Hi my name is Nate Lott I am a Maker Space/ ADST teacher in the Kootenays. I live here with my wife and two children, ages 3 and 5. This is my 8th MET course so I am moving closer to the light! I chose the image below as I think that our idea of text in a post print world is gradually shifting. The picture is of signs used in the open virtual world Minecraft. It is traditional text within a completely virtual space. My students use Minecraft regularly to convey their ideas, create meaning and work collaboratively across all subject areas from Science to LA. It is just one piece of my Maker Space but really I see platforms such these as the evolution of our textbooks, which we have relied on so heavily to help guide our teaching and instruct our students.
My students can communicate with myself and their peers in a completely new way inside an environment that has no physical limits. It fascinates me that the skills I developed on games that I grew up on that were deemed “bad for me” are now gradually becoming desirable skills for our students to explore. How and in what way is text being redefined through technology is what I am looking to discover. The authoritative nature of the textbook is shifting, as is how we view text and I am excited to delve into this idea as we move through this course.
Anonymous
May 15, 2018 — 9:14 pm
Hey Nate. That sounds awesome. Does that mean you are a shop teacher too? what do you think of the new ADST curriculum? I was lucky enough to be one of the authors, so I am always interested to see how others are using it.
I look forward to working with you as it sounds like we have a lot in common.
Zale
NathanLott
May 17, 2018 — 10:17 am
I teach K-7 so no shop but the new ADST curriculum has opened huge doors for what we do. From VR to robotics to raspberry Pi’s our students are really expanding out into new areas that have been opened through the flexible modules that were introduced. The authors did an amazing job, thanks!
david nelson
May 16, 2018 — 7:37 am
Hey Nate,
Minecraft is a tool we have been using for a few years as well! The students jump all over the idea.
https://twitter.com/MTMSRegina/status/738065872221294592
NathanLott
May 17, 2018 — 10:20 am
Thats awesome, love to hear some of your ideas, it has really helped change the way we teach in our schools. I followed you on your twitter @OpenSourceLab20