This week we’re investigating maker education, tinkering, and coding in our educational technology courses. Translating all the hands-on experiences from our face-to-face class meetings into the online learning environment has been a fun challenge. Thankfully, we actually began preparing this module for the online environment in Summer 2019, so it has been a work in progress. A special thanks to colleague and EdTech Team member, Melissa Marshall, for helping develop the module.
I thought I’d share some of the resources that I put together. Perhaps these will give families ideas to spice up their days of quarantine. Please share your ideas and recommended resources in the comments, so that our preservice and in-service teachers can learn from you, too.
Slideshow of Examples
Browse through this slideshow to view examples that might spark inspiration for your next maker or tinkering project.
Possible Materials
Feel free to bookmark, save, or print the following document.
With Covid-19 forcing schools around the world to transition to virtual learning, Zoom has become a popular video conferencing tool. However, no technology tool is perfect and as such Zoom has been subject to much criticism for their lack of security protocols. Zoom is actively re-enforcing their security measures, but in the meantime, here are a few tips to using Zoom safely in your virtual classroom. You can read the full article from Zoom by clicking here.
The University of Memphis Global program has “nationally-ranked online degree programs and courses (that) can be accessed anytime, anywhere from the comfort of your home” (source). “Through UofM Global, The University of Memphis brings learning to you. UofM Global degree programs are developed by University of Memphis faculty for University of Memphis students…the online courses provide flexibility and portability, so you can access your class and the many resources available to you as a student at a major university” (source). The UofM Global program offers an excellent education at an affordable cost. Watch the video below or access uofmdriven.com for more information or to apply.
References:
All sourced information is hyperlinked as applicable above.
Pear Deck is an engaging tool that connects to tools you already use in order to engage every student in your classroom. Pear Deck’s mission is “to help teachers engage every student, every day. With solutions rooted in active learning and formative assessment, we make it easy for you to connect with learners of every age and ability. When that happens, more students participate and learn, and the classroom community improves, and you’ll know you’re making a difference” (source).
Pear Deck easily integrates into Google Slides, PowerPoint, and more. You can view a getting started video with Pear Deck by clicking here. Matt Miller recently published an article about 20 ways to use Pear Deck in the classroom. You can view this article by clicking here.
References:
All sourced information is hyperlinked as applicable above.
A.J. Juliani recently published an article about putting “I don’t know” back in the classroom. He says “When our students or peers don’t know something, they are going to either find out by skimming something online, or talking to a real person that actually has the knowledge. My questions is this: Why do we make it so hard on students and peers to say “I don’t know?” (source).
The problem with this approach is that skimming articles online leads to a fake sense of knowledge. Karl Taro Greenfeld, in his article about faking cultural literacy, states that “it’s never been so easy to pretend to know so much without actually knowing anything. We pick topical, relevant bits from Facebook, Twitter or emailed news alerts, and then regurgitate them. Instead of watching “Mad Men” or the Super Bowl or the Oscars or a presidential debate, you can simply scroll through someone else’s live-tweeting of it, or read the recaps the next day. Our cultural canon is becoming determined by whatever gets the most clicks” (source). The fact that our information is mainly coming from what everyone else is reading should be a scary thought because we are all incessantly taking in the same information and are not learning to research facts nor are we thinking for ourselves.
Shane Parrish, in his article about fake knowledge, says that “It’s bad because we make real, sometimes life altering decisions based on this fakery. Unable to discern between what we know and what we pretend to know, we ultimately become victims of our own laziness and intellectual dishonesty” (source).
As educators, we need to be at the forefront of teaching students how to think for themselves and that starts with being comfortable saying ‘I don’t know’ and creating a culture of honesty in our classrooms.
References:
All sourced information is hyperlinked as applicable above.
Are you being inundated on a daily basis with content from the media or are you obsessing over the numbers from the constant intake of information about COVID-19? In times like these, I like to look for the good in humanity, to find people doing their best to help others. If you want to be inundated with good news, the following accounts offer up a daily serving of news from around the world of people showing kindness to others.
Teachers from around the globe are sharing their resources for transitioning to and sustaining virtual learning. The resources below have been curated from research and personal learning networks.
Online Teaching Resources for NSCDS Lucy Gray initially created this document for her school district but it has great information and resources for all
As we are settling into virtual learning and self-quarantining (and perhaps going a little stir crazy), click here to view an amazing and long list of at home activities to keep your kids and/or students engaged. A few examples are posted below (source).
Higher level math series… online video series with detailed solutions to more than a thousand publicly-released College Board SAT Math, Subject Test Math Level 1, and Subject Test Math Level 2 problems. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbQoCpvYRYRkRRvsObOPHaA…
As educators around the nation prepare to transition to virtual learning, education companies have listed numerous programs for free for the next several weeks. Click here to view an amazing list of education companies offering online tools for FREE due to the global spread of the coronavirus. This list is curated by individuals and is updated regularly.
References:
All sourced information is hyperlinked as applicable above.
With the Coronavirus continuing to spread throughout the country, schools are closing for and transitioning to online learning in order to comply with the social distancing recommendations by the CDC. Teachers around the country are thus being asked to transition their lessons to a virtual environment. The recommendations below have been curated from my personal contacts who have already been utilizing virtual learning environments for the last several weeks in other countries.
Keep it Simple: keep your lessons simple by including direct instructions so there is no confusion about what is expected. The example below is from a teacher in Beijing who is on week six of teaching online due to the Coronavirus (source).
Date – Wednesday 11th March
Task # (ex. Task 1 of 2) so that students know exactly how many things I have shared with them.
Expected Time (to complete this task)
Learning Outcome/s
Introduction (I have been doing this as a video from me)
Possible Audio – of the instructions, if they are complicated, to assist my second English learners.
Activities and provide all links to your resources.
For Active Tasks – I have Reminders and Safety tips as well as ideas for differentiation where required.
Be Flexible: You are not going to know what the environment is like at the home of all of your students. Small children may need adult assistance. Older children may be caring for younger siblings. Be flexible with your lessons. You may not be able to cover all of your content. Make a list containing the sections of your content that absolutely must be covered and focus on those items instead of trying to teach everything.
Manage Anxiety: walking into an unknown learning environment during an official pandemic can raise the anxiety and fear in everyone. Even though your lessons are online, you can still be a reassuring force of positivity and calm for your students. Stay positive in your videos and messages for students. Make learning fun. Encourage off-screen activities.
Stay Connected to Parents: parents are going to feel overwhelmed quickly with supporting the learning of their children at home. Be sure to communicate with parents regularly but remember to stay positive and calm. Send surveys to students and parents so you can gauge where they are mentally and adjust your lessons accordingly. You can even suggest offering phone calls or video chats with parents to assist struggling students.
When in doubt, Google it: there are a ton of resources online for creating virtual learning lessons so if your school is unable to provide adequate training use Google. Google your specific subject area and grade level with the term online lessons or virtual learning lessons. There are a lot of rockstar teachers out there creating helpful resources for transitioning to virtual learning environments. We are all in this together.
Take Care of You: whether your school is closed and/or transitioning to virtual learning environments for two weeks or eight weeks, remember to take care of you. Practice self care so that you are taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Interested in learning more? Check out the websites below for great information.
All sourced information is hyperlinked as applicable above.
TLDR (too long didn’t read):
With the Coronavirus continuing to spread throughout the country, schools are closing for and transitioning to online learning in order to comply with the social distancing recommendations by the CDC. Teachers around the country are thus being asked to transition their lessons to a virtual environment. The recommendations below have been curated from my personal contacts who have already been utilizing virtual learning environments for the last several weeks in other countries.
