Spaces are important to all people. I found myself this week reflecting on my personal and professional spaces, and what makes them unique to me. With the 21st century classroom, educators are moving to promote spaces that are creative, collaborative, and dynamic. As a fifth grade teacher, I find that my classroom space is designed for a more didactic purpose. As you can see in my “before” design, my space typically looks the same. I have developed more flexible seating where students have spaces around the room to sit in different chairs, tables, and groupings. This also allows students to find successful areas during independent work with the ability to move around. With that being said, the desks I have are still very direct, and do not allow very much change. I find myself thinking, “What else can I do to promote learning in my classroom space?” With 70 fifth graders moving and using our classroom space, I kept returning to the idea of choice and freedom in their learning. Dewey (1938), states, “The limitation that was put upon outward action by the fixed arrangements of the typical traditional schoolroom, with its fixed rows of desks and its military regimen of pupils who were permitted to move only at certain fixed signals, put a great restriction upon intellectual and moral freedom” (p. 61). This week I redesigned my classroom space to maximize making, innovating, and learning. I decided to stay grounded in my reality of space and student count. However, I imagined the furniture I included to be funded by a potential grant from my district. Lee (2010), discusses the concept of classroom looking similar to a design studio to promote open learning and activities. His article focuses on kindergarten classrooms, and the issue that after kindergarten, classrooms start taking shape of teacher-centered spaces. This very much resonated with me because our kindergarten classrooms are much bigger than the other rooms. They need the space for stations, multiple seating spaces, and free choice areas. The question then is why can’t we continue that student-centered design space for fifth grade? Lee (2010) continues with describing that kindergarten classrooms are zoned for multiple activities, cater to a variety of learning modes, and allow students to participate in different activities successfully. This led me to throwing out all of my desks! No more desks! I have imagined it before, and seeing it in my redesign proved how much more space and availability there would be for my students. I would replace the desks with table spaces that were of different heights, shapes, and sizes. Another element I would like to change is the orientation of where instruction takes place. Lee (2010) states, “In a kindergarten classroom, while there are walls with white boards or smart boards, the “front” of the room is indistinguishable. Every available wall and surface is an opportunity to display student work. The design allows students to explore many different ways of learning in the classroom–it’s learner-centered space.” This was an extremely interesting concept for me. With one projector you can be limited to where your main instruction takes place. The idea of taking away the “front” of the room was a new mindset that I was interested in exploring. My next element of change would be to purchase another projector or smart monitor to display information in multiple places around the classroom. There are many benefits of creating this redesign. There would be more opportunities for student-led instruction. This would also allow for technology integration to be maximized since I would be able to provide more modes of access. The orientation of the classroom would also not be geared towards one area and would give students the mindset that all sides, areas, and spaces in the classroom are meant for learning. Overall this deep reflection was helpful to visualize the ideal setting I would like to see in my classroom. I know the reality of this design will be gradual, and will require funding. I hope to utilize our district through grants to make this dream come to life! Take a look at my redesign below! Designs for before (left) and after (right) classrooms below: References:
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education [Online book]. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=JhjPK4FKpCcC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false Floor Planner. (n.d). A platform for creating and sharing interactive floorplans [Website]. Retrieved from https://floorplanner.com/ Le, T. (2010). Redesigning education: Why can't we be in kindergarten for life? Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/1637619/redesigning-education-why-cant-we-be-kindergarten-life
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I have always been interested in 3D printing, and my district is fortunate enough to have 3D printers at the middle school. At our middle school we offer a class called "Innovation Lab", which explores a variety of technologies such as 3D printing, coding, ozobots, etc. I reached out to the teacher that is in charge of innovation lab as a resource for learning how to design a 3D print. The application I have learned to use is called Tinkercad. It is a very student-friendly application, and free to educators. There are beginner modules, lessons, and projects. As I was getting familiar with the designing aspect myself, I created a name tag on my own! This is the model I use in my lesson. It was extremely valuable for me to create in order to get a better understanding of the challenges and benefits of 3D printing. After collaborating with experienced teachers, and the application, I decided to create a learning experience that would incorporate the skills of 3D design. The lesson would require students to have practiced basic skills and scaffolded modules. Students would work in partnerships in creating a design that demonstrated their knowledge on 3D designing, math concepts of 3D shapes and volume. Take a look at my learning experience at the end of the post! I received feedback from my peers through the lens of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and intersectionality. UDL focuses on the framework of practices that support how humans learn. Cast (2011) discusses how UDL breaks down a learning experience by how you are engaging, presenting, and assessing students. I believe bringing in the 3D printing experience allows access by motivation, technology integration, and differentiation. Intersectionality discusses the idea of identity. More specifically the understanding and awareness of the different components of identity among our students. One peer took the lens of a student on the Autism Spectrum to guide my feedback through intersectionality. Both avenues of feedback were extremely helpful in reflecting on my learning experience. Having peers comment on areas around those perspectives allowed me to rethink some of my decisions, adjustments, and accommodations that I could provide. I truly thought that this feedback was powerful by providing additional perspectives and awareness to reflect on in my learning experience. Based on feedback, I made a few adjustments. I added the MDE Math Standards that align with my learning experience. I also added in the learning objectives and standards directly from my math curriculum I use, Go Math! I do have student specific goals, but it was important to intentionally think about specific standards. Another adjustment I made was to include “teacher moves” that would give students the opportunity to discuss and collaborate. This would also allow access to all students by giving them time to work with peers, and for me to address any specific needs. These additions included turn and talk, as well as sentence starters when they critique work. Another adjustment was making note of specific accommodations for student needs. I included information on alternatives for students who either struggle with communication or general class work. One change that was suggested that I did not end up changing was adding “more” structure to their independent work time. Although structure is important during this time for specific students, I intentionally left some directions open-ended. If students disagree on certain parts of their design I would like them to try to problem solve and have accountable conversations. I did include the structure of UDL design which includes providing access, providing guided support, and providing independent practice (Cast, 2011). I would intervene if necessary, but this allows their work to be more student-led. This was difficult in some ways for me because I wanted this learning experience to be less structured than a typical classroom lesson. Through observations and monitoring I think I would be able to still address any concerns or misunderstanding individuals may have. Overall I am extremely excited about the amazing opportunities that 3D printing offers! This is a learning experience that was personally valuable, and I am looking forward to trying it with my students in the future! Innovative Technology Learning Experience by Nia Chen on Scribd
References
Cast. (2011). Cast is a resource for universal design for learning [Webpage]. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.XfGgT-hKiM- Chen, N. (2019). CEP 811 Innovative technology learning experience. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/438152336/CEP811-Innovative-Technology-Learning-Experience Chen, N. (2019). My 3D print [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAaAhQgH6ew Go Math. (n.d.). Go Math is a math curriculum. Retrieved from https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/content/hsp/math/gomath2015/na/gr5/teacher_edition_9780544348967_/pdfs/5_MNLETE_C11L08.pdf Tinkercad. (n.d.). Tinkercad is a 3D printing design platform [Web Page]. Retrieved from https://www.tinkercad.com/
This week my focus question has been around, “How do we provide access for all students?” The content I’ll be discussing is heavy, and there is definitely more that I would like to explore as both a citizen and educator. I have rumbled with the concepts of Universal Design for Learning and Intersectionality and understanding these ideas within my classroom. These are essential pieces in education, and it is important that we understand how they impact our classroom.
When I approach a learning experience or a lesson plan I usually think about my learning goal and objective. Although I consider my student needs as part of this process, I can be vulnerable and say that it is not always an area I focus on. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) focuses on the framework of practices that support how humans learn. Cast is a great resource that describes the guidelines of UDL. Intersectionality discusses the idea of identity. More specifically the understanding and awareness of the different components of identity among our students. Khan Academy is another resource to look more closely at Intersectionality. I decided that the best way for the process these ideas was to think in terms of how I would explain/teach these concepts to my colleagues. My focus was on students and how we can discuss these ideas in relation to our work in the classroom. I find these ideas extremely important to consider in our practices, and so I created a presentation that I could either present at a grade-level meeting or brief professional development. Although I think that my colleagues are aware of these ideas, this presentation allows the opportunity to directly discuss them. I definitely see this as a new area for me to grow as an educator!
References
Cast. (n.d.). Universal design for learning guidelines [Website]. Retrieved from http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.XdqibVdKiM- Chen, N. (2019). How do we provide access for all students? Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1adb5WGrLjEtS2AS_y-uUQ-OSuHQ3icxyDKXVvEj88NI/edit?usp=sharing Khan Academy. (n.d.). Intersectionality [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/social-inequality/social-class/v/intersectionality
This week was a tricky one for me! The phrases, “My town is in it’s own bubble” or “She is just in her own little bubble”, resonated differently with me as I explored the topic of media consumption. Media has allowed us to access a vast amount of information, however we are still in control of what media we surround ourselves with. The issue that arises is that as consumers of media, we want to only see/hear/read about ideas that agree with us. I can be vulnerable and admit that I am in that pool of people. I do not enjoy interacting with people and organizations that do not align with my beliefs and I have made it a point to shut that media out. However, Gee (2013) states, “In a healthy society, diversity is honored because diverse people and viewpoints serve the same purpose as variation does in evolution. Such diversity expands the possibilities for new discoveries and survival in the face of change” (pp. 118).
I have understood the importance of not only exposing myself to media with opposing ideas, but efficiently evaluating them as well. I personally took some time to look through my media, feed, and sources. I quickly realized that the affinity spaces where I was extending my learning, only consisted of the media that I agreed with. I took it upon myself on Twitter to add a couple of handles that I would typically avoid. I added @NoToCommonCore and @miauthorizers. Diversity in ideas is important in the reality that we live in. In the classroom we teach our students to problem solve and discuss their ideas with each other even if they disagree. This is the first step to modeling that kind of communication in my own life.
References:
Gee, J. P. (2013). The anti-education era: Creating smarter students through digital learning. New York, NY: Palgrave/MacMillan. Barry. (2018). Living in a bubble [Giphy]. Retrieved from https://giphy.com/gifs/barryhbo-wsTyMns4BfW9GQ2Go5
A new and exciting challenge for me this week was learning new aspects of media and using new media! This week I focused on the topic of copyright. According to Woodall (2017), “Those concepts seem abstract and removed from the concerns of adolescents. It can be even harder to break them of the habit of doing a Google image search and grabbing the first relevant and powerful image they see.” I found so much relevance to this statement due to the fact that the first week of school we hold a Technology Bootcamp for our fifth graders to discuss their digital footprint. We mention copyright laws and using work without giving credit (sort of). I immediately realized that my efforts were nowhere close to adequate, and I started to reflect on my own modeling of copyright and fair use.
A new term that was introduced to me was the remix culture that emphasizes on the changing, integrating, or literal “remix” of an original piece of work. In the digital age we are constantly utilizing other pieces of work for creative purposes, but the real challenge is how do we do it responsibility? Using resources like Creative Commons has given the public an avenue for people to share and use work respectfully through copyright licenses. These new resources and areas of technology have blown my mind in both a positive and overwhelming way. My creation this week was a new kind of “remix” where I took a video clip and did a voiceover discussing copyright. This would be a great introduction to students as they are learning these important technology concepts. Enjoy!
References:
Chen, N. (2019). Remixed Media [Video]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REsZyNxl45w Creative Commons. (n.d.). A search platform for sharable work [Website]. Retrieved from: https://creativecommons.org Creativity. (2017). Remix culture. Retrieved from: https://www.creativity-innovation.eu/remix-culture/ Woodall, T. (2017). The right stuff: Teaching kids about copyright. Retrieved from: https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/the-right-stuff-teaching-kids-about-copyright
As I entered the second course of my MAET program, the first thing we were asked to share was one of our biggest failures. Starting off with sharing my failures was a very beneficial way to begin a course for a couple of reasons. The first reason was because it allowed a space for peers to connect and support each other in the failures we have experienced. The second reason was that it intentionally forced me to stop and reflect on my personal and professional failures. More importantly it allowed me to see failure in the light of my own experiences and within my classroom.
Failure can be uncomfortable and difficult, but in sharing those experiences you will find that there are many people around you who can relate and have gone through the same situations. The more open we can be about our failures the more comfortable and “normal” they become to share. Failure is also a component of 21st century learning and is expected on both the teacher and student end. I professionally have gone through the process of failure as I am progressing to creating a classroom of innovative learning. My students are also experiencing failure as they explore different learning styles as well as shifting their mindset into makers rather than producers. According to Resnick (2017), “In the culture of the Maker Movement, it's not enough to do something: You need to make something. According to the maker ethic, the most valuable learning experiences come when you're actively engaged in designing, building, or creating something when you're learning through making” (pg. 36). The importance of understanding how students construct knowledge is crucial to creating an environment that thrives on students taking active roles in their learning. As teachers we are continually asked to place value on the procedures and content that students need to learn. Students are asked to produce the skills that we teach them, and unfortunately that does not leave a lot of room for new ideas. This is an aspect of education that I personally struggle with on a daily basis. How do we make time for creating, building, and making? How do we know if students are really internalizing the ideas we are presenting them? Students are continually learning and exploring their ideas outside of the classroom. Most importantly, students are not given a set of knowledge, they make their knowledge through experience (Resnick, 2017, pg. 37). In my own self reflection, I created a visual infographic (below) through Easel.ly to demonstrate my own experience with learning, making, and failure. As I analyzed my classroom environment, I was pleasantly surprised to see the areas that I do create space for learning through making. I utilize technology as an additional tool to my curriculum that allows me to differentiate student learning. I have found learning is at it’s best when I give students the power of choice in creating a project that demonstrates their knowledge. Whether it is a video on Flipgrid, or a group project through Padlet, students are exploring a variety of resources to engage in their learning. As an educator, I know that there is always a continual path of learning. I identify myself as a lifelong learner that goes much further than the four walls of my classroom. As I continue in my new course, I am very excited to explore new innovative technologies to take back to my classroom!
Imgflip. (2018). Star Wars Meme [Image]. Retrieved from https://imgflip.com/i/2ir5rr
Resources:
Resnick, M. (2017). Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating creativity through projects, passion, peers, and play. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Chen, N. (2019). My Networked Learning Plan [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6-X0b4wcds
You read a couple weeks ago about my plan to learn how to crochet a scarf using only online resources. This is called a Networked Learning Plan (NLP). The video above gives you an overview of what the process looked like for me involving resources, what I learned, and what my progress looked like.
I believe that I have found success in branching out my networks of learning by researching and joining a variety of resources. I seeked spaces where I could connect with other experts and novices to share experiences and ask questions. I created a spreadsheet of the different networks that I researched and the benefits and challenges that I had as I was beginning to learn how to crochet. Although I did not complete the scarf, I think that I did reach my goal of learning how to crochet. In my video you will see that I learned the two main components to crocheting and with that I find that my learning goal was mainly reached. My challenge in the overall learning was stepping into the shoes of novice and not an expert. Bransford, Brown & Cocking (2000) states, “Experts have acquired extensive knowledge that affects what they notice and how they organize, represent, and interpret information in their environment. This, in turn, affects their abilities to remember, reason, and solve problems” (pg. 31). I did not have any skill set in the realm, and as a result I got very frustrated with myself when I failed my first attempt. Looking back, I can see where I went wrong. My future with this particular networked learning project is still ongoing! I will not give up so easily on this mode of learning and completing my goal. I think making mistakes and already failing once has been a motivator to push me forward in this learning project. I also think familiarizing myself and being consciously aware that I am a novice has helped me gain perspective. I understand that learning is not linear and it can be frustrating when a skill does not come easily. I made this connection to my students who immediately react when the concept they are learning does not “click” right away. My students are going through the same process that I experienced, and I can agree that it is frustrating! We all want to jump from being a novice to an expert very quickly, and that does not happen. Strategies, problem solving, and content knowledge are acquired through practice and time. I have found this project to be new and exciting. I experienced challenges that I have not faced in a long time, and mostly because I have not put myself in those situations. This networked learning has forced me to think outside of my comfort zone and explore a new way of learning. I encourage you to try a NLP of your own and share your experience with others!
Resources
Bransford, J., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R. R. (2000), How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309070368. Chen, N. (2019). My Networked Learning Plan [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6-X0b4wcds Reddit. (2019). Emperors New Groove Crochet Meme [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/crochet/comments/ar4m87/rewatching_emperors_new_groove_with_the_kids_and/ I participated in my first Twitter Chat! My goal was to reach out to fellow educators and retrieve support and advice on educational topics. Reaching out and practicing active learning was an area in my Professional Learning Network that I wanted to improve on. I decided to participate in the #digcit (Digital Citizenship) Twitter Chat. I wanted to seek out how others interpreted digital citizenship and what resources they used to support it. What I appreciated was that these kind of spaces offer solutions to problems, and do not regard degree, credentials, age, etc. (Gee, 2017). I followed a mediator from #EVERFledchat that conducted the questions and offered answers. Initially I was very nervous to meet new people and engage on a level that I typically only do with my colleagues. As you can see below, the questions involved how our students have experienced technology and social media. Overall the experience was helpful! The next time I participate I would want to have more communication with others, rather than just viewing the various answers. A challenge I came across was acting quickly and maneuvering the chat without feeling overwhelmed. A success was that I was vulnerable in my active learning and ended up getting a like by a participant! I will definitely try a Twitter chat again! References
Gee, J.P. (2017). Affinity Spaces and 21st Century Learning. Educational Technology, 57(2), 27-31. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/stable/44430520. Twitter. (n.d.). Twitter is a social media platform [Webpage]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com
My crocheting journey started off nicely since I did a lot of research on what resources would support my learning style. I’ve always been a visual learner, so I knew video tutorials were my best option. I was surprised to see the variety of professional and well produced tutorials on Youtube. After finding a couple of videos that I enjoyed, I got to work.
All was well, until I realized something wasn’t right. I noticed that my stitching wasn’t looking the same as what the narrator in the video had, and my yarn was out of place. Needless to say, that combined with having a tough day at school, cause me to do something similar to below.
I thought about what I should do next, and realized that this connected to how my students learn. Bransford, Brown and Cocking (2000) state, “Experts have varying levels of flexibility in their approach to new situations” (pg. 31). I had no expertise in this, and when something new (or in this case challenging) came along, I didn’t know how to handle it! As we start to move to 21st century learning, there are new components students will need to become experts in. Whether it’s technology applications or thinking critically, teachers need to understand the novice perspective and how to emphasize flexibility. My first instinct was to get upset and throw it in the trash, but what if I took time to look at the errors and potentially fix it?
I have started again from scratch with more focus and FLEXIBILITY. I’m more patient with my progress, and taking the time to check in with the video more frequently. To see a little sneak peek of what I have so far, take a look at the video below! Cheers to new beginnings!
Chen, N. (2019). NLP Sneak Peek. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFiXzgMeFDw&feature=youtu.be
References
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Chen, N. (2019). NLP Sneak Peek. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFiXzgMeFDw&feature=youtu.be General Hospital Chair Throw Gif [gif]. (2015). Retrieved from https://giphy.com/gifs/gh-general-hospital-scott-baldwin-yfyVxo68GCKqc CEP810 21st Century Learning Lesson Plan by Nia Chen on Scribd Last week I offered a variety of definitions for 21st century learning, including my own interpretation of the common components that were mentioned in my research. This week instead of just talking about what 21st century learning means, I’m going to show you what it looks like in the classroom. Above, I have shared with you a reading lesson I created that supports 21st century learning goals. Check it out! The lesson implements 21st century learning goals in my literacy unit, and currently my students are learning theme, characters, and perspective. They also started book clubs, which is another opportunity for them to dive into new characters and collaborate within groups. A perfect combination! I really enjoyed my experience with Twitter and Flipgrid, so I wanted to incorporate both of these applications as my technology tools. The challenge that I faced was figuring out initially how I wanted to integrate these tools in a meaningful way. I knew that my end goal was to create an experience that was learner-centered, collaborative, and relevant. My fifth graders generally know what Twitter is, and most use it outside of school. I wanted to bring this application to a new light that showed them how it could be used to push their thinking as they explore their book club books. Twitter is personal to them and I wanted to support that connection. This lesson allows them to personalize their book characters by stepping into their shoes and using an application they were already familiar with. Bransford, Brown and Cocking (2000) discuss the importance of schools being learner centered and collaborative. My lesson highlights both of these components as students are working with their book club groups and generating and discussing ideas among their peers. You will also see that my instruction is only 12 minutes long, leaving the majority of the time for students to practice and explore the skills learned in the lesson. Research by Hobbs (2011) informs us of five core competencies within literacy practices. I utilized these practices to support my 21st century learning goals. Using technology tools such as a chromebook to access applications and using Twitter and Flipgrid to communicate with each other supports the goal of giving students access (pg. 13). I also wanted students to use critical thinking as they explore the skill of perspective. Giving students the opportunity to create a tweet that their character would say based perspective is a task that pushes their knowledge of the book and allows them to demonstrate their thinking in a different way (pg. 15). Also students are creating an on-going project that allows them to incorporate different genres, forms of communication, and interactivity among their peers (pg.16). As I reflect on my lessons there are still some questions I would like to continue to explore when learning about 21st century learning. I believe there will always be the push back based on time and standards. As an elementary teacher I continually struggle on fitting in all subjects within a school day. Our standards ask us to teach literacy digital literacies, but there still isn’t necessarily a common understanding among schools, districts, and states that help us make that happen in the classroom. There is also the issue of access and funding to allow 21century learning to really thrive in the classroom. There are many teachers around our nation that are not given the technology, professional development, or funding to access differentiated resources. If we are moving in the direction where scholars are asking teachers to shift our methods completely, then we need to tools and learning to get us there.
References
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Hobbs, R. (2011). Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin/Sage. Scribd. (n.d.). Scribd is an uploading platform [Webpage]. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com |
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