Monthly Archives: May 2024

In the wake of Amanda Todd: cyberbullying and the classroom

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Firstly, holy moly! This kind of cyberbullying is so beyond the likes of what I even realized possible. In fact, considering the literal extortion of a minor like Amanda Todd, I feel like the term cyberbullying hardly encompasses the devastation that occurred. In my mind, this was a series of exploitation, sexual assault, and criminal behavior more generally. Maybe the term has different connotations now, but, when I was in school, bullying was essentially teasing. It was a step or two below violence or harassment. I remember thinking to myself as a kid in middle school: “we all have been bullied.” I wondered if updating the term to reflect the seriousness of this kind of behavior might help students realize how outside the window of acceptable behavior this is. However, it was noted in the Dark Cloud: the high cost of cyberbullying documentary, that often with young people, extreme examples like Amanda Todd’s tragedy can undermine the seriousness of the matter. This is perplexing to me.

Moreover, I am convinced young people who participate in or perpetuate this kind of targeted onslaught of abuse already know they are behaving in a way that is beyond the pale. I know this by the way it is reserved for interactions behind the computer screen/device; the same kind of behavior in person, to one’s face, would take a certain kind of monster. Somewhere along the way, the distance provided by technology shelters perpetrators from the societal implications that would occur naturally if the same actions were committed face to face. What I don’t know is how you teach children what they already know is wrong remains wrong online, and whether or not that is the parent’s job. Teachers obviously cannot ignore it, but I think parents must involve themselves in establishing ethics for the new technological age prior to school. Students will likely be introduced to the online world long before they are in our classrooms. It is gonna take a village to curb this!

During school, I have no recollection of being taught about treating our peers with decency online or even how to protect ourselves. Perhaps, young people’s online usage needs to be more monitored. The difference between this and when I went to school is no matter how brutal it might have been at school, it ended when we got home. We were never inundated with bullying 24 hrs. The Dark Cloud mentions the prolific nature of cyberbullying and how there is no reprieve. It also mentions, that even in person, adults step in only a fraction of the time. Online, 59% of children report being bullied. There is near zero chance of adult intervention there.

I hope police take this more seriously now, especially if it is targeted and victimizing. According to the government of Canada, cyberbullies can face jail time, have devices taken away, or pay a fine. I would like to know how often perpetrators encounter these consequences. This topic makes me feel so out of my depth…And makes me want to bring the hammer down. I hope after discussion with the class, I can temper some of this rage and actually see some tenable approaches for myself as a future teacher.

There are some behaviors online we are not going to curb through scare tactics (in my day, it was illegal downloading), but I cannot help but wonder if a certain threshold of this kind of bullying meets criminal and maybe if that is the case, ramping up repercussions is not a bad thing. I realize that some cyberbullying is anonymous, making consequences difficult to enforce, but the circulation of graphic materials without consent is a serious offense in the adult world if charges can be laid. I don’t want to treat children like adults, but I am literally at a loss how to navigate this. It is clear, that the singsongy PSA by organizations and government tend to be read as trivializing. Perhaps, there is a middle ground, but besides the obvious conversations we might have with a class, I do not know what teachers on their own can do besides advocate for victims.

Verywellfamily.com has some suggestions for parents and I think as teachers we can support these efforts, particularly by encouraging students to come forward and report each incident.

Learning Project: when it rains, it pours

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I got to stay home from work due to rain. I thought this might be an opportunity to catch up on my project. This did not happen as planned.

Instead, after replacing the window, but not sealing it up on the outside because I forgot once it was in and because it is on the second story, the rain came in. I thought a pipe burst. Rain was pouring down the previously revealed plumping in the kitchen, below the upstairs bathroom.

Rain was coming in at such an angle, it got in between the window and the outside siding and casing that was removed, behind the shower system and tile.

This obviously made the window a priority. Without scaffolding, I didn’t really know how to fix this, or at least prevent rain from coming into my kitchen. This is my “access” to plumbing. It was living under drywall and ancient plaster. I haven’t motivated myself to tear the rest of the ceiling plaster down, but the walls are done! Little victories.

I don’t know if you can see the wet everywhere, but the darker wood by the plumbing is wet (note: wet by the live wire). I could hear it coming down while in the living room. Scary.

Naturally, I called my dad. He said, “spray foam.” I did;t really know what I was looking for so searched Rona online for spray foam for sealing up windows. I did not expect to “learn” from the comment section, but upon looking at reviews, I saw someone complain about spray foam bowing door jams. I didn’t know anything about this and looked it up. This is a whole discussion on how spray foam is apparently so powerful it has wrecked many a person’s new project. One little, off-handed review from Rona saved me this very fate! It is a century-old cedar on the outside of the house and surely would have over-expanded if I hadn’t looked it up first. Thankful!

The idea is to get door and window spray foam for doors and windows because it is less expandy, I guess? This is what I used.

Image: Great Stuff. Rona. https://www.rona.ca/en/product/great-stuff-12-oz-window-and-door-yellow-spray-foam-insulation-ready-for-trim-in-1-h-99108863-56495028

I will say, yellow on white trim and window is not the cutest look. Can cut it down and paint it, but who has time for that?

Anyway, I got my saw up and running. It is still chipping tile. I am slowly getting over it. However, the issue with the rain reminded me I needed to caulk everything. I went ahead and did the shower base and new shower doors. It was horrible. I scraped it all off and returned to the internet. I literally did not think I needed to learn how to caulk…

I viewed WINNI’s video on how to caulk a shower. According to the TikTok, I am not supposed to grout corners (I did) and am supposed to use caulk instead for flexibility. After the fact, not that helpful, but he does mention using soapy water and popsicle stick to create nice caulk lines. I tried it. Still horrible. Removed it again.

Twin Traps suggests a caulking tool, but I wasn’t leaving in the middle of this mess to get one. It looks something like this from Amazon. DadAdviceFromBo does it just like I do, even mentioning that if you hate how it turns out just let it dry and peel it off again. This made me feel better, but also discouraged, all at the same time. I watched professionals nail their caulk job for about an hour on TikTok then came across this picture on a tutorial website: Image: The Spruce/Kevin Norris. https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-caulk-a-shower-5208078

What a novel idea! if you suck at it, just tape your edges! The Spruce provides a couple more helpful hints about caulking, but this one is the best! I showed my spouse when he got home and he said, “yeah, that is pretty normal,” Useful advice I could’ve used YESTERDAY.

Anyway, I am learning that I am not good at learning. I clearly like to test all my preconceived notions prior to actually understanding. I think that means I am learning through hands-on doing. I am just realizing this. So far, it has seemed to me that there is a massive discrepancy between what I think I know how to do and what happens when I do it. Perhaps, this is why I feel like all these videos and tutorials I am referring to prior to doing aren’t helping.

This is super interesting to me because I did not really think of myself as a hands-on learner. I thought I learned best through listening/reading. However, it is clear to me, there is an element of practice that is kind of absent in this type of learning project. Instead of practicing prior to “performing” like I would if I were learning an instrument or language or even baking, I absorb as much from as many sources as I can until I do it. When I finally do it, it is supposed to be the final draft. I am learning about myself that I need practical, hands-on learning/practice either to get a handle on execution or to maybe build my confidence. I am starting to feel not very confident about my abilities here.

If I could start over with this project, I would do a very small test project first. Maybe tile the inside of my fireplace, or help a friend first. There are so many moving parts to just trying to finish what I thought was a simple project. Albeit, a lot of the complications are due to an old house.

All news to me, though!

Hooked on…devices?: Teaching in the new era

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According to Jenkins (2006), contemporary media is a participatory culture and he suggests that in the classroom, teachers must consider the interrelationship between communicative media and the culture/communities that emerge around it. It is clear from the rising rates of smartphone use at younger ages and the way YouTube and TikTok have become young people’s preferred platforms, that students are and will continue to participate in this culture. The culture itself is interesting as it demands engagement, is shaped by that engagement, and is newly synthesized, ultimately reflecting back something new yet familiar to its participants. Wesch hits on this effect in his lecture: users consume content and, in turn, put their own spin on content, creating viral memes that then impact the larger community outside of the space they were created. Soulja Boy is a perfect example of this. Although I had the pleasure of watching that phenomenon (check out the dance tutorial; I cannot stress enough how important it was that this dance was mastered by all attending house parties for an entire summer) take off, many people now know Soulja Boy from his presence in mainstream media without knowing the early impact of the internet in his rise to fame.

All this is to say, digital literacy is now just plain old literacy. Students are consuming and creating content, communicating their own stories and critiques of the world, and it would be a disservice to our students to fail to integrate Internet culture and acumen into their learning. The Tiktoks they are making and responding to will eventually make their way to Jimmy Fallen for godsakes.

Screenshot:  Addison Rae on Jimmy Fallon. NBCU (2021). https://www.buzzfeed.com/natashajokic1/addison-rae-jimmy-fallon-tiktok-backlash

Pretending that social media platforms are insignificant subcultures with no educational value undermines the learning necessary for students to become careful and critical agents in this participatory culture. Not only can we develop a pedagogical approach that adopts the same technological standards used everywhere else, but we can also promote a critical framework for these standards that better prepares students for their future beyond the classroom. The approach is likely two-fold: we encourage students to create using mediums they prefer, honing that skillset, and, by opening up the classroom to the world they are actually living/participating in, we might mitigate some of the risks that are often associated with unsupervised internet access/screentime.

Surely, we wouldn’t give a student a culturally significant novel to glean from but restrict their access to the theoretical and heuristic framework to analyze the text by, right? I feel it is not enough to just be hip, showing cool clips or allowing students to submit TikToks videos as assignments; we must also frame both the tools used and the content made in a critical way.

How do we do this? Strike that balance? I am not entirely sure, but I do know it lies in approach. Perhaps, an earlier introduction to critical theory might help support students to think about social media and the internet in a similar way that they might be expected to consider art, text, history, and philosophy. When students write, we want them to know how and why they are using certain devices, the impact of a device on the whole of their piece, and be able to recognize that device, or its variant, at work in other texts. This is part of literacy as a whole. Similarly, we might be able to identify the larger context and meaning of memes and viral trends, analyze them in relation to culture and society, and help students recognize the impact in other spaces. I don’t want students to read Shakespeare just to repeat plot points back to me. I want them to see the layers of cultural and textual meaning, make links to their own lives, be critical of the period it is written in, and be even more critical of what it tells us about our contemporary period. It seems to me, through his anthropological treatment of online spaces, Wesch is advocating for something similar. He challenges the audience to peel back the meme and meet the communities behind it. He invites us to actively participate in participation culture. I think this translates to the classroom too! Otherwise, we run the risk of widening that gap between the classroom and the “real world” students are part of or want to be part of. We don’t have to be in their heads, but we should be on the same planet at least.

New Ed Tech Review: Powtoon

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I love almost anything animated! In preparation for the classroom, I’ve designed and imagined many assessments that include learning how to use animation tools and pair with creative narratives. I will admit though, I don’t have a grasp on such a tool. In fact, I thought it was probably beyond my purview…

With that caveat, and the opportunity to learn how to do something I personally might appreciate and use in the classroom, I’ve embarked on a first-hand and first-time use and review of Powtoon. As someone whose development was greatly shaped by TV like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and South Park, an appreciation for understated animation paired with clever (to me, at least) dialogue is just *chef’s kiss.*

Screenshot from Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode “Kangarilla and the Magic Tarantula.” https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/80/ATHFmainv2.png

First things first: Login via Google account (I hate when they make me create a new user account–big detterant for me). Note, premium use of Powtoon is limited, but basic/watermarked projects are available for free.

Second thing: Be totally overwhelmed at the “workspace” and go to Youtube to look for “how to” video. I look for the newest tutorial video with the most views, assuming the layout has likely changed overtime and god knows that will further confuse me. I go with “Powtoon Demo For Animation Videos (Powtoon Tutorial 2024)”

This proved helpful for becoming more familiar and for jumping right into a project. Off the hop, I learned I can make whiteboard videos! This opens up a whole new potential for me in the classroom. I always wondered how those were made while watching educational/informational youtube videos. An example of this can be found on 2 Minute Classroom’s channel where the whiteboard is used exclusively. I think I could put this to use regularly in the classroom to accompany lessons/plans and mini-lectures for independent and group work too. According to the tutorial video, it is easier than I thought!

Third thing: At the top of workspace, select new whiteboard project. Choose a template

(these are limited under education/teaching headings and even more so if you account for the fact premium content is temporary). Ideally, I create something from scratch once I get the hang of it. Just for fun, and to capture the closest thing to 2 Minute Classroom’s shtick, I went with “White Board Explainer” found underLearning & Development.

There is also the AI video creator, but that is also premium and one thing at a time, I reckon.

Now, click “Edit in Studio” and start messing around!

The one thing I liked right away was the set up. The “studio” looks pretty dang close to Google Slides or Mac Presentation. Slides, script, music, and a test play button all help the first time user intuitively know what to do if they have any experience with slides. Simiarlly, you can change the slide layout, just like you would in Google Slides, making it seem way more acessible. Good on ’em for not reinventing the wheel!

Just like I would in a slide deck, I edit the individual image or text within the slide, add an effect, and test it.

There are characters, props, images, backgrounds, and effects that can all be dragged on the slide’s timescale, allowing you to introduce elements at a preferred time. It is very simple and super intuitive to use!

In addition to using the program for teaching, students can use it to accompany their own reports or presentations in a way that familiarizes them with amateur animations. It is a stepping stone to more complicated animation or video editing. It would be a great way to start a semester where students could build off of their inital learning.

Anyway, this is what I started on using the above template if you want to check it out (first couple slides are mine, rest are template, but you get the just)

Learning Project: to cut or not to cut

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My second learning project post reflects my shortsightedness…

I mixed up a small batch of mortar, added water to the tile saw, made a line on the wall with laser level to keep things straight, and started with placing tiles…

…Until I got to my first cut….

I went through at least ten tiles, chipping and breaking each one. If you are following along, you will know this is basically unacceptable considering the tiles are white and grout is black. They look like this once installed (note the tiny chips are super accentuated once grout gets in there).

Pickard, Jared. (Nov 6, 2021). Any idea what’s going on here with this subway tile?. Home Improvement.

I am thankful I learned enough while watching the main-floor bathroom installation to know to take them down, not grout, and try again. So it is clear I missed a learning step. Back at the old drawing board, and this is what I watched: 5 Ways to Cut Tiles

In short, the creator suggests a manual tile saw sucks, I have that and tried it too; a wet saw works best for things like subways tiles…apparently; a hand tile cutter (I have this too, but it sucks–tried it); and finally, a grinder (have many, but haven’t resorted to it yet).

Either my cheap wet tile saw is beat–it does look rough and the tile guider thinger looks wobbly–or there is some other kind of troubleshooting I need to do. I opened Google and did what any amateur does and searched “why does my wet tile saw chip my tiles?”

I am a forum person, and that is my primary learn-how-to-fix-shit way: cars, computers, life, etc. Luckily for me, the first result on Google was an archived forum!: https://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/archive

I have no idea who John Bridge is or what this forum was started for, but note the 2007 questions and responses and just how dang timeless certain problem-solving techniques are. In case you can’t read screenshot, click on link above.

The just of it:

Forcing the cuts too quickly.
Worn blade or blade needs dressing.
Blade not running true (square) to the cut.
Wobbly blade arbor.
Not enough water directed to the blade and tile during cut.
Tile not solid (flat) and tight to saw bed during cut.
Turn tile over and cut from other side.
Don’t cut through from end to end…. reverse tile when close to end of cut.
Tile’s nature to chip no matter what is done. 

Can’t help but wonder if it is just the nature of things… I am hoping a blade change will do it! I went and got a 3 pack so we will see. I figure I can adjust my cutting technique and water amount easily enough too. Beyond that, I might be manually cutting tiles.

This weekend, I will unpack my doom piles of supplies again and try this troubleshooting out.

I am learning that I tend to use YouTube and TikTok for a general project overview or for inspiration/motivation. Despite feeling rather confident after outlining the project in my first learning post, I still watched a myriad of videos and clips almost to reassure me I get what I am doing. However, when I ran into a problem, like these chipping tiles that look bloody awful, I return to the forum and often search for what sounds like my exact problem posted by someone else and then try that out. I am wanting to expand the tools I use to learn, and perhaps I can find someone else for the next post. Still, there is something really nice about being able to read steps/instructions in one sitting and return to it as I am attempting the feat. It is like a security blanket haha.

I am surprised by how simple (as in straightforward) a job this seems according to videos online, but once I got started and needed really specific advice, I saw how useful forums, where other lost people are gripping about those very specific issues, are. My next learning step might entail actually posting my own question or concern instead of spending hours looking for one that resembles the issue I am having! That might be a little more proactive. I also looked for apps and that hasn’t been as useful yet, but who knows what problem I run into this weekend! I will take all the help I can get.

Oh, I forgot to add, that even trying to start a straight line is harder than it looks! If anyone is curious, this is where I started with marking my lines: BTC.BlaineTileCreations on TikTok is micro-adjusting for literal perfection with his laser level, but I am just trying to make one straight line to start! This was super helpful in outlining where and how to map out wall: RockSteadyTileCo. I combined the two strategies by marking out center line to keep weird cuts to a minimum and keeping laser on as I moved up my row to ensure I was not veering down or up too much. I could not pre-cut all my tiles like RockSteadyTileCo. suggests because of the 120-year-old walls. All was going so well until we got to the cuts! Once that is sorted, I am back at it!

PS. This is such a good “how to” for black grout and subway tile and I wanted my learning project to look like this, but unfortunately, we are not off to that strong of a start.

Tech: can’t live with it, can’t live without it

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Firstly, I must admit that I am the worst kind of technology addict. I most often use it intentionally to kill time and that unintentionally kills a whole day. If we are considering video games, then it kills days upon days. I am currently playing Far Cry 6 (have been for months as I am a total map and sidequest clearer) now that it is streaming on PS Plus (premium, I think).

Image: Ubisoft. PlayStation. https://www.playstation.com/en-ca/games/far-cry-6/

I refuse to download games now and wait for them all to stream. This is due to a small hard drive, a “feature” of the PS5 that I got the Xmas before last. It is a departure from the old PS4 Pro, but somehow I still survive…barely…

Image: PlayStation. Amazon. https://www.amazon.ca/PlayStation-Console-Disc-Ragnar%C3%B6k-Bundle/dp/B0BHF3ZDQW

How crazy is it that I have adjusted to the quickest, easiest, most useful technology and feel annoyed by anything that is remotely inconvenient? While being an OG dial-up kid! Talk about building tech tolerance/entitlement!

The significant upgrade in tech generally, and its consumer-friendly integration into daily life, has made me an addict. I don’t walk the dogs without checking that my steps are accounted for. The work on my Macbook is no longer restricted to my home office and can be seamlessly completed on my iPhone (or iPad, but let’s be real, that is for YouTube while on the treadmill). I watch a movie on the TV while scrolling TikTok. My Beats Pro headphones connect to whatever device I pick up, alternating between 3 sometimes. I wear them all day long like a crazy person.

I often wonder how I functioned before.

Well, I guess I went to the library and hauled books and printed articles around; I paid bills at the bank with my paper copies in hand; I tried to play games that were on scratched discs; I PAID FOR AND RAN OUT OF CELLPHONE MINUTES; I spent hours modifying myspace via html instead of drag and drop websites like the wix I use now; and I toted around a bloody discman with garbage headphones that was never ever truly anti-skip…(see r/nostalgia if you need a little blast from the painful past!)

Recently, instead of using the internet for entertainment, I have started moving all my business stuff onto google drive. This way, I can share invoices, receipts, and spreadsheets with the bookkeeper and accountant without bringing boxes of crap to their office. I can take a premade template and quickly fill out an estimate or invoice while on the job site and send it to a customer via my phone. This may not seem revolutionary, but prior to my BEAD last year, I had never used Google Docs or slides, let alone Google Drive. Look how organized I am now!

In addition to trading time-sucks for productivity, I am looking at TikTok for inspiration in teaching/lessons, exercise, nutrition, business, old house renovations, and dog training. It has inadvertently tricked me into creating a rather interesting/informative FYP. It is probably still a time-suck because I am not “doing” during that time, but I figure it is an improved waste of time.

I am still using a notebook and pen to plan my life, but my calendar across devices serves as my backup. I use it more to remind myself of the things I already recorded and it helps me commit to memory the important stuff by recording it again in the app. I check it every morning and every evening as I plan (in my notebook) my assignments, personal goals, appointments, and deadlines.

I am definitely behind the times, but I am becoming more open to learning tech as a tool for productivity. This year has brought pretty big adjustments and I am finding it beneficial despite a learning curve. In fact, this is the most productive I have been on the internet since those long, early days grinding on Winmx for complete downloads.

 

 

Learning Project: Baseline

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I am stoked about this project! I love a crossover learning opportunity. Nailing down an idea, however, has been more challenging. I bought a drumkit a couple of years ago and learned that easy White Stripes song and then didn’t touch it again. I was sold on the idea…

Until I entered my upstairs bathroom. My spouse, Brian, started tiling the bathroom after successfully refreshing the main floor half bath: before (after demo), during, and after.

We are trying to restore/maintain the character of our 120-year-old house. This has been tedious and time-consuming. As such, our upstairs bathroom reno has slowed to a halt. I realized that this was the perfect and most productive learning project for me!

The baseline for learning is as follows:

  • I watched Brian do all the work so I have a little know-how by way of osmosis
  • the shower portion/system and plumbing (the actual hard part) is done
  • I already have all materials to complete task so the endless trips to Rona eliminated (I estimated tile myself so I very likely may run out and have to source it–get there when we get there haha..)
  • I have endless access to advice/guidance if I need it (I will)

The project consists of:

  • caulk shower (a simple and short job I have been putting off. It will be my warm up)
  • finishing tiling the remainder 3 walls
  • remove old and install new privacy thinger for window
  • install sink fixture
  • install vanity lighting and overhead lighting
  • seal grout (at least floor and shower)
  • install overhead exhaust fan (no idea how to do this)
  • put up wallpaper to cover crazy messed-up ceiling instead of drywalling over it
  • hang door and hardware
  • hang mirror

Besides the fan, the most daunting part of this renovation to me is the tiling. I get the steps, as outlined by every YouTube video I started watching, but doing it and making it look nice seems more challenging. I am going to start by referring to the above-linked video and this tutorial.

It seems straightforward, but I am told there is a certain finesse required. This is what we started with and this.

This is where we are at. Notice the walls on each side are unfinished and the wall with the door is totally empty (update with pic link later; working remotely).

Following what not to do according to r/DiWHY is my first step; watch this video. it is my worst nightmare and is still hilarious. The pros on r/Tile are not quite my speed, but I did find out how to install the waterproofing system on there. I will probably refer back in case I get stuck.

Greatest takeaway from my preliminary reading (and input from Brian) is to plan out walls to avoid splices of tile; use level/lazer to keep tiles straight; back butter tiles (spread mortar on them) in addition to spreading mortar on walls to help even out uneven walls; use lots of spacers; and don’t EVER mess with black grout, especially if tile is light because it highlights imperfections, is difficult to wipe down, and easily gets soap scummy. REPEAT: DO NOT USE BLACK OR CONTRASTING GROUT. Here is a whole contractor forum on the horrors of black grout, in case you’re curious or have been flirting with the idea yourself. Of course, I chose this demonic grout and never considered the far-reaching implications until it was on the wall, floor, and everywhere. I do have a head start in that I watched Brian struggle with it so at least I know what I am in for? I guess?

Wish me luck!

Intro Post: Hello!

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My name is Kate. This is my last course before internship and it was strategically picked to improve my understanding of educational technology. I was surprised to see the emphasis on online professional identity from the first set of readings and it got me thinking!

I am not a blogger or tweeter, but sometimes, if I am fired up enough, I will post comments on YouTube or TikTok and delete them later once I calm down. I do like video games (PS mostly) and yet still avoid online communities formed around my favourite games. I have no Facebook, instagram, twitter, and just lurker accounts for reddit and TikTok. I think I may still be suffering from elder millennial online overload that I endured growing up.

Photo: Buzzfeed, (2021). »-(¯`v´¯)-Fr!ɛnds R 4ɛvɛr, Guyz R whatɛvɛR-(¯`v´¯)-» has just signed in. https://egyptianstreets.com/2021/09/10/msn-messenger-a-nostalgic-look-back-at-a-staple-of-the-2000s/ 

Photo: Peterson, Mike (2017). Aim-90s. https://www.idropnews.com/news/aol-instant-messenger-shuts-glorious-20-years/51878/

I realize there may be some professional benefit to developing an online identity, but I am hesitant to begin that journey as an adult. My experience with online communities/presence is primarily restricted to myspace and bmezine–both of which are no longer. I have viewed the absence of an online identity as a benefit to myself when I consider the cringey way I had used it in those early years. It may be time for me to update my thinking!

All of this is to say I am a reluctant blogger, with some experience with educational technology, but that is restricted to learning via this degree and my limited teaching opportunities. However, during my last pre-internship in March I did learn how to use and utilize online spaces in a new (to me) way. My co-op teacher is my age and seemed to integrate technology seamlessly into her classroom. Beyond Google Classroom, she had an instagram and TikTok she was comfortable sharing on and with students; participated in TikTok trends with her students (they were grade twelves and permission was acquired); and students had a myriad of platforms that they could use as a tool to complete responses/video essays/creative writing. I loved that.

Although writing is more my speed, I think using 1-3 minute video format for students to film their responses or journalling (essentially vlogging), is a great way to collect the kind of formative assessments we might want and often can’t adequately gather in traditional response writing. Apparently, there are other useful ways to utilize TikTok in the classroom! I am interested in that! Perhaps, on my journey of reacquainting myself with the internet, I might find short videos a part of blogging and online professional identity making.