February 2019 – My Journey to Becoming an Empowered Educator

Posted on February 24, 2019 by admin

The Challenges of 8:00 a.m. Classes.

The next activity in Module 2, eCampus mOOC is to identify a learner challenge. I thought my empathy map was too broad to identify a manageable challenge for this activity. So after reflection, I decided to ask my students about their current challenges in one of my courses.

I facilitate a health-care communication’s course in a case-based discussion format. This semester that class begins at 8:00 a.m. The weather conditions have led to poor driving conditions and a snow day. On top of the weather issue I have noticed many students coming in late, tired, and very quiet.

I used a modified version of Stephen Brookfield’s Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ) (Brookfield, 1995). Brookfield suggests that asking to students to reflect upon their learning and letting students know you have read and considered their responses builds trust between the teacher and her students (Brookfield, 1995). One of the five questions that I asked was What is your biggest obstacle to coming to class regularly? I expected to hear about transportation issues, family morning routines and working too many hours. The overwhelming response was the 8:00 a.m. start time.

We were asked to add our challenge and possible solutions to the mOOC Padlet. Padlet is an online collaboration board that is being used as a way to share our ideas with participants in the mOOC (eCampus Ontario, 2019).

My Contribution to the eCampus Ontario mOOC Padlet

In one of the mOOC small stretch exercises I was introduced to the answer garden (eCampus Ontario, 2019) The answer garden looks similar to a Moodle. Students answer a question with one word as words are the same they grow so that the most important words stand out. Please see their site for a demonstration at https://answergarden.ch/demonstration/. I think the answer garden will be an effective way to facilitate the one-minute paper. The one minute paper is a teaching technique in which the facilitator asks students to write down in one minute or less the murkiest point and the clearest point they are experiencing in the lesson. This is a technique I learned years ago while completing my B.Ed. Utilizing the answer garden will be a visual for everyone in the class to see how the learning is going.

After that small stretch, I wondered that building interactive online activities (such as the Answer Garden and Padlet) in the beginning of class would be a way to review material from the previous lesson and engage learners at 8:00 a.m. The flip side to this learner challenge is many learners arrive on time ready to learn and they do not like it if I hold up the class for people who are late. I think by incorporating interactive activities at the beginning of class I may be able to engage the learners who are on time. On time learners may feel that they are getting extra information to assist with assessment. Learners that arrive late can join in once they arrive and hopefully by the end of the interactive activity everyone will be warmed up and ready for the lesson.

References:
Brookfield, S. D. (1995). Becoming a Crticially Reflective Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
eCampus Ontario. (2019). EXTEND 101-EN.1 – Extend MOOC. Module 2: Teacher for Technology.

Posted on February 14, 2019 by admin · 2 Comments

Solving Challenges With Technology (amended from original posting)

This next activity is to “identify a challenge that could be solved with the purposeful use of technology” (eCampus Ontario, 2019). We started by filling in an empathy map. I considered my Student’s Appraisal of Teaching (SATs), one minute papers that I have conducted in the past, Critical Incidence Questionnaires (CQIs), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and verbal feedback that I receive regularly from my students.

I have been using the concept of the one minute paper and modifying as a technique to be responsive to my learner’s needs. This was a technique I learned through my B.Ed. Papers take less then one-minute to complete typically you ask students what is the muddiest point and what is the clearest point in the lesson. I have modified the questions to include what is the biggest barrier to your learning, to your success, and to attending class regularly etc..

One of the biggest challenges my students have is how overwhelmed they become due to outside commitments. Many of my students are single parents, in the sandwich generation (looking after parents and children, and/or have part-time jobs (greater then the recommended 15 hours/week).

My institution has worked hard to address these stressors by providing course based registration (CBD) which allows students to build their own schedules. The goal is students may build a schedule around their outside commitments. This in my opinion, has been a purposeful use of technology.

One of the challenges is first-come-first choice nature of CBD. This leaves the students at the end with the left-overs and this may not be a schedule that works with their outside commitments. So, it is here that I ponder if I could do more within my individual classes.

Coincidentally, this week school was closed for a snow day. So with my coach @jesslyndw (see her article below), some willing students and advice from my new learning community (Ontario Extend mOOC participants) I gave an online lesson using Zoom and recorded my screen to post for students who could not make the online meeting. It was out of my comfort zone but turned out to be a positive experience for myself and my students. It is opportunities like this that make me think maybe more lessons could be done this way. I imagine a parent home with a sick child watching my online lesson and maybe feeling a little less stressed about missing a class.

Check out jesslyndw’s article Educators are Like Coaches @https://syncdup.wordpress.com/2019/02/11/educators-are-like-coaches/

References:
eCampus Ontario (2019). EXTEND 101 – EN.1 – Extend MOOC. Module 2: Technologist.

Posted on February 12, 2019 by admin

Digital Literacies: It’s Complicated!

My first activity in the Digital Literacies of Teaching module through eCampus Ontario extend mOOC is to consider what the concepts of digital literacies means to me. I say concepts and not definition because I have had to expand my thinking about digital literacy. Prior to the readings for this activity, I would have said someone is digitally literate if they know how to code, can use technology effectively, and are able to relay that information to other people. The JISC (2018) proposes that digital literacies should develop beyond basic digital performance and consideration should be given to the complexities and the situations. Now I would say it is complicated.

All Aboard Digital Skills in Higher Education

I think the image above captures the complexities as well as the potential that digital literacies can provide to a person’s growth both personally and professionally. Chung, Gill & O’Byrne (2013) identify the following 21st Century skills that they propose need to be addressed in web literacy framework “problem solving, creativity, communication and collaboration”. You can see elements of these skills and their intersections with other skills in the image of above. Now I know these skills are important but The question I have is how do I get people excited about it? As an educator I love these types of images but I am not sure that all of my students would.

Doug Belshaw proposes that in order to get people excited about digital literacies framework we have to find out what motivates them. He suggests memes are an intrinsic motivator. Watch below.

Doug Belshaw TEDx

I have learned through this activity that the concepts of digital literacies is complicated, changes with time and situations. The exciting part is there is something for everyone if we (educators) include opportunities to develop digital literacies. The British Columbia government (2018) provides a digital literacies framework and examples so that educators will be guided to integrate digital literacies into their lessons. In my opinion, a good place to start is to participate in building and maintaining the digital literacies framework.

References:

British Columbia Government. (2018). Digital Literacy. Retrieved 02 12, 2019, from Province of British Columbia: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/teach/teaching-tools/digital-literacy

Chung, A.-M., Gill, I. B., & O’Byrne, I. (2013). Web Literacy 2.0. Retrieved from Mozilla.

JISC. (2018, 09). Developing Digital Literacies. Retrieved 02 12, 2019, from JISC Guides: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/full-guide/developing-digital-literacies

Posted on February 10, 2019 by admin

Teaching and Learning is Like Making Smoothies.

Teaching and Learning is Like Making Smoothies

Photo by Brenda Godinez on Unsplash

This final activity in Module 1: Teacher for Learning in the eCampus Ontario Mooc is to explorer my metaphor for teaching.

My metaphor for teaching and learning is smoothies. A smoothie has a solid protein base and I liken this is the content of my subject matter. When I first started preparing smoothies I stuck to to basic flavours such as banana and vanilla.

Then as I gained more confidence I tried different recipes maybe one day berry and the next day mango. I equate this to incorporating new teaching and learning strategies into my lessons. If I am having an off day I might go back to banana but that will get boring. So, I will seek out new recipes and see what new flavours are available

If I really want to step out of my comfort zone I will try adding in vegetables, at first they are not as sweet as fruit but they provide the people drinking the smoothie with energy. I liken this to stretching myself by incorporating new teaching strategies that I find challenging into my lessons. At first it looks different and I am not sure it is something to use in a smoothie and the students are not sure either. However, as they become engaged with the new flavour a new energy is in the room.

No matter which flavours I try I am always providing nutrients to my students. They get to try different recipes until they find a few flavours that they really like. I encourage them to experiment and come up with new recipes of their own and then share those recipes. I liken this to guiding student’s learning while encouraging students to find their own path.

I really want my students to like smoothies and I want them to know that smoothies are for everyone. However, maybe the flavour is not right. On occasion I have to accept that some students do not like smoothies. I have to help them find their drink maybe it is not a smoothie maybe it is a cup of tea.

Posted on February 9, 2019 by admin · 1 Comment

Teachers Make Mistakes And It Can be A Good Thing.

The next activity in eCampus Ontario extend mOOC is to search through the faculty patchbook https://facultypatchbook.wordpress.com/ and find a paragraph that resonated with me. There were so many great patches that I found it hard to settle on just one.
This activity is based on the concept of Thought Vectors. I think the concept of Thought Vectors is an interesting way to describe learning. Thought Vectors can be thought of as an idea to be explored and expanded upon (eCampus Ontario, 2019). To learn more about the concept of Thought Vectors please see Jenny Stout’s explanation below.

My thought vector is about being open with students about my mistakes and the quote that resonated with me is:

“It may be uncomfortable but admitting one’s own mistakes and struggles is a great way to set the tone in a classroom where debates will happen. Hopefully, as a result, being wrong may seem a little less terrifying and disagreement may be an opportunity for learning rather than humiliation. After all, when does one learn more: when they get the right answer or the wrong answer? ” (Ryan, 2018)

This quote resonates with me because I know that being open to learn from my mistakes is when I learn the most. However, it is often hard to admit mistakes. As the subject matter expert (SME) in the classroom it may seem that admitting mistakes to students would undermine credibility in the classroom.

My experience has been the opposite. I am not suggesting that you can maintain credibility if you are constantly making mistakes but admitting that you do not know everything and sharing mistakes humanizes you. In turn, students will feel safe to try without fear of ridicule for making a mistake in front of you and their classmates. As (Ryan 2018) suggests, if you are open about your own struggles you are creating a learning space that is safe and an opportunity for learning.

The bonus to admitting that you do not know everything is that it gives students an opportunity to teach you something. When interactive whiteboards were first introduced into my classroom I struggled with getting them to work the way they should (on occasion I still have this problem). Some of my students (direct from high-school) were very comfortable with interactive white boards and were always happy to come up and provide assistance.

I think when I model vulnerability I am creating space in my classroom that normalizes mistakes. I build trust between my students, between my students and I, and that vulnerability is part of the learning process. The Community of Inquiry (COI) model suggests that supporting social presence is part of the learning process and creating trust among participants is part of that support (Athabasca University, 2013). My experience is that when students feel good about themselves they are ready to learn.

References:

Athabasca Univeristy. (2013). Community of Inquiry Model. Retrieved 2019, from Athabascau: https://coi.athabascau.ca/coi-model/

eCampus Ontario. (2019). EXTEND 101-EN.1 – Extend MOOC. Module 1: Teacher for Learning, Climate of the Course: Thought Vectors.

eCampus Ontario. (2019). EXTEND 101-EN.1 – Extend MOOC. Module 1: Teacher for Learning, Learning Nuggets.

Ryan, M. (2018). Promoting Disagreement. eCampus Ontario. Retrieved February 2019

Posted on February 9, 2019 by admin

Do You Suffer From Expert Blind Spot?

This next Ontario Extend activity is find a concept in my discipline, break it into its component skills, and compare it to driving a car. Many students find learning software and managing computer files a challenge. I think it is like driving a car.

Do you have everything you need?
The first time you learn to drive a car you check to make sure you have the tools you need. The same goes for learning software and managing computer files do you have a computer, software and a login?

I know it feels scary but give it a try…
It feels scary the first time you are in the driver’s seat even with a good coach beside you. You need encouragement to slowly step on the gas, proceed and reminders to watch for pedestrians. It is different then riding a bicycle even though you did that for many years and thought it would be the same. The first time students use computer software (and realize it is different then email or social media) they are nervous and they need encouragement to try it on their own, reminders and repetition so that they can learn the steps in the process.

The Challenge…
The problem is once we have been driving for awhile, we assume the new driver will make sure they are in reverse before stepping on the gas to back out of the parking spot. In the same way that we assume the student new to file management will understand that if they do not “save as” their file they will save over the work in the file.

We make these assumptions because we have been doing this so long we no longer think about the steps in the process. I am learning in the Ontario Extend mOOC that is known as “Expert Blindspot” and it is suggested that we should be diligent in our effort to remember what it was like to learn at the beginning (eCampus Ontario, 2019).

Don’t give up…
Often when we are learning to drive we make mistakes and if they are big enough we want to give up and go back to our bicycle. However, with our eye on the freedom that driving will give us and encouragement from our coach we keep practicing. Same goes for learning software and managing files. How often does the new student lose their file or worse work many hours only to discover they have been working in a temporary download and never saved it in the first place? Many students want to quit but with encouragement they keep practicing.

Transformation:
One day the new driver is driving without thinking about it. Muscle memory has kicked in and they have their freedom. Same with software and managing files. One day, without realizing it students are locating, editing and saving files without thinking about it. They now suffer from “expert blind spot”.

What is the cure?
The cure for expert blindness (in my opinion) is to learn something new and regularly so that I can remember what it is like to be a beginner.

References:
eCampus Ontario. (2019). EXTEND 101-EN.1 – Extend MOOC. Module 1: Teacher for Learning Mastery.

Posted on February 6, 2019 by admin

WIFM:What’s In It For Me?

The fourth activity in the Ontario Extend MOOC is to think about what motivates students to come to class and to engage with course material? It is easy to think:

You need it for your future career
To earn your diploma
You will perform this task in the work world

The truth is I am competing with many other priorities. Many of my students are parents, work many hours at their jobs, commute from out-of-town, are new to Canada (and the climate) look after older relatives and the lists goes on.

In this module we are to consider the following:

Student’s prior knowledge
Why do student’s want to learn something new?
Relevance for students to future activities and future classes

In my health-care communication’s class, I ascertain student’s prior knowledge through the breakdown of a small case study. The case studies are common communication interactions that many of my students will have encountered as a “consumer of health care” through life experience. As we apply course content to the case study students have an opportunity to share their own experiences and perceptions to what is happening in the case study. Boehmer & Linsky (1990) ascertain that when using a case study method that students are engaged with the material not merely reading it.

Why do student’s want to learn something new? If they relate to the case study then they can apply the communication tools (that they are learning) to communicate effectively the next time they encounter a similar situation. Referring to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) theory this optimizes the value for the student because they can use it in their every-day life (UDL Guidelines, 2019)

Relevance for future activities and classes. If the students come to class and participate in breaking down the case studies they are well prepared for assessments. If students feel they can be successful they are motivated to come. By ensuring that students can clearly see the connection between assessment and class lessons students are confident in their success.

References:

Boehrer, J. and M. Linsky. “Teaching with Cases: Learning to Question.” In M.D. Svinicki (ed.), The Changing Face of College Teaching. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, no. 42. San Francisco,: Jossey-Bass, 1990

eCampus Ontario. (2019). EXTEND 101-EN.1 – Extend MOOC. Module 1: Teacher for Learning Motivation.

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Posted on February 5, 2019 by admin

Spark Curiosity: Cornell Notes

Spark Curiosity

Today I am having a cup of Rooibos tea my nephew sent me from Germany. There are hints of berries and the tea is pink. I am curious to know what is in it but the ingredients are listed in German.

There has been a new trend of students coming to class without paper or pen. In response I taught students to use The Cornell note-taking method. So I was excited to see what new things I could try in this next Ontario Extend activity. The third Ontario extend activity is to listen to a TED talk and takes notes using the Cornell method.

In the first class of Communication in Health Care I show this video by Emma and I provide students with a Cornell note-taking template. I bring blank copies and a few pens for the first few weeks. In the first class we review the notes they have taken (through a think-pair-share) and I provide a model of what mine looks like.

The designers of this activity have proposed that we structure our lesson plans so that we spend ten minutes reviewing these notes at the end of each class. This process worked well in my first class so I am going to take their advice and try it in more classes.

At the beginning of the following class I plan to revisit this summary activity. In this way students who need time to process may have more questions. My hope is students will be motivated to review and bring a question.

The TED talk that I reviewed was Ramsey Musallam’s, 3 Rules to Spark Curiosity. This is another great way to think about lesson planning. How to spark curiosity and base the lesson around the student’s questions as opposed to the teacher’s questions.

Ramsey Mussallam

Now time to run the (German tea) ingredient list through google translate.

Posted on February 4, 2019 by admin

Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping for Relaxation and Memory

One of my favourite relaxation activities is to sit down with a cup of rooibos tea and colour. So, I was pretty excited to jump into this next activity and use the sketch pad on my Surface Pro to draw out “in colour” a mind map. While I have used mind mapping before I typically use it for review before a midterm or final exam. I had never considered using it to map out a course syllabus.

As a former administrator I love to organize and categorize items. I have to tell you this mind map is pretty messy and not something I would likely share with students.

So with my committment to try new flavours I downloaded this free mind map app from Microsoft called M8. It is easier to read (then my freehand one) and was fairly easy to use. I was hooked once I discovered it converted my writing to text. The drawback is you can only access colours if you are willing to pay.

This activity has expanded the way I will use mind mapping in the future. I think this will be a creative way to lesson plan and remember the important connections I need to make when delivering course material. A replacement for colouring? Maybe.