Learning objective...
For this project, we wanted to:
Follow the steps of a multi-step recipe
Create an edible product (perogies) that we had never made before
Implement the project as a team
Assignment #3 Inquiry Presentations - Peer Critique *Comment on strengths *Constructive criticism Mahi - 1. Great visual presentation. I really liked the flow of the photos. Very professional appearance! 2. Some text was a bit hard to read, so perhaps use a darker font when there is a light background? Wendy - 1. Liked the comparison of different recipes. Great idea! Allows the learner to make a choice that will work for them. 2. Not having samples! :) Amanda - 1. Very detailed presentation. I liked how she linked back to the feelings and emotions of her students. 2. No butter with the biscuits! :) Jerrylynn 1. Liked how she explained complex concepts by using familiar terms/ideas (e.g. photography terms related to anatomy of the eye). 2. Some photos were a bit hard to see, so perhaps make them a bit bigger? Sajjad 1. The screen captures were really impressive. 2. More photos or graphics at the beginning would be helpful. Perhaps seeing each of the different operating systems on a Prezi?. Cara 1. Liked how she tried a variety of Powerpoint 'tricks'. There were several tricks that I had never seen or were not aware of! 2. It's too bad the music did not work. Perhaps sending a Youtube video or a Wave file for next time would be useful if the embedded music file does not work. Husam 1. Interesting analogy of the learning process as an engine with inputs and outputs. And very entertaining! 2. Circles in behind the text makes the writing hard to read Darcy1. Liked the comparative analysis of the four website creators.2. Check slides for spelling errors, so as not to distract the audience. Jenna S 1. Interesting reflection that having a supportive and/or an experienced person would have been helpful (only had Google and Youtube). In this age of technology, we often forget about what we can learn from others. 2. Perhaps add more photos documenting the process. I don't even know what a crochet hook looks like... Jenna B. 1. Liked the visuals that were embedded! And I liked the reflection that this wasn't her type of learning. 2. Check grammar and capitalization (e.g. some words capitalized and some not). Errors are a bit distracting... Cynthia 1. Very funny and entertaining (learning can be fun)! And very clear step-by-step process displayed through the use of photos and videos. Also really liked the mention about vulnerability and intrinsic motivation. Well done! 2. What is the cost analysis of making your own wine versus buying from the Liquor Mart?
Shauna
1. I also wanted to learn about this. I never knew you had to spray first with hairspray!
2. The 'findings' slide is a bit busy. Perhaps only include key points and then elaborate while speaking.
Vanessa
1. Liked the learning 'schedule'. I also liked the pictures of finger placement for each of the three cords (I'm trying to learn this myself).
2. The 'end' slide is a bit busy. Perhaps only include key points and then elaborate while speaking.
Leonard
1. I liked the reference to Bloom's Taxonomy. I was also impressed by the fact that you switched projects completely. That's a lot of work!
2. Check grammar and punctuation on text. Errors are a bit distracting...
Assignment #4: Classroom management
Discussion with Cynthia and Jenna B:
Abusive student attitudes and behaviours
Fortunately, none of us really had any experience with this, although Cynthia did mention that occasionally discussions in class could lead to potential comments which could strike a chord with some students.
Achieving diversity and cooperation
I feel that diversity and cooperation is a struggle. Our international students and some of our male students are isolated in the classroom. And for many male ECEs, they are also isolated in the workforce, as they may be the only male on staff. I have tried to connect students, but for many, they do not seem aware that their behaviours are isolating. For example, last week I became aware of a bullying issue, and I tried to indirectly address it using my lecture materials. It just so happened that my lecture for that day was going to involve school age children's peer groups and friendships, so I randomly reassigned students to different seats in the classroom. then, I spoke about literally seeing things from a different perspective in the class...which then lead into a discussion of figuratively seeing things from a different perspective when we have a chance to interact with people we don't know. I told the students to think about the things that children could learn from meeting new people, and how this could help build tolerance and acceptance. Then I linked this back to them. I asked them, "How many of you can actually say that you know every single person in this room?" None responded. I told them that we had to be good role models for the children, that we could not just have expectations for the children, but that we had to demonstrate the changes we wanted to see.
Cynthia mentioned that in Year 1, we offer a Diversity and Inclusion class, which is an excellent strategy to start conversations, open students' eyes, and grow positive attitudes early on. The students have time to evolve their understanding. However, she also mentioned that sometimes students are unaware that a bias even exists within themselves; others are aware but disagree. She discussed feeling concerned that the questions and comments that come with those disagreements in a classroom could feel abusive to some students in the room.
As well, Jenna discussed an issue which seemed to border on discrimination. It seems that during a practical experience, a student was receiving complaints about her performance from several staff members. It seemed that the student had a mild language barrier, and the staff members were trying to have her removed. The complaints about her performance turned out to be false. Fortunately, the student was hired in the end because she was a hard worker and tried really hard. Jenna discussed that the attitudes and cooperation from the other staff have gotten better over the last few months.
Managing interruptions
I mentioned that interruptions were constant. Texting, asking irrelevant questions, talking amongst themselves...today I had a student painting their nails! If a student is sharing something and other students are talking, I remind them to respect the speaker. I also remind them that the classroom is a positive learning environment...and the material might be on the test!
Cynthia said that interruptions were quite regular, though some students seemed to have a chronic problem, while for others it was 'rare' to 'never.' She said that it was the chronic ones that were challenging. She calls some out on their behaviour, but at times feels challenged by that. She said the challenge comes when she knows that she is feeling frustrated and perhaps risks sounding petty or disrespectful in front of the class. And she doesn't want to risk that, but does that same student have respect for her? If so, then they would not be a chronic interruption.
Jenna discussed that the students she deals with a here for practicum and they carry around their cell phones in their pockets. There have been rules established that they can keep their cell phones on silent and when there is downtime they can check them, but they are not to have or use them when there are patients around.
Social and emotional factors
I find that in ECE, we try to be as inclusive as possible with our students, but at times I do not feel adequately prepared to deal with their learning challenges and mental health issues. I do have a Level 1 counseling certification, so I feel like I can handle some situations but at times I think of my colleagues who have not had similar training. We are learning in the CAE program how to be more effective instructors, but at the same time I don't think we are as prepared as we could be. For example, the diversity and inclusion course offers terrific information to instructors who might not have an understanding of how to support diverse students, but it only touches briefly on mental health issues. From my understanding, over 50% of the students who visit counseling services have some type of mental health issue, which means that we may have a significant number of these students in our classrooms. And each may have a different mental health issue! So it seems like it is not enough to just consider different learning styles...it seems that counseling training is needed for faculty.
Cynthia discussed how social and emotional issues seem to be a large part of the work. She said that at times, she gets caught in some student issues that she does not intend to; the line is blurry for some students (they don't realize they cannot rely on instructors for everything). She said that she makes good use of counseling services for students.
Both Cynthia and I suggested that the social and emotional issues need to be dealt with on a case by case basis.
Jenna B stated that they try to encourage students to separate their work and school lives. She said that this rarely works, but it is something she has tried. She said that she finds the new generation coming up is having a harder time dealing with stress and it impacts all areas of their life and they don't separate it (e.g. stress at home is brought to the work/teaching environment).
Gender and race issues
None of us found that we had any significant gender and race issues in our classrooms. However, since our faculty are predominantly female, we each had thoughts about the gender of the teacher question:
Kelly - The gender of the teacher is an interesting concept, because 99% of the students are female! So I wonder if more respect would be given to a male instructor? Would they still talk and text with a male at the head of the classroom? Our field is female-dominated, so we understand our clientele for sure!
Cynthia - I do not think I have had any gender/race issues although I feel that as a faculty we are predominantly female and teaching in a predominantly female profession. There is a possibility this could deter some potential candidates from entering the field. Those males who enter may not feel as comfortable or connected while a student. But I don't think that's been the case so far.
Jenna B - Our department is male/female mixed and does have different races, so any student coming into our area could find someone they could relate to in some way.
My one solution to a "problem": Managing interruptions
Within my classroom, I often have students who talk and text inappropriately. I have two methods of dealing with these behaviours. First, when we are having a large group discussion and one student is sharing (and others are talking), I ask the sharing student to stop and I address the chatter. I say that we need to show respect to the person who is speaking, and I talk about the need for a positive learning environment. Second, for the texting, I actually incorporate it into my lecture. For example, if I am lecturing on language development, I might say something like, "And those of you who are texting understand the importance of non-verbal communication". Or, I call them on their behaviour directly. In one example, I approached the student and asked, "Texting anything good? I don't mind if what you are texting is related to class, but if it is not, then please put it away".
*Comment on strengths*Constructive criticism
Husam
1. Good flow to presentation. Well researched and thought out.
2. Would have liked to see brief text on reflection slide (could have revisited it later).
Wendy
1. Liked the video demonstration. Simple yet effective!
2. Diagram could have been a bit bigger
Cynthia
1. Liked the newspaper format! And great quote to sum up the presentation!
2. Wish it would have been longer! I was interested in learning more!
JerryLynn
1. Very detailed! Liked how the advantages were for both the student and the instructor.
2. Some text in the images a bit hard to read
Vanessa
1, Very detailed presentation!
2. Most slides too 'busy'. More discussion and less text would be helpful.
Sajjad
1. Good amount of information on most slides.
2. Define/explain technical terminology related to learning outcomes, etc.
Darcy
1. Great job 'pretending' to be an RRC Instructor. Not an easy task!
2. Some font very light and hard to see. Use darker font.
Jenna S.
1. Very visually appealing! And very professional in appearance.
2. No further comments! Great presentation
Amanda
1. Very clear, detailed, and thoroughly explained. Great variety of assignments and activities. And I'm glad to see you didn't give up, but instead revamped the course approach.
2. A bit busy on the Learning Outcomes slide
Jenna B
1. Like the idea of watching lectures at home and then use class time for practice. For a lot of students, that would be a great use of their time.
2. My only concern would be for students who do not have internet access or have poor/limited access in their communities. What would you do in this case?
Shauna
1. Like the idea of a long-term portfolio. Interesting way to assess progress in learning!
2. Background was a bit bright...perhaps because of the lights in the studio. But prezi was very clear and organized.
Cara
1. Lots of detail. Very descriptive!
2. Check spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. Information is good but errors can be distracting.
Melinda
1. Good use of previous experience for role play scenarios. Good use of examples to explain each learning strategy.
2. No further comments! Great presentation!
Len
1. Glad to see that you want to do things differently for your students. 22 years of doing the same task sheets? Wow! And I liked the PBL approach where the students came up with the problems.
2. Check grammar and capitalization. Information is good but errors can be distracting.
Kelly
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v_A1YxZH4gdIl7GQEN7bNv0wxTcYKorI4obuq5Gu-a8/edit
Assignment #2:
My Blog
Assignment #3: Learning to do something
Learning objective...
For this project, we wanted to:
Follow the steps of a multi-step recipe
Create an edible product (perogies) that we had never made before
Implement the project as a team
Learning object:
Assignment #3 Inquiry Presentations - Peer Critique
*Comment on strengths
*Constructive criticism
Mahi -
1. Great visual presentation. I really liked the flow of the photos. Very professional appearance!
2. Some text was a bit hard to read, so perhaps use a darker font when there is a light background?
Wendy -
1. Liked the comparison of different recipes. Great idea! Allows the learner to make a choice that will work for them.
2. Not having samples! :)
Amanda -
1. Very detailed presentation. I liked how she linked back to the feelings and emotions of her students.
2. No butter with the biscuits! :)
Jerrylynn
1. Liked how she explained complex concepts by using familiar terms/ideas (e.g. photography terms related to anatomy of the eye).
2. Some photos were a bit hard to see, so perhaps make them a bit bigger?
Sajjad
1. The screen captures were really impressive.
2. More photos or graphics at the beginning would be helpful. Perhaps seeing each of the different operating systems on a Prezi?.
Cara
1. Liked how she tried a variety of Powerpoint 'tricks'. There were several tricks that I had never seen or were not aware of!
2. It's too bad the music did not work. Perhaps sending a Youtube video or a Wave file for next time would be useful if the embedded music file does not work.
Husam
1. Interesting analogy of the learning process as an engine with inputs and outputs. And very entertaining!
2. Circles in behind the text makes the writing hard to read
Darcy1. Liked the comparative analysis of the four website creators.2. Check slides for spelling errors, so as not to distract the audience.
Jenna S
1. Interesting reflection that having a supportive and/or an experienced person would have been helpful (only had Google and Youtube). In this age of technology, we often forget about what we can learn from others.
2. Perhaps add more photos documenting the process. I don't even know what a crochet hook looks like...
Jenna B.
1. Liked the visuals that were embedded! And I liked the reflection that this wasn't her type of learning.
2. Check grammar and capitalization (e.g. some words capitalized and some not). Errors are a bit distracting...
Cynthia
1. Very funny and entertaining (learning can be fun)! And very clear step-by-step process displayed through the use of photos and videos. Also really liked the mention about vulnerability and intrinsic motivation. Well done!
2. What is the cost analysis of making your own wine versus buying from the Liquor Mart?
Shauna
1. I also wanted to learn about this. I never knew you had to spray first with hairspray!
2. The 'findings' slide is a bit busy. Perhaps only include key points and then elaborate while speaking.
Vanessa
1. Liked the learning 'schedule'. I also liked the pictures of finger placement for each of the three cords (I'm trying to learn this myself).
2. The 'end' slide is a bit busy. Perhaps only include key points and then elaborate while speaking.
Leonard
1. I liked the reference to Bloom's Taxonomy. I was also impressed by the fact that you switched projects completely. That's a lot of work!
2. Check grammar and punctuation on text. Errors are a bit distracting...
Assignment #4: Classroom management
Discussion with Cynthia and Jenna B:
Abusive student attitudes and behaviours
Fortunately, none of us really had any experience with this, although Cynthia did mention that occasionally discussions in class could lead to potential comments which could strike a chord with some students.
Achieving diversity and cooperation
I feel that diversity and cooperation is a struggle. Our international students and some of our male students are isolated in the classroom. And for many male ECEs, they are also isolated in the workforce, as they may be the only male on staff. I have tried to connect students, but for many, they do not seem aware that their behaviours are isolating. For example, last week I became aware of a bullying issue, and I tried to indirectly address it using my lecture materials. It just so happened that my lecture for that day was going to involve school age children's peer groups and friendships, so I randomly reassigned students to different seats in the classroom. then, I spoke about literally seeing things from a different perspective in the class...which then lead into a discussion of figuratively seeing things from a different perspective when we have a chance to interact with people we don't know. I told the students to think about the things that children could learn from meeting new people, and how this could help build tolerance and acceptance. Then I linked this back to them. I asked them, "How many of you can actually say that you know every single person in this room?" None responded. I told them that we had to be good role models for the children, that we could not just have expectations for the children, but that we had to demonstrate the changes we wanted to see.
Cynthia mentioned that in Year 1, we offer a Diversity and Inclusion class, which is an excellent strategy to start conversations, open students' eyes, and grow positive attitudes early on. The students have time to evolve their understanding. However, she also mentioned that sometimes students are unaware that a bias even exists within themselves; others are aware but disagree. She discussed feeling concerned that the questions and comments that come with those disagreements in a classroom could feel abusive to some students in the room.
As well, Jenna discussed an issue which seemed to border on discrimination. It seems that during a practical experience, a student was receiving complaints about her performance from several staff members. It seemed that the student had a mild language barrier, and the staff members were trying to have her removed. The complaints about her performance turned out to be false. Fortunately, the student was hired in the end because she was a hard worker and tried really hard. Jenna discussed that the attitudes and cooperation from the other staff have gotten better over the last few months.
Managing interruptions
I mentioned that interruptions were constant. Texting, asking irrelevant questions, talking amongst themselves...today I had a student painting their nails! If a student is sharing something and other students are talking, I remind them to respect the speaker. I also remind them that the classroom is a positive learning environment...and the material might be on the test!
Cynthia said that interruptions were quite regular, though some students seemed to have a chronic problem, while for others it was 'rare' to 'never.' She said that it was the chronic ones that were challenging. She calls some out on their behaviour, but at times feels challenged by that. She said the challenge comes when she knows that she is feeling frustrated and perhaps risks sounding petty or disrespectful in front of the class. And she doesn't want to risk that, but does that same student have respect for her? If so, then they would not be a chronic interruption.
Jenna discussed that the students she deals with a here for practicum and they carry around their cell phones in their pockets. There have been rules established that they can keep their cell phones on silent and when there is downtime they can check them, but they are not to have or use them when there are patients around.
Social and emotional factors
I find that in ECE, we try to be as inclusive as possible with our students, but at times I do not feel adequately prepared to deal with their learning challenges and mental health issues. I do have a Level 1 counseling certification, so I feel like I can handle some situations but at times I think of my colleagues who have not had similar training. We are learning in the CAE program how to be more effective instructors, but at the same time I don't think we are as prepared as we could be. For example, the diversity and inclusion course offers terrific information to instructors who might not have an understanding of how to support diverse students, but it only touches briefly on mental health issues. From my understanding, over 50% of the students who visit counseling services have some type of mental health issue, which means that we may have a significant number of these students in our classrooms. And each may have a different mental health issue! So it seems like it is not enough to just consider different learning styles...it seems that counseling training is needed for faculty.
Cynthia discussed how social and emotional issues seem to be a large part of the work. She said that at times, she gets caught in some student issues that she does not intend to; the line is blurry for some students (they don't realize they cannot rely on instructors for everything). She said that she makes good use of counseling services for students.
Both Cynthia and I suggested that the social and emotional issues need to be dealt with on a case by case basis.
Jenna B stated that they try to encourage students to separate their work and school lives. She said that this rarely works, but it is something she has tried. She said that she finds the new generation coming up is having a harder time dealing with stress and it impacts all areas of their life and they don't separate it (e.g. stress at home is brought to the work/teaching environment).
Gender and race issues
None of us found that we had any significant gender and race issues in our classrooms. However, since our faculty are predominantly female, we each had thoughts about the gender of the teacher question:
Kelly - The gender of the teacher is an interesting concept, because 99% of the students are female! So I wonder if more respect would be given to a male instructor? Would they still talk and text with a male at the head of the classroom? Our field is female-dominated, so we understand our clientele for sure!
Cynthia - I do not think I have had any gender/race issues although I feel that as a faculty we are predominantly female and teaching in a predominantly female profession. There is a possibility this could deter some potential candidates from entering the field. Those males who enter may not feel as comfortable or connected while a student. But I don't think that's been the case so far.
Jenna B - Our department is male/female mixed and does have different races, so any student coming into our area could find someone they could relate to in some way.
My one solution to a "problem": Managing interruptions
Within my classroom, I often have students who talk and text inappropriately. I have two methods of dealing with these behaviours. First, when we are having a large group discussion and one student is sharing (and others are talking), I ask the sharing student to stop and I address the chatter. I say that we need to show respect to the person who is speaking, and I talk about the need for a positive learning environment. Second, for the texting, I actually incorporate it into my lecture. For example, if I am lecturing on language development, I might say something like, "And those of you who are texting understand the importance of non-verbal communication". Or, I call them on their behaviour directly. In one example, I approached the student and asked, "Texting anything good? I don't mind if what you are texting is related to class, but if it is not, then please put it away".
Assignment #7 Presentation
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1A1VPHSTlO8VZ8SJ4WRqS-Rv99RBa04EWsZ12m_ucXyA/edit#slide=id.p
Assignment #7 Presentations - Peer Critique
*Comment on strengths*Constructive criticism
Husam
1. Good flow to presentation. Well researched and thought out.
2. Would have liked to see brief text on reflection slide (could have revisited it later).
Wendy
1. Liked the video demonstration. Simple yet effective!
2. Diagram could have been a bit bigger
Cynthia
1. Liked the newspaper format! And great quote to sum up the presentation!
2. Wish it would have been longer! I was interested in learning more!
JerryLynn
1. Very detailed! Liked how the advantages were for both the student and the instructor.
2. Some text in the images a bit hard to read
Vanessa
1, Very detailed presentation!
2. Most slides too 'busy'. More discussion and less text would be helpful.
Sajjad
1. Good amount of information on most slides.
2. Define/explain technical terminology related to learning outcomes, etc.
Darcy
1. Great job 'pretending' to be an RRC Instructor. Not an easy task!
2. Some font very light and hard to see. Use darker font.
Jenna S.
1. Very visually appealing! And very professional in appearance.
2. No further comments! Great presentation
Amanda
1. Very clear, detailed, and thoroughly explained. Great variety of assignments and activities. And I'm glad to see you didn't give up, but instead revamped the course approach.
2. A bit busy on the Learning Outcomes slide
Jenna B
1. Like the idea of watching lectures at home and then use class time for practice. For a lot of students, that would be a great use of their time.
2. My only concern would be for students who do not have internet access or have poor/limited access in their communities. What would you do in this case?
Shauna
1. Like the idea of a long-term portfolio. Interesting way to assess progress in learning!
2. Background was a bit bright...perhaps because of the lights in the studio. But prezi was very clear and organized.
Cara
1. Lots of detail. Very descriptive!
2. Check spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. Information is good but errors can be distracting.
Melinda
1. Good use of previous experience for role play scenarios. Good use of examples to explain each learning strategy.
2. No further comments! Great presentation!
Len
1. Glad to see that you want to do things differently for your students. 22 years of doing the same task sheets? Wow! And I liked the PBL approach where the students came up with the problems.
2. Check grammar and capitalization. Information is good but errors can be distracting.