A Look back at Unit 6: OERs & Copyright Laws
The four types of OERs include:
I found the use of OER materials in my course has been invaluable in supporting my instructional activities. It has opened me up to a wealth of diverse resources which include but are not limited to, articles, videos, and websites. As a result of what I acquired during this unit, my personal course is richer and much more accessible. But perhaps even more noteworthy has been learning how to search, incorporate materials and follow appropriate copyright laws. I have to admit that after this unit, I realized that I was not always following the appropriate copyright procedures in previous courses. I have since corrected this misunderstanding. This unit has also helped me to reflect on the kind of permission I would be comfortable offering in regards to my own published work. Further exploring Unit 7: mLearningMobile learning is also an extremely beneficial tool. It allows my course to be technology-supported, to be done collaboratively or independently and more flexible. And learners are able to access the course from anywhere in or outside of the classroom when the design is mobile friendly. I especially am in favor of mobile friendly courses because it links back to educational equity and access to those who might not otherwise be able to procure quality resources or curriculum. The bottomline, mobile technology transforms learning environments due to its ability to enable learning anywhere, unleashing creativity for students through options for more deep and meaningful conversations and being able to design their own learning space. (Pierce, 2015). In terms of my actual face-to-face classroom, my journey to transform it into more of a blended learning style is reaffirmed. My classroom lacks the amount of computers and iPads needed for students to adequately complete their eLearning tasks. Currently, class assignments take additional time to complete due to limited technology access. However, a substantial percentage of my students own mobile phones. As of now, the policy in my school bands the use of mobile devices. I think the research on the advantages of utilizing mobile technology warrants a second look or revision to our current policy. Perhaps a band on mobile devices unless used under supervision of a teacher for school or curriculum-related purposes?
ReferencesKnox, J. (2013). Five critiques of the open educational resources movement. Teaching In Higher Education, 18(8), 821-832. doi:10.1080/13562517.2013.774354.
Pierce, D. (2015). 3 ways mobile technology is transforming learning spaces (Cover story). T H E Journal, 42(5), 10-15. Talent MLS. (2015, December, 18). 6 Mobile Learning Myths Busted! Youtube. Retrieved from URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESQNcHbmzQQ Images: Mobile learning image: https://goo.gl/images/ncCZf6
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Project-Based LearningUnit four was extremely useful and necessary in helping me to further develop my course on a culturally responsive education. One of the features of project-based learning, or PBL, is that it is student centered instruction that happens over an extended period of time. While teachers serve more in the capacity of facilitators and as a resource, students are given more autonomy in selecting and carrying out projects. Students are able to work on authentic projects that engages them in real-world application and problem solving. (Holm, 2011) As I read about the many facets of PBL, it was important to understand the theory behind the concept. In the problem based learning section of the Stanford website, the section, “Theory Behind PBL,” discussed how PBL is driven by a combination of cognitive and social constructivism theories. I understand the cognitive piece to be the mind and all of the internal pieces such as accessing prior knowledge, self-motivation, personal ideas and experiences. The social constructivism is more of the extroverted side which refers to idea sharing, social dialogue to promote understanding of multiple viewpoints and group reflection (Theory Behind PBL, n.d). 3 Reasons Why I implement PBL in my classroom:
Flipped Classroom LearningWhile I had some prior knowledge on project-based learning (PBL), this is not the case for the flipped classroom concept. During unit 5, flipped classroom learning, my creative nerd juices were really flowing. I grew excited with each click of the mouse and resource I read at the prospect of integrating this concept into my own classroom. I was even more thrilled to be given the opportunity to create a video for my online course. In the most simplest terms, in a flipped classroom, what is traditionally done during class is done at home and what is traditionally done for homework is done in class. Check out this video that does a great job of explaining flipped classroom in a very brief, basic and entertaining way: Introduction to Ms. Joseph Flip Math Classroom. Similarly to PBL, the flipped classroom is student centered and a way for teachers to transition from a lecturer in school to a facilitator. Students study the content at home via a short instructional video created or assigned by the teacher to view. Learners take notes and write down questions to answer or investigate in class. Students also apply learning at school through activities, projects and etc. (Edutopia, 2014). As mentioned earlier, I created a video for my online course, Building a Culturally Responsive Education. Many of the resources provided helped me to get a holistic view and understanding of a flipped classroom. What really stuck with me and helped drive my instructional video was David Rath’s article in The Education Digest, “Nine Video Tips for a Better Flipped Classroom.” While all 9 tips were useful and relevant, I especially focused on the 3 tips: start small, teach students how to watch the video and keep the video short. In the future however, I would really like to explore the tip to make the video interactive. (Rath, 2014) I have already begun brainstorming ways to make a flipped classroom video for my face-to-face classroom and include an interactive component.
References Edutopia. (2014, October 28). The Flipped Class: Rethinking Space & Time. Youtube. Retrieved from URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfsLbGgUMDU
Holm, M. (2011). PROJECT-BASED INSTRUCTION: A Review of the Literature on Effectiveness in Prekindergarten through 12th Grade Classrooms. InSight: Rivier Academic Journal. Vol. 7. No. 2. Joseph, C. (2012, August 1). Introduction to Ms. Joseph Flipped Math Classroom. Youtube. Retrieved from URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5SKcolyh-E Mayard, T. R. (2015, July 14). How to Make an Interactive PowerPoint Presentation. Youtube. Retrieved from URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjGABhxtyR4 Raths, D. (2014). Nine video tips for a better flipped classroom. Education Digest, 79(6), 15-21. Teachings in Education. (2017, June 20). Flipped Classroom Model: Why, How, and Overview. Youtube. Retrieved from URL: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j8xWO6410xHezRDI2igULN551NcmvFeMIYZVpQzEpeA/edit# Theory Behind PBL. (n.d). Stanford. Retrieved from URL: http://ldt.stanford.edu/~jeepark/jeepark+portfolio/PBL/theory.htm Why Project-Based Learning? (PBL). (n.d.) Buck Institute for Education. BIE. Retrieved from URL: http://www.bie.org/about/why_pbl Images Project-based learning pic: https://goo.gl/images/YM33XS Flipped classroom pic: https://goo.gl/images/ixcPVe OverviewI learned that there were five major trends shaping distance learning according to Lyra Visser’s study. Those trends included:
While this research was conducted six years ago, I found it to be still relevant and applicable to distance learning today. After scrutinizing the trends a bit further, I felt especially drawn to the second trend, assessing learning achievement. I found this trend to have major implications and impact on student achievement. It stands to be a significant indicator of student success. Beyond the trends, I was able to gain some insight on the four blended learning models as named in “Blending Learning: The Evolution of Online and Face-to-Face Education from 2008-2015.” The four models were rotation, flex, A La Carte and enriched virtual model. (iNACOL, 2015) I paid particularly close to rotations as I felt that it fit my specific teaching circumstance and environment. Reading different case studies around the implementation of blended learning was especially worthwhile and useful. Examining cases that were either successful or ineffective as a result of implementing a blended learning model helped me to envision possible issues that could potentially manifest. This activity forced me to reflect and think more proactively on how to avoid issues I stumbled across during the case studies that deemed the blended learning implementation unsuccessful. What Stuck?I was especially inspired by the case study, Leading and Supporting Blended Learning: A Case Study of the Centre for Excellence For Learning and Teaching at Nanyang Technological University. This case study demonstrated an understanding of the importance of the social constructivist component of eLearning. They successfully integrated the concept into all four aspects of their blended learning initiatives. The different systems of blended learning used complemented and supported each other. This allowed the strategies to not only be sustainable, but give students a holistic learning experience. (Lin, 2017) This study will definitely impact my personal teaching practices for the better. I learned the value and potential impact of various strategies and initiatives. But a strategy I will immediately implement in my classroom is the use of clickers. As a result, my students will actively engage in critical thinking for assignments, classroom tasks and/or quizzes. It will allow them all to participate and for me to keep a running record of how my students are doing. I especially like the idea of polling a discussion question, having my students turn-and-talk to collaboratively work with peers, than answer the question individually with their clickers. I discovered during my research that clickers have the following benefits: Teachers…
Students...
On my first day of school at the building I currently work, I was handed a case full of clickers and all of its support materials. I remember thinking out loud, “Wow, this is a cool concept! I can’t wait to use this.” That was three years ago. I am ashamed to admit that I have not used this amazing resource at all. Prior to reading this case study, I admittedly allowed my ignorance of not knowing how to use the clickers to stop me from ever integrating them into my classroom instruction. Examining this case and the YouTube video on clickers has opened my eyes to all of the missed opportunities. The opportunities for my students to achieve even greater success and achievement with this technological tool that has always been at my disposal.
ReferencesClickers: Students and Teachers Speak. (2011, July 23). University of Colorado Boulder. Youtube. Retrieved from URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWdL9slEMxQ iNACOL. (2015). Blending Learning: The Evolution of Online and Face-to-Face Education from 2008-2015. Retrieved from URL: https://www.inacol.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/iNACOL_Blended-Learning-The-Evolution-of-Online-And-Face-to-Face-Education-from-2008-2015.pdf Lim, C. P.; Wang, L. (2017). Blended Learning for Quality Higher Education: Selected Case Studies on Implementation from Asia-Pacific. Retrieved from URL: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002468/246851E.pdf Visser, L. (2012). Trends and Issues in Distance Education: International Perspectives. Charlotte, N.C.: Information Age Publishing. |
AuthorI, Syeita Rhey-Fisher, am an educator and lifelong learner pursuing new and innovative ways to perfect my craft. ArchivesCategories |