Summer Session Reflection
Looking Back
“There is no such thing as education technology, but rather technology that can be repurposed for educational value.” Of all the things that were said during the summer, this one struck me as the “stickiest” and I think it has super-glue long term stickiness. Whether it’s software, hardware or somewhere in between, it’s about taking what is already out there and tailoring it to your needs in the classroom. This summer, we were able to work (although “play” seems more apt) with our surface and phones, and we used apps like stop-motion studio and moviemaker to create and twitter, facebook, google-drive, and our website to broadcast our stuff. At first I did not recognize yet, but as the days continued I realized that it was intentional that we used several different platforms to broadcast our work. This allows me to see the benefits of each, if I were to use these in a classroom.
I recall the format of a “quickfire” challenge. We were given a task to complete in our group, often using a new app and working within the realms of math and science. As I recall the process, I was struck by how easy it is to create content using a smartphone and then share it on twitter, facebook, etc. It doesn’t take that long! Obviously there is a lot of planning that goes into making it, but I remember we filmed a 1 min clip of Mike Ng taking about water flow next to a water fountain and from that 1 min, we can begin a discussion about volume, energy, cost savings vs. bottled water etc. In another example, we created a stop-motion video (it was really a gif, given the frame rate). While definitely more tedious than the video, it was still approachable. I recall the format of the “extra-spicy” challenge, wherein we see if we can include an additional feature to the project. This was a great way to engage me, the guy who wants to finish something with a little bit more than perhaps some other groups.
“Teaching is less of a scripted activity than a sketch-improv activity.” I had been thinking that there must be a way to take out the rigid, entirely scripted model which exists; the improv reading and activities were a wonderful change of pace in the middle of our summer session. I appreciated the partner and group activities, and I felt a freedom to explore, but the framework kept me from going too far out. I also couldn’t think too far in advance, because I wasn’t sure what the other person was going to say. At the same time, I needed to think creatively and positively so that the discussion could continue. For my Amazing Stem demo, I gave my group a small preview of my lesson, with the rice on a chessboard as exponential growth, but the improv framework made me think about the real stickiness of this rice comes from the discussion and comparison to other objects.
Looking Forward
I’ve been thinking about incorporating technology in the classroom, and the TPACK is at the forefront of my mind. How can I integrate technology into my class in an organic way? I’ve spent some time thinking about this for my ImagineIT and DeepPlay work and I will include some format where students can broadcast their work to the class and even the public. I’m not yet sure what format to use, but the amazing thing is that I have now several different ways to broadcast work and am prepared to pose the options to my class.
I am creating a new math class that will start in the fall, which is considerably daunting because it is entirely from scratch, but I feel inspired by the activities we worked on this year. I especially like the note-taking framework for the AmazingStem activity. It did feel a bit tedious in parts, but the constructive criticism and “yes, and…” philosophy really created a space where I should share and listen. I plan to incorporate elements of that into my classroom next year. As a student writes up a proof for a HW assignment, I make a copy of it to give to another student, and I can carve out time and space in class for the students to offer constructive criticism before they turn in their “final draft.” Clearly this can’t happen for every single proof on a HW assignment, but it is something I can work in.
As always during the less hectic summer months, I take a moment to reflect on the new content that I can include. In fact, it’s starting me right in the face! During the summer, we emphasized taking pictures and documenting the world around us. We found letters in ordinary structures, and we wondered at the ordinary and extra-ordinary. Now, when I see something interesting, especially if it is mathematical, my impulse is to document and share it. I was walking down the hall in my house and I noticed that I could see inside my bedroom (door at the end of the hall, on the right at a 90o angle) through the hallway mirror. I took a picture of it and posted it on twitter #reflect. I think it would be a great picture to just post to my geometry class and simply ask, “What do you see?”, and then hopefully that can scaffold into a discussion about reflections, mirrors, etc.
As we continue into the fall, I’ll finish with the final Winston quote: “It is not the end, nor is it the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning.” We finished our beginning summer work, and now I think about how to incorporate the DeepPlay into my classroom and put my ImagineIT plan into action. I’m looking forward to what my advanced math class will look like, and I hope my experiences this year will drive me to continuously improve the plan and think of ways that it can be implemented in my less advanced math classes. I appreciate interacting with a network of teachers that share similar goals and look forward to meeting again after the start of the school year.
“There is no such thing as education technology, but rather technology that can be repurposed for educational value.” Of all the things that were said during the summer, this one struck me as the “stickiest” and I think it has super-glue long term stickiness. Whether it’s software, hardware or somewhere in between, it’s about taking what is already out there and tailoring it to your needs in the classroom. This summer, we were able to work (although “play” seems more apt) with our surface and phones, and we used apps like stop-motion studio and moviemaker to create and twitter, facebook, google-drive, and our website to broadcast our stuff. At first I did not recognize yet, but as the days continued I realized that it was intentional that we used several different platforms to broadcast our work. This allows me to see the benefits of each, if I were to use these in a classroom.
I recall the format of a “quickfire” challenge. We were given a task to complete in our group, often using a new app and working within the realms of math and science. As I recall the process, I was struck by how easy it is to create content using a smartphone and then share it on twitter, facebook, etc. It doesn’t take that long! Obviously there is a lot of planning that goes into making it, but I remember we filmed a 1 min clip of Mike Ng taking about water flow next to a water fountain and from that 1 min, we can begin a discussion about volume, energy, cost savings vs. bottled water etc. In another example, we created a stop-motion video (it was really a gif, given the frame rate). While definitely more tedious than the video, it was still approachable. I recall the format of the “extra-spicy” challenge, wherein we see if we can include an additional feature to the project. This was a great way to engage me, the guy who wants to finish something with a little bit more than perhaps some other groups.
“Teaching is less of a scripted activity than a sketch-improv activity.” I had been thinking that there must be a way to take out the rigid, entirely scripted model which exists; the improv reading and activities were a wonderful change of pace in the middle of our summer session. I appreciated the partner and group activities, and I felt a freedom to explore, but the framework kept me from going too far out. I also couldn’t think too far in advance, because I wasn’t sure what the other person was going to say. At the same time, I needed to think creatively and positively so that the discussion could continue. For my Amazing Stem demo, I gave my group a small preview of my lesson, with the rice on a chessboard as exponential growth, but the improv framework made me think about the real stickiness of this rice comes from the discussion and comparison to other objects.
Looking Forward
I’ve been thinking about incorporating technology in the classroom, and the TPACK is at the forefront of my mind. How can I integrate technology into my class in an organic way? I’ve spent some time thinking about this for my ImagineIT and DeepPlay work and I will include some format where students can broadcast their work to the class and even the public. I’m not yet sure what format to use, but the amazing thing is that I have now several different ways to broadcast work and am prepared to pose the options to my class.
I am creating a new math class that will start in the fall, which is considerably daunting because it is entirely from scratch, but I feel inspired by the activities we worked on this year. I especially like the note-taking framework for the AmazingStem activity. It did feel a bit tedious in parts, but the constructive criticism and “yes, and…” philosophy really created a space where I should share and listen. I plan to incorporate elements of that into my classroom next year. As a student writes up a proof for a HW assignment, I make a copy of it to give to another student, and I can carve out time and space in class for the students to offer constructive criticism before they turn in their “final draft.” Clearly this can’t happen for every single proof on a HW assignment, but it is something I can work in.
As always during the less hectic summer months, I take a moment to reflect on the new content that I can include. In fact, it’s starting me right in the face! During the summer, we emphasized taking pictures and documenting the world around us. We found letters in ordinary structures, and we wondered at the ordinary and extra-ordinary. Now, when I see something interesting, especially if it is mathematical, my impulse is to document and share it. I was walking down the hall in my house and I noticed that I could see inside my bedroom (door at the end of the hall, on the right at a 90o angle) through the hallway mirror. I took a picture of it and posted it on twitter #reflect. I think it would be a great picture to just post to my geometry class and simply ask, “What do you see?”, and then hopefully that can scaffold into a discussion about reflections, mirrors, etc.
As we continue into the fall, I’ll finish with the final Winston quote: “It is not the end, nor is it the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning.” We finished our beginning summer work, and now I think about how to incorporate the DeepPlay into my classroom and put my ImagineIT plan into action. I’m looking forward to what my advanced math class will look like, and I hope my experiences this year will drive me to continuously improve the plan and think of ways that it can be implemented in my less advanced math classes. I appreciate interacting with a network of teachers that share similar goals and look forward to meeting again after the start of the school year.