Month: May 2024

Learning my First Trick

Now that I feel a little bit more confident with cards in my hands I wanted to begin learning some tricks. It was more goal from the start to try and learn one trick a week and by the end have a full arsenal of some magic tricks remembered and mastered! After learning how to handle the cards in a little bit more of an appealing way to the viewer I wanted to find a trick that I could show of some of the techniques I had learned about.

I decided to go to TikTok to try and find a trick to learn. As I mentioned before I already had some videos saved on my account before this assignment so I thought I would look through some of those first and that way I could get to the learning stage a little quicker. I ended up stumbling across a video from Ash Marlow who is someone I have saved numerous videos from.

Marlow did not have a name for this trick, but the trick is finding a card that the viewer choses and then mixed around in the deck. The deck is shuffled, and cards are even mixed upside down. After all the mixing the deck magically appears all upright and the only card flipped over is the viewer’s card. Here is a demonstration of the trick I learned with my mom:

The thing I love about Ash Marlow’s videos is he demonstrates the trick fully through before walking through it step by step with you. Learning from a video allows me to stop it and go back as much as I need rather than asking someone who is showing you a trick to keep repeating steps. This allowed me to work on certain steps that I found more difficult.

Reflecting on the learning process has been crucial when learning card magic. It is important for me to realize what works and what does not work. When looking for tricks I have to make sure I am not reaching too far that makes it too hard for me to learn and gets me disengaged with my learning assignment. I try and find things that intrigue me but are also attainable. I found learning this week from a TikTok video was pretty similar to learning from a YouTube video as I used the option of being able to pause and go back numerous times. I also enjoy being able to try and copycat what I am seeing on my screen. The hard thing with learning this way is it is tough to ask questions to the person directly, although I have had some of my questions answered with other viewers of the video. When learning this trick, I was able to use the skills of last week with overhand shuffling and dribbling the cards. Being more comfortable because of last week’s work allowed me to learn and execute this trick a little easier. I was also able to use manipulation of the cards because they felt more comfortable in my hands. If you are curious to how this was done and where I learned through step by step here is the tutorial from Ash Marlow.

@ashmarlow52

Learn the Best Card Trick (Tutorial) 😮 People Will Freak Out #cardtricktutorial #tutorial #learnmagic #simpletricks #learnfromme

♬ A Day in My Life – Soft boy

Reflecting Upon Our Changed World

The digital age has brought about a seismic shift in the way we interact, learn, and participate in the world around us. Michael Wesch, in his thought-provoking lecture and blog post, highlights the transformative impact of digital media on our culture and education. Wesch’s insights are particularly relevant for educators who must navigate this new landscape to create engaging and meaningful learning experiences. Reflecting on Wesch’s ideas and the broader implications of a networked, participatory digital world, we can envision a future classroom that embraces these changes, rethinks traditional schooling,

Michael Wesch

and balances the challenges and opportunities presented by digital technology.

The Changing World and New Culture of Participation

Wesch describes a world where information is no longer scarce but overwhelmingly abundant, and where participation in knowledge creation is democratized. The rise of digital platforms like YouTube, as exemplified in the video “The Machine is Us/ing Us,” illustrates how individuals can easily create, share, and collaborate on content. This participatory culture contrasts sharply with the traditional, top-down dissemination of information that characterized the pre-digital era. In this new culture, learners are not passive recipients of knowledge but active participants. They contribute to discussions, create content, and collaborate with peers across the globe. This shift from consumption to participation has profound implications for education. It calls for a reevaluation of teaching methods, curricular design, and the role of educators.

Implications for My Future Classroom

In my future classroom, embracing the principles of participatory culture will be crucial. Here are several ways this can be achieved:

  • Collaborative Learning: Encouraging collaboration among students can foster a sense of community and enhance learning outcomes. Group projects, peer reviews, and collaborative problem-solving tasks can leverage the collective intelligence of the class.
  • Digital Literacy: It will be essential to equip students with the skills to navigate, evaluate, and create digital content. This includes critical thinking skills to assess the credibility of information, as well as technical skills to use digital tools effectively.
  • Student-Centered Learning: Adopting a student-centered approach can help personalize learning experiences. By allowing students to pursue their interests and explore topics in depth, we can foster intrinsic motivation and deeper engagement.
  • Interactive and Multimedia Content: Integrating multimedia resources and interactive content can make learning more engaging. Videos, podcasts, and interactive simulations can cater to diverse learning styles and make complex concepts more accessible.
  • Global Connections: Facilitating connections with learners and experts worldwide can provide students with diverse perspectives and opportunities for authentic learning experiences. Virtual exchanges, online discussions, and collaborative projects with students from other countries can broaden their horizons.
cell phone, education, classroom

Photo by giovannacco on Pixabay

Implications for Schools in General

The broader educational landscape must also adapt to this new reality. Schools need to reconsider their structures, policies, and practices to align with the demands of a digital, participatory world.

  • Flexible Learning Environments: Traditional classroom settings may need to evolve into more flexible, technology-rich environments that support various learning activities. This could include spaces for collaboration, quiet zones for individual work, and areas equipped with digital tools.
  • Curriculum Redesign: Curricula should be updated to include digital literacy, media studies, and project-based learning. Emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches can help students make connections between different subjects and apply their knowledge in real-world contexts.
  • Professional Development for Educators: Teachers must be equipped with the skills and knowledge to integrate digital tools and participatory practices into their teaching. Continuous professional development and support systems can help educators stay current with technological advancements and pedagogical strategies.
  • Assessment and Evaluation: Traditional assessment methods may not fully capture the skills and competencies needed in the digital age. Schools should explore alternative assessment strategies, such as portfolios, project-based assessments, and peer evaluations, that reflect students’ abilities to collaborate, create, and think critically.

Rethinking Schooling and Education

To rethink schooling and education in our networked, participatory, and digital world, we need a paradigm shift that emphasizes lifelong learning, adaptability, and connectivity. Here are some key considerations:

  • Lifelong Learning: Education should not be confined to the early years of life but seen as a continuous process. Schools should instill a love for learning and provide students with the skills to pursue knowledge independently throughout their lives.
  • Adaptive Learning Technologies: Leveraging adaptive learning technologies can provide personalized learning experiences that cater to individual student needs. These technologies can help identify learning gaps, suggest resources, and track progress in real-time.
  • Community and Industry Partnerships: Schools should build partnerships with community organizations, businesses, and higher education institutions to provide students with real-world learning opportunities. Internships, mentorship programs, and collaborative projects can bridge the gap between education and the workforce.
  • Emphasis on Soft Skills: In addition to academic knowledge, schools should emphasize the development of soft skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving. These skills are crucial for success in a rapidly changing, interconnected world.
think, switch, rethinking

Photo by geralt on Pixabay

Balancing Challenges and Possibilities

The digital revolution presents both challenges and opportunities. To balance these effectively, schools must adopt a proactive and thoughtful approach:

  • Digital Wellbeing: Addressing issues related to digital wellbeing, such as screen time, cyberbullying, and digital addiction, is essential. Schools should promote healthy digital habits and provide support for students to navigate the online world safely.
  • Equity and Access: Ensuring all students have access to digital tools and resources is critical. This includes addressing the digital divide by providing devices and internet access to underserved communities.
  • Ethical Use of Technology: Educators should teach students about the ethical implications of technology use, including data privacy, intellectual property, and the impact of digital footprints. Promoting responsible digital citizenship is key.
  • Continuous Innovation: The rapid pace of technological change requires schools to be agile and open to continuous innovation. This means regularly reviewing and updating policies, practices, and technologies to stay relevant and effective.

In conclusion, the new culture of participation and the digital age offer exciting possibilities for transforming education. By embracing these changes and addressing the associated challenges, we can create learning environments that are engaging, inclusive, and effective in preparing students for the future. As educators, it is our responsibility to harness the power of digital tools and participatory practices to enhance learning and foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and lifelong learning.

Card Basics

Before moving elaborately into intense card magic, I think an important step is handling the cards. I wanted to learn a little bit more about shuffling and ways to play with the deck to set up tricks. I turned to YouTube for this and started to do looking. I stumbled across a couple of videos that I thought were perfect to work on some basic card skills.

I first looked at showed three different shuffles, the Charli Air Cut, the Ribbon Spread, and the Table Shuffle. All three are perfect to use while incorporating magic. The Charli Air Cut was a shuffling method to cut the deck in half using one hand. This will be useful when trying to distract the viewer while doing magic. The next was the Ribbon Spread this is perfect when showing that you are using a full deck and all the cards are different. An important thing to remember for this method is the surface you are putting the cards on as you will need something that allows the cards to glide easy to make it the most effective. Lastly, was the Table Shuffle, this method is great way when you need to shuffle the deck in a manner to attract the viewer. It is a fancier shuffle that displays the cards intertwining with one another.

the other video I found showed some basic shuffling. The first was the Hindu Shuffle, this was a basic way of shoveling pulling cards from the top and bottom of the deck simultaneously. The next was the overhand shuffle, this was one that I have some prior experience with so I was able to pick it up quickly. Lastly was the riffle shuffle which was a play of the table riffle shuffle. This shuffle I am able to do using a table but in the air was difficult.

A funny thing I found while doing this research and looking at different videos is they are always trying to get you to watch by putting “easy” or “fast” in the tittle. More often than not these tutorials are more confusing than easy.

During this I found I became a lot more comfortable with a deck of cards in my hand which I would say is pretty important when I am wanting to do card magic. I thought this was important to learn some new shuffling techniques and skills as it can be used to help engage the viewers while performing different tricks. One thing I always remembered when watching great card magicians is their skills with the cards and what they could do when setting up different tricks. I would say my favourite one I learned was the ribbon spread as it is a great way to show the deck of cards you are using and has so many different variations to it. The easiest one to learn was the overhand shuffle as it was one had experience with and was the most comfortable with. I had the most trouble doing the riffle shuffle as I was so used to using a table or surface when performing this shuffle. One thing I have learned already is it is important to have multiple decks and work with different cards because some are very different than others and feel differently.

I always find doing something helps me learn easier and being able to follow along YouTube videos has been a really effective way for me to learn. Doing it this way has allowed for me to try what I am seeing at the same time. I am able to find the mistakes I am making simply from looking at my hands and comparing them to what I am watching on the screen. Working into next week I want to incorporate some of these shuffles with a trick that I am going to learn. I hope to be able to put it all together and have one trick prepared for next week.

 

Working With Animaker

Every time you hop online you can always find something new to work with. This week I stumbled across the platform of Animaker. Described as “A breakthrough AI-Powered platform to create Animation and Live-Action videos for non-designers & professionals from early-stage startups to seasoned Fortune 500 companies” this amazing piece of technology has the ability to bring any vision to life. You can either chose from a wide range of templates or completely start from scratch the choice is yours! You have the option to create whatever it is you please, whether it is an ad for your company, a celebration you want to share with the world, or an important message you want to share you have the ability to create your story and for it to be shared in a fun and enjoyable way. If you select a premade template, you can still edit words, characters, backgrounds, whatever it may be to put your personal touch on it. you can start from scratch and pick every customization you would like. The best part is you can do all of this while using the free version. Of course, you can pay a little and get some more features, but the free version provides plenty of freedom within the platform. The hub where all the creating is done is clean and neatly organized for maximum outcomes!

Animaker Hub Creator

To get started there are countless tutorial videos to help you along the way, the best part is they are all categorized. There are 8 categories to choose from in the tutorial section: 1. Getting Started (35 videos) 2. Animated Videos (20 videos) 3. Video Editing (9 videos) 4. Managing Teams & Projects (5 videos) 5. Advanced Hacks (19 videos) 6. Animaker for Enterprise (5 videos) 7. Social media tips and tutorials (countless videos) 8. Master tutorials (5 videos). This amazing tutorial page allows the user to get started quickly and efficiently for whatever they choose, and the best part is you can become a master in any category.

Tutorial Page

To get started, you create an account using an email. Once you have your account created, your creating begins! From there you can start with watching some tutorials or you can just hop right into and learn as you go. For myself I chose to look at some premade templates and add a little bit of my own touch to them. I do not find myself as the most creative person but after using this platform I felt like a new person with amazing artistic abilities!  With a free account you are allowed one download a month of whatever you create. Getting an upgraded membership would be needed depending on what your intentions are! Before knowing you only have one download per month I accidentally downloaded a video so I thought I would share it even though it would not be my first choice.  Test Video 

Premade Options for Different Social Media Platforms

Using this tool in the classroom would be great as students have the opportunity to become endlessly creative! Students would be able to watch, learn and create all using this platform and the variety and range would be tremendous. Looking at the levels of SAMR, it would be excellent to use this platform to reach all four levels. Starting with substitution and using it to show your class an informative video. This could move to augmentation through students being able to interact with the informative video and have it playing on their own devices. With modification students would be able to create their own informative videos using templates and the premade options that Animaker has. To finish in redefinition students would have the ability to create from scratch and become visionaries through their creative abilities using all of the platform to its full potential. The really cool part is you can set it up like a Google Doc where you can work on the same project with others or overlook all of the students work from the teacher perspective making sure students are staying on task and are productive.

Working as a Team

Balancing the Use of Technology

I find myself more often than not using technology for personal use rather than academically. Everyday I can find myself using all sorts of social media like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. None of this really have anything to do with academics and are more for my leisure and social interaction use. Although it is more for leisure use, I do use it to interact with people from class as well and discuss things related to academics like due dates for assignments and requirements. I do not lie to myself about because I know I should change my habits for lots of my usage of technology but at the end of the day as long as you find that well balance between personal use and academic use, I believe you will just be fine.

I would not call myself the most organized person but there are a few tools I like to rely on in my daily life. I use an alarm app called Alarmy. This app helps me more than the typical alarm app as it forces me to do three math questions each morning when it goes off. This helps me to wake up a little more and not have the opportunity to just hit the snooze button and go back to sleep. I have found myself being more awake in the mornings from this simple change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another app I use almost every day is the reminders app. This acts like an agenda or schedule for myself. Since I find myself on my phone quite a bit when I have something coming up in the reminder app it comes up as a notification in my phone and it is hard for me to miss. Rather than looking through an agenda or calendar each day I know I will get a notification if I have something that day.

I have found ever since Tik Tok became a thing I have found myself on it almost everyday just passing the time. With its personalized algorithms it knows everyday what to show you to keep you scrolling. I find this is the only app that I really find myself wasting time on constantly as more often than not productive videos do not appear on my algorithm with the exception of a few. To help me with this I set a 30-minute time limit on it everyday. This allows me to keep track of the time I spent on the app. With this tool I have found I do not endlessly scroll for hours anymore and waste my time.

With being more aware of how much technology is in our daily lives I have tried working on having that balance. To try and make sure I use technology for academic purposes more than personal use I try and get whatever I need to get done academically first. This helps me to use technology for personal use almost in a rewarding fashion once I finish. For example, once I finish this blog, I am going to reward myself with a little Tik Tok scrolling!

Starting the Journey of Becoming a Magician

When I heard about us doing this assignment, I couldn’t help myself but to go to magic right away! I spent some time thinking about some other options that might seem more practical, but card magic is something that I have always shown interest in. I have never been amazing with card tricks, but I have learned a few over the years, but I can confidently say I don’t even remember a thing, which is pretty crucial to something like magic. I believe one of my first moments that I became interested in magic was through the show America’s Got Talent. This talent show was something I would watch with my family each week and it was always my favourite when magicians came on. My favourite part in magic had to do with cards because it was something I always had at my house and always was easy to follow. Usually after watching an episode and seeing a magician is when my interest would be at the highest level and I would spend the next day or two trying to learn a trick. Unfortunately, I never stuck with it and by the time we were watching another the following week I had already forgot what I spent hours learning.

ai generated, magician, wizard

Photo by tanrıca on Pixabay

I would love to say my base level is more than introductory but since I have never been consistent, I cannot remember a full trick and each step. As much as I want to call myself a magician already, I unfortunately cannot just quite yet. It makes me more excited knowing I am going into this pretty much with a blank slate as it leaves endless possibilities. Even though I will be focusing on card magic there are so many different variations and skills that can be adapted into your work.

For me I learn best seeing something done and then going step by step which a lot of magicians do when explaining their tricks. I plan on using platforms like YouTube, Tik Tok, and plan on finding some apps maybe on the app store to help along the way. I also already follow a few magicians on Instagram like Shin Lim and Jon Dorenbos where I will look for things like tips and pointers to help with card magic.

Ironically, my Tik Tok algorithm has been filled with magic which also influenced my decision on choosing this for my learning project. Before even learning about this assignment, I already had a few how-to videos saved to my profile which I will go back and actual use rather than them just sitting there.

phone, smartphone, screen

Photo by Lolo_btl on Pixabay

One thing I love is how card magic can be incorporated into so many different things. Spoiler alert but lots of card magic can actually just be numbers and tricks that you cannot screw up if you follow certain patterns or count a certain way which can be directly translated into school with mathematics. This can help to make something like math more enjoyable for students and allow students to connect different ways in school. Mathematics was always a favourite class of mine and I have always loved working with numbers which I think is one reason why I have always been so interested in card magic.

I believe there will be lots of things I learn about to help me work on this skill, but I think I have a strong foundation with the platforms I will work with to start and the things I will learn about to help with learning card magic. A prediction for myself is Tik Tok will be a big help for me as it is already something very present in my life. I want to make sure I am using a variety of tools to help at the same time and not only rely on Tik Tok. I plan to learn a new trick every week while remembering each trick going forward, giving me a full arsenal of cool card tricks to share by the end!

Introduction

Hello, my name is Dylan McCabe. I am currently working towards my Bachelor of Education through the program of SUNTEP (Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program). I just recently finished my fourth year in the program and have internship as well as 2 other classes remaining before I finish! I have played for the Men’s hockey team at the university for the last 4 years as well where I have had the challenge of balancing academics and athletics.

While being in the program of SUNTEP I have had the opportunity to not only work towards an education degree but also do an incredible amount of learning about my family and where I come from as someone with Metis roots. I have been able to connect with family and community and incorporate that learning and those experiences into the classroom. As SUNTEP students and future teachers we are set up to be strong leaders in the Indigenous community and work towards the change of a better experience for Indigenous learners.

I am grew up in Regina until the age of 16 where I moved away from home to pursue hockey. From the age of 16-21 I spent the winters playing competitively in various locations. It is also during these experiences I had thoughts about being a teacher. While playing hockey in different community we were often asked to do school visits. Whether it was reading to a class, participating in a physical education class or just talking to the students I always enjoyed it. Guys on my team always seemed to complain about having to do these school visits, but for myself I always enjoyed it and wanted to go. This is when I started to think teaching might be for me.

While pursuing my degree I have worked in fields close to teaching which has helped me to build confidence in the classroom while I am teaching. I have worked as an education assistant for the past two years in the Regina Public School system. This has allowed to experience different classrooms and schools while working closely with teachers. I have also worked with Summer Sports School at the university of regina as a sports instructor combining the skills of teaching and athletics into one and connecting with various kids over the summer. This has allowed me to work on my skills as a teacher while working closely with my passions. Lastly, I have ran a hockey camp in Lumsden for the last five years which prepares hockey players for the upcoming year. I have used countless teaching techniques and skills while helping young players develop and further their passion for the game of hockey.

When I am not playing hockey, working, or busy with school I try and travel as much as I can. I have been able to make countless road trips with family and friends over the years as well as going to Costa Rica last year to do some exploring. I love being able to travel and bring those experiences back into my teaching and make different connections with students though my learning.

I like to think I have a good experience with educational technology, but with it evolving so quickly I know I have lots to learn! I really enjoy incorporating technology when I am teaching because it is such a huge thing in everyone’s lives. I am really hoping to learn more about AI and how to incorporate it into our teaching! I also do not really have any experience blogging so I am looking forward to working on this and becoming more confident. I think blogging is really cool because it can almost be like a journal and track things that happen everyday. I am excited to become more confident with blogging. I would not say I am the biggest fan as I have never really read any blogs but I am looking forward to the journey.

© 2024 Dylan McCabe

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑