April 13, 2021 · 6:29 pm

UBC course 469 Inquiry-Based Pedagogy

Inquiry-Base Pedagogy, course 467 – Reflection

In Learning Log 1, I chose to explore inquiry-based learning through a discrepant event. The log explored how to make a homemade kazoo for a grade 4 Sound unit to explore the properties of sound. Using discrepant events can spark curiosity, generate questions, encourage planning, allow students to experiment with variables, and promote communication of results. Through the creation of a homemade Kazoo instrument, the students will learn how to observe, make predictions, ask questions, plan, investigate, discover, reflect, and share their findings. My new knowledge of inquiry-based learning will guide me in making the necessary changes to my teaching practice to support a culture of inquiry. Reflecting upon my teaching practices, there are many things that I would need to change to allow the implementation of inquiry-based learning. First, I would start with a provocation to hook the students and pique their curiosity. I would allow the students ample time to explore and play with the instruments and to avoid rushing the students as I often do. I would also offer opportunities for the students to share their ideas first with a partner and then with the class to create a community of sharing. I would make sure to write down their observations and questions and follow-up with more questions to promote deeper thinking. One of the biggest changes I will undertake is my ability to allow the students to lead or to change the direction of the inquiry. This would mean letting go of the reins and becoming more of a facilitator. This would help to create a participatory culture within the class and the students would be more driven to learn about the aspects of the unit that interest them most. The information offered in this course has brought my understanding of inquiry-based learning to the next level. I now feel that I understand the tool and strategies needed to guide inquiry.

image by pixaby

At the beginning of the course, my personal learning objectives were to learn more about how to guide the students to create meaningful questions, the various types of inquiry-based learning, and acquiring a bank of resources and ideas to help with implementing inquiry.

Questioning

I learned a lot about how to guide the students to create meaningful questions. The articles and class discussions offered advice and strategies for how to draw questions from the students such as using the “Red Light, Green Light” (UBC, Module 10), and allowing the students to choose topics that interest them, that are meaningful to them, which encourages curiosity and meaningful questioning. I learned that essential questions generate meaningful questioning and that introducing the Big Ideas of the unit and concept will encourage students to make connections to real life, and deeper thinking. I appreciated what Jeffrey D. Wilhelm states in his article, Learning to Love the Questions, that questions must:

“Matter to students now and in the future.

-Connect to student’s current lives.

-Be about quality and require students to make judgments.

-Get to the heat of the matter.

-Possess emotive force, intellectual bite, or edginess.

-Be open-ended, debatable, possible to contend.

-Be linked to data.

-Be concise and clearly stated.” (Wilhelm, 2014)

Types of inquiry models and inquiry-based learning

Through the course materials, I learned much about the types of inquiry, inquiry models used to guide the teacher. Analyzing various inquiry models allowed me to understand the process, plan effectively and understand the teacher’s, teacher-librarians, and student’s roles throughout the inquiry process. I find this to be very valuable information that will determine how I plan units with teachers and guide the students through the inquiry process. I learned many strategies for how to incorporate inquiry into existing units through the “Nudging” process. This is also very useful information if I intend on collaborating with teachers. I will be able to provide appropriate ideas to teachers for inquiry without changing every aspect of their unit of study.

image by biglifejournal.com

Bank of resources for inquiry-based learning

My third learning objective involved learning about the resources for implementing inquiry-based learning. I was provided with resources for implementing inquiry-based learning through the course materials as well as through class discussions. The following topics were very helpful in learning about resources for inquiry-based learning. Here are a few resources that I found particularly useful:

Discrepant Events and Inquiry-Based Learning, https://www.scienceworld.ca/stories/discrepant-events-and-inquiry-based-learning/

Science World, https://www.scienceworld.ca/resources/

Learning By Inquiry, https://www.learningbyinquiry.com/inquiry-based-learning-provocations/

Focused Education resources, https://k12.bcerac.ca/

Authentic First People Resources, http://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/PUB-LFP-K-7-Authentic-Resources-for-Web.pdf

ABPBC, https://books.bc.ca/resources/for-librarians-and-educators/

Media Smarts, https://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/intersection-digital-media-literacy 

Audrey Okemura (2008) [see this week’s reading Steps To Designing Inquiry-based Units,

Together for Learning, OSLA, Together for Learning from the Ontario School Librarians Association (OSLA) http://accessola2.com/data/6/rec_docs/677_OLATogetherforLearning.pdf

image by pixaby

Before taking this course, my knowledge of inquiry-based learning was limited. I had some experience teaching students about research skills and digital citizenship but not within the context of an inquiry project. I was under the impression that inquiry-based learning took only one form, that of open inquiry. My misconceptions lead me to wonder how I would be able to implement inquiry with my younger students. I wondered how they would be able to perform research, take notes, and analyze and synthesize data. Through this course, I now see that inquiry-based learning is so much more and that it can be implemented in many ways and take on many forms.  I now see that inquiry varies greatly based on the students’ abilities and their grade level. My new learning will allow me to implement inquiry with many different grade levels. I feel confident in my ability to make meaningful suggestions to help the teachers with the inquiry process, to make suggestions for collaboration, to choose good resources, and to plan and organize inquiry units. This course has taught me the importance of establishing an inquiry mindset and a participatory culture throughout the school. As a teacher-librarian it is my duty to support inquiry, to encourage creativity and a sense of wonder, critical thinking, and motivation.  I now have a bank of tools and strategies that I can use for inquiry projects such as using graphic organizers, doing Think-Pair-Share, Using KWL, using the Logbook, how to incorporate strategies for access for all learners, using exit slips, self and peer evaluations, scaffolding, following and understanding the inquiry models, using success criteria, and rubrics, doing checkpoints, modeling, incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing, selecting good resources, using provocations, and discrepant events. I look forward to sharing my learning with the teachers and building a culture of inquiry within the school.

 

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March 13, 2021 · 8:18 pm

Learning Log 4 UBC 469 63C

Learning Log 4

  1. Identify and discuss the most important design element that can be implemented in a school library learning commons to optimally enhance inquiry-based learning.  Provide a source to support your idea if possible.

The primary goal of any library design element is that it must meet the immediate and future needs of the library users. Once the needs of the users are determined, the design elements can be implemented to effectively become a useful and workable space. The design elements that I feel are most important and encourage inquiry-based learning is that of a collaborative space that encompasses a mix of the physical with moveable furniture and the virtual with access to technology. This is supported by Lippman in the article entitled Collaborative Spaces, Thoughtfully designed learning environments help students work together more effectively.

“The physical environment, the special design, and the information technologies must be planned to support a variety of collaboration spaces. When designed thoughtfully, these spaces help create optimal experiences for learning.” (Lippman, 2013)

A collaborative space encourages inquiry-based learning and a design that inspires and motivates users. It is a flexible and fluid space that offers a design that encourages creative and critical thinking. The space should allow the students to communicate freely, engage with each other and offer multiple areas where students have the choice in how they work.

The space should encourage users to work as a community, allow for partner work as well as room for students to work independently. The space must encourage collaboration. It is the design of the library learning common (LLC) that will determine if the users will be able to fully engage and participate in activities. This is supported by Lippman in the article entitled Collaborative Spaces:

“Thoughtfully designed learning environments help students work together more effectively.” (Lippman, 2013)

The collaborative space must be designed to accommodate inquiry-based learning with larger open areas where students can come together as a large group as well as provide comfortable spaces for individual work. The LLC at my current school provides a flexible design that allows for a variety of learning styles and situations. Teachers can access resources and use the space to facilitate inquiry-based learning activities. The furniture in the LLC plays an important role in creating a workable space. The space has a variety of fixed and unfixed features such as moveable tables and chairs. The table can be placed together to accommodate larger groups of teachers or students or can be moved apart and separated to create an open area or work surfaces for smaller groups. The bookshelves are placed along the outside walls of the LLC with two moveable bookshelves on wheels that can be moved to create an open space or to create a private section of the room. There are two moveable couches with pillows that provide a comfortable space for students to work and read, and three large windows allowing natural light to enter. The windows are also equipped with blackout shades, cutting the light to create an optimal viewing environment. 

My current school library learning common.

The LLC is also equipped with a low-to-the-floor round table which can be used for small group activities with younger children. There is a u-shaped table as well, used to accommodate small group discussions and activities between teacher and students. A whiteboard/screen and projector on one side of the room allows for more than one focal point in the room. It is used by teachers and students alike for multi-media presentations. There is a bulletin board on the wall used for posting information and displaying student work. The space can be arranged to accommodate multiple learning environments and allows the student to work in a variety of social grouping. There are no fixed computers in the room, but students and teachers have access to a computer cart with 25 laptop computers,10 tablets, and digital access to WorldBook Online encyclopedia, Universalis Junior French digital encyclopedia, a green screen, TumbleBooks library, EBSCOHost database, and La Liberté French online newspaper. The LLC space’s versatility has allowed for one-to-one, small group, and large group teaching, research sessions, community social gatherings, staff meetings, PD events, science expositions, guest speaker presentations, student research, clubs, class library period, and many other events.    

 

Video by bythebrooks.ca   

The following resource “Reimagining Library Spaces, Transforming Your Space on Any Budget” by Diana Rendina offers information, steps, and practical suggestions for re-designing an LLC on both the large and small scale level.

Resource:

image by renovatedlearning.com

ISBN: 9781564843913

Published: October 2017

Length: 176 pages

Table of contents: https://cdn.iste.org/www-root/conference_med/TOC/TOC-4005.pdf

  1. Discuss the aspects of inquiry design (or re-design) that you find the most rewarding and the most challenging.

Through inquiry-based learning, students show increased engagement, develop teamwork skills, and are led to a better understanding of information. Inquiry-based learning allows the students the freedom to explore what they are interested in learning, leading to better acquisition of 21st-century skills that will benefit them in their life after school. Inquiry-based learning promotes deeper thinking skills in students.

I feel that the most challenging part of inquiry design is what Barbara Stripling calls the Wonder stage where students are asked to generate possible questions for research. Jean Donham describes this aspect of inquiry as active intellectual exploration. What I find difficult is leading the students to ask the right questions and to think on a deeper level. Donham explains that:

“Posing questions lies at the heart of any inquiry-based assignment.”  (Donham, 2011)

This is a very important step in the inquiry process. Teachers must lead the students to develop research questions as opposed to fact-gathering questions. I will have to provide planned opportunities and model good the types of questions that require deeper thinking. I understand the importance of allowing the students the freedom to ask questions. I am concerned that the process may highlight the academic levels of the lower achievers. Creating a culture of inquiry is essential in helping the students to grow into creative and critical thinkers. The process of leading the students to ask good questions comes from an established culture of inquiry. My concern is how well they are able to ask the deeper-level questions that guide the inquiry process. It will require a change in my teaching where other teachers may have already done so. It will require making the shift to using inquiry strategies on a regular basis. This will mean letting go of the reins and allowing the student to use precious time to get on and off track. This will mean having less control over the lesson and the expected outcomes. In general, what is challenging, is the scope of the commitment to taking on inquiry-based learning.

“All across the country educators are working toward inquiry. It may seem as if other people have this transformation down pat and are way ahead of you. Don’t get discouraged.” (Maniotes and Kuhlthau, 2014)

Although inquiry-based learning requires teachers to make big changes to their professional practices which to some, can be a daunting task, there are many rewarding aspects of the implementation of inquiry-based learning. What I find most rewarding is seeing the students showing a high level of engagement and success. As a teacher, this is one of my main goals. A lot of satisfaction comes from seeing the students being successful and demonstrating an enjoyment in learning. Through inquiry-based learning, the students are driven to satisfy and quench their thirst for knowledge. Learning becomes more meaningful to them and allows them to take hold of their own learning. They get excited about a topic that they can explore on their own, in a supportive environment. This is supported by Maniotes and Kuhlthau in their article entitled The Shift, From Traditional Research Assignments to Guiding Inquiry Learning.

“Inquiry provides the emotional satisfaction of building personal knowledge and sharing learning. Studies found that students’ interest increased when they build personal knowledge and that they experience emotional satisfaction in sharing their learning with others in the class.” (Maniotes and Kuhlthau, 2014)

video by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlwkerwaV2E John Spenser

  1. Use your own information search process to identify an additional inquiry model.  Discuss the additional model and compare it to one of the three Canadian models listed in Module 9.

5E’s Inquiry-based learning model

The 5E Inquiry-Based Instructional Model promotes collaborative learning in students and encourages them to investigate new concepts, develop relevant questions, make observations, analyze new information, draw conclusions, and solve problems. Students are encouraged to choose topics that are meaningful to them that allow them to draw upon previous knowledge. The model leads students through 5 phases of inquiry: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. The first three sections (Engage, Explore, and Explain) encourage the students to acquire and make meaning of new knowledge. The last two E’s (Elaborate and Evaluate) encourage students to apply, self and peer assess what they have learned.

   image by knowledgequest.aasl.org

image by thelibrarymarketplace.com

5E’s Inquiry-based learning model (5E model): Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate

vs.

Ontario School Library Association Together for Learning Model for Inquiry (OSLA model): Exploring, Investigating, Processing, Creating

The initial sections in the 5E model (Engage) and the OSLA model (Exploring) both indicate that in these phases, the teacher will introduce the topic. The teacher works to assess the needs of the students, their prior knowledge, and interests. The students and teacher will choose a topic, discover opening questions, introduce concepts, and encourage an interest in the topic. One of the differences between the two models in these phases is that the Explore section of the OSLA model encourages students to share their thinking with their peers and teachers whereas this is encouraged in the second phase of the 5E model: Explore. The Exploring section of the OSLA model focuses more on modeling and giving descriptive feedback.

The Explore phase of the 5E model is much like the Investigating phase of the OSLA model. The main ideas of these two phases are to formulate a focus by investigating, drawing on prior knowledge, and making predictions and observations. These phases allow the student to create ideas and formulate a plan for inquiry. Here the students will clarify and extend their questions. Students will explore new concepts through learning experiences. The teacher’s role is to challenge the student’s prior knowledge and beliefs and extend their thinking with open-ended questions.

The Processing phase of the OSLA model draws upon many similarities as both the Explain and Elaborate phases of the 5E model. Students will evaluate ideas, analyze, and synthesize ideas, evaluate information connecting it to big ideas, draw conclusions, and compare. Here students identify biases and develop a balanced perspective. In this phase, teachers will assist students with prompts to boost understanding.

The OSLA model contains a Creating phase where students communicate their learning through presentations. Students will plan ways to express their learning and consider a variety of representations. They will pose new and deeper questions and celebrate the learning journey. It is through this phase that teachers will challenge and extend student understanding. The 5E model incorporates these same elements but they are found in the Elaborate phase.

The 5E model contains a section entitles Evaluation. In this phase, the teacher will perform formal and informal assessments. The teacher will make observations to determine if the students have a strong grasp of core concepts. In the Evaluation phase of the 5E model, the student will self-assess whereas the same objective is met in the Creating phase of the OSLA model. The main difference is that assessment and evaluation. Assessment mostly happens at the end of the inquiry process in the 5E model whereas there is more ongoing assessment and reflection throughout the entire inquiry process in the OSLA model.

Both inquiry models are very similar regarding the general criteria of the inquiry process. Both models outlined the importance of learning through activities and the process. They are different in the way the information is presented and organized. The biggest difference is the information given around reflection, evaluation, and assessment. The OSLA model encourages ongoing assessment as opposed to the 5E model highlighting it at the end of the inquiry process. My preference would be to use the OSLA model as it offers much more information about the roles of the student, teacher, and teacher-librarian as a partner and as a leader. The OSLA model also explains student feelings related to inquiry adapted by Kulthau’s research. Through the OSLA website, I was able to access elementary and secondary sample activities and ideas for assessment tools for each phase of the model.

 

Lippman, P. C. (2013). Collaborative spaces Links to an external site.. T H E Journal 40(1): 32-37.

https://youtu.be/LglFl1BYfFs video by bythebrooks.ca

“Learning Commons Day Winnipeg.” By the Brooks: Anita Brooks Kirkland, www.bythebrooks.ca/presentations/presentations-archive/learning-commons-day-winnipeg/

https://youtu.be/EpwhQYafNp4

“Learn about BSCS’s 5E Instructional Model.” BSCS Science Learning, bscs.org/bscs-5e-instructional-model/.

http://www.togetherforlearning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/INQUIRY-POSTER-English-Linked1.pdf

Northern, Sam. “The 5 E’s of Inquiry-Based Learning.” Knowledge Quest, 27 Aug. 2019, www.knowledgequest.aasl.org/the-5-es-of-inquiry-based-learning/

Donham, J. (2011). Assignments worth doingLinks to an external site.. School Library Monthly. 28(2): 5-7.

Fontichiaro, K. (2009). Re-envisioning existing research projectsLinks to an external site.. School Library Monthly 26(1): 17-19.

Lippman, P. C. (2013). Collaborative spacesLinks to an external site.. T H E Journal 40(1): 32-37.

Steps to designing inquiry-based unitsLinks to an external site.. (2008). School Library Media Activities Monthly 25(3): 2.

Stripling, B. K. & Harada, V. H.. (2012b). Designing learning experiences for deeper Callison, D. & Baker, K. (2015). Elements of information inquiry, evolution of models, & measured reflectionLinks to an external site.. Knowledge Quest 43(2): 18-24.

Fontichiaro, K. (2015a). Nudging toward inquiry – Framing inquiry with scenariosLinks to an external site.. School Library Monthly 31(3): 50-51.

Maniotes, L. K. & Kuhlthau, C. C. (2014). Making the shiftLinks to an external site.. Knowledge Quest 43(2): 8-17.

Stripling, B. K. (2004). Using inquiry to explode myths about learning and librariesLinks to an external site.. CSLA Journal, 28(1), 15–17.

understandingLinks to an external site.. School Library Monthly, 29(3): 5-12.

https://youtu.be/6JrjiSRhPEk

https://youtu.be/QlwkerwaV2E  

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February 27, 2021 · 5:18 pm

Curation – Space Exploration Resources – 469

For this assignment, I will review, select and curate 10 resources that I would include in an inquiry plan about Space Exploration for a grade 6 class. I chose the topic of Space Exploration based on the level of interest that the students have in this topic. The topic is relevant because it helps to address fundamental questions about our place in the Universe and the history of our solar system. It is relevant because there have been many advances in space exploration this year and students should be in touch with exciting current events that occur in their lifetime. It is essential for students to know what is happening in the real world and be able to make connections. Using specific criteria, I will evaluate each resource and explain my rationale for why I chose the resource.

image by planitaty-science.org

Choosing good resources to support an inquiry plan is essential. Teachers need to provide the students with resources that are credible, educational, of different media formats, at appropriate reading, listening, viewing, and cognitive levels for all students. Good resources allow the students to develop skills for efficient inquiry. Most of the resources that I have chosen for this assignment are available to me through the various subscriptions provided by my current school division. The books are available through my current school learning library commons.

I have selected each resource using specific guidelines and criteria. The BC Ministry of Education explains that an appropriate resource is one that:

“- supports the learning standards or learning outcomes of the curriculum

-assists students in making connections between what they learn in school and real-life applications

-are developmentally and age-appropriate

-have effective instructional and technical design

-meet the requirements set by copyright and privacy legislations

-are suitable based on social consideration” (BC Ministry of Education)

Keeping this in mind, I will use the following criteria for selecting quality resources for a Space Exploration inquiry plan.

a. Curriculum links: Is the resource linked to curriculum outcomes?

b. Real-Life applications: Does the resource allow the student to make connections to the real world?

c. Age and ability appropriate: Are the resources age-appropriate? Is the resource accessible to all student abilities? Can the resource be altered or adapted to fit the abilities of the students?

d. Usability: Is the resource easy to use? How much time does the resource require to fully understand and use?

e. Social consideration: Does the resource offer the students the opportunity to practice their social skills?

f. Credibility: Does the resource get a good review? Does the resource come from a credible source?

Space Exploration Resources

  1. Breakout EDU – Space Exploration https://platform.breakoutedu.com/game/explore-mission-to-mars Breakout EDU, www.platform.breakoutedu.com/

Breakout Edu is an immersive learning games platform. The website offers a breakout game called Space Exploration. The game consists of a combination of physical and digital puzzle elements aligned with curriculum standards that must be solved in a set amount of time. Players of all ages and abilities are challenged to solve the digital puzzles or open the locked Breakout EDU box using critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. Since my school division acquired a membership to the Breakout EDU website, I have been able to test some of the strongbox puzzles. The students have a lot of fun working together to solve the puzzle. The most important thing would be to choose puzzles that are age-appropriate and not too difficult to solve. If the puzzles are too difficult then the students are likely to give up. The topic of space is part of the Manitoba Grade 6 Science curriculum. The puzzles can be modified or adapted to fit student ability and each Breakout puzzle contain suggested age groups. The website provides step-by-step instructions for each puzzle and kit puzzles can be printed. Each game includes a section with suggested reflection questions, puzzle answer key, and introduction storyline. This platform is like the concept of a board game. Harris & Mayer (2010), talk about “modern board games” that are more cooperative and open-ended, with a focus on teamwork, strategy, and planning, rather than elimination. Breakout EDU activities are just that, “the modern boardgame” where students work as a team. Working cooperatively offers the students the opportunity to improve their social skills, to practice good listening skills, and patience. This is supported by Harris and Mayer when they state “Gaming, that structured form of interaction bound by rules with players working towards an end goal, must be learned.” (2010)

image by Breakout EDU

  1. WorldBook Online Encyclodepia – Space Exploration Webquest

“World Book Online Reference Center: Online Reference Book: Online Encyclopedia.” World Book, www.worldbookonline.com

The Space Exploration Webquest is an activity available through the Teacher Tool section of Worldbook Online. It is very engaging to students as they work independently to explore the Worldbook website and learn about space exploration. Each Webquest is curriculum correlated and students with reading difficulties can use the read-aloud option. This activity allows students to practice their foundational knowledge. Students follow the easy-to-use step-by-step expedition instructions through Worldbook Online to learn about space exploration. Through the Webquest, students learn about space exploration by reading text, observing images, and listening to sounds related to space. The activity is easy to access and each Webquest can be printed. Webquest offers the students the opportunity to improve their technological capacities and research skills by moving through the World Book Online database. I have tried out a few Worldbook Webquests. The students enjoy doing them. I suggest that the teacher choose a Webquest to complete as a class. This will allow the students to follow along and practice their skills before completing one independently. These types of activities can be classified as being a web game. Harris and Mayer state that these kinds of activities “provide a unique and authentic opportunity for developmentally appropriate growth through play.” (2010)

image by Worldbook Online

  1. Article: The History of Space Exploration – “To the Moon and Beyond: A Brief History of Space Exploration.” Tech Will Save Us, 13 Nov. 2019, techwillsaveus.com/blog/history-of-space-exploration/

The article entitled To the Moon and Beyond: A Brief History of Space Exploration can be found on the techwillsaveus.com website. The article gives the reader a description of the important space exploration events in history which is linked to real-life. The article is easy to read. It offers links to more in-depth information about various topics such as V2 Rocket, famous astronauts, and SpaceX. The article includes images of space and video footage related to each historical event. The theme-based article offers an abundance of information about space exploration. The content of the article is current and engaging. It supports the criteria and can be used in part of a text set as described in Module 6 of course 469: “It can be used with an inquiry approach to reading and discussing to deepen understanding, or it may be collected to support a specific topic for historical or scientific inquiry.” (UBC, course 469, Module 5, 2021). In my experience, I have taken explored similar articles about various topics with my students. I suggest that the teacher project the article on the whiteboard and ask students to create a timeline of the most important events to get the most out of the article.

image by nasa.gov

  1. Nasa Website – “NASA’s Mars Exploration Program.” NASA, NASA, 3 June 2014,

https://mars.nasa.gov/#red_planet/0

The Nasa Science Mars Exploration Program is dedicated to offering readers up-to-date information about the Mars exploration program. The Red Planet section offers sections on Nasa Science goals, information about the planet itself and its atmosphere, astrobiology, and a past, present, and future timeline. Each section provides links to topic information. This website links to the grade 6 Manitoba Science curriculum. The information provided is current and relevant to what is happening in our world today regarding space exploration. The information is easy to access at an easy reading level. Individual articles are clear, concise, and brief which allows for easy understanding.  I feel that it is important to offer the students websites that are known to be reliable and safe as it may be risky to allow the students to search the Internet at will. The website is peer-reviewed, and the results are published through PubSpace.

https://sti.nasa.gov/submit-to-pubspace/#.YDpwpmhKjIU

It is a reliable website as it is a government agency that is responsible for science and technology related to air and space. The agency was created to oversee U.S. space exploration and aeronautics research.

image by nasa.gov

  1. Interview an astronaut article

“8 Questions for Andrew Morgan.” Time for Kids, 11 Feb. 2021, www.timeforkids.com/g56/8-questions-for-andrew-morgan-2/. https://www.timeforkids.com/g56/8-questions-for-andrew-morgan-2/

This article encapsulates an interview between three children and Astronaut Andrew Morgan. Time for Kids is a reputable source for information. https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/time-for-kids. The text is informative and not too extensive. It is comprised of 8 questions formulated by children making the text easy to read. The article also highlights in yellow some of the articles’ more difficult vocabulary. Clicking on the yellow word leads to an audio pronunciation, definition, and visual representation of the word. The end of the article includes a more in-depth video interview with Andrew Morgan. The text can be used as a model to develop questioning skills and for those who have difficulty reading, they can access the video interview. The student will be engaged when reading this article because they can relate to the kids that performed the interview. The questions asked are at grade level and the topic relates to real life. Field professionals are a great resource to get the human perspective and demonstrating real-world knowledge and experiences. Students could use this interview as a model for their own. Students can create questions and answers based on their research of space exploration.

image by nasa.gov

  1. DK Space-A Visual Encyclopedia in Print “Space a Visual Encyclopedia.” Dkbooks, Published by DK Children, 18 Aug. 2020,

www.dk.com/us/book/9781465496850-space-a-visual-encyclopedia/

This encyclopedia is geared to students in grades 2 to 6. Students can access the 4-page glossary for understanding specific scientific terminology to help with language acquisition for English language learners and the 6-page index allows the quick and independent location of specific information. The encyclopedia can be used as a resource to do more in-depth research about various space topics. The table of contents outlines a long list of topics related to space. There are sections that explore space exploration entitled LIFTOFF and MISSIONS IN SPACE. The encyclopedia includes engaging, high-quality images. Reluctant readers can explore the vibrant images and text boxes. The encyclopedia covers all topics related to the grade 6 Manitoba curriculum on Space. This title is readily available in my current SLLC. I have used print encyclopedia’s in my teaching and I found it useful to have multiple copies and a variety of print materials for the students to explore. Occasionally, I would ask the students to mark the useful pages with sticky tabs for easy access to information later on. This is a good pick because as stated in Module 6:

“Trade books are informative, entertaining and visual or not, appealing to a range of readers, focused on a subject, conducive to in-depth reading and meaning-making, and best to use in schools when they are integrated with curriculum in a multi-media environment. Trade books are one way to extend and enrich learning.” (UBC, Module 6, course 469, 2021).

DK Smithsonian Space a Visual Encyclopedia processes all these qualities.

https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/science/outcomes/5-8/gr6.pdf

image by scholstic.ca

  1. Gallery of images about the Perseverance

Buchholz, Rachel. “Welcome to Mars!” Space, National Geographic Kids, 16 Feb. 2021, kids.nationalgeographic.com/space/article/mars-perseverance-rover. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/space/article/mars-perseverance-rover

The gallery of space images allows the students to increase their interactivity and they promote and encourage students to have social discussions and ask essential questions. Using images in the inquiry process also helps students develop the student’s visual literacy skills. This encourages critical thinking. Images and photographs can arouse the student’s imagination and tap into their previous knowledge of the world. Images are an effective way to present abstract concepts and provide a high level of interest. When using images for inquiry, students are all able to participate, share their ideas and insights where there is no wrong observation. Using images at the beginning of a lesson is a great way to kick off a unit. Students draw upon personal experiences by connecting to what they see. It’s a great way to see what the students already know about the topic and which parts they may be interested in.

“Images and video offer a starting point for developing essential questions.” (UBC, Module 6, course 469, 2021)

images by physicsworld.com and floridatoday.com

  1. Video – Perseverance Landed on Mars! Now What? | SciShow News, 2021, https://youtu.be/1OSbWzqXdOc

There are many videos about the Perseverance Rover and its mission, throughout the Internet. Although many are well-done, detailed, and informative, the level of understanding was too difficult for grade 6 students. The video I chose for the space exploration resource is entitled Perseverance Landed on Mars! Now What? | SciShow News. It is a very recent video around 6 minutes in length. The video showcases live footage of the Perseverance landing, basic information about the Perseverance, and its engineering and mission. The video is age-appropriate and easy to understand. The level of technical information is kept to a minimum. The NASA website offers many interesting primary source videos of the Perseverance about specific events but what I like best about the SciShow video is that the presenter provides an easy-to-understand overview of the Perseverance and other related information. The video encourages students to formulate new questions and decide what they are interested in learning more about. The video allows the student to develop their inquiry skills by becoming curious about the topics presented in the video. This is consistent with the Module 6 course content description of images, video, and primary Sources:

“Images and video can be provocations and invitations, inspiring curiosity and comparison.” (UCB, Module 6, course 469, 2021)

  1. Read-Aloud – Storytime from Space – Curiosity, A Story of a Mars Rover Written and Illustrated by Markus Motum Read by Astronaut Nick Hague https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DABmJuocCAA&t=377s

This read-aloud of a book about Curiosity, the space rover. The book is read by Astronaut Nick Hague from space. Read-Alouds provide a lot of enjoyment for students. Students like being read to and it allows them to be exposed to age-appropriate texts. They have increased focus when they are being read to and the students are more likely to draw upon previous knowledge. It helps them to experience reading without the pressure of their reading abilities getting in the way. Reading aloud will allow the students to become more interested in the topic while they listen to the story. Read-aloud offer the students the opportunity for increased comprehension. The story itself is easy to follow. It contains the right amount of detail and background information about the Curiosity Rover. The content information of Curiosity, A Story of a Mars Rover is linked to curriculum outcomes, encouraging the students to make connections to the real world. This read-aloud offers a unique opportunity for students to compare and contrast significant events in history. The book gets excellent reviews. GoodReads give it 4.37 out of 5. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35554308-curiosity

imgae by amazon.ca

  1. App for Apple IPads – Mars Glob‪e, Midnight Martian Martian, Midnight. “‎Mars Globe.” App Store, 18 Aug. 2009, apple.com/us/app/mars-globe/id324185998

“Increasingly, apps – including those focused on augmented reality- and games are also being reviewed as valuable tools and resources for learning” (UBC, Module 6, LLED 469)

This is a free app that allows the student to take a tour of Mars. The app contains a virtual globe of Mars using a high-resolution satellite map. The app introduces Mars and the guided tour presents some of Mars’ most intriguing features. This resource is very engaging to use, requires very little tech skills to navigate and within seconds users are moving about Mars discovering new places. The students will be intrigued and will enjoy independently exploring the surface of Mars. The app gets very good reviews. It can be used to search for information and to connect the information to visual images. Students can learn at their own pace and explore the areas of Mars that interest them. The app contains useful information that links to curriculum expectations.

image by apps.apple.com

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February 11, 2021 · 10:59 pm

Learning Log 3 – The Circle of Courage and Participatory Culture

Learning Log 3

Discuss how the integration or embrace of indigenous ways of knowing into teaching practice can enable learning to be accessible for all students.

Participatory culture means students can express themselves, can create and share, can mentor and be socially connected, and feel secure in their voice.  What structures could you put in place in a school library to support participatory culture?

In my current school division in Manitoba, we have adopted the Circle of Courage (Brendtro, Brokenleg, & Van Bockern, 1990) as our philosophy to encourage the well-being of all our students. The philosophy encourages each student to thrive in a nurturing environment. The Circle of Courage model uses Indigenous philosophies of youth development to develop the mind, body, and spirit. The Circle of Courage is designed to show us how to build respect and teach inner discipline. Although the Circle of Courage is often used to help at-risk students, all students can benefit from the teachings because it teaches the mindset that every student can thrive. Through the Circle of Courage, diversity and cultures are respected, a sense of belonging is created, students feel valued, they are encouraged to problem-solving and to build relationships.

“The Circle of Courage is a model of positive growth development based on the universal principals that to be emotionally healthy, all youth need a sense of belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity.” (Brendtro, Brokenleg, & Van Bockern, 1990)

The Circle of Courage’s four unifying values (belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity) can be used as a teaching model to allow learning to be accessible to all students. The four values apply to all students to help them experience success. Each of the areas of the Circle of Courage provides important values, lessons, and concepts for students. Through my description of each section of the Circle of Courage, I will explore various teaching strategies based on the four universal principles that allow students to thrive.

Participatory culture is described by Rheingold as “an outgrowth of our natural human instinct to work as a group.” (Inquiry course, module 4). My exploration of the Circle of Courage will describe how the Circle of Courage and participatory culture relate. I will also list ideas and structures, that can be put into place to create a participatory culture where students can express themselves, feels secure in their voice, and thrive personally and academically.

image by johansonconsulting.ca

Belonging

Belonging is described as a person related somehow to everyone they know. It means that the students need to develop a connection with their peers and teachers to then create strong social bonds. These social bonds encourage relationships of respect and the student develops a sense of significance and self-worth. To build a sense of belonging and respect, the teacher can try to create appropriate physical spaces that meet the needs of all the students. Teachers can consider what would be the best classroom arrangement or SLLC arrangement for the whole group, small group, and individual activities. The arrangement should allow for movement and a quiet space for those who need it. The article entitled The Aboriginal Lens – Education for Reconciliation suggests:

“Respect requires: Creating a safe space where everyone belongs on the circle.” (BC Teachers Federation, 2017)

Lessons and activities should include all students regardless of their circumstances and abilities. Students of different abilities and backgrounds are encouraged to work together which will allow the student to make connections and get to know each other. To create a participatory culture the teacher can offer the students the opportunity to create their own clubs based on their interests. This will allow the student to make connections with students who have similar interests. Students are encouraged to organize the club, visit classrooms to promote it, and create an outline of the activities. Students can facilitate the club with the help of the teacher or teacher-librarian.

Mastery

To build mastery, we teach the students that they cannot be good at everything but that they must always try. Mastery focuses on observing adults as role models. The goal is to help the student to grow into contributing adults. Through Mastery we encourage achievement, success, creativity, problem-solving, motivation, and persistence. To help the student achieve mastery, teach using differentiated learning that is authentic and relevant. Model expectations, clarify what the students will be learning, offer them clear criteria (rubrics and checklists), and instruction. Allow them to solve problems collaboratively and provide them with meaningful feedback. To create a participatory culture, teacher and teacher-librarians can facilitate Indigenous story-telling sessions with students. Aboriginal stories and legends contain many life lessons that students can relate to. In my current school division, the Indigenous Education Team and the Indigenous Youth Leadership Team organized a four-session event where indigenous knowledge keepers and storytellers tell stories and legends to honor Indigenous voices and promote wellness. The storytellers are members of the Grandmother and Grandfather Council and serve as excellent role models for the students.

Independence

The aspect of independence through the Circle of Courage relates to building independence through trust. Students are encouraged to be responsible for their own learning. This can be achieved through goal setting. Being an independent learner comes from empowering self and self-motivation. Students gain the confidence to persevere through different learning experiences. Students are encouraged to develop their leadership skills. Students can take ownership of their classroom when instructors allow them to take part in decision making. Teachers can offer curriculum choices, and students can collaborate with others to create suitable classroom rules and routines. Personal independence provides a sense of inner power. To create a participatory culture the teacher or teacher-librarian can offer inquiry-based learning projects. The student has control over the topic and the questions they may want to be answered. Participatory culture also stems from the use of technology. The use of technology allows the students to fully engage in the task. In my current school division, Microsoft Canada, Minecraft: Education Edition recently announced the completion of Manito Ahbee Aki, the first Minecraft teaching resource in the world that honors, celebrates, and explores a Manitoba Anishinaabe community. This is an excellent resource for teaching Indigenous perspectives in an extremely engaging way.

Generosity

Building generosity involves making meaningful contributions to the community and the people around you. Students are led by teachers and teacher-librarians to build their connection with the community and to develop their sense of pride and joy. Students can develop a sense of responsibility to care for others in their community by participating in meaningful citizenship activities. To create a participatory culture, teachers and teacher-librarians can facilitate opportunities such as the Library Club where students take turns to help the librarian with routine tasks. This helps the whole school community and the student’s efforts are meaningful and appreciated. Students can participate in volunteer activities at the local care homes. Students can create cards for residents who feel isolated. This allows them to contribute to the well-being of the community. Students can practice collaborative problem-solving skills to experience giving and receiving help.

In conclusion, Henry Jenkins (2006) identifies the following five aspects of participatory culture which can be related to the four unifying values of the Circle of Courage. Using the Circle of Courage, participatory culture can be created, and students feel that they can:

“express themselves creatively and be engaged” – This relates to the Circle of Courage, Belonging, and Independence sections.

“understand that in this place they can create learning products and share these with others” – This relates to the Circle of Courage, Independence section.

“[That] mentoring happens in this place” This relates to the Circle of Courage, Mastery section.

“feel that what they think, feel and do matters” This relates to the Circle of Courage, Generosity section.

“feel socially connected to each other” (Jenkins 2006, UBC, LLED 469) This relates to the Circle of Courage, Belonging section.

 

 

BC Teachers’ Federation. (2017). The Aboriginal lens: Education for reconciliation (Links to an external site.). In Aboriginal Education. Vancouver, BC: BCTF.

Hamilton, B. J. (2011a). Creating conversations for learning: School libraries as sites of participatory cultureLinks to an external site.. School Library Monthly 27(8): 41-43.

Franklin, P., & Stephens, C. G. (2009). Equitable access, the digital divide, and the participation gap!Links to an external site. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 25(5), 43–44.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2008b). The goals of differentiationLinks to an external site.. Educational Leadership 66(3): 26-30.

Brendtro, L., Brokenleg, M., & Van Bockern, S. (1990). Circle of Courage. Retrieved February 14, 2014, from Reclaiming youth international: http://www.reclaiming.com/content/aboutcircleofcourage

“Circle of Courage.” Every Student Can Thrive., www.everystudentcanthrive.weebly.com/circle-of-courage.html

Librarian, Karissa Fast -. “Teen Programs.” Ontarian Librarian, 2 Aug. 2020, ontarianlibrarian.com/category/teen-programs/

“Participatory Culture in a Candy Shell.” Public Libraries Online Participatory Culture in a Candy Shell Comments, publiclibrariesonline.org/2017/10/participatory-culture-in-a-candy-shell/

McLeod, S. (2018). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved May 5, 2019, from Simply Psychology: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Peterson, J. M., & Taylor, P. D. (2009). Whole Schooling and the Circle of Courage. Retrieved May 8, 2019, from Whole Schooling Consortium: http://www.wholeschooling.net/

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February 6, 2021 · 6:51 pm

Learning Log 2

Question: A classroom teacher wants you as a teacher-librarian to participate in a more traditional research process as an initial foray into the use of the SLLC, and inquiry practices. Discuss what you would do, and why.

The first thing, in my opinion, that the teacher-librarian should do when a classroom teacher initiates collaboration is to demonstrate a positive attitude. The teacher-librarian should nurture the working relationship and show appreciation for the teacher’s desire to collaborate. The teacher-librarian must make the teacher feel supported and be open to their ideas. It is also important that the teacher-librarian show flexibility with what the teachers want to achieve and their busy schedule. The teacher-librarian must learn what the teacher’s goals are for the activity and adapt services to the teacher’s and student’s needs. The teacher-librarian must aim for true collaboration to build trust. The teacher-librarian will think of ways to enhance and improve the teacher’s efforts without overstepping or changing the vision that the teacher may have for a certain inquiry. Stripling says, “librarians must decide how to enhance the teacher’s instruction and impact learning without disrupting the teacher’s preferred teaching style”. (Stripling 2012)

The following Piktochart demonstrates what true collaboration looks like.

The purpose of the teacher-librarian is to lead the teachers to pursue inquiry investigations with their students. Teacher-librarians must adapt their services for teachers and offer to combine efforts to achieve the goals set out by the teacher. Stripling states in her article entitled Inquiry through the eyes of Classroom Teachers that:

“Librarians can encourage teachers to provide opportunities for students to pursue inquiry investigations, but they must also meet teachers and students where they are and develop new strategies to enhance their teaching and learning in the classroom.” (Stripling, 2012)

The next step would be to find out everything about what the teacher wants to achieve. The teacher may want the students to learn about the SLLC (School Library Learning Common) and the services it can provide. The teacher may want the students to learn the skills to do efficient research, how to formulate higher thinking inquiry questions, how to compare websites and information, how to write a bibliography, do note-taking skills, or simply how to use the school library system to find books related to various topics. The teacher-librarian can offer to meet with the teacher at their preferred time to discuss the goals and reason for the visit to the SLLC. This offers the teacher-librarian the opportunity to make subtle changes to the teaching process through planned cooperation. If indeed the teacher is looking for help with the acquisition of inquiry skills, then the teacher-librarian has many options to help the teacher.

  1. The “embedded librarian” strategy. The teacher-librarian visits the classroom prepared with activities that will teach the students the framework of the inquiry process.
  2. The teacher-librarian and classroom teacher can collaborate to target specific skills to integrate into a series of mini inquiry lessons.
  3. The teacher-librarian can prepare a plan for the teachers to follow to teach inquiry skills in the classroom and include graphic organizers.
  4. The teacher-librarian can introduce additional specialized resources such as maps, photos, online databases) to the teacher can use them when teaching inquiry skills.
  5. The teacher-librarian can facilitate professional development. (Stripling, 2012)

In Fontichiaro and Oehrli’s 2014 article about collaboration, they state that: “As a librarian, if you don’t show the impact, it’s not going to be worth it. The teacher has enough going on.” The teacher-librarian must show the teacher that their help will have an impact on the students. Teachers are very busy, and it is important for them to see the big picture and what kind of impact the teacher-librarian’s help will have.

 

Question 2: Identify and discuss some strategies or structures that you could use in the classroom or SLLC to foster enjoyment of learning.

Most children are eager to explore and learn new things. Babies and children are naturally curious and seek to learn about the world around them. Our students will have the same curiosity and desire to learn when they are part of a thriving learning environment.

Image by biglifejournal.com

An enjoyment of learning and a thriving learning environment can be developed and cultivated by using a variety of strategies and structures in the SLLC and in the classroom. The strategies used to foster an enjoyment of learning lead to the development of core competencies. Students develop an inquiry mindset which leads to successful inquiry experiences.

“If you can light the spark of curiosity in a child, they will learn without any further assistance. Children are natural learners… Curiosity is the engine of achievement (Robertson, TED 2013)

Strategies and Structures for developing an enjoyment of learning and a thriving learning environment:

  1. Respect, support, and encouragement:

Teachers should always strive to build positive relationships with their students. Teachers are role models for respect and the student learn directly from their example. Respect and trust between students and teachers allow for the learning environment to thrive. Students can openly explore and discover without judgment. Respect is part of the foundation of learning. When trust is established, students will better relate to their teachers. Teachers need to build a foundation of trust where students feel that the teacher’s support and encouragement are genuine.

“We trust their (the student) judgment and we respect their opinions. This feeling of trust opens the door to new possibilities. It is an environment that students thrive in, a space where they can be free to create, explore, wonder without judgment.” (Harper, O’Brien, 2012, p.11)

  1. Knowing the students:

Understanding your student will help to build a positive environment for learning in the classroom or SLLC.  This will allow the teacher to pinpoint the needs of the students, how they learn best, what they are interested in, and what the teacher must do to appeal to the students.

With the knowledge of what the student’s interests and abilities are, the teacher can provide high-interest learning experiences that empower the student to learn new things, to questions, and motivate themselves.

“Truly knowing our students, their interests, and strengths, helps create a classroom of learners. We foster what they can do and empower them to extend themselves to learn new things.” (Harper, O’Brien, 2012, p.10)

  1. Teachers are learners too:

To develop an enjoyment of learning, the teacher must show that they are learners too and that they truly enjoy learning. When the teacher demonstrates that they are learning, they model risk-taking, passion for learning, vulnerability, curiosity, and perseverance. This will incite the students with the desire to learn by sharing experiences of working through the learning process. This will show the students that the focus is on learning.

“ Because if you enjoy your teaching, it is going to help the children tremendously. Enjoying teaching has two components, First, enjoying the subject matter and pushing the subject matter for its own sake. The other component is to enjoy interacting with children and seeing them learn. (as cited in UBC, module 3, The Inquiry Mindset, 2021)

  1. Motivating and engaging learners:

Teachers use strategies to motivate their students. The goal is to motivate them to practice higher-level critical thinking skills and promote meaningful learning experiences. Csikszentmihalyi states that learning matters to those who are involved. Meaningful learning experiences can motivate and encourage the students to get involved. He talks about “flow” as:

“The experience we have when we’re “in the zone”. During a flow state, people are fully absorbed and highly focused, they lose themselves in the activity.” (O’Keefe, P. A. 2014)

The following diagram demonstrates the various aspects needed to boost student engagement using the “Flow Theory”.

Image by medium.com

  1. Encourage creativity:

To encourage creativity the teacher can provide learning opportunities where students to have discussions and ask questions. Harper and O’Brien state in their article entitled How to put Students in the Driver’s Seat that:

“The most important motivators to learning are intrinsic passion and an interest in the work itself.” ((Harper, O’Brien, 2012, p.11)

 

Teachers must choose topics that the students can relate to and that are engaging and meaningful. The teacher strives to help the student discover what interests them, pursue areas of self-interest, and to encourage divergent thinking. A topic is only interesting to the student if it is personally valuable to them.

“Look beyond the curriculum and home in on student interests… we are as actively engaged in the learning process as the students and act to provide support and direction through hands-on, minds-on learning experiences.” (Harper, O’Brien, 2012, p.10)

  1. Allow the students to work collaboratively:

Allowing students to work collaboratively allows them to take responsibility for their own learning. To foster an enjoyment of learning the teacher must trust the student to make their own decisions.

Image by biglifejournal.com

Learning opportunities should be structured allowing the student to make choices. This will give them a sense of ownership. This will encourage the student to make deeper connections and bring more meaning to their learning.

“Students feel empowerment when they can pick their own topic and they will research it with eagerness…” (Harper, O’Brien, 2012, p.10)

  1. The Zones of Regulation

Teaching the students how to use Zones of Regulation will help them acquire the skills to control and adjust emotions and behavior around changing tasks. If the students are taught to use the steps of the Zones of Regulation, they will more easily self-regulate their feelings, assess their level of comfort, use strategies to cope with challenging academic tasks, set goals, and manage social interactions. This will enhance the learning environment.

Image by http://www.wsr-tlc.com/

 

Bibliography

“Collaboration and Inquiry.” Saskatchewan School Library Association, www.ssla.ca/collaboration-and-inquiry.html

Rheingold, Howard. “The New Power of Collaboration.” TED, www.ted.com/talks/howard_rheingold_the_new_power_of_collaboration?language=en

Spencer, John. “Five Ways to Boost Student Engagement with Flow Theory.” Medium, The Synapse, 12 Apr. 2020, www.medium.com/synapse/five-ways-to-boost-student-engagement-with-flow-theory-ea68064be708

“Learning Commons in Action.” Canadian School Libraries, www.canadianschoollibraries.ca/learning-commons-in-action/

Biglifejournal.com. “7 Ways to Instill A Love of Learning in Children.” Big Life Journal, www.biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/instill-love-learning-children

Raffaelli, Lina. “32 Strategies for Building a Positive Learning Environment.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 3 Sept. 2014, www.edutopia.org/discussion/32-strategies-building-positive-learning-environment

Harper, Jennifer and O’Brien, Kathryn. (2012). How to put students in the driver’s seatLinks to an external site.. In Student-Driven Learning: Small, medium and big steps to engage and empower students (pp. 9-14). Markham, ON: Pembroke Publishers.

https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/why-you-should-spend-more-time-with-your-learners

Maloney, D. H. (2010). Solving problems that countLinks to an external site.. Educational Leadership 68(1): 55-58.

Moreillon, J., Luhtala, M. & Russo, C. T. (2001). Learning that sticks: Engaged educators + engaged learnersLinks to an external site.. School Library Monthly 28(1): 17-20.

O’Keefe, P. A. (2014, Sept. 12). Liking work really matters (Links to an external site.). The New York Times, p. 12.

Fontichiaro, K. & Oehrli, J. A. (2014a). Nudging toward inquiry – Turning the tables on collaboration part I: Planning for successLinks to an external site.. Library Media Connection 32(4): 36-38.

Fontichiaro, K. & Oehrli, J. A. (2014b). Nudging toward inquiry – Turning the tables on collaboration part 2: Reflecting on successLinks to an external site.. Library Media Connection 32(5): 34-35.

Hamilton, B. J. (2011a). Creating conversations for learning: School libraries as sites of participatory cultureLinks to an external site.. School Library Monthly 27(8): 41-43.

Marcoux, B. L. (2007). Levels of collaboration: Where does your work fit in?Links to an external site. School Library Activities Monthly 24(4): 20-24.

Stripling, B. K. (2012a). Inquiry through the eyes of classroom teachersLinks to an external site.. School Library Monthly, 28(8), 18–20.

 

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January 23, 2021 · 7:51 pm

Learning Log 1 of 4 – Learning Through Discrepant Events

Learning Log 1

For my first learning log assignment, I chose to explore topic 1, inquiry-based learning through a discrepant event. I will make a homemade kazoo to learn about the properties of sound. At the school where I am currently working as a Teacher-Librarian, the grade 4 classes will be exploring Sound in science class in the month of February. This offers me the opportunity to try out this activity to see inquiry-based learning in action. Using the discrepant event as the basis for an inquiry project, I will describe how it can lead the students to develop inquiry skills.

“Discrepant events can be a fun way to either introduce a new concept in science or test your student’s understanding. They are also powerful tools to develop inquiry skills.” (Science World, 2020)

Homemade Kazoo: Exploring the Properties of Sound

A Kazoo is a musical instrument based on the physics of how vibration makes a sound. The objective of this project is to conduct investigations to lead the students to discover that vibrating materials can make a sound.

Steps for making a Kazoo

-gather household materials suggested by Science World website

-assemble the Kazoo based on the instruction provided by Science World website

-experiment with or “tried-out” the kazoo by speaking into the opening

Wonder:

– What happens when you speak into the tube?

-Why does my voice sound different?

-How does it work?

-What does the air vent do?

-Which types of materials would work best?

-Why is the top cover vibrating?

Experiment with variable:

-speaking into kazoo softly and with force

-speaking into kazoo while blocking the air vent

-covering the top of the kazoo with different materials like tin foil and plastic wrap

-changing the location of the air vent

-changing the length of the tube

Observations and Conclusions

The location of the air vent and the length of the tube of the kazoo did not change the production of vibrations and sound. The type of material used to cover the top of the kazoo (the resonator) affected the ability to create vibrations that were audible. For example, the wax paper and the tin foil top covers allowed audible sound vibrations whereas the plastic wrap did not. I discovered that the top cover needs to be made of a firmer material that does not expand. Covering the air vent in the tube prevented the production of vibrations and sound. To produce vibrations from a kazoo, the air pushed into the tube must have a location to exit the tube. The sound of my voice and air causes the wax paper of tin foil to vibrate inside the kazoo. The rest of the air exits through the air vent and the wax paper or tin foil acts as a resonator.

How is this activity inquiry-based learning and where does the Library Learning Commons fit in?

Making observations of discrepant events can spark curiosity, generate questions, encourage planning, allow students to experiment with variables, and promote communication of results. These are all inquiry-based learning skills. Through the creation of a homemade Kazoo instrument, the students will learn how to observe, make predictions, ask questions, plan, investigate, discover, reflect, and share their findings. The following diagram highlights the various steps of the inquiry process. To clarify, I will relate the Kazoo sound project to each section of the inquiry cycle.

Image by ScienceWorld.ca

Observe and Explore

This is where I believe the library Learning Commons fits into the inquiry process. The library learning commons provide access to many different types of resources that the student can explore to learn about the properties of sound. The teacher-librarian can offer her expertise in providing articles, storybooks, picture books, and videos about sound. The students will have access to the Internet where they can explore Science websites. In my current school division, students and teachers have access to World Book Online. This encyclopedia/database offers information, videos, games, puzzles, and suggestions for science experiments about sound. I imagine the teacher and the teacher-librarian working together to create learning centers where students can examine and compare various instruments, play sound-related games such as sound BINGO, listen to a story about sound and go on a scavenger hunt to find the sounds in the school environment.

Ask Questions/Select Questions

Once the students have some background information, the teacher can prompt the students to share their questions about sound. The teacher=librarian can show the student the kazoo and ask them what they already know about the instrument. This can prompt a series of questions about how the kazoo works. I envision the teacher and teacher-librarian adding questions to the chart paper. From here students can individually select a question or the class can decide as a group which of the questions they want to be answered. Some examples may be:

  • What happens when you hum into the tube?
  • Why does your voice sound different?
  • Why does the loudness of your voice change? (Science World, 2020)

Plan an Investigation

As a class, with guidance from the teacher, the students will come up with a plan of how to proceed to create the kazoo. They can make a materials list and the teacher can prompt the students to discover what changes can be made to the kazoo (variables).

Experiment

For this step, the students will create the kazoo. At this point, it is very essential in my opinion to give the students ample time to build, re-build and experiment will all the variables. It is through experimentation that the student will make discoveries and continue to ask more questions.

Reflect on what Happened and Share

As a class, the students can reflect on their experiments by creating an experiment log. They can then share their observations, discuss what worked and how the variable affected the kazoo. This is where the students will help each other to think more broadly about sound and its properties. Students can share which variables they chose and the conclusions they came to.

More Questions

Experimenting with variable, reflecting on their efforts, and sharing their conclusions can lead to more questions. Exploring sound further will allow the students to gain a deeper knowledge of the properties of sound and how it relates to the environment that surrounds us.

image by Pixabay

Personal Learning Objectives

I am very interested in developing a bank of resources for inquiry-based learning. Ideally, I would like to have a bank of ideas for projects that would include templates, resources, and how-to instructions for language, science, and social studies. The ideas must be meaningful and authentic inquiry-based learning projects for students in grades K-8. I am also interested in learning how to appropriately guide the students in creating meaningful questions. What are the strategies that I should be using to lead the students in creating open-ended questions that are meaningful to our world? Lastly, I would like to learn about the various types and models of inquiry learning and how to implement them in grade k-8 classrooms.

 

Discrepant Events and Inquiry-Based Learning.” Science World, 8 Dec. 2020, www.scienceworld.ca/stories/discrepant-events-and-inquiry-based-learning/.

“Homemade Kazoo.” Science World, 17 June 2020, www.scienceworld.ca/resource/homemade-kazoo/.

Youtube video: https://youtu.be/JofXJWsCWtE

 

 

 

 

 

 

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November 30, 2020 · 9:09 pm

477 – Final Future Vision/Final Project

For my Final Vision project, I chose to create an artifact from which my colleagues and students will benefit. My vision is to create something meaningful to the teachers’ technology needs, to improve student learning, to better teaching methods, and support the needs of the students in their journey towards 21st Century learning. My goal in creating the artifact is to help the teachers develop their ICT, and to support, enhance, and optimize the delivery of information.  My intention is to bring awareness to the technology tools available to the teachers and to provide information and guidance about the programs and how to use them. This is valuable information as it offers the teachers an easy and convenient way to learn how to use tech tools.

My artifact is a curated series of seven video tutorials (five of which were created by me), and seven thorough descriptions (all of which were created by me), demonstrating how to use the various technology tools offered by my current school division.

-Universalis Junior

-NetTrekker

-Tumble Book Library

-Visual Thesaurus

-World Book Kids part 1, 2 and 3

The videos and descriptions are presented using Microsoft SWAY, which I thought was an appropriate tool to use considering that it is also one of the tech tools offered by my school division.

free image by Pixabay

Appreciating the Process

This course and the related activities have allowed me to reflect on my teaching practices, my technology skills, and what I am interested in learning about. I have grown in my abilities to use technology by investigating the tools my school division offers and by learning how to integrate other technology tools into my teaching. This course has encouraged me to take advantage of the resources and the knowledge of other professionals to expand my network to further develop my ICT. All of these ideas have led me to reflect on the needs of my colleagues to become more successful in developing their ICT. Considering all of these points, my artifact is truly a representation of my learning.  I can appreciate the steps followed to help us develop a clear vision for our project: reflecting on our needs and interests, creating and exploring a plan for our Final Vision project. These steps helped my vision to take shape and gave me a clear idea of the needs of my colleagues and what kind of artifact would be useful to them.

Free Image by Pixabay

Step by Step

Before starting to work on my project, I decided that it would be useful to keep a journal of my journey to developing my final vision. The first part of my journey was spent discovering what my colleagues knew about the tech tools offered by my school divisions. I took the time to talk with many teachers on staff, asking them what they knew about World Book, Universalis Junior, Tumble Book Library just to name a few. They expressed that they needed help using and locating the technology tools and that they were interested in finding out more. At this point, I realized my purpose and decided to create a tool that could help my colleagues learn about technology tools and how to use them. Here are the steps I took to ensure that I would create  a quality product:

-Decided which technology tools would be most useful to teachers.

-Researched and explored each technology tool to fully understand how to use it.

-Created a thorough description of the technology tool, what it offers, and for whom it’s geared.

-Researched how to create a video tutorial

-Learned how to use Screencast-O-Matic

-Learned how to use Microsoft SWAY.

-Wrote the scripts explaining the technology tools.

-Practiced making a video while moving about the technology tool.

-Learned how to upload the videos to SWAY.

-Learned how to upload SWAY to Blog.

Artifact Uses

My SWAY presentation can be used in many ways. First, it can be presented at a professional development day. The presentation would include directions to access the technology tools from our divisional website. I would also allow the teachers time to explore the technology tools to help them to become more familiar with how they work.

Within the SWAY program, the information can be altered into the format of a slide. Each slide can be sent to the teachers one at a time, throughout the school year inside the Library Newsletter.

Each video tutorial can be emailed to teachers with whom I am collaborating.

The SWAY presentation can be posted on our divisional portal for all to access.

Technology Speedbumps

I want to add that although the steps I took seem quite straightforward, the process was difficult and I often felt like I was fumbling along. Deciding which parts of each tech tool to explore was difficult. There are so many aspects of the programs and I had to decide which ones were going to be most useful for the teachers. Using Screencast-O-Matic was tricky. I trashed many videos and started over so many times. I needed to get over my shyness for creating voiceovers. I started out with too many technology tools to explore. I needed to decide which tools to explore because I had bit off more than I could chew! Through the entire process, I wondered what I would do if I couldn’t upload my videos to SWAY and my SWAY to my blog. I tested out uploading videos and I was successful but I wondered if the files were too large they would not load. I tried to finish the project early just in case I needed time to change things. Although for me creating this type of artifact was risky, I really did learn a lot about technology. I believe I have improved my skills and I feel more confident in my abilities to help others learn about technology tools. Here is my SWAY Final Vision project. I hope you enjoy it.

Go to this Sway


“Frequently Asked Questions about Literacy with ICT.” Literacy with ICT Across the Curriculum, www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/lict/s_leaders/faqs.html.

“How to Do Voice Overs Like a Pro: The Complete Guide.” Welcome to the TechSmith Blog, 19 Oct. 2020, www.techsmith.com/blog/voice-over/.

“Beginner’s Guide to Screencast-O-Matic’s Free Screen Recorder: Screencast-O-Matic.” Screencast, 9 Nov. 2020, screencast-o-matic.com/blog/beginners-guide-free-screen-recorder/.

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November 21, 2020 · 4:50 pm

477 Future Vision Blog Post

Help teachers develop their ICT by curating a list of digital tools that can be used for remote teaching or in-class teaching.

To develop the teacher’s ICT I have decided to curate a list of digital tools with videos that would hopefully be very useful to the community of teachers in my current school division. The goal of this project is to improve my fellow colleague’s ICT by offering them the information they need to access and use the tools that have been provided to them. The artifact offers the teachers the resources and information they need to integrate the use of divisional tech-tools during remote and in-class teaching. The focus of this project would be to create a list of tech tools offered by my current school division and to provide an overview video demonstrating some of the features of the tech tool.

This resource would be very useful to the teachers based on what I have observed. When collaborating with teachers to complete special projects, I offer my ideas and support and recommend a great technology tool to accompany the project. I am usually met with positivity but often the teachers express that they don’t know how to use the tool, that they don’t know where to find the tool or that they didn’t know that we had access to it. I think it is important to address their concerns. My artifact will help the teachers to gain confidence in the use of technology and offer the students new and engaging ways to learn. My current school division offers an impressive list of subscriptions to various tech tools and I want the teachers to be able to take advantage of them.

My project will explore most of the following technology tools:

-NetTrekker

-Mathletics

-Raz-Kids (Leading A-Z)

-World Book

-Visual Thesaurus

-Tumblebooks

-Encyclopedia Universalis Jr.

My project artifact will be geared for teachers but will benefit both teachers and students. The article written by Janelle Cox, Benefits of Technology in the Classroom highlights how integrating technology into the curriculum benefits the student by allowing them to connect with experts, deepens the learning process, and take responsibility for their learning. It states that the use of technology in schools is a necessity for students to acquire 21st-century technology skills and that it may affect student achievement. The use of technology promotes higher-order thinking and problem-solving skill. (Cox, 2019)

Not only will my artifact help the teachers to build their ICT and knowledge of using technology tools in the classroom, but it will offer the students the opportunity to acquire 21st-century digital literacy skills.

“Benefits of Technology in the Classroom.” TeachHUB, 25 June 2020, www.teachhub.com/technology-in-the-classroom/2019/11/benefits-of-technology-in-the-classroom/.

“What Are the Emerging Technologies in the Classroom?” TeachHUB, 17 Aug. 2020, www.teachhub.com/technology-in-the-classroom/2019/10/what-are-the-emerging-technologies-in-the-classroom/.

“How Technology Can Increase Student Engagement.” TeachHUB, 17 Aug. 2020, www.teachhub.com/technology-in-the-classroom/2019/08/how-technology-can-increase-student-engagement/.

10, et al. “Why Teachers Should Embrace Technology in Their Classrooms.” The Edvocate, 8 Oct. 2016, www.theedadvocate.org/why-teachers-should-embrace-technology-in-their-classrooms/.

“20 Digital Tools for Classroom for Innovative Teachers & Students.” GraphicMama Blog, 5 May 2020, graphicmama.com/blog/digital-tools-for-classroom/.

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November 14, 2020 · 4:33 pm

477 – Future Vision Blog Post #1 Design Consideration

For my future vision project, I am considering three options. Each idea relates to the topics explored throughout this course. All three ideas would serve as professional development for the teachers and they would be a great resource for the school community. My ideas would help the teachers and students in my school to grow their abilities and knowledge in digital literacy, to develop a love of reading, and learn to use technology tools for in-class or remote teaching.

Image by Pixabay

Idea #1 Providing information and resources to the school community to help grow digital literacy, specifically research skills.

This project would focus on creating a professional development session using Microsoft Sway and presented using Screencast-o-Matic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcg6DGO9hpI

video by Microsoft

The content would focus on digital literacy in the 21st century, the provincial standards and outcomes for research skills, research skills framework, and strategies and activities to teach effective research. My goal is to create a professional development session that serves to teach digital literacy to teachers and the important role it plays for the future of our students. I would introduce and explore research skills such as search bar strategies, reliability of the information, and forming meaningful questions, etc. Although this is a meaningful topic to explore, what concerns me in the preparation of this professional development presentation is the sheer magnitude and scope of information around digital literacy and research skills. I would need to narrow down the focus of information for the presentation without leaving out the important aspects that provide a global understanding of digital literacy. Using Screencast-o-Matic also concerns me. I do not have experience using voice-over software.

Image by Pixabay

Idea #2 Create a two-year strategic plan to foster a culture of reading throughout the school.

For this project, I would create a list of ideas on how to create a culture of reading within my school. The plan would contain a timeline and I would describe each idea with a step-by-step plan for its implementation. The ideas that I want to implement would be directly linked to the needs of the students and teachers. The purpose of this plan is to bring about change and implement regular activities and events that would benefit the school community and create a culture and love of reading throughout the school. I had difficulty finding a unique way to present this topic. I thought of creating a series of short news broadcast videos explaining the idea and inviting students and teachers to participate. I would send out the videos once a month to the teachers. Using Prezi, Powtoon Animated Video or IMovie came to mind. This project idea would include news broadcast videos.

Image by Pixabay

Idea #3 Help teachers develop their ICT by curating a list of digital tools that can be used for remote teaching or in-class teaching.

Considering that the province of Manitoba is currently at level red, with the possibility of remote teaching on our minds, I think that a curated list of digital tools would be very useful to the community of teachers in my current school division. This project could be shared with not only the teachers in my school but with teachers throughout the school division. The goal of this project is to improve my fellow colleague’s ICT by offering them the information they need to access and use the tools that have been provided to them. The focus of this project would be to create a list of tech tools offered by my current school division, to provide an overview of each tool and how it can be used.  I would also include a list of other resources that could be useful for remote teaching or in-class teaching about Virtual Tours, Global Read-Aloud just to name a few. Once again, the idea of doing a voiceover presentation comes to mind. I could provide the teachers with a document including an overview of the tool and a quick video demonstrating some of the features of the tech tool.

Image by Pixabay

Although each of my ideas will take time to develop, I think that there is a need for all of them within my school and school division. The teachers and students would benefit greatly from each idea.

Idea #1 offers the teachers resources to teach research skills and the students the skills they need for 21st-century learning.

Idea #2 offers the teachers and students the opportunity to develop a love of reading.

Idea #3 offers the teachers the resources and information they need to be successful during remote and in-class teaching using tech tools providing the students with unique and engaging ways to learn.

Choosing just one to explore is a difficult task. I have a lot of thinking to do! I am also concerned about choosing a presentation tool that I feel comfortable using. I will take the time needed to explore the various presentation tools and hopefully, I will grow my confidence.

 

The Global Read Aloud, theglobalreadaloud.com/.

Nisha. “Manitoba’s Best Virtual Tours You’ll Want to Try from Home.” Travel Manitoba, Canada – Start Planning Your Trip Here, 100s of Great Ideas and Experiences, Manitoba, 19 May 2020, www.travelmanitoba.com/blog/post/manitobas-best-virtual-tours-youll-want-to-try-from-home/.

“20 Digital Tools for Classroom for Innovative Teachers & Students.” GraphicMama Blog, 5 May 2020, graphicmama.com/blog/digital-tools-for-classroom/.

Starke, Kathryn. “Developing a Love of Reading in Students.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 31 Jan. 2020, www.edutopia.org/article/developing-love-reading-students.

Youtube video, How to Use Powtoon Free, https://youtu.be/lEQiZQi-aGY
Youtube video, The Beginner’s Guide to Imovie, https://youtu.be/nV_1eCZ360M

Unesdoc.unesco.org, unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000257933.

Williams, Addie. “Tips for Teaching Research Skills.” The Secondary English Coffee Shop, 1 Jan. 1970, secondaryenglishcoffeeshop.blogspot.com/2019/11/tips-for-teaching-research-skills.html.

“Digital Literacy Fundamentals.” MediaSmarts, 20 Feb. 2019, mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/digital-literacy-fundamentals.

“Home.” 21st Century Learning International, 20 Mar. 2020, www.21c-learning.com/.

“Welcome to Screencast-O-Matic: Screencast-O-Matic.” Screencast, screencast-o-matic.com/tutorial/welcome-to-screencast-o-matic.

Youtube video, What is SWAY? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcg6DGO9hpI

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November 8, 2020 · 1:22 pm

Summarizing and Discussing Phase 2 Topics and Interests

Upon reflection of the topics explored in phase 2 of this course, I wanted to find a way to effectively represent the topics and ideas that resonated with me, and that has helped me in my development as a Teacher-Librarian. I decided to represent phase 2 with the analogy of an ecosystem. I understand each topic as a living and breathing part of an ecosystem. Each part plays an important role in the development of the teacher-librarian and each part contributes and relies on the other to maintain perfect balance and the health of the system. Many topics resonated with me and helped me to develop my understanding of how I can promote life-long learning for myself, teachers, students, parents, and the community.

Image by K.Witkowicz Worclouds.co

The topic of creating a culture of reading resonated with me. I believe that having a culture of reading in a school acts as the foundation of everything the teacher-librarian does throughout the school. This is what I would like to focus on at my current school. I have a plan to create a book club through TEAMS. My next goal is to establish a designated reading time for all the students at the school level. In my own class, I have set a goal to do one read-aloud a day to my grade 4-5 students.

Through phase 2 topics I learned that teacher-librarians need to take hold of their own professional learning. It is important for teacher-librarians to grow in their practice to be able to offer the best services to the staff, students, and community.

A way to achieve this is to take the time to explore new technology and set achievable goals. I feel that my growth in ICT and professional development will determine how well I will be able to help the school community. I want to provide quality collaboration. Recently, I have started to look more closely into the teacher networks that I am a member of. I have been active in the French Immersion Teachers Facebook group which I have found very helpful. I have set a goal to learn about and set up a virtual tour with a classroom by the end of November. I have watched various tutorials on how to use Microsoft STREAM and I opened an account on Screencast-0-Matic with the intention of trying it out with a grade 4 class.

References

  1. Janusz|, Liz, et al. “Building a Culture of Readers.” Fresh Ideas for Teaching, 24 Sept. 2019, blog.savvas.com/building-a-culture-of-readers/.

2. “How to Start a Book Club That Lasts.” Microsoft, www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/everyday-tips-ideas/resources/how-to-start-a-book-club-that-lasts.

3. “6 Great Reasons to Read Aloud to Your Kids (+ a GREAT Resource!).” All About Learning Press, 21 Aug. 2020, blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/6-great-reasons-to-read-aloud/.

4. Professional Learning Communities, https://youtu.be/r–tAcsrI48

 

 

 

 

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