Throughout EDTC 400, I was assigned to mentor five EDTC 300 students. The mentoring process consisted of an introduction over Slack at the beginning of the semester, commenting on their blog posts, some interaction on Twitter, and answering a few technical questions along the way. My main form of interaction was through their blogs. I tried my best to comment on their posts and learning project updates each week, although I have to admit it was a challenge to keep up with them all! When commenting, I tried to do one of three things: provide a tip to help them improve their posts share a resource that is related to…

This week was bittersweet, as I have greatly enjoyed these debates and both of the EDTC classes in general. I am certainly sad that this class has come to an end, but I am also very much looking forward to summer and having a break from online classes. Topic #1 – Cellphones should be banned in the classroom This debate had three sides. The first was that cellphones should always be banned in every classroom, the second was that cellphones should be banned in K-8 classrooms, and the third was that cellphones should not be banned at all. There are many pros and cons to allowing cellphones in the classroom.…

We only had one debate this week, but it sure was a good one. I feel like this was one of the best debates thus far, as the class seemed quite torn. At first, I felt that I was very confident in my opinion on this topic. Afterwards though, I wasn’t so quite so sure. Topic: Educators should share lessons, resources, and other materials that they have created openly online. Prior to the debate, I was on the ‘disagree’ side. Teachers spend so much time after school marking & lesson planning, spend their own money on classroom supplies, and volunteer their time to help with extracurricular activities. I feel like…

This week was round two of the debates, and it did not disappoint! These debates have been so much fun, and the conversations just keep getting better and better. This is definitely one of the best assignments I have ever had the opportunity to participate in, as I love having real and critical discussions like this. Topic #1 – Social Media is ruining childhood This debate began by addressing all the problems that technology and social media can cause, such as cyberbullying, self-esteem issues, and the dangers that hate comments & online predators pose. Children are now being exposed to this earlier than ever before, as many children as young…

This was the first week of debates, and it was a blast! I was a bit nervous, since I was one of the first debaters, but everything went really well. The class had some great discussions, and there were very strong arguments presented from all sides. Topic #1 – Technology in the classroom enhances learning The first topic we debated was whether technology in the classroom enhances learning. Surely, it seems obvious that technology can increase student engagement and provide students learning opportunities that would not otherwise be possible. However, much of the debate focused on how distracting technology can be. I know that when I was in high school,…

Phew, my mini lesson facilitation is done! To be honest, I was a bit nervous, as this was my first time teaching an actual lesson. My partner Paige and I decided to plan a lesson on digital identity for grade 4 students. Luckily, I do have quite a bit of experience teaching kids in this age group. I am a Brownie leader, which means I work with girls in grades 2 and 3. I think this helped me a lot with knowing what material and level of difficulty was appropriate for this grade level. One of my biggest concerns while planning the lesson was whether it would be age appropriate…

Technology is extremely prevalent in our world today. A 2019 study revealed that the average Canadian spends around 11 hours per day looking at a screen. Kids are also being exposed to technology at an increasingly young age, with studies showing that most children now have a phone by the age of seven. Although today’s generation is growing up surrounded by technology, it is important we do not assume this means that they automatically know how to use it properly. Digital literacy is becoming an increasingly important skill for students to have. Failure to use online platforms, social media especially, in a smart and safe manner can cause a long…

Prior to EDTC 300, I knew absolutely nothing about Twitter. I had no idea how it worked, and I did not think that I was interested in any of the content on the platform. I also had never even heard of a Twitter chat before joining #saskedchat for the first time in EDTC 300. I really enjoyed getting to jump into the Saskedchat again this week, as it has been a long time since I last participated in a Twitter chat. I always have so much fun when I do join one, and it is something I really want to start doing more often on my own time. I think…

I was never really aware of the term digital identity until taking EDTC 300. I have always known that, as a future educator, it was important to be careful of what I post online and be aware of what others post about me. Prior to EDTC 300 though, I thought that as long as there was nothing bad or inappropriate on my social media pages I was good to go. Spoiler alert, I was wrong. Since then, I have been able to create a much larger online presence for myself. I joined Twitter, started blogging, and began to use social media for educational purposes. When I google myself now, the…

Hi everyone! My name is Sarah, and I am currently in my second year of university. I am in Secondary Education with a major in math and a minor in drama. Some of my hobbies include camping, being a Girl Guide leader, and working out. I also work part-time as a cashier. Most importantly, I am super excited to get to know all of you! I use a number of social media platforms for both personal and educational purposes including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter of course! You can check out my Twitter feed below. I’m super excited for this class, as EDTC 300 was one of the best university…