EDET 677 Mech App Week 11 Blog

EDET 677 Mechanical Applications

Week 11 Blog

Essential Question: How have you, and will you continue to “Learn the 21st Century” and allow your students this experience in your classroom?

            At this moment, I have been learning the 21^st century through experiences. I am close to the age of my students and I am interested in similar things that are interested in. I grew up in the 21^st century with computers, robots, etc. There are technologies that I haven’t experienced until I was an adult but I always end up finding out about interesting and new technologies, issues that are important at this time, and challenges that my students and I face as a generation. Most of the information I learn about living in the 21^st century is from the same sources that my students are learning, social media. Another way that I have been learning about technologies and mindsets found in the 21^st is by taking courses like this one. I want to be fresh in my knowledge of teaching and of students by constantly taking classes formally or informally.

            I find it very important to keep continuing on my path of learning about the world around me and how it is evolving. This better than the alternate which is to only embrace what I know now and what I am comfortable with now. A way that I can keep learning is through participating in innovative and collaborative projects with others like they do at a conference called Constructing Modern Knowledge. “CMK is our attempt to create a non-coercive constructionist learning experience for educators of all subjects and grade levels.” (Martinez & Stager, 2013) If the 21^st century requires my students to be innovative, creative, and problem-solvers, then I need to put myself in that situation so that I can grow along side of my students and the world.

            For my students to experience the 21^st century in school, I will begin using more technologies that force students to create, think, and truly experience learning. For example, play around with coding more with the Arduino or play a youtube video that shows a new concept or technology like Xtopher creates (2017). Maybe I can challenge students for them to find the newest and coolest technology and they can share with the class. All I know is that I need to focus on collaboration and innovation of technology.

Resources:

Constructing Modern Knowledge. Retrieved from http://constructingmodernknowledge.com/?cat=4

Martinez, S. L., & Stager, G (2013). Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom. Torrence, CA: Construction Modern Knowledge Press.

Xtopher (2017). Friday Product Post: Raspberry Pi Zero W. Sparkfun Start Something. Retrieved from https://www.sparkfun.com/news/2432

EDET 678 Emerge Tech Week 11 Blog

EDET 678 Emerging Technologies

Week 11 Blog

Essential question:  What specific policies will help your district prepare students for current and emerging technology use? How can you help lead your district in creating these policies? 

            My district, Dillingham City School District, has various policies to incorporate and implement the use of technology in the school and classroom. These policies do allude to emerging technology use in the schools but not in detail. The following is in the philosophy section of DCSD’s Board Policy Manual. The philosophy supports using new technology in order to teach students technology literacy, to communicate through technology, and to gather information that can be analyzed and evaluated.

“5. Access and utilize information and technology:

·      provide the current technologies in each classroom, so students will be technologically literate

·      communicate in the global society with computers, video, audio and other technologies

·      use technology to gather, analyze and evaluate information and opinions

·      use computers to process and organize information

·      evaluate the uses of technology and its impact on society and the environment” (DCSD, Board Policy Manual)

            In order to develop policies that support current and emerging technologies in the classroom, the developing team needs to know the philosophy and goals of the district so that the vision flows smoothly to a place the whole community can support. From there a team needs to be created with all stakeholders being involved such as “parents, IT staff, teachers, principals and superintendents.” (Winske, 2014) The team that is created would greatly benefit if they look at other district policies that support current and emerging technologies. Alberta Government has great policies that support emerging technologies. For example, “technology is used to support student-centred, personalized, authentic learning for all students.” (2013)

            If and when I am on the committee to develop and strengthen my school district’s technology plan and policies, I would encourage us to look at the Horizon Report or put in a policy that requires the tech team to look at the trends of technology in education. For example, the Horizon Report has a long-term trend of redesigning learning spaces (2016). With the report saying this, then the tech team should be looking at ways to implement this emerging education philosophy that can be supported by technology such as a makerspace. DCSD’s Technology Plan does have some great policies that can be built upon to support the use of emerging technologies in the classroom.

Resources:

Adams Becker, S., Freeman, A., Giesinger Hall, C., Cummins, M., and Yuhnke, B. (2016). NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2016 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2016-nmc-cosn-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf

Alberta Government (2013). 2013 Learning and Technology Policy Framework. Edmonton, Canada: School Technology Branch. Retrieved from https://education.alberta.ca/media/1046/learning-and-technology-policy-framework-web.pdf

Dillingham City School District. Board Policy Manual. Dillingham, AK. Retrieved from https://boardpolicyonline.com/?b=dillingham

Dillingham City School District (2014). District Technology Plan FY 2014-FY 2017. Dillingham, AK.

Winske, C. (2014). Tips for Creating Technology Policies for K-12. Tech Decisions. Retrieved from https://techdecisions.co/compliance/creating-an-acceptable-use-policy-for-mobile-learning-initiatives/#

EDET 678 Emerge Tech Week 10 Blog (and Reflection)

EDET 678 Emerging Technologies

Week 10 Blog

Essential question: How are electronics viable additions to “crafting” for today’s young person?

            When I walk into work, high school students are always expressing themselves through clothing, hair, makeup, art, music, and technology. Students like to apply what they have learned in a way that they can express their individuality to other students. Electronics can give students the opportunity to do just that. The ability to create a new trend, a new style, or improve upon an old trend or style is one reason why students will and do embrace using electronics to craft.

            There are many ways for students to use electronics in crafting. Buechly shares how the MIT lab has created ways to make pop-up books more interesting. The books have pictures that light up when the various tabs are pulled or when parts are pushed. Students can take a piece of literature they have learned and change it into a children’s book with a similar moral and plot line. These electronic books are a great way for students to learn in an interdisciplinary way. The pop-up books have the disciplines of technology, science, mathematics, literacy, and health/social academics. (2012)

            Einarson gives many examples where electronics of an Arduino has improved upon clothes, styles, etc. (2013) Students can be in a Makerspace and use the tools provided to improve upon a piece of clothing, accessory, item, or product that they have. Given the option, students will come up with fabulous ideas that are practical and artistic. Students are working on the skill of identifying a problem or an area of need and creating or making a solution.

Resources:

Buechly, L. (2012). How to “sketch” with electronics. TED Talks. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTBp0Z5GPeI

Einarson, E. (2013). Go bionic with these wearable Arduino projects. Wired. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2013/01/wearable-arduinos/

Peppler, Kylie A., et al. Short Circuits : Crafting E-Puppets with DIY Electronics. The MIT Press, 2014. Interconnections: Understanding Systems Through Digital Design. EBSCOhost, egandb.uas.alaska.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=871113&site=ehost-live. 



REFLECTION: Added on July 23.

This week was interesting to learn about how AR and how to incoporate it into our classrooms. I have used the App we talked about with my French students who had to tell a story about a picture I provided them. It was a great way for students to listen to each other without having to repeat themselves over and over. It was also a great way for me to assess my students in what they are learning.

I commented on three of my classmates' blogs and they brought some great ideas to the floor on how to use electronics in the class. I found that crafting with electronics is an interdisciplinary activity. This is a positive way to show students that the subjects they are learning are connected.

EDET 677 Mech App Week 10 Blog (and Reflection)

EDET 677 Mechanical Applications

Week 10 Blog

Essential Question: Why does Dillingham High School need a makerspace?

            Dillingham High School has always supported and prepared students to its best ability. In order to keep our high standards of teaching students, we must provide a place where students can create, make, and tinker with projects that they have produced with their own ideas. A place where students can apply the skills that they have learned in the regular classroom and learn new skills through making is called a makerspace. A makerspace provides many different positive rewards that our students can benefit from. I am confident that a makerspace supports the goals of our school academically and socially. I have outlined a few of these goals that are reached through students working in a makerspace.

Design Thinking and Growth Mindset

            “Design thinking is a process that helps people discover and implement solutions to problems.” (Jarrett, 2016) A makerspace truly focuses on design thinking because students are making physical objects to answer a question or to fulfill an interest. Makerspaces force students to solve problems through creativity, teamwork, and willingness to try again when they fail. A growth mindset is fostered in makerspaces because students will learn that it might take various prototypes before they are able to come to a solution. The growth mindset of “I can’t do it yet” is one of the foundations of a makerspace because skills are to be learned in the setting and the necessary tools should be provided.

Behaviors

            A makerspace is a place where students can focus energy into a culminating project instead of creating behavior problems in a regular classroom. Martinez and Stager give an example of how some teachers refer specific students to a makerspace because “they are identified with specific interests or learning preferences and occasional behavior problems such as being unable to concentrate or sit still.” (2013) Our school would benefit an educational environment where students can focus their energy on a problem-solving project when they are ready.

Supports Creativity

            The success of a makerspace is not determined by the amount of tools, materials, and technology that it has but rather the mindset a person takes on when they walk into the room with a focus on creativity with what the space provides. In Waters’ article, he interviews a teacher who comments that makerspaces don’t “have to be equipped with high-tech digital manufacturing tools to be an effective makerspace; it can be stocked with glue guns and cardboard if students are engaged and using their hands and minds to create and solve problems.” (2016) In Dillingham, we often find ourselves not as equipped as the rest of the world because of being rural but the people of Dillingham have always been creative in solving our problems. Our students must and will follow up with their own creativity and this can be fostered in a makerspace.

            With all of these and more positive outcomes of a makerspace, Dillingham High School needs a makerspace to foster students who will create and make solutions.

Resources:

Jarrett, K. (2016). Makerspaces and Design Thinking: Perfect Together! The Education Digest. Retrieved from www.eddigest.com

Martinez, S. L., & Stager, G (2013). Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom. Torrence, CA: Construction Modern Knowledge Press.

Waters, J. K. (2016). What makes a great Makerspace?  STEAM Education. Retrieved from http://egandb.uas.alaska.edu:2103/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=4e711acd-8041-4310-8bdf-333b04b93f42%40sessionmgr4009



REFLECTION: Added on July 23

I loved our project this week with the Arduino because it was the first time I struggled to figure out what the code was doing. I had a simple mistake in the code and it completely changed how the Arduino worked. By the time we left, I was able to change the code to do exactly what I would like it to do. This is what I want my students to do when we are learning from Arduino projects: to improve and personalize their project.
In our blogs, it seemed like everyone was able to make a good case on why our school needs a makerspace. I am proud of what everyone is doing!

EDET 678 Emerge Tech Week 9 Reflection

This week's conversation about Genius Hour was fun to see what I would be interested in to learn on my own time. It gave me a great outlook on how positive a Genius Hour can be if students take on a project that is meaningful to them. By the end of the conversation though, I found it would be difficult to hold a Genius Hour in my math classes. I would like all of my time to be focused on the subject that I teach them rather than something they pick outside of the subject. As I am typing this though, I feel terrible thinking that my subject I teach them is more important than a subject my students want to learn or passionate about. I will definitely be thinking about this more and more as the summer progresses.

EDET 677 Mech App Week 9 Reflection

I really enjoyed working on our Arduino project this week. The project really made me realize how we can show students the importance of coding and building robots through this kit. It is easy to think of different projects I could do with the kit after I learn multiple different skills by the end of this class. I have decided that when we are finished for the semester, I will definitely finish all of the projects in the book!

Thinking about a Maker Day, I find that it is doable but I would like to have a MakerSpace put together before I do an event like this. One positive reason for having the MakerSpace first is that students who are involved with making can help put on the Maker Day for the community. It is a way for students to showcase what they know and give others skills to learn what they have learned already.

EDET 678 Emerge Tech Week 9 Blog

EDET 678 Emerging Technologies

Week 9 Blog

Essential question: Does every school need a “BYOD” policy?

            Many students own cell phones, tablets, or computers and they use these devices on a regular basis. In school and in workplaces, it can be an advantage of using your own devices because there isn’t a learning curve of technology that needs to be overcome. Students are already proficient in working with their devices and often their devices are more advanced than what the school can provide for students. (Heick, 2012) Some schools find that having a BYOD policy provides better opportunities for students who don’t have devices because the school’s devices are freed up for them. Another positive aspect of having a BYOD policy at schools is that students are using actual tools that might be used outside of school to learn and problem solve. This creates are more authentic learning experience for students.

            There seem to be many negative aspects of letting students bring their own devices to school that schools must consider before adopting a BYOD policy. At the classroom level, teachers will need to work with many different types of technology in every day work with students. When giving directions to a whole classroom on how to get to a website or what steps to take in completing a classroom activity, the teacher needs to consider the various devices and different types of software that each student might have. These devices might make teaching complicated. (Quetti, 2015) The technology department of the schools will need to create a very well defined network for students and their devices so that all devices are being used appropriately for school use.

            SO the question is whether or not a school should have a BYOD policy. I think each school should answer the question with all the interested parties if they will accept students bringing their own device instead of using a school provided device. After this is decided, then the school should talk about the details of the process and rules of students bringing their own devices. I find that having BYOD in school is too complicated but in some schools it is a great opportunity for students.

Resources:

Heick, T. (2012). The brutal authenticity of BYOD. Teachtought. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/byod-is-shortest-path-to-student-centered-learning/

Holeywell, R. (2013). BYOD policies, growing more popular, create challenges for schools: Governing The States and Localities. Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/blogs/view/gov-byod-policies-create-school-challenges.html

Quetti, R. (2015). BYOD: The challenges, how it can succeed in the classroom. Tech Decisions. Retrieved from https://techdecisions.co/mobility/byod-the-challenges-it-presents-and-how-you-can-overcome-them/3/