Media Literacy and the Algorithm “Behind the Curtain”
In the classic book and movie, The Wizard of Oz, Toto rips back the curtain for the big reveal: The so-called GREAT and POWERFUL OZ is just a stout, balding white male. It’s all been a ruse! The entity we believed was in control is something else entirely! In our media literacy class discussion this…
Confessions of a Former Social Media Oversharer
Like many a Xennial, reflecting on the transformation of my digital identity makes me cringe. My carefree childhood and awkward teen years are relegated to dusty photo albums, shoddy VHS home movies, and a Hotmail account with a questionable – but thankfully anonymous – username. In my early 20s, my husband asked me out on…
Reflections on Ribble’s Nine Elements, Two Trials and One Triumph
When I became a teacher, I was prepared to wear many hats – mentor, manager, motivator, counsellor, coach, and even social liaison (the list seems infinite). Technology was rapidly evolving; Smartboards were the latest “must-have” Edtech, and elite schools flaunted their solitary laptop cart. Despite my interest in these advancements, I had yet to acknowledge…
Let’s Do the Time Warp Again: Why We Must Look Back to Move Forward
Do schools really need to change? Reading the first of this week’s prompts, I found myself shouting “Yes!” at the screen. But what would that change look like, and who (besides Miss Cleo) could accurately predict the new educational systems and policies needed in a world that is still struggling with issues like book banning and…
Goldilocks and the “Just Right” Technotopia
Techno-optimist, realist, or neo-Luddite? As an Xennial, I often struggle to find my place on the spectrum of tech adoption or resistance. I’m old enough to remember the joy of receiving a Nintendo at Christmas, travelling (and dying) on the Oregon Trail in school, and my life before it was purchased by social media. Yet…
Summary of Learning: Kipp’s Masterpiece Theatre Presents: Cato’s Journey
Okay, “masterpiece” is an epic exaggeration, but I thoroughly enjoyed creating this ebook using Bookcreator.com (highly recommend using it with students, too). Cato’s fantastical learning journey – with an easily identifiable (but unnamed) philosophical guide – mirrors my key learnings from this semester. Thank you, Dr. Katia and classmates, for the discussions, blogs, research, and…
Immersive Technology: The Sword of Damocles and Pandora’s Box Combined
Between Cicero’s sword of Damocles and Hesiod’s Pandora’s box/jar, mythology centered on hidden danger and untethered evil figures prominently in this week’s topic. “Hope is the only good god remaining among mankind; the others have left and gone . . . Trust, a mighty god has gone, Restraint has gone from men, and the Graces, my…
Leaping Over Coding Gatekeepers and Other Hurdles
In Retrospect In a decade, my coding identity has run the gamut from disinterested secondary English teacher to invested facilitator. Cue flashback (because Xennials love saying “back in my day”)… Picture it: Wilkie, SK (middle of agricultural nowhere); the year is 2012. “Coding” is about to enter my lexicon. I teach Grade 8/9 English with…
A Villain’s Tale: The Monetization of Assistive Technology and Other Barriers
On a Professional Level In my third year as a teacher, I transferred from teaching A.P. Grade 12 English to teaching SUCCESS, an elementary inclusivity program for students with special needs. One of my students had Stage 5: profound hearing loss. With no prior experience addressing this need, I asked my new administrator what accommodations…
Pear Deck: Test-Driven by a Fangirl
Will reiterating my love for Pear Deck sound like a broken record? I had nearly forgotten this love when Tuesday’s class reignited the spark. Kudos to Group 5! In my previous life as an Online Learning Consultant, I completed the Pear Deck Institute training to guide divisional implementation in the classroom and online. It was…