Teach and Learn in a Digital World 2023
I’m kicking off my Spring Break with a roadtrip to Regina to take in the Teach & Learn in a Digital World Conference! Hosted by the University of Regina Faculty of Education, this 3-day hybrid event is designed to, “equip you with the knowledge, skills and confidence to implement digital skills in your classroom.” I am attending as both a participant and presenter and want to extend my thanks to Dr. Ehsan Akbari for asking me to join!
The following post is a summary of my experiences:
Masters of Makerspaces: Perspectives from Teachers in the Field
“Join us for a panel presentation with Kelly Christopherson, Dean Vendramin, Amy Singh, and Judson Trenholm. All four of these individuals have experience with using technology in the field of educations are eager to share their takeaways. Learn how they got started, challenges they’ve overcome, and how the integration of technology has transformed their classrooms. There will be an opportunity for a Q & A at the end of the session.”
https://sites.google.com/view/teach-learn/home?authuser=0
I was really looking forward to this session purely based on the fact that Kelly and Dean have lived in my Twitter feed for a number of years (Kelly was even part of a Follow Friday post in 2021). It was fascinating to me to hear about the panels’ experience with tech integration from a variety of perspectives: classroom teacher, divisional lead, administrator. I also find it interesting to see the differences in funding and tech availability between Manitoba and Saskatchewan, as well as the curricular focuses.
A lot of the suggestions and ideas that were shared aligned with my experiences which I’ve summarized on a previous post: Coding and Makerspaces in MVSD.
Digital Art in the Classroom
Amy Brandt: “In this session, digital art in the classroom, we will be talking about digital pens and the program sketchbook pro. We will be going through the program and discussing the importance of digital arts within classrooms.“
https://sites.google.com/view/teach-learn/home?authuser=0
I actually had a hard time deciding what I wanted to attend during this time slot as there was also a Micro:bit session being offered at the same time. Both sessions with in-person options advertised that they would have FREE tech to give away and I know that Micro:bits are popular in our division and love having them to share with our staff. However, I have attended numerous sessions on this topic in the past.
Digital art is a topic that is new to me and, frankly, makes me uncomfortable. So, naturally, it was the session I needed to attend!
Amy walked us through the Sketchbook app which is available on:
Sketchbook is FREE, accessible, and offers great features (see video below). We also got a great stylus to take home with us!
After spring break I will be pushing out Sketchbook to our divisional tablets!
Get to Know the Tech: Vex Robotics (EYES)
“Have you ever heard of Vex Robots? This session is best suited for high school educators because you will be exploring the Vex IQ robots! Vex IQ is based on plastic, snap-together pieces specifically designed to build highly functional robots. This session will explore various engineering design principles including mechanical advantages and computational thinking. Vex IQ incorporates digital skills by learning how to power, remotely operate, and code your robot. You can code Vex bots with Block, Python, or C++ Coding! During the session you will get to explore not only the Vex IQ robots but also our Vex EXP robots!“
https://sites.google.com/view/teach-learn/home?authuser=0
Hosted by EYES (Educating Youth in Engineering and Science) this hands-on session introduced us to the Vex 2nd Generation IQ robotics kits and had us completing a Castle Crash challenge!
Vex offers a Teacher Resources page that features tutorials, lesson plans, detailed implementation guides, and much more.
For those that aren’t ready to invest in the hands-on element of Vex, they offer a VR playground for users to program and play for FREE with a virtual robot.
I think that a Vex kit would be a great addition to our MAETL Lending Library! I also plan on sharing more about the VR option during April’s National Robotics Week.
Minecraft in the Classroom
“In this presentation, Dean will highlight the many ways that Minecraft Education Edition can be incorporated into the classroom, share examples of student work, and provide an overview of some of the special tools and tips inside the game. “
https://sites.google.com/view/teach-learn/home?authuser=0
This session provided a general introduction to Minecraft EDU including some of the features and examples from Dean’s experiences at the high school level and as an esports supervisor.
Dean does a fantastic job of curating and sharing resources through his Twitter account and blog. His blog has both the slides that were shared today as well as a TROVE of further resources to help get you started; you should for sure check it out!
Sense the Excitement: Using Scratch & Phidgets to Create (EYES)
“What are Phidgets? They got their name because these devices are technically called “Physical Widgets.” A widget is anything that is an extremely complex software, but makes each component presented in a simple way. However, the name “Physical Widget” isn’t very catchy so they got the nickname Phidgets! Phidgets are building-blocks for sensing and control using a computer, tablet, or phone. They let you use your software application to interact with the physical world! Typically, schools use Phidgets to introduce students to programming, electronics, and robotics as early as grade eight! In this session, you will have the chance to play around with fidgets and explore the various sensors they have! “
https://sites.google.com/view/teach-learn/home?authuser=0
Hosted by EYES (Educating Youth in Engineering and Science) this hands-on session introduced us to the Phidgets and their integration into Scratch. We were then guided through a space invader-style game!
Through the Phidgets network you can access:
They also offer classroom bundles that are quite accessible!
The following are the notes and slides to accompany my sessions:
Don’t Get Ticked – It’s Just Tik Tok
“TikTok is one of the fastest-rising social media platforms, with the average Canadian user spending over 22 hours on the app every month. But what do educators need to know, and does it have potential for the classroom? This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the TikTok Terms of Service, features, and potential classroom use so educators can stay informed. “
https://sites.google.com/view/teach-learn/home?authuser=0
This session was modified from a presentation I shared at February’s BYTE Conference to showcase Saskatchewan content creators and align with a shorter presentation time.
Dont Get Ticked - Its Just TikTok - UofRTeachLearn by Kirsten Cali
Tent Talk – The Slippery Slope Between Technology as Novelty & Technology as Critically Integrated Tools in Teaching & Learning
“A conversation between Kathryn Ricketts, Ehsan Akbari and Kirsten Thompson on lawn chairs in a tent! This is broadcast live and can be joined on Zoom.
This talk series hosts dynamic conversations with chosen themes/issues around teaching and learning, in a tent on lawn chairs. Controversial topics in teaching and learning are discussed between two people with a third person who keeps the ball rolling! Going inside a tent, just as we did when we were kids with homemade forts, becomes a catalyst for bold and thoughtful conversations. The tent provides an environment that is both private and cozy and yet public with the live broadcast to the conference community.
This particular conversation is between two people Ehsan Akbari and Kirsten Thompson who both work full time in the educative realm with Digital Literacies and Digital Citizenship. We will be exploring the slippery slope between technology as novelty and technology as critically integrated tools in teaching and learning. We will ask questions such as when does it become sloppy, hurtful and dangerous and when does it become a means to enhancing curiosity and rich healthy inquiry. “
https://sites.google.com/view/teach-learn/home?authuser=0
My understanding is that this session was recorded. If made available to the public, I will update this post with our session recording.
Great overview of the weekend. There was so much ‘amazingness’. Thank you for sharing your passion it shines through your presentation and conversations. 👍
Tech has become a great enabler, but largely the intuition behind the education for children remains the same. Teaching children to inquire is a fundamental tenet in everything we do. This enables them to learn about the world in an effective manner. Introducing Coding and STEM to children remains very important and the benefits of this will be seen in the next decade. Institutes like Code.org, UnicMinds, and Junilearning are helping in early block based coding classes for kids across the world. Eager to be in touch around Ontario and understand more about these initiatives.