Essential question: How can 3D printing change the way we think about education? What is 3D printing and how does it work? I will first start out with what is 3D printing? I never know what I can do with something until I understand it. According to Barnatt (2016) 3D printing "turns digital 3D models into solid objects by building them up in layers." There are some different models but they all go through a similar process. "All start with a computer aided design (CAD) model or a digital scan. This is then processed by 'slicing software' that divides the object into thin cross sections that are printed out one on top of the other." The video below does a great job explaining the process of 3D printing and what it can be used for. What types of objects can 3D printing produce and is this a good thing? Some common items that could be produce "include medical implants, jewelry, football boots designed for individual feet, lampshades, racing-car parts, solid-state batteries and customized mobile phones" ("The Printed World", 2011). According to Federico-O'Murchu (2014) in the future we may see more bio-printed organs, more manufacturing domestically, and maybe even producing food just to name a few of the things 3D printing can offer. This could help save on shipping costs since items could be made wherever a 3D pinter is available. 3D printing definitely offers a lot of options but the impacts are unknown. The question is will all of this be good, and what are the impacts down the line? There is no research for the food aspect as to what impacts 3D printed food would have on the body down the line. Also with 3D printing guns could be produced. This opens a whole new set of problems especially with all of the violence taking place today. Enough about the bad news, why is this a good thing? According to "The Printed World" (2011) "engineers and designers have been using 3D printers for more than a decade, but mostly to make prototypes quickly and cheaply before they embark on the expensive business of tooling up a factory to produce the real thing." This helps in the design process as new products can be made a refined more quickly. How can 3D printing be of benefit to education? According to the Leapfrog 3D printing website "3D Printing For Education" (n.d.), 3D printers help prepare students for the future and the careers that might have. There are 4 main benefits of teaching 3D printing in school listed on their page:
What do I see as the benefit of 3D printing in education? For me, I see 3D printing really adding to the maker movement and philosophy. Students can start to connect by hands on investigation. We could use 3D printing to try to solve real world problems. One of the main benefits is the rapid prototyping of 3D printers as mentioned by Barnatt (2016). With this rapid prototyping students can come up with and idea and make their idea come to life. Students can see this object and troubleshoot and redesign, all within a relatively short period of time. This really reinforces the growth mindset, in the mistakes are okay and that getting better is what is important. Not necessarily getting the right answer. I think we will see students willing to take risks and try harder than they would've with current teaching methods, of a more passive learner. I think students will take a more active role in their education which means they will learn more than we as teachers could ever teach them on our own. Sources
3D Printing For Education. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2016, from http://www.lpfrg.com/en/professionals/education/ Barnatt, C. (2016, April 22). ExplainingTheFuture.com : 3D Printing. Retrieved June 30, 2016, from http://explainingthefuture.com/3dprinting.html Federico-O'Murchu, L. (2014, May 11). How 3-D printing will radically change the world. Retrieved June 30, 2016, from http://www.cnbc.com/2014/05/09/will-3-d-technology-radically-change-the-world.html The Printed World. (2011, February 12). Retrieved June 30, 2016, from http://www.economist.com/node/18114221
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Daysha made some great points. She still thinks coding is important to teach, as do I, but there should be some things educators consider. For younger students we should be aware of how much time they are spending in front of a screen. So many kiddos go home and just switch between screens. They are not getting interactions with real things and this could lead to major problems down the line. She also talked about the curriculum requirements. Right now so much is required to be taught that there is no wiggle room for extra stuff, especially new stuff. I can hardly get through things without adding something new.
Josie talked about how many games and sites like code.org are teaching kids fundamentals of coding already. I totally agree an believe these are a must to get students excited and interested in coding. I just think we are failing some of our students at the upper grades, at least where I teach. We don't currently offer any classes like this and I don't have time to teach basics that I don't even know. Drag and drop, gaming style coding, "pop computing", will not prepare students for the job openings that will be available in computer science. Students need more depth and need to be able to create and manipulate things on their own. There is only so much drag and drop can do. Essential question: What are the compelling arguments both for and against computer coding in schools?
In reading this week, it was hard to find much of an argument against coding. The main issue I came across was how much coding should be required in schools and how it should be taught? For this second part of how it should be taught I did find an argument by Harel (2015) about the "pop computing" that is popping up everywhere. These are more tutorials and not computer science. Things can be done in hours with some clicks, drops, and drags. This is not the way computer science works and requires little coding if any at all. This may be a good place to start if students have no experience, but we still need to teach more than this. "By promoting “pop computing” apps to kids in schools, we aren’t doing the hard thinking that defines what the subject of computing is today, and most importantly, what it can be in the future...We are doing a disservice to kids by assuming that they can’t grasp industry-standard languages, complex computer science topics, and applications. By limiting them, we undermine their capabilities and stifle their creative and inventive potential."
So why is it so important to teach coding? Here are the reasons according to "3 Reasons Coding Should be a Core Subject" (2015): 1. Programming can be used in many disciplines.
I really like the argument for coding that NPR gave in this post above. They argue for a basic coding literacy for everyone, but argue that we shouldn't require people to delve deeper into something they aren't interested in. In the NPR post Jeff Atwood relates the coding hype to an obsession with becoming and auto mechanic. "There are tons of cars, there's tons of driving ... but I think it's a little crazy to go around saying everyone should really learn to be an auto mechanic because cars are so essential to the functioning of our society. Should you know how to change oil? Absolutely. There are [also] basic things you should know when you use a computer. But this whole 'become an auto mechanic' thing? It's just really not for everyone." So yes coding is good but not everyone in the world needs to be a computer programmer. There are plenty of other jobs.
Sources
3 Reasons Coding Should Be a Core Subject. (2015, September 29). Retrieved June 24, 2016, from http://gettingsmart.com/2015/09/3-reasons-coding-should-be-a-core-subject/ Computers Are The Future, But Does Everyone Need To Code? (2014, January 25). Retrieved June 24, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2014/01/25/266162832/computers-are-the-future-but-does-everyone-need-to-code Harel, I. (2016, May 25). American Schools are Teaching Our Kids How To Code All Wrong. Retrieved June 24, 2016, from http://qz.com/691614/american-schools-are-teaching-our-kids-how-to-code-all-wrong/?utm_content=buffer6e30c Sehringer, G. (n.d.). Should We Really Try to Teach Everyone to Code? Retrieved June 24, 2016, from http://www.wired.com/insights/2015/02/should-we-really-try-to-teach-everyone-to-code/ This week I missed Twitter. However I was able to go back and post my responses to the questions. It wasn't the same as participating in the live class, but it worked. I was able to reflect on the material for the week. I really liked hearing other ideas for devices. One of my main takeaways from reading the questions and posts was the security issue. So much data, and someone will always try to hack it.
This week the first blog I read was Jessica's. She came up with a great device that would monitor student anxiety level. I don't think this device is too far off. I remember someone telling me about using heart rate monitors during therapy sessions. This way therapists could monitor patient anxiety. This way if a client wasn't showing anxiety signs the therapist would be able to know and respond appropriately. I think something similar would be very helpful in a classroom, especially a high needs class like hers. Douglass made a great suggestion/clarification on my project. He said that maybe the music could detect mood, and then slowly change types of songs to change a students mood. I think if this is somehow possible it would definitely make my idea of a device better. I also read Kayla's blog. Her idea was genius! It really eliminates a lot of needless struggles during a teachers day. It eliminates things like attendance, collecting papers, distributing warm-ups, etc. Her desk tablet would also eliminate the problem of a device going missing temporarily, which frequently happens with my class set of iPads. Before this weeke I had never heard of the name IoT. I had definitely heard of some of the devices, but quickly realized so many ideas are npbeing created it is imposible to know them all. Devices are constantly being made to monitor and make things run more efficiently or to make our likes easier. 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.I had never heard of the "Internet of Things (IoT)." "IoT is simple: it’s about connecting devices over the internet, letting them talk to us, applications, and each other" (Kobie, 2015). According to Morgan (2014), it could be just about anything with an on or off switch. "This includes everything from cellphones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, wearable devices and almost anything else you can think of. This also applies to components of machines, for example a jet engine of an airplane or the drill of an oil rig." There are many issues concerning IoT. Security, privacy and data sharing, and how to use all of this data top the list (Morgan, 2014). The question is should this stop us from using it? We already use computers so another new device doesn't really add much more of a threat according to Kobie. Also all of this new realm of connection adds new experience. For example, "Bell’s telephone eventually took off not only because it offered faster communication, but because it created a more enriching – more human – experience" (Meyers, 2014). The Apple Watch has haptic feedback, biometric sensing, and integrated notifications that connect people to where they are. Most of the hype has come from efficiency, but as demonstrated above social experience could be largely affected as well (Meyers, 2014). My IoT Object I always wish that music could be matched to my mood. I can never decide what to listen to, and no matter how many times I arrange my playlist it is never right the next time. I know we are getting closer to this with choosing what you like and dislike. The problem is our likes and dislikes change so often. In the classroom, I let my students listen to music in class. I don't always let them pick. I would be much more open to music if music was chosen for them so they didn't waste so much time search for the right song. Then after that song is over the trend repeats. So much time is wasted. To make this device I would imagine many sensors to take various body vitals. Then these vitals would have to be matched to music you like to listen to with a particular set of vitals. I'm not really sure if this would work or not, but it would be really cool if it did. Sources
Kobie, N. (2015, May 06). What is the internet of things? Retrieved June 13, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/06/what-is-the-internet-of-things-google Meyers, M. (2014, December 03). Can the Internet of Things make education more student-focused? - Government 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2016, from http://government-2020.dupress.com/can-internet-things-make-education-student-focused/ Morgan, J. (2014, May 13). A Simple Explanation Of 'The Internet Of Things' Retrieved June 13, 2016, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#292f436f6828 I read Aleta's blog and her ideas were fabulous. Her resource of http://makezine.com/ is so amazing! The music table looked so intriguing. It really made me excited to work with the arduino kit in the robotics class. At the heart of the maker movement is the ability to share and connect with others. Aleta said, "When video is added to the makerspace there is the potential to share projects between schools, which may even collaborate to share ideas. Further potential is that students may create across content areas. Makerspaces encourage students to own their projects." I think this is the heart of the makerspace. Ideas are shared and people build off of each other. Rather than reinventing the wheel new things are constantly being created. With the sharing aspect students are more motivated because they know others may see it or use it. It is worthwhile for the student because they see that what they are learning is useful.
Daysha talked about high and low tech options. I believe this is a main takeaway for me this week. Realizing there is no correct makerspace. No correct materials. No right way to do things. She said, “I noticed that Maker Space could be first graders using recyclable items to create bird feeders to high school students using 3D printers and designing video games. Some Maker Space is a portion of the day dedicated to creating in the classroom while other schools have a portion of the library with a teacher specifically hired for that position.” Makerspaces are versatile and can be used however and with whatever materials are available. The only thing stopping me is my classroom. I so need to reorganize so students can access materials that they might need for projects. I think a main concern would be talking with students about how to appropriately use materials and explaining about only taking what you need. This has always been a problem when I do projects. I'm really excited to think about my next year teaching and where I could place materials. How could I make my classroom more student friendly? I think this will take a lot of time, and I am just hoping I get back to school in time to do what I want. Essential question: What is the pedagogy behind a Maker Space? What are the benefits of this pedagogy to students?What is a makerspace? "A makerspace is a physical location where people gather to share resources and knowledge, work on projects, network, and build. Makerspaces provide tools and space in a community environment" (7 Things You Should Know About … Makerspaces, 2013). According to Miller (2015) these spaces can use high tech to no tech tools . High tech includes things such as "3D printers, laser cutters, cnc machines, soldering irons and even sewing machines." Low tech includes things such as "cardboard, legos and art supplies." Some other names for a makerspace include FabLab, Techshop, or hackerspace. Yes these are a little different but at the core they are similar: they are a place for people to come and create either or alone or collaborating with others. What are the benefits of a makerspace? "It offers the potential to make classrooms more child-centered: relevant and more sensitive to each child's remarkable capacity for intensity" (Stager, 2014). Students take control of their own learning making a classroom student-centered not teacher-centered. According to Stager making also allows cross curricular design. Subject distinction becomes almost non existent, as you need all skills when making. Problem solving in a makerspace becomes more authentic. Instead of solving a problem on paper, students solve problems by designing and redesigning to make things better. Makerspaces offere a "highly collaborative learning dynamic that is excellent for team efforts and for peer support, advice, and assistance" (7 Things You Should Know About … Makerspaces, 2013). Instead of the teacher having to solve all problems students start to work with one another. In a makerspace a teacher cannot know everything and other students start to become the experts and the teacher is just there for support. On my search for more about makerspaces I watched many TEDx videos. Many were from the adult perspective but this 13 year old kid named Logan LaPlante nailed the importance of a makerspace. He was pulled from public school and coined his type of schooling as "hackschooling." He says, "I’m not tied to one particular curriculum, and I’m not dedicated to one particular approach. I hack my education. I take advantages of opportunities in my community and through a network of my friends and family. I take advantage of opportunities to experience what I’m learning, and I’m not afraid to look for shortcuts or hacks to get a better, faster result. It’s like a remix or a mashup of learning." I believe this is exactly what we are talking about with making. Choosing our own path and following our interests. The main reason Logan discusses his education is to talk about happiness. School is not a place where many students are happy. A big problem may be that information is being thrown at students and they aren't allowed to discover it on their own. Some of the greatest minds in history did not learn by being given information. They learned by doing. Doing can happen in a makerspace. According to Krcmar (2014) Logan's talk has come at a time when many people are on the hype of finding happiness in their lives. This idea is starting to transfer to education as well. Many are looking for ways to increase happiness in the classroom. Makerspaces may offer the opportunity to provide education and happiness together which is exactly what Logan is advocating for. Sources
7 Things You Should Know About … Makerspaces. (2013, April). Retrieved June 10, 2016, from https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7095.pdf Krcmar, S. (2014, October 07). The Hackschooler Goes Back to School. Sort Of. Retrieved June 10, 2016, from http://www.outsideonline.com/1926276/hackschooler-goes-back-school-sort Miller, A. (2015). What is a Makerspace? Is it a Hackerspace or a Makerspace? Retrieved June 10, 2016, from https://www.makerspaces.com/what-is-a-makerspace/ Stager, G. (2014). What's the Maker Movement and Why Should I Care? Retrieved June 10, 2016, from http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3758336 I have heard of genius hour, MOOC's, and the flipped classroom. I just had not studied genius hour and MOOC's very much. On the other hand, I have been looking at the flipped classroom for a while. I still believe that the flipped classroom would work the best for my students.
Tricia talked about genius hour. I am very jealous of her classroom idea and would love to be a student in it. I wish I could use genius hour with my students. I just don't see how I could make it work at the high school level. I am evaluated on teaching the curriculum I am provided and have no wiggle room. Even without adding this type of project I rarely get through the entire curriculum. Because students get credit for classes in high school I need to try my best to get through the entire curriculum. I might be able to get away with genius hour in my middles school classes, since MS students don’t get credit. It is not as big of a deal if I don’t get through the curriculum with them. I wish our curriculum was not so rigid. Maybe someday, hopefully sooner rather than later, teachers will have more freedom to teach what they think is best for the students they have. Douglas talked about the flipped classroom which is what I am most interested in using in my classroom. The statistics he found from a school that used this model were very encouraging: 1. Increased retention of material 2. 50% ewer students were failing math and English classes 3. Fewer students were dropping out 4. 50% fewer discipline issues per semester If these are true then what would a teacher have to lose in implementing this model in their classroom? Douglas also talked about a model a teacher at his school is going to try. Students will only come to school 2 days a week but will have work to complete outside of the classroom. Students will only come in to school to complete labs and tests. I would be interested to see how this works. I would just wonder if students would actually do things at home. I know this would be a struggle for many of the students I teach, but may work with another group that was more internally motivated. I think it would also depend on the subject area and if the student was interested in that subject. I believe the flipped classroom offers many benefits, and there are so many variations. I am sure I could find something that would work for my situation. With all that I have read this week I am really going to make an effort to try this with one of my classes. I am thinking my earth science classes could use the biggest change. This class has the most students fail. Many are just not motivated and get stuck in this class until they either drop out or age out. I am wondering if the flipped model would provide them with more motivation? Essential Question: Which emerging pedagogy appeals most to you, and might be most useful for your classroom and students? Why?
This is a tough question. I have been most interested in MOOC's and flipping my classroom. Genius hour would be hard to do in a secondary situation where I have course material that needs to be covered. This week I decided to read about both MOOC's and the flipped classroom. I saw many similarities between the flipped classroom and MOOC's. If I can only pick one I would say flipping my classroom appeals most because it has been on my radar the longest. I also believe I have been more interested in MOOC's for my own benefit rather than the direct impact of my students. In a flipped classroom I can see both a benefit for myself and the students.
What is a MOOC? I was having a little trouble distinguishing what was so different about a MOOC and the flipped classroom. This video really helped. "A massive open online course (MOOC) is a model for delivering learning content online to any person who wants to take a course, with no limit on attendance" ("Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)", n.d.). MOOC's are open to anyone not just your class. To me this a huge distinguishing factor. This confirmed my idea that a MOOC would be more helpful to me than my students. According to Thompson (2013), MOOC's could help me to supplement with material from experts or help me as teacher to learn from some of the best teachers. I can see this as the biggest benefit.
What is the Flipped Classroom?
According to the Flipped Learning Network, “Flipped Learning is a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning environment where the educator guides students as they apply concepts and engage creatively in the subject matter" ("The Teacher’s Guide To Flipped Classrooms", n.d.). This to me means that classroom time can be used to engage students in something other than the class content. However, in my situation I think some class time would need to be used to allow students to interact with the class content as many students do not have internet access at home. One of the main benefits is that students work at their own pace. In a lecture a student may hear something only one time, but with a video they can hear it as many times as they would like. I really liked this simplistic picture of how a traditional classroom differs from a flipped classroom.
I think a big part of the success is that students can be more engaged in the class material. Instead of teachers doing all of the instructing, students are working with each other and the teacher. According to Tucker (2015) it allows time for students to think critically about the information they are presented with. Tucker specifically talks about using EDpuzzle. This is a great tool that allows a teacher to either make or find a video and ask the students questions during the video. I have used this tool to present classroom material in the past. I really like the way the information is presented and they are working on a gradebook so that teachers can see the bigger picture rather than just a lesson. It is amazing how silent students are while reviewing class material!
According to Bedrina (2016), "results show that in some cases flipping the classroom helped to improve the class failure rate by as high as 30%, and 94% of students pointed out that they liked this approach to learning." Many articles say this approach might not be for everyone, but with these results it would be worth a try.
Sources
Bedrina, O. (2016, May 27). The Flipped Classroom: Does it Actually Work? Retrieved June 02, 2016, from https://blog.animatron.com/2016/05/27/the-flipped-classroom-does-it-actually-work/ Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). (n.d.). Retrieved June 02, 2016, from https://library.educause.edu/topics/teaching-and-learning/massive-open-online-course-mooc The Teacher’s Guide To Flipped Classrooms. (n.d.). Retrieved June 02, 2016, from http://www.edudemic.com/guides/flipped-classrooms-guide/ Thompson, G. (2013, September 5). Get Ready: MOOCs Are Coming to K-12 -- THE Journal. Retrieved June 02, 2016, from https://thejournal.com/articles/2013/09/02/get-ready-moocs-are-coming-to-k-12.aspx Tucker, C. (2015, June 29). Flipped Classroom: Engaging Students with EdPuzzle. Retrieved June 02, 2016, from http://catlintucker.com/2015/06/flipped-classroom-engaging-students-with-edpuzzle/ This week I read Douglas's blog post. He talked about the promise it provides students in small, rural schools. This is huge for Alaska as much of the state is not easily accessible. These classes provide more diversity for these students. It allows teachers to learn alongside students. We, as teachers, aren't knowledgable in everything and these courses can be huge in helping us provide a practical education to the students we teach. He also talked about issues with needing to get a credential or diploma to get a job. I wonder if this will change over time? I wonder is some of these open learning sites will get accredited to allow for certification in certain fields? Since this is an emerging technology only time will tell.
I also read Josie's blog and I really appreciated how she talked about how most open learning is self-paced. This is great for adults with busy schedules. I always see new courses online and sometimes I try them out. I never get very far. But it is still nice to have the opportunity to learn something new without having to step foot in a classroom. This week has really made me question my teaching. How can I encourage students to become lifelong learners? Can open learning help facilitate this? I think it can. Open learning encourages learners to choose to learn what they are interested in. This, in itself, leads the way to differentiation. Another main takeaway is how do I use open education in my classes while still meeting district and state requirements? I think we have a long way to go before open education will be able to be used the way it is intended in K-12 education. |
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