In our class on February 25th we explored various topics related to digital curation, organization, collaboration, and the power of student-led learning.

Digital Curation & Organization

We discussed how digital curation can be defined as a way of shaping how we are perceived online (Instagram was used as an example). It involves selecting, organizing, and presenting content that we want to be shared. This connects to the importance of file management, where naming and organizing files properly helps ensure accessibility and efficiency.

We also considered the efficiency of physical books and paper copies. While they have their positives, they can sometimes be difficult to search through and share, making digital tools more convenient for certain tasks. Tools such as Notion, OneNote, GoodNotes, Apple Notes, and WordPress were recommended for organization in academic and professional life.

The Networked Teacher

Another key takeaway I had during this lecture was the concept of being a networked teacher—using resources like podcasts, online sources, and peer connections to continuously learn and improve. We recognized that teachers don’t have to navigate their profession alone and they can engage with others to exchange valuable insights and strategies.

A term for processing and sharing knowledge is Seek, Sense, Share which means actively looking for ideas, making sense of them, and sharing insights with others. This term encourages collaboration and ensures that useful information doesn’t just stay isolated but contributes to help other educators.

EdCamps

Learning about EdCamps made me realize the value of student-driven learning. Unlike traditional ways of teaching where topics are predetermined by the teacher, EdCamps allow students to come up with/pick a question they are most interested about and discuss it with others who are interested about the same thing. This activity was done by having students come up and write something they want to talk about (if they had any ideas) and then the class would get to go up and vote for 3 topics that were most interesting to them by using stickers. Once all the votes were in, students could pick through the most voted ones and that would be the one they were going to talk about.

In my own group discussion, we focused on the topic of field trips and their educational impact.

Field Trips: Maximizing Learning

One major point of our discussion was whether worksheets should be used during field trips. While they can reinforce learning, we felt that requiring students to complete traditional worksheets during a trip might take away from their engagement with the environment. Instead, a compromise could be:

• Completing worksheets before or after the trip, not during
• Using engaging formats like scavenger hunts instead of lengthy written assignments

We also debated the best timing for a field trip within a unit. We agreed that end-of-unit field trips are more effective because they reinforce what students have already learned and can serve as a motivational reward.

Final Thoughts

This lecture reinforced the importance of organization, collaboration, and student-centered learning. By taking charge of our own learning, whether through digital tools or EdCamps, we become more effective educators and students. Looking ahead, integrating these ideas into our own teaching practices will help us navigate both digital and physical learning spaces with greater purpose and creativity.

Visual engagement plays a crucial role in learning whether teaching young or older students, incorporating graphics can make lessons more interactive, memorable, and effective. The tools I see most used in classroom are Canva and Bitmoji, they both offer creative ways to enhance instruction, promote engagement, and support diverse learning styles.

Why Use Graphics in Teaching?

• Increases Engagement- visuals capture students attention and make lessons more appealing
• Improves Comprehenion- graphics help break down complextopics and reinforce the key concepts
• Support Diverse Learning Styles- visual learner benefit from clear, structured image that accompany explanations
• Personalization and Creativity- graphics can be customized tp the students needs and interests, personalizing it to them

Canva

• Super Easy to Use- Canva offers thousands of pre-made templates for worksheets, posters, presentations, and newsletters, allowing teachers to create high-quality materials quickly
• Create Visuals/Anchor Charts- you can create posters or infographics to reinforce key concepts
• Interactive Assignments- you can design engaging wroksheets and activity templates
• Student-Created Projects- students can be taught how to make their own infographics, posters, or presentations on Canva!

Bitmoji

• Personalizes Learning Experience- adding a fun personal touch to slides and worksheets making lessons feel more engaging and meaningful
• Give Directions and Feedback- Bitmoji characters can be used to give directions, reminders, or positive feedback on assignments, adding a friendly, encouraging tone
• Makes Learning More Interactive- Students respond well to visually appealing content, and Bitmoji makes lessons, instructions, and announcements more interactive and interesting

This is a picture I made on Canva that didn’t take much time and I was able to upload pictures from Flickr onto it, as well as adding my Bitmoji

Other Graphics to Consider Using

• Powerpoint-Create interactive lessons and presentations
• Pixlr-free web-based photo editing tool that allows teachers and students to create, enhance, and customize images for lessons, digital projects, and creative assignments with an easy-to-use interface
• Vectr-free web-based vector graphics editor that allows teachers and students to create scalable, high-quality designs for posters, infographics, digital projects, and classroom visuals with an easy-to-use interface

We had guest speaker, Jessie Miller, come into the class to discuss how to navigate the evolving aspect of social media and mobile technology. As technology continues to become more ingrained in our lives, its impact on education has increased significantly. This lecture gave me a deeper understanding of how interconnected our would has become with technology and how much communication and privacy have been affected by this.

We discussed how social media often is far from the reality of our lives and how crucial it is for educators to teach students how to critically evaluate what they see online. Social media can have a negative impact on self-esteem and mental health. This made me realize how crucial helping students understand how to use social media responsibly is to their well-being.

Additionally, Jessie discussed the AI 4 C’s of literacy

1. Critical Thinking: Evaluate AI generated content
2. Creativity: Using AI to generate and refine ideas
3. Communication: Practicing effective interactions with AI
4. Collaboration: Group activities exploring AI use

These skills are essential for navigating AI tools responsibly, which plays an increasingly important role in education as AI is becoming more popular.

One topic that stood out most to me was the boundaries around the use of social media in schools. Teachers must maintain professional boundaries, especially surrounding the privacy of student information. Digital consent is critical and both teachers and students must understand the ethics surrounding sharing content online. I have always been uncertain about this topic because I worked in classes where the teachers frequently communicated with parents and students via social media or text. While the intention was only to communicate about school, I often questioned if this was allowed or if it crossed professional boundaries. It helps to know that we should steer away from this to prevent any potential issues in our teaching careers.

Overall, the class reinforced the need for critical thinking and clear boundaries surrounding the use of social media/mobile technology. As technology continues to evolve we must equip ourselves and future generations with the skills to navigate our digital world responsibly!

The documentary “Most Likely to Succeed” by Ted Dintersmith and Tony Wagner, challenged the traditional education system including lectures, standardized testing, and memorization. This film focuses on skill development and project-based learning.

This film was very interesting to watch and it made me wonder a few things

1. If the education system we have relied on for so long serves the best purpose for students?
2. Why we don’t incorporate more elements of project-based learning into our teaching practices?
3. Is there a better way that we could encourage collaboration in the classroom, and focus on real-world applications of knowledge?

I do not believe all schools should push to be exactly like this video and I don’t agree with everything stated in this video. Although, I do agree that students need less lecture style teaching and more hands-on learning. I think that even small shifts in how we teach and assess learning could make a big difference in engaging students and preparing them for the future.