This week in our EdTEch class we did another Ed Camp activity, this time using a software called Mural to put in our ideas and then vote on the ones we wanted to discuss. As a reminder, the idea behind Ed Camps is that the topics to be work-shopped are decided on by the participants as opposed to having predetermined topics spoken on by predetermined speakers. The best part about this idea, in my view, is that it allows you, as a participant, more say in what topics are going to be on the docket.

The topics that got voted up were having art classes online, gamification in the classroom, and coding in the classroom. There were also a few wild card topics which were the pros and cons of students using Grammarly, whether or not students should have homework, and using simulation software in the classroom. There were some interesting comments mentioned in many of the topics. For instance, I participated in the gamification in the classroom discussion. Some of the people in my group mentioned how a game strategy could be used where students have to work together on projects and then gain ‘points’ or rewards that can be used for special perks in class. A perk might be something like an exemption from having to take a test, or some other privilege that is earned by reaching a certain milestone, as in a video game. Another one of the discussions was about art and whether it could be moved online. One concern mentioned was that it may create a situation where certain students are excluded due to access issues due to being from a family that is in a lower socio-economic bracket. Also, the art classroom itself is a place where many people feel relaxed and comfortable because of the freedoms and expressions that such a classroom allows, something that is not always present in other classroom spaces.

On the whole, I find the concept of Ed Camps useful and feel that this strategy could be used in virtually any classroom. By its very nature, it allows for a student-centric approach where the learners are given more agency over what they study, what they learn about and what they discuss. However, I do think that a certain amount of structure is necessary as I can see looseness of it being abused by some students who just want to jerk around. It seems to me that this would be good for an opening week of a class as a team-building exercise, or perhaps during a week where you just wanted students to engage with one another without the pressure of doing assignments or tests. I do see it being useful for a possible team assignment though, as students are able to record ideas in Mural from their devices, which gives the chance for both formative and even summative assessment.

Ways to Honour Questions in the Classroom by Trevor Mackenzie

One more thing we were shown was using Google Earth as a way to simulate an experience. These days, Google Earth is so detailed that it really allows you to be transported into another country, city or place, with free movement and even the topography visible for you to see. I linked it above for anyone interested in checking it out.

Finally, another interesting thing that I related to was the idea of using science fiction in the classroom as a way to get students using their imagination. So much of the sci-fi I’ve read from previous decades attempts to imagine what the future is going to look like, oftentimes accurately foreshadowing or even inspiring actual technology that we now have. Giving student a writing assignment in which they have to imagine what schools would look like in 2050, or how we will communicate in the future are fantastic ways to encourage both creativity and writing skills. I look forward to being able to incorporate something like this into one of my classrooms.

With only one week remaining in this course, this will likely be my last reflection post. I found this exercise of reflecting on each class every week fairly useful as I will be able to look back on it and be reminded of some of the great tools and ideas that can be included in the classroom. Hopefully more great tips and ideas like this will be presented to us to help build up our toolbox of teaching techniques, strategies and software that can be used for young learners who will certainly be engaging with technology throughout their future jobs, careers, and personal lives.