My free inquiry journey has come to an end. During my hiking free inquiry I learned lots about, prep, planning and technology. At the start of this process I had never made or used my own website/blog. Overall, I really enjoyed blogging journey and is something I would love to look a bit further into outside of a course setting. The app I used throughout was All Trails which was very helpful for planning the hikes and trails. Throughout the process I used my phone and tried to use a camera for images of the hikes. This really brought back my love for photography.
This experience has taught me a lot about pre planning. I was not able to make it out for as many hikes as I planned, for varying circumstances. In the future I might choose something different even though it’s something I enjoy. Unfortunately, the weather during these months was not amazing for hiking. I would love to do this process again during some warmer less rainy months. When I was not able to hike I was able to research and learn about the hikes on the island and their habitats, ecosystems and Indigenous significance. In the end, I still love hiking and nature even though the free inquiry process did not go as expected. The outdoors and environment is something I want to incorporate into my future in education!
Here is a website of some hikes to check out on the lower island
This sketch-note represents my thoughts and takeaways from each weekly reflection blog post through drawings. When choosing what to draw I drew the first thing that came to mind when reading the takeaway word and phrase.
In the sketch-note you will find:
Speech/thought bubble and people speaking representing social, cognitive and physical experience
Phone, computer and report representing digital portfolio
Sketch-note representing trying sketch-noting
Gaming controller representing gaming in education
Phone with ? and no symbol representing devices in education; are they distractions or are they not?
H5P with interactive touch bubbles representing interactive videos using H5P
Globe with heart representing inclusivity
Robot with thought/speech bubbles representing GenAI
3D with lighting bolt representing 3D printing in the classroom
Here is a video on sketching-noting with fun visuals of the creator sketch-noting what is being talked about
For this week’s free inquiry I did a Hike a small trail hike. I chose to do Mill Hill since it is near by. I decided to try out using a camera instead of my iPhone camera for photos of my hike. Unfortunately the camera will not let me download my photos. The camera I used has a really neat bluetooth feature for image downloading but it decided to not work. This made me reflect on how great technology can be but also how it doesn’t always work the way you plan.
So instead I will be talking a bit about the ecosystem at Mill Hill. The Garry Oak ecosystem is a protect ecosystem that is currently undergoing restoration to help maintain and protect the ecosystem. The Garry Oak ecosystem is home to native Garry oak trees. These trees are accompanied by wildflowers and various other plants and shrubs. This ecosystem is severely endangered due to not only invasive species and fire but humans and our needs and wants. These ecosystem is biodiverse and allows many species to grow within one habitat harmoniously. As someone who hikes it is a part of my duty to maintain these ecosystem. Doing your part can look like staying on designated trails, picking up after yourself and others and even reporting any wildfires.
The Garry oak tree is the only native oak tree in BC
Camas can also be found in the Garry Oak ecosystem. Camas or Kewtlal is a plant with much significant to the islands local Indigenous communities. In this website from SD61 discover a bit more about camas and its significance.
To learn more about the the Garry Oak ecosystem check out the CRD’s website
This week’s digital device topic was interesting and relevant. The use of and access to technology in the classroom has been quite the topic of discussion for the past few years and especially now. I do believe there are many ways to use technology in the classroom that support student learning. There is a wide variety of educational supports and games that are accessible on the internet for teachers and students to use. Technology based activities can be more engaging for some students which can help class participation, engagement, and motivation. We can look at our in-class activity with the Arduino Science Journal. This platform/app gives students and teachers access to many different science experiments that can be tracked and done using devices. For me personally the app did not want to work properly on my device, therefore I am reflecting on the experiment listed on the website without using the app. I looked at the experiment on luminance which can be done k-12. I did enjoy this experiment, and I like how versatile the age range is, making it useful for all age groups. The experiment requires you to have access to a cellphone with the app for the experiment. I did not have access to a cellphone with the app and I question using this experiment in primary grades if it requires a cellphone. I think it would be interesting to use the experiment as a base line and see how it can be done with objects in the classroom rather than a cellphone. I think having the ability to pivot is helpful since not every school has access to the same technology.
As someone who wants to teach grade 2, I have been considering how digtial devices are helpful in the grade I hope to teach. I do think there is a place for devices in the classroom. That said, there are some considerations. The use of technology looks vastly different at different grade levels. There is also the addition of the cellphone ban in schools. Normally in primary grades students do not have cellphones in school anyway. I think in primary ages there is more of a focus on teaching and learning that is not technology based (hands on, social emotional, etc.). Screentime considerations are also important, students in grade 2 truly do not need to be on screens for more than 2 hours maximum. That said, videos, images and games are a wonderful way to introduce students to topics. Digital timers, brain/movement break videos and educational games are a terrific way to get your students to use technology appropriately. Using technology students have access to so much information that may or may not be appropriate. Kids are extremely curious so making sure they are on track using devices is important. Monitoring and giving access to school devices may help mitigate this. It is also important to make device expectations clear because not only is content important but device care as well.
This presentation will discuss game based learning in relation to education. In this presentation you will find the pros and cons of game based learning, the implementations and differences between educational games vs. non educational games and the relationship this topic has to teaching and learning.
Presentation
Here is the presentation! By Kate, Ella, Taiya and Jaime
Here is a website I found extremely useful when looking into this topic
Brittany Johnson’s classroom management presentation was filled with incredibly useful management techniques that she uses herself. I really enjoyed her presentation as it included techniques, I am familiar with but also new ways I have never seen or heard of before. Her morning start routine used social emotional learning check ins. I know many teachers that use morning check ins for their students. I find they are useful, so the teacher has a deeper understanding of how each student is doing on that day. I really liked her discussion of the I do, we do, you do strategy. This strategy is a great way to introduce new projects, ideas and topics to students by having the teacher model, then model as a class and then have the students do it on their own.
Two new things from the presentation were the digital portfolio/ fresh grades and the hug machine. The digital portfolio is something new to me. I think this is a great way to share class work with parents or guardians. Also, this is a great way to start conversations at home about a school day as mentioned in class. The hug machine is not something I have ever seen before. It is a very interesting contraption, but I believe it would be very beneficial for students, and I would love to look further into it.
Here is a website regarding the hug machine that I found interesting! There is a video within explain it.
This weekend I was finally able to make it out for a hike, it was rainy a bit but not as bad as the previous weekends. I went out to Metchosin to do a small hike/trail to Sitting Lady Falls and Witty’s Lagoon. It was a beautiful trail that I have not done in a very long time. It’s normally very busy in the summer since Witty’s Lagoon is a popular spot since you are able to walk out when the tide is out. It was nice to go with the beautiful fall scenery and weather since it’s not as busy. One thing that has come to my attention during this free inquiry is the impact of weather on my progress. I absolutely love the outdoors and that is one of the main reasons I chose this topic. I think in my excitement I forgot about the fall/winter weather we get here on the island, which is funny since I have lived here my whole life.
This is called Sitting Lady Falls since the rock formation with the water running over somewhat represents a sitting lady. – Google search “why is it called sitting lady falls”, Image taken by Kate CarnwellWitty’s Lagoon. Image take by Kate CarnwellThe sound of water. Video recorded by Kate CarnwellTaken by Kate CarnwellTaken by Kate Carnwell
Resources
Here is a great k-12 resource/study guide that explains erosion and deposition. this resource can explains how sitting lady falls rock formations have eroded to the shape they are in now
Here is a Canadian Government resource about a at risk species located on the island and specifically at Witty’s Lagoon. This called the contorted pod evening primrose
This week we discussed coding and gaming in education.
Coding and Computational Thinking
Coding was super interesting and I loved to see it in a simple form for students to use. I think coding and computational thinking can help break down complex ideas into digestible steps. This then allows a student to understand what steps are taken within a process. I also believe students are able to see what may be wrong when processes are broken down into steps allowing them to think what needs to come next change. Coding is a great way to visualize complex ideas such as math problems. I find younger grades benefit greatly from seeing mathematics broken down visuals to see the steps and further understanding.
Gaming in Education
I think gaming is a versatile media. I think I can be used in education but is also popular outside of educational use. Games give students a visual and tactile option in learning which can increase engagement among a class. I think if games are used in educational context they should be balanced with other activities so students don’t become dependent on a digital resource. Having combination of things like games, coding, lecture and activities provide an engaging multimedia approach. I find that the lessons that had this approach were the ones I found most engaging and memorable in school. The only issue that jumps out at be is access to technology within schools. There may be limitations on technology which does not give each students the same experience. Overall, I think both coding and gaming provide an engaging approach to education that can help build thinking and problem solving skills.
I found information on SAMR, TPACK, sketch-noting and canva very interesting. Personally I have never used sketch-nothing before and I found it very to be a good tool to take notes. I normally take note son my computer which I do know is not the best for information recall. I think sketch-noting could be a valuable tool for students giving them hands note taking and connecting ideas through drawings. For me personally I had a hard time doing the sketch note efficiently by hand. I wanted it to be perfect even though I knew it did not have to be. I know not everyone feels this way but this could be an issue for some people.
Both SAMR and TPACK were new to me and not something I have ever learned or heard about. I found them a bit tricky to understand at first but after class discussion I can see the benefits of both SMAR and TPACK when looking at technology integration. One thing to note that I found interesting was how one idea can fit into multiple categories within the SMAR model. For example we talked about the addition of an iPad which can fit into the first to categories, substitution and augmentation. I do hope to look a bit more into these models to create a better understanding for myself. This is a website I am using to learn a bit more about TPACK.
My Sketch note
My Canva Infographic on the First Peoples Principles of Learning
This past weekend yet again the weather did not allow for a hike. Vancouver Island and the mainland experienced an atmospheric river, so I was unable to make it out for a hike on the weekend. For this post I wanted to look at different hikes on Vancouver Island. A trail that really caught my interest was the Vancouver Island Trail. This trail is the longest trail on Vancouver Island, it is 800km long and split into 7 sections. It runs from south Victoria to Cape Scott. This hike is time-consuming and can take up to 2 months to complete, so you must make sure you are well prepared for this hike. When hiking this trail, you will pass through many traditional territories. You will also be able to experience the beautiful flora and fauna Vancouver Island has. This hike is most definitely a dream hike of mine and I hope to one day get to it!
Here are some resources for the Vancouver Island Trail
