To show my final presentation, I created a series of pages, one for each of the seven educator ISTE Standards, on my blog, which are linked through a landing page, which acts like a navigation menu and each Standards page has one or more artifacts and a know-do-understand reflection.
Link above or here: https://msmcskimmingstechlearning.blogspot.com/p/iste-growth-portfolio.html
Questions for feedback:
1. Do you feel this graphic is an effective communication tool?
2. What could I change or add to make the graphic clearer or more appealing?
References:
Loertscher, David V. "The LIIITE Model," Do We Make a Difference? 2018. https://sites.google.com/view/dowemakeadifference/the-liiite-model. Accessed 2 June 2022.
“Section 1: Students.” ISTE Standards. International Society for Technology in Education, 2019. www.iste.org/standards. Accessed 1 June 2022.
“Section 2: Educators.” ISTE Standards. International Society for Technology in Education, 2019. www.iste.org/standards. Accessed 1 June 2022.
Obranovic, Evan."TPACK and SAMR." Evan Obranovic. 1 January 2017. https://www.evanobranovic.com/edtech-thoughts-tips-and-tricks/tpack-and-samr. Accessed 2 June 2022.
"The LIIITE Model of Teacher Librarians."
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/11b8l6ybjecoB0RvMmdQPFBrxFCAGgcMkM64DD8tizHg/edit. Accessed 1 June 2022.
I used Adobe's Free Logo Maker on Adobe Express to generate these logos. The Eagle's Nest is the name I have settled on, as it got positive feedback from my classmates and instructor in Module 5. The Eagle is our school mascot animal. Our school's colours are royal blue and kelly green, which I honestly find a bit overwhelming when used together too much, so in the examples below I have used one or the other. Below are some of my logo options:
Questions for feedback:
1. Do you prefer white or black font and why?
2. What looks better- eagle head or soaring eagle?
3. Should I include the school motto, "Eagles do Succeed"? This motto is said on the school announcements twice a week. Sometimes, if said in a questionable context or in a specific tone, the school motto turns into a bit of a joke, but I think most staff and students still take it seriously.
Reference:
"Logo Maker" Adobe Creative Cloud Express. 2022. https://www.adobe.com/express/create/logo. Accessed 1 June 2022.
Wow! This chart took a long time to create! I made the list based on what I learned my colleagues are currently using with students, by looking at the apps on the school iPads, and by considering additional apps I would recommend students use. I would post this chart on the Learning Commons website, aimed mainly at staff and use as a communication tool to parents.
Virtual classroom visits and field trips allow students the ability to connect with guest speakers or visit places that may be difficult to see in person. Especially with budget and time constraints, virtual field trips are a great option to help students connect with a place without actually leaving their school. Three great options for my school are:
Using Street View, Google has created 23 amazing treks around the globe to far flung locales like Petra, Jordan, Venice, Italy, and Iqaluit, Nunavut. Each trek includes photos, contextual information, and some also include embedded videos. These treks would allow teachers to give students an up close and personal look at a place they might be studying in Social Studies, Languages, or English. For example, grade 7s could do the Google Map Trek to the Pyramids of Giza during an ancient civilizations unit. Grade 9s could visit Churchill, Manitoba, while learning about Canada's physical geography. Students can explore each locale at their own pace, or the teacher could guide them through.
The City of Surrey Museum offers virtual tours of their temporary exhibits, which change every few months. All exhibits are connected to aspects of local history and culture. The virtual tours allow visitors to view the exhibit in 360 degree view, walk up to artifacts, and read the interpretive signs. While visiting the museum is the best option, booking buses and getting permission for secondary students to go on a field trip can be difficult for teachers, due to coverage of teachers' other classes and students missing their other classes. The virtual field trip saves travel time and still allows students to see the artifacts. One criticism I have of the museum's website is that the virtual tours are hard to locate, as each is on a separate webpage.
There are three exhibits currently available virtually that would be connected to student learning. The first is Untangling Textiles, about local and global textiles, including Indigenous weaving and South Asian textiles, which connects to grade 8-9 ADST and senior textiles courses as well as Social Studies. Next is The Indo-Fijians: Surrey's Pocket of Paradise, a community developed exhibit that would allow students to explore diversity and identity, perhaps through English or Social Studies. Finally, there is a unique exhibit, Body Language, on traditional Indigenous tattoo art, which connects to Visual Arts and Social Studies.
The Nature Conservancy Virtual Field Trips
These virtual field trips allow students to discover unique ecosystems and learn about conservation issues from around the world. They consist of guided videos with narration from conservation scientists. Also included on the website are teacher guides and lesson plans, though they are not directly BC Curriculum connected. The teacher librarian could help the classroom teacher make curricular connections between the field trip videos and local curriculum. There are 11 virtual field trips to discover, from Borneo's rainforests to Palau's coral reefs. These field trips are most connected to BC's Science curriculum, but also have relevance to Physical Geography 12 and Human Geography 12.
References:
Google Map Treks. 2022, https://www.google.com/maps/about/treks/#/list. Accessed 30 May 2022.
Loewus, Liana. "Virtual Class Visits Link Book Authors to Students; Skype visits keep writers close to young readers." Education Week, vol. 36, no. 25, 22 Mar. 2017, p. 6. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A488209660/AONE?u=queensulaw&sid=summon&xid=aeff3fa1. Accessed 30 May 2022.
"Museum Exhibitions," City of Surrey: Museum of Surrey, 2022. https://www.surrey.ca/arts-culture/museum-of-surrey/exhibitions. Accessed 30 May 2022.
"25 Virtual Field Trips for Your Classroom," Ditch That Textbook, 23 March 2021. https://ditchthattextbook.com/20-virtual-field-trip-ideas-and-activities-for-your-classroom/#t-1616514143440. Accessed 30 May 2022.
"Virtual Field Trips," Nature Conservancy, 2022. https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-work/youth-engagement/nature-lab/virtual-field-trips/. Accessed 30 May 2022.
References:
"iEARN Project Book," International Education and Resource Network. 2022. https://iearn.org/pages/iearn-project-book Accessed 30 May 2022.
TakingITGlobal. 2018. https://www.tigweb.org/ Accessed 30 May 2022.
The World's Largest Lesson. 2022. https://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/ Accessed 30 May 2022.
I would like to call my redesigned library "The Eagle's Nest." I came up with this name in a previous Queen's course. I like it because "nest" reflects the idea of growth and nurture and makes sense with our school animal, the JH Eagle. It also matches with the gym, called the Eagle Dome, and the cafeteria, called the Eagles' Café. Other naming options might be "The Eagle's Learning Lab," or "The Eagle's Idea Incubator," though those might be too "cheesy" for the secondary students.
Questions for feedback:
1. Do you think the music in the video enhances or distracts from its overall impression?
2. How would you present your redesign plans to the PAC or school district to obtain funding?
Image Sources:
Amanda. “Elementary LLC.” This Librarian Reads, 30 April 2020. https://thislibrarianreadsdotcom.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/from-library-to-learning-commons-the-transformation-of-an-elementary-school-llc/. Accessed 14 May 2022.
Bogan, Kelsey. “Low Tech Maker Space.” Don’t Shush Me, 16 November 2021. https://dontyoushushme.com/2021/11/16/low-tech-makerspace-in-the-h-s-library/. Accessed 14 May 2022.
"Green Screen Videos," Sandy Hill Elementary School, 12 June 2019. https://sandyhill.abbyschools.ca/news/green-screen-videos Accessed 25 May 2022.
Mooney, Tracey. “Raised by a Maker: Teaching Kids How to Sew and Quilt,” Quilting Daily, 25 May 2022. https://www.quiltingdaily.com/raised-by-a-maker-teaching-kids-to-sew-and-quilt/ Accessed 27 May 2022.
P., Madeleine. “MakerBot’s Latest Survey Shows How 3D Printing Helped During Remote Learning,” 3D Natives. 22 Sept 2021.
https://www.3dnatives.com/en/makerbot-report-3d-printing-engagement-remote-learning-220920215/#! Accessed 27 May 2022.
Puentadura, Ruben. “SAMR image.” Canadian School Libraries Journal, Canadian School Libraries Journal, 10 May 2017, https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/models-for-technology-integration-in-the-learning-commons/. Accessed 12 April 2022.
Image Reference:
"Green Screen Videos," Sandy Hill Elementary School, 12 June 2019. https://sandyhill.abbyschools.ca/news/green-screen-videos Accessed 25 May 2022.
So far, this has been the most challenging assignment for me in this course, as I used my phone, which is older, to do the shooting video clips. I do not own a tablet and had planned on using a school iPad. I discovered after I had shot a few of my clips that the current district managed security settings do not allow video or pictures to be taken off the iPad, which seems to me to defeat the purpose of having them as a sharing tool. I think they are set up this way so that students cannot shoot random video or pictures and share it quickly. Oh well, live and learn! Thus, the video quality is limited by the age and camera on my phone and I ended up shooting in my kitchen where I get the most natural light. I do not have children or animals at home, so I used some flowers, a ceramic frog, a teddy bear, and a dinosaur puppet as subjects in my very simple video clips.
To edit this video, I used iMovie. I found it easy to use with the green screen after watching a helpful tutorial on Youtube. The green screen I used is in our Learning Commons' Creation Station. It's a green curtain pulled across one wall. Students and teachers can book time to use it with the teacher librarian, which is what I did. I had fun playing with some of the settings and included some green screen clips at the beginning and end of my video.
One personal challenge that I faced in this assignment as well as the audio editing assignment is that I do not really like the sound of my voice or being on camera. I had to record the media arts part of the video a few times before I was satisfied and I am still painfully aware of all the "ums."
I like the idea of making videos with students, but was very aware as I was making this video how time consuming and detail-oriented the process is. I might opt to presenting creating a video as an option rather than a requirement in an assignment, as I could see the full class being limited by the technology capabilities at school and home. Those with their own mobile phones would have an easier time with such an assignment than those without.
I found this project challenging and time-consuming, although I enjoyed the scripting and talking about my favourite hobby, postcard swapping! This was the first podcast I have ever recorded. I am not sure if I will continue with it, though I can definitely think of many educational and recreational applications. To make the podcast, I recorded and edited using GarageBand on Mac. To learn how to use the app, I found it easier to watch a video about podcasting with GarageBand, as the link on the course website about GarageBand would not open for me. I found it easier to record my audio in shorter chunks of about 30 seconds, then edited them together in the app. I had to re-record a few sections, as I found myself getting a bit nervous and stumbling on my script. I have had a little bit of practice using iMovie, and found that the audio editing process on GarageBand was similar to the iMovie video editing process. One thing I struggled with was the volume control for my background and transition sounds. They seemed to stay at the same volume, even when I tried to make them quieter. I also struggled with adding an image to my podcast, so I ended up making it into a video on iMovie and uploading it to Youtube. It was easy to take the mp3 audio file from GarageBand and add the photo on iMovie, then save to an mp4 file for upload. This also made it easier to embed on this blog. One thought kept occurring to me as I was doing this task- audio recording and editing takes a lot of perseverance and patience. For a four minute podcast, I ended up spending about two and a half hours, with the scripting, recording, editing, and uploading time. I know some of my students would struggle with this. So, how can we help students be patient and methodical in similar projects?
Additional Questions:
What video and audio hosting websites are allowed/encouraged at your school?
How might you help a teacher balance teaching the audio editing and podcasting techniques with delivering course content (for instance, when assigning a project)?
References:
"How it all Started," Postcrossing. https://www.postcrossing.com/about/history, Accessed 24 May 2022.
"Platinum Sparks Lead," GarageBand Loop. Apple, Accessed 24 May 2022.
"Sweet Nothings Synth," GarageBand Loop. Apple, Accessed 24 May 2022.
Watson, Scott, "How to Create a Podcast with GarageBand," Youtube, 30 April 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxDZvSun2qc, Accessed 20 May 2022.
To create my tabletop sound booth, I used 4 pieces of leftover sound proofing foam from when our school's teacher librarian converted a supply closet into a mini-recording booth. Other supplies I used were tacks, a cardboard box, and some soft packing materials for the bottom.
My first example is a modern Canadian Heritage Minute. These minutes were created in the 1990s to educate Canadians about people and events of national historical significance. They were revived in 2012 and are still being made. Students can make them to represent their learning and practice their media arts skills. To tap in to staff's sense of nostalgia, I would first show the video, then ask staff whether they have any specific childhood memories attached to these videos. I personally remember the Pierce Brosnan Grey Owl Heritage Minute quite vividly!
I chose this particular minute, Jim Egan, because it incorporates a number of media effects that students could reproduce with not too many props or fancy sets. These include: historical re-enactment/drama, use of primary source as a prop, incorporation of an archival photo, and a voice over (in this example, it was voiced by k.d. lang). It also takes a lot of skill to condense a lot of information into one minute, which helps students make choice about what visuals and words to use to maximize their impact.
There are multiple Heritage Minutes on the Historica Canada Youtube channel that could be used to showcase the incorporation additional media arts skills, such as sound tracks, animations, and archival footage.
While creating a Heritage Minute is most applicable to Social Studies, this activity could be interdisciplinary- incorporating media arts and any relevant subject. Students could create minutes for famous authors (English), scientists or innovations (Science), athletes and new sports (PE), artists and performers (Art), etc. This activity encourages students to use their digital skills, media skills, writing skills, and editing skills. These videos are sharable and it would be fun to do a school film festival or post to the Learning Commons' social media channel.
My second example is an obscure video I came across several years ago and saved because I love how Chutian Wang uses an obscure mythological reference (the ouroboros) to explain topology and its application in his research on topological insulators.
To use this video with staff, I would show them the video and have them list/brainstorm how Wang uses an analogy to describe his scientific research. Additionally, they will list the simple effects used in creating the video. These include: on-camera interview, adding text, incorporating transitions, use of green screen, and adding still images. Additional skills that students would develop in making a video like this: scripting and editing. With support, students could create similar videos to explain research or inquiry projects, for example, to introduce their Grade 12 Capstone Projects, IB Extended Essay, or IB Personal Project.
References:
"Heritage Minutes: Jim Egan," Historica Canada. Youtube, 15 July 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3e5jC7yZeo&t=1s. Accessed 18 May 2022.
"Remembrance through making a Heritage Minute," Historica Canada Education Portal. Historica Canada, 2022. http://education.historicacanada.ca/en/tools/258. Accessed 18 May 2022.
Wang, Chutian. "The Ouroboros: the snake that bites itself," Fleet Centre. Youtube, 4 December 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD8-AL4Hefg&list=PLLlqhMP53I2E6oz6628IWTS0osQAAVvS6&index=1. Accessed 18 May 2022.
I made this video to explain how I added sound to a simple Scratch tutorial. To record, I used the Quicktime App, which was user friendly. I used my computer's internal microphone for the audio. Usually, to record my screen, I set up a meeting with myself on Microsoft Teams, which is more of a round about way of doing it, so I liked Quicktime better.
Screencasting has valuable educational applications in the Learning Commons- the teacher librarian can create videos for how to find research databases, how to use various software, or how to navigate the online catalogue. Tutorial videos can be especially helpful for students who might be away and need to catch up. Screencasting might also be a good option for students who are uncomfortable doing oral presentations. They could record their presentation as a screencast instead and press play when it comes to their turn to present in front of the class, and then take questions after their peers finish watching.
Students can also use screencasting to communicate their learning, tell stories, create their own tutorials, or reflect on learning products/projects. For example, a student might record a video, then do a screen cast or record a voice over, reflecting on their process.
Questions:
How have you used screencasting in your teaching practice? Do you think the pandemic has increased the use of screencasting to aid teaching at your school?
References:
Tyler, Grant. "How to Screenshot and Screen Record on an iPhone, iPad, and Mac," Business Insider. 3 January 2018. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-screen-record-on-a-mac-and-ios-2017-12. Accessed 18 May 2022.
Please click the image above or visit this link to view the full Linoit board: http://linoit.com/users/jheagles/canvases/Updating%20the%20Plan
The image above shows the current layout of the Learning Commons. The changes that I refer to on the Linoit board to the Teacher Librarian office refer to the office on the right of the image, shown in more detail in the image below. Red labels indicate the new changes to the spaces.
Generally, I am happy with the overall layout and space in our learning commons, and feel that the Creation Station needs the most attention, as other than the Green Screen and Sound Booth, it needs more supplies. The teacher librarian mentioned to me this week that one of her wishes is to have computers with maker/design software in this space as well, which I noted on my Linoit board. I got additional inspiration from two teacher librarian blogs, Don't Shush Me and This Librarian Reads.
Changes inspired by the images:
Sound absorbing panelling- the current panelling at our school is spaced apart and is not doing its job. This image shows continuous panelling for better absorption of sound- if there are to be two classes in the commons working collaboratively, it will get loud and the panels should help keep the noise down.
Non-fiction book display on stacks- this will allow the non-fiction to get more views, as currently our low stacks for fiction have the fiction book displays. We could use the tops of the non-fiction stacks to showcase maker books and other non-fiction to support cross curricular learning.
Inspiring words on circulation desk- our circulation desk is a stand up model and is a boring grey- adding inspiring words to spark curiosity and inquiry mindset fits the overall design goal. Could use the IB learner profile attribute words or the school's official Wordle words.
Low-tech Maker stations - stations that provide students a creative outlet without requiring the use of power tools. These could be located in the Creation Station at the back of the learning commons. The Creation station is currently focused on digital design and recording, as work requiring tools is done in the tech lab. The low tech maker stations could also be used for clubs, etc. For instance, a button maker station.
Explanation of revisions from previous post:
I added an annotated floor plan diagram of my vision of the new teacher librarian office (replaces student work room) and teacher collaborative work space. These would be low-cost changes, at it is just a matter of moving existing furniture and computers; overall, this is designed to maximize use of space. Currently, the student work room is rarely used by students, as they typically are in the main learning commons or the Creation Station.
Added further information about how many classes can be accommodated in the Learning Commons- 3 classes would only be for guest speakers or other special events; 2 classes is more appropriate for daily use, considering noise, teacher-librarian energy, and technology availability.
Added information to my communication sticky (purple): noted possibility of using the space as a revenue stream on weekends. This happened before the pandemic and was stopped, but reinstating it with the moveable furniture that was bought during the pandemic, the new loft screen and projector screen might make it attractive for groups. Additional money raised could be used to buy computers, maker project components, or software licenses.
Image References:
Please click the image above or visit this link to view the full Linoit board: http://linoit.com/users/jheagles/canvases/Updating%20the%20Plan
The image above shows the current layout of the Learning Commons. The changes that I refer to on the Linoit board to the Teacher Librarian office refer to the office on the right of the image.
Generally, I am happy with the overall layout and space in our learning commons, and feel that the Creation Station needs the most attention, as other than the Green Screen and Sound Booth, it needs more supplies. The teacher librarian mentioned to me this week that one of her wishes is to have computers with maker/design software in this space as well, which I noted on my Linoit board. I got additional inspiration from two teacher librarian blogs, Don't Shush Me and This Librarian Reads.
Changes inspired by the images:
Sound absorbing panelling- the current panelling at our school is spaced apart and is not doing its job. This image shows continuous panelling for better absorption of sound- if there are to be two classes in the commons working collaboratively, it will get loud and the panels should help keep the noise down.
Non-fiction book display on stacks- this will allow the non-fiction to get more views, as currently our low stacks for fiction have the fiction book displays. We could use the tops of the non-fiction stacks to showcase maker books and other non-fiction to support cross curricular learning.
Inspiring words on circulation desk- our circulation desk is a stand up model and is a boring grey- adding inspiring words to spark curiosity and inquiry mindset fits the overall design goal. Could use the IB learner profile attribute words or the school's official Wordle words.
Low-tech Maker stations - stations that provide students a creative outlet without requiring the use of power tools. These could be located in the Creation Station at the back of the learning commons. The Creation station is currently focused on digital design and recording, as work requiring tools is done in the tech lab. The low tech maker stations could also be used for clubs, etc. For instance, a button maker station.
Image References:
The University of Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence defines game-based learning as, “designing learning activities so that game characteristics and game principles inhere within the learning activities themselves [...] game-based learning designs learning activities that are intrinsically game-like.” These can be designed by educators or accessed through pre-existing online game environments, where “the game itself acts as the educator.” Research shows that game-based learning activities “promote engagement and sustained motivation in learning, but they do not necessarily result in improved learning outcomes” (University of Waterloo).
In “Code the Mime: A 3D Programmable Charades Game for Computational Thinking in MaLT2” (2021), Greek researchers Marianthi Grizioti and Chronis Kynigos studied the impacts of game-based learning on computational thinking strategies in teams of secondary school students aged 13-15. Grizioti and Kynigos note that current research has examined game-based learning and computational thinking separately- their research attempts to bring the two together. They state: “we discuss an approach that integrates two paedagogical design techniques which so far have been used and studied separately: (a) the construction of digital models with integrated computational affordances, typically provided by diverse digital tools, such as textual programming, 3D modelling, and dynamic manipulation (Kynigos & Grizioti, 2018) and (b) ‘game-based learning’ (Kafai & Fields, 2013), to support the expression and implementation of these ideas in an interdisciplinary context which is also familiar and meaningful to the students. By incorporating the programming of dynamic models with gameplay, we aim to create a meaningful learning activity that balances fun and self-expression with progressive use and understanding of computational practices” (Grizioti and Kynigos, 1006). To do this, the researchers presented students with partially complete programs, encouraging programming, as well as a game based, competitive component: “With this game, we aim to incorporate the benefits of game-based learning, which offers the motivation and the authentic context of playing, with that of the constructionist approach that promotes learning through construction and sharing of digital artefacts.” (1007). In this process, researchers studied how students demonstrated computational thinking strategies, specifically abstraction and decomposition, through game-based learning and coding a mime to do different physical activities. They also studied how students interacted with one another in the process, through “embodied communication,” which to me is linked to computational participation (1016). Among other things, the researchers concluded that the game-based learning environment helped “students [express] problems from different fields such as programming, mathematics and physics and [solve] them computationally (1020). However, Grizioti and Kynigos state that, “we cannot claim that students developed typical formal knowledge of such high-level practices such as abstraction. The analysis, however, provides us with new evidence on how students may use and express these ‘elusive’ practices in meaningful and approachable ways for them” (1021).
The learning activity used by Grizioti and Kynigos would not be feasible in my school’s learning commons, because the teacher librarian does not have the skills to create the game like the one Grizioti and Kynigos did. Also, the study had the students working with the game for thirty-five hours before analysing the results. However, since Grizioti and Kynigos’ study showed that working with the coding program in a game-based environment did result in students using computational thinking and communication skills, this means to me that it would be worthwhile for the teacher librarian to provide students with space and opportunity to work together using existing games. Examples that come to mind are Minecraft or Roblox. The teacher librarian could also work with teachers to harness students' existing interest in these types of games for educational purposes and to more explicitly connect them to computational thinking skills.
Using game-based learning to allow students to work on a coding or programming activity supports the BC Core Competency of Communication, as students will need to work collectively and collaboratively towards a common purpose. In addition, students are involved in Creative Thinking, specifically creating and innovating, and Critical Thinking, specifically designing and developing.
Question for further thought:
1. How do we measure/evaluate student’s computational thinking before and after participating in game-based learning activities?
2. Are competitive game-based learning activities good for students’ wellbeing? (I ask because I worry about how some game-based activities include leader boards, badges, etc- what happens to the student who is not as successful?)
References:
“Core Competencies.” BC’s Curriculum, BC Ministry of Education. https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies. Accessed 14 May 2022.
“Gamification and game-based learning.” Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo. https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/educational-technologies/all/gamification-and-game-based-learning#:~:text=In%20short%2C%20gamification%20applies%20game,that%20are%20intrinsically%20game%2Dlike. Accessed 14 May 2022.
Grizioti, Marianthi, and Chronis Kynigos. “Code the Mime: A 3D Programmable Charades Game for Computational Thinking in MaLT2.” British Journal of Educational Technology, vol. 52, no. 3, May 2021, pp. 1004–23. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13085. Accessed 14 May 2022.
To complete this assignment, I used the 2017 version of the New Media Consortium Horizon Report. As I read, I found myself becoming slightly wary because the report felt somehow prescriptive, especially in the initial part of the report where challenges were broken down into solvable, difficult, and wicked and with regards to the times to adoption. I think that learning commons and libraries should be tailored to the needs of their communities, and although their research might point to something being solvable, difficult, or wicked overall, the situation might be different in a specific school community. I also felt that some of the 2017 report’s timelines were too ambitious, seeing as we are now in 2022 and some of the things in even the solvable or one-year adoption time frame have not been adopted in some schools, for various reasons. For instance, maker space is a one-year time to adoption in the report, but there is variation in the prevalence of makerspaces across BC school libraries- some schools have them, some are starting, and some do not have plans for adopting them. I think the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of some technology in schools, which is not something that the report could have predicted, but it may have slowed others. For instance, when schools were running virtually learning and in cohorts, students were discouraged from going to the learning commons at all, let alone using maker spaces or shared equipment, but virtual reality and gamified learning was happening a lot. I also think that some changes mentioned in the report were out of the teacher librarian or individual school’s control- for example, the Internet of Things. This year, our school adopted smart lighting as described in the report, but it was not a decision the school made by itself, it was a district-based upgrade (50). It has been great, though, I love being able to control the amount of light in my classroom and I think the smart sensors are definitely saving electricity in teacher work areas, like prep rooms.
I appreciated that the report gave concrete, global examples and provided definitions for solvable, difficult, and wicked. “Solvable” challenge is defined as, “Those that we understand and know how to solve,” (26), “Difficult” challenge is defined as, “Those that we understand but for which solutions are elusive,” (30), and “Wicked” challenge is defined as, “Those that are complex to even define, much less address,” (34). As I am currently a classroom teacher and not a teacher-librarian, I framed this task in the context of our school’s IB MYP program, the current role of the learning commons and teacher-librarian in supporting the program with an emphasis on collaboration and interdisciplinary learning, and in the changing demographics of our inner-city school.
I chose the button tutorial because I thought that it might be a good way for the TL to help connect different parts of ADST courses together, like product design and textiles. For instance, students could design custom buttons in product design for their garment projects in textiles. Teachers in other courses could also collaborate with product design to create 3D objects relating to the course content- for instance, models in Science or Social Studies. For an extra curricular, it has also been my dream to have a repair club. This club would run out of the Creation Station, mainly for textile repairs, but I thought that it could also be for students to use 3D printing techniques to create small items to replace parts that break around the house.
I think that it's not financially feasible for every 3D design project to actually be printed in the learning commons, but it is an important and useful skill for students to at least participate in the modelling process.
References:
"3D Print Your Own Buttons." ThinkerCad. AutoDesk Inc, 2022. https://www.tinkercad.com/learn/overview/OXTHFAJIRXTM0PF;collectionId=OY5L5E8IRXTI47Z Accessed 11 May 2022.
TutorTube, "Tinkercad Tutorial - Lesson 13 - Select All and Select Multiple Objects." Youtube. 24 April, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aIDBdUSH1s Accessed 11 May 2022.
I selected Option B, a simple Scratch Tutorial. I selected the "Glide Around" tutorial, to make a sprite fly.
I used Diagrams.net to create a web to illustrate connections between computational thinking and robotics. From my reading, I learned that computational thinking is a problem solving skill set that can be applied in fields such as robotics, engineering, and computer science. Doing activities in these STEM fields can help students strengthen their computational thinking skills. If I were to remake this web, I would put the Computational Thinking bubbles on the top.
What are some strategies that we can employ to incorporate computational thinking activities into the more "traditional" academic subjects?
What are some "low-tech"/"no-tech" activities that we could use to introduce the computational thinking and/or robotics skills?
References:
“Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies K-9 – Curricular Competencies.” BC’s Curriculum: Applied Design, Skills and Technologies. Province of British Columbia, July 2019. https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/sites/curriculum.gov.bc.ca/files/curriculum/continuous-views/en_ADST_k-9_curricular_competencies.pdf.Accessed 6 May 2022.
“Computational Thinking Illustrated.”
CodeBC. https://codebc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/computational-thinking-illustrated.pdf Accessed 6 May 2022.
References:
References:
Surrey Public Libraries has an Online Library page with over 50 different subscription and database services, organized alphabetically. To access, scan the QR code. Each service listed on the page can be clicked, and users will be taken to a page that asks for their library card barcode to continue.
There are resources for everyone, including: Globe and Mail and New York Times newspapers, Flipster magazine subscription, Kanopy courses and videos, Summa and Summa Kids - Indigenous and Canadian educational and informational stories, and Tumblebooks- games, books, and puzzles for kids.
Reference:
"Online Library." Surrey Libraries. 2022. https://www.surreylibraries.ca/services/online-library. Accessed 1 May 2022.
