Category: Weekly Reflections

It has come to the final week of classes in my second semester, which marks the last Tuesday class of our EDCI 336 A02 course. After completing 10 inquiry-based posts and 7 weekly in-class reflections throughout this semester, I have reached my final weekly in-class reflection, which marks the completion of the criteria for my personal website. For my final reflection this week, I chose to reflect on the prompt given in class…

“It is the year 2055. You are still teaching, of course. What is it like going to the classroom, how are you engaging learners, what are the big issues?”

This prompt comes up in many different contexts. Asking an individual what they believe the future will look like is beyond our comprehension. We will never know exactly what a certain year will hold, but when it comes to education and teaching, it is a topic that we may be able to foresee. Looking at the recent focuses of development in education, we can assume that within the next 30 years, we will find ways to acquire positive construction of these integrations. In my experience of the education program so far, there have been many very important topics that our communities and society wish were more prevalent. Some of the present topics that we are prioritizing are personalized learning experiences, focus on critical thinking, community-based learning, immersive experiences, and collaboration/communication. All of these aspects of focus I believe, will become a reality within the next 30 years in the sense of education. Each of these important learning environments and contexts are very beneficial to students’ learning. Though these topics may already be focused on within the educational setting, that doesn’t mean that they are yet a foundation in learning. These are the aspects of education that I hope are highly integrated and focused on in the future, but there are many other developments that I believe will be very prevalent that I may not be as passionate about.

As we have seen within the past few years, the development of technology has skyrocketed. Due to this influx of technological resources and developments, we have seen it take over many individuals’ lives. While technology is used outside of school, we have seen it make its way into the school environment as well. Due to the amount of time we use technology in our daily lives, I believe that we should all keep in mind the amount we rely on it in the educational sense. To protect students from overconsumption, I don’t believe that it should be used as much in the classroom. Though I hope that technology does not get too out of control, we have seen resources such as AI become something that students and educators rely on. As AI is so new and already a resource that is highly overconsummed by many, I don’t know that I am able to comprehend the impact that it will have 30 years from now. Unless needed, such as for education, health, or language support, I don’t believe that it is necessary to integrate technology into students’ lives. Though I feel that technology can in some scenarios, be very beneficial, that doesn’t mean that we should let it determine our future and use it unnecessarily.

In conclusion, living through the year of 2055 will be the only evidence I have of what education and teaching will truly be like. Looking ahead and creating anxiety or false hope will not be beneficial to me as an educator in any way. Day by day, I will continue to focus on integrating necessary and positive teaching focuses, and time will tell what works and what does not for our students.

In today’s class, I observed the creative ways my peers chose to represent the many perspectives of technology in the classroom. Each group described what their presentation topics were about in a group forum. As I saw the varying topics appear, I became very curious about how they would execute their projects, what technology they would use, and how each person would contribute. Each group had many weeks to begin brainstorming the way they would choose to execute their projects. Throughout the semester, each of our Tuesday classes have contributed to most everyone’s inquiry for their projects. We have had various presentations, lessons, and guest speakers come in to talk about the many aspects of technology. There is so much good that comes from technological resources in the classroom, but there are also a lot of controversial aspects of technology’s presence. Within each of the presentations, the groups each did an amazing job of touching on both the good and bad to show their listeners ways that we can accommodate to make technology manageable.

Due to the influx of technology in all aspects of human life in our modern day, the introduction of it in the classroom sense can face many challenges. There is extreme concern for students when it comes to obsessive screentime, lack of self-control with technology, inappropriate use of technology, and accessibility. Each presentation touched on one or more of these topics to educate all students, teachers, and guardians on ways we can accommodate these concerns or modify the ways we integrate technology. Each of these presentations was very informative for me. I was provided resources, perspectives, and ideas of how I can effectively use technology in a classroom sense. It was also brought to my attention some of the ways I myself can make technology use healthier for me as an individual. Self-awareness and self-control are both very important characteristics of being a technology user, which I now feel that I am more cognizant of.

My group’s presentation focused on the topic of equity and inclusion in the classroom utilizing technology. This is a very significant topic that is very effective for all individuals involved in education. The individuals that apply could be any student, teacher, educator, or a guardian of a student. The importance of this topic is that we not only discuss how to involve technology in classrooms but also how we manage technology responsibly, ways it can prove to be effective, and how we can make the more ineffective parts of technology access manageable. Technology can support so many individuals in the classroom, such as students who suffer from hearing or visual impairments, language barriers, students who have learning needs or disabilities, teachers who need extra support, and so much more. The support of technology is a topic that is becoming very big in the education world. With our project, we chose to create a resource that teachers can use to understand the varying ways they can use technology and how to manage it. We provided links, resources, and different technological devices that would be effective for users. What we hope comes of this resource is a simplified approach for teachers to gain this knowledge without having to search for it themselves with such busy schedules.

In conclusion, as technology grows, we as individuals and learners need to learn how to grow with it. Technology is manageable if we learn how to use it appropriately. These presentations were a great way to learn about the present day of technology and how it can be used.

Below, I have linked our website for anyone to check out!

https://technologyinclusion.my.canva.site/

Inclusion in the classroom can come in many different forms. At a young age, we teach children to be open-minded and accept everyone for who they are. With this mindset, action is required to make this inclusion a reality. Through the development of technology in our modern day, it has become an amazing resource to execute increased inclusion in the classroom. Some ways that technology has become a tool to support inclusion for students can be to assist children who are visually, audibly, or hearing impaired, neurodiverse children who require extra support, children who have disabilities, children who are unable to come to school and can access education online, and so much more. Technology is a resource that may have some controversy within classroom settings, but the benefit that it can provide for students and individuals in this environment can be immense.

In this week’s class, we had a presentation by two women who represent BC EdAcess. In this presentation they discussed the many different topics which align with inclusion in the classroom. The topics that were touched on from the presenters were accessibility tools, how inclusion supports make a difference in the classroom, who is affected, and the positives and negatives of these resources. During their presentation, they answered many questions, which I have been wary about while becoming a teacher. They also sparked many new queries which I am yet to discover in my teaching process.

Below I discuss many of the various concerns and questions I have/had…

Inclusion through the utilization of technology can be a slightly difficult topic as the children who are using the devices are so young. There is a confusing line of communication, as they may not understand the proper use of the technology resources they are using. During the presentation, they stated that these are concerns they also had. There are many ways to try and handle any negative effects that could occur in the future when introducing students to utilizing technology as a resource. When providing students with these tools, creating an understanding between what you expect as a teacher and what is expected of the user is very important. This can be expressed through guidelines or rules, examples of positive and negative use, explaining why only some students(children who need technology as a support) may be allowed access to these devices, and lastly placing restrictions on the technology, such as app access control and search controls. By beginning their relationship to these devices with set guidelines, it allows for a much smoother and more understanding utilization.

Inclusion is something that is very significant within the classroom, but being different from others and standing out can cause a lot of anxiety in the individual, as well as some mixed emotions from guardians. Most commonly, guardians intend to make their child feel supported, included, and empowered, but some guardians have a very misconstrued mindset about some aspects of inclusion. In some cases, guardians don’t want their child to feel out of place or admit that their child is different/needs more support. As a future teacher, one of my biggest concerns is handling family situations. Due to the fact that what their child does/how they are supported is up to them, it can be a very hard conversation trying to explain and emphasize the way that extra supports that other children aren’t using may be useful for theirs. During the presentation, one of my peers asked how to handle these types of situations and the presenters answered “All you can do is try your best to support the students without crossing any lines.” This idea is very hard to let settle as it is so hard observing a child who is struggling and as a teacher there is nothing more you can do. Hearing this from professionals did allow me to understand that some things are not fully in our control.

In conclusion, this was a very great experience to hear from these two very knowledgable women. I learned and was able to comprehend the positive and negative aspects of inclusion and the barriers that may be presented.

Artificial intelligence is a tool that has been around for quite some time, but has progressed into something much bigger. We once knew AI as a program which was as simple as online search engines, programs used for military services, and a tool being developed to make simple responses to common questions. Now AI has been developed and integrated into almost every online service, social network, and is now used to replace human interaction. Due to AI minimizing the amount of human interaction we have, it is surprising to see how reliant we have become on something that creates such an impersonal experience. AI has become a source that is relied on very heavily by individuals of all backgrounds and age groups. Some use AI as a tool for school or work, daily queries, language understanding, and some go as far as finding connection or a feeling of companionship through its responsive nature. Though AI creates a much faster and more simplified experience in many conversations and situations, many aspects of AI are not often recognized and need to be considered when we utilize its service.

Some very important details of AI that I was not aware of are facts that I believe many users should understand before they continue or begin their use with AI. AI services are portrayed as a fast, efficient, and reliable tool to answer questions, provide answers, and assist in other daily actions. Due to AI being seen as a support method and a simplified answer to our problems, it can create a more negative effect on overly reliant people. For example, some students use AI services to a very extreme extent, such as to answer mass amounts of homework questions, write essays, modify writing and grammar, and so much more. Without understanding the repercussions of misuse of AI, students can find themselves in trouble. AI generators are very easily recognized by many educators and school services. These detecting services can result in students being under review for plagiarism. Many individuals don’t realize that even though it may not be another person who wrote it, it is still considered a copy of someone else’s work as there is a lot of information taken directly from many other outer resources.

AI does not only provide negative aspects by overreliance and its repercussions, but it also has a very negative effect on our environment. The amount of energy that AI sources to provide the services that we all demand, has gotten to a very negative extreme. To fuel the reliance that we have created with AI in a day, these programs require massive amounts of global energy use as well as 10’s of thousands of liters of water. The impact that this absorption has on the planet is highly impacting and contributing to the global climate crisis that we are dealing with.

To be aware of the impacts that AI has, both negative and positive, is very important as it has become such a large part of our daily experience. Understanding the ways it can assist you and how to use its services properly can be an amazing tool to use as an individual. In contrast, it is also important to understand the negative effects that the overuse of its services entail. Keeping in mind the environmental impacts, reliability you have created, and incorrect or copywritten information it can provide you is important to be cognizant of as a user of these programs. I believe that this is a program we will all continue to co-exist with for the foreseeable future, meaning it is important we learn how to be careful when using.

This week I explored the creation of video resources. Video editing and creation is not a topic that I am too familiar with. I have always had a very hard time with technology in general but video and photo editing has always been particularly difficult for me to grasp. With the help of our presenter Rich McCue, who is part of the Digital Scholarship Commons at the University of Victoria, I was able to learn a few great editing styles and techniques. Rich McCue led us through a one-and-a-half-hour audio and video lab during our most recent class meeting. Within this lab, we were shown different editing techniques, resources, apps, and websites to help us. The two main sites we used were iMovie, Audacity, and Microsoft ClipChamp. Due to the fact that I use a Macbook, I mainly focused my attention on the iMovie resource. To begin we were given an introduction to the purpose of video editing and how it can be a very useful tool within the classroom setting. Next, we were given tutorials provided through the University of Victoria website on the use of each website we would be trying out during our lab. Each of these tutorials provided in-depth instructions on how to begin, what to do, the intro to the different settings, and so much more. After following the instructions we had a choice to either create a graphic of our choice from the internet, use the video clip provided to us, or use a video clip of our own. Many peers in my class got very creative using many different videos that they had found themselves from different platforms as well as videos of their own which were in their iCloud, but as I am very new to this I chose to use the clip which was provided. Following the tutorial carefully I was able to get creative and begin editing this clip.

Though it may not be the most outstanding video editing it was very fun and a great way to get started gaining some knowledge in this field. It was a bit harder than I had thought it would be but by playing around with iMovie I was able to grasp the basic concept of the app. Following a tutorial such as the one provided to our class(https://uviclibraries.github.io/video-editing/) I feel is the best tip I could give for a beginner such as me. Even if you are not using this for academic or professional purposes it is still a very engaging and interesting skill to learn, so I say give it a try!

Here are some of the amazing learning objectives and skills you can gain from this workshop…

In my last class, the conversation about the use of graphics within education was discussed. As time has progressed a multimedia approach to learning has become very relevant even since I was in elementary school. Multimedia learning has shown many significant benefits in students learning and creates a space where visual and auditory learners are accommodated. The “Multimedia Learning Hypothesis” states that “people can learn more deeply from words and pictures than from words alone”(Mayer, 2009, p. 189), which has been scientifically proven in many assessments. As an individual learner, I was always classified by my teachers and parents as a visual learner. Though, at a young age I didn’t understand what they were referencing I was able to point out when auditory or written instructions were not a good approach to learning for me, but during my school experience, it was very rare that teachers would accommodate this. Teachers were very strict in their teaching styles and not as open to trying new approaches. After experiencing this during my education I intend to strive to create the most UDL-centered environment I can. Being able to find ways to support learners of all kinds is the most important thing we as educators can focus on. I believe that the enhancement of learning that this approach can provide will create an environment that is significantly more beneficial to all. Multimedia learning provides engagement, accessibility, collaboration, and simplification, and can focus on different preferences of learning for individuals. I believe that turning this hypothesis into a pedagogy would be a step in the correct direction when thinking about the efforts we make as teachers to make learning as accommodating and approachable as possible for every student. 

The most difficult part about integrating a multimedia approach to learning for most educators is the lack of knowledge they feel they have on the topic. I personally feel very lost when it comes to media design such as how to use the programs, what websites/programs are suitable, where to begin, etc. Due to this feeling, I was intrigued to find what websites set me up best for success in my journey of learning how to integrate these media-based approaches into my teaching. Below I have linked resources of websites to create your media, tips on where to begin, and the benefits of integrating multimedia learning into the classroom…

Why is it important?

https://elearningindustry.com/the-power-of-multimedia-in-learning-maximizing-engagement-and-retention

https://lucidspark.com/blog/visual-teaching-strategies-to-improve-learning

How do I use media resources?

https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/catalogs/tip-sheets/designing-visual-aids

https://uqualio.com/post/how-to-use-visual-media-in-education-simple-strategies-for-more-engaging-learning#:~:text=Simple%20Strategies%20for%20Using%20Visual%20Media%20in%20Education&text=Incorporate%20Memory%20Aids%3A%20Visual%20memory,memorable%20images%20can%20enhance%20recall.

What media resources are the best?

https://www.canva.com/

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/microsoft-365/powerpoint

https://www.wix.com/studio/inspiration

As a future teacher, it is important to understand the ways that the use of media can affect you and your students interconnectedly. With the rise of technological resources and media use within the school between students, teachers, and any individual associated, it is vital that we put restrictions on access between our personal and academic or professional lives. These restrictions protect not only yourself but also the other parties as individuals in our society. Caution surrounds this topic of media use due to the exploitation of personal information, privacy needs, and boundaries that may be crossed. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to protect yourself and your students, so educating yourself on the influence of social media, personal networks, and consent with media use will ensure that you and your students can keep your personal lives which you display in the media confidential.

Throughout the presentation, Jessie reinforced a quote that resonated with me which was “Your personal phone is now a piece of your personal life.” The reason that this quote is so important to me is that I can sometimes forget the impact that my phone has on me. Though many people choose to say they do not have an attachment or an addiction to their phone, I believe that we all somewhat do, and if it isn’t your phone maybe it is another personal device such as an iPad or laptop. Nowadays we see the attachment that humans grow to their devices at such a young age. I see young children, some beginning at the age of 6, unable to sit for 30 minutes without having a screen in front of them, or older people in their 70s-80s unable to put down their devices to stay connected with the current world around them. We may think to ourselves that lessening the use of our phones is detaching ourselves from the impact it has on us, but in reality, every time we go on our phones it is picking up more and more personal information about us slowly building our dual technological identity.

Some very important topics that Jessie touched on as well are…

1. Impacts of AI
2. Influence of social media such as TikTok, Youtube, etc have on children
3. The impact that current social media has on the broadcasting of our lives
4. The factors of networking citizenship
5. Social media audience
6. The importance of digital consent

Jessie Miller is a very well-known keynote speaker who has made an impact on the understanding of the power that social media and technological innovations have on our lives. Jessie has made appearances within many schools, communities, and major audiences to discuss his vast knowledge with people who may lack an understanding of the impact the media has. His TedTalk “Reavaluate, release, rethink” is also available to any viewer. I feel it is very important that we as a community all understand the importance and extreme impact that the media has on our past, present, and future to protect both ourselves and our future children. If you are interested in this valuable information I suggest checking out Jessie’s website @mediatedreality to inquire in any queries today.

Following our first class we were assigned the task of watching the film “Most Likely To Succeed” by Greg Whiteley. This documentary opened its viewer’s eyes to the changing structures of academics in our modern day. As our future arises we are beginning to notice changes in our student’s learning that are heavily influenced by technological advances. After analyzing the film which was based in a modernized school known as “High Tech High”, I faced new observations of educational reform that seemed to rebut the standard traditional educational norms. Instead of conventional memorization, individualized work, and standardized testing, the school considers the integration of collaboration, critical thinking, and imagination. These important integrations within our curriculum will re-structure the way that our students prepare for their future in a more beneficial matter.

What does this documentary make me think/feel?

1. If primary and secondary schooling were changed to this more inquiry-based method, would we see changes in post-secondary levels as well? If not, how would students be able to adapt to something they are unfamiliar with?
2. Is taking away memorization-based learning entirely more or less beneficial in the long run?
3. I love the idea of collaboration in schools but I feel that in older-aged students collaborations can be a way for them to take advantage of doing less work.
4. I believe that taking away the extra stressors and anxiety in school and learning will allow students to be more successful in their confidence in school.
5. Giving more student choice will motivate students to involve themselves in school and I believe we would begin to see higher rates of success and attendance.

An eye opening look into the background of the thoughts and ideas of the film from the director and producer…