Virtual Learning = Simulations?

Virtual Learning = Simulations? - Mon., June 19, 2017

Years ago when I was a young teacher I wanted my 6th grade students to get the "feel" and try to truly understand the concept of power and resources.  We divided the physical classroom up into regions and each region had specific resources.  One had the door, another had the water fountain, another had the pencil sharpener, another had the dictionaries, one had the calculators, etc.  Throughout the day we did regular class activities, and it wasn't long before the students in one "region" figured out they didn't have the resources they needed.  It's hard to describe here, but my students got it.  They got an early, primitive lesson that really stuck with them as we went through the year.   I learned then that if I wanted them to get big abstract concepts, I had to make it real.

So it's 2017, how do we make it "real" if it's virtual?  It's not REALLY real, but yet students think differently than we do now.  Our school uses a program called "Dreambox" which is game-based learning for Math and the students have excelled with it.

I think virtual learning is for classrooms what TV was in the 80's.  A way to bring the real world into the house, the classroom, the phone, the device of the students.  Learning can be anywhere, anytime, so virtual, game-based play must be developed and available for all students everywhere and not at a huge cost.

A Vacation from Reality- Sun., June 18, 2017

Sun., June 18, 2017 - A Vacation from Reality

So in the Games and Sim course I'm taking, I've become an avatar and get to explore Jokaydia Grid which is beautiful and perfect and safe.  I was flying (1st hint I wasn't in Vermont anymore), and then accidentally landed in the water/ocean.   Rather than drowning I simply walked on the ocean floor to land, which was quite odd, but kind of nice at the same time.  There was no "risk," no "accident report" that had to be completed and sent to the SU and VSBIT.  It struck me then that the true draw for virtual games is that it is a "vacation" from reality.  The world is perfect, neat, no grass to be mowed, no barking dogs, etc.  Often when people are stressed, strategies recommended to them are mindfulness, yoga, walking in nature, bubble bath, massage, prayer, etc.  I've NEVER heard gaming recommended, but I'm going to add it to my list.  For a short visit, I'm taken away to land with no worries where I can relax and be safe.  Of course, you have to go to the right game to make this happen so I'm going to start a list of "Vacation from Reality" games for recharging the stressed, exhausted educators!

Sun., May 28, 2017 - Lost & Found

Lost & Found - Sun., May 28, 2017

As a principal, teacher, and aunt,  I always believed that “gaming” and virtual reality was wrong.  Board games, i.e. Monopoly, Scrabble were the ONLY real games.  The “other” games were unhealthy and going to make killers of our youth.  (Of that last part,  some of that may sadly be true.)

So I was recently introduced to Jokaydia Grid and Second Life as part of a tech grad class I  am taking, and this post is an assignment, enjoyable though it is.  My first adventure into "virtual games" was exhilarating, petrifying, and addictive.  In Second Life I arrived and started on the "introduction" which helped me feel more confident in myself as an avatar there.  I kept getting passed by other avatars, so I started to remember what it was like in elementary school when I couldn't catch on to a new topic.  I could not jump no matter what I did.  I did what the screen said, but something else happened  overtime.

In Jokaydia Grid, When I first entered the world as an “avatar”  I felt literally lost.  I had no idea how to walk, run, much less fly.  I could feel my heart beating faster as I thought, “I don’t know what to do.” I started wondering around, but very slowly, very cautiously.  Like the real world, new places can be scary.  Luckily after a while, I ran into a teacher who helped me “find my way,” again just like reality.  I was lost, but then found. It was "safe." She had to leave, but I continued to explore. I now understand why students love this realm!  

Here’s a few photos of myself while I waited for friends to join me.  

I recently read a great article:  What is Gamification and in it, is this amazing Ted Talk, which you can view here. This is such a strange new world, but one I'm going to enjoy learning about and having great conversations with my students about! I'll be sharing more of my revelations about this experience as the course progresses! In the meantime, if you haven't gamed, why not?

Hope for the Sunlight - Sat., May 6, 2017

Hope for the Sunlight - Sat., May 6, 2017

Hope for the Sunlight.  Losing a student is such a painful experience.  It makes you even more appreciative of the present and the moments that you have.  You look at every student and listen a lot closer when you realize that the moments that you have with them are finite.  The days that I had as S.'s teacher were some of the sweetest - small classroom and lots of hands-on learning.  Our school had him for seven years of his life, and his presence lives on everywhere on  our school murals.

Here's the  VISION for the school that I'm blessed to be leading.  Your comments are always welcome!

Tweeting - A Paradigm Shift - Tues., Feb. 14, 2017

Since today's the day for love, I have to say that I have never loved "tweeting."  I was briefly introduced to it in the last class, but never really was motivated to really "tweet."  Personally, it's a humility thing.  My ideas are important, but are they important enough to share with the world?  Maybe I'm too "old school" and that I had to wait to be called on by the teacher to share my thoughts.  That's a paradigm shift to think that my ideas are valued and that others can learn from me.  After watching the videos assigned for class, I've got a much greater understanding of WHAT it's for.  I loved George Sieman's words "combinational creativity" and that knowledge is a network project.  I've always looked at it as "one more thing to do," but the value is more evident now.  I can even see where a # for my school could help with communication and knowledge sharing.  I'm definitely more motivated to start using it as a tool in my daily life. When I set up my account years ago, I set it up with a lame account name because I didn't know any better.  Here's my twitter LINK.

Change Project Pitch: Technology Fluency - Feb. 10, 2017

"There is NEVER enough time in the school day to do the things that you HAVE to do."
It's understandable that when you ask staff to ADD anything to their day, the elephant absolutely bucks the rider right off its back.  And that's quite a height to fall from.  

I've created a draft of my my pitch for change in my little school.   Our change action would be supporting the long term change of students being fluent with technology in our school.   The audience and/or stakeholders are the teachers.  What I want from them is to have 15 min. a day dedicated to tech time.  In order to motivate the elephant, I will provide teachers research that shows the need for computer skills for students.  To direct the rider, I would limit it to just 15 min. a day.  To create the path, I would have the students use 15 min. from their current 70 min. lunch (40 min.) and 30 min. (recess).   By preparing the students in tech class how to use the programs, they will just use that time in class to reinforce their Keyboarding and Coding skills.  

Here's my PITCH FOR 15 MIN. TECH TIME.

Understanding Leadership - Tues., Feb. 7, 2017

This week's assignment was to make a visual representation of my thoughts on the leadership readings this week.  Though I used the topic "Leadership" as the center of my mind map, I really wanted to put lightning bolts out from all sides with the word CHANGE written on each lightning bolt.  Change effects leadership every second of the day.  It's like the weather in Vermont, wait 5 minutes and it will change.  

Learning about mind maps and visual note-taking on was not a new concept, but not something I had a great deal of practice with.  I spent hours researching different sites that I could use.  I wanted to do just good old pencil and paper, but forged on to find "Mindmeister."  I liked the samples and thought I could make them work for me.  One of its greatest strengths is the video instruction that comes along with it.  Truly mind maps for dummies and it was advertised for free!  BUT free has a cost as I couldn't download a JPEG or PDF, so I'm linking the map.  

My very rough draft  ViSUALIZATION of the Article:  Leadership Past, Present and Future , and two different resources on the Diigo group about leadership theory, traits, and styles was created on MindMeister's free application.  

I used "Bubbl.org" for another Mind map I made, but wanted to try something new for this posting so after scouring the links provided this week, I decided on MindMeister.   I didn't buy it, as I'm not sure it's the best.  I need to experiment with it more and try it out with teachers to see what they think and then I might get the school professional subscription.  

Using mind maps and visual note-taking "digitally" is a paradigm shift from whiteboards and old-fashioned overhead projectors.  As a science teacher, I was always creating mind maps, but doing it digitally is world-altering different.  I'm excited about learning this new tool.