Week Seven Reflection

Essential question: How can 3D printing change the way we think about education?

3D printing can be beneficial in the classroom by captivating the attention of our students and my original worry was that this is all it is good for.  However, it also gives them an opportunity to see the production of an item from beginning to end.  They get to use their creativity, while understanding complex structures, to get an instant, tangible product (3D Printers for Schools, n.d.).

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

3D printing goes hand-in-hand with last week's blog about coding. It's less about the product and more about the skills learned along the way. Students are able to explore and experience real-world applications through the use of computer-aided design (CAD) software. 3D printing "creates opportunities for students that are limited only by their imagination" (Buckhoff, 2019).

So how can this change the way we think about education? Well, 3D printers give us the ability to teach our students the basics about CAD software and then let them learn and invent on their own.  It lets students explore their curiosities and be creative.  We can stand back and facilitate learning rather than spoon-feed our students information.  This is one small way that we can turn the traditional model of teacher-led education upside down and empower our students.


Resources:

3D Printers for Schools, Universities & Education. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.lpfrg.com/applications/education-and-3d-printing/

Buckhoff, R. (2019, June 5). 4 Steps to Create a Strong 3D Printing Program. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2018/09/4-steps-create-strong-3d-printing-program

Week Six Reflection

Essential question: What are the compelling arguments both for and against computer coding in schools?

This week I have been at the Alaska Society for Technology in Education (ASTE) conference in Anchorage.  There were many sessions dedicated to teaching coding to our students. Many schools have incorporated coding classes into their schedules and there has been a large emphasis placed on getting our students to code. Organizations like code.org and Girls Who Code have popped up all over the place. 

As we know computing and programming jobs are prevalent and likely to increase in the future.  According to code.org, "Computing jobs are the number one source of new wages in the US" (code.org, 2020). Programming is becoming more integrated into everything we do and is an excellent way to teach our students problem-solving and critical thinking skills (3 Reasons, 2015).

Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

However, just like anything in education coding is not one size fits all.  Not every student needs to know how to code; we all won't be developing apps in the future. Exposure to coding is important, but we should not be focused on making every student a coder. "Learning the fundamentals of coding provides students with skills that will serve them well in virtually any career they choose" (Harrell, 2015).

While researching I clicked on this article by Gottfried Sehringer and really enjoyed his take on teaching students to code (2015).  He said there is value in coding, but it may not be the best way to do things in the future.  He used this quote by Henry Ford to really send the message home, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” So rather than focusing on students learning to code we should be having them code to learn and help them develop a growth mindset that can change and adapt quickly as the technology around them will inevitably continue to morph.

Resources:

3 Reasons Coding Should Be a Core Subject. (2015, September 30). Retrieved from https://www.gettingsmart.com/2015/09/3-reasons-coding-should-be-a-core-subject/

Code.org. (2020). Why Computer Science? Retrieved February 24, 2020, from https://code.org/promote

Sehringer, G. (2015, August 7). Should We Really Try to Teach Everyone to Code? Retrieved February 24, 2020, from https://www.wired.com/insights/2015/02/should-we-really-try-to-teach-everyone-to-code/

Harrell, M. (2015, March 17). Add Coding to Your Elementary Curriculum. . . Right Now. Retrieved February 24, 2020, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/add-coding-elementary-curriculum-now-matt-harrell

Week Five Reflection

Essential Question: Design an object that could be classified as belonging to “The Internet of Things” and describe how it could contribute to your classroom.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is "about connecting devices over the internet, letting them talk to us, applications, and each other" (Kobie, 2015).  Mitesh Patel wrote that there are three benefits of IoT in schools: enhanced efficiency, student-centered approaches, and improved security (2015).

This left the door wide open for me to design an object that can be classified as belonging to the IoT. So I came up with a smart microphone.  First and foremost, the microphone would have the capability of automatic volume control.  It would take into account the volume and tone of the speaker as well as the volume level of the classroom and adjust to find that perfect balance. This is important because, "recent studies validate classroom audio as a proven tool that can overcome adverse classroom conditions, providing students with enhanced speech recognition and, therefore, much improved opportunity to learn" (Bebb, n.d.).

In addition to equalling the playing field with audio enhancements, my smart microphone be a sort of AI and would work like Alexa or Siri.  The speaker could ask the microphone to show the class anything and everything.  Then the microphone would take in the information and display it to the interactive whiteboard in the just seconds.  This would allow for teachers to answer more of those amazingly difficult, but inspiring questions that we get from students and ultimately encourage critical thinking. 

The IoT has already entered schools and its potential is exciting and a little bit scary!


Resources:
Bebb, B. (n.d.). The Benefits of Classroom Audio Technology. Retrieved February 17, 2020, from https://www.ssc.coop/cms/lib2/MN06000837/Centricity/Domain/9/Benefits of Classroom Audio.pdf

Kobie, N. (2015, May 6). What is the internet of things? Retrieved February 17, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/06/what-is-the-internet-of-things-google

Patel, M. (2018, September 25). Internet of Things Solutions: 6 Applications To Transform The Education Sector. Retrieved February 17, 2020, from https://elearningindustry.com/internet-of-things-solutions-applications-transform-education-sector

Week Four Reflection

Essential question: What is the pedagogy behind a Makerspace? What are the benefits of this pedagogy to students?

Makerspaces are all about creating a space for our students to explore and learn by doing. It is easy to see the sense of wonder without limitation in young children, but by they time people are young adults it is often missing and makerspaces can help change their mindset. "Replicating a sense of play in the classroom is vital to creating a tinkering mindset for children." (Baggett, 2016). In a great TED talk called "We are Makers", Dale Dougherty (2011) said, "It's important to understand that a lot of the origins of our industries, even like Henry Ford, come from this idea of playing and figuring things out in groups."

Makerspaces are beneficial to students in a number of ways.  According to the National Inventors Hall of Fame blog, makerspaces provide students with opportunities to innovate, real-world applications for classroom concepts, the ability to learn from failure, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and a wide range of 21st century skills.

Makerspaces are such incredible and inspiring places. The best thing we can do, as teachers, is to give our students guidance and support them as they figure things out for themselves.

Resources:
Baggett, Alice. (2016, November 18). Building A Tinkering Mindset In Young Students Through Making. Retrieved May 29, 2019, from https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/46938/building-a-tinkering-mindset-in-young-students-through-making

Dougherty, D. (2011, January). We are makers. Retrieved May 29, 2019, from https://www.ted.com/talks/dale_dougherty_we_are_makers?language=en#t-685350

National Inventors Hall of Fame. Why Your Students Need a Makerspace - The STEM Maker Lab. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://www.invent.org/blog/trends-stem/benefits-makerspace