Computational Participation: creating interactive digital stories with Twine

Computational Participation: creating interactive digital stories with Twine

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On Friday, August 28th, 2020, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Jennifer Jenson, Professor in the department of Language and Literacy Education at UBC-Vancouver on a workshop for teachers taking part in a week of learning with Science World: STEAM days 2020 (#STEAMdays20). In our session, Jennifer introduced participants to the concept of computational participation and how teachers might engage in (or engage their students in) digital storytelling through Twine to support the development of literacies including computational thinking skills.

Computational Participation is an area Dr. Jenson has researched for some time and, as an elementary teacher, I’ve long had an interest in helping my students develop in all areas of literacy. She and I are excited to be working on a program together called: (CP)² Computational Participation & Competencies Program. The original program was a blended (both f2f and online) program that was set to launch this fall. Given the impacts of COVID and an increased interest among teachers to learn more about approaches to teaching online, we’ve decided to offer this program fully online so that we can both model varied approaches to online learning while allowing participants to connect with research and industry partners to develop curriculum that will foster design and algorithmic thinking and collaborative problem solving. This will also make the program more accessible to teachers beyond the lower mainland. To that end, we are in the process of revising aspects of the course and will be offering it as a fully online program. The program will still allow opportunities to create, play and share in a collaborative environment (and we have some wonderful surprises in store!). You can find the original program outline on the UBC Professional Development Community Engagement website and we invite you to be in touch for further information, to express interest, or to share ideas.

Yasmin Kafai and Quinn Burke’s distinction between computational thinking (all the stuff you know —abstraction, algorithmic thinking, patterns, decomposition) and computational participation (coding, collaborating, creating, playing)… mostly through designing digital games!

Jane, a graduate student working with Dr. Jenson, walked us through getting started with Twine and dove a little deeper into some of the more complex aspects of using this platform. Following this, participants tried their hand at building their own Twine stories.

During the workshop, Dr. Jenson and I had a small group meeting with some K/1 teachers interested in chatting more about the application of this technology to their particular contexts. As a group, we acknowledged that building with Twine is quite likely beyond the ability of most K/1 students and is a task meant for ‘text literate’ students, we brainstormed some potential uses/applications of Twine appropriate across grade levels. Here is a sampling of what we collectively came up with. Most involved a teacher, adult or big buddy as a ‘creator’ or author facilitator.

  • create a visual twine (embedding images) that students can independently interact with and navigate, thus building their computational thinking skills and their understanding of story structure.
  • utilize Twine to create interactive social (or other) stories that allow students to make decisions and practice real world scenarios as is often done using boardmaker and other applications in special ed.
  • whole group story building as Primary teachers sometimes/often do with their students. Allow students to suggest setting, character, plot and even complex paths and problems.
  • set up a story structure and involve students in ‘filling in’ the structure, adding to the story, completing the story or setting up an alternate path. With older students, the twine html file can be shared, students can upload the file to Twine online and work on the story themselves. With younger students, this work could be done whole group or in big buddy pairs if possible.

Here are a couple of example Twines created by a participants and shared on Twitter:

Here are a few resources from our session:

Mathematics All Around Us: Podcast Resource Blogpost

Posted in Blog Posts, Elementary & Middle Years, Inclusive Practices, Learning Design & Planning, mathSTEAM, Post Secondary, Secondary | Tagged with , , , , , ,

“Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe.”

Galileo Galilei

The last three episodes (episodes 7, 8, and 9) of our Thinking Outside the Sandbox podcast, are dedicated to discussing possible creative ways of teaching Math outside abstraction, in ways that embody more physicality and representation. Dr. Kerry Renwick, Dr. Susan Gerofsky, and Dr. Lorrie Miller shared beautiful diverse ideas and examples that highlighted teaching mathematics experientially through the five senses. For example, teaching the concept of patterns was demonstrated through music, observing nature, cultural activities, weaving, and storytelling.

Decolonizing space in Mathematics, integrating Indigenous Knowledge, redesigning the math classroom, teaching math for social justice were also discussed.

Begin by hearing from Dr. Susan Gerofsky, Janice Novakowsky and Dr. Cynthia Nichol in Thinking Outside the Sandbox: Math Part 1

 

Below are resources that might be used to support teaching Mathematics in an interdisciplinary way, that involves real-life contexts. “The Importance of Context” video by Heinemann explores how stories, posters, and real-life situations could set the stage for students to learn math through real-life contexts and problems.
the famous multi colored cube

Interactive Lessons

Interactive Lessons could be found in K-8 Mathematics station at PBS Learning Media, which includes a wide range of resources (videos, lesson plans, interactive lessons) that integrate real-world and Mathematical Problems.

Mathematics outside the Classroom

  • Mathematical concepts could be explored easily in nature. Concepts as symmetry, spheres, measurements, meteorology, and geometry are all around us. Check this article for activities on these concepts.
  • Age-specific outdoor activities for various concepts are available here.
  • For more ideas on Math outside the classroom, check our blogpost.

On creating an inclusive, anti-oppressive Math classroom

As opposed to traditional mathematics classrooms that provide one-sided arguments, erase learners’ differences from their processes, and claim right versus wrong ways of problem-solving, Dr. Michael Marker in his blogpost suggests teachers would be aware of any oppressive practices in their classrooms.
Teacher discussing with students

He suggests creating a non-oppressive, third space which draws from Indigenous wisdom through:

  1. Includes collaboration with peer MKOs
  1. peer instruction: where students share responses to MCQ’s, and discuss these responses
  2. formative collaborative review: where students help other students with difficulties
  3. collaborative assessments: where students do their tests individually and mark their own work, then in groups of four complete the same test collaboratively.

2.  Honors multiple ways of knowing; where all forms of solutions are celebrated

Integrating Indigenous Knowledge

  • BC’s redesigned curriculum integrates Indigenous knowledge and perspectives throughout all areas of learning, one of which is math.

Check this document for implicit and explicit references to Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives throughout Mathematics for K -12.

  • The First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) has recently updated teacher resource guide titled “Math First Peoples” which support grades 8 and 9 teachers to extend their teaching practices to be more reflective of First Peoples realities
  • The Indigenous Knowledge & Mathematics Community of Practice has produced a series of videos that introduce mathematics through Indigenous Knowledge. The series includes exploring mathematics through the construction of knowledge, drumming, and the land.
  • A collection of math lessons from OISE Centre for Urban Studies that teach Math through aboriginal storytelling, oral legends, weaving, and games. Also included are lessons that embed social justice issues regarding First Nations.
  • An interesting way of weaving Metis weaving, Cost Salish artwork, Ojibwe poetry reading and talking sticks ceremonies into Mathematics course in an attempt to integrate Indigenous knowledge and pedagogy to enhance student learning and well being has been demonstrated by Petra Menz, a senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, at SFU. Check out this article for more details.

Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice

Teacher teaching math on a white boardSocial Justice Issues could be easily taught through Math.

  • Radical Math provides a guide on integrating issues of economic and social justice into the Mathematics curriculum. Check out this social justice topics chart created by Jonathen Osler, founder of Radical Math. The chart includes math topics and relevant social justice issues. Examples include linking graphs to incarcerations rates for different populations, or probability with racial profiling (exploring the probability that a traffic stop should be of a person of color.

Mathematics Apps

  • Explore room design apps to learn mathematics principles such as geometry and arithmetic through interior design projects.
  • Photomath is a math teaching app that provides solutions to math problems elaborating the steps to these solutions
  • PHET is an online repository of interactive simulations and lessons fro Science and Math classroom.
  • More ideas for Tech integration in your Math classroom could be found here.

Games

  • A variety of games that could help students better comprehend mathematics, on various concepts, from numbers and counting to decimals, fractions, graphs, money, and time, are included in this list.
  • Cool Math Games includes many online fun games that involve mathematical concepts that could be found here.

Guest Post: Nashwa Khedr, EDCP graduate student, project assistant 2020

Learning about and through Food: podcast resource post

Posted in 4-7, Active Learning, AppliedDesignSkillsTechnologies, Elementary & Middle Years, K-3, Learning Design & Planning, Physical and Health, Podcast, Resource | Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Food is an interdisciplinary concept that intertwines through a wide range of subjects: home economics, science, math, arts, and many more.

In Episode 5 of our recently launched Thinking outside the Sandbox podcast, Dr. Kerry Renwick, Dr. Susan Gerofsky, and Dr. Lorrie Miller share their ideas and experiences with respect to food and the development of interdisciplinary learning experiences.

Below are a few resources that might be used to support each of the main points discussed in this episode:

1. Home Economics and Interdisciplinarity

Dr. Kerry Renwick shares how the concept of food could be intertwined with biology, chemistry, as well as issues of race and class.

The topic of food could be used as an entry point to discuss many topics and disciplines. Various interdisciplinary food-related activities and lesson plans are available at Teach BC:

  • Our Animal Neighbours; this unit identifies how animals were and continue to be relied upon and an important part of the lives of First Peoples; furs and skins for clothing and shelter, meat for food, bone, and antler for tools and weapons, etc.
  • Forced from home; this unit explores refugees’ experience with finding food
  • Mock Advertisement: Sustainable Community Lesson Plan; introduces marketing and advertising tactics aimed at children and youth, including those involving food and supplements.

Other resources are available at Teach BC that teach about food in relation to other cultures and geographic regions.

2. Learning from and in School Gardens

Dr. Susan Gerofsky spoke of her experience of the UBC Orchard Gardens where teachers could experiment with teaching outdoors. Check the UBC Orchard garden blog for more ideas on teaching, learning, and growing in the outdoor classroom.

  • Growing your own food helps you eat fresh fruits and vegetables, helps you choose which fertilizers and pesticides come in contact with your food, and control when to harvest your food, thus having more nutrients in your garden-grown vegetables, as highlighted in this Harvard Health Letter.
  • Engage your students with gardening their food in the school garden, or in one of the nearby community gardens.
  • Encourage your students to learn about gardening through the various activities and lesson plans provided by Kids Gardening.
  • Another interesting interdisciplinary idea in relation to gardens would be to encourage students to share their inspirations and reflections through writing poems. Explore this learning experience with the garden as a co-teacher where teacher candidates wrote their poems from the garden.

3. Food Literacy

Dr. Kerry Renwick elaborated on “food literacy” highlighting topics as food choice and responsibility when buying food, as well as seasonality and harvesting options/decisions.

Food literacy is knowledge, attitudes, and skills about food. This includes understanding the connections between food, health, and wellbeing; knowing how to select nutritious foods; and understanding what constitutes a healthy diet, as explained by Healthy Schools BC.

4. Engaging with Aboriginal Knowledge and Understanding

Dr. Kerry Renwick spoke of the importance of incorporating Aboriginal ways of learning about food specifically on sustainable ways of dealing with food.

FNESC  (First Nations Education Steering Committee) provides various resources that highlight food in relation to First Nations Knowledge.

    • Science: Traditional Aboriginal cultures used natural resources for transportation, shelter, and food gathering.
    • Social Studies: Aboriginal peoples developed distinct foods, medicines, and clothing.
  • For Grades 5-9, there is a teacher resource guide titled  “Science First Peoples”, which highlights First Peoples’ connection to the land for food. Examples include:
    • Science grade 5: How does Traditional Knowledge about body systems help First Peoples prepare and store food for the winter?
    • Science grade 6: How does Traditional Knowledge about life cycles help First Peoples harvest food in their territories?
    • Science grade 7: How did/do First Peoples use their knowledge of organisms’ survival needs- including food-to modify the environment for harvesting? (e.g. clam gardens, controlled burning, herring roe harvesting ), as well as other resources and activities.

5. Creative ways for sustainable engagement with food consumption

Dr. Lorrie Miller spoke of creative ways to make use of food scraps, one of which is food dyes.

  • More ideas on creating natural dyes from food waste could be found here.
  • Review these tips on how to compost kitchen scraps.
  • Check this teacher’s guide by the Alameda County Waste Management Authority & Source Reduction and Recycling Board, San Leandro, California, for activities on how to bring compost into the classroom as a valuable teaching tool.
  • Inspiration on ways of growing vegetables from kitchen food scraps is available in this blogpost by the UBC Orchard Garden.

Guest Post: Nashwa Khedr, EDCP graduate student, project assistant 2020

Digital Citizenship Skills

Posted in Blog Posts, Elementary & Middle Years, Learning Design & Planning, Remote teaching & learning, Secondary | Tagged with , , , ,

In such unprecedented moments with more time spent online for learning platforms and surfing news, several skills are required by teachers and students to deal with the complex challenges emerging with the increased use of technology.

Digital Citizenship

  • Digital citizenship is concerned with creating empathetic, active, digital citizens who engage online respectfully, determine the validity of online sources, and using technology to amplify their voices to be heard by public leaders and shape public policy, as described by ISTE CEO.an image of a person sitting at a computer looking at the screen
  • Watch the talk by Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education, discussing the Do’s of digital citizenship.
  • ISTE develops standards for students to work in the technological landscape, one of which is related to digital citizenship.
  • According to ISTE, digital citizens recognize the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world and act in ways that are safe, legal, and ethical.
  • Watch ISTE digital citizenship series that includes i) digital footprint, ii) online behavior, iii) intellectual property, and iv) digital privacy.

Resources for teaching digital citizenship

  • A ‘go-to’ resource for teachers is MediaSmarts; Canada’s Centre for digital and media literacy, which includes digital and media literacy fundamentals linked to BC curriculum. MediaSmarts website includes lesson plans and resources to support learning design; searchable by specific provincial and territorial curriculum and also by topic, subject area and grade level.
  • CommonSense offers digital citizenship lesson plans to prepare students to take ownership of their digital lives, including topics on media balance and well being, privacy and security, digital footprint and identity, relationships and communication, cyberbullying, and news and media literacy.
  • Commonsense also provides credible primary and secondary research resources for students and kid-friendly news sites.
  • However, it is a good idea to encourage students to review and compare various news sources and analyze various narratives of one kind of news in order to help them build their Digital Literacy skills.

Interactive games for students

  • Digital Passport (provided by Commonsense) for Grades 3-5 that introduces 6 interactive games related to the use of safe and secure passwords, dangers of multitasking on cellphones, privacy issues when sharing online information, responding to cyberbullying,
  • Conducting effective research online
  • Digital Compass (provided by Commonsense) for grades 6-8, to learn the basics of digital citizenship through a game of 8 characters.
  • Educational games (provided by Media Smarts) that introduce children to key ideas in media and digital literacy

Connecting your class with students around the world

An interesting tool that allows students to put digital citizenship into practice is to set up penpals, Visit this blog post about Penpals schools to learn more about one opportunity. Penpal schools is an online platform that allows international students to connect with students across the globe to discuss global concerns.

A note about Online Safety

Engaging in authentic activities to help students develop their digital citizenship skills, can also support students in learning to engage in safer behaviours while online.  Included in digital citizenship, will be social media etiquette where students need to be aware of, and cautious to avoid. behaviours associated with cyberbullying, such as incitement of hatred, uttering threats, criminal harassment, sending false messages, etc. A few resources linked below:

  • Review the social media guidelines (links to external site) prepared by ERASE Student Advisory in BC for students, teachers, and school staff. 
  • A Surrey School District document titled “Digital Citizens and Social Media” highlights responsible use of information and Communications Technologies highlights the importance of safety, privacy, responsible online citizenship, as well as guidelines related to social networking, online publishing, file sharing, and mobile devices.
  • Privacy: Visit the Protecting your Students Privacy blogpost on the Scarfe Sandbox to learn more.

Literacies embedded within Digital Citizenship

Digital Literacy

The BC Digital Literacy Framework (links to a post within this blog) provides an overview of the digital literacy skills and strategies that teachers should try to incorporate in their classroom teaching.
MediaSmarts has developed a Digital Literacy Framework (external link) that classifies competencies for digital literacy into three main principles: use, create and understand. Skills fall under 7 key aspects of digital literacy: ethics and empathy, privacy and security, community engagement, digital health, consumer awareness, digital health, consumer awareness, finding and verifying, and making and remixing.

Media Literacy

Media literacy is about critically understanding the nature, techniques, and impacts of media messages and productions. Issues covered by media include body image, gender representation, diversity in media, intellectual property, marketing and consumerism, and violence. Several lessons and resources are provided by Media Smarts for teachers and parents to cover these topics. More details are provided here by Media Smarts on key concepts of media literacy and tips on integrating it in the classroom.

 

Guest Post: Nashwa Khedr, EDCP graduate student, project assistant 2020

 

Microsoft Teams

Posted in 4-7, 8-12, K-3, Not Subject Specific, Resource | Tagged with , , ,

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Microsoft Teams is a web communication tool that can be used to facilitate group chats and host meetings. In support of remote teaching and learning, Microsoft currently offers free access to Office 365 (including Teams) for students and teachers. This blog post will highlight specific features of Microsoft Teams and provide information on how to get started.

Some cool features of Microsoft Teams include:

  • Up to 250 participants in a private Teams meeting
  • Unlimited chat and search capabilities
  • Desktop and mobile apps available
  • Join a meeting from anywhere (e.g., Team Calling, Phone System, Calling Plan, Direct Routing Plan)
  • Build-in function to schedule meetings and audio/video calls
  • 10 GB of team file storage and 2 GB of personal file storage
  • Ability to share your screen, a file, a slideshow, and more
  • Background blur that can eliminate distractions and protect privacy
  • Seamless integration of content from Word Docs, PowerPoint, and Excel
  • Ability to coauthor and edit shared files in real-time
  • Education-specific features such as attendance report for teachers and raise-hand option for students

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What makes Microsoft Teams stand out from other web communication tools is its seamless integration of collaborative features such as group chats, team file storage, and the ability to edit shared files in real time. For teacher candidates and students, Microsoft Teams is more than just a space for online meetings but truly an online classroom that supports group collaboration and participation. With many students already using Word Docs and PowerPoint for school assignments, Microsoft Teams makes it easy for students to share files with group members/teachers and present their work virtually. As well, teachers are able to access the shared files and provide feedback directly.

“My experience using Microsoft Teams in my high school biology and chemistry classes significantly reduced the stress of thinking, listening, and taking notes at the same time. My teachers would add annotations and diagrams to the notes during class, and I could access the materials instantaneously and review them after class. Everything could be found in the class folder. ”

– Cindy Yu, project assistant 2020

Currently, Microsoft offers Office 365 Education (including access to Teams) for free to students and teachers with a valid school email address. As well, Microsoft regularly hosts online webinars that support new Teams users and even has a free online course “Transform Learning with Microsoft Teams” designed for educators like you!

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  1. Sign up for a free account here.
  2. Download Microsoft teams for your desktop or mobile devices.
  3. To explore features such as creating class teams and scheduling meetings, check out this detailed guide created by Microsoft Teams for Education.

*If you are a Teacher Candidate in the Faculty of Ed at UBC, you can sign up for our current #UBCBEd Team. I’ve set it up so you have the ability to administer the team and create channels, initiate meetings, chats, etc. A ‘sandbox space’ to play and learn or connect with one another. Please email scarfe.sandbox@ubc.ca if interested. You’ll need a UBC student email account to join.

How to use Microsoft Teams, a demo tutorial

 

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