Thanks to Alec and to everyone in EC&I 830 for making this class such a great experience. Since the beginning of the semester to now, I have had the opportunity to learn about the many contemporary issues in ED Tech from a group of awesome educators. Mike, Janeen, Will, and I had so much fun putting together our final summary of learning. Check out how the information from this class has turned us into a team of super teachers known as the “Guardians of Technology.” Using our new skills, we will use tech in ways to make our classrooms and schools better for the students we teach. Enjoy our final…

Tonight’s debate was another great battle. Both groups did a great job defending their side of the argument. Considering the information they presented, as well as my own research, my belief is that AI technologies like ChatGPT have the opportunity to enhance learning but I do not think the technology alone will revolutionize education for the better. For this blog, I have decided to focus on ChatGPT in particular and its potential impact on education What do the profs say? The explosion of ChatGPT into the mainstream has happened quickly. In January, CBC’s Jessica Wong wrote an article titled, “Curveball or game changer? ChatGPT, AI tools under watch on Canadian…

Over the past couple of weeks, I have spent a significant amount of time reflecting on what each team shared in their arguments for whether or not teachers have a responsibility to use technology and social media to promote social justice. Amanda and Jacquie articulated the benefits of using online platforms to support students in becoming more socially aware and to help increase their understanding of social justice issues. Ramsel discussed the idea that teachers should remain neutral in order to help students develop critical thinking skills. After considering both sides of the debate, as well as the readings and research about this topic, I have come to the conclusion…

Who is responsible for helping students create their digital footprint? After listening to and considering both sides of this debate, I would argue that schools, parents, and teachers all play an important role; it is our collective responsibility to work with young people to help them understand the complexities of the online world and how to exist within it. The digital world is completely intertwined with our everyday lives, whether we want it to be or not, making it difficult to differentiate between someone’s online and offline identities. I have been thinking quite a lot about this debate topic since last week. Not only have I considered the importance of…

Technology has provided society with access to some pretty amazing tools. Kennedy and Ummey’s opening statement presented several examples of this. They both did a great job describing the positive impacts technology can have on people’s ability to learn, raise awareness or funds for important causes, stand up for social justice issues, and connect with people from other places or cultures, just to name a few. I was impressed with the depth of their research; however, Graeme and Jeff’s argument as well as the articles and information shared for this week’s debate topic have convinced me to stick to the position that technology has not led to a more equitable…

In a blog post I made earlier this semester, I shared my sincere sentiments regarding social media use as it relates to my own children. I know the idea of hitting the blue or red button Alec mentioned in class is completely hypothetical; however, if I could choose one or the other, I would be totally fine with social media just going away by the time my daughters are at the age where they want to set up an Instagram / Snapchat / whatever-new-platform-exists-by-then account. I was — and maybe still am — of the opinion that social media is playing a large role in ruining childhood. My girls are…

Technology in the classroom enhances learning – do you agree or disagree? My debate partner, Janeen Clark, and I were committed to finding out how to defend the argument that technology does not enhance learning in the classroom — although we may have been the only two people in our class voting that way pre-debate. When starting our research for this debate topic, we were both…a little nervous. Although I have had some minor struggles with technology use in my classroom over the years, I still believe in the positive impact it has on student learning. Janeen and I had our work cut out for us, but we were fully…

By the time my kids are old enough to use social media, I am hoping that it somehow becomes uncool or just goes away. I realize that this hope is…highly unlikely; however, my maternal instinct is to protect my daughters from anything that might be harmful to their self-confidence, knowing all too well that some kids (or adults) base their self-worth on the number of likes they receive on a post. When my oldest daughter asks me when she is allowed to have a phone, I tell her she can get one when she is 20, which sounds similar to what my dad used to tell me about when I…

One day last month my husband was playing around with ChatGPT and he asked me to enter a prompt. I didn’t know a whole lot about this technology, other than what he had explained to me at that moment, and I wasn’t sure what to ask it to do; however, knowing I would be taking EC&I 830 in a few weeks, I asked it to write a 1000 word essay on the contemporary issues in Educational Technology. In literal seconds, ChatGPT produced a five-paragraph essay with compelling information about the topic. Strangely enough, the essay didn’t make any mention of the impact AI would have on the future of education.…

Hi, my name is Catrina Hunter and I am a teacher with Regina Public Schools. I am a graduate of the U of R’s Arts Education program and I work as part of Balfour Arts Collective, a program for students who are passionate about the arts. I am so proud of the work my colleagues and I have accomplished in providing an art-focused high school experience for students who want to learn in a creative and highly-engaging environment.  I would rate myself as a fairly average tech user even though I feel like my life is consumed (overwhelmed) by it. Most parts of my day revolve around using technology in…