I truly enjoyed creating my third multimedia reflection because of the medium that I chose to use. I had the opportunity to pick a tool to summarize and reflect on the assigned website, and I selected Piktochart. This was not only one of options provided in the list, but it was a medium that I had heard of before but not been willing to try. I decided to break out of my comfort zone and try to use a new medium for this reflection. After learning the hard way and creating a stop-motion picture video and taking over 300 pictures for my last reflection, I thought best this time that I try a different medium. I had an excellent experience with Piktochart. I read some reviews about the medium and thought that it would be a tool that I could incorporate my creativity and style into my reflection. By using Piktochart, I was able to do just that. There were several different templates and different presentation styles you could choose from. I selected a template that is viewed in the form of an online article or paper. The template only included the amount of pages but I had the freedom to add images, different texts and other details on my own. I LOVED all of the different fonts, backgrounds, images, icons, that you were able to easily insert into your project. I could also import my own images. I loved using Piktochart because there are no limits to your creativity, it is easy to use, and another great pro is that it is FREE unless you want to purchse promo options, but you do not need those to complete a project. After I finished creating the visual multi-media for this assignment, I felt that I would definitely want to incorporate Piktochart in my future career as a teacher and show my students how they can use Piktochart as well. There are truly many different ways you could use Piktochart in a classroom. Whether it be how you are presenting a lesson, to make it more creative or giving it as an option for the students to use for a project or assignment.

For my multi-media reflection, I decided to summarize the website,  “Technologist”  https://extend.ecampusontario.ca/technologist-design-thinking/and provided a sneak peek of what the entire website has to offer. With my written reflection, I decided I would reflect in greater detail on what the website has to offer and why it is a great tool for teachers and anyone wishing to incorporate technology in their classrooms, lives or other careers. When I first went onto the website, my first thought was “wow, this is going to be a lot to comprehend”, but after sitting down and truly engaging in the website, it explains everything in great detail. The main purpose I believe of this website is to demonstrate and explain how teachers can successfully integrate technology into their classrooms. This website is an excellent tool to truly show the many steps you take and need to consider when integrating technology into the classroom. “Technologist” is broken down into different modules which you can complete to learn more about the integration of technology. The module did a great job of clearly describing the steps in order to achieve your end goal when integrating technology. There are step by step modules about digital literacies and digital thinking. With the help of an excellent video, I was able to fully understand what digital literacies mean. I would define digital literacy the ability to be able to use digital technology as a way to communicate, manage, create, analyze and share information with other people. The digital-thinking section of the website is broken down into other modules including emphasize, define, ideate, prototype and connect. In each of these sections I was able to fully understand what they meant. There was not only an explanation of each, but an activity you could complete as well. After diving into this website, I now feel more confident in how I will integrate technology into my classroom as a future teacher. I believe in the importance of differentiation within the class and incorporating technology is another way I can differentiate my lessons and assignments for my students. As future teachers and living in the twenty first century, a technology filled world, we need to make sure our teaching practices are unique, engaging and help our students to develop a love for lifelong learning. I believe incorporating technology will be a factor in reaching this goal.

CLICK THE LINK BELOW…. to view my Piktochart and to see an example of what you can create using the wonderful tool!

https://create.piktochart.com/output/36454843-multimedia-reflection-3

How do we limit cellphone use in the classroom?

http://https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-tackling-tech-how-some-ontario-teachers-are-attempting-to-limit/

“Tackling tech” was a very intriguing article to read. I found myself divulged into the reading because of the magnitude of the current issue. Living in the twenty first century, technology plays a significant role in the lives of most people. The users of technology are only becoming younger and younger and more students are coming to school with their own cellular devices. We are living in a society where our students are constantly surrounded by technology in one form or another.

When choosing what platform, I wanted to use to make my video, I wanted to use another platform that I was unfamiliar with. I wanted to give myself a challenge instead of using something that I know how to use. I decided to create a stop motion animation video with my own writing and drawings. After watching a couple sample videos online, I thought to myself, how difficult could it be? This is a unique way to represent my thoughts. I soon realized after I began writing out each word and taking a picture after every single word for every single sentence that this idea was going to be very time consuming. I ended up taking 390 photos to make my stop motion video. I am glad that I learned how to complete a stop motion video because in the future, I will be able to show my students how to do this for a project or task in class. It was not that writing out each word individually and taking the pictures was difficult, it was time consuming and very tedious.

The article “Tackling tech: How some Ontario teachers are attempting to limit students’ cellphone use” by Nadine Yousif, focuses mainly on the use of cellphones in the classroom. Throughout the article there are a couple of different methods that some teachers have tried to use to gain control over the use of cellular devices in their classrooms. One teacher decided that the students could take their phones to their desks, but only once they put their cellular device into a specialized pouch. This pouch was designed to block any access to Wifi and social media apps while enclosed in the pouch. Also, the design of this case could only be opened at an unlocking device that was controlled by their teacher. A teacher from Kitchener believes the only method that will work in reducing the usage of cellular devices in the classroom is to separate teens from their smartphones. Another teacher implemented the “Yondr” case style in their classroom which is a lockable pouch. Mr. Acheson claims that his class average raised 8% after utilizing this style of case in his classroom for the student’s cellular devices. He believes students get more done.

Many teachers believe that these tools of technology are a problem and cause only a distraction for the students. I asked myself while reading the article, why are we trying to separate teens from their smartphones? Are they not a tool many students have access to at their fingertips that can be beneficial in certain circumstances in the classroom? I believe that many schools are trying to promote the use of technology in the classroom after seeing many examples in my placement, from supply teaching and from discussions with other teachers. How can we promote technology in the classroom but not let students utilize the technology they have and are familiar with? The answer is not only black and white. There are many pros and cons to having technology and cell phone use in the classroom, but in the grand scheme I believe students should be allowed to have their cell phones in class and be able to use them with permission from their teachers at appropriate times. I should not be giving up in trying to control the usage of cellphones in my future classroom by eliminating cell phone use in all. I believe this will make students want to be sneakier in class and find a way to use their device because today’s society, several teens cannot be separated from their devices. However, as stated in the article, Premier Doug Ford suggested the outright ban of cellphones in schools, in order to “maximize learning time”, or in France they recently banned cell phone use on all school property as well as classrooms.

There will always be people who have different opinions and views of this topic. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but I believe as a future teachers, it will be up to us to use our professional judgement and make the call for our own classroom. Of course, I will have to follow and respect the rules of the school and principal. Some believe that teens need a “detox” from their technology but why prohibit a tool that can be beneficial to their learning if used in a proper way? I do not believe that teens need a “detox” from their technology, rather instead they should be learning new ways how to use their devices for educational purposes. My beliefs on technology include to always be growing and trying new things and adapting to the ever changing world of technology. I aspire to be a teacher who is engaging and promotes the use of technology in the classroom. Another idea stated in the article that I thought was brilliant, involved a teacher from Waterloo who developed the Resistor Case. Marcel O’Gorman designed a case using vinyl, Velcro and duct tape. This case does not lock, rather it makes a very loud noise (from the Velcro) when a student opens the case. This technique makes students think not only once, but twice about opening the case and drawing negative attention to themselves very quickly. I do not believe most students want to be a disruption in a class and therefor would not open the case unless given permission from the teacher. Teachers have tried some traditional methods to control cell phone usage in classrooms and although I have not had that opportunity for myself yet, the Resistor Case appears to be a popular method of control. Allowing the students to be in charge of their own cellular device will allow my future students to develop self control and respect for everyone in the class.

There is an extent to the usage of cell phones in the classrooms. In older grades, students could be using Kahoot or Mentimeter, or another application where they need some type of technology to complete the activity. In my placement, I had problems with the classroom iPad’s and computers not working properly with the activities I wanted to do online together, but they worked completely fine with a cell phone. There are also times when a teacher needs the laptops or iPad’s for their class but cannot get access to them for the day they want. I also found it a useful tool for myself as a French immersion teacher. When students did not know a word in French, or they wanted to spell it correctly, they could quickly use their device or ask me to use mine and look up the word on word reference or a dictionary online. Allowing students to use their personal devices solves that problem instantly. I believe there should not be a ban completely on cellphones in the classrooms entirely. I also think students could earn time throughout the week, if they do not go on their cell phones and are attentive, they would be given some time on a Friday or project day to use their own cellular devices. Some teachers may also be nervous that their students are always using their devices for non-educational purposes. But using a teaching method that revolves around authentic education, a teacher should not always use a lecture style approach to teach. I will do my best to be roaming around the classroom as I teach, helping my students with their work while all at the same time overseeing what my students are doing on the phones. This will help the students to stay on task and get their work done.

Living in today’s society, we are all surrounded by technology and this does not make it easy for students to not become distracted and some students may become addicted to their devices and cannot control themselves. I believe having a restriction of when students can use their devices, could help to solve the jittery texting fingers whilst promoting technology usage in the classroom. Prior to reading this article, I had not heard of any of the methods that these teachers are implementing in their classrooms for cell phone control. Before engaging with this article, honestly, I had only heard of the traditional methods such as putting all the cell phones at the front of the classroom, or hanging the cellphones in a pocket chart at the front of the classroom. This article was enlightening, knowing now that there are several different methods for cell phone control in classrooms. I truly feel strongly after reading this article that as a future educator, I should not just give up and eliminate the use of personal devices in the classrooms entirely, but the usage should be moderated and controlled using professional judgement. The entire text gave me new ideas and information on ways that I will be able to control cell phone use in my classroom. I am eager to put these ideas into motion when I have my own classroom.

HybridPod, Ep. 10 — Questioning Learning

I selected the Hybrid podcast “Questioning Learning” by Chris Friend and Amy Collier to analyze and reflect upon. I personally connected most to the podcast. For this assignment, I used a platform that was out of my element, something that I had to learn myself. I am trying to be open to all new forms of technology and different platforms that can be used in the classroom.

The Hybrid podcast “Questioning Learning” was an incredibly interesting story. This podcast touches a large base of facts about “not-yetness” and how it relates to critical digital pedagogy. Education should be valued at an in explainable level and some teachers are having difficulty encouraging the risk in learning and emphasizing the importance of questioning to their students. One of the main foci for this podcast discussed how critical pedagogy encourages students to ask questions first and to not always make assumptions. To   encourage our students to not take everything they see or hear at face value, but to truly question and analyze it. The podcast also addresses how a movement and shift from the instructivist model to a constructivist model. Amy Collier stresses the importance of being more learner centered and to be responsive to students learning. After listening to the full podcast, I believe that this is a reality for several teachers, even in today’s society. I fully agree with the concept that teachers need to encourage that the “not-yetness” is okay and that because one strategy may not work, and you fail, it is okay. Many students do not feel comfortable in taking risks and asking questions because they are afraid. Afraid of what their peers may think or even the teacher. We need to empower students to believe that there is no wrong question.

I strongly believe that as future teachers, we need to encourage students and make them all aware that it is acceptable to ask questions. It is okay to fail and to truly shift to a constructivist model of teaching. Future teachers should be more learner centered and focus on what the students learn. I believe that every student will succeed and establishing a classroom culture where students feel comfortable and willing to take risks and realize making mistakes is part of learning; student knowledge, understanding and skills will blossom in a classroom where students feel safe and confident.   For the beginning of the school year, I am in the learning process for this course. After listening to this podcast, I am intrigued to listen to more and learn more about how to become a teacher who is learner centered. Critical pedagogy is something newer for myself. I believe questioning learning is crucial to becoming an excellent teacher who instills the love of life long learning in every student. As future teachers, we need to learn together and become comfortable ourselves with asking questions and accepting that “not yetness” okay. In order for our future students to be comfortable with asking questions and not feeling like failures, we need to have a strong understanding of our learners.

The experience of creating my artifact connects to the podcast that I reflected on because I took risks myself using a new platform. I had never used Promo before nor had I created a video and put it on youtube. I reflected on the artifact in a way that allowed me to think deeper into how I want to instruct my future students. I do not want my students to feel nervous when using a new platform the way I did. I know my future students will have mostly grown up around technology and from day one in the class, I want to ensure that my students know “not yetness” is okay. I want them to know that it is okay to ask questions and that no question is a dumb question. I felt this way while creating my artifact. With helpful feedback from my instructor, I was able to complete the task and receive positive feedback to improve the piece. Creating my artifact completely related to the podcast in my own personal way. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to listen to such a powerful, current, podcast topic that I was able to clearly make connections to my own life and future teaching career.