Module 9 – Digital Citizenship and Privacy

PART A: Here is the digital poster I made to teach secondary students about how to protect themselves and their privacy in the digital world. I used easelly to make this digital poster.

The link to my poster is here.

Protecting Yourself in a Digital World

PART B: Digital Citizenship Reflection

Teachers should promote and model digital citizenship in the classroom as well as provide students information so that they can be responsible digital citizens everytime they use technology. Teachers can model digital citizenship when they incorporate technology into the classroom. For example, if a teacher teaches students about thinking before they post and talks about the dangers of posting inappropriate photos of themselves online, then this also needs to apply to the teacher. If students found an inappropriate picture of their teacher online, they would disregard what their teacher had taught them about being appropriate online. We have to model how we want our students to act.

One way that I would incorporate digital citizenship into my classroom instruction would be through use of examples. I would show my class examples of the dangers of not being responsible online. For example, if I was using Facebook as a communication and collaboration tool with my students, I would share with them examples of how the improper use of Facebook has negatively affected individual’s lives. There are many examples online of people getting fired because of something posted on Facebook, or cases of cyberbullying, or profiles being hacked, etc. I would also like to put the poster that I created in PART A up in my classroom as a constant reminder to students that they need to protect themselves online.

Module 10

PART A: Here is a link to my online flashcards for copyright/intellectual property definitions.

PART B: Here is a short PowerPoint of definitions students should know with regards to copyright and intellectual property. It also includes information on how to cite different sources.
Copyright, Intellectual Property and Citations

Module 8 – Cyberbullying

PART A

Here is the GoAnimate video I made about cyberbullying. It is directed towards high school students, grades 10-12.

At first, I was unsure about using words like “skank” and “slut”. However, these are words high school students are familiar with and hear on a daily basis. I included them in my cartoon to make it more realistic.

I was also unsure about whether or not including the concept of suicide was a smart idea or not, but again, suicide is something that high school students are, and should be, aware of. It is a reality among students and should be taken seriously and the topic should not be shied away from.

I would have liked to tweak and play with my video for longer but I ran out of time. I would have liked to have included prevention strategies, suicide resources, etc. You can only make a two minute video with the free version of GoAnimate and my video was 1:59!

PART B
Here is the Symbaloo I made with resources for digital citizenship, media and cyberbullying.

One strategy I would incorporate into my classroom to address cyberbullying is to make cyberbullying a familiar and comfortable topic in my classroom with my students. I would do this by having the entire class play the cyberbullying game I put in my Symbaloo. I think this game is a fantastic way to introduce and discuss the topic of cyberbullying with a class. The game is great because it walks students through different types of cyberbullying and what to do when you come across it!

Another strategy I would use is to come up with rules and guidelines together as a class after everyone has played the game. I think this would be useful for the students because the topic of cyberbullying would be fresh in their minds and may also not be clear yet. By making a list of rules and guidelines for digital use I believe it would help students be more comfortable and familiar with the topic. It would also be a great way to open up the floor for discussion and questions! We could make a poster to put up in our classroom as a constant reminder.

Module 7 – Technology in Alberta Schools

Here is my EdCanvas about Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs). It includes a video of me using an IWB for the first time.

Module 6 – Mobile Learning

Here is a tackkboard I created about mLearning or mobile learning. It includes 5 types of technology that could be used in a K-12 setting.

Learning Reflection

For this assignment I looked at a lesson plan and had to decide one way that I could incorporate mobile learning into that lesson plan. Here is the lesson plan.

And here is my idea:

For Step 7: Descriptive Writing students could use Wordle to create a “word cloud” out of the words they brainstormed to describe the underworld. Instead of writing one descriptive paragraph about what Persephone saw when Hades kidnaps her and takes her to the underworld, students could use Story Bird to create a short animated story of what Persephone saw.

Using a computer, iPad or smartphone would make the activity more engaging for students. Likewise, where writing a paragraph may be boring and not visually stimulating, the use of Story Bird would allow students to pair images and colors with words to describe the underworld. Using Story Bird would help to accommodate more types of learners than writing a paragraph.

Things to consider before doing the activity:
1. Are there enough devices for every student and/or can students bring their own devices to class?
2. Am I familiar enough with the software to be able to help my students use it effectively? If not, find a tutorial online or read up on the program before using it in class.
3. Will my students stay on task while using mobile devices? How can I ensure that they will stay on task and engaged in the activity?

Module 5 – Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Virtual Learning Enrivonments (VLE) Exploration

Here is my Google Doc describing features of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Virtual Learning Environments (VLE).

Within the features of LMS and VLE’s that I covered in my Google Doc, the communication tool I would choose to use would be announcements. As a teacher I believe it would make it easier for me to get important information out to all my students quickly and effectively. As a student I believe it would be useful because they would be immediately aware of all updates as soon as they logged on and they would also receive an email whenever an announcement was posted.

For an assessment tool I would use tests, quizzes and surveys. As a teacher all of these tools would provide me useful feedback about what my student’s know well and what I need to make clearer or teach in a different way. As a student tests and quizzes would be helpful for student’s to be able to evaluate their own learning and knowledge and prepare for exams.

To organize my LMS I would use folders and the course calendar. As a teacher I think that the course calendar is an essential way to be sure students are aware and have access to all the important dates they need to know. Folders ensure that all content is organized. As a student, the calendar would be beneficial to be aware of all the important dates. Folders would be especially helpful so that students can find where everything is and navigate the LMS efficiently.

For adding content for my LMS I would use web linking. As a teacher, I would be able to post a link directing my student to resources. I could post links to videos, readings, documents and many other types of resources for my students. As a student it would be beneficial to have access to all types of resources from one remote location which can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.

This is a screenshot of my CourseSite Hompage.

CourseSite

Module 4 – Where Am I Now?

Philosophy of Teachnology
One of the least effective ways I have seen a teacher use technology in the classroom is through the use of PowerPoint. The reason I found it so ineffective was because of the excessive amount of words on the slides! There were no pictures to stimulate visual senses and it was also too much information to copy down in a timely, effective manner. The teacher also read word for word from the slides without any input or asides. It was very boring and I did not learn anything from the presentation.

This awesome blog that my teacher showed us in EDIT 202 describes perfectly how powerpoint can be used wrong. It shows the contrast between Darth Vader’s “evil powerpoint” and Yoda’s “naked approach”!

One of the most effective ways I have seen a teacher use technology is through the use of videos such as Ted Talks or YouTube. There are so many fantastic resources out there to help get the point across and really drive home the information! Seeing some theory or information that I learned put into practice in a real life example or described in a cartoon or some other sort of visual interpretation is extremely helpful and engaging.

TPACK

Where I am right now as an Education student, in regards to TPACK

Teaching Theories
Here is my updated mindmeister mind map of theories now including the philosophy of teachnology and TPACK.

Module 3 – Learning and Technology Theories

Module 3 – Learning and Technology Theories Reflection

Of the three learning theories I have looked at (constructivism, connectivism and cognitive load theory), I think that constructivism best reflects how I learn. I say this, first of all, because it stands out from connectivism and cognitive load theory. While I find the idea of connectivism intriguing and look forward to using this theory more, I was not aware of it until recently and still find it to be somewhat confusing. On the other hand, I do believe I already use pieces of connectivism in my learning. For example, when I do not know how to solve a statistics problem or how to cite in APA, I look up resources to help me do so on the internet. I have also recently created a Twitter account, allowing me to connect with teachers and educators and find resources for my own teaching and learning.

However, I believe constructivism best reflects how I learn because I really enjoy creating things. Constructivist theory sees the mind as a network, constructing knowledge from one’s own experiences. It includes discovery learning and collaborative learning. An example of how I applied these ideas is through the “Angry Birds” art I posted on my blog. I used many different textures for the picture. To decide what to use and what would work I tested many different materials and picked the ones that worked best (discovery). When I ran out of ideas for materials, I consulted my mom for more ideas (collaboration)!

To help me learn in a constructivist manner, a teacher could use technology to allow me to apply what I have learned to real life settings by creating something. For example, when learning about percentages in math class, a teacher could have students create a pretend grocery store and calculate costs of inventory, rent, wages etc. This would be taking certain knowledge that students should already have (what a grocery store looks like, basic addition and subtraction) and building onto it to learn more advanced math.

Another idea would be to have students create ePortfolios or blogs to showcase their work throughout the year. The teacher could also have the students write reflections on their work at different points throughout the year. This would help me learn by having me reflect on my accomplishments and see how I have changed. It would also be beneficial because at the end of the year students would have a collection of their work to keep with them.

Another concept of constructivism is collaboration. I would find it helpful if my teacher had a forum setup for peer feedback and review on work. It would be helpful to hear from peers as well as the teacher because peers are coming from the same place as you and doing the same work as you. This would create a lot of opportunity to share ideas and work collaboratively.

This is the link to the mind map I created about Technology and Learning Theories using mindmeister.

Magazine Publication

I submitted a couple of my drawings, poem and a short story to an Alberta-wide magazine called “Grip”. They published one of my art pieces, one poem and my short story!

Here’s a PDF of the magazine 🙂

Danas Magazine Publication

Angry Birds Texture Art

Here are a few step by step photos I took of an Angry Birds art project I made for my niece, Makenna. I decided to make a picture out of as many different textures as possible. Some of the textures I used were: koolaid powder, balloons, string, sugar, clothing, fur from stuffed animals and duct tape.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Final Product