Author: ellagreen (Page 2 of 2)

For our final class, we are looking towards the future. We were asked to think about how the classroom will look like 30 years from now. One big thing I think will change is students’ attention spans. Even now, students are struggling with paying attention in the classroom, and with technology advancing so quickly, I can only imagine how much harder it will be to keep their focus in 30 years. To keep learners interested, I think lessons will have to be incredibly interactive and hands-on. Very experimental learning, where the students are constantly engaging, could make subjects feel more meaningful. 

Technology will also be more deeply embedded into the classroom. Phones are already a big issue when it comes to distractions, so I wonder if they’ll be banned entirely by 2055 or if we’ll finally figure out how to use them in a more intentional, educational way. If phone misuse continue to be a problem, I wouldn’t be surprised if all schools adopt a strict phone-free policy to limit distraction

When it comes to the big issues in education, I think equity and access will still be ongoing challenges. Environmental education may be a bigger focus also. With the growing climate crisis, I imagine future classrooms will have a stronger emphasis on sustainability and environmental care. This will hopefully help the students develop the skills and awareness needed to tackle real-world issues. 

Overall, while I picture more technology driven and innovative classrooms in the future, I hope the heart of teaching still stays the same. No matter how advanced tools become, the goal will still be about inspiring curiosity, fostering creativity and building meaningful relationships with the students. 

Our eleventh class was all about outdoor education, which I found both interesting and practical. With our guest speaker Kristen Pierce, we explored how technology can be used meaningfully in the classroom, helping students develop a relationship of care with the land and environment. It really made me reflect on how technology, which is often associated with indoor learning, can actually enhance outdoor experiences and deepen students’ connection to the land.

One of the key takeaways for me was the importance of intentionality, both in lesson planning and how we integrate technology. It’s not just about using tech for the sake of it, but about using it purposefully to preserve, explore and understand the land. For example, students could use plant scanners and rock identifiers to learn more about the environment while they’re physically interacting with it. I also loved the idea of students using Merlin Bird ID, which allows students to be able to identify the bird sounds they are hearing. This kind of technology allows students to engage directly with the environment while learning in real time, which makes the experience more meaningful and memorable. 

Another point that stood out to me was the value of looking at the broader environment rather than just focusing on what’s immediately in front of us. Sometimes, students only relate to their nearby environment which can limit their understanding of the world. Using technology to show how historical footage of the land and comparing it to the present can help students see how the environment changes over time. This connects them to the land’s past and encourages reflection on how humans and nature have impacted the world. It’s a powerful way to build what Kristin called a “culture of place”, which helps students see themselves as part of the land’s story instead of just observers. 

We ended the class with a hands-on outdoor activity, which was by far my favourite part. We went to Finnerty Gardens and did a QR code scavenger hunt. QR codes were scattered around the park, all linking to websites with information about different environmental facts. It was such a creative and engaging way to learn. The mix of outdoor exploration with technology kept the activity fun and interactive, while still being educational. I could definitely see myself using something like this in my future classroom, as it’s a great way to make outdoor learning more hands-on.

Overall, this class made me think differently about how technology can enhance outdoor education. It showed me how tech, when used intentionally, can inspire curiosity, build knowledge and strengthen students’ connection to the natural world. It also made me excited to try incorporating more outdoor learning experiences into my own teaching practice one day. 

Our tenth class really stood out to me because it felt not only incredibly insightful but also very relevant, both for my future as a teacher and even for my current job working with kids. The guest speakers, Koari Lau and Neesha Blajberg, led us through some powerful activities and discussions on identity, inclusion and the challenges of providing equitable support in the classroom.

One activity that we started with involved coloured paper/sticky notes. Each slip represented a different level of access to the upcoming presentation. Blue meant you couldn’t watch the second half of the lesson, green meant you couldn’t watch any of it and yellow meant you were able to watch the entire presentation. It was a simple but effective way to demonstrate what exclusion could feel like (on a very small scale). It made me reflect on how easy it is to take access for granted and how isolating it must feel for students who are often left out or unsupported. 

We also had the chance to reflect on our own identities and how they shape us as people. In partners, we shared personal aspects of our identities and how we think they’ve influenced us. For me, I thought about my role as an older sibling in a family with divorced parents. Supporting my younger brother gave me a deeper sense of empathy and patience, which I think is part of why I’m so drawn to working with kids. This activity was a good reminder that we all carry multiple, interconnected identities and as teachers, we won’t always be aware of the discrimination or challenges our students face. 

I especially liked the part of the presentation where we discussed supporting students with disabilities. We talked about how students with disabilities are often placed under broad designations that loosely define their needs. This can trigger funding but the school decides how it’s allocated, and due to long wait lists and stretched resources, they often prioritize safety over intellectual support. It was pretty frustrating to hear how students can miss out on proper assessments and support simply because of limited resources. 

One of the most impactful takeaways for me was the discussion around ableism in education. It made me think about how society often views disabled people through a lense of needing to be “fixed”. The speakers highlighted how students using assistive technology can sometimes face unfair judgement from peers or even adults. For example, when a student with a disability technology, others might see it as an unfair advantage rather than a necessary support. It made me realize how important it is for teachers to normalize accommodation and actively challenge ableist thinking in the classroom. 

Finally, a key message that really resonated with me was the reminder that kids have rights in the classroom, which is sometimes forgotten. As educators, we’ll make mistakes but if a student or peer points out issues of oppression or exclusion in our classroom, we need to be open-minded and willing to learn from it. It’s about constantly striving to create a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment where all students feel valued. 

This class made me reflect on how I can be more mindful and intentional about creating inclusive spaces where every kid feels seen and supported, in my current job and in my future classrooms as a teacher. 

In our ninth class, we explored the use of AI in education, which got me thinking about the benefits and potential risks that come with it. Personally, I see AI as a powerful tool for students and teachers, but it needs to be monitored very closely. It’s still a relatively new technology with lots of flaws. This makes it risky to use, especially for young learners who might not know all the risks. However, when used responsibly, AI can make a huge difference in the classroom. 

One thing I really enjoyed about this class was learning about the variety of AI tools available. ChatGPT is the website most people know and talk about but it was interesting to see more specialized AI resources, like image generators. DALL-E, for example, can create detailed images from text prompts. While tools like this can be dangerous in the wrong hands (could easily be misused for bullying or spreading false information), they also have a lot of potential. For teachers, AI-generated images could be beneficial for making creative and engaging lesson materials. 

That said, the growing presence of AI also raises some big questions. For example, will AI eventually take jobs from real artists/video editors? If people can quickly generate resources, will companies stop hiring humans? It’s a bit unsettling to think about.

Although AI may be very beneficial when used properly, it’s also important to consider the environmental impacts of AI as well. Using AI consumes significantly more energy and water than a regular internet search. This means that every time we use AI to create content, it leaves a larger carbon footprint than we realize. It’s a good reminder that while AI is convenient, we need to be intentional with how we use it. Abusing or overusing AI can contribute to unnecessary environmental impacts, so it is important to be mindful and use it purposefully rather than relying on it for every small task. 

Overall, I’m excited about the potential of AI in education, but I also recognize the importance of being cautious. There’s a lot of false and misleading AI-generated content out there, which makes it essential to educate ourselves on the risks. When using AI, it’s important to double check the information and take it with a grain of salt. With proper oversight and ethical use, I think AI could be a game changer for education, helping teachers create better resources and making learning more accessible and personalized. 

In our eighth class, we started with a brief lesson on digital curation and personal management before doing an EdCamp activity. I never thought about how important it is to organize and store teaching resources online until this class. As future educators, we’ll constantly be collecting videos, articles, lesson plans, and even past assignments. Putting them in a secure and accessible place makes them easy to find and use later. It was also a good reminder to back everything up and use clear, recognizable names so nothing gets lost. 

The highlight of class for me was the EdCamp activity. I loved how it gave us choice over our learning. As a group, we came up with a list of topics we were interested in discussing, like outdoor education, making phonics fun, AI’s role in university classrooms and building a strong teaching portfolio. After voting on a few options, we would split into smaller groups based on the topics we were most interested in talking about. There was no limit to group size, so you could go to any topic. What I really enjoyed about how this activity is set up was that you could switch groups halfway if you wanted. This kept the discussion fresh and engaging. 

I found the EdCamp style really effective because it allowed me to connect with peers who shared similar interests. It was a great way to hear different perspectives and expand my own understanding of the topic. It also made the learning feel more meaningful and relevant since we were discussing things we genuinely cared about. I could see this being a great classroom activity in the future, as it encourages students to collaborate, share ideas and take ownership of their learning.  

In our Feb 11 class, we explored how videos can be used as a powerful educational tool. We started by discussing some of the video experiences that helped us learn throughout school. One of the common things mentioned by people were YouTube videos, specifically educational accounts that simplify the content being taught (khan academy, amoeba sisters). Some of the benefits of using education videos in the classroom is making the content more fun and engaging, as well as providing students with a new frame to look at the content. 

We also learned about different types of video content, like screencast, which records the screen along with a voiceover explaining what is being shown. I found this particularly interesting as it allows teachers to give clear visual instructions. I am guessing these are even more prevalent and important skills to know since the pandemic, which made personal connections harder with remote learning. We also talked about the power of timelapse videos, which are great for showing processes (a science experiment or art project) without making the students sit through the entire thing in real time. 

The guest speaker, Rich McCue, gave us a brief presentation on video editing and showed us some of the equipment available at the library, including a green screen and a podcast room, which I will be keeping in mind for future projects. During the hands-on part of class, we practiced creating and editing our own videos by incorporating sounds, images and using basic editing techniques like trimming and splitting clips. I unfortunately couldn’t save the video I made in class since I used a school computer and the file was too large to send. Since I wasn’t able to keep it, I decided to try screenrecording on my iPad for my inquiry assignment. I filmed myself drawing an image on my iPad, which was a fun way to practice the skills we learned.

One cool tip we covered was how to embed Youtube videos into lessons more effectively. You can choose to only show a specific section of the video by using the share box and clicking the small square in the corner. You can also add subtitles, adjust playback speed and even use analytics to see how long the students actually watched the video for. We also briefly talked about creating GIFs from videos, which could be a creative way to highlight key concepts in the classroom. 

Overall, this class really showed me how much potential video has in education. Whether it’s creating your own content or finding existing resources, videos offer so many creative ways to engage students and enhance learning. 

In our fourth class of technology, we focused on integrating multimedia into classrooms and the impact it can have on student engagement. We talked about their diverse learning styles, so using both visual and auditory elements could be very beneficial when teaching lessons. However, as educators, we need to ensure the resources we are using are purposeful and related to the content being taught, so they’re as effective as possible. 

We also talked a lot about all the different tools you could use for creating graphics and videos. There are platforms such as Canva, PowerPoint and SmartArt, which allows you to design engaging slides and collages easily. For video content, Pexels and Unsplash are great resources to produce good quality videos that provide free images and are simple to use. I personally have an app on my iPad called notability, where you are able to incorporate images, draw something yourself and download documents to take notes on. It’s a really helpful resource for finding an already made document you like but just want to add on to or make personal. I love using it for staying organized and writing out my schedule everyday, as well as using it for my notes in class, but there are so many ways you could experiment and use these types of apps for teaching purposes. 

Incorporating this multimedia into classrooms will not only make lessons more dynamic but will also hopefully increase students motivation and participation. As educators, it’s important we embrace these tools to create a more inclusive and effective learning environment. 

For our January 14 class, we had to watch the documentary Most Likely to Succeed, which is about a school that takes a unique approach to teaching. One of the biggest takeaways I had was how much more motivated students can be if they get to focus on things they actually care about. The film showed a lot of great ways to connect the students’ interests to the curriculum, like doing a play or independent project. It was also cool to see how their school used family and community involvement, which made the students more proud of their work. Their projects mattered more to them when it was on display for their loved ones to see. It made me think of all the different ways I could create this level of engagement in my future classrooms. 

During the class, we also talked a lot about technology in education, especially focusing on keeping kids safe online. Teachers have to think about privacy, permission and potential risks before they can take or post a photo of a student. Another interesting point made during class was how much content is actually created by teachers, like lesson plans, assignments, quizzes. I also didn’t realize that anything a teacher makes is automatically copyrighted to them, and there are platforms like Teachers Pay Teachers and Twinkl for sharing resources or getting inspiration. There are other helpful websites that share educational resources as well, like Creative Commons. Overall, this class had me thinking about how to balance technology so it improves learning but keeps everything safe and accessible.