Author Archives: scott skanes

Subscribing to Posts/Comments

Hello again, this one’s aimed at those who are a little more WordPress savvy than myself:

Is there any way to subscribe to posts/comments in WordPress?

I find it can take some time to find my way around the WordPress blog… at least something like an email update might help me from feeling constantly out-of-the-loop.

Thanks and enjoy your Saturday!

-Scott

My Life after The Secret of Monkey Island

I loved games as a child (still do), especially those on the NES, but most failed to capture my interest on an emotional level. The first game I remember stopping me in my admittedly child-sized tracks was Secret of Monkey Island. I, then, was likely 6 or 7. I stumbled upon it on an old computer in a friend’s garage.

I was amazed that a game like this could exist. I understood stories as things in books my parents would read to me, that I could watch on TV, or in a theatre; my part to play was passive.

Something changed when I played Monkey Island.

Not only did I feel like I was in the story, I felt like I was the protagonist; I felt like I had agency.

This feeling stuck with me and later lead to an interest in game-based learning and allowing students to have agency in their learning activities, whether it’s through games like Garry’s Mod or Minecraft to teach tricky concepts, or using Twine to create choose-your-own-adventure games.

I question now what other digital technologies exist out there just waiting for me to stumble upon them, which could impact me, and my future students, in pleasantly unexpected ways.

-Scott

Hey everybody!

Hey everyone! Sorry if I’m a little late to the ETEC533 party (well, by one day). I saw I was supposed to post by Wednesday (yesterday) but it wasn’t possible for me with the time difference. The course opened just before I went to bed in my current home of Doha, Qatar, and I’ve been working since I woke up. I’m actually at work as we speak but… I’ve carved out a few minutes to get to meet you all!

I’m originally from Newfoundland, now working/studying in Doha, and this is my 7th course in the MET program.  Each course has been quite unique in terms of feel, expectations, sense of community, work load, relevance, frequency of face-palming, and so on. Looking forward to experiencing how this course will unfold!

As for courses taken, I’ve completed:

500, 510, 511, 512, 531, and 565A (not in that order)

I honestly have not even had time to fully peruse the course so I am not sure what to expect, nor do I have a long list of hopes for what I might learn based on those expectations. I can say that the course itself seems well-organized – and full of things to do – so I expect to be busy and, if past courses are any indication, being busy means I’ll learn a lot. This is my first MET course dedicated to math and science, which is exciting to me because my B.Sc. is in Applied mathematics and Physics. This is my 6th year teaching so I’ve learned a lot through experience, and have a reasonable base of knowledge in terms of how to implement tech-based STEM ideas in my classes. Even so, I’ve always felt I could do more, and do it more efficiency, with a greater impact on student success. An added struggle is that I teach at a technical college in Doha where the students are not necessarily well-prepared in secondary school to handle a greater degree of independence in classes. Fingers crossed this is a course that help me learn how to better serve these students, bolstering my skill set in the process. To top it off with a specific hope or two, I do hope that this course will help me build confidence with current best practices in STEM, as well as introduce me to successful tech-related methods of integrating a stronger STEM presence into classes.

This is already getting long, so you may stop reading here if you’re bored (or even still with me). Looking forward to meeting you!

Scott

P.S. Still with me? I suppose I’ll add a few things about myself.

  • I’m married to my wonderful wife (just celebrated our 2nd anniversary Dec. 30th) and we are expecting our first child in April.

  • I’ve got two cats.

cat-games

  • I love math and physics and I love teaching it, but music is my strongest passion. I would probably try a career in it if the profession didn’t carry so many uncertainties. I write/compose it, record it, perform it, transcribe it, analyze it, read about it, etc, etc. I’m an experienced guitarist and an acceptably-competent singer, and I lead a 4-man band here in Doha.

  • I love travel.

  • I’m lead instructor (i.e. head) of the Math department at my workplace, and hope that this course will help me improve some of my department’s shortcomings.
  • I’m an avid (video) gamer and play D&D roughly once a month.
  • In 2012 I lived and worked as a math/physics teacher in Northampton, UK. It was a horrible job but I learned so much.

OK that’s enough. “See” you around!