EEND 677 Reflection

EEND 677Y has exposed me to many resources and tools that I was unaware existed. Two of my favorite new tools that I was exposed to include Vocaroo, a voice recording site and Adobe Spark which is a great site for making videos. This course also introduced me to both virtual reality and augmented reality for learning. I knew about virtual reality and how it is used for entertainment, but I was unaware of the potential it had when used academically. The same applies to augmented reality. I had heard of it being used in games and in some academic settings, but I have no experience or knowledge on using either of these tools in class myself. I was uncertain as to what the main differences were between these two technologies. According to the article Virtual Reality vs. Augmented Reality from Augment Online, the main difference is virtual reality places the user in the experience through site and sound in contrast to augmented reality which includes computer-generated enhancements to make something existing seem more real and adds more layers to it to deepen learning. One of the biggest differences noted was that virtual reality uses a headset to experience the technology and augmented reality uses a laptop, phone or tablet (2015). Based on this, it seems that augmented reality is better geared for classroom use since most students have a Chromebook/tablet or phone to access the technology. I have no experience using these technologies, but I definitely plan to spend some time researching and applying these to my teaching. The article How to Transform Your Classroom with Augmented Reality by Patricia Brown had some great apps to use for augmented reality. I tried a few different applications including Augthat and Aurasma, but I was unable to successfully use the application. I need to watch a few tutorials first. I also plan on looking at an application called Popar Toys which brings books to life (2015). My main concern is the expense and how well these technologies will apply in an English setting.

The coursework that had the biggest impact on me was from Module 5. I learned so much about how to present visual media and communicate effectively in a creative way with both students and parents. The article Why Teachers Should Care About Typography taught me many valuable bits of information when creating visuals, newsletters, slides and so on. The different font sizes and how many fonts are appropriate to use per page to font size and image formatting was especially helpful in how I now go about creating my visuals. One of the biggest takeaways for me was that blank space/white space is okay. Teachers often try to cram too much information into a visual or email. Blank space/white space simplifies the visual and makes it easier to view and understand. (2013). I now make sure to include appropriate white space in my visuals. A statistic that still stands out is from The Power of Visual Communication Infographic which provided the statistic that 80% of what students retain is seen and only 20% of retained information comes from reading. That has literally changed my approach to teaching. I try to be much more visual in all things I do in the classroom (2017).

There were many great discussions throughout this course. One that stood out to me was the Module 7 discussion regarding the use of screencasts. I mentioned that I would only use screencasts for direct instruction that was easy to follow and succinct. My colleague mentioned using it in a ‘flipped classroom’ manner in which the students watch the screencast as homework and complete the activity/assignment in class. I thought that this was a great idea! This segues into how I have grown as a connected learner; I have grown as a connected learner through researching the tools provided throughout this course and implementing the ones I found most beneficial. I also connect more with teachers through online discussion and in person to get ideas on how to enhance instruction through technology. I plan to continue being a connected educator through my blog, Twitter, discussions online and in person with other educators as well as continue my series of courses through St. Francis.

As education becomes more technologically advanced and students and educators become more and more comfortable with the technology, I will continually try to find the best resources that meet the needs of my students and are effective in enhancing the learning and not just substitution. At the same time, I plan on not getting too tech-crazy. There needs to be a balance.

Reference:

[Self-Reflection]. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2018, from http://stthomas.lbpsb.qc.ca/portals/stthomas/Images/self
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