I have chosen to use Piktochart to create an infographic for a second time for my reflection artifact, because I received some valuable feedback the first time I used it and I have applied the suggestions that were offered to me to create a more effective product. The first time I used Canva, and found that there were more choices, however I did find Piktochart to be user friendly. My biggest complaints about Piktochart is the inability to save my image as a PDF or in High Quality without paying for a subscription. Since it was my second time creating an infographic, I decided not to use a template this time, in order to further challenge myself.
The Technologist module outlines how to select, use and integrate technology tools effectively in a way that supports, facilitates and enriches learning challenges and experiences for students. This is very much in line with the SAMR technology integration model that outlines the different levels of pedagogical integration – we want to integrate technology into our lessons in a meaningful way, aiming to implement tools that will modify or redefine a task. We can use the process of Design Thinking, which involves the learners in the process in finding a solution to a problem or challenge, because ultimately, they are the ones who will benefit from the solution, and their input is therefore valuable. The process involves 5 steps: empathize with students’ to identify areas in your teaching where they are having difficulties, define a challenge, ideate by building a listing the ways that technology could address the challenge, create a prototype and seek feedback, then finally connect and integrate it into practice.
I think the Design-Thinking process is a great way to start thinking about technology integration in my own classroom, because it is so important to involve students in the process. During my placements, I always asked my students for feedback since everything we do in teaching is to benefit their learning. Although researching and collaborating with other educators to determine strategies is important, it’s the students who benefit from our choices, which makes their feedback valuable. Starting with empathy is the best approach. As a teacher, it is crucial to place yourself in the shoes of your students, and make sure that your teaching practices are suiting their needs. Differentiated instruction isn’t only for students with a formal Individual Education Plan, but rather to help educators reach all of their students by enabling access of information and demonstration of understanding through multiple means of engagement, representation and action. Instead of imagining one specific profile of student when we design our lessons, we need to think of students as a unique group of individuals with varying abilities, identities and strengths to allow everyone to be successful.
The Design-Thinking process is definitely the way I will begin to think about which ed-tech tools I will integrate into my lessons to favour universal design and differentiation. Reflecting on our chosen tools is certainly the best way to integrate technology in a meaningful way and ensure an inclusive learning community within the classroom.
Natasha Singer’s article “Privacy Concerns for ClassDojo and Other Tracking Apps for Schoolchildren”, discusses the controversial behavior-tracking applications that are available for teachers to use for free in their classrooms. ClassDojo is the most popular of many applications that award students points for good behavior and subtract points for poor behavior. The app displays each student’s name, an avatar and their behavior score for that week. Singer gives a great overview of the many benefits and drawbacks of using apps of this nature, which really helped me to reflect on this topic and make an informed decision about whether or not I agree that these type of software programs should be used in classrooms.
The primary concern about applications like ClassDojo among parents, teachers and privacy law scholars is how the data being collected is used. Although the app’s terms and conditions state that teachers who are signing up are confirming that their schools have given them authorization, it can easily be used without permission from administrators. Therefore, parents are not giving their explicit consent before teachers begin to log their students’ data, and must ask the teacher or email the company directly in order to remove their child’s data from the app. So where and how is this data being used? Although the co-founder of ClassDojo assures that their company is committed to never selling the data, there is a clause in the privacy policy that indicates that they may show the user advertisements “based in part on [their] identifiable information”. Moving past the privacy concerns, there are several other problems associated with behavior tracking software. They encourage compliance based on bribes and threats, which the author compared to a “carrot and stick” method of classroom discipline and the treatment of children like pets. Publicly displaying behavior scores is also concerning because it shames students in front of their peers. ClassDojo emits an audible, disappointed pong sound to the class when a student is penalized. These types of applications are also critiqued for being too subjective, since teachers are adding or removing points based on arbitrary behaviors such as disrespect or leadership – which could look different for each individual student. Finally, critics argue that behaviour databases promote labelling students as a “problem child”, which could harm their interactions with teachers and students throughout their education.
Despite many drawbacks associate with behavior-tracking applications, they can be an effective classroom management strategy to help regulate students’ conduct in class. Not only could they help reduce undesirable behaviors, but they could also help to promote positive behaviors, such as leadership and teamwork, to create a healthier classroom environment. Beyond the classroom, it is an effective tool for keeping up on communicating directly with parents. Some parents really enjoy the fact that they are able to monitor their child’s progress and receive reports from teachers on a regular basis, without a formal interaction. Teachers say the application encourages them to record classroom conduct, which might otherwise get pushed to the sideline, although it is useful data to have come time for parent-teacher interviews and writing report cards or progress reports. Special education teachers have expressed the functionality of such applications to help them set individualized goals with students and their parents. To counter the criticism about shaming students by displaying their behavior scores to their classmates, the application does allow teachers to select whether points are shown publicly or privately, to accommodate the needs of each individual classroom. One teacher has said that he prefers to display points publicly, and awards many more points for good behavior than he subtracts for bad behavior, in an effort to illustrate that the good outweighs the bad. Keeping students aware of their scores could also promote self-awareness. Some teachers have asked students to award themselves points for teamwork, for example, which encourages them to reflect on their own conduct and contributions.
After much deliberation about my own thoughts regarding behavior tracking applications, I have decided that I would not use them in my own teaching practice. I personally prefer to log data in an analogue fashion, and maintaining students’ dignity is a big priority for me, which is believed is compromised when a student’s peers witness them being awarded, or deducted points. I also do not personally believe in negative punishment as a classroom management strategy, as studies have proven positive reinforcement to be much more effective. Drawing on the SAMR technology integration model, I would consider ClassDojo to be an example of augmentation at best; it is a step above substitution since the information can be transferred to parents. Before I read Singer’s article, I had been exposed to ClassDojo from a classmate who presented it for a “Technology in the Classroom” assignment. My classmate highlighted all of the benefits of using the program, but did not offer any of the concerns that were outlined in the article. I felt a lot more favourably about using ClassDojo in my own classroom as a teacher, before reading the article and getting a well rounded outline of the application. For these reasons, I am opposed to the use of behavior-reward software programs.
I decided to do a stop motion video for my multimedia piece, because I saw it used in another class and I thought it was an engaging way to summarize important information. This is the first time I have ever created something like this, and it did not turn out the way that I had hoped. I created a rough draft for my project before writing the good copy on a Bristol board, but I had not practiced taking photos, which would have helped me realize that it is important to take them from the exact same angle every time. When I went to edit my photos, I was not able to take out some of the edges, because I had not taken the pictures from the exact same position each time. I should have tried editing some photos during the process, instead of waiting until the end because I might have realized how I could improve the quality of the pictures. I also realized during the conception of the project that there was a lot of writing that was moving quickly, which might make it difficult for viewers to read. During the editing process, I felt discouraged and wondered if I should scrap my idea and try something else. I put myself in the shoes of the teacher, and asked myself what I would think if my student submitted the product that I have created. I decided that I would applaud the effort, and recognize that the student tried something new and out of their comfort zone to produce a multimedia artifact that still encompassed all of the requirements of the assignment. In a future assignment, I would definitely give this type of multimedia production another try, now that I have learned more about how to create a better product.
Hinck’s article Digital Ghosts in the Modern Classroom discusses how most students only know how to create digital media using the template/shortcut platforms, and I am one of them. I remember taking a course during my undergrad where I had to use coding to create a basic website, and I can recall feeling frustrated and discouraged by the difficulty. I’ve always been more comfortable using applications and websites that don’t have a big learning curve so that I can get through the task, and move on to the next one. I like assignments that require me to give an answer that is either right or wrong, because it’s the way that I’ve been trained. Hinck compares template/shortcut platforms to using worksheets in the classroom, which reflect a standardized model of education. Students are using pre-set fonts, colours and layouts, while their ability to make choices is restricted in the digital media making process. As teachers, we need to show our students that they are not limited to using templates, and that there is much more available at their disposal so that they can showcase their creativity. By promoting students to become creators and makers of original and thoughtful digital media, teachers can embrace an authentic model of education. As teachers, it is our job to design tasks for our students that involve technology based on Puentedura’s SAMR model. When technology is integrated to redefine a task, it allows for more creativity.
After reading Hink’s article several times, the word that stuck out to me the most was “tinkering”. I knew the meaning of the word, but looked it up in a dictionary to see the true definition: “attempt to repair or improve something in a casual or desultory way, often to no useful effect”. I love the idea of tinkering with different things – exploring them in a casual manner and seeing what happens. Unfortunately, this opportunity has not presented itself to me in my educational experience. We should promote to students that trial and error should be encouraged rather than being perceived as failure. In the real world, trial and error is important and unavoidable in order to learn, therefore it should be valued just as much in the digital making process. Providing students with opportunities to make discoveries on their own without always having explicit instructions allows for a more rich learning experience. We can put students out of their comfort zones by not giving them linear instructions. Although there will be failures during the process, it makes celebrating successes so much more rewarding. It is a much more gratifying experience to accomplish something you didn’t know you were capable of, rather than just accomplishing a redundant task. I liked how Hinck modelled her own failures and troubleshooting to her students, because it’s important to see that they have value. We should have our students reflect on their experience with failures by discussing them in class, or by having them submit a written component about the challenges they faced and what they have learned from mistakes that were made in the process.
Let’s encourage students to take control over the programs they use and the final products they produce. Let’s take away the power from templates and platforms and develop students who are makers and creators.
I created an infographic because I do not have a lot of experience creating digital multimedia and I wanted to start the first assignment with something relatively simple, while still challenging myself. I chose a template, but I made a conscious effort to change the layout, images and colours that were preset. The template help me to start my assignment, but I still took control over the final product so that it didn’t look like anyone else’s artifact. The most challenging part for me was synthesizing my ideas, rather than developing them like in a writing assignment.
