Author Archives: madelinedoornaert

Trendy or Evidence-Based Teaching Practice? How to Determine if Your Selection of Digital Technology Effectively Meets the Needs of Learners

While many trendy technology-based educational resources appear to be “groundbreaking” and “revolutionary” in meeting the needs of students, they do not always follow the appropriate steps to effectively “support, facilitate, and enrich” learning experiences. When you are seeking technological resources to meet the needs of students, you must be grounded in the appropriate information and tools to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these resources. Do not fall victim to the persuasive businessperson, who has not stepped inside of a classroom in years, claiming that their technological resource will transform the learning experiences in your classroom.

Making money is sometimes more of a priority for educational technology designers and marketers instead of meeting the needs of learners.

Thankfully there is a module, hosted by Ontario Extend, that can assist you in evaluating the effectiveness of these technological resources.

The module details a Design Think Process that can assist educators in evaluating the digital technology they introduce to their classroom

Extend’s technologist module is designed to assist educators in incorporating technological tools into their classrooms effectively to address specific challenges in learning. The module discusses four learning objectives for educators that apply to their selection, use, and integration of technological tools in the classroom in promotion of evidence-based practice. These steps must be considered before introducing technology into the classroom to address a specific need. Educators should  reflect on the digital literacies they have used for teaching, explore ways integrating technology in classrooms can address learner-centered challenges, use the SECTIONS framework to determine if a technological tool is effective for teaching and learning, and use a design-thinking approach to create a learning activity involving technology.

I have created an infographic that elaborates on the objectives of this module:

Infographic created on Canva

This infographic could be useful as a reference in many educational settings. Educators who plan to introduce new technological resources to their classrooms could review this infographic and verify that their process and product is aligned with the steps of effectively supporting the needs in classes through the use of their digital technology.

Consider the SECTIONS framework when selecting technology and media for your classroom

As a high school music teacher candidate, I have already applied these steps to evaluating the technological resources I have encountered in my own lesson planning. I have already collected some new technological tools for potential future lessons because they aligned with the learner-centered steps outlined by the module. For example, recording softwares and applications Audacity, GarageBand, and Voice Memo have the potential of enhancing learning experiences, as they include all elements of the SECTIONS framework. They provide multiple methods of differentiation and do not require personal data to be used at no cost. Specific collaborative assignments can encourage face-to-face networking in classrooms for students using these programs. The learning experiences involving these programs can be tailored to the needs of most students.

There are numerous considerations to be made when introducing technology to your classroom. Follow the appropriate steps and you will likely avoid excluding learners from enriching experiences in your classroom.

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You Can Be A Ghostbuster… Read this Blog Post to Find Out How

I created an interactive sketchnote to represent ideas presented in Ashley Hinck’s ““Digital Ghosts in the Modern Classroom”.

Interactive Sketchnote of Hinck’s “Digital Ghosts in the Modern Classroom”

Hinck presents three main ideas involving the use of shortcut and template platforms in modern classrooms. She first discusses how these templates “make making easier”, as no technical knowledge is necessary to producing a final product. Some of these platforms include Canva, Google Slides, and WIX. Students have adapted to following series of linear, standardized steps with guaranteed products at the end and little risk of failure. This is dangerous. This method does not require open-endedness, exploration, and discovery. Shortcut and template platforms can be compared to worksheets, as views of students being containers to be filled with correct answers are reinforced.

WIX is a digital template platform, well-known for its drag-and-drop, step-by-step features.

Hinck also states that worksheets, templates, and shortcuts have lingered, like ghosts, in the working mentalities of students. Students are influenced by their past experiences: following linear steps with clear end goals. Many individuals do not expect the difficulties and messiness associated with digital media making. This consequently affects their confidence as creators and decision makers. Their focus should be centered in problem-solving, rather than if they “got it” or “got it wrong”.

You have the power to banish these ghosts within your own classroom. You can be a ghostbuster!

So how can you banish these ghosts and dislodge expectations that students have attained through past experiences with worksheets, templates, and shortcuts? Hinck suggests that you can give students permission to try and fail. She also suggests that teachers enable discussion where students can compare and contrast making experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Analyzing the limits and possibilities of different platforms can also banish these digital ghosts.

Hinck used the Barack Obama “Hope” poster as an example for analyzing the limits and possibilities of different platforms. “Could this poster have been created using Canva?”

This article helped me gain perspective on shortcut/template websites and platforms and their effects on education and the creative process. While reading the article, I reflected on my own experiences creating digital media on these platforms. As a musician, I have used many of these platforms to create advertisements for myself and my projects. Bandzoogle is a “Drag-and-drop” website maker that resembles WIX. The platform is specifically tailored to musicians and bands. This website enabled me to easily and neatly present information about myself and my product; however, there were limited opportunities for me to make my page distinctive amongst the pages made by other musicians using the platform. The implications of this issue could be dangerous in educational settings as it promotes conformity and standardization.

Worksheets, Templates, Shortcuts = The Box

Inspired by the ideas written in the article, I wanted to incorporate another dimension to my artifact. A sketchnote does not have many limitations to what students can creatively produce. I am not a strong illustrator; however, I love thinking “outside the box” in terms of presenting information. The interactive component of this artifact provides more opportunity for differentiated learning experiences, as students can see and feel the ideas written by Ashley Hinck.

Madeline Doornaert

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