Alright, here is my final project and while there are some things I would like to change, I'm pretty excited about it. Since I am the only teacher at our elementary school that uses flexible seating, I have been asked by our principal to prepare something for a short presentation for new to our school teachers at an upcoming meeting. I decided to use this project and what I learned in this class to make those items awesome.
I first created a virtual tour of my classroom. I am not 100% happy with it because even though I have a high resolution camera, I couldn't get back far enough to get great pictures. I still feel it serves it's purpose, though. I showed the virtual tour of our classroom to my first graders and they were very impressed and entertained, that counts for something, right?
I also created a slide presentation that can be printed in handout form for participants. I included several QR codes including a link to my virtual tour, my smart spots video I had made previously, and other resources. I considered using zapper codes, but since I won't be using presentation until this fall, I didn't want them to expire. I then used Screencast-O-Matic to narrate my slide presentation using the speaking points I would say if I were presenting this. I hope you like it!
Link to Screencast-O-Matic presentation: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cqfvncZks0
Link to virtual tour (Click on cog for narration): https://poly.google.com/u/0/view/9SKdF8Lwm81
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Digital Escape Room
Here is the link to my digital escape room. After teaching at Highland Park Elementary for four years, I took a seven year break and returned last year. Due to my time away, I had to take most of the new teacher trainings again. I thought this would be a fun activity to have new teachers do during one of their in-service meetings. I would group the teachers in groups of 2 or 3 and the first group to answer all of the questions correctly would get a prize such as first pick from the candy bowl that is present at every teacher meeting at our school.
Find my digital escape room here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxOA3-JLlkZCXTyxrj-YeMmkSwwhvYXAMVFljj8cXuUmmLYw/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&fbzx=-1402363725495340625
The answers are:
1. PBG (Purple, Black, and Grey)
2. 2013
3. DYSON
4. CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE
5. 7:40
Find my digital escape room here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxOA3-JLlkZCXTyxrj-YeMmkSwwhvYXAMVFljj8cXuUmmLYw/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&fbzx=-1402363725495340625
The answers are:
1. PBG (Purple, Black, and Grey)
2. 2013
3. DYSON
4. CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE
5. 7:40
Virtual Tour
This assignment pushed me to my limits and made me say not nice things on more than one occasion. I had trouble with the site on multiple occasions, both on my home and school computers.
Travel is something we enjoy doing as a family, so I documented some of the places we have and plan to visit.
You can find my Virtual Reality Tour here: https://poly.google.com/u/0/view/7C3TZ29KKL_
Travel is something we enjoy doing as a family, so I documented some of the places we have and plan to visit.
You can find my Virtual Reality Tour here: https://poly.google.com/u/0/view/7C3TZ29KKL_
Transmedia Book
My transmedia book is actually more of a booklet, and definitely not school related, but it is something I will actually use. As with most of these projects, the hardest part for me was deciding what my topic would be. A friend recently sent me a picture of me participating in an aquathon a couple of years ago and I had a hard time explaining what was happening in the picture to another friend that was with me when I received it. I decided to use this opportunity to create a booklet that I will make accessible to the people in my local running group for anyone interested in more information about aquathlons. The booklet will be printed front and back, then folded in half. The picture in question is me transitioning from swim to run and is on the front page.
You can find my transmedia book here: https://www.flipsnack.com/cparks/why-tri-an-aquathon.html
You can find my transmedia book here: https://www.flipsnack.com/cparks/why-tri-an-aquathon.html
Digital Story
Pre-Production: I had a hard time deciding what story I wanted to tell, but ultimately decided to tell a condensed version of the one I get asked to share the most often. Our journey to have a family is one that has been plagued with heartache, struggles, and joy. Through my willingness to talk about it, I have met many amazing people all over the world that have been put in contact with me because they, too, are facing struggles similar to part of my story. I hope you enjoy it.
Production: I spent many hours combing through old photograph files to find just the right pictures from throughout the years to appropriately tell my story. I then wrote a script and paired pictures with parts of the script (attached).
Post-Production: I used iMovie to make my digital story which was a first for me. I enjoyed using this program and will use it again in the future.
You can find my digital story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRH90c9tbyA
Production: I spent many hours combing through old photograph files to find just the right pictures from throughout the years to appropriately tell my story. I then wrote a script and paired pictures with parts of the script (attached).
Post-Production: I used iMovie to make my digital story which was a first for me. I enjoyed using this program and will use it again in the future.
You can find my digital story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRH90c9tbyA
Monday, April 1, 2019
Horizon Report Overview and Podcast
After reading both the 2019 and 2018 Horizon Reports I decided to focus on Makerspaces. Makerspaces, although not always labeled this, are something that are not only very present in both my home and classroom, but also discussed in my home since my husband is a mechanical engineer and, as he likes to point out, while I have a heart for education I have an engineer-type mind also, resulting in me often merging the two, thus creating unintentional Makerspaces opportunities. Makerspace opportunities are described as “a wide variety of hands-on activities (such as building, computer programming, and sewing) to support academic learning and the development of a mindset that values playfulness and experimentation, growth and iteration, and collaboration and community” (Herold, 2016). By incorporating Makerspaces in education, we are providing students with skills needed to develop their future by engaging learners in nurturing higher-order problem-solving through hands-on learning (Horizon, 2018).
In her article, Martin states there are three main elements turning “Making” into a good learning experience. These are: affordable digital tools which provide new ways to interact with materials, community infrastructure resulting in the sharing of ideas and examples, and a “Maker mindset” which encourages students to “believe they can do anything.”
Digital tools include, but are not limited to, 3D printers, computer numerical control (CNC) routers, laser cutters, digital embroidery machines, and vinyl or paper cutters. There are also digital logical tools such as microcontrollers and mini-computers. This variety of tools provides not only opportunity for designing tangible objects, but also coding opportunities. These tools help students to make multiple nearly identical objects quickly compared to hand made objects. At one Tampa prep school, “Using Unity 3D, the students have been able to create their own apps and video games, and this has empowered students to lead the charge not only in their own coding education, but their classmates’, as well” (Zimmerman, 2018).
Community infrastructure can take place in many forms such as meetings, events, and social networking. The Makerspaces community is an opportunity for students that might not always interact or connect with other students to reach out, question, share details, joke with, and problem solve together. This community is one of equality. Makerspace communities can help influence future educational choices and likelihood students will pursue a career in a related field.
The “Maker mindset,” according to Martin, includes four elements critical to it’s value for education. These are playful, asset- and growth-oriented, failure positive, and collaborative (Martin, 2015). Makerspaces are focused around play, fun, and interest encouraging experimentation resulting in an environment people want to interact with. Makerspaces focus on what can possibly be done rather than restrictions leaning it to be asset- and growth-oriented. Failure is common and seen as an opportunity to try another approach to solve the problem at hand. And, Makerspaces foster collaboration encouraging students to share ideas with each other.
Makerspaces are setting the groundwork for not only our future scientists, inventors, and engineers, but also helping students develop fundamental skills that will allow them to be successful in everyday life. The ability to problem solve, use complex (and non) machines, communicate effectively, and work open-mindedly will only benefit our future generations.
Educause. (2018). Horizon Report. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/~/media/files/library/2018/8/2018horizonreport.pdf
Herold, B. (2016, April 11). The Maker Movement in K-12 Education: A Guide to Emerging Research. Retrieved from https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2016/04/maker_movement_in_k-12_education_research.html?cmp=cpc-goog-ew-dynamic+ads&ccid=dynamic+ads&ccag=technology+dynamic&cckw=&cccv=dynamic+ad&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-uSVwYKu4QIVhB-tBh2JWw21EAAYAiAAEgIj2fD_BwE
Martin, L. (2015). The Promise of the Maker Movement for Education. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER), 5(1), 29-39. Retrieved from https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1099&context=jpeer
Zimmerman, E. (2018, September 28). How Makerspaces in Schools Help Students Learn to Code. Retrieved from https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1099&context=jpeer
In her article, Martin states there are three main elements turning “Making” into a good learning experience. These are: affordable digital tools which provide new ways to interact with materials, community infrastructure resulting in the sharing of ideas and examples, and a “Maker mindset” which encourages students to “believe they can do anything.”
Digital tools include, but are not limited to, 3D printers, computer numerical control (CNC) routers, laser cutters, digital embroidery machines, and vinyl or paper cutters. There are also digital logical tools such as microcontrollers and mini-computers. This variety of tools provides not only opportunity for designing tangible objects, but also coding opportunities. These tools help students to make multiple nearly identical objects quickly compared to hand made objects. At one Tampa prep school, “Using Unity 3D, the students have been able to create their own apps and video games, and this has empowered students to lead the charge not only in their own coding education, but their classmates’, as well” (Zimmerman, 2018).
Community infrastructure can take place in many forms such as meetings, events, and social networking. The Makerspaces community is an opportunity for students that might not always interact or connect with other students to reach out, question, share details, joke with, and problem solve together. This community is one of equality. Makerspace communities can help influence future educational choices and likelihood students will pursue a career in a related field.
The “Maker mindset,” according to Martin, includes four elements critical to it’s value for education. These are playful, asset- and growth-oriented, failure positive, and collaborative (Martin, 2015). Makerspaces are focused around play, fun, and interest encouraging experimentation resulting in an environment people want to interact with. Makerspaces focus on what can possibly be done rather than restrictions leaning it to be asset- and growth-oriented. Failure is common and seen as an opportunity to try another approach to solve the problem at hand. And, Makerspaces foster collaboration encouraging students to share ideas with each other.
Makerspaces are setting the groundwork for not only our future scientists, inventors, and engineers, but also helping students develop fundamental skills that will allow them to be successful in everyday life. The ability to problem solve, use complex (and non) machines, communicate effectively, and work open-mindedly will only benefit our future generations.
Educause. (2018). Horizon Report. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/~/media/files/library/2018/8/2018horizonreport.pdf
Herold, B. (2016, April 11). The Maker Movement in K-12 Education: A Guide to Emerging Research. Retrieved from https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2016/04/maker_movement_in_k-12_education_research.html?cmp=cpc-goog-ew-dynamic+ads&ccid=dynamic+ads&ccag=technology+dynamic&cckw=&cccv=dynamic+ad&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-uSVwYKu4QIVhB-tBh2JWw21EAAYAiAAEgIj2fD_BwE
Martin, L. (2015). The Promise of the Maker Movement for Education. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER), 5(1), 29-39. Retrieved from https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1099&context=jpeer
Zimmerman, E. (2018, September 28). How Makerspaces in Schools Help Students Learn to Code. Retrieved from https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1099&context=jpeer
Listen to my podcast here: https://anchor.fm/courtney255/episodes/Horizon-Reports---Makerspaces-e3k8c0
Sunday, March 24, 2019
AR and QR Assignments
This week for class, we read about, explored, and created Augmented Reality and QR code interactives. This was something I have been interested in for some time, but have not taken the time to actually learn about and do. In the beginning, I really stressed myself out about this assignment. I read all the articles and web pages, looked at examples, played around with the apps, and couldn't wrap my brain around what I could make for this assignment. In the end, I listened to my athletic trainer's words and decided to "think smarter, not harder." I know my QR activity is simple, but it is something I am actually excited to use in my first grade classroom. I even have more ideas of QR activities to use in my classroom now, just not the time today to create them. As for the AR project, this is one I will use at the beginning of the school year with parents, but I like the idea of incorporating Zappar links when presenting to fellow teachers during professional development days.
Reflection:
How has your thinking changed this week about technology use? About augmented learning?
- Technology use definitely has a place in an elementary classroom. I have not always been the biggest supporter of lots of technology in the classroom, but can see where including technology based activities in varies parts of my school day. For example, at our school we are required to have the students do literacy work stations while we conduct a small group targeted reading assignment at the teacher table multiple times each day. Using the augmented learning applications I learned about in this assignment, I can develop more lessons to use during this time that can not only keep the kids engaged, but also aid in assessing their learning at those stations.
What information, facts, processes, or technologies stood out in your mind?
- Honestly, the information was overwhelming to me. I read and watched it and just couldn't imagine how I would be able to actually do this, thus it took me a while to get started with the part of the assignment where I was actually producing something. Once I finally started playing with the programs (like we discussed early in this class), I realized it wasn't as hard as I was making it. I actually enjoyed using Zappar, but see myself using QR codes in my classroom more.
Were there tensions that you noticed between the content and design principles for multimedia or between two principles that you used?
- I don't know that I noticed any tension other than the stress in my head of trying to figure it all out.
What did you enjoy? Or not?
- Once I got started and knew roughly what I wanted to make, I enjoyed using Zappar. The beginner template was very user friendly.
How did you grow?
- I grew as a learner during this assignment. Many times, I had to take my own advise that I give my students when something frustrates them and just breath and relax a moment before resuming. I want results and I want them fast, so learning two new processes was hard for me as I didn't get immediate results. I also learned I get more work finished at school in my quiet classroom when I send my own children to the playground as opposed to trying to work on it at home during spring break.
Augmented Reality:
This is a poster that I would print out and have displayed at the beginning of the school year so parents can quickly access information they might need. I will add to it as I think of things. I will also print one out to send home with each child.
QR Codes:
I created an activity using QR codes to use during literacy work stations. Prior to students entering the room, I will cut the numbered QR codes apart and post them around the room. When students are at that workstation, they will use the numbered sheet and a clipboard to walk around the room scanning QR codes and writing the word next to that number. Once every member of the group has found every word, they can scan the QR code at the bottom of their page for a fun celebration.
Codes to post in room:
Student worksheet:
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