultaneous techniques while instructing to increase retention. Using a screencast while teaching a lesson may help to increase students’ retention and understanding of the subject area.

The below article gives some broad tips on how to use multimedia in the classroom!

https://degree.lamar.edu/articles/education/tips-on-using-multimedia-in-the-classroom/

In my link2practice last semester I observed a grade 6 teacher using story problems for an entire math unit. This unit was based on Tesla! Students got to go on Tesla’s website to design their own car, use google maps to find the best route to take in order to have access to charging stations, and watch interactive videos on how to use math to do it all!

It was a great use of multimedia in the classroom, however, there were some drawbacks. Keeping students focused when they have access to the internet can be quite challenging. As a way to combat this, the teacher gave the students their own headphones, however, this led to the students searching youtube for music. It would have been beneficial if the school had a tighter security system to restrict students’ use.

All in all using multimedia in the classroom has a long list of positives for use in the classroom! But with all things, you must consider the negatives as well! Below is a link to the Tesla Story problems.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Story-Based-Math-Grade-6-4010323

Free Inquiry: What car should I buy?

I sold my car!! I had this car for 8 years, I’ve been through a lot with this car. This car has seen friends come and go, relationships start and end, it was there to pick up our dog, moving provinces, and most excitingly it got a new garage last year! However, I am not sad that it is gone, as this car has also caused a lot of stress!

I am proposing a free inquiry assignment on deciding on a new vehicle! Do I get an electric? A hybrid? A plug-in hybrid? Or another gas vehicle? How much do I spend? Do I fiance? Do I pay cash? Once all that is decided there is still the question of what vehicle?!

I am unsure if this counts as a free inquiry assignment but if you will allow it I would love to share the journey and research on deciding on a new vehicle!!

Lesson Plans vs Personalized Learning Plans

4 years ago I was teaching a group swimming lesson and was having a difficult time building rapport with one of my swimmers. We were never on the same page, I would ask them to swim a certain lap and they would do something differently, and I was frustrated. On halfway day I was talking to their mother and everything made sense. This swimmer needed a personalized learning plan and not a lesson plan. Throughout the next five weeks of me using a learning plan with this student, she became the best swimmer in the group!

Lesson plans are essential to ensuring that your classroom runs smoothly and students learn all content areas. However, being able to adapt your lesson plans to your individual student’s needs is the most important. This ends up being personalized learning plans.

Lesson plan: Step by step outline of the lesson being taught, this includes the timing of the lesson and small adaptations that you may have to make.

Personalized Learning Plan: An individualized plan that takes all the learner’s needs into consideration. For example, my swimmer above was 60% deaf in both ears, however, I was unaware until 5 lessons in. Once I was informed we were able to work together to come up with a personalized learning plan.

When trying to find research on this topic I found someone’s blog post from last year in this class and it is a great read! Click on the link to read her blog post on this topic! This is assisting me and hopefully you as well to grow your professional learning network! There are many benefits to growing a professional learning network or PLN, including connecting with colleges over shared interests and learning from eachother!

Visit this site to discover more about why it is important to develop a personalized learning plan!

https://www.eidesign.net/5-reasons-why-you-should-develop-a-personalized-learning-plan/

It is my hope that adding images to this post with help boost activity on my blog!

Blogging for Educational Purposes

As we know technology plays a large role in our lives. Whether it’s needing to know how to use excel for a job or simply knowing how to set up your email on your phone. We use technology daily and we need to prepare children for their futures. In the future, I am hoping to teach middle years. I was privileged to observe a grade 6 teacher last semester who utilized technology in some very interesting ways. I feel that I could use blog posts as a way to foster student self-reflection and to build a portfolio throughout the school year. This would allow students to reflect on their progress throughout the year, as well as their parents. This could be done in a weekly or bi-weekly reflection of their learning, or it could be done on a specific topic. On top of reflections, it could also be used to showcase students’ work, this would help us to keep parents up to date on students learning. The opportunities for technology in the classroom and specifically blog posts are truly endless.

I look forward to learning more about how to incorporate technology into my future classroom.

Welcome and Introduction

Before proceeding with this first blog post, we expect you to consider your privacy preferences carefully and that you have considered the following options:

  1. Do you want to be online vs. offline?
  2. Do you want to use your name (or part thereof) vs. a pseudonym (e.g., West Coast Teacher)?
  3. Do you want to have your blog public vs. private? (Note, you can set individual blog posts private or password protected or have an entire blog set to private)
  4. Have you considered whether you are posting within or outside of Canada? This blog on opened.ca is hosted within Canada. That said, any public blog posts can have its content aggregated/curated onto social networks outside of Canada.

First tasks you might explore with your new blog:

  • Go into its admin panel found by adding /wp-admin at the end of your blog’s URL
  • Add new category or tags to organize your blog posts – found under “Posts” (but do not remove the pre-existing “EdTech” category or sub-categories, Free Inquiry and EdTech Inquiry). We have also pre-loaded the Teacher Education competencies as categories should you wish to use them to document your learning. If you would like to add more course categories, please do so (e.g., add EDCI 306A with no space for Music Ed, etc.)
  • See if your blog posts are appearing on the course website (you must have the course categories assigned to a post first and have provided your instructor with your blog URL)
  • Add pages
  • Embed images or set featured images and embed video in blog posts and pages (can be your own media or that found on the internet, but consider free or creative commons licensed works)
  • Under Appearance,
    • Select your preferred website theme and customize to your preferences (New title, etc.)
    • Customize menus & navigation
    • Use widgets to customize blog content and features
  • Delete this starter post (or switch it to draft status if you want to keep for reference)

Do consider creating categories for each course that you take should you wish to document your learning (or from professional learning activities outside of formal courses). Keep note, however, that you may wish to use the course topic as the category as opposed to the course number as those outside of your program would not be familiar with the number (e.g., we use “EdTech” instead of “edci336).

Lastly, as always, be aware of the FIPPA as it relates to privacy and share only those names/images that you have consent to use or are otherwise public figures. When in doubt, ask us.

Please also review the resources from our course website for getting started with blogging:

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