I have learned that while theory and practice can sometime, seem to be disconnected they are interrelated. Also, it is possible to “mix and match” or “remix” different theories and approaches to meet our needs. Furthermore, I have learned that maintaining a work-life balance is not easy. While, it can seem overwhelming at time this is a lifelong journey which is only getting started… Thank you!
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Looking Ahead: Next Steps in Research In our fast-changing world, as new tools make their ways into our lives and into our classrooms they impact how we communicate, create, share, learn, etc. These changes could either be positive or negative and their impact need to be researched and studied so that we can learn to utilize them efficiently. In part, that is what I want to do in my Master Thesis or Research project. I want to study how new high-end Virtual Reality systems such as Oculus and HTC Vive could be beneficial in improving deep thinking and creativity. References: Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking, R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, DC: Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. Chapter 11 Teacher LearningI truly believe that: “We have to stop thinking of an education as something that is delivered to us and instead see it as something we create for ourselves” (Couros, 2015). My future is full of dreams and very ambitious goals. I want to finish my masters, teach like a boss, share my progress, become a principal, write a book, present in conferences, etc. This will not happen by chance I have a plan, a plan to influence positive change in order to make education more fun and relevant. I want to push people to think differently and empower them to see what they can do so that together we can make a difference. References: Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking, R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, DC: Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. Chapter 8 Couros, G. (2015). 5 questions to drive personal-professional learning. [Website]. Retrieved from http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/5338 Change AgentsThis week we studied Fullan’s article about teachers becoming change agents. I was not surprised to read the article as I have been studying Fullan and this concept for the last couple of years. Yet, what surprised me is that this article was written in 1993, and it is still very pertinent today. However, I wonder why we have not yet advanced further in this direction, since I feel it could positively impact our education system. Perhaps, as a colleague of mine Marius Bourgeoys says, “A change agent must be constantly changing.” Brief, this may take more, time, energy, and effort than I anticipate. References: Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking, R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, DC: Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. Chapter 7 Fullan, M. G. (1993). Why teachers must become change agents. Educational leadership, 50, 1-12. Learning EnvironmentsI really enjoyed this week's readings. While I have done quite a bit of work studying and reflecting on the learning environments this seemed to take a new approached. Our text mentions that books and education are often built to provide a substitute for thinking instead of a method of thinking. Perhaps, because we live in a society that privileges performance and it is easier to move students along a path than to evaluate abstract thinking or correct misconceptions. Yet, I think that we should get our students thinking and asking questions to get them ready to face the challenges that lie ahead. References: Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking, R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, DC: Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. Chapter 6 Learning with Technology, and GamificationWhen we think of gamification, we often think of students “wasting” their time playing video games. Yet, video games, board games, escape rooms, sports games, etc. succeed at engaging students where schools fail. Therefore, educators should try to grasp these strategies in order to apply them and make education a bit more fun. In this week’s class we were introduced to the Octalysis - the complete gamification framework. This complex model can be studied from many different points of view and could even be linked to many major more traditional learning theories. Meanwhile the complexity of this framework can better be understood by taking entire specialized courses (something that I am considering for myself), we can simply say that, by giving meaning, a sense of accomplishment, empowering students, giving them ownership, influence, by piquing their curiosity, providing them with a challenge and feedback we can go along way at motivating them a little more in our class. References: Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking, R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, DC: Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. Chapter 9 (n.d.). TEDx: Gamification to Change the World - Yu-kai Chou: Gamification .... Retrieved October 29, 2018, from https://yukaichou.com/chou-musings/tedx-gamification-change-world/ (n.d.). Octalysis: Complete Gamification Framework - Yu-kai Chou. Retrieved October 29, 2018, from https://yukaichou.com/gamification-examples/octalysis-complete-gamification-framework/ NeuroscienceThis week as we studied neuroscience, I was not surprised to read that it is possible to “remember” things that did not happen. For instance, if I think about the pain of burning my hand it can be so vivid that I will try to avoid doing it. Furthermore, I think that other people’s experience can also influence our own perception of an event. Therefore, I think that emotions can also have a significant impact on our recollection of an event. This is in part, why I believe that we should strive to make school a positive experience. References: Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking, R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, DC: Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. Chapter 5 AndragogyIn the past 2 and a half years, I had the opportunity to work with adults and I loved it. I find that when coaching, adults I had the opportunity to truly interact, communicate, learn and build relationships. But my favourite part is to help them realize their potential. As Couros says, “Leadership’s job is not to control people, but to unleash talent” (Couros, 2015). Adults have their own goals it is important to link these goals to what they are trying to accomplish. “Effective leadership in education is not about moving everyone from one standardized point to the next but moving individuals from their point “A” to their point ”B” (George Couros, 2015). References: Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking, R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, DC: Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council. Chapter 2 and 3 Couros, G. (2015). 5 questions to drive personal-professional learning. [Website]. Retrieved from http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/5338 Couros, G. (2015). The Innovator’s Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity. Dave Burgess Consulting, Incorporated. Orey, M. (2010). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching and technology. Global Text. Chapter 12 Early Childhood EducationLast year, I had the opportunity to coach 3 kindergarten teachers with the integration of technological tools. Coming from a high school and adult learning background, I have a lot of respect for what those teachers do and always will. It is no easy task to have 30 children in a classroom. Even with 2 teachers, it takes a lot of energy, patience, and passion to accomplish what seems to me like a mission impossible. Although, each child on their own seems to be adorable it is the large group, and the need for constant divided attention that truly impressed me. While one child block the toilet, one’s nose bled, another cried, another wanted a toy, another wanted to show a drawing, etc. These superhero teachers did it all. By magic, the toilet was fixed, the nose and tears were wiped clean, the kids were smiling and it was the end of the first period. References: Orey, M. (2010). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching and technology. Global Text. Chapter 4 |
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December 2018
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