CEP 810 Final Reflection

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Taking CEP 810 has been a valuable experience both personally and professionally in several ways. First, I was able to learn in new ways that were motivating and engaging. Second, I was able to apply key concepts to my professional teaching career. Finally, I was challenged to think deeply about meaningful ways to integrate technology into my teaching.

The networked learning project allowed me to personalize my learning process. I was allowed to select my own topic for learning and allowed to seek out resources that met my needs. My learning was individualized to fit my interests, ideas, and learning style. I was able to choose my topic of learning how to knit. I was not only motivated, but my learning has continued even after my project was complete. If this experience was meaningful for me as an adult, I can only imagine the possibilities for my students. This project inspired me to think of ways to incorporate more student choice and flexibility in the ways students can learn through technology. I hope to incorporate some of the elements of our networked learning project into Genius Hour. I like the idea of students learning a new skill of their choice, allowing them to blend hands-on learning and online learning.

I was able to connect key learning concepts in this course to my teaching career. Learning about the TPACK framework provides me with a tool to assess my current teaching practices and plan for more meaningful integration of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. I was also able to begin planning lessons that reflect this framework. This practice was important to begin applying theories about learning to actual teaching practices I can use in my profession. I was thankful to learn about workflow in this course, which can apply to my professional and personal life. I was able to think about using technology to improve my workflow, and reflect on how I can get things done. Improving my workflow can allow me to be more efficient, and spend more time to work directly with students.

Finally, I was excited about gaining exposure to many technology tools in this course. We were given time to explore technologies to help organize our professional work and think about ways digital tools can enhance student learning. We were given time to play with these technologies and begin thinking of ways they can benefit our students. With so many new and intriguing digital tools, it’s important that teachers and students have time to explore new technologies to realize the potential for teaching and learning. As a new school year approaches, I hope to give my students time to play with technology. This will give them time to learn through play, and build a foundational knowledge of the technology available in our classroom.

Throughout this course, my thinking about what education can be for teachers and students has evolved to become more flexible and dynamic. I feel that I have a better understanding of how to make education meaningful for students by acknowledging their diverse needs and interests and recognizing that learning doesn’t need to look the same for every student. Thankfully, technology can help create a more personalized environment for learners. Next year, I would like to give my students more flexility in how they express their learning. For example, students could create videos, presentations, posters, etc. to explain their thinking. This provides students with important choices while learning.

While this course has evolved my thinking, challenges and questions also arise with new learning. One of the biggest questions on my mind revolves around implementing change. How can we begin to make changes in our classrooms that support the varied needs and interests of each student, while also supporting curriculum needs? If I allow learning to be more personal to each student in my class, how can I manage to monitor progress for an entire classroom of students? I think this is one of the biggest challenges I see when implementing new teaching practices and changing the way we view education. As my learning continues, I hope to explore these challenges further and begin to think about possible solutions.

 

References:

Rebirth Cycle. (2009, March 8). Reflect. [Digital Image]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/drownedman/4201993267/in/photolist-7pjjcM-bhEtmv-7DvViE-5iRZN-3Q58Ti-oYaEb7-ocPG8i-5iS16-5iS1p-5yXaz-dxphZK-ehGUdu-7X1RPz-d9SMQp-a9mSRs-9rXWsK-rqvE7-f7qDoB-eDPy7V-JFDBc-3x3Ebe-tz3i5-6926p1-R2wTLF-9z4hw8-5yXa5-pwQHtw-XTx6f-5yXaf-qLQtY4-pQYHMn-6B4ya-7TWHUK-URCETw-5Nyv-rqvA2-9s1UhU-9436WF-9rXNRR-6ui85t-WApHeS-jLXx2-9rXMWt-9rXNqk-9mPsrQ-TasUuv-9rXMwx-pGMdyF-nH3DMh-S1SpKt

Cooking with TPACK

This week in CEP 810, we were asked to complete a cooking challenge. First, we were told to ask another person to pick out a bowl, plate, and utensil for us to use. We did not give any details or directions about the type of kitchen tools. Then, we randomly selected a task to complete using only the tools provided. I chose the task of cutting a hard cheese for a cheese plate using a dinner plate, cereal bowl, and a small fork. I tried several different ways to slice the cheese using various parts of the fork, and some methods were more successful than others. Although these tools allowed me to complete the task, having a flat surface for slicing and a utensil with one straight edge (like a knife) would have made this task easier.

“Reproduced by permission of the publisher, © 2012 by tpack.org”                                             (Image Source)

This cooking task connects to the TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, And Content Knowledge) framework for education. Rather than seeing these practices in isolation, Dr. Punya Mishra says that learning can become more powerful for students and teachers when all of these elements intersect.

In a lecture discussing the framework, Dr. Punya Mishra discusses the use of e-mail. He asked the audience if anyone had ever e-mailed themselves. Many responded that they had, for reasons like reminders, archiving data, or even to therapeutically journal. In this way, he says that we are repurposing a tool. E-mail was not intended for these tasks, but users have adapted digital tools to meet their needs. In the challenge, we were essentially asked to do the same thing. We were asked to take tools not intended for our task, and repurpose them to solve a different problem. This process allowed us to be creative thinkers, and give tools that we associate with a particular task a new purpose. As teachers, we do this with technology all the time. Even when technology isn’t intended for educational settings, we often repurpose digital tools to fit learning needs of our students. 

I hope you enjoy watching me take on this TPACK cooking challenge!

 

References:

21CLI. (2012, March 26). Punya Mishra – Keynote Speaker @ 21st Century Learning Conference – Hong Kong 2012. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bwXYa91fvQ
Mkoehler. (2011, May 11). Using the TPACK Image. [Digital Image]. Retrieved from http://tpack.org/

Learning to Knit-My Final Product

Learning how to knit using only discussion forums and YouTube was a challenging and motivating process. Learning in this way was meaningful in several ways. First, I was able to choose my own topic. This motivated me when I faced challenges or felt frustrated. Second, using Youtube to guide my learning was very helpful for learning how to knit. I was able to watch excerpts and listen to their advice. The visual representation helped me learn new skills and solve problems. Last, I love that this process involved hands-on learning. When taking online classes, I spend a lot of time sitting at the computer. Taking time to learn how to knit allowed me to use my hands and think in a different way.  

In this video, I demonstrate the three most important skills that I learned through this process. I learned how to cast on, create a knit stitch, and bind off.

I was amazed at the amount of content related to knitting that exists on YouTube. There are endless amounts of videos that focus on specific skills, provide step-by-step directions to knit a particular item, or offer solutions to problems. I was able to learn some basic skills in the last few weeks, but I am excited to keep watching more videos to learn new skills and begin knitting some different items. My next step will be learning the purl stitch. This opens up my options to knit a variety of items that require both the knit stitch and the purl stitch.

I can definitely see the benefits of allowing students to use YouTube and discussion forums to learn a new skill. My students participate in Genius Hour every Friday, which gives them one hour to study a topic they are interested in. However, I really like the idea of students participating in a hands-on learning experience with the help of technology. I think I would need support in providing materials for students to learn a new hands-on skill, but it can definitely be done! If students are given flexibility to make choices about their learning, access to technology, and materials to learn a new skill, the possibilities are endless!

 

Allowing Student Voice and Choice with Opinion Writing

One of our first grade writing units centers around opinion writing. Students learn to write an opinion piece with an introduction, three reasons, and a conclusion. Students learn how to convince their audience with their writing by adding craft elements like persuasive details and “sparkly” words. This lesson will come at the end of our opinion writing unit, so students should already have some understanding about this kind of writing. This lesson utilizes some of Renee Hobbs’ (2011) five core competencies that are fundamental in developing future-ready skills. In this lesson, students are able to analyze, create, and act.

Students will first analyze a problem they see in our school. Instead of the teacher providing the context for their writing, students will decide upon a problem that is meaningful to them. Problems in our school will come directly from students and serve as a foundation for the entire lesson. Next, students will use their knowledge of opinion writing to create a presentation that will be shared with our school board. Students will have a lot of flexibility in what they create, and it may depend on what types of problems students identify in our school. For example, students may want to redesign areas of our playground and could create a model to represent their opinions. Students could also create a video highlighting ways to keep the school clean. Flexibility will be key in allowing students create. Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown (2011) suggest that learning can be empowered by play saying, “Much of what makes play powerful as a tool for learning is our ability to engage in experimentation” (p. 97). Providing students time to play with various technologies or building options before creating will help students moving forward. Last, students will have the opportunity to act. Students will be able to share their presentations and opinions in front of our school board. By allowing students to act, they are able to connect with authentic audiences and experience purpose for their writing.

With this lesson, I hope to provide my students with choices about their learning, an opportunity to ask questions, and take learning outside the classroom. Click to see the full lesson HERE.

References:

Cooperative Learning Group Labels. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jB2sdKPVhleIcfPzF2QdicAAf_3iiglZXeaWCL8pLvk/edit?usp=sharing

Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand, Oaks, CA: Corwin/Sage.

Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, Ky: CreateSpace?.

Vandenberge, Nancy. (2016, January 1). My Opinion Writing Checklist. Retrieved from http://firstgradewow.blogspot.com/2016/01/welcome-2015-andopinion-writing.html