This week, we spent time on using graphics in the classroom. We discussed different ways to photoshop images and add text, specifically using PowerPoint. I am no stranger to photoshopping images, it was one of my many pandemic hobbies when lockdowns were still in place. However, I do not usually use the “classic” platforms, my app of choice has always been Picsart on my iPhone. As someone who is not very comfortable on a laptop, I like to do all my photo editing on my iPhone. Thus, I found an app that allows me to do so for free.

In the future, I would like to get more comfortable with using Canva and PowerPoint due to their convenience and the features they have. I think that making a worksheet on the app I use now would be difficult. However, this week I just wanted to mess around and work on blending things in by increasing shadows and messing with contrast. This is what I made:

One issue I did run into while using free images from Unsplash, I could not remove the watermark, nor was I sure if that would be legal. Either way, I am still pretty proud of this image and I will definitely use photo editing to brighten my student’s days and for worksheets.

See you next week!

Videos can be a tool used in the classroom to help students further engage in their learning in a variety of ways. One way that teachers currently use them is for brain-breaks. There is a large selection of brain-break videos available on YouTube for teachers to use. This is a quick way to get students moving in the classroom with little to no equipment. Another way they can be used is for more inclusive learning. Students learn in a variety of ways and at a variety of paces. Videos allow students to experience a different form of instruction and they have the opportunity to pause, slow down, or rewind the video. Here are a few examples of videos that can be used in the classroom and how:

As a brain-break to get students moving and a cross-curricular connection to music and beat counting:

As a resource to review or introduce material to students:

As a study tool for students at home:

And there is so much more available out there! Just ensure to watch all the videos the entire way through to make sure they are completely safe for students.

If you do not like what is already out there, you can make videos for your own students and reuse them for years to come. You do not need any special equipment, just something to film with and a lesson in mind. This gives students more flexibility and the option to review concepts for further understanding. In high school, I had several Math teachers upload videos of themselves teaching certain concepts onto YouTube and Microsoft Teams so that students could review content at their own pace. These videos were particularly helpful when I needed to study for the final and could not remember what we did early on in the semester.

Videos can really help teachers and students in the day-to-day classroom life.

While watching the film, “Most Likely to Succeed,” I was very intrigued by how the students at High Tech High scored so well on their SAT exams. From what I witnessed during the film, High Tech High seemed to be a very interesting inquiry-based school. I wondered if some student inquiries would benefit their ability to do well on the SATs, while others would not cover the necessary information. It is important to note that I have never taken the SAT exam, thus I do not know what the questions are truly asking or how to prepare for the exam. However, from exploring the High Tech High website, I have begun to understand how the students perform well on the SATs. There are three possible factors I have come up with; student motivation, parental involvement, and private tutoring. The students who attend High Tech High are encouraged to explore inquiry topics that mean something to them, likely preventing burnout as they are participating in activities they genuinely enjoy. The lack of burnout among students can assist them in their SAT prep and studying, as they will feel more motivated. Secondly, parents seem to be more involved in their student’s lives and can be of assistance when preparing for the SATs. This ties into my third point about private tutoring for the SATs. Parents may be more inclined to fund private tutoring for their children. However, High Tech High has a wide range of students from different financial backgrounds, so not every family may be able to afford something like that. Overall, the film did not discuss in detail how their students performed so well on their exams. Their website does not explicitly state how they achieve this, leading me to draw my conclusions. 

Perishable. (n.d.). Publications. High Tech High. v https://www.hightechhigh.org/student-work/publications/ 

Hello! Welcome to my Blog!

I have spent a few days reflecting on our last class, and I have gathered a few thoughts about this whole blog thing and the course in general. First off, I am very excited to get creative on this platform. I grew up as a kid who experimented with making movies on YouTube with my friends (this is hopefully buried deep in my digital footprint) and I have loved exploring the tech world. I hope this blog will bring back the creativity that used to ooze out of me as a kid. Secondly, it is very important to me that we discuss digital footprints and the dangers of social media, as I believe it is an increasingly important topic. I want to gain a strong understanding of it so that I can educate my future students on being safe online. Overall, my hopes are very high for this class! See you all next week!