Social 30, Convoys, & Digital Citizenship…Oh My! (832 Project Update)

Posted on February 6, 2022 by Patricia Ives

Last week, passionate convictions rolled throughout the room as my Social Studies 30 students shared their opinions on current events in Canada. Their feelings and opinions were deeply related to what they had read on media or heard through the news. Stances were polar opposites based upon personal worldviews and confusion about the facts of the issue. The hot debate centered on the questions about who to believe. Is the media a reliable source? How do we judge what is truth? What is being controlled or limited by those in power? Who controls the narrative? How do we sort fact from fiction? And. . . how can we respect diverse perspectives while still advocating for transparency?

“AD at Student Voices Discussion 20 August 2012” by US Department of Education is licensed under CC

As I contemplated my Major Project for EC & I 832, I decided to develop a digital citizenship scope and sequence for Life Transitions 30. Digital citizenship is an area that I have lightly touched upon in my classes before, but it was usually related to the digital footprint we leave behind for potential employers or landlords to stumble across. Over the beginning of this master’s class, I have been alerted to the diverse range of digital competencies that should be developed or encouraged with our students. Recently, our class spoke with Dr. Mike Ribble and learned more about the 9 Elements of Digital Citizenship.

After the intense conversations had among my Grade 12 students, I realized that there is a lot of confusion around sorting facts from fiction, evaluating reliable sources, and behaving responsibly/respectfully towards others with diverse perspectives. For my project, I plan to focus on three of the competencies suggested by Ribble: Digital Etiquette, Digital Rights and Responsibilities, and Digital Health and Wellness. I will be combining these with other resources I located that connect directly to how my adult learners can navigate the complicated influx of information and media widely available on the internet. Some further searches for information turned up resources that I consider relevant for adult learners.

ISTE had an article titled, “The 5 Competencies of Digital Citizenship.” These competencies seemed to relate well to my adult learners and added additional insights that can be woven within my major project’s scope and sequence.

The five competencies of digital citizenship:

Inclusive: I am open to hearing and respectfully recognizing multiple viewpoints, and I engage with others online with respect and empathy.

Informed: I evaluate the accuracy, perspective, and validity of digital media and social posts.

Engaged: I use technology and digital channels for civic engagement, to solve problems and be a force for good in both physical and virtual communities.

Balanced: I make informed decisions about how to prioritize my time and activities online and off.

Alert: I am aware of my online actions, and know how to be safe and create safe spaces for others online.

I also found articles relating specifically towards developing skills sorting facts from fiction by using 6 R’s or using a SIFT method. LaGarde and Hudgins (2022) outlined the 9 R’s: Recognize Triggers, Retrace the Outrage, Reflect on Your Own Biases, Re-think What Going Viral Means, Resist the Urge to be First, and Re-visit Common Sense. During the convoy discussions we had last week, I opened the doors to future conversations by asking them questions relating to biases and how these affect what we read and view. It was interesting because some of my students were solidly locked into one viewpoint. Most acknowledged it was important to be open-minded and considered doing further exploration and analysis but did not appear to recognize that this applied to them as well. One or two dialogues are clearly insufficient when it comes to facilitating students’ knowledge of digital citizenship.

https://hapgood.us/2019/06/19/sift-the-four-moves/

Exploring further on Twitter, I found a post by @matteodimuro who suggested the SIFT method as a means of advancing media literacy.

As I continue forward with my Major Project, all of the information to which we have been exposed and that I have uncovered is deepening my understanding of digital citizenship. I will be using these as I move into Step 2 and develop a survey to elicit ideas from my fellow adult educators on what they feel should be included in a digital citizenship scope and sequence for Life Transitions 30.

Posted in Major Learning Project, Uncategorized, Weekly Reflections | 5 Comments

Muddling My Way to a Course Profile

Posted on January 31, 2022 by Patricia Ives

Tonight I am huddled over my laptop with a seemingly-everpresent winter blizzard blowing through outside my door. My co-worker and I both live in another town nearby our campus location. We elected to band together and stay in town (where the school is located) rather than attempt the roads in the morning. My students have been messaging, already making plans to join my classes through Webex tomorrow. They are certain they will be snowed in and unable to drive. It is moments like this that I am grateful that there are alternative ways for students to join my classes and continue their learning while staying safe.

Rationale:

There are many rationales for why I am supportive of a blended learning environment. Over the past few years in a blended classroom, I have seen how the increased flexibility has reduced stress and increased access. Today, I had one student stranded without a ride who was too far away to walk to school. She joined us online for her classes. I had another student who was sick from home, he joined us. A third student was looking after her sick toddler, she joined us for a few moments to get instruction, then went on to work asynchronously while texting me her questions and progress. And then there were the remote students!! I had a total of 15 students join me remotely today. This allowed them to begin classes that they need to reach their future career goals.

So, here I am muddling my way through my course profile. On the surface, my decisions and plans may seem like they would be easy to contemplate. My mind is considering so many possible directions and ways that I could go. Should I stay with the familiar and use Brightspace? Should I step out of my comfort zone and try out Canvas? How can I stretch myself and expand my learning?

At the end of all my thinking, I have decided upon the direction I would like to take for this next leg of my journey. I shall go down the narrower path that heads in new directions – Canvas is my choice!

Course Overview: Psychology 30

The Psychology 30 Curriculum Guide (2020) describes this course as:

Psychology 30 is designed for students to explore the factors influencing biological, cognitive, emotional and spiritual development across the lifespan. Students will learn about human growth and changes in behaviour from infancy through adulthood and examine the impact of nature and nurture on human development. Students will also investigate major theoretical perspectives, research methods and Saskatchewan First Nations and Métis perspectives related to lifespan development and engage in investigative inquiries of contemporary psychology issues.

Target Audience:

The target audience for my course is adult students between the ages of 18 and 55. The students who are registered for this course are in my Adult 12 class. There are seven credits that one needs to gain an Adult 12 certificate. Psychology 30 is used as an elective option.

My students are generally based in Kamsack and the surrounding area. There are three Treaty 4 territory Saulteaux reserves located nearby, Keeseekoose, Cote, and Key. I have 18 students who are face-to-face in my classes from these locations. A large percentage of my students are First Nations and the remaining students are Filipino immigrants (landed immigrants and permanent residents) or white settlers. In addition to the face-to-face students, I have students who join my classes remotely from other campus locations.

Course Format:

My classroom and this course would be described best as hybrid synchronous. Psychology 30 has a set time period each day. Every class has a scheduled Webex link for remote students to join with the face-to-face. If students are unable to join the scheduled Webex classes, they are able to access the course and learn asynchronously. However, it is expected that they make every attempt to attend during their scheduled times. The course is completed over one semester with five units covering an introduction to psychology and the human lifespan.

In addition to this, every Wednesday is a work-from-home online day for ALL students. During those days, a variety of online expectations are communicated to the students. It is understood that it is difficult for students to work from home and remain engaged in total online formats for six hours. Therefore, Wednesday expectations will be varied and may range from a Webex lesson to a challenge Kahoot, discussion forums, or online quizzes.

Course Toolset:

The LMS platform that I am selecting will be Canvas. I have chosen this to expand my comfort zone and try out a new LMS. This will also increase access for my fellow Master’s students to explore what I am creating. I should be able to download much of the content that I create here and add it to my Brightspace course later on. I have chosen Canvas due to its user-friendly layout and wide development options for course development. My students would find that this is easy to navigate and appreciate its clean structure. I am planning to test it out on a few willing students who might have some spare time to review it for me.

The instructional tools that I will use will be online notes, powerpoints, pdfs, and slides with guided discussion videos to accompany these, providing increased accessibility for English Additional Language or asynchronous learners. Other instructional tools are videos linked within Canvas and Kahoots. I will be utilizing discussion forums, Jamboard, Mentimeter, and Webex meetings to encourage communication and discussion among the students.

Communication options to reach the instructor are the school-provided texting Webex app and school email. During Webex meetings, students can also use in-meeting chat or Webex texting to communicate with the instructor.

The possible formative assessment tools that I will be using are observations, discussions forums, Jamboard, Mentimeter, and Kahoot. When we are completing these, I will be able to note which concepts are the most challenging that I will need to re-teach in alternative ways.

Possible summative assessment tools are using jigsaws, student-led inquiry research presented via Flipgrid, and developing student-selected informative infographics, pamphlets, posters, or videos.

Sask. Psychology 30 Curriculum Guide (2020)

Course Outcomes and Learning Objectives:

I will be focusing on one of my units, Biological Influences on Development for my major project. The Outcomes and Indicators that accompany this unit are as follows:

Sask. Psychology 30 Curriculum Guide (2020)

Considerations for Common Concerns:

Our regional college provides classroom Chromebooks that are assigned to individual students. All students are able to take the Chromebooks home with them with the understanding that they will need to utilize these the following day, so they need to bring them back. We spend time at the start of each semester going over the understandings for responsible usage of the equipment and that these devices are owned by the college, allowing them access and tracking of the devices and how they are used. Those who do not wish to take a device home can also access the classes from personal laptops.

Some of my students may have issues with access to consistent wifi. In these situations, paper copies of assignments and readings are readily available for all students. Students who wish to hand in the paper assignments often do so by taking pictures and submitting these via the Webex texting app or email.

It is expected that all students must contact me via texting or attendance on Brightspace each day. They must let me know what they are going to be working on and if there are any issues with attendance. Communication is an expectation that is highly and positively reinforced. As long as they are joining the class or working on assignments (paper or online), I mark their attendance as Present or Online.

Posted in Major Learning Project, Uncategorized, Weekly Reflections | 5 Comments

Gen-X? Gen-Z? The Future of Education (ECI 832)

Posted on January 29, 2022 by Patricia Ives
“

Flashback to 1982, the sun is shining outside and my dad is on the faded brown living room couch watching a television program on our clunky old television. It’s the only t.v. that we have in our house. There were no computers or video game machines in our house. Our telephone had a long, twisty cord tethering it to its home base in our kitchen. I was born in 1970, which I guess technically makes me a Generation-X person.

In our class discussions, readings, and viewings this week, we talked about the generational differences that may exist from one age group to the next. While I can recognize many of the people that I know as fitting within these definitions, there are many variations of comfort levels that exist when it comes to digital literacy. Using my own context, I LOVE learning new technological tools, apps, and coding ideas. I play many of the same video games as my students do, from my Grade 6 and 7 class to my Adult 12 classes. If I had to center in on a reason that I feel so comfortable, I would say it is because I have developed a language lexicon that can transfer from one area to the next.

“Access does not come pre-packaged with understanding” (3:30)

“Do Digital ‘Natives’ Exist?

When the discussion shifted to this video regarding digital ‘natives’, I had to agree with the content creator. The age groups contain many contextual differences that can impact the degree and depth of students’ digital literacies. There may be cultural and/or other socioeconomic differences that would affect the types of media to which one has access. In my Adult 12 classroom, many of my students comfortably use Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and other types of social media. To some degree, most of their households have one or more gaming systems. Overwhelmingly, the area in which most need growth is with digital tools that are more geared towards occupations and education. For example, I usually need to spend time at the beginning of the semester assisting students in navigating their way onto Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Docs, Google Spreadsheet, and Google Slides. Once they begin to learn one of the tools, I see them take that knowledge and apply it in other applications.

The coalition of regional colleges for whom I work has embraced the concept of the “E-Shaped Learner” as a key component for the Coalition Strategic Plan 2022-2025. “

“Our mandate from the Regional Colleges Act is to prepare learners for the
workforce. We believe this includes ensuring learners have deep technical skills in their chosen discipline, essential employability skills desired by employers, entrepreneurial and innovation skills so needed in our province and country, and electronic literacy skills to be able to study and work in an increasingly digital world.”

“E-Shaped Learner”

The implementation of the Coalition’s plan manifests in blended learning in all of their programming, including the Adult Education programs. In my EC&I 834 post, Pivot! Pivot! Pivot! – Hyflex learning, I discuss what this looks like for me in my Adult 12 class.

These reflect the current and future movements in education discussed in the Horizon Report 2017 K-12 Edition, “Learning must go beyond gaining isolated technology skills toward generating a deep understanding of digital environments, enabling intuitive adaptation to new contexts and co-creation of content with others” (p. 8). Schools need to be active rather than reactive in response to local and global changes in society.

Posted in Uncategorized, Weekly Reflections | 8 Comments

Pivot! Pivot! Pivot! – Hyflex Learning (ECI 834)

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Patricia Ives

Prior to Covid arriving in Canada in 2020, all of the instructors at my regional college were expected to have their courses uploaded and developed within Brightspace. Despite this, the actual integration varied from one individual to the next with fluctuating degrees of depth and utilization. My attitude towards technology has always been, “This is going to be fun!!!,” so I had already added most of my content to the learning management system (LMS).

Pivot! Pivot! Pivot!

Ross Geller 90S GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY
giphy.com

Once Covid entered our lives, everything shifted rapidly. I was given only a few days before we had to be out of the classroom, moving fully online and working from home, for the remainder of the semester. Papers were flying throughout the room in a hailstorm of white. Teachers were jostling for the photocopier, frantically putting together paper packages of assignments for students who were unable to move online. I was throwing anything I could think of that might be useful into boxes and loading up my vehicle. It was chaotic! And yet, we were still more prepared than many had been for a shift to online schooling. All of my courses were up on Brightspace with assignments, dropboxes, and grading, and I could access these from any location.

Pivot! Pivot! Pivot!

Office Space Printer GIF by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment - Find & Share on GIPHY
giphy.com

When the fall came, we were able to come back with restrictions and changes. The world had entered a new phase with blended learning becoming an everyday part of our vocabulary and existence. Since then, my room has increasingly become more blended with a move towards a hyflex environment in many ways. I had not heard of the term “hyflex” until ECI 834. But when I considered the definition, it seemed to be a closer fit.

Often the initial impetus for developing a Hybrid-Flexible approach is a very real need to serve both online and onground students with a limited set of resources (time, faculty, space) which leads to a multi-modal delivery solution.

(Beatty, 2019, https://edtechbooks.org/hyflex/hyflex_introduction)

Pivot! Pivot! Pivot!

In my classroom:

  1. Every Wednesday is an online, work-from-home day for all students,
  2. Students from other campuses join my class remotely. This occurs when the course is not available at their home location. In Winter 2022 semester, I will have approximately five Chemistry, one Biology, and two Canadian Studies students joining me throughout the day.
  3. Flexible accommodations to join remotely from home can be made on a short-term need basis when students (or their children) are sick or there are other significant issues. Always the expectation is that the student will integrate back into the face-to-face classroom.

These changes have had numerous benefits and some challenges. The benefits center around the flexibility this environment has allowed, so we can provide choices and control for students who may lack access to courses or who are struggling in other ways. I have had many students over the years who are coping with mental health and anxiety. This model allowed us to create short-term, blended online/face-to-face gradual return plans with these few students, giving them control over their situations and teaching them to advocate for their needs.

The main challenges have been with access to resources like reliable wifi and student learning motivation on the online days. For teachers, the challenges are that it is time-consuming and can be exhausting on some days. To combat these, I am always working to improve my teaching strategies, methods, and assessments. There are factors I focus on each day that are contributing to the increasing success of this modality in my classroom.

Key Elements for Success:

  1. Positive communication, daily and frequently!!
  2. Clear expectations repeated often.
  3. Relationship-focused activities and discussions.
  4. Varied activies and assignments. These are important as students become bored and/or fatigued with repetitiveness in teaching strategies and assignments.
  5. Differentiation and accessibility. Flexibility and a willingness to change up what students are doing are important when technological resources are limited.
  6. Build community betweeen ALL of the students. Integrate the online students with the face-to-face, so they know and feel like they are all members of the same class. Students in the room should be greeting each other, interacting, and celebrating learning, no matter from where they are joining.

When I consider the question about this being a trend for the moment, I would have to reply that I think it is here to stay. Technology innovations change the way that society operates. There are financial and resource limitations on the educational systems. Developing hyflex classrooms has benefits that can address some of these limitations and reduce the load on a stressed system. The major drawback is that it will add weight to the shoulders of the teachers and administrators. Despite the drawbacks, I feel that there are huge potentials in the effective utilization of hyflex classrooms, and these will be discovered as we find better ways to navigate the future landscape.

Posted in Weekly Reflections | 7 Comments

Transitioning Into Effective Digital Citizens – Major Project ECI 832

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Patricia Ives

After waking up, I stroll into my small kitchen and sidle up to the counter. Leaning against it with one hip, I listen to the rumble of the coffee machine as it brews a fresh espresso, and I open my phone. There are a few morning texts from friends and family that say hello and wish me a good day. I grab the coffee and head over to the couch to spend a few minutes scrolling and relaxing. I connect with others on Twitter, then check out my Facebook feed. This is a fairly typical morning for me, as it is for my adult students before they head out to school and their daily lives.

I don’t start my day actively thinking about the digital footprint that I am leaving behind, nor do I consciously decide how I am going to use technology today. However, I have had educational experiences, both in and out of the classroom, that widened my view and encouraged me to interact respectfully and appropriately on and with technology. Many of my students are still learning these lessons or may need refreshers in learning to navigate the ever-growing technological world that impacts every aspect of our lives.

 “… it is not the content or use of the innovation, but the change in inter-personal dynamics that the innovation brings with it” (Federman, 2004).

For my EC&I 832 Major Project, I am drawn to developing a curriculum-supported literacy resource that can be utilized in Adult 12 classrooms. I will be focusing on the Life Transitions 30 curriculum as digital citizenship is relevant in all of the modules I use in the course.

My students are often active users of digital media. Many are starting out in their professional journeys and moving towards future education or career opportunities. With these in mind, it is important that they expand their existing knowledge and develop new strengths and greater digital literacy.

Possible Steps in Development:

  1. Research what scope and sequences look like for digital citizenship and explore exemplars.
  2. Reach out to other educators through Twitter and other professional contacts to discover if any others have developed similar materials that can be used as inspiration.
  3. Ask other educators through Twitter and other professional contacts for their suggestions on what they see as relevant inclusions for digital literacy and citizenship in Life Transitions 30.
  4. Develop a concept map to incorporate my ideas with my findings from research and discussions. This will allow me to see areas of overlap and identify key components.
  5. Develop a draft scope and sequence and trial a variety of formats for how this might be presented. Consider adaptive dimension and differentiation during development.
  6. Share with other educators to elicit input on possible revisions.
  7. Review, make revisions, and produce final product. Consider developing an infographic to go along with final version.
Posted in Major Learning Project, Uncategorized, Weekly Reflections | 10 Comments

Setting My Feet Upon New Paths – EC&I 834 & EC&I 832- Week 1

Posted on January 14, 2022 by Patricia Ives

Like Alice Through the Looking Glass, I tumbled into a new and magical world filled with new avenues to explore. Before entering this world, I was an elementary/middle years teacher. I was offered an opportunity to embrace an adventure and enter into the adult educational setting as an Adult 12 instructor.

Seven years ago, I walked into a dusty basement classroom filled with books, wooden desks, and a large black chalkboard. I had entered the arena of Adult 12 with one week until students were going to show up ready to learn. The adventure began on that day and continues to amaze me.

Flash forward to the current day, my classroom is in a shiny new building filled with movable tables, new chairs, and a large white Smartboard. My classroom has evolved into a blended learning environment with mostly face-to-face instruction. Every day remains filled with bustling activity, eager students, and the excitement of learning.

One thing that I have discovered is that there are many similarities between the two worlds. No matter their age, students are filled with nervousness, excitement, and curiosity. The pathways to engaging the adult students’ curiosity are in many ways the same as when I was teaching middle years. They are active learners who enjoy humor and interactive lessons. I am always seeking new ways to encourage students to enter the world of learning with increasing levels of confidence and enjoyment. By ensuring that the environment, curriculum, and teaching are reflective of students’ prior knowledge and interests, motivation and engagement are enhanced.

https://youtu.be/HzwboabAcaI

Over the last few years, my classroom has increasingly become a blended learning environment where technology is central to interactions with my students. Laughter and amazement rang out in the classroom when I shared photos and videos of living microorganisms with students who were attending remotely and in person. After viewing, they used the gathered pond water to continue exploring. They were fascinated with using the microscopes and seeing the creatures dart across the image. Doing these types of lessons has opened doors for all students, no matter the method of attendance. I know that there is still much that I can be doing to make these lessons stronger and build upon the seeds of what I have started.

The three goals that I have for learning in these classes are focused on developing stronger skills at connecting with students:

  1. Enhance my existing skills at developing online modules for learning and understanding how I can utilize media effectively.
  2. Gain new skills with unfamiliar technology that I can utilize and adapt within my classroom, and teach students to become e-learners who are adept at interacting appropriately with the digital world.
  3. Build relationships with a larger community of educators, so we can learn from each other now and in the future. To further that along, I invite you to follow me on Twitter!

Posted in Weekly Reflections, Weekly Reflections | 2 Comments