Virtual Classroom Connections

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:

Google Map Treks 

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. 

Surrey Museum Virtual Tours

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.

Global Projects

My comic is created using the Blue and Gray Sharks Animal 4 Panel Comic Strip template in Canva. 

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.

A Redesigned Library

 This is my video for my redesigned library. I was somewhat disappointed that when I exported my slides into iMovie, they became blurry. I also noticed that when I uploaded to Youtube, two of my audio clips at the beginning took on a "tinny" echo. I think this may be because I recorded the audio for first two clips in PowerPoint and the remainder in iMovie.

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.

Media Arts in the Library

Click the Linoit Board above to see the full version of my redesigned library with media arts taken into consideration. I have outlined curriculum connections, support options, and school needs on the board.

Our school's learning commons is fortunate to have a significant amount of space. Our teacher librarian has spent the past two years trying to make the space more supportive and accessible for media arts related school work by creating a sound booth and relocating the green screen into a room at the back of the learning commons, called the Creation Station. One of the biggest challenges our school faces to support media arts in the learning commons is with licenses and equipment. The Learning Commons no longer has iPads, and the iPads belonging to departments do not currently have a green screen app. It is currently a "bring your own device" model for filming and recording. So, the space would need some computers, preferably Apple Macs, to more fully support media arts. 

Image Reference: 

"Green Screen Videos," Sandy Hill Elementary School, 12 June 2019. https://sandyhill.abbyschools.ca/news/green-screen-videos Accessed 25 May 2022.

Video Techniques

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.

References:

Bastian, Karl, "How to Do Green Screen on a Mac with iMovie," Youtube, 12 May 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg8Pei08WOE, Accessed 24 May 2022.

Ludlow, David, “How to Shoot Better Video on your iPad or iPhone,” Expert Reviews, 7 July 2014. https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/tablets/8055/how-to-shoot-better-video-on-your-ipad-and-iphone, Accessed 24 May 2022.

Audio Editing

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.

Sound Booth

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. 

Below are images of the mini-recording booth our TL made. It is a better use of the supply closet and things can still be stored in the space when the sound booth is not in use. The curtain on the left can be drawn back to reveal a window and the door can be closed when recording is in session. Additional sound foam needs to be installed on the ceiling. Up to two students can safely fit in this space at a time, for instance, to record a duet or interview.

The microphone I researched is the Blue Yeti USB Microphone. I chose this microphone because it has a rating of 4.6 of 5 stars on Amazon. It is from Logitech, a brand widely used at our school for speakers. It is affordable at $119 and comes with a USB connection, which would allow students to plug it directly into one of the school's laptops. It also allows the user to control volume and has mute.  

References:

"Blue Yeti USB Microphone." Amazon, 2022, https://www.amazon.ca/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-Microphone-Blackout/dp/B00N1YPXW2/ref=asc_df_B00N1YPXW2/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292974172762&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11233041796757259812&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001504&hvtargid=pla-361504918229&th=1. Accessed 24 May 2022.

"How to Make Your Own Sound Booth for Better Voice Overs." eLearning Brothers, 17 October 2014, https://blog.elblearning.com/blog/how-to-make-your-own-sound-booth-for-better-voice-overs. Accessed 20 May 2022.

Pq, Rory. "How to Make a DIY Vocal Booth on a Budget." Icon Collective, 17 August 2020,  https://iconcollective.edu/how-to-make-a-diy-vocal-booth-on-a-budget/. Accessed 20 May 2022.

Video Examples

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. 

Screencasting

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.

Updating the Plan- Revised

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: 

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. 

Updating the Plan

 
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: 

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. 

Digital Game-Based Learning and Computational Thinking

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.

Five Year Horizon For My Learning Commons

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.

1. How can we bridge the “digital divide” between the have and have-not students in our school?

2. What criteria can the teacher librarian use to select which technologies to adopt, given limited budgets? 

Reference:

Freeman, A., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Davis, A., and Hall Giesinger, C. (2017). NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2017 K–12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.

https://library.educause.edu/~/media/files/library/2017/11/2017hrk12EN.pdf

Accessed 13 May 2022.

Troubleshooting Strategies

Three ideas that I think could be put into practice in our school's library are:

1. Have Library Science 11 and 12 students create videos on how to trouble shoot common tech issues and post these videos to the Learning Commons or school website. 

2. Teacher librarian lead a pro-d workshop in a staff meeting, to show teachers how to troubleshoot common tech problems that students (or the teachers themselves) may experience. The teacher librarian could work with the school's tech facilitators, as at our school, these are who we generally go to when there is a problem. To determine common issues, send out a survey to teachers and tackle the ones highlighted most.

3. If there are specific issues with specific kinds of technology, post "how-to" instructions in a relevant location. For example, at our school, students often forget the steps to using the multipurpose devices to print, so the steps are posted next to the machine. I would do this in the library computer lab with posters about topics like, "How to save to a USB," "How to print double sided," "How to connect your personal device to District Wifi," etc. 

3D Design

I found using the TinkerCad program more difficult than the other tutorials. I found it easier to search Youtube for additional instructions. I made a simple button, then moved on to the smiley face button, but the smile part did not look the way I wanted it to, and I eventually gave up due to time pressures. I think that going through the trial and error as well as trying to troubleshoot and look for solutions is important for students to experience, to develop perseverance and problem solve.

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.

Computational Participation

Yasmin B. Kafai concludes “From Computational Thinking to Computational Participation in K–12 Education,” by stating “reading code is about reading the world. It is needed to understand, change, and remake the digital world in which we live” (27). From my own learning experience, just like other topics we learn, coding and programming needs to feel relevant to be meaningful. I went to high school in the early 2000s and took computer classes from grade 8 to 12 (back in those days, the course was called “Information Technology”). The course content surveyed many tech topics- we dabbled in Photoshop, created videos, word processed, learned Microsoft Office suite, and did basic HTML and Java. I still remember creating a simple “Hello World” script. However, because I was not a student who was interested in gaming or apps, literally all I remember from Java is the phrase, “Hello World.” On the other hand, other things I learned felt very relevant. For example, I still remember a lot of basic HTML and have used it solve simple design issues on my old teacher blog as well as this one, and I still know how to edit videos quickly because of that class. So, I think that getting students curious and interested in how specific technology skills can be applied and getting involved in computational participation activities will bring meaning and relevance. 

In my secondary school, a lot of the computational participation that Kafai describes in her article is taking place in computer science and robotics courses, but I do not see it transferring out into the other classes. Game and App design is a popular elective course at our school- I overhear my students speaking excitedly about what they have learned. There is a group of students that hangs out in one of the computer labs at lunch- they are helping one another create games almost as often as they are playing existing games. As the coordinator for the grade 10 IB Personal Project (a grade 10 wide project that allows students to pursue an independent inquiry of their choice), I see students create very sophisticated games, interesting apps, and interactive digital models. They share their work with other students in a school-wide showcase. Again, in this example, it is the students with a pre-existing interest in coding who are pursuing their passion. This leads me to my first question, at the secondary school level, how do we help students who are not already interested in coding or programming to become interested in how these skills can help them connect with others and be creative in new ways?

As a secondary school Social studies teacher, I find myself being pulled in so many directions- from teaching citation, emphasizing digital literacy, academic writing, SEL, on top of the traditional content, it feels like a lot to add programming too! Sometimes I feel held back because of fear of a lot of planning for a disappointing result. For example, though not a programming example, my Human Geography students spent a lot of time building an interactive neighbourhood map using ArcGIS software (powerful digital mapping software used by cities, engineers, etc for civic planning). Unfortunately, it took a huge amount of class time to get started and we ran into some JSON issues with the software that took me and one of the education ambassadors from ArcGIS hours to fix. The situation made me wary of further collaborative technology use in class. So, another question I have is, how can subject teachers be better supported so that they can incorporate computational participation opportunities in their classes? It’s not that I do not want to put in the effort, I just want a guaranteed “payoff.” ;)

Reference:

Kafai, Yasmin B. "From Computational Thinking to Computational Participation in K-12 Education." Communications of the ACM, Vol. 59, No. 8, Aug. 2016, p. 26–27. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.proxy.queensu.ca/10.1145/2955114. Accessed 10 May 2022.

Computational Thinking

 I selected Option B, a simple Scratch Tutorial. I selected the "Glide Around" tutorial, to make a sprite fly. 

This was the first time I used Scratch, and my experience was a lot of fun; I can see why students would enjoy using it. I decided to make a pterodactyl fly around the city. I found the tutorial quite short, so I had to watch it a few times and pause it once or twice. Overall, the tutorial was easy to follow, but it only taught me how to make the sprite fly, so I just played around until I figured out how to make the pterodactyl's  wings open and shut and how to change the background. Then, I used the menu on the left to add additional features. It was very easy to record myself making what I imagine a pterodactyl sounds like to include. At first, I was not sure how to make the sound start as soon as the pterodactyl starts flying, but when I reordered the blocks it worked as I had envisioned. I think that students would enjoy experimenting with Scratch, as it is easy to use and gives a lot of options. 

I am not familiar with using coding at school, since I work in a secondary school and most coding activities are confined to ADST courses. I spoke with the Computer Science teacher at my school to find out what coding apps are used at our school. He said that Scratch is the best option, but also recommended Code.org, which includes Hour of Code and multiple tutorials for various grade levels. He said that one challenge that he has faced in his classes, one that he is still working through, is helping older students make the leap from tools like Scratch to "real" coding, like script languages (Python), as students find this challenging. Scratch and other programs are important in introducing students to the processes and computational thinking mindset that they will need when the move into the higher grades. I spent some time exploring the Code.org website and learned that it is a non-profit organization with support from Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, dedicated to teaching young people computer science. I liked that it emphasized getting women and racialized groups more involved in computer science. The website offers long self-paced courses in modules as well as tutorials for specific skills. As a beginner, and if I were asked to introduce students to coding without having any experience, I would turn to this website, as there are video tutorials and activities ready made that students can follow at their own pace. This does require a login and an account, so I assume that permission would be needed from parents/guardians if using it at school for learning activities. 

Computational Thinking and Robotics

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.

Questions: 

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.
 

“Robotics and Computational Thinking.” ISTE. https://cdn.iste.org/www-root/conference_med/excerpts/excerpts-4677.pdf. Accessed 6 May 2022.

Iteration of Building the Plan

Clicking image below will open my revised Linoit board for the Learning Commons redesign plan in a new window. Included on the board is the current floor plan and video of the current layout. I found that the Linoit program was somewhat limiting in that I could not make the floor plan bigger, so it is hard to read- please see the image below the Linoit board for a better version of the floor plan. 

To create my redesign plan, I used the feedback from the teachers who responded to my survey, asked some of the students in my Social Studies 10 class, and a few colleagues.

Explanation of Revisions:

1. I followed Kathryn's advice in the comment on my original post and made the Youtube video playable within the Linoit board. I put a sticky note instruction to press play, so that it will play on the board. 

2. I followed Becky's advice and moved the professional skill development sticky to make it easier to see. 

3. I added an additional physical space sticky with more information- I would like to move three computer stations into the Creation Station for maker use, which would allow for more space for students who bring their own laptops.

4. I added an additional curriculum sticky to further explain improvements to the Creation Station that would support students' independent ADST learning.

5. I moved all the stickies around to make the board easier to read and changed the font size and colour of the Design Challenge statement to make it stand out more.

The following posts provide further detail in the learning commons' current design and areas in need of improvement: 

Original Building the Plan Post with link to orginal Linoit board

Learning Environments Post with larger image of learning commons floorplan

Determining the Problem Post with comments from my survey 

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 2 May 2022. 

 

"Making in the Library Toolkit," Young Adult Library Service Association. American Library Association, 2014. 

https://www.ala.org/yalsa/sites/ala.org.yalsa/files/content/MakingintheLibraryToolkit2014.pdf
Accessed 18 April 2022.

Pierce, Dennis. “3 Ways Mobile Technology Is Transforming Learning Spaces.” The Journal, Infrastructure Solutions Group, 25 Aug. 2015, https://thejournal.com/Articles/2015/08/25/3-Ways-Mobile-Technology-Is-Transforming-Learning-Spaces.aspx?Page=2. Accessed 21 April 2022.

 

Building the Plan

Click image below to link to my Linoit board for the Learning Commons redesign plan. Included on the board is the current floor plan and video of the current layout. I found that the Linoit program was somewhat limiting in that I could not make the floor plan bigger, so it is hard to read- please see the learning environments post for a better version of the floor plan.

 

The following posts provide further detail in the learning commons' current design and areas in need of improvement: 

Learning Environments Post

Determining the Problem Post

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 2 May 2022. 

 

"Making in the Library Toolkit," Young Adult Library Service Association. American Library Association, 2014. 

https://www.ala.org/yalsa/sites/ala.org.yalsa/files/content/MakingintheLibraryToolkit2014.pdf
Accessed 18 April 2022.

Pierce, Dennis. “3 Ways Mobile Technology Is Transforming Learning Spaces.” The Journal, Infrastructure Solutions Group, 25 Aug. 2015, https://thejournal.com/Articles/2015/08/25/3-Ways-Mobile-Technology-Is-Transforming-Learning-Spaces.aspx?Page=2. Accessed 21 April 2022.

 

Digital Literacy

Internet Safety Tips Infographic by Chelsey, Tea, and Sarah
We created this infographic to educate students in grade 6-9 about digital literacy. Click the infographic for a full screen version.

Click here for references page 

Local Public Library Resource

 

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.