I am sad that our time in this course is ending, the time has flown by. Although this semester flew by, I feel like we covered so much, and I am leaving feeling much less anxious about using technology.
Visions of the future…..
Keeping in mind the challenges and advantages of tech, I will be responding to the following prompt:
It is the year 2055. You are still teaching, of course. What is it like going to the classroom, how are you engaging learners, what are the big issues?
In this week’s class we presented our website on Equity and inclusion using technology See Website here.
This project aimed to equip us, as future educators, with strategies for integrating technology into the classroom in an effective way. We explored how technology can promote diversity, serve as a language support tool, and enhance remote access to education
There were so many fascinating topics presented by other groups. One presentation that especially caught my interest explored the use of virtual reality (VR) in the classroom. They discussed how VR could be integrated into learning and provided examples, such as using it in a history unit to ātravel back in timeā and experience historical events firsthand. While widespread VR implementation may be unrealistic due to funding constraints, this idea really got me thinking. Even with just one VR headset, I imagine there could be creative ways to incorporate it into lessons, making learning more immersive and engaging.
Technology is more prevalent than ever, and as future educators, we have a responsibility to learn how to use it effectively and allow student learning as well. I truly believe that technology in the classroom isnāt inherently “good” or “bad”; itās all about balance, moderation, and responsible use. To me, the key is to integrate technology thoughtfully, ensuring it enhances learning rather than replaces other valuable teaching methods!
Random tip I learned this class:
Michael taught us to make a QR code super easily without using a website QR code generator. All you do is on your google browser go to the site or document you want to create the QR for and press the three dots in the top corner.
(For this example I’m making a QR code to this cat video.)
Then hover over where it says “cast, save, and share” and more options will appear, one being “Create QR code”. Press that, and download or copy the QR and you are good to go!
For this class, guest speaker, Kristen Pierce discussed technology and outdoor education. Unfortunately I was sick for this class and was unable to join my cohort as they went outside. However, after looking over the recourses from the class website and talking to classmates, I feel I was able to learn lots about technology and outdoor education.
She shared some educational apps that connect to outdoor education. I thought this was really cool because often people think about tech and nature as things that cannot co-exist but these apps show that they can!
My Grandmother is part of the naturalist club in Salmon Arm and she uses the “Merlin” app to recognize bird calls and a plant identification app for her daily walks. Resources like this make it easy for people to learn more about local plants and birds!
There are also resources that connect to indigenous land and languages. “Native-land” is a resource that I’ve only ever heard of but with this link I explored the site and was so impressed with the amount information. This resource is not only good for educators, it would also be a cool website to use with students.
Outdoor education is increasingly important in todays world where kids, on average, are spending less time outside and more time on screens. I know when I was a student, any time I was able to work and learn outdoors I was excited. It was always nice to move my body, and get some fresh air no matter the weather, and I always felt calmer after spending time outdoors. Finding ways to make outdoor education engaging and effective is doable and utilizing resources such as the ones discussed today is one way teachers can work towards it.
pyschoeducational and other assessments- waitlists & delays
personal story
Common challenges
Lack of Access: Families may not have devices or reliable internet; schools may lack funding.
Lack of Support: Families or teachers may feel unprepared or overwhelmed.
Resistance to Change: Hesitation from stakeholders due to unfamiliarity or skepticism.
Privacy Concerns: Worries about data security.
Technology as a Distraction: Perceptions of misuse, including cell phone debates.
Some solutions
Advocate for funding, loaner programs, and grants.
Include assistive technlogy in IEPs.
Provide training for families and teachers, and ongoing support.
Use tools that promote independence and fit IEP goals.
Ensure compliance with privacy laws.
Write assistive cell phone use into IEPs for clarity.
Normalize assistive tech and make accessible to all.
Navigating Emerging Technologies
1.Opportunities: Bridges gaps in learning, communication, and independence. Tools like AI, gamified apps, and assistive tech offer exciting possibilities. 2.Concerns: Privacy, data safety, and bias in technology design. Balancing reliance on tech with meaningful interaction. Digital divide and capacity at home.
3.Parent-Teacher Collaboration: Build confidence through clear communication and guidance. Share tools, explain their purpose, and address questions. Advocate for equitable access. Key Question: How can we ensure technology becomes a bridge to equity and opportunity?
Ableism
Ableism: Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. It essentially they need to be “fixed”. Often assumed as less worthy of respect consideration
Some examples
Is the student ādisabled enoughā?
Assuming the goal is to be independent of the use of technology
Negative perceptions from other students and adults. “Its not fair”
exclusion tracker- Students with designations are being excluded from school and therefore do not have equitable access to an education.
IEP
IEPs- A written educational plan for special education students designed to describe programming modifications and/or adaptations and to indicate specific services provided.created through a collaborative process involving school staff, parents, and the student (when appropriate).
Create images based on prompts (text-image) -“Chat GPT”
Make a podcast – “Notebook LM”
Doc revision history: tool being used more to check for AI. Note: AI detectors can be faulty
Revise writing
‘+ much more!’+ much more!
One AI model that I am Familiar with is Chat GPT. Chat GPT is “a large language model chatbot, developed by OpenAI, that uses natural language processing to generate human-like conversational dialogue”. (Guess how I found the explanation of chat gpt. I put it into google and it gave me an “AI overview” answer). I remember the first time I heard about chat. I was in an econ class and my classmate said ” I used this website and told it the criteria for our essay and it wrote it for me”. My mind was blown…How could you create a paper in seconds that normally would take hours?
Artificial intelligence is changing the way we do work. In fact, I was tempted just now to ask chat gpt to help me describe what AI is doing to change the way we function. How ironic, oh boy.
The truth is AI isn’t going away so we cant just ignore it. If we are using I think responsibility and education on it are so important. We also may need to change the way we teach, shifting from a product focused system to a system that concentrate on the process of learning. This is already happening somewhat in many schools but I think this wave of shifting the way we teach is going to continue.
In class on January 28th, we were taught about Multimedia learning! This concept explores the idea that “People can learn more deeply from words and pictures than from words alone” (Mayer, 2009, p. 189). In class, we discussed how our brain processes information visually and auditorily so multimedia can help learners understand concepts. For this reason, multimedia is super useful in the world of teaching!
What is Multimedia?
“Multimedia refers to the integration of various forms of media, such as text, graphics, audio, video, and animation, in a digital format. It involves the combination of different elements to create interactive and dynamic content that engages the senses” Levono, 2025
At the end of class we were given time to experiment and I worked on Powerpoint with the “Smart Art” tool to create a lifecycle of the coconut chart. I could even add to this by attaching images of coconuts at each stage!
In class on Tuesday, January 21st, we had Jesse Miller come present to us and he shared a lot of important information including the following:
Social media has changed how we broadcast our lives and has added a layer to our discourse, information sharing, and literacies. Sources spread quickly and we can see information from anyone.
Social media and associated content gives us a version of events but not the complete picture. When interacting with/viewing information online, use critical thinking skills and consider where info is coming from.
Everything on the internet has a product & byproduct. Did you know that when we click security boxes (click all boxes with storefronts, street signs, stop signs, cars, etc) it trains an algorithm? Well, that algorithm gets fed to self-driving cars…super cool!
School Expectations and the Employer. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES do you take a studentās direct contact information that is not parental. In an emergency situation, like a student is missing, perhaps ask if another student who has their number can contact them directly
Social media usage by educators has three potential audiences.1Staff,2public/parents,3students. Be aware of this!
Do not use district/work technology for personal use. Anything the technology accesses, websites etc, can be tracked. Same goes for what websites are accessed using the schoolās/businesses wifi.
Teachers have a legal reporting responsibility. If you see a student in a bar, or on a dating website, or somewhere they are not supposed to be, you are required to report to the bartender/principal. That student may need support and not always advisable to just immediately contact parents.
Digital consent. Seek agreement before taking photos/videos
