The Edwards Education

In ECI 201 we had the opportunity to learn about the 4 C’s. The 4 C’s are as follows: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. I never learned about the 4 C’s and have never really thought about each one in detail. By going through each one of these concepts, it has allowed me to recognize how I demonstrate each of these in all of my classes.  I have experienced all of these already in ECI 201 when we built a piper computer. Here are some specific ways my group and I demonstrated the 4 C’s while working on the piper computer:

Collaboration– Collaboration relates to the idea of teamwork. When you take part in a collaboration, you work together with others towards achieving a common goal. I collaborated with my group by each of us working together on putting the pieces that need to be put together. Our main goal was to assemble the piper computer successfully. We would not have been able to do this successfully if we didn’t collaborate efficiently.

Communication- Communication occurs when information is transferred back and forth between people. Communication can take place in multiple ways, such as verbal, non-verbal, communication over the internet (ex. Social Media), and so forth. My group communicated verbally on how we should approach making this piper computer. While assembling this computer, it was vital that we communicated. If there was no communication occurring, we would not have been able to know what each person was thinking in terms of how to assemble the computer.

Critical Thinking- When one demonstrates critical thinking they go beyond the memorization of information, they interpret and understand this information in their own unique way. My group demonstrated critical thinking when we were given the visual layout of all the steps and interpreted these visuals to come up with specific strategies on how to assemble these pieces together. All of the individual members interpreted the visual layout differently by coming up with different strategies. This demonstrates the unique aspect of critical thinking, people critically thinking in different ways.

Creativity- Creativity is demonstrated when one uses their imagination and unique abilities when approaching a specific task. Everyone has the potential to be creative in their own unique ways. My group got creative when we had to come up with ways of organizing the components of the piper computer. For example, one group member showed creativity when they put all of the components shown on the visual layout for step one, into one pile.

Implementing the 4 C’s in my future classroom

As a future Elementary School teacher, I feel that teaching my students the 4 C’s is imperative. When students are informed about the 4 C’s and how to demonstrate them, not only will it better their education in school, but also help them in their future careers. I also feel that if students understand the 4 C’s and their importance they will understand why the tasks they are doing are important.

I will have a poster hung up in my room that looks very similar to this one:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4-Cs-Poster-21st-Century-Skills-2704189

 

Before I start teaching the first lesson of the day, I will have my students repeat the 4 C’s out loud. This will help the students get engaged and take an interest in the 4 C’s. After group activities, I will ask my students to raise their hands and tell me how they demonstrated the 4 C’s. As a teacher, I will constantly emphasize on the importance of the 4 C’s and how my students have the potential to demonstrate each one of them.

The following video explains why the 4 C’s are important to teach within our educational system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrEEVZa3f98

 

Here is a link to a video about how four of my peers demonstrated the 4 C’s here at NC State:

 

 

A Transmedia Project

Transmedia: a narrative that extends beyond multiple media forms; may or may not be interactive.

In ECI 201, we were given the assignment of creating a transmedia project within groups based off a book our group choose. My group choose the book “Fancy Nancy”!

Picture Citation: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780060542092/fancy-nancy/

 

This assignment requires each of its member to create a component of transmedia that links back to the book. We then assembled all the components together within one website. The website URL is listed below!

Fancy Nancy Website URL: https://754715531053761916.webstarts.com/quiz.html

This is a picture of the homepage of the website. The section where it says “Home” all the way though “Write Your own Letter” are all tabs that lead to different resources of transmedia. For example, my portion of the project was making flashcards that associate a French word with the English version of it. So, if you want to access the flashcards, you click on the “Flashcards” tab and then once you click on it, you will see this:

       

 

This is a picture of the homepage of the website. 

For example, my poriton of the project was making flaschards where one side says an English word and the other side says the French term for that word.  So, if you want to access the flashcards, you click on the “Flashcards” tab and then once you click on it, you will see this:

        

By adding bright colors and pictures it allows for its users to stay engaged.

I choose to do flashcards because the character, Fancy Nancy, loves saying French words. This allows the users to learn a some terms in French, while still relating to the book.

What I Gained From This Experience

Being given the opportunity to do this transmedia project allowed me to gain perspective from a producer of transmedia. Usually, I am the one who is using the transmedia and not creating it. By collaborating with my group, we came up with creative ideas on what specific transmedia we should produce. I also learned how to produce transmedia through multiple resources.

Why Students Should Be Able to Produce Transmedia

There are many reasons students should gain the educational experience of producing transmedia, here are some of them:

• It allows them to interact with technology in ways that they haven’t before.
• It engages critical thinking as well as creative thinking.
  –Creative Thinking comes into play when they produce their own unique transmedia and being creative with how they produce it.
  –Critical Thinking is involved when you are deciding on content to produce in your transmedia (What content should be put in it? How do we challenge the users? What is the overall goal the users are taking on?).

• It allows them to engage in a different kind of learning environment.
• They are doing a concept called “learning-by-doing”.  As they are producing the transmedia themselves they are learning how to do the process of creating transmedia.
• It advances their digital skills.
• Transmedia involves working with multiple digital resources so the students will get experience with a diverse amount of resources.

My Future Classroom-Making their own Transmedia
Although, I do feel it’s important to have students become users of transmedia, I also feel it’s important that they experience becoming producers of transmedia. That’s why I will dedicate time in my lesson plan to teach my students how to create certain elements of transmedia and will have them produce a component of their choice (quiz, video, etc.). With my technology resources, I will show them how to work with certain resources to create the transmedia content.
By them gaining experience with this in the classroom, they will have pre-existing knowledge on how to approach making transmedia. By learning this skill now, it could help them with their future careers. The kids will present the transmedia they produced to the class and explain how it relates back to the story they originally choose as their subject.

 

An article titled, “With Pictures, Puzzles and Games, Students Create Transmedia Stories”:

‘https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/14874/with-pictures-puzzles-and-games-students-create-transmedia-stories

This article provides an example of a student, Alice, who produced transmedia and explains how she did it and what she produced.

This shows that students have the capability of producing transmedia!

 

 

 

Digital Video use in the Classroom

Using Digital Videos as a learning tool within a classroom offers a variety of opportunities for the students and the teacher.

There are many different resources that allow teachers to show a variety of digital videos. Some of these resources allow teachers to produce their own digital content, as well as use previous content from other educators. These resources also gives teachers the opportunity to produce questions and discussion points for their students that relate to the subject. These resources are accessible due to the advancements in technology.

Resources that I will use in my Future Classroom:

1) Playposit: https://www.playposit.com/login

A helpful URL that contains a demonstration to make a Playposit is listed below:

Playposit: https://go.playposit.com

• Teachers can produce videos and interactive elements to keep the students engaged with the video (multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, polls, etc. ).
• You can design a page specifically for your class and the students can log into an account.
• It is free and the website is easy to navigate.

I feel this is a great resource to use when I am a teacher because it will encourage my students to interact with a video which will help them stay engaged.  It will also allow me to be organized and creative with the content I am teaching.

Citation: https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/playposit

 

2) Edpuzzle: https://edpuzzle.com

• Teachers can use videos previously produced that relate to a specific subject they are teaching.
• Teachers can also produce their own digital videos for their students.
• Both multiple choice and open-ended questions can be applied to the video.
• Teachers can produce as many questions as needed.
• Students can also do voice overs and add comments to previous videos made by other teachers.
• The variety of videos provided range from YouTube videos to Ted Talks and much more.                                                                              ,

Ed Puzzle will definitely be used in my classroom because there are so many benefits for teachers as well as students. It allows teachers to understand what their student is understanding as well as not understanding. The amount of videos available will also be help with the variety of topics I will be teaching in my classroom.

Citation: https://www.tes.com/lessons/GSa_9yA_6VKXHA/edpuzzle

 

3) Vizia: https://vizia.co

• Teachers can produce their own content as well as add interactions to it.
• Tools are available to monitor your student’s activities with the interactions.
• Students can produce their own content.
• There is the option to access notes to videos that were previously made that you want your students to view.
• Students can produce videos for other students as a studying resource.

This resource is very valuable to teachers and students. This website allows students to work with other students and interact with them.  Teachers are able to see their student’s progress and level of understanding towards the content. In addition the website is very user friendly.

Citation: https://twitter.com/viziahq

 

“Accessibility is Key”-WATCH THIS VIDEO!

Video URL:

As a future teacher, I need to be prepared to work with students who learn in different manners. As shown in this video, if I have a student who has a disability, I need to provide them an equal chance of gaining the best education possible. The internet is a valuable tool in helping students with disabilities learn in new ways that satisfies their educational needs. 

There are alterations in technology that allow people with specific disabilities to work efficiently with technology.  One example given in the video is the Screen Reader which allows a blind person to hear what is being displayed on the screen.

 

Article: “Making Technology Accessible for Students with Disabilities”

https://louisville.edu/disability/faculty-staff/making-technology-accessible-for-students-with-disabilities

Some valid points made in this article are:

• Videos and Podcasts should have captioned versions and transcripts available.
• Images within a document should have alternative text (“alt text”), which allow blind students who use a screen reader to view an image with words that describe what is being portrayed in the image.
• Word Documents and PowerPoint presentations-Microsoft Office 2010 has included an Accessibility Checker that looks at your document for accessibility problems. If the check comes back with tips or errors that need to be fixed, this will show you new ways to make this content more accessible to a variety of students.

As I am making lesson plans that involve using technology while teaching the class, I will create a section where I will put down ideas and resources to make this criteria accessible to those who are disabled. My number one priority is to give ALL my students an equal chance at attaining a valuable education.

 

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality allows its users to be involved within a simulated environment through technological advancements. By using 3-D technology, virtual reality engages its users to feel as if they are experiencing something first hand. This newer advancement in technology allows its users to see and discover things that they may not have experienced otherwise.

https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/Virtual-Reality-in-K-12-Education-Is-It-Really-Helpful.html

 

So…why does this matter when it comes to the educational field?

There has been a current trend of virtual reality being implemented in classrooms. Many schools are using this resource as an opportunity for their students to gain new knowledge and experiences. I, myself, am a HUGE advocate for the use of virtual reality in classrooms. Here are some reasons why I believe in this technology:

• It encourages its users to become active participants. Students, especially elementary schoolers, love being active so this would be very enjoyable to them.
• Virtual reality is often able to accommodate different types of learning styles. For example, I know a lot of my future elementary school students would be more engaged and increase their interest in a subject.  They are more likely to understand and retain information if they participate in the process.
• There are many different types of virtual realities and therefore many educational subject areas they can cover. A virtual reality that explores the heart is a potential topic within Anatomy. A virtual reality that allows you to go to a historical site such as Pearl Harbor is a topic covered in the subject of History. 

• It keeps students engaged and WANTING to learn! As a future elementary school teacher, one of my top goals is to have my students wanting to learn rather than having to learn. If students are engaged and interested in something, they are more likely to want to learn about that particular subject and positively impact their classroom performance.

There is a sense of imagination that is involved when using virtual reality. When you feel you are in a completely different reality, you may start thinking differently.  Students can learn through this creative experience by involving new/imaginative ways of thinking and viewing subjects.
 

Incorporating Virtual Reality in the Classroom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqnQ_iwwXwE

I love this video because the information being given to the audience is presented by someone who has experienced the joy of virtual reality.

He points out WHY we should care about virtual reality in education. Some good points he mentions are that virtual reality is altering the way we work, learn, and socialize. There is an educational method that is named “Embodied Learning”, which involves using complex concepts and events while feeling a physical experience. Virtual reality is highly effective when it comes to this method of learning.

 

Virtual Reality in K-12 Education: How Helpful Is It?

https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/Virtual-Reality-in-K-12-Education-Is-It-Really-Helpful.html

I love this article because it gives multiple perspectives on the topic of virtual reality in the classroom
A quote I love from the speaker, Mfon Akpan: “Virtual reality is not the next best thing, it is the thing.”

 

Personal Experience

We got to personally experience the wonderful world of virtual reality. We got to interact with a robot, swim with dolphins in the sea, and draw creative paintings with this amazing technology. We used a headset making the entire experience very easy.  

 

The ClassVR Standalone Headset

 

 

The ClassVR standalone headset doesn’t require any extra mobile device and the view the students are seeing is managed by a ClassVR Teacher Portal. The targeted audience is all ages and can last a full school day. I will definitely use this resource in my future classroom!

For more information about this Virtual Reality go to: http://www.classvr.com

 

 

 

Transmedia…What is it?

Transmedia can also be referred to as “across media”. To elaborate on this, transmedia is the telling of a story across multiple media based platforms. These platforms can take place in many forms such as websites, games, videos, and more. While we may not be aware of it, transmedia has been quite beneficial towards education.

Transmedia: A Puzzle

Transmedia is truly like a puzzle. All of the platforms can be connected in some ways but they are all individually unique in their own way.

 

Citation: http://www.tstoryteller.com/types-of-transmedia

Benefits?

Citation: https://www.slideshare.net/ebreilly1/transmedia-play-final-144

Why is it beneficial towards Education?

An article by Tomas Francheschin called “How Can Transmedia Learning Transform Education?” provides very valid points on the beneficial impact transmedia has towards education.

Some of these points are:

• Allows students to learn how to produce different types of content on multiple platforms
• Students become more engaged when it involves technology
• Allows students to analyze content and understand it through a different perspective
• Students have to think critically when producing transmedia as well
• Students can learn at their own pace, different platforms appeal more to specific students than others
• The knowledge they pertain from making and working with transmedia will more than likely benefit them in their future career

The article link is listed below, I encourage you to check it!

http://edu4.me/en/how-can-transmedia-learning-transform-education/

Incorporating Transmedia in my Future Classroom 

I am beyond excited to have my students get experience with all the wonderful things transmedia has to offer.  I feel it is imperative to allow students to get experience with the diverse platforms involved with transmedia. It will also allow them to get experience with the 4 C’s!

1. Collaboration is used when students are working together to make a specific type of transmedia. It also occurs when people work together to understand content that is being presented in front of them.
2. Critical Thinking is constantly occurring when working with transmedia. When one produces a form of transmedia, in this case students,  they often have to uniquely think on how to keep the story and content the same but also allowing it to be portrayed differently.  Also, specific types of transmedia platforms require its audience to analytically think.
3. Communication is a vital part towards the production of transmedia. Many forms of transmedia are made by working with and communicating with others. This involves communicating innovative ideas on how to produce this potential new platform. Communicating is also involved when students communicate with others depending on what kind of transmedia they are engaged in.
4. Creativity is one of the key components necessary to produce platforms of transmedia. Transmedia is the telling of a story across multiple media based platforms, which requires each platform to be distinctly unique in some ways. Students can demonstrate this when they produce their own types of transmedia. 

Transmedia in Education Video:

-As well as being able to incorporate Transmedia in the future classroom, teachers should produced PLN (Proffessional Learning Networks):  A helpful link on how to produce a PLN is below. 

• “What is a PLN?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju54C5A3RCw&feature=youtu.be

Video: The URL listed below shows the Library, METRC, that is in Poe Hall at NCSU. This video shows a lot of potential resources that could be used for making transmedia.

–ECI Commerical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_y6MDEE-Cg