CEP 820 FINAL REFLECTION!

          Before taking CEP 820, I never really appreciated how much time, thought, and detail were needed in designing an online course. From the student perspective, I can now understand and appreciate the designers of all my online courses as I now know how much effort it took to design a course to help me learn the most efficiently. As I designed my very own online course, I had to make sure that my design and pedagogical decisions would be very intentional for my students. First and foremost, I tried to design my course to be easy to navigate by not making anything appear too overwhelming. It was also important to make the objectives clear for each lesson, so that students can easily see the goal and purpose in their learning. Another design choice I made was to accommodate various learners by including a variety of modes of presenting learning material such as through video, PowerPoints, Prezi, online games, etc. I think these will also serve as a way to keep students engaged in the course.

          Thinking about my pedagogical decisions for the course, I made sure to include as many best practices that I had time to include. Overall, I noticed that I followed the same pattern in each lesson where students had a chance to first learn, then gain experiences in what they learned, followed by practicing what they learned. Although I would’ve liked to include more of this, I did make sure to include an opportunity for students to collaborate together by offering feedback and exchange ideas through Google Docs. When creating assignments, I assigned students different types of assignments and posted due dates to help students stay timely and organized. One of my lessons offered students a variety of engaging activities to pick from, which is great for giving students a choice in practicing the learning content. I also had an online course communications policy was posted for students to know how to properly communicate with each other in an online setting and to provide information on how to receive help and contact their instructor when needed. To further help students in the learning content, I made sure to provide many examples of what acceptable work should look like as well as rubrics for each major task.

          Of course, there were some pitfalls I encountered when designing this course. The time that it took to create my own learning material such as my Powerpoint and Prezi presentations was underestimated. Even the shortest presentations can take multiple hours along with a lot of thought on how to present the information to the appropriate audience. Further, using these presentations, made me realize that not all students will know how to navigate through them. It was important to include captions and even directions in the presentations to clarify some items. It was also challenging to include multiple opportunities for students to interact and exchange ideas. It takes a lot of thought on how you will manage such an activity. This is a practice that I wanted to include more of in my course as I know it could foster more student engagement. Another pitfall I had was creating specific rubrics for each major task I assigned. For me, this was another time consuming item to create for my course. Second of all, I realized that my rubric wasn’t specific enough and could’ve been more detailed in the expectations. Although I know it’s essential to include, I felt it was quite tedious and I felt myself waiting until the last minute to create them, which I shouldn’t have. Overall, I think TIME is the number one pitfall to be aware of! I definitely needed a LOT of it and will need to dedicate more time to adjust it even after CEP 820 is completed.

Link to my online course: https://classroom.google.com/h

Link to my CEP 820 Developer Notebook:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GkpnEnseJcnAzwBYwtKxNfx-l4hNz_jdKuLvb9ocL-I/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

Final Reflection

CEP 810 was a great experience! In the course, there were a few things we did that were eye-opening that I think will impact my professional practice. The networked learning project was  great reminder of how learning can be student-centered even with the simple tools of YouTube and help forums. As the student, I had full control of what I wanted to learn, how I wanted to learn it, and what tools (videos and forums) helped me learn the task the best. I think this project could definitely be used in the classroom by giving my students the same freedom to take control of their learning on practically any topic!

Another thing that was enlightening for me was the idea that Mishra discussed about how technology was not necessarily designed for the classroom. Because of this, educators need to be creative and think outside of the box on how they can use the technological tools that are already available. I will definitely use this as I reconsider the tools I have in my classroom and find clever ways of how to repurpose them to support student learning.

There a few things I would like to think about in order to successfully add these new ways to my professional practice. How are other educators using basic technology in the classroom? What unique ways are they repurposing them? What other tools, besides YouTube and help forums, can I use to promote student-centered learning? I think these questions are good to think about as it helps me expand on the work we did in the course. I look forward to using them to be more technologically successful in my classroom!

 

 

Quickfire Activity

This week in CEP 810, my task was to have a friend or family member pick out 3 kitchen tools (one plate, one bowl, and one utensil) without knowing what we would be using it for. We were then told to randomly draw a number out of a hat where each number corresponded to a particular task. In this activity, the tools I received were a paper plate, a large plastic bowl, and a pair of tongs. The random task we drew was to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich using the three tools I was given.

The intention of this activity was to help us think about repurposing tools to achieve a given task. In thinking about education, and what Punya Mishra discussed in his video, technology was not designed for the classroom. For this reason, educators should be mindful of how they can repurpose technological tools to support what they would like to accomplish in the  classroom.

While making my peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I easily thought of a way to use the plate and tongs. Although the bowl was a nice tool, I really had no idea how to repurpose it. This was a little bit eye opening for me as I quickly realized that perhaps not every tool out there can be repurposed for a given task. Unless, I used it for some kind of platform to prop up and display my sandwich, it did not help me make my sandwich in any way. Likewise, in the classroom, it may or may not always be so easy to repurpose technological tools that were not designed for educating students. Teachers will have to really think outside of the box to successfully use these tools.

The TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework identifies what teachers need to successfully teach their students using technology. If we can use what we already know about teaching and content and then incorporate it with technological tools, we will not only engage our students, but we will also help them participate in 21st century skills as they explore, create, and share their work!

Check out my video below!

            

Reference:

21CLearning. “Punya Mishra – Keynote Speaker @ 21st Century Learning Conference – Hong Kong 2012.” YouTube. YouTube, 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 26 June 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bwXYa91fvQ&feature=youtu.be&gt;.           

 

 

 

Networked Learning Project: Finished Product

Over the past few weeks in CEP 810, we had the task of learning how to perform a task using only YouTube videos as well as an online help forum. The intention was to get us to recognize the value of networked, online learning. For this project, I chose to learn how to tie the traditional Windsor necktie to help my husband achieve a more professional, clean look when going to places such as interviews, church, or various formal events.

Throughout the weeks, I only used the sources stated below to learn how to tie the Windsor. My husband allowed me to fully learn on my own without giving me any  guidance. After a few weeks of on and off practice, I was finally ready to make and publish a video on YouTube. In the video, I show and verbally describe how to tie the perfect Windsor necktie. Although the video turned out to be short, I feel it shows evidence of my learning as well as an easy, step-by-step procedure that anyone can follow.

Learning in this manner turned out to be quite successful. I feel that since I am a visual learner, the YouTube video and diagram posted on the help forum was absolutely perfect. Despite the fact that I did have to look at the diagram multiple times and rewind the video at least a dozen times, the steps eventually stuck with me, allowing learning to take place. I did notice, however, that I preferred the YouTube video over the help forum as it offered more clarification on the steps overall.

In the past, I’ve used YouTube videos to help me learn new things such as with cooking new recipes. The visual that YouTube offers is very beneficial since some of terminology used in a written recipe can be somewhat confusing. For example, when cooking a balsamic lamb chop sauce and the recipe calls for you to stir on high heat until the sauce has reduced by half, it might be a little confusing to know what exactly “half” should look like. In the same way, if you simply read the directions on how to tie a necktie such as, “bring the wide end through the loop”, you might not know which way it goes through the loop. For this reason, having verbal directions combined with a visual demonstration is an awesome tool for learning! I will definitely consider using YouTube videos to learn other things needed in my life.

As far as the help forum that I used, I thought it was only somewhat beneficial. Unfortunately, there weren’t that many people out there discussing how to tie a necktie. Most of the time, people were just sharing tips on the best fabrics for tying ties and pros and cons of different types of knots. In my opinion, I think the best thing it offered was people posting further resources such as the diagram posted below to help me learn how to tie the Windsor or other types of knots. Although I did study this diagram several times, it was not my main source of instruction. It was often confusing as I found myself staring at the screen and trying to not only learn the steps but also learn how to transform the still images into 3-dimensional action in my head.

Overall, this was a great experience and I am excited to continue to explore future networked learning opportunities! Check out my video below on how to tie the perfect Windsor knot!

 

References:

N.p., n.d. Web. <http%3A%2F%2Freubenmiller.typepad.com%2F.a%2F6a00d8341ca70953ef0134886f8686970c-pi>.                          

How to Tie a Windsor Knot | Men’s Fashion. Howcast.com, 2013.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0NPYZyI7V8. Web. 10 June 2016.

“MFA: Please Help Me Tie a Full Windsor • /r/malefashionadvice.” Reddit. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2016. <https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/kl1hb/mfa_please_help_me_tie_a_full_windsor/&gt;.

21st Century Lesson Plan

Our task this week in CEP 810 was to create a 21st century lesson plan that integrates a digital tool to support student learning. I decided to create a lesson plan that aligns with the 4th grade science standard: Construct simple circuits and describe the interaction of the circuit components (MI.P.EN.04.51). As this is a complex topic for many students, I’m always trying to think of ways to make it more accessible for my students to grasp and understand more clearly. While creating my lesson plan, I was influenced by Thomas and Brown’s idea that students need to “know how to make things that represent their learning across a range of contexts, and perhaps most importantly, know how to play.” (2011) In my lesson, I think it offers an opportunity to explore, “play”, and represent their learning as they make actual working and/or non-working electrical circuit models. Furthermore, students get to use a digital tool called Cacoo which allows them to draw out the circuits they constructed, giving them more opportunity to “play” and represent their learning. I think these experiences will support student understanding as they are required to build and connect with the topic in fun ways.

In the book, Digital and Media Literacy: Connecting Culture and Classroom (2011), Renee Hobbs specifically suggests that teachers think about the following question: “Do students get to use technology tools for finding information, problem solving, self-expression, and communication? ” (2011) This was one question that really stuck to me as I planned my lesson. I was very excited to discover that the digital tool, Cacoo, defintely allows students to communicate about their circuits as well as solve problems of trying to fix and repair broken circuits. This collaboration should help with student engagement and understanding. I really do hope to do this lesson with my students if I teach 4th grade next year. Below is a screenshot I included to show you one possible electrical circuit students could share with their classmates! Click here to view the full lesson plan.

References:

Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand, Oaks, CA: Corwin/Sage.

Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, Ky: CreateSpace?.

 

Networked Learning Project: Making Progress

Two weeks ago, in CEP 810, our task was to learn something we’ve always wanted to learn using only YouTube and Internet Help Forums to guide us. The intention was to get us to recognize the value of networked, online learning. For this project, I chose to learn how to tie the traditional, Windsor necktie to help my husband achieve a more professional, clean look when going to places such as interviews, church, or various formal events.

I literally had NO previous knowledge on how to tie a necktie. After the past week or so, I’ve had the chance to learn the first major steps in the process. I still haven’t gotten to the final product, but I am getting very good, and fast, at what I know so far. The following are the steps I’ve learned so far:

1. Make sure the widest part of the tie is on your left hand side. (His right)
2. Place the middle of the tie at the middle of the back of the neck.
3. Pinch the wide end on top of the narrow end and
4. Tuck the wide end under and then out of the neck loop, and bring it back down.
5. Tuck the wide end underneath the narrow end and tuck it over and through the neck loop.

The resources I’ve been using simply come from a YouTube video and a help forum where I found a word by word description as well as a step-by-step diagram of how to tie the Windsor knot. Although the help forum had good intentions, I did not learn as much from it compared to the YouTube video. I consider myself a very visual learner and need to see new things in action to help me understand and more importantly, remember! Although I had to watch the steps about 10 times on the YouTube video, it was much easier than reading someone else’s directions. Even the diagram was a bit confusing at times as I found myself staring at the screen and trying to not only learn the steps but also learn how to transform the still images into 3-dimensional action in my head. The Youtube video was definitely the best digital mode for me. During the times I got stuck, it was easy to think back about what I saw and repeat what I had saw in action.

One challenge I had was that I kept getting sloppy with the wide and narrow ends of the tie. I found them to be all over the place when thinking about my next step. It would end up looking so unorganized to me and I it didn’t look like I was doing it correctly. In the video, the man shows how to pinch the two ends together at one point. However, I decided it works better for me if I hold onto the pinch throughout ALL of the steps. This helped my tie stay more clean looking and I could see what I was doing much better. Check out a quick video I posted of the progress I’ve made in tying the classic Windsor tie. Notice how I pinch the two ends the entire time since it helps me see each step more clearly as I am able to keep the tie less messy. I’ve also shared some pictures of some of the major steps I’ve accomplished so far. Enjoy!

Resources:

How to Tie a Windsor Knot | Men’s Fashion. Howcast.com, 2013.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0NPYZyI7V8. Web. 10 June 2016.

“MFA: Please Help Me Tie a Full Windsor • /r/malefashionadvice.” Reddit. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2016. <https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/kl1hb/mfa_please_help_me_tie_a_full_windsor/&gt;.

Getting Things Done (GTD)

This week in CEP 810, we were asked to explore a productivity tool that could improve our workflow that was consistent with David Allen’s ideas from his book called, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (2001). The tool I chose was called Wunderlist. I think it will help me de-clutter my brain as I begin to record,  organize, manage, and share all the to-do tasks I need to complete in my crazy, busy life. Wunderlist can also help me record ideas, goals, trip plans, holiday lists, and more!

I decided to test it out by recording my weekly grocery list. What I LOVE is that you can share the list with anyone you email it to. Once they accept the invitation, they can view, edit, check off items, comment, and even attach items to your list. I decided to share my list with my husband and kids. Since everyone knows grocery night is Sunday, they have the whole week to add to the list every time they think of something they need or the house needs. So far, they’ve added things to my list such as bobby pins and sphagettiOs! Who would’ve known I needed to buy those things?!?

So far, I haven’t noticed any constraints with this tool. One trick I’ve discovered is that you can duplicate certain lists. Since my grocery list tends to repeat itself every week, this feature will save me time as I don’t have to type it over and over again. I LOVE this tool! Check out the screenshot of the application below!

 

Professional Learning Networks

This week in CEP 810, we were asked to create a Popplet to show a visual summary, or, a map of our professional learning networks. Each Popplet represents a different area where I connect in the real world to help myself grow as an educator. These networks help answer my questions, educate me, support me, advise me, collaborate and work with me, allow me to share what I know as an educator, and so much more. While creating the Popplet, I began to realize how much room and potential this map has to grow! I look forward to adding to my professional learning network as I continue my journey in the MAET program as well as in my teaching career.

Networked Learning Project

This week’s assignment in CEP 810, we have been challenged to learn something new solely using YouTube and online Help Forums. For this project, I have decided to learn how to tie a necktie.

I am a married woman and have always been fascinated by the process however, could never help my husband tie the perfect tie. Often, his tying skills seem a little sloppy, or the uneven looking. A few times, out of frustration, he simply chose to not wear a tie due to the frustration of being able to do it just right. As he sometimes has to dress up for his job, church, or special events, it is important that someone in our household learns how to get this skill down.

I have already discovered that there are a multiple tutorials on YouTube to help me learn this skill. YouTube offers a variety of tying styles and methods as well as a variety of time frames you can learn to perform it ranging anywhere from 10 seconds to 5 minutes! I also began looking for help forums where people are discussing how to perform this skill. I had a much harder time than I thought I would as you don’t see that many people talking about this kind of thing. I was hoping I would see discussions of struggles and tips people had for tying the perfect tie. So far, I’ve only managed to find a few online threads that talk about tie preferences, styles, fabrics, etc. I did however, find a few forums that provided diagrams that showed the step-by-step process of neck tying.

This is definitely going to be a fun learning experience. I have attached a photo of the type of tie my husband and I think would be the most practical. We’ve decided on the traditional, Windsor tie. This shall be interesting!

 

Reference:

The Man Who Taught Me the Double Windsor. Digital image. A Better Me in 2013. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2016. <https://bettermanin2013.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/day-77-the-man-who-taught-me-the-double-windsor-52pwm/&gt;.   

                                               

                 

 

Learning & Understanding

In CEP 810 this week, we were required to write an essay based off of Bransford, Brown & Cocking’s book entitled, How People Learn. My essay describes how true learning is multi-faceted and requires a deeper level of thinking about the content at hand as well as the ability to be metacognitive. Furthermore, it explains the main difference between the expert and novice learner and how their different characteristics will greatly have an impact on true learning. You will also be able to see some of my personal connections I was able to make as a classroom teacher and how they are associated with the ideas and theories found in this book. Enjoy my essay!