This past weekend I had the chance to attend MACUL 2014, a conference focused around technology and education. It was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan at Devos Place and the Amway Hotel. Yes, there were enough presentations to fill the rooms of both buildings. This conference was my first professional conference; the experience was delightful. Being cramped together in a room other professionals and experts brought out fun conversations.
The second session I attended discussed and modeled different ways to use photography and videos to engage students. The point was well made as the lesson engaged the entire room of educators to converse about the proposed math problem. The problem was to find the number of packages of frosting would cover a three layered cake. I would like to say that we as "experts" spent too much time on talking about the problem, the various assumptions we should make, and the different ways to attack the problem. I would have liked to hear more about how to enact the lesson effectively because we would love to have the engagement level that was in the room, not all students have the background knowledge to engage at that level. Nonetheless, I think the model lesson showed what could be possible. What I took away from this session was that pictures and videos can make textbook problems or story problems become real for students.
I came in with the expectation of picking up some tips and tricks to use in the classroom. Through my somewhat accidental choices, the other two sessions I attended did not necessarily give my practical tips to enact in my daily teaching practice but rather served as informational sessions.
The first session's presentation focused on the legality of providing student access to online classes as an alternative to classic classes. So the first 30 minutes were law and legal heavy but the conversation shifted towards practical uses. Two of the main questions that were brought up were "how do we ensure students don't cheat during online tests?" and "do we require students to be physically present in class?"
The last session was do's and don'ts when implementing a 1:1 structure. Administrators from Midland gave recently learned advice and insights from their previous year's project. I unexpectedly enjoyed this presentation as I was actually contemplating leaving within the first 10 minutes. I wanted to employ a 1:1 in my classroom at some point in the future. This session informed me about how difficult that may be. I can't just bring 40 computers into my classroom and begin to use it. It is not that simple. There needs to be precautions set up. Parents need to be notified. The network must be prepared for more traffic. Insurance policies must be set. I was glad to hear of that before I applied for a grant.
Beyond the conference itself, the surrounding time was well occupied with bonding experiences with my cohort. I was accompanied by two wonderful people, Leah and Eliza, in my drive to Grand Rapids from Ann Arbor. They did well to keep me awake with some great karaoke and a touch of real talk. Leah and I shared the music culture of our middle school lives (e.g. Get Low by Lil' John and The East Side Boyz). After the conference, we were able to have a taste of the food culture GR has to offer. Finally, I had the honor to be accompanied by Leah on the way back as well. If you know Leah, I wouldn't have to say it was a party.
Aw, Vi! So happy I chose your blog to read! I am humbled and touched by my cameo in this post :) I'm smiling so big right now!
ReplyDeleteWow, the idea of pictures and videos seems so simple but is really hitting me. I think this could strike a lot of my ideas home. In a language class where you'd assume everything is so practical, students wouldn't need this, I think it would really help. I could show them a clip from a popular american movie where someone goes to the grocery store, for example. We could discuss what they see, and didn't see. Which things they know simply from having had that experience themselves so many times. No one has to tell you what to do when the cashier tells you an amount - you take out some method of payment. In France, this aspect is the same, but the traditions and normalities around something as common as shopping, for example, are different. I think these videos would really help them understand that what we're learning about IS applicable to real life.
I loved bonding with you on the way there and back, and sharing our MS culture with EBF. You are a darling for picking me up to go home, and I hope we're friends forever and meet up at another professional conference somewhere along the road :) #stopandwigglewidit
Vi! Great post, I really enjoyed reading it. I found the second session that you attended regarding using photos and videos to engage students to be really intriguing. I love using photos and videos as often as possible within my placement. Through student surveys I administered to my students at the beginning of the school year I found that my students really enjoy learning through the presentation of pictures and videos. I have found that history, the discipline I teach, really lends itself well to this idea. Pictures and videos often make great primary sources and allow students to visualize history (this history can seemingly come alive). I feel that primary sources in the form of pictures and videos can really help make history more relatable and understandable for students. Thanks for sharing Vi, I hope to continue to find new ways to incorporate my many visual learners and make history more engaging.
ReplyDeleteVi, although, like Andrew, my first inclination was to talk about the value of photos and videos in a Social Studies context, I found another point in your post to be intriguing, as well: online classes. No, I didn't attend any of the sessions at MACUL related to it, but I was wondering a few things about the topic and would like to hear your take on them. What strengths do you foresee with implementing a pedagogy that either partially or fully embraces online classes? What would you need to make them successful? What limitations might there be? For example, what are your thoughts about the personal and social dimensions of the RA framework that we read about this summer vis-a-vis online classes? As it is, in the physical space of the classroom at my placement, I am trying to use Chromebooks to differentiate the content and process and, I guess, learning environment. But, the question arises, what is the best ratio of computer-to-person interaction with person-to-person interaction? Or, to complicate things, computer-to-person interaction with person-to-person interaction both face-to-face and via online?
ReplyDeleteWhat strengths do you foresee with implementing a pedagogy that either partially or fully embraces online classes?
DeleteI feel that online classes will support those who do not have an average lifestyle. Some people may have other obligations at home and are unable to come to school for first hour or even all day. Online classes have the ability push education beyond the structured 7:30am - 3:00pm. Students are able to take ownership of their learning and make sure that their classwork gets done wherever it may fit in their daily lives. Beyond that, so many programs or technological entities exist to engage students in ways an average classroom could not. If a student has the technology to access them, then why not integrate it into an online class.
What would you need to make them successful? What limitations might there be?
To be successful, I believe there needs to be some presence of a teacher to monitor, troubleshoot, challenge, etc. I think that an online course is still just a tool to be used. It can never (or not right now anyway) replace the decision making power of the human mind. Beyond making sure the student knows how to operate the system, the teacher should be available to help with questions that are worded differently, extending material, or basically differentiating.
I can agree with you that there needs to be some sort of social dimension in the classroom. I do believe that missing out on peer feedback and constructive conversations with others may be detrimental to the learning process. Depending on the course or the design, it may be possible to bring these into the the online class. It may be even extremely useful if a community was built for this class where people around the country or world could be apart of the classroom. Here it could be a benefit to learn various perspectives of students halfway around the world.
What is the best ratio of computer-to-person interaction with person-to-person interaction? Or, to complicate things, computer-to-person interaction with person-to-person interaction both face-to-face and via online? I can't answer this question. :D
Vi,
ReplyDeleteThe 1-to-1 issue is an interesting one. I think a lot of people see it as a silver bullet--it's far from that.
Sounds like you gained enough from the conference to make it worthwhile, even if some of it took place on the ride there and back!