EdTech Presentation Summaries

Hi blog! As mentioned in my last blog post, this week my class is presenting their EdTech projects!

Here is a summary and some helpful links of each of the other 4 groups presentations from my personal reflection notes:

Group 1: Virtual Field Trips

This presentation was about how virtual field trips enhance accessibility and engagement for students, especially those who are unable to attend in person field trips, due to social issues, financial issues, or overall just an inability to do these field trips.

I really enjoyed how this group focused on VFT (virtual field trips) being immersive and inclusive for all students. VFT also overcome barriers of distance and time for most classrooms who have the ability to access them!

I love how this group also mentioned the idea of UDL (universal design for learning) as well because I think it is such an important aspect of VFT especially to inform future educators, but parents as well!

Image by Nerthuz on iStock

Helpful links from this groups presentation:

EdTech Books. (2023). Accessibility and virtual field trips. https://edtechbooks.org/accessibility/VirtualFieldTrips

Han, I. (2021). Immersive virtual field trips and elementary students’ perceptions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(1), 179–195. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12946

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Group 2: Unplugged or Unprepared

This group did their presentation on simply the benefits and downfalls of technology.

I think this groups main focus was to reiterate that technology in classrooms must be intentional, and technology is not a requirement in the classrooms.

I think this group also wanted to focus on the points that meaningful learning does not always require technology. I like how this group also mentioned the idea of technology potentially affecting the social emotional learning aspect for students.

My favourite quote from this group’s presentation “Technology must be purposeful, digital literacy is not necessarily needed, but internet awareness is paramount”.

Image by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Helpful links from this groups presentation:

https://nwcommons.nwciowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1322&context=education_masters&utm
https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_ca

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Group 3: Student Safety in Schools

This group focused their presentation on how schools can use technology to enhance staff and student safety during emergencies while still balancing privacy and safety, as well as a positive learning environment. This group focused on technology enhancing safety by monitoring areas that may not be able to have constant supervision (hallways, outdoors, entrances etc).

One idea that this group touched a lot on was the expensive aspect of installing cameras within schools. As well they mentioned that students may feel more “watched than supported” due to the high number of cameras within the school, and some students perhaps may feel that the hallways may feel more so like a prison than a school.

I like that this group also mentioned the idea of the emergency communication apps and their pros and cons. This is something I had never heard of before, so I found it quite interesting, and am surprised more schools in our area do not use them.

I also really liked that this group used a predictive analysis in their presentation about East Kootenay students who attempted suicide in the past year. This group also used a real life story from a middle school from our local area that a lock down happened at, I found this to be really interesting and it allowed me, personally to use the information they were giving us, and relating it to my own personal life, as I was able to connect the fact my little brother went to that school.

Image by Mike Hindle on Unsplash

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Group 4: Finding the Balance: Low Tech Necessity vs. High Tech Over Learning

This group focused their presentation on what the benefits and risks of technology in classrooms are. They found there to be 3 inquiry lenses to respond to their inquiry question, which was; How can teachers find the right balance between low tech hands on learning and high tech digital tools to support students learning?

Here are their lenses:

Literacy – this lens covered the ideas that students should be encouraged to slow their learning down, think critically, and connect their learning to their personal lives.

Critical thinking – this lens was more focused on collaborative, problem solving, and face to face communication. This group found these to be things students (and some peers as mothers, their children) lacked in their social skills.

Cognitive – This lens was about the attention and ability to regulate focus, the bodily movements related to overusing technology, sensory overload, and struggles with self regualation and sustained engagement.

My favourite quote from this presentation was: “Reflect before you type”

Image by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

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