Category: EDTC 300

Scared Into ‘Safety’

- Hailey Harris 1 Comment

Going to a school of only 150 students, K-12, “cyber safety” and digital citizenship were not known topics. I have no recollection of ever learning online safety in elementary school. I am almost positive it was not discussed at this time as I was receiving mean comments online and did not know it was considered to be cyberbullying. I do not remember learning about it in high school either. However, I remember discussing the implications of taking and sharing nudes in my grade 8 or 9 Sexual Education Unit. The majority of what I learned about online presentation and safety came from my parents and my own experiences online. 

When we discussed the distribution and taking of nudes in grade 8 or 9, scare tactics were used. I remember watching Amanda Todd’s video on YouTube and discussing everything that occurred leading up to her death. The main focus was on nudity, which my teacher drilled into us that, even if it was a photo of ourselves, we would be distributing child pornography. She also explained how, if we were ever caught distributing nudes of others, there would be fines or criminal charges. I can remember talking about bullying a little bit as well, but it was not as in-depth.

I found the scare tactic on this topic to be a little beneficial for me. Our teacher provided us with a lot of information about the consequences of sharing and taking nude photos. These consequences terrified me, resulting in never participating in it. However, for some of my other classmates, this tactic did not do anything. Many people felt it was a joke and thought they were invincible to these consequences. Unfortunately, this resulted in a few girls private pictures being shared amongst the boys. It also resulted in some of the girls being horrible to the ones who’s photos were shared. 

I believe educating people on the proper use of technology would be the most helpful. When scare tactics are used, there is no explanation for why something may be bad or the consequences that can occur. By educating people, it provides the opportunity to explain these issues and provide ways to protect themselves. It also allows for conversations about how the internet can be used positively rather than just negatively. Overall, by explaining these concepts, it allows for more conversations and a better understanding of the online world. 

The Struggles of a Straight Line

- Hailey Harris 1 Comment

Unfortunately, I could not explore a new source for learning makeup this week as it was jam-packed. Thus, I stuck with looking at Pinterest to find inspiration for different eyeliner looks.

On the 27th, I found a liner look I wanted to try, but could not do it properly. I also completely forgot to save the pin I was using for inspiration. However, I did create a video on using a pencil liner to create a guideline. 

After failing multiple at this look, I decided to find a different reference photo to follow. I came across a star eyeliner photo I wanted to try. Again, I used a pencil liner to outline what I needed to do, as I knew the stars would be difficult to make.

Close up of closed eye. Small black winged liner. star on the outer corner with two dots going into the eye. star on inner corner with two dots going into the eye.
Outline of liner look done with pencil liner.

This did provide an outline, however, the pencil liner was thicker than the liquid liner I used. I had to remove the pencil liner star and dots before adding the liquid liner, as the star was bigger than I wanted. I also found the sharp edges of the stars difficult to make as the tip of the liner I use has a thicker brush. I absolutely loved how this look came out and plan to use the reference again. 

Close up of closed eye. Small black winged liner. star on the outer corner with two dots going into the eye. star on inner corner with two dots going into the eye.
Eyeliner from May 27th
Close up of closed eye. Small black winged liner. star on the outer corner with two dots going into the eye. star on inner corner with two dots going into the eye.
Eyeliner from May 27th

 

 

 

 

 

The second look I did this week was a simple liner with no reference photo. This day was very busy, which resulted in minimal time to play with makeup. However, the wing of the liner went really well that day. 

Small black wing. Black liner hugging the lash line.
Simple liner from May 28th.

The third look I did was using a reference I liked from last week. This time around, the reference photo was easier to follow, but I still could not get the line at the end of the wing the way I wanted. It was more straight then I had wanted. I also made the wings this day thicker and longer than I had wanted. I did my best to clean it up with a Q-tip, but eventually gave up trying to make it better. 

Larger black wing. Small black line going into the crease of the eye from the top of the wing.
Eyeliner from May 29th

The next look I tried was inspired by this pin. This was my favourite look I created this week. The dots were difficult as my liner tip was to thick. However, I was able to space them the way I wanted. I also found the wing for this look hard as I always flick my wings up rather than slightly down or straight out the side. 

Small winged liner hugging the lash line. The dots near end of the wing and on inner corner.
Look I did on May 31st.
Small winged liner hugging the lash line. The dots near end of the wing and on inner corner. there are three dots under the eye.
Look I did on May 31st.

 

 

 

 

 

I tried this look again the next day for work. Usually, the second try at a look is easier. However, I could not make a thin line for the wing and the dots kept bleeding into one another. After about 5 attempts to fix the wing and the dots, I gave up and settled on doing a simple wing with no reference photo. Unfortunately, I was in a rush for work after these failed attempts and did not take a photo. 

The last two looks I did this week were all on the same day. The first look was inspired by this photo and was extremely difficult. The lines I was making were too thick to work for the look, I struggled to make the arrow at the end, and could not make the curved line on the inner corner at all. I became very frustrated at this attempt and forgot to take a photo before removing it. The other look I did involved two different designs without reference photos. This was a subtle pride look and was fairly easy to do as I have created hearts with eyeliner before. The one heart with a flag in it was created with a heart outline, then filled in with the three colours. For the other look, I made the hearts first and then made a black outline. 

Close-up of an eye. Small winged liner with a heart at the end. Heart is outlined in black with a flag inside. Colours from the top down: Pink, yellow, blue.
Subtle pride look I did on June 2nd. No reference used.
Close up of a closed eye. Small, black winged liner hugging the water line. Three black outlined hearts. One is pink, another is blue, and the last is yellow.
Subtle pride makeup I did on June 2nd. No resources used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found this week fun and frustrating. I struggled with many of the wings I tried to do and gave up more then I would have liked. Next week, I am going to use YouTube again to find some more subtle pride looks to do for the month of June. 

Some tips I learned this week:
  1. Sharpen pencil liner to make thinner outlines
  2. Squeeze liner brush between two fingers to make it smaller

Thanks for reading!

Our Changing Digital World

- Hailey Harris Leave a comment

As someone who has grown up in the age of smart technology, I have rarely reflected on the history of technology and how life has changed due to these advances. While discussing in small groups in class, I was surprised to hear the points my group was coming up with. We discussed how different communication, banking, and research are now, such as money not being the main form of currency, phone calls directly to people, and computers rather than encyclopedias. We also discussed how you can find anything online now, including movies, TV shows, clothing, and books. 

I also found An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube interesting to watch. Seeing how the Numan Numan and other meme videos became popular around 2008 was cool. It is interesting to see the differences from then to now, as videos and content can spread even faster today, due to apps like TikTok and Instagram, as videos can become popular in an instant and anyone can comment, repost, or respond immediately. I also found Welsh’s thinking of media as mediating human relationships and how as media changes, relationships will change interesting. I realized while watching it that I have seen this growing up in many ways. As a child, social media and being online were considered scary and you should not be on it besides research. Now, there is an expectation almost to be online, as employers, friends and family may look at social media or use LinkedIn. I have also experienced the change from in-person classes to online and how drastically different relationships become in these settings. 

Screenshot from ‘An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube’

Another point from Welsh’s video I am curious about is the age range of those who appear in YouTube videos now. In the YouTube video, the most prominent age range creating videos on YouTube was 18-24. Since then, there have been more family vloggers with young children as the main ‘characters’ and teens starting channels. Thus, I am curious to see how these statistics may have changed.

To hear all these differences and how integral the internet and media have become in our lives, it will mean a lot for future classrooms. It will mean watching and listening to what the students are to help build relationships by having conversations about their interests. It will also mean that I will need to become more tech-savvy as online websites have become a major part of the classroom. I also think the media and the internet are changing and will change relationships between the students, students and teachers, and parents and teachers. This has currently happened since the pandemic with online schooling. There are still options to be online, which results in communication being through calls, email, and text messages.  how people interacted and there are still options to be online. 

I think one of the main things that will need to be rethought about in schools is how media is discussed in schools. This could be the inclusion of a media safety, how to research, and how to present yourself online unit in Health or other classes where research may be needed. I also think that school and classes will be thought of as unavoidable, as I was already hearing this in high schools, such as ‘everything is on Google Classroom, there should be no reason you do not know what we did yesterday’. I think as virtual meetings, online classrooms, and videos of lectures and materials become more widely used, this idea may become more prominent to teachers. 

One thing that will continue to be important as digital reality offers more possibilities is ensuring that time outside and offline is included throughout the school day. It’s hard for us as teachers to know whether students spend time offline or outside after school hours, which is important for children. Thus, we may need to find ways to fit these times offline and outside into the school schedule, while completing the curriculum, to ensure students are getting time away from screens.

My Experience Walking the Line

- Hailey Harris 2 Comments

Since I started dabbling in makeup, I’ve always felt like a sharp eyeliner can improve a look immensely. This belief, alongside a very busy week, is why I decided to focus on trying new eyeliner looks. As eyeliner is a skill I have practiced in the past before and love doing, I chose more advanced eyeliner looks to try. 

This week, all my sources came from Pinterest, as I found it difficult to follow step-by-step videos to do eyeliner. Following a photo was still difficult but better than following a video, as I could zoom into each part and get a closer look at how the liner should be. 

On May 23rd, I had more time and also was not going anywhere, so I decided to try two different looks. The first photo I used was from ColourPop.

Close up of closed eye. Bright blue liner along the upper lash line and making a wing. At the end of the wing, there is a line straight across to the inner eye.
1st eyeliner look on May 23rd

I found the curve portion of this liner difficult to do. However, I think if I did it again, I would place a dot where I want the line to start and end. I tried this later in the week and it helped me get the lines how and where I wanted them. 

The second photo I used was easier to follow. I, again, struggled to make a curve on the longer line connected to the wing. However, I felt the curve on the inner corner went well, probably due to it being a smaller line. 

Close up of closed eye. Pink eyeliner on upper lash line. Makes a wing with a line at the end of the wing going about halfway into the lid. Small curved line near top of the inner corner.
2nd liner look I tried on the 23rd.

The third look I did was using this reference photo. Before finding the photo I used, I tried out two different eyeliner looks that I could not do. I eventually found this one and it was the easiest reference I followed this week. With this look, q-tips came in very handy as I kept making the liner a little too thick and too far into the lid. 

Close up of closed eye. Black liner along the upper lash line making a wing. small line starting at end of wing, going a little into the lid.
Liner look from May 24th

The fourth liner look I did was a simple wing with no reference as I was in a rush to get to work. 

Close up of closed eye. Small black wing along upper lashline.
Eyeliner I did on May 25th before work.

Lastly, I used this photo to create a look. I had a lot of fun trying this one out and found it easy, as it required a simple wing and the other lines followed parallel to it. This was also the look I put dots on the start and end of where I wanted the liner. It helped curve the line along the bottom lash. My main issue with this look was the white liner I used as it was not sticking to my lid very well, but coated my lashes. 

Close up of closed eye. White wing along upper lash line. light pink less than symbol on inner corner. Hot pink line following wing and eye on outer corner.
Eyeliner look I did on the 26th.
Tip I learned this week:
  1. Place dots where you want the line, then connect the dots.

I had a lot of fun this week experimenting with different eyeliner looks and plan to do the same next week as I will be busy again. However, I am excited for June as I will finally have time to adventure into new makeup territory- foundation, contour, and concealer!

Thanks for reading!

Exploring CapCut

- Hailey Harris 6 Comments

Welcome!

This week, I chose to try out a video and photo editing app called CapCut. I decided on this app as I had seen it promoted on TikTok many times and had never found a good, free editing app. I also planned to document some of my learning projects through videos, so this was the perfect app to explore. I did not get to spend a lot of time exploring this app, but from what I did try out, it was easy to use and included a variety of features. Some of these features include video splitting, animations, text and stickers, audio, and effects. There were also opening and ending cards, and further additions you can use for the stickers, text, and speed.

Examples of features on CapCut
Examples of some features on CapCut

 

 

 

 

These features had choices available to add to your videos. However, as seen in the photo below, some of these options are unavailable unless you purchase the pro version of this app.

Screen shot of sticker bank. Search bar at the top. from left to right: cartoon man with wide open mouth and tongue out, white skin care mask, two stings, bottom of mans face with had over mouth.row 2: 3 cartoon solar panels, map with red pin, eyes looking to the left, word pause with pause sign at end. row 3: all pro stickers words super mom, 5 hearts with three of 5 hearts filled in and word game over underneath, 5 hearts in circle one blue, green, red, pink, and yellow, lastly facebook thumbs up.
Some stickers available on CapCut.

CapCut also includes a feature called ‘Spaces’ where you can upload media and projects you have created to share them. There is a limited amount of storage that is available. There is also a part called ‘Templates’ which is like TikTok’s for you page, where you can explore different videos and find people to follow. You are also able to like and comment on the videos. 

This is the for you page of templates for CapCut.

How to use CapCut:

  1. Sign in/Login: Start by creating an account or logging in.

I created a video using the screen recording feature on my iPhone, I will also provide a breakdown here 

  1. Starting project: Go to edit one main screen- tap ‘New project’, select a photo, live photo, or video.
  2. Transitions: Tap the white box with a horizontal line between clips- select transition- and hit the checkmark in the bottom right corner.
  3. Add text: Tap text- tap add text- type- edit text to liking- hit checkmark
  4. Add stickers: Tap Text- Tap stickers- chose sticker- add by tapping
  5. Length of aspects: Tap the rectangle (see photo below)- drag the white sides on the rectangle to the length desired- tap elsewhere on the screen to stop editing.
  6. Resize and move: Tap detail- use two fingers and spread to adjust size- move with finger
  7. Splitting- go to part of video want to split- hit edit- hit split

Tips:

  1. If you press and hold a sticker, animation, etc. that you like, it is sent to your favourites

    Example of what the favourite tab can look like.
  2. Don’t worry about saving: this app autosaves projects whenever you close it

I may use this app in my future classroom in a few different ways. I would use this app to create instructional and resource videos for students to use. I would also provide this app as a resource for students to use if they wish to complete an assignment by creating a video of some sort. Following the SAMR model, at the substitution level, I might use this app to make instructional videos for students to use at their own pace. I may also use it to edit different photo resources I find. At the augmentation level, I may use this app to create a video that further explains a difficult concept from a lesson or reading. At the modification level, I would have students use the app to create a video for an assignment. At the redefinition level. I may have the students upload their videos and comment on each other’s work.

 

My Time with TheMakeupChair

- Hailey Harris 2 Comments

Hello everyone and welcome to week 2 of my learning Journey with make-up!

From May 12 till the 20th, I have been focusing on eye looks using a source from YouTube called TheMakeupChair. Throughout this time, I used three videos to create four looks. The first video of hers I watched was the Beginners Eye Makeup Tutorial.

I really enjoyed this video of hers as she provided many visuals, such as arrows and outlines, and verbal explanations for the parts of the eye and where the shadow should go. For example, she used the terminology ‘crease of your eye’, while providing arrows to show the area she meant. It was also easy to follow along with, had very few steps, and was a simple look that could be done with any eyeshadow pallet.

Screenshot of woman with her eye closed. She points end of makeup brush at her eye, which shows the crease with arrows and a line.
An example of the visuals provided in this video.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tutorial, enough so that I used it twice over this time. I was very happy with the outcome the first time I did this look. The browns were soft and blended well together. There was a noticeable contour and highlight on the lid. I also loved how my wing turned out that day. However, in my second attempt, I seem to have gone very heavy-handed with the shadows. The entire lid looks the same colour with a light shimmer visible. Although, I do like how the wing turned out this day as well.

Zoom in of a closed eye. Eyelid is covered with a few shades of light brown and a little shimmer. There is a small wind visible near the upper lash line.
My first attempt at the ‘Beginners Eye Makeup Tutorial’ on May 12.
Close-up of closed eye. Lid is covered in a dark brown with a shimmer. there is a wing on the outer corner.
My second attempt at ‘Beginners Eye Makeup Tutorial’ on May 15th

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second video of hers I used was the ‘Beginners Eye Make-up Tutorial Using Blue Eyeshadow’. This video of TheMakeupChair was harder to follow than the other two I used. Visuals were still used but not for every step she took. She put makeup on the lid in different shapes in areas I was struggling to find. I also struggled as the blue shadows I had were a lot darker and not as shimmery as the one she used in the video. The outcome is not overly similar to the video, as my lid looks all the same colour and the blue on the inner corner is not bright. I was also not a fan of the liner that I did for this look. However, I would try this eye look again but spend more time placing the shadows in the correct spots and blending them out more.

Close-up of a closed eye. The lid is covered in a shimmery bronze colour. The inner corner is a dark blue with blue sparkles on top. There is a medium-sized wing along the lash line.
My first and only attempt at ‘Beginners Eye Makeup Tutorial Using Blue Eyeshadow’ on May 16

The third video I used from this source was ‘Barbie Girl Eye Makeup in 5 Easy Steps’. She, again, provided visuals for the areas where the shadow was supposed to go. She also provides tips she has found useful in her experience to make the process easier. I honestly wish I would have started with this video of hers, due to these factors and how few steps were involved in the look. This is my favourite look using the source TheMakeupChair, as I created a distinct difference between the crease and lid. I also really like the wing I made. 

Close-up of a closed eye. The crease of the eye has a darker pink, while the lid is light pink with pink sparkles. There is a medium-sized black wing at the outer corner of the eye.
My first attempt at ‘Barbie Girl Eye Makeup in 5 EASY STEPS’ on May 17th.

Overall, I really enjoyed this creator and will probably use her videos again, as she has many great tips and provides visuals. 

I also did a few looks this week without using an online source, as I did not have time to follow a video. The first one was a gold highlighter on the lid with a small winged liner

Close-up of a closed eye. The lid is covered in shimmer and there is a small wing in the outer corner.
My make-up on May 19th. No source used.

The second was a big winged liner with three small flowers. I included one light blue, dark blue, and purple flower, each with its leaves. I made the flowers using coloured liquid liner. 

Close-up of the side of closed eye. There are three flowers beside the wing: one light blue, one dark blue, and one purple. Each flower has a green leaf.
Make-up I did on May 20th. No source used.
Tips I learned this week:
  1. Start with lighter shades and progress to darker. Makes blending out the shadow a little easier. 
  2. Can use lighter shades or a clean blending brush to blend out colours and lines
  3. Priming the lids helps shadows stick to the eye
  4. Important to keep your eyes open when doing shadows. 
  5. Put liquid liner on the open side of a bobby pin and place it on the outer corner of the eye. Provides an outline of a wing, and can be helpful if you have shaky hands.

Thank you for reading this post!

When Did Tech Become so Crucial?

- Hailey Harris 1 Comment

The apps, websites, and online platforms I frequent the most in my life vary depending on the day. However, I will chronically use online reading platforms, streaming or gaming apps, and Google Docs. I use a reading platform, such as Archive of Our Own (AO3) for leisure. I will frequent Disney+ and Netflix to watch TV shows and movies for leisure. I will also use YouTube for leisure and academic pursuits, as I will watch podcasts, documentaries, informational, and sketch comedy videos. I also have a variety of gaming apps on my phone that I rotate throughout the day when I get bored. Lastly, I frequent apps like Google Docs, Noteshelf 2 app, and  NaturalReader for academics. 

When it comes to staying organized for school, there are a few different apps I use for school. The first is Google Calendar, which I

Screenshot of Natural readers. Shows the different ways a reading can be added.
Screenshot of the different ways readings can be added to the app.

enjoy because it can be used on all devices. Secondly, I have been using the NaturalReader app on my phone, which is a text-to-speech app. This app does have in-app purchases to access all the features it has. However, there are certain things, like paying to have it read out documents with photos, that you can bypass using the camera scanner feature, as seen on the side. There is also a Chrome extension available for it. Lastly, I use Assignment Planner, a simple app that allows you to input the assignments and exams you have due. I like this app as each assignment is placed and colour-coordinated into its class and a widget is available for the home and lock screen to display assignments due soon. 

Screenshot of phone. Shows app named planner, with headers for exams, assignments, and classes
Screenshot of the planner app I use for my exams and assignments.

As I stated, Disney+ is an app I frequent, and currently the TV series 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lonestar has become a distraction. Occasionally, I can have a video or TV show playing while I do school work and other chores and it does not distract me. On other days when this is not possible I leave my phone in another room while I spend a given amount of time on the activity I need to do. Other times, I will go to a new space to complete my work. AO3 has also become a distraction recently. For this distraction, I will set a timer or chapter limit before I start reading, or, again leave my phone in a different room. 

Throughout my time at university, I have had to learn how to set boundaries from my screen for school purposes as I would spend unhealthy amounts of time working on assignments and coursework. This has led me to create a boundary of not using technology for school before 10 am and after 8 pm, except for classes. I have also developed a strategy of breaking my assignments into steps, picking 2-3 steps to complete, then taking a small break by reading a chapter, watching TikTok, or doing a chore. For larger breaks, I will watch an episode, or make food.

A Semi-Beginners Plan to Learning Makeup

- Hailey Harris 3 Comments

My interest in makeup developed as a young teen when I became fascinated with the world of beauty YouTubers. When these influencers started to take over the internet, I fell in love with the different products and the idea that the face could be used as a canvas. This interest continued to grow when TikTok became a space for makeup influencers to show off looks and provide tips. However, I had limited time to develop this interest due to responsibilities in my life. I also had influences in my life who would make hurtful comments about makeup that deterred me from trying it.

Although I was deterred from practicing makeup on myself as a teen, I occasionally wore it for events, usually having help applying it from my sisters or mom. As an 18-year-old, my interest and confidence in exploring makeup blossomed and I began to practice winged liner. The more I practiced this skill, the more confident I became and I decided to try eyeshadow. The first times I tried it did not go well, which left me feeling discouraged. Thus, I stuck with what I could do. Over the summer of last year, with more patience and success, I started practicing eyeshadow looks again. They are fairly easy looks, using only one or two different shades of the same colour and a shimmering colour, but have been fun to do anyway. I have also started to use fun eyeliner colours to create designs.

One of my first eye looks
Valentines Day look from this year.

Although I have started to practice makeup, I never have had the confidence to try a full face of makeup. I use a few face products such as blush and highlighter, but have no idea how to use concealer and contour. I have also lacked the time to develop the skills needed to do makeup. Luckily, this learning project is just the excuse I need to focus on these skills! During this project, my main learning focus will be on more complex eyeshadow looks, as that is the main thing about makeup I enjoy. I also plan to learn how to use face products, such as foundation, concealer, and contour. I would like to learn how to use these products to create masculine and feminine looks.

To learn these skills, I plan to use many different sources on Youtube and TikTok for tutorials, such as this one. I also plan to use Instagram and Pinterest to find inspiration for makeup looks as I gain more confidence in my abilities. I will be using blogs and other online sources for makeup tips and tricks to improve my skills as well. To document my learning, I intend to take photos of the finished looks to add to my blog posts. I may also make TikTok or YouTube videos occasionally to record the application process.

Before I start my journey, I want to list the tips I knew before, which are:

  1. You can use water or setting spray on a brush to make a shadow brighter,
  2. Using an eye curler before mascara can help make the lashes look longer,
  3. Important to clean, moisturise and prime skin before starting,
  4. Fill in water line first on the eyes. Helps avoid makeup running from eyes watering.
  5. Put tape on your outer corner to help with making a wing
  6. Start small. You can always make the wing thicker or bigger. 
  7. Q-tips will be your best friend! They help sharpen the edges of the wing.
  8. Try a pencil liner rather than a liquid liner. This can allow for easier control. 
  9. Do the liner in sections. It is easier than doing a single line.
  10. Place a dot where you want your wing to end. This helps to keep the wing to the size you would like
  11. After putting shadow on a brush, tap it off on the pallet. Helps remove excess shadow and makes it easier to build.

Lastly, I have officially begun my learning journey! I did my first eyeshadow look for this project on May 10th following this Youtube video by Angela Bright. Although I did not have the exact makeup pallet and shades Angela used, I overall liked this source. She was easy to follow and provided verbal and visual explanations of the steps. The video was short and did not contain any music to distract from the task at hand. Angela Bright is definitely a source I will be using again!

Follow along as I further immerse myself in the world of makeup!

Photo of a closed eye. The eye makeup is a light purple outer corner and crease with a shimmer purple on the inner corners. There is a small black wing along the lash line
Eyeshadow look done on May 10th

 

Introducing Hailey

- Hailey Harris 1 Comment

Hello everyone!

My name is Hailey Harris and I am currently working towards my elementary education degree and certificate in inclusive education. I am from a small town in the Saskatoon area and moved to Regina last summer for work and school. I grew up with two loud, yet amazing younger sisters, a small dog with a huge personality, and two incredible parents who supported me in every way they could. Since the age of 3, I have participated in a variety of sports, though my passion was always for hockey.  This love for sports led me to start coaching figure skating at around 12. I have also coached hockey, softball, and volleyball. Besides this love for sports, I have always been an avid reader, typically reaching for mystery, fantasy, or historical fiction novels. 

Young child sitting on ice. They wear a hockey helmet, hockey gloves, a pink and white Oilers jersey, and red, pink, and white pants.
Me at the age of 3, skating

I have had some experience with different educational technology resources. The school I went to for elementary and high school was small but used multiple technology resources for students. They had a FastForWord program, in which students, such as myself, would be taken out of class to use computers for different educational games to help improve spelling and reading. The school also had iPads with a variety of apps for students to learn with, such as change-making apps. All of the classrooms in that school had SMART boards, in which teachers would put up presentations or incorporate them into their teaching in other ways. In high school, we had a technology course that required us to make videos and learn photography. They also used Google Classroom to provide lecture notes and for students to hand in their assignments. A few of my teachers would use quizzing apps, such as Kahoot. Throughout my university experience, I have used multiple educational technology sources such as Kahoot, Mentimeter, Google Classroom, and online discussion forums. 

Despite these experiences with educational technology, I have not had much, if any, experience with blogging. To be honest, I have never given blogging much thought as it has never seemed like something important to me. However, I am excited to try blogging this semester and am very curious to see if it is something I will enjoy! I hope you’ll enjoy following along as I try this platform of communication!