Virtual reality is more real than you think. Who hasn’t heard of those cool goggles that lets you play video games and feel like you’re in a real-life scenario? For years, this market has been dedicated to gaming, but virtual and augmented realities are being taken to the next level. Virtual reality is a useful tool, and perhaps even a “productive enhancement to human interaction, bringing together people from around the world to engage and interact – regardless of social, economic, or geographic disparities” (TechCrunch). Virtual reality programs have been providing immersive experiences to military workers, astrologists, geologists, anatomists, biologists, etc. You might even know of some virtual reality apps yourself, and this technology hasn’t even reached its peak. How often have you considered the role that virtual technologies can play in education? According to TechCrunch, statistics on virtual reality use in K-12 school have not yet been gathered, however “the steady growth of the market is reflected in the surge of companies solely dedicated to providing schools with packaged educational curriculum and content, teacher training, and technological tools to support VR-based instruction in the classroom.” Virtual reality technologies can provide low-cost, low-risk, and effective methods of teaching. With virtual reality, not only can your students learn about science, language, history, geography, sociology, health, physical education, the arts, etc. but they can experience it. Thinglink offers students to take a trip to different countries and learn about places like the French Alps, archipelago of northern Australia and the Norwegian tundra. Not only can students look out onto the landscape, but they can spot additional links and unlock extra information. Titans of Space aims to give students a thorough idea of how each planet is positioned in our solar system by taking them on a virtual tour around our planets and earth. Egyptian Mysteries is a game that teaches students about ancient Egypt, and who doesn’t love a quest-based game?
Just think about the field trips you can go on without stepping foot outside of your classroom (check out the Digital Human Library for easy, free, and exciting virtual opportunities – go to my INTERNSHIP page for more information!), the tools that will make assessment a breeze, taking tours of the human body and its inner systems, providing meditation and stress management, social and emotional learning, using applications that will benefit students with special education applications, teaching your students about teambuilding, and even assisting your students with practicing presentations. Really, if you can think about it, there’s probably an app for that. And if there isn’t, maybe you could make the education system stronger by suggesting it. If you’re feeling uneasy about how to integrate virtual reality into your classroom, here are some resources to help: EdTech4Beginners teaches 10 simple ways to use Google Cardboard in your classroom NZPetTeacher teaches how to use Google Cardboard in PE And FortuneTech will tell you about schools that are already implementing virtual realities into their classroom Now, I’m no expert, but I do know that the possibilities are endless. Virtual reality is at the cusp of education, which is all the more reason to join me and the hundreds of thousands of other teachers in learning about how we can incorporate it into our lessons. We’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. Let’s explore.
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Although the concept seems so clean-cut and simple, I continue to ask myself: What exactly is digital citizenship? It has been explained to me time and time again, but for some reason I’ve never been able to pinpoint what it really means. Just by looking at the name one can assume that it follows the same or similar values to being a respectable citizen in general, however, I needed to take a deeper look so that I could not only solidify my understanding of it, but also, eventually, my students’ understandings of it too. According to Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano, digital citizenship is “the quality of habits, actions, and consumption patterns that impact the ecology of digital content and communities” (Digital Citizenship and Documenting Learning). Simply put, it is the bare bones of being respectful and responsible when it comes to using technology. Just as much as we should be teaching our students to respect one another, we should be teaching them how how to use technology appropriately. Digital Citizenship is both a teaching tool as much as it prepares our students for an unavoidably technological society. To break it down simply, there are nine elements of digital citizenship: Each one of these elements makes for a responsible and respectful digital citizen. While a topic like this may be perceived as dry and possibly even boring by your students, websites like CommonSenseEducation have fantastic resources such as cross-curricular lesson plans and interactive games to help young students become aware of issues such as cyberbullying, privacy, safety, etiquette, etc. in fun and engaging ways. As most young children use technology daily without understanding the consequences of operating such tools, it is important to bring digital citizenship into the primary classroom. Smart phones and tablets have become ubiquitous: “schools are shifting to a BYOD (bring your own device) as a main move for tech integration in the classroom” (EdTechReview), so students it’s only natural that questions regarding digital etiquette are on educators minds. In the 21st century, everyone has access to technology, but not everyone uses it properly. And, since technology is an intimate part of our lives, teaching digital citizenship should be the first step when integrating technology into the classroom. Sometimes we seem to be at a crossroad because as dangerous and immeasurable as digital technologies can be, it also provides us and our students with previously unimaginable ways to collaborate, communicate, connect, and learn together. Digital dilemmas are challenging for schools, teachers, and parents, and they are almost impossible to avert. So, while it might be tempting to just avoid using technology in general, we are stronger with - than without - incorporating digital tools into our practices. If we can embed awareness of digital citizenship in our youngest of students, then we have a better chance of preventing issues that will inevitably arise in the future. As teachers, young and old, veterans and rookies, we need to make sure that our students have all of the resources they need in order to function as responsible and respectful digital citizens. It is important for teachers like you and me to teach to and with the “vice” itself. If we have been taught to use it properly, we can teach it to our students, too. If you, like me, did not understand what digital citizenship was, I hope that this post has helped. As a learner myself, I will continue to find ways to make learning about digital citizenship interactive and engaging in my classroom. I am already on the hunt for minds-on videos (both for my own learning and for my students) and websites that I can use to further my learning and teach my students in a way that they will be impacted positively. Storytelling is not just a bunch of words strung together. It is an art. It is as much a means of fusing meaning and emotion to illicit responses that surface from our subconscious as it is to provide ourselves, our friends, and our family with a fanciful break from reality. When someone shares a story, it is human nature to make sense of the story in a way that relates to your life. Therefore, when we hear stories, we connect it to our own experiences and ideas. Storytelling is so powerful that marketers use it as a strategy to connect to consumers on an emotional level, “storytelling influence[s] the decision to make a purchase and establish brand loyalty” (SEOPressor). It came as a shock to me when I found out that Dove And Axe Are owned by the same company. Boy, do they know how to appeal to their targeted audiences. Storytelling is so embedded in our culture and our ways of life that people use storytelling to manipulate how we think. That’s some pretty powerful stuff.
Now, let’s take a step back for a second. I don’t actually want to shed a negative light on the beauty of telling stories. Stories bring us together and encourage us to understand information that has been passed down from generation to generation. First, there was oral storytelling, then there were written forms of storytelling, now there is Digital Storytelling. Welcome to the 21st century. Although Digital Storytelling is a form of age-old storytelling with a modern twist, it is not actually a new concept. It emerged in the 1970’s (The History of Digital Storytelling). It includes, but is not limited to, photography, video, animation, sound, music, text and narrative voice combined to make a digital production. Anyone and everyone has access to the digital tools needed to create a story and share it worldwide. That’s what makes it so remarkable. Due to its accessibility, Digital Storytelling has become a powerful instructional tool for both students and educators. Digital Storytelling as an art enhances multiple literacy skills in a fun, engaging, and personal way. It can be used as a medium to integrate cross-curricular subject matter, allowing teachers to get creative with the way they introduce topics to their students. It encourages students to work collaboratively in groups or independently on individual projects. Once projects are completed, students have the option to then post their productions to an international audience via the internet. Young learners will gain valuable experiences and engage in critical thinking when critiquing their own and peer works. Digital Storytelling has the fluidity and structure to appeal to all diverse learning styles. Unleash students’ imagination by giving them the freedom to draft, design, research, write, and create their own digital stories: “Digital Storytelling pushes students to become creators of content, rather than just consumers” (edtechteacher). I feel the need to mention that Digital Storytelling is also beneficial because of the amount of teachable moments and lessons, both major and minor, which naturally stem from the process. As shown in the Dove and Axe videos above, media carries unbelievably powerful messages. Giving students the hands-on experiences and resources to create their own stories will inherently assist them in understanding the power of media, how specific audiences are targeted, and how media carefully constructs and portrays its messages. If you are unclear on what Digital Storytelling is (as I was at the beginning of my process) it is worthwhile to look at some exemplars from StoryCenter, a beautiful website that is dedicated, truly and wholly, to digital storytelling. To anyone whose curiosity has been sparked by the thought of Digital Storytelling, there is one thing that I can say to you… “welcome”. Storytelling is an ancient art, something that has been coursing through our ancestors veins from generation to generation and culture to culture. Why is storytelling important? History, at glance, is our best window into understanding the significance of storytelling. We have told stories as a means of education, entertainment, cultural preservation, and also with the intention of instilling moral values in our communities for ages. Throughout history it would seem that storytelling has been one of the most, if not the most effective ways to unite meaning with emotion. Stories supply meaning to the things that we are learning. It is what connects us to our humanity. Storytelling is essential for children to practice and appreciate. A fantastic website shown to me in my Digital Media Literacy class is Five Card Flickr Stories. This website provides the viewer with five different frames. It is then up to the viewer to take the five frames and create a story using one, a few, or all of them. This website has a huge gallery of photographs and the page can be refreshed as many times as one would like until the pictures displayed on the screen are to the viewers liking. To give an example, here is a screenshot of the five pictures presented to me and the story I wrote in accompaniment. Did you try it out? You really should. Inspiration for telling stories can come from anywhere and everywhere. Think about what happens to you over the course of one week, or even one day. Our lives are filled with eventful situations, and when people share experiences, they are also sharing stories. Digital Storytelling takes the simplicity of telling stories and gives it a modern twist. Digital storytelling gives the everyday person access to tinker, create and publish their stories. It is an emergent method of taking life’s ditties and transforming them into a multimedia production. Digital stories combine photography, video, animation, sound, music, text and a narrative voice to present stories in a compelling and emotionally engaging format. Digital Stories can be fiction, non-fiction, autobiographical, whimsical, adventurous, etc. They can be whatever you want. More often than not, Digital Stories (and stories in general) are based off of personal narratives – a fantastic starting point. These stories are emotionally powerful and promote deeper thinking. Furthermore, they outline difficulties followed by either advice, a warning, a solution, or a call to action, making digital stories impactful. There are eight steps of the Digital Storytelling process: More and more, digital storytelling is making its way into the classroom. Whether it is the teacher/educator who creates a digital story, say, as a means of presenting new information or a “hook” to increase student interest in new ideas, or the students who create their own, Digital Storytelling facilitates conversation and presents information in an attractive and engaging way. Digital Storytelling provides students with a new way to research and tell stories of their own as they “learn to use the library and the internet to research rich, deep content while analyzing and synthesizing a wide range of content… students [may also] develop enhanced communications skills by learning to organize their ideas, ask questions, express opinions, and construct narratives” (p.4 Robin). Digital Storytelling, like any other form of storytelling, begins with an idea. Here is a brief overview of edtechteacher’s “8 Steps to Great Digital Storytelling” with some suggestions of my own. When working with students of any age, the first step is to plan. Here is an interactive ReadWriteThink Webbing Tool that is student friendly. Also, Mindomo is user friendly (for older grades), especially with the assistance of these helpful videos: The Basics – Creating A Mind Map and Adding Media to Your Maps. The next step is to research, explore, and learn about the topic. In this way, there is a wealth of knowledge to draw from when writing and scripting the digital story. Here are some great student friendly mind-map tools ReadWriteThink – Note taker and bubble.us. Next comes the script writing. After having researched the topic, the idea is that the script or writing will come together seamlessly. Take a look at ReadWriteThink – Essay Map for easy templates to organize writing. The storyboard comes next. This is the best way to hash out ideas of what sound and images the author wants to use. Here are two easy and ready-to-use resources: ReadWriteThink – Story Map and StoryKeepers - Storyboarding. Then, it’s time to gather/create images, audio, and video. This is the meat and potatoes (or the tofu and kale), to the digital story. This sets the mood, setting, and tone to the work. Don’t forget to discuss copyright and creative commons with students at this point and make sure that any images they use are cited properly: Understanding Creative Commons. Some great sites for finding images are Flickr Creative Commons, Pixabay, and Morgue Files. Here’s the best part! When putting it all together, try out these websites. Animoto, iMovie, Movie Maker, and We Video. Digital Storytelling help students learn to create stories for an audience and present their ideas and knowledge in a meaningful way. When the digital stories are published on the web, whether it is though YouTube or Vimeo, students are able to share their production and critique their own, and their peers, finish products, giving them practice with critical thinking skills.
Moving forward, I am going to delve deeper into exploring my own digital story. I, too, am in the process of creating my very first Digital Story. I am excited, nervous, and eager to see how it will turn out. I will surely post it when it is completed. By doing this process myself, I will be able to teach it, step by step, to my students and foresee the challenges that my students may face. Let’s take storytelling to the next level. Will you join me? You do not need to be technologically savvy to be media literate. The oldest form of media is print, after all. Whether teachers teach their students how to think critically by looking at Shakespeare’s intended meanings, J.K. Rowling’s hidden messages, or a magazine cover, it is important that students know how to deconstruct texts, messages, biases, symbols, and the like. Renée Hobbs’ article Seven Great Debates in the Media Literacy Movement discusses the advantages and disadvantages about media literacy education in K-12 schools. I must admit, it was a little surprising to read so many negative responses towards bringing media literacy into elementary school classroms. The fact that there is a backlash at all seems counter-productive and counter-intuitive to living in the 21st century. I actually found it difficult to find an article about the backlash of media literacy on education and young children. In all of my Google searches, “backlash of media literacy”, “media literacy is bad”, “should media literacy be taught in schools?”, “no more media literacy”, I found nothing but support in bringing media literacy into educational institutions. The more common argument in support of media literacy is that “media literacy is no longer separable from education” (Making a Case for Media Literacy in the Classroom). Training in reading, arithmetic, social studies, language arts, mathematics, science, drama, dance, music, physical education, etc. are not hindered by the addition of media literacy in the classroom. In fact, many would say that they are enhanced. As an example, when face to face with a website such as www.dhmo.org, a website warning the general public about the dangers of Dihydrogen Monoxide (a.k.a. the scientific name for “pure water”), even adults are vexed and deceived by the information. This website was made with the intent of illustrating how the lack of scientific literacy can lead to misplaced fears, and indeed, those without scientific literacy and the general public at large could easily be deceived by such a website. It provides the reader with a long list of scary warnings that seem legitimate, it appears to have research embedded within the website and it is written in a formal and believable voice. This website was recently presented to my class of university students and alas, those who had no previous experience decoding the website were fooled by it. So, with decades less experience, why wouldn’t children believe what’s presented to them in the media, regardless of their better judgement? Children should to be taught the motives, goals, and objectives behind media. Young minds need to be taught the foundation of thinking critically in all facets, in literature, in literacy, in watching a movie, in playing a video game, in tinkering with virtual playgrounds, etc. Looking at: and: How would those who believe that “the critical educational objective should be to reverse young people’s unhealthy dependence on media messages” (Hobbs, 17), go about reversing, deconstructing, analyzing, and critiquing the media that is embedded in the forefront of children’s minds? If we as educators have the power, if not to reverse, then to reduce the risk of “violence, materialism, nutrition and body image, risk-taking behaviors, distortion and bias
in reporting, and racial, class, gender, or sexual identity stereotyping” (17), we should, unquestionably, rise to the occasion. Here, as related to this topic, is a Wordle that I created on the subject “The Misuse of Social Media”. As a side note, this is proof of the importance of media as one might imagine that an assignment such as this would be given by a course related to media literacy, but the misuse of social media was a topic I chose in a myriad of other important social issues in today’s society. This assignment, matched with a meme component, was given by my Social Studies teacher with the intention to capture and transmit complex ideas in a highly communicative manner – media! What child doesn't enjoy looking at all of the beautiful and different coloured leaves that fall provides for us? Don't let them go to waste! Here's an art activity for the classroom that students are sure to love! This activity can be used in any grade. But the most fitting is grade 3. So here's the premise: In this lesson students will have been asked to collect different types of natural objects (multi-coloured leaves of different sizes and shapes, twigs, feathers, pine needles, etc.) to use in today’s creation. They have been advised against bringing in rocks, unless they are very, very small and against wispy materials, such as feathers and fluffs (the glue does not favour these materials). Students will have been asked to decide on an animal and a colour scheme (warm or cool) that speaks to them in some way. They will be communicating how their animal makes them feel and their reasoning behind their use of colour in their art journals for the consolidation of this lesson. As they produce their preliminary work, they will have had to plan and focus on how they would like their animal to be portrayed (symmetrically, asymmetrically) and what natural materials and colours they want to use. They will focus on using a variety of line in their pattern that outlines the border of their page (which includes, but is not limited to materials such as twigs and pine needles), as well as they will be challenging themselves to create strong contrasts using either contrasting colours or light and dark values. Students are permitted to use pencil crayon or marker to draw any colours that they could not find in nature, but are envisioning in their head. It is not required; this option is so that students are not limited by the colours of the leaves in their neighborhood. D1. Creating and presenting: apply the creative process to produce a two-dimensional artwork, using elements, principles, and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings D2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analyzing: apply the critical analysis process to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a an artwork Line: a variety of line Shape & Form: symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes and forms in the natural world Colour: colour for expression (e.g., warm and cool colours) Value: mixing a range of light colours and dark colours Principle of Design: contrast, repetition and rhythm, variety, emphasis, proportion, balance, unity and harmony with a focus on ‘variety’: slight variations on a major theme; strong contrasts (e.g., use of different lines, shapes, values, and colours to create interest (bright or light colour values, dark colour values) This work has been inspired by Andy Goldsworthy. A video of Andy's art should be displayed prior to assigning the activity so that students can begin making artistic choices of their own. By the end of this lesson students will have challenged themselves to use organic materials in new and interesting ways and improve their understanding of fundamental concepts such as line, shape, and colour. Students will experiment with new art materials (natural objects) and techniques (contrast using light and dark value, variety of line), make intentional decisions on their design and colour choices, and then reflect on his/her process in a short, one to two paragraph response in his/her art journal.
Who here doesn't love coffee? Something warm to wake up to in the morning. Something simple to keep you going through the day. Well, maybe I know a few people who don't. And maybe we should learn from them. Who here knows the coffee song? C-O-F-F-E-E Coffee's not good for me It's a drink that people wake up with And it makes you nervous is no myth Thanks to a coffee cup I can't give coffee up I learned that in elementary school. But it didn't stop me from drinking it. However, for those who don't know, and for those who care to know, here's a video on what coffee actually does to your brain. Just some food for thought! (Yes, I am drinking coffee right now) I have to admit that I had never really thought about the true potential in bringing technology into the classroom until I took this course. Sure, I knew that technology was important and yes, I knew that there was “no escaping it,” but I really didn’t know what it all meant, nor its significance. Recently, I attended a Professional Development conference for all students in their Professional Year (A.K.A teacher’s college) at Lakehead University. A man who represented the Ontario College of Teachers gave some advice to all of us, future teachers. He said, “be knowledgeable and current in your teaching.” He discussed the importance of embracing technology in our teaching, such as using different learning communities and having discussions through social media platforms and blogs. Technology is better now than it’s ever been and it is at our fingertips. I know it’s hard to embrace technology. Using technology in the classroom might not only feel alien to us, but also intimidating. It’s not really how I was taught, it’s probably not how you were taught, and it definitely was not how our teachers were taught. But that shouldn’t stop us. Let’s switch gears for a second and discuss some benefits (I mean, think about how eager we were to play Math Circus. Remember?). According to TeachHub, whether we allow technology in our classrooms or not, our students will be digital citizens, and most of them already are. By introducing electronic devices into our classroom we are setting students up for success in their lives both inside and outside of the classroom. We need to make sure that our students are prepared to meet the demands of the twenty first century…
And there’s an easy way to do so. Think about it. Technology encourages collaboration. Technology encourages students to become more responsible and take control over their learning. Technology keeps students (and you) keep up-to-date in a quick and efficient manner. Technology helps students stay engaged. Technology reaches a diversity of learning styles. Technology opens up endless possibilities for project-based learning. Technology increases the ability to think critically. Technology opens up the opportunity to access face-to-face learning from anywhere in the world. Technology opens up communication between teachers, students, and parents. And this is just naming a few. Here’s a handful of websites that could get you on your feet and thinking about how you can integrate technology into your classroom.
Students who love technology will love using it to learn. Turn the tables. Give them a chance to teach YOU something. Don’t be afraid to put yourself in the position of a learner. What inspired many of us to be teachers wasn’t the cool technological tools that help to enhance learning, but we now have the ability to impact, innovate, and inspire students with it. Teaching hasn’t changed… it’s been enhanced. It is essential for young children to be aware of social media and all of its many facets. Yes, internet safety is a major topic of consideration and discussion, but just as important is teaching students how to create their persona in social media spaces. I feel like this is a slightly overlooked topic. We, as teachers, educators, parents, guardians, or whoever we may be, have a responsibility to give children an idea and understanding of both what it means to post and what is appropriate to post. Whether it’s a picture, blog, tweet, etc., to a website like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc., young learners might not be equipped with the knowledge to truly understand what it is that they are posting, or the appropriateness of their post. Until children have been told, they do not know that everything they post is taken as a reflection of who they are as a person. As social media is a dominant mode of communication, it is important for role models, like teachers, to show their students how to make strategic decisions regarding how they portray themselves on social media. A little education on the matter goes a long way.
Though discussing social media personas may seem like extra and/or unnecessary work for teachers, especially those who are new to the field, this topic is very, very important. First, posting (or using other media platforms such as blogging) is a great way to get students engaged in learning, communicating with you, and collaborating with their peers. Second, you can make this topic fun, just as my media literacy class did when we were allotted time in class to tinker and create a personalized magazine cover page. For example, students can pretend to be a teacher, business man/woman, news reporter, scientist, zoologist etc. and reporting/creating columns/writing like a person in that profession would. Whether they know it or not, the students will be taking on the persona of another to portray themselves (as the persona they chose) in a certain light. This is a teachable moment in which students will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of creating a certain appearance for a specific purpose. Activities like this display how different types of language and posts/images should be used in specific settings, including something like their own blog. In addition, deconstructing and/or reconstructing advertisements is a great way to get students thinking critically. It is good practice for students to depict who is responsible for the add, what the add is actually saying, and what the add wants them to do because it may give them some insight into how people will be viewing their social media presence(s). Best of all, there are plenty of activities that, such as those explained above, that DO connect to the Ontario Curriculum (take a peek at any grade under the tab “Media Literacy” in the Language Curriculum document). The bottom line is that your students either will be, or already are, involved in social media. We just need to help set a foundation of skills and understandings so that they are aware of what types of posts might be helpful or harmful to their personal integrity or persona(s). Students need to know that their posts are public and the material that they post is the basis of how other people will view them. I think it would be great for students to create their own educational blog and discuss their learning and/or hobbies and/or educational or extra-curricular successes. Hopefully activities like these will not only teach students about the importance of creating a persona with a purpose, but also give them incentive to see themselves in a positive light. This could be a great way for students to build up self-confidence as they are encouraged to find their individual and unique values. It might even work out that in the process of constructing the perspective they want others to see, they will find some qualities in themselves that they might have overlooked otherwise. |
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