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A new type of school

October 17, 2020 / / 0 Comments

This week in class, we had a guest lecturer come in, Jeff Hopkins from PSII (The Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry). This alternative school includes all the traditional school subjects, like math, science and English. The key difference is that the students learn these subjects through inquiry-based learning and by doing so, students learn multiple subjects at a time (“Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry,” 2020). I had a family member attend this school a couple of years ago and although it was beneficial for her at the time, the one thing she struggled with once she got to post-secondary was taking tests. She hadn’t developed the skill of test-taking that students in a traditional setting do. It’s difficult when the whole educational system hasn’t shifted; universities and public schools are still mostly based on didactic learning. I think since the educational system has been resistant to change, having a hybrid model would be the best for students. This would include inquiry-based learning as well as some traditional forms of tests. The new BC curriculum seems to be starting to follow this model, but we will have to see if it continues (Columbia, n.d.).

 

References:

Columbia, G. of B. (n.d.). BC’s New Curriculum. Retrieved from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/science/9

Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry. (2020). Retrieved from https://learningstorm.org

A little light in the Night Sky

October 17, 2020 / / 0 Comments

This week for my individual inquiry on photography I took some photos of the moon at night. This was tricky because of the limited amount of night photography I had taken. Before having a camera, I just use my iPhone and iPhone night shots were always blurry and never turned out well. I was pleasantly surprised that the Sony Alpha 7 ii took fairly clear night shots and even without a flash! It can do this because it has a full-framed sensor (one of the reasons I picked this camera over others). The full-framed sensor is twice the size of the APS-C sensor, this means that it can capture twice the amount of light (Dan, 2020). The Sony Alpha 7 ii also has excellent ISO sensitivity which makes the photos cleaner (Dan, 2020). However, if you want a flash, the body of the camera has an area on top for an aftermarket flash that can be bought at any camera store, but for now, I am satisfied with the night photography I can take without it.

Here are some of my night photos:

Reference:

Dan. (2020). Everything You Need to Know About Night Photography. Retrieved from https://www.halfhalftravel.com/photography-advice/night-photography.html

The benefits of storytelling

October 9, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Since starting my observational class at Esquimalt High School, the most used technique that I have observed is teachers telling stories. I have seen storytelling being used in a science class to relate, why safety in labs is important, as well in a textiles class in order to make connections with the students. I think storytelling is an important way for teachers to make connections with students, relate abstract concepts or ideas to everyday life, and it also makes the teacher seem more approachable and personable to the students. Before reading “The hidden importunacy of teaching with stories” by A.J Juliani, I did not know the importance or the science behind storytelling. I found it interesting how when telling a story that has important information embedded in it, teachers are able to reach students both emotionally and biochemically and thus can increase the learning experience (Juliani, n.d.). I also found it interesting when the author pointed to the fact that storytelling is rooted in history (Juliani, n.d.). I wonder then why and how have STEM courses shifted away from this storytelling approach? If storytelling is able to engage students as well as make complex theories less complicated, why don’t we use this in science?

Photo by Sam Woolfe

Reference:

Juliani, A. . (n.d.). THE HIDDEN IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING WITH STORIESNo Title. A.J Juliani. Retrieved from http://ajjuliani.com/hidden-importance-teaching-stories/

 

Lightroom

October 9, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Lightroom is a photography editing software devolved by Adobe. Lightroom has not only excellent editing software but also has lessons and tutorials on photography for cameras and iPhone photos (“LightRoom,” 2020). These lessons range from techniques on how to take better photos, to how to use Lightroom editing software (“LightRoom,” 2020). Before I was told about Lightroom, I had just used the simplistic iPhoto editing that comes with all Apple computers. iPhoto photo editing is great but doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as Lightroom. I found Lightroom quite easy to use. The part I really liked about Lightroom was that as soon as you changed one of the aspects, like the hue or warmth, the image would reflect the change instantly. The only downside so far with the limited dabbling I have done is that Lightroom you have to pay for whereas iPhoto is free. I have added to this blog post a video of a professional photographer demonstrating how to use the different editing tools in Lightroom, as well as a photo of my own that I edited using Lightroom.

The photo to the left was edited in iPhoto, and the photo on the right was edited in Lightroom. As you can see in the second photo, there is more of a contrast between the dog (Tumbo) and the background. His hair and nose or also more defined, making more detail come out in the photo.

 

Reference:

LightRoom. (2020). Retrieved from https://lightroom.adobe.com

The problems of using social media as a teacher

October 2, 2020 / / 0 Comments

When you are a teenager, you never really think about the consequences of what you post online. When I was growing-up social media was brand new, so there weren’t adults telling us to be wary of what we post on the internet. Thankfully, I am someone that does not post on social media but instead uses it as a place to connect with family and friends. I think it even nowadays, kids know the consequences of posting inappropriate photos online but still feel a need to do it. This is similar to smoking in the sense that the consequences aren’t immediate, making it hard to grasp why they shouldn’t do it. I think as educators our job is to simply educate and explain to students the future consequences that can happen when social media is not used appropriately. I think having a professional like Jessie come into a classroom to discuss social media is important, because the professional can answer questions students might have or can offer tips or examples of situations. I think Jessie’s lecture was very useful to me. The lecture gave me useful tips like changing my social media names and making sure privacy settings are high. It has also brought to my attention some of the parent-teacher dynamics that can occur. I realize that information that I learned from this lecture should be on my radar as I enter the profession of teaching. I found this blog useful, as it to summarizes what Jessie said in the lecture (Rachel, 2016). The blog has a list of suggestions for teachers to follow if they chose to have social media accounts, like not friending students on social media until they have graduated or making sure profile photos are appropriate (Rachel, 2016).

Photo by Sara Kurfess from unsplash

Rachel. (2016). 10 SOCIAL MEDIA RULES FOR TEACHERS. American Board Blog. Retrieved from https://www.americanboard.org/blog/10-social-media-rules-for-teachers/

The Rule of Thirds

October 2, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Playing around with the Sony alpha 7ii is different than just having an iPhone to handle. For example, I went to the park with my dog to take some photos of him running, and at first, I forgot to use the zoom on the lens because I was so used to not using anything when I take photos with my phone. Once I got home and looked at the photos I had taken, I realized that I need some practice and some a lesson on photography techniques. I found a website about photography for beginners and an article that talked about the rule of thirds. The Rule of Thirds deals with the composition of the image you take and makes the image stronger and more interesting (“The Rule of Thirds in Photography: A Simple and Effective Composition Technique,” 2018). The Rule of Thirds is putting your point of interest on intersecting points and lines (“The Rule of Thirds in Photography: A Simple and Effective Composition Technique,” 2018). Some cameras have a feature that puts a tic-tac-toe grid in the viewfinder, whereas some cameras do not, so the photographer can just imagine the grid (“The Rule of Thirds in Photography: A Simple and Effective Composition Technique,” 2018). After reading this I played around with the settings on my camera and found that the Sony alpha 7ii has the grid feature. It’s also important to keep in mind that sometimes symmetry makes a stronger statement then the Rule of Thirds (“The Rule of Thirds in Photography: A Simple and Effective Composition Technique,” 2018). The authors of the article gave the example of baby photos, where you might want to fill the whole frame with the subject (“The Rule of Thirds in Photography: A Simple and Effective Composition Technique,” 2018). They also point out that if you forget the Rule of Thirds, you can also crop an image to give it the same effect (“The Rule of Thirds in Photography: A Simple and Effective Composition Technique,” 2018). Here are some of my photos that applied the rule of thirds too.

The Rule of Thirds in Photography: A Simple and Effective Composition Technique. (2018). PosterJack. Retrieved from https://posterjack.ca/blogs/inspiration/the-rule-of-thirds-in-photography-a-simple-and-effective-composition-technique

Photography

September 24, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I went on a camping trip to the Juan de Fuca trail with two of my friends at the beginning of the summer, and one had a new mirrorless camera. She was taking pictures throughout our hikes and amazing sunset photos. Since then, I have started my hunt for a quality mirrorless camera that checks off most of my boxes.

 

My list of wants:

Ă— Durable- I want to be able to take it on hikes, backcountry skiing, camping, and travelling

 

Ă— Compact- I do not want a DSLR because of the blocky and heaviness of that type of camera

 

Ă— Quality photos with little editing (Big ask)

 

Ă— Takes landscape and portrait photos

 

With some extensive research, I narrowed my search down to two cameras, the Sony Alpha 7II and the Fujifilm xT30. At the start, before I had done my research, I had been told that Fujifilm cameras took photos with great colouring. They also have a retro-looking body, which I like the look of. However, once I had done some actual research and talked to a photographer, I came to the conclusion that the Fujifilm xT30 was not the camera to get. I made this decision based on the recommendation for the photographer, but ultimately because the Fujifilm camera had a cropped sensor. This means that when taking a photo, I wouldn’t see the whole image, it is like having blinders on. So, the area of what could be taken as a  photograph would be narrowed. This allowed me to narrow down my search to the Sony Alpha 7II, which is a full-frame camera. Also, being a full framed camera means that there is a larger contrast between shadows and colours in the image.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1102009-REG/sony_ilce7m2k_b_alpha_a7ii_mirrorless_digital.html

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/fujifilm-x-t30-mirrorless-camera-with-15-45mm-ois-pz-lens-kit-silver/13413204?cmp=knc-s-71700000072655674&gclid=CjwKCAjwh7H7BRBBEiwAPXjadukwDQdguAn0UGE87s–iKpUojefq0bT5EvtGZDKAnqtTvkgEKJgQBoCEv4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Key- ×=Checks it off 

– = Does not meet requirements 

Sony alpha 7II

Ă— Durable- the Sony is weather sealed so it will hold up during adventures

 

–/× Compact- Not as compact as the Fujifilm because of the full frame

 

Ă— Quality photos- Does take quality photos just not as warm looking as the Fujifilm

 

Ă— Takes landscapes and portraits

 

Comparing my “I want list” and what the Sony Alpha 7II offers, it almost completely checks off my list. The Fujifilm although check off some of the boxes, I couldn’t get over the cropped frame. Fujifilm also doesn’t dominate the mirrorless camera market (ie. lens and technology) it may be a risk to buy a Fujifilm camera now, as parts and lens might become expensive or disappear in the future.

Questioning the traditional education model

September 24, 2020 / / 0 Comments

The movie, “Most likely to succeed” by Ted Dintersmith and Tony Wagner, had an interesting insight into the current education system. The movie first starts with a child sitting in her class crying because she has no interest in the subjects in school, which has snowballed into her not doing well (Greg Whiteley, 2015). This hit home for me; I remember in elementary school crying and hating school because I had no interest in any of the topics. The narrator then describes how the current education model is based on the industrial revolution education model (Greg Whiteley, 2015). The education model during the industrial revolution produced people with all the same knowledge and skills that would be beneficial in a factory setting (Greg Whiteley, 2015). They point out that this is not what current employers are looking for in a person. They instead are looking for people with technology-based skills, people that can problem solve, think critically, and collaborate with others. This movie stated that our current education system is failing students (Greg Whiteley, 2015).

https://sites.google.com/site/tcnjibrresources/what-is-ibl

 High Tec High was the school that was focused on during the film because of their student-led approach to teaching. High Tec High builds “soft skills” like empathy, perseverance, and collaboration in their students (Greg Whiteley, 2015). They do this by not giving the students tests but making an end of the year showcase to demonstrate to the public and themselves what they have learned throughout the year. By doing so, they have moved away from the didactic pedagogy to a more authentic one. I think what will be difficult for the students coming from schools like High Tec High is the transition into more traditional styled schools, for instance, if they chose to go onto higher education. This is a link that explains the differences between the two pedagogies. Didactic vs. authentic video link. My sister, for example, went to a school in Victoria that was inquiry-based, and she found it difficult taking tests when she went to university because she hadn’t taken them for several years. I think a good education system would be a balance between the two pedagogies. IB is a type of school model that would be in-between didactic and authentic pedagogy. IB is inquiry-based learning that some private schools in Victoria use.  For more information on IB. I think in general it is widely known that the traditional school model needs to change in all levels of education, and it needs to happen in order to give kids the tools to succeed in a technology-based society.       

   

Screen capture: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/education/blog/tok-bite-video-1-whats-new-ib-syllabus-and-support-available

Reference:

Greg Whiteley. (2015). Most likely to succeed.

Setting up WordPress

September 20, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I used WordPress before when I took EDCI 339 and found it easy to use. The version used in EDCI 339 was the free version, and although it was straightforward, you weren’t allowed to change any of the settings. Comparatively, the WordPress template on opened.ca seems to be more interactive, where the author of the blog is in charge of the widgets, categories, and the pictures. I will admit it was harder to set up then the desktop version I had previously used, but I like the more control I have, and I feel I can add more of my personality into the blog by adding pictures and headings. I also like how I’m able to follow different blogs. This feature helps with collaboration and information sharing; in this era of zoom, collaboration can be hard.

https://exob2b.com/en/how-to-choose-a-wordpress-theme/

I think blogs such as WordPress can be useful for certain subjects that are writing heavy, such as English. Students could blog about the book they just read or what they thought of the movie they watched in class. I’m training to be a science teacher, and I think blogging could have an important role in a science class. Some ways I think blogging could be used in a science class is if students were tasked with researching a scientist or a theory. Likewise, it could be a tool for students to follow other blogs about science-related topics. It could also be used to share their thoughts and feelings on guest speakers or field trips. I think in general, blogging is a useful tool for students to reflect on their learning as well as for teachers to see what lessons work and maybe what didn’t.

image showing person walking in pre-painted footprints
Photo by Flickr user jfchenier under CC license: BY-NC 2.0

Welcome and Introduction

September 9, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Before proceeding with this first blog post, we expect you to consider your privacy preferences carefully and that you have considered the following options:

  1. Do you want to be online vs. offline?
  2. Do you want to use your name (or part thereof) vs. a pseudonym (e.g., West Coast Teacher)?
  3. Do you want to have your blog public vs. private? (Note, you can set individual blog posts private or password protected or have an entire blog set to private)
  4. Have you considered whether you are posting within or outside of Canada? This blog on opened.ca is hosted within Canada. That said, any public blog posts can have its content aggregated/curated onto social networks outside of Canada.

First tasks you might explore with your new blog:

  • Go into its admin panel found by adding /wp-admin at the end of your blog’s URL
  • Add new category or tags to organize your blog posts – found under “Posts” (but do not remove the pre-existing “EdTech” category or sub-categories, Free Inquiry and EdTech Inquiry). We have also pre-loaded the Teacher Education competencies as categories should you wish to use them to document your learning. If you would like to add more course categories, please do so (e.g., add EDCI 306A with no space for Music Ed, etc.)
  • See if your blog posts are appearing on the course website (you must have the course categories assigned to a post first and have provided your instructor with your blog URL)
  • Add pages
  • Embed images or set featured images and embed video in blog posts and pages (can be your own media or that found on the internet, but consider free or creative commons licensed works)
  • Under Appearance,
    • Select your preferred website theme and customize to your preferences (New title, etc.)
    • Customize menus & navigation
    • Use widgets to customize blog content and features
  • Delete this starter post (or switch it to draft status if you want to keep for reference)

Do consider creating categories for each course that you take should you wish to document your learning (or from professional learning activities outside of formal courses). Keep note, however, that you may wish to use the course topic as the category as opposed to the course number as those outside of your program would not be familiar with the number (e.g., we use “EdTech” instead of “edci336).

Lastly, as always, be aware of the FIPPA as it relates to privacy and share only those names/images that you have consent to use or are otherwise public figures. When in doubt, ask us.

Please also review the resources from our course website for getting started with blogging:

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