Educreations Screencast

Hey Everyone,

Here is the tutorial on how to use Educreations. I apologize for the top of it being cut off! I have no idea how that happened or how to fix it on my computer since I do not have much experience creating screencasts. If you have an suggestions as to why that would be great! I use a Macbook.

I will include some screenshots so you can see what the top looks like that is missing:)

So this is what the top of the students page looks like.

This is what both teacher/student see when creating a                                                                              lesson.

This is what the teacher will see on main page!

 

 

Here is the link to our resource, Educreations.

Contributing To The Learning of Others

Well I guess you could say that I have now became a bit obsessed with Powtoon since my Summary Of Learning because I have a came up with another quick video for my personal learning network:)

Here is a closer look at my log for my personal learning network:)

Summary of Learning

Well the semester has come to and end which means it is time for me to express how much I have gained from my ECMP 455 course.

Check out my Summary Of Learning:)

I had troubles thinking of a way I could top my Summary of Learning for ECMP 355 and once I saw the amazing app Powtoon I knew this would! I think this app is absolutely amazing and I would recommend it to anyone. It’s super easy to use and navigate. It comes with a free version but also a premium (must pay) that allows you to access more features. I had a free 2 day trial of premium!

Overall I think that I did pretty well in this class. I made sure to have all my blog posts up and comment on a variety of blogs. I do think that I could have been a little bit more helpful to my classmates when they were needing help. I may not have been as active as some other students but it’s not that I was doing the work/participating but I was absorbing. I was the one learning from my classmates.

P-E-T-A

Social Activist is described as “Activism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. This action is in support of, or opposition to, one side of an often controversial argument” as the Urban Dictionary describes it.

So as I found myself wondering what I could do to become a social activist about something I care about I came across a group that I have always loved. PETA (Peoples for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)!

PETA is a team that helps animals. Here is their mission statement:

PETA is a groups that focuses on helping four different groups where a large variety of animals suffer the most horrid conditions for the longest amount of time. Such as animals in the “factory farms, in the clothing trade, in laboratories, and in the entertainment industry” –PETA. But PETA still helps all animals in need. Weather it be from neglected dog/cats to rodents. They have a variety of ways that they look into these situations.

The have been successful in helping save the lives of many innocent animals. If you would like to look at all the amazing milestones this group has check it out here.

If you would like to become an activist for PETA online its pretty simple to get started.

Just Simply follow these steps:

Click Here to go and Join PETA’s Action Team!

Can you Take The Plunge?

 

Photo Credit: Ignitor Digital

Was there ever a time when social media was used for connecting and learning new things and not bragging. I mean is it just me or does it seem that everyone is only on social media to brag about what they have? At times while I scroll through my social media pages it seems like everyone is looking for a pat on the back (a like or comment) on how well they are doing at the gym, or that they got a new car, ring, house etc. Perhaps this is why people are more likely to become depressed when being a frequent social media user.

Social media allows for a fake reality where it is easy to lie and only portray the good aspect of your life rather than the bad. I mean you don’t see people very often putting on Facebook like “I’m having a really bad day today I got yelled at by my boss; then I come home to find my boyfriend in bed with another women” no you wouldn’t see that but you will see “My boyfriends the sweetest and I love him” or “I just picked myself up this new tv and surround sound #blessed #bejealous”. Trust me I’ve seen it more times than I can count. People think that a particular individual has the best life and they get everything they want and their boyfriends seems so romantic because thats what they want you to see. But when in reality that individual may have everything in life but struggle with depression/anxiety and you may think their boyfriend is the greatest when in reality he has a drug addiction and she’s miserable and scared that people are going to think she’s not happy.

You can never believe what is put on the internet truly because people only put stuff on their they want you to know.

So do I think that social media is linked to some cases of depression? Most definitely!

I came across and article by Rebecca Joseph Frequent social media users nearly 3 times more likely to have depression: study. Joseph states that depression may be linked to social media due to the fact of  “highly idealized representations of peers,”. This confirmed like I said above that  you see what they want you to. Joseph talks about how many websites are now starting to help fight the battle against depression. Some sites like  Tumblr will interrupt to ask you if “everything is ok?” if one searches words such a suicide or depression and then continue to link you to crisis pages.

I think this is a really smart idea since many people may turn to the internet in times of need and a simple acknowledgement could help someone and even save a life.

Perhaps if you find yourself feel gloomy you may need to unplug. I know I for one have at times deleted all social media such a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and surprising felt great. It was a feeling that I couldn’t remember having for along time. The feeling of not caring if so and so got this or what they were up to or what they did today. Being oblivious to everything unless someone actually wanted me to know.

So ECMP 355/455 instead of a fitness challenge I challenge you to take the unplug challenge. Unplug from all social media for one whole week and see how you feel. Record your thoughts before and during , and see how your thoughts during differ from your thoughts before you took the plunge.

 

YOU CAN DO IT!!!:)

Coding One Zero One

Well that time has come once again in my ECMP class where were talked about coding.

Yeah yeah I know coding can be really fun. But I am sure we can all recall my Scratch video in 2014! Now if you went and watched that I am sure you understand just how terrible I am at coding haha. It was awful. I have to admit for as bad as I was at coding in 2104 things are looking up for me in 2016.

Last class we we got a bit more in depth about coding and all the cool ways you can learn how to code. By playing little games like an  Hour Of Code. Let me just say that coding started to look a bit fun for me. It’s a lot of fun that in that moment you don’t even realize you’re coding. Not only did we learn about some neat ways to introduce kids to coding but we also learnt that you can buy toys (robots) that you control with coding.  I mean how cool is that. A few super cool ones are Bee-Bot, littlebits and the Droid. My favourite on would have to be the droid. I mean how cool/cute is this little guy? You can even find videos on the internet on how some teachers have used these robots in their lessons.

But the time finally came for me to dip my toes back into the world of coding. So I took some time to try out some of the games on an Hour Of Code. Here is a short screencast of my first attempt at an hour of code. I choose the Flappy Bird option.

I then decided to take another go at coding and see if I improved at all. Here is a video of my second experience with Hour of Code.

So all in all I would say this experience went way better than last time. Considering the fact that I was actually able to complete a real game. If you’d like to try out my game click here:)

Seeing Things Clearly Through Sinclair

Photo Credit: uwinnipeg via Compfight cc

What can I do to make a difference?

This is a question I found myself asking quite frequently during my first two years of university and still to this day. Since before university I never knew much about residential schools and the tragedies that happen within them. It became clear to me throughout the years what exactly happen behind these closed doors and what is trying to be done to reconcile.

Justice Murray Sinclair had a lecture on February 24th at the University of Regina; I was unable to make it in person but thanks to the amazing world of technology I was able to tune in from the comfort of my couch and cuddles from a teething baby.

Sinclair presented an amazing speech on the Truth and Reconciliation and due to my experience facilitating tours of the Witness Blanket  I felt I was able to connect with what Sinclair was talking about.

When I first started my journey facilitating tours at the Witness Blanket I found myself unaware of what reconciliation was; so I did my researching found that reconciliation means the restoration of friendly relations. To reunite or mend a relation that was once broken. Before I carry one now you have a better understanding of what Sinclair was speaking about.

Sinclair spoke about how he wants to lead the path that forms a relationship between everyone and that their are no sides taken. That we will all learn to forgive; not forget but forgive. Forgiveness is a necessity when trying to form a healthy functional relationship. He spoke to the fact that not all of us may be able to form a relationship but the least we could do is learn forgiveness.

Sinclair went on to talk about the harsh reality of residential school that very little of us are educated on. He spoke to the matter that in these residential schools you were forbidden to speak your language or express and part of who you really were. These school brainwashed the victims into believing the would go to hell if they dare to speak their language. It didn’t stop their because once the residential schools were closed the effects still laid in the children of the victims. So we need to ask ourselves what are we going to do to help repair that damages that happened and the side effect that continue due to these circumstances?

Throughout this presentation I recall myself continuously asking  “what can I do”! How can I help repair the damages that have happened and how can I help others do the same? By the end of the presentation I realized that all I can do is accept what has happened and make it known to other.

So ask yourself what are you going to do that will lead you down the path of reconciliation?

To be, or not to be paperless? Is the question

 

Photo Credit: DanielJPHadley via Compfight cc

I mean now a days it seems almost all new generation teachers are pushing towards not to be paperless. Or as you may have heard “the paperless classroom”. I mean we live in a world driven by technology and you see this being pushed into the classrooms more and more now days. With this big technology push in our classrooms many are coming across a tool referred to as Google Classroom.

Google Classroom is an amazing virtual classroom that allows you to be paperless. It’s amazing for teachers and students to communicate or for students to communicate with other students. It a great place for students to find announcements, the syllabus, getting in contact with the teacher or other students at anytime. It a great way for teachers/students to keep track of their work simply by seeing a green checkmark or red x. Google Classroom is simply a great tool to use for classroom management.

I think google classroom is on of my favourite tools since it is compatible with all google accounts and easily assessable. I find it very easy to manoeuvre around and use with many groups of students. It make life just a little bit easier for not only the teacher but the students.

Have you every experienced the google classroom? Used it in your classroom? I would love to hear if you have an negative thoughts or dislikes towards this tool! If you haven’t yet heard about google classroom let me know if it is something you would consider using in your class or what your questions are about it:)

If you are interested in learning a little more about google classrooms or get a look at what it looks like from a teacher perspective vs. a students than check out this Glogster  Jenna, Kendra and I made along with  a very nice gentlemen who’s name I cannot not remember! We made this Glogster for our ECMP 355 class in 2014.

Are kids becoming to obsessed with technology?

This video came to me about a year ago on Facebook and it really made me think about what my children are going to be like. Well now is that time and since I have so much to say about this video I just thought what better way than to film my thoughts:)

Sorry for the video being extremely quite! I will work on this for my next video!

Do not mind my extremely poor video editing haha. I’m new to it and I am learning:)

To App or Nap?

 

On November 2, 2015 I welcomed my first baby into this world. Ever since then i’ve found myself come across many questions and majority of them have to do with technology. I mean do I or don’t I post an announcement picture on Facebook (which I did)? If I don’t well its almost a guarantee that someone else is going to. I mean what do I make people sign a waver that they won’t post pictures of my precious son on social media?! I doubt it.

All kinds of questions arose for me around my child’s identity and social media. I mean I know he’s just over four months old right now but I already see signs of him being oddly obsessed with my iPad/iPhone/TV. Perhaps it is just a coincident or perhaps our offspring are just being programmed to have an urge to use technology. Im not sure but I find myself struggling with the question of when am I going to allow my son to have time on the iPad/TV/video games? Do I give him unlimited time if he’s playing educational games or do I limit his time to a few hours a day?

Well I came across and article on my Feedly that intrigued me “Children and Technology: should small kids be encouraged to use tablets and computers?” Well let me tell you this article stated some great points that i’m sure most parents are guilty of time to time again. Either it be entertaining your child while they eat their food, or while you’re out and about; whatever it may be the children have the ability to get their hands on a devices one way or another.

This article also stated something I was a little bit torn with; like that kids “…familiarize themselves with animals and plants they would not have the opportunity to see in their regular lives.” I think that in some cases this may be true but whatever happened to going outside and exploring some of these plants/animals or picking up a good informational book. I mean I guess I have to take into consideration that some kids (urban kids) don’t have the ability to go outside and see different animals and plants like rural kids do. I guess you could go as far to say that I not fully sold on the whole technology is our future. I am still a strong believer in books, and paper and exploring the many wonders the world has to offer us.

I guess all in all I am somewhere in the middle between encouraging kids to use technology. Id say in the middle because I agree its important since we live in a technology driven world, but I also think it is more beneficial to get out of the house and learn about new things rather than doing it all on a device. Or even just going to the library and picking up an informative book about something you are interested in.

So this article closes with a question that you can vote on at the end (so go and vote!!!) asking:

Should small children be encouraged to use tablets and computers?

Let me know your reasoning behind this question:)