Planning and Studying Tips throughout your BEd. Program

Posted in Blog Posts, Learning Design & Planning, Not Subject Specific | Tagged with planning, study, studying

Congratulations!

You made it to the Bed program, and you have made it through a busy two months!

You have probably got a sense of the weekly tasks and potential study routine(s).

Since the start of the BEd. program, we (peer mentors) have had several discussions with teacher candidates about study tips for the Bed program, so we thought of sharing these.

1. Plan ahead of time

It is easy to get caught up in overthinking about a “big” assignment that is due in two weeks, getting ready for tomorrow’s class, thinking of housekeeping tasks, and at the same time, feeling I am just tired, I wish I could have a break.

Planning ahead helps keep our busy minds calm and focused on the current task in hand:

1. Look at your current class schedule, and highlight ‘free time slots’ that you could dedicate to do ‘deep work‘ such as doing class readings or working on an assignment.
  Take into account other tasks such as lunch breaks, commute time, family/social time, and free time to unwind.
  These time slots could be in the early mornings, between classes, or after classes on weekdays, or on the weekend.
2. Look at each course and consider its ‘weekly workload‘, that is the nature of its readings and assignments. Have an estimate guess when you could possibly work on it. This could be the day before class, on a weekend, or on a weekday that has late classes or few number of classes. Jot down on your schedule the task for each ‘deep work’ time slot.
3. Consider the ‘deadlines‘ of big projects/assignments, and think of the time needed to prepare for them. This could be a long time slot on a weekend, or a dedicated weekly time slot.

2. Stay focused on the task at hand!

Now that you have an outline of working hours throughout the week and month, don’t overthink about upcoming deadlines, since you have these scheduled in your plan. Instead, only think and work on that task during its dedicated time slot. Make sure not be distracted by social media when working on a particular task.

3. Know your peak learning/productivity time

Some of us are early birds waking up early, others are night owls staying up late at night. Some of us prefer to have an unwinding routine before working, others would like to start with the big tasks and relax in the afternoon. Whatever it is, know you preferred work style, and stay attuned to it.

4. Find your ‘preferred’ working spot

student studying at a desk in the library stacks

Find your preferred spot where you could focus the best, that could be at a certain library on campus, a certain café, or at home. (For example, I have found that I tend to focus the best when I am at the Chapmans Learning Commons, at IKB, where students from different disciplines work quietly for long hours)

5. Take breaks

Take breaks whenever you feel are needed and make the most of the time in between. Beyond class times, there are many moments of walking and socializing that could be rejuvenating and refreshing. Enjoy these moments!

6. Allow for Flexibility and Spontaneity

It feels nice to be in control of your schedule, yet this is not always the case. We all have bad days or days when we feel drained. I tend to listen to my body, if I need a rest or feel like doing something else, I could skip that task, do something entertaining and schedule another slot for the task I missed. I know that this break will actually refresh me and help me do better.

7. Use Audio-to-text apps to help with readings

If you would like to listen to some of your class readings on your commute or during a walk, try these audio-to-text option, for example, Natural Reader.

We hope these tips are helpful! Please share with us any other tips that you have been doing in the past and have found useful!

Guest Post: Nashwa Khedr, EDCP graduate student, peer mentor 2023

Design Thinking & ADST

Posted in 4-7, 8-12, AppliedDesignSkillsTechnologies, Blog Posts, engSTEAM, Learning Design & Planning, Not Subject Specific, Secondary | Tagged with ADST, applied skills, curriculum, design, design challenge, design challenges, design thinking, makerspace, sandbox session

Design Thinking is a series of steps that can help people understand the nature of a problem, then consider and test solutions. These steps are part of a cyclical process: the proposed solution may not solve the problem, and then participants will have to go back to earlier steps and work their way through again. Although Design Thinking can be easily embedded in any Applied Design Skills and Technologies (ADST) project, from start to finish, it can be used as a way to think about problem-solving in any subject or classroom.

BC’s newest K-9 curriculum is Applied Design Skills and Technologies. It is interesting to consider the opportunities for teachers to integrate “STEAM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math), Makerspace, computational thinking (including coding) and entrepreneurship in their teaching, and Design Thinking fits perfectly with inquiry-based projects and hand-on learning. To learn more about the ADST curriculum, please visit the related post on our Scarfe Sandbox Blog.

The Steps

To get students thinking about the entire design process for ADST, from beginning to end, teachers can implement a Design Thinking framework. Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving and solution creation. It’s used widely by companies to promote innovation and develop new products. There are 5 standard steps:

Emphasize – try to understand the need
Define – clarify the problem
Ideate – generate lots of ideas
Prototype – build the solution you think might work
Test – see if the prototype solves the problem

For more information, you can check out Stanford University’s Introduction to Design Thinking: Process Guide

Reverse Ideation

Teachers can also encourage students to try Reverse Ideation, which can help to stimulate creative thinking and get students generating ideas from a fresh approach. In Reverse Ideation, students will try to make the problem worse. This approach can take the pressure off of students from having to find the perfect solution and can get ideas flowing (it can also be a fun way to break the ice and get students talking and connecting with each other). Once the worst ideas are out, that can free students to think about possible solutions, using the worst ideas as a starting point. Check out this blog post for an example of what Reverse Ideation can look like in practice.

Reverse Ideation in Action! “How to prepare for practicum: worst ideas only”

At a recent Scarfe Foyer session, teacher candidates had the chance to try out Reverse Ideation to help them prepare for their upcoming short practicum.

We set up a white board with our question: “How to Prepare for Practicum? Worst Ideas Only!” We provided white board markers, as well as post-it notes, and asked TC’s to generate ideas. This is a set-up that’s easily replicable in a classroom using whatever materials are on hand, such as chart paper, white/black boards, post-it notes on desks, etc. The unconventional approach to this topic, preparing for practicum, generated a lot of interest and discussion.

Greta, Lindsay and Nashwa host a Scarfe foyer session about reverse ideation and design thinking. Greta writes an idea on the whiteboard.

Greta, Nashwa and Lindsay host a Scarfe Foyer Session.

Edited by Peer Mentor Lindsay Cunningham (Ph.D. student, EDCP), October 2023

Multimedia Creation: Video Editing and Screen Casting

Posted in multimedia creation, Not Subject Specific, Post Secondary, Resource, Video & Video Tutorials | Tagged with equipment, explainer video, FIPPA, kaltura, media housing, media literacy, multimedia, practicum, recording, Teacher Use, video creation

(Way back…) in 1996, the New London Group postulated that “literacy pedagogy now must account for the burgeoning variety of text forms associated with information and multimedia technologies”

Spring ahead a few decades and it is clear that multiliteracy, including the ability to create multimedia has an increasingly essential place in today’s world. Today, multimodal texts generally refer to media that combine two or more modes: audio, visual, textual and even kinesthetic or sensorial. A multimodal creation may be digital but it also might be a play or other artwork or creation in the ‘real’ world. In the digital realm, I would include emerging media such as augmented and virtual reality as multimodal works. You might find this post from an earlier Make Create Innovate session at UBC-V in Fall 2019 of interest. Or this post on digital storytelling. Both include links to several tools you might use with students as they (and you) create media!

Below are some selected resources and tutorials to help in your (or your students) efforts to develop fluency!

Remember, a good piece of media relies upon a solid plan! UBC Studios has developed some comprehensive resources to support planning including storyboarding, location scouting and production.

Creating your Video:

Thanks to a partnership with the UBC Education Library, the Teacher Education Office is able to offer access to some excellent equipment to support video creation and hybrid teaching. Teacher Candidates, Instructors and Staff can borrow from the variety of equipment available. Below are some ‘quick start guides’ for each of the tools on loan (logitech Brio webcam, OSBOT tracking cam and mic, Lavalier mic, Voice amplifier and Yeti microphone). *They also have a variety of dongles on loan including USB to USB-C.

Video Editing:

Camtasia

It is perfect for explainer videos and can be used to create any kind of video montage. As a UBC student, faculty or staff, you can have access to this robust yet fairly accessible editing and screen recording software. Camtasia allows you to capture video on your screen, import video, images, audio and do some editing to create your own video or montage. Features include adding ‘call outs’ or annotations such as arrows, boxes, text. On the Scarfe Digital Sandbox, we have a set of instructions to support you in downloading a licensed copy of Camtasia as well as a link to an assignment in which students created their own ‘explainer videos’ using Camtasia. This post includes a screen shot tutorial showing basic features that will help you get started. TechSmith, the maker of Camtasia, has its own youtube channel with many comprehensive video tutorials. Visit TechSmith’s website for a full set of video tutorials and resources. For those who prefer a paper handout – here is a pdf quick start guide shared via the Faculty of Ed’s own Ed Tech Support Unit.

Video Editing Software

iMovie and MovieMaker

Both are popular video editing softwares. The makers of each of these products have many tutorial resources available on their websites. Penn State also has a collection of iMovie and Final Cut tutorials worth checking out.

Viva Video

It is a free mobile video editor, it has easy drag and drop interface and one touch tools make this perfect for quick editing, video creation and sharing in the field! ShowMe and Explain Everything are excellent free options for ‘digital whiteboard’ productions by students of all ages (yes, even grades K and one!).

Housing and sharing your video:

Sharing video to Youtube or Teachertube and embedding on a website or sharing via URL is an efficient way to share video with others. Sometimes, however, we do not want to make content available in these platforms. In particular, when working with students, Canadian data housing and FIPPA compliance are essential.

Kaltura:

As UBC Faculty, Staff or Students, you have the option of using Kaltura – a UBC housed video platform. Using Kaltura, you can upload (apparently!) unlimited video content. This platform is also connected directly with our Learning Management System, Canvas, so an efficient use of time when creating and sharing video or lecture capture in a course. You can create your own channels, upload private or public video, share video with individuals or channels and even embed publicly on a website, a learning management system (like Canvas), in a tweet or instagram post depending on the privacy settings you select. You can edit, narrate and annotate video you upload and even share and comment on videos within a channel. One of my favourite features is adding ‘pause and reflect’ points in videos using the ‘quiz’ tool. To get started, login using your CWL to https://learning.video.ubc.ca/

Login:

Upload Media:

Share Via URL:

Add Timestamped Comments:

Set Permissions:

CLAS:

The Collaborative Learning Annotation System allows the sharing and annotation of video content. This platform is perfect for remote observation or viewing of micro-teaching. For example: One person can upload video of themselves teaching, make comments, annotations or add ‘call outs’ highlighting specific aspects of the video. Another (or anyone this video is shared with) can then make their own comments and annotations. These comments can appear in the video timeline, making it very clear to what aspect of the video or portion of the video is being commented on. This platform grew out of a TLEF (teaching learning enhancement fund grant) and has become a very robust and relatively user friendly environment that is also secure, FIPPA compliant and UBC housed! To get started, you will need an ‘instance’ created. UBC Faculty of Ed staff and faculty can contact Educational Technology Support (ETS) for information. To support use with Teacher Candidates and Faculty Advisors in the BEd program, we have consulted with school districts and have agreements including guidance documents and consent forms in place in most Coast Metro school districts. Please speak with your FA and contact Yvonne Dawydiak, Learning Design Manager, yvonne.dawydiak@ubc.ca or your Practicum Coordinator for more information and to have your secure, private CLAS instance ‘activated’. Access is via your CWL. Watch a video to learn more about CLAS.

References:

The New London Group (1996) A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies: Designing Social Futures. Harvard Educational Review: April 1996, Vol. 66, No. 1, pp. 60-93.
https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.66.1.17370n67v22j160u

Space Exploration Resources (K-12)

Posted in 4-7, 8-12, Active Learning, Elementary & Middle Years, K-3, Resource, sciSTEAM, Secondary, techSTEAM | Tagged with apps, OER; open educational resource, planning resources, space

Many students are fascinated by outer space and space exploration. Understanding our planet, solar system, galaxy, and beyond is part of the BC Curriculum for science at several different grade levels, including objects in the sky at grade 1, the earth’s orbit in grade 4, and tides and eclipses in Earth Sciences 11, among others.

Educational Resources:

The Canadian Space Agency has lots of resources (in both French and English) for teachers, including printable materials, hands-on experiments and activities, and digital games and resources. A couple of highlights include instructions to build your own projector for watching solar eclipses safely and a lesson about designing astronaut patches that would be a great community building activity.
If you’re looking for videos to support learning about space, The Kids Should See This is an award-winning website of curated videos (ad-free) with hundreds of searchable videos separated by subject areas.
Let’s Talk Science has a number of ongoing projects that classes can join by collecting, recording, and uploading their own data related to space research.
Students can explore the surface of Mars via Access Mars. This is a VR experience using data collected from NASA’s Curiosity Rover.
NASA offers many resources for educators, such as a daily moon guide experience and a number of interdisciplinary activities, like the Pi in the Sky activity (math + science).

Apps:

Apps can be a great way to integrate tech into science classes. For example, Star Walk 2 allows users to view constellations (images paired with stars) anywhere in the world, in the past, present or future.
The NASA app offers videos, information about missions, and a live-feed from the International Space Station.

Guest post by Peer Mentor Lindsay Cunningham (Ph.D. student, EDCP), October 2023.

Place-Based Learning: using your senses and digital tools as you experience nature

Posted in Blog Posts, Digital & Media Literacy, Learning Design & Planning, mathSTEAM, Not Subject Specific, Open Educational Resources, Remote teaching & learning, sciSTEAM, techSTEAM | Tagged with C2C, conference, inaturalist, mapping, outdoor learning, place-based, Seek, STEAM

Hybrid Approaches to Facilitating High-Impact Experiences

With the global pandemic, teachers are being challenged to teach online, face-to-face or both. The current situation, in addition to shifting practices in education over the past decade or more, causes us to wonder:

How can we virtually facilitate high-impact, place-based learning experiences with our students? What practices might be most effective and which tools can support these approaches?

In an online and outdoor workshop session facilitated by: Dr. Patrick Robertson, Teresa Rowley & Yvonne Dawydiak as part of the Classroom to Communities (C2C) conference on October 23, 2020, we connected with nearby places and people around us in search of a balance of practices. We hoped you enjoyed the session and thank you for your participation in our activities and for sharing your ideas.

Below are resources from our session*.

PBL in a Pandemic Field Experience Resource Package.docx
Activities adapted from: Get Outdoors, An Educator’s Guide to Outdoor Classrooms, written & compiled by Sue Staniforth. (purchase: https://www.hctfeducation.ca/product/get-outdoors/ or View the Sample Resource: http://www.metrovancouver.org/events/school-programs/K12publications/GetOutdoors.pdf )
Jamboard (pdf and link posted following the session)
Learn more about Jamboard and alternative ‘digital whiteboard style‘ applications.
Our Collaborative Map: https://c2c2020.opened.ca/ was set up using a template developed as part of an open source apps community. IF you’re at all familiar with WordPress, you’ll find setting one up fairly intuitive. If not, I’m working on some instructions as a more ‘step by step’ set up and will post here when ready.
OpenETC Free Range Ed Tech: The FIPPA compliant interactive map we used is just one of the amazing open source technologies created by this dedicated community of volunteers made up of learning technologists, designers and educators from all levels. To access and make a copy of your own map, you will need to set up an OpenETC account and then access the ‘Clone Zone’ area of the site where you’ll find a variety of templates you can clone (including the Map – Toolset Mapping Master Template). Once there, you’ll be prompted to sign in or register for an account before cloning and setting up your own map. *Watch for some step by step instructions coming soon! A note: this is part of an open, volunteer run and under-funded project so having a plan B is valuable but also please ensure you’re respectful when asking for help or improvements.

iNaturalist: a citizen science app to support crowd sourcing ID in the field. An amazing bi-product of this application is the development of a large database of images available for research. Or try Seek by iNaturalist with your students to support ID – fairly simple interface: the Seek camera will draw from observations posted by members of the iNaturalist community to try to ID the photo. You can even scan the environment for common species of plant, birds, amphibians, insects!
LeafSnap is a free app created by the Canadian Wildlife Federation that allows you to learn to ID trees by their leaves, flowers and seeds.
Plantsnap was developed as a collaboration with several non-profits along with SnapChat that helps you ID plants by taking a photo and getting instant feedback. Their goal is to map out the world’s plants.
iPhone and iPad users can use the Visual Look Up feature to use Siri’s AI to identify plants, insects, landmarks, and more in pictures they have taken. You’ll need to update your device to the latest iOS. To start, open a picture on your camera, press the Visual Look Up button (‘i’ in a circle with stars on the left), then press Look Up and it will offer ideas based on a web comparison of images.
Using the Museum of Vancouver’s Indigenous Plant Guide, you can hear and learn the Squamish and hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ words for a variety of plants that are native to BC.

*We will post a complete set of workshop resources here, including collating links, ideas and questions from the chat following the session.

About the presenters:
Teresa Rowley
Teresa is an outdoor learning teacher with North Vancouver School District, and an adjunct teaching professor and faculty advisor working with teacher candidates in the Education for Sustainability cohort at UBC. Definitely not a techie, Teresa has been ruminating on simple ways educators can utilize technology to enhance place-based learning experiences.
Patrick Robertson
Patrick is a teacher educator and educational consultant working collaboratively with a wide range of partners in B.C. and Canada. He teaches in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia and is a director of various community organizations focused on place, sustainability, social justice, climate and the environment. Patrick is the current Chair of the Classrooms to Communities Education Network.
Yvonne Dawydiak
Originator and Editor of this blog, Yvonne is a long time teacher passionate about taking learning outside the confines of the classroom – both ‘in place’ and ‘virtually’. As a Teacher Educator and Masters of Educational Technology graduate, Yvonne is currently the Learning Design Manager in Teacher Education at UBC helping to support faculty and teacher candidates in effectively integrating 21st Century approaches including digital technology integration for face-to-face, online and remote learning contexts.