Consolidation Blog

After taking 3 AQ courses related to ICT, I can confidently say that I know a lot! 

That being said.... here's some things that I took note of: 


  • My school needs a technology committee- Enter Kristen  (stage right). I'm ready for the challenge and have already reached out to some members I think might be interested 
    • Side note- I will need to find students to create a Student Tech Club. Thank you Emily (a fellow teacher/learner in Tech Part 3, whom is definitely a technology wizard with a wealth of information) for your idea in your Staff Development Plan! 
  • The tools and applications that can be used in the classroom are constantly evolving. Which means, I need to be constantly adapting, growing and learning. (Hence the need for the technology committee)
    Image result for gif for learning
  • Behind the scenes- I feel like in this AQ I really got a good look at the "behind the scenes" concepts related to ICT. The considerations that need to be thought about when introducing new technology, staff development, purchasing equipment etc. These are the kind of things my arts brain doesn't really think about. So, while I may have found researching software and hardware considerations not the most engaging part, I have to say- I learned some important things! 
    • Side note- I learned that if I need to purchase new equipment or implement a tech plan, I'll need to seek some math help. Get those logical thinkers on board to help me budget (Thank you Mark- another fellow techie in the AQ) . 
  • This course reinforced the importance of some key concepts that I have always known are important- it's nice to know I know things! 
    • Parent communication and education. If we really want our students to be the awesome citizens and people we know they can be, we need to share some of our resources and knowledge with the parents. 
    • Digital Citizenship and 21st century skills. This idea is scary for a lot of teachers, that they need to educate students on their online communication and presence (which means talking about social media and getting the students to use it). But it is too important to not talk about, so get out there and try it. 
    • Inquiry and Project Based learning. Some of us have done a great job of moving away from that teacher-centered learning where we stand in front of the classroom and control what the kids think about. On the other hand, a lot of us are not on board yet. Let's toss the kids out there and let them navigate the waters on their own. I mean, guide them- we don't want them drowning, so step in when they need the help- but let's give our students the opportunity to problem solve on their own. I think the art of problem-solving has been lost. Our students are sometimes coddled and a little spoon fed, they have access to information anytime they need! So, let's give them the chance to try to figure it out!
  • Finally, sometimes we find these new resources and are just like WOW! But then the resources just sit on a list of cool tech we've seen. It's really important to think about how we want to actually integrate the technology into our pedagogical practices. Don't let the technology sit on a list of resources/links: mess around with it, set some goals for use and create a plan for how you will introduce it and use it in your classroom

Thank you Paul, Emily, Mark and Greg for the engaging discussions, fantastic resources and opportunity to learn this spring! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Parent-Teacher-Community Communication

Image
Parent-teacher, parent-child, teacher-community, teacher-student...we are all working to mold youth into active and responsible citizens but sometimes we don't work together. I know in high schools it's pretty uncommon for a regular classroom teacher to have an open dialogue with parents about a students behavior socializing online. We might discuss distractions (video games, videos) and overuse of technology during work periods or class instructions, but I'd say that is the extent of the conversation for the most part. That being said, with new technologies, it's important that all of us work together to guide students towards safe practices. I think at a high school level, the best way to do this is through guidance, community initiatives and administration. For example, we have community members like York Services host parent information nights on things like: Being Digital Citizens, Bullying Prevention, Drugs and Alcohol  and I have seen information posters up thr...
Read more

Exemplar Blog: Media Campaign Critique

Image
Grow Your Mo! Smashing Sucess!  It's November, you take a look around and see various forms of facial hair growing on the men around you, maybe you are thinking- makes sense! It gets cold in Canada in the winter, they want to protect there face -you'd be wrong, they are actually supporting   Movember! What is Movember? Movember is a campaign that works towards preventing men from dying too young from prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide. Their website's mission statement says: "Our fathers, partners, brothers, and friends face a health crisis that isn’t being talked about. Men are dying too young. We can’t afford to stay silent." The video below tells all! Background:  Movember originated back 2003 when two Australian friends,  Travis Garone and Luke Slattery, were inspired by their friend's mother who was raising awareness about breast cancer. These two men realized that men's health is an issue which needed more ...
Read more

Cultural Pedagogy

Image
After reading a few articles on cultural pedagogy, I have a few thoughts to share. I read the Ontario Ministry's information on Cultural Pedagogy ,   Learning Disabilities and Diversity: A Culturally Responsive Approach,   and watched a video on mindfulness and how it supports students. I am a SERT and teach Special Education so naturally that articles on learning disabilities (LDs) interested me.  I enjoyed the article for a number of reasons, the first being that when I was reading it, I felt like they were talking about a group of people themselves. It's interesting to be talking about background and different influences which shape students' knowledge of the world. I recognize and have encountered different perceptions on what an LD is, resistance to being  identified, and hearing both parents and students' say- I don't want to be labeled as different. What  I liked about  this article though, is it reminds me of an inclusive community. Where student...
Read more