“Inquiry stimulates and focuses students’ curiosity, leading to progressively deeper questions and a habit of critical thinking. “

Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition, 2017

 

Daniel Dillon presented to the class his philosophy on teaching and learning. Over the past few years he has incorporated a project-based learning concept that mirrored inquiry-based learning. The phrases “authentic learning, effective learning, and life-long learners” resonated with me. It is this type of learning that I wish to have within my classroom walls. But it seems like a daunting and intimidating task. One has to abandon the traditional and structured classroom that is teacher and curriculum driven; and allow the students to work with authentic problems and real ideas. I tend to stray away from the traditional and I attempt to create enduring understandings within all my units. Listening to Daniel inspires me to create problems that students would genuinely care about, and drive their learning. His examples of students teaching teachers how to work a 3-D printer and presenting seminars to the community gives a sense of purpose and relates to real life experience. I hope to gain more understanding about this rewarding but challenging concept, within my own classroom.

Please have a look at the links that I have provided within this blog that may help answer some questions about inquiry based learning.

Manitoba Big Picture Schools

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/alternative-met-school-expanding-to-maples-collegiate-in-winnipeg-1.3449914

https://www.youtube.com/user/bplearninghttp://www.7oaks.org/Met/Pages/default.aspx

I need to recant my previous thoughts about curation and keeping my digital life organized.  I wrote an ill-informed opinion, based on not really understanding how the app Feedly worked.  Very recently, one of my wonderful school mates actually showed me how it can my life so much easier!!!  I am using it to keep our blogs organized and will continue to use it in future use.  Yeah……teaching old dogs new tricks…..

Sherri

 

 

The Internet is an invaluable tool to incorporate classroom learning in today’s evolving digital world.  But teachers and students alike must be cognizant of copyright infringements and the rights of creative works.  Mr. John Finch highlighted some very interesting facts about copyright infringements within the classroom world. By using realistic examples within the school environment, Mr. Finch answered several of my personal questions about copyright infringement; which in turn created new questions that required me to seek out the answers.

What I Learned:

• The Fair Dealing Guidelines protects educators and students from copyright infringement when teaching, sharing, and assessing work within the educational setting.  This includes up to 10 percent of a copyright protected work, an entire musical score, or map, diagram, and image obtained from the internet.
• Please note, the fair dealing guidelines contains definite parameters that determine copyright laws.  For example, a short excerpt has various qualities, a movie has to viewed for education not entertainment purposes, and classwork may be posted to a course management system that is password protected.
• Music played during gym class, assemblies, school dances, background music, or extra curricular activities such as sporting events are subject to Socan and Re:Sound tariffs. (I have unknowingly done this many times!!!!!)
• The difference between consumables and reproducibles. I did not know that workbooks intended for one time use could not be copied!!

Information obtained from: Copyright Matters! Some Key Questions & Answers for Teachers

Excellent websites that contain Fair Dealing Tools and Resources

Fair Dealing Tool

2Learn

Hope you find this helpful!  Looking forward to your comments!

 

The forgotten “C”??  Curation?  Because I do not spend any significant amount of time online, I had to figure out what curation had to do with one’s digital life. I checked out the advised website Feedly and another one called Pocket.  I was instantly bombarded with endless sites!!   I suppose if I did spend a lot of time online, these websites would be useful. But for me personally, I do not have a need for them, nor do I have the time for them.

To keep my files organized and accessible, I use the Cloud.  For example, I attended a PD during my last placement and received a text from my sub stating that he somehow misplaced my sub plan.  Thankfully, I had uploaded it to the Cloud and was able to instantly email it to the school’s secretary from my phone.  Crisis quickly solved, thanks to technology!  (Didn’t think you would hear me say that!!)

When it comes to students, the Cloud may not be an option because it does cost money. I strongly recommend to students to create a Google Drive.  That way, it is easily accessible through their phones, and makes it more difficult for them to say, “I lost my assignment”.

Thanks for reading!!  Til next time!

 

I am in the final semester at Brandon University in the Faculty of Education.  I am looking very forward to completing this VERY long journey of becoming an educator!  When I am not preparing for classes, you will find me outside!  I enjoy all outdoor activities in all seasons, hence, not a lot of screen time!!

Sink or Swim!! Here I go diving into unknown waters!  Welcome to Sherri’s Share.  An educational blog where pre-service teachers can share experiences, tips, and stories about technology and their classroom.

I may have given you the impression that I am out of my comfort zone creating this blog… and that impression is indeed correct. But I am a firm believer in jumping into the deep end!  I am looking forward to all the learning and sharing that will happen with each post!  As future educators, on the cusp of finishing this part of our education, I have realized that time for advice and sharing is very limited in the everyday life as a teacher.  It is my hope that these blogs and your responses will further aid in my struggles in using technology in the classroom and everyday life! 

Looking forward to the weeks ahead!