Artifact 1: Creating a Digital Badge Pathway and Original Digital Badge (EEND679)

I selected the digital badge pathway and original digital badge artifact because I like the possibilities it represents. I have never really thought about creating personalized learning pathways and the idea of a badge upon completion of the pathway is pure bonus. I appreciate the potential pathways have for all students of varying ability levels and fostering classroom independence. Rather than have a teacher-led poetry introduction, I think I would use my pathways to create more of an independent study/personalized learning opportunity. I would serve as more of a guide or facilitator rather than the "sage on the stage." When students have collected their badge, they have successfully completed their poetry introduction. I think the biggest challenge in creating this assignment was developing each level in the pathway. The assignment forced me to think strategically, deciding the best way to break down the overall goal into distinct levels. Creating the badge was just fun. I am really happy with the way it turned out and how it connected to my pathways.

A year ago, breaking from my usual tried and true methods would have had me in a cold sweat, but I now get excited about the new trends in teaching and how I can incorporate technology in my classroom. What a difference a year makes!

Artifact 2: Infographic (EEND679)

I included the infographic artifact for a simple reason:  it was something I never did before. I love when I discover a new tool or something I never considered, and the infographic did just that. In order to create the infographic, I used a program new to me--Easelly. I looked at Piktochart as well, but I liked that the Easelly infographics seemed to be more compact, meaning you don't have to scroll through in order to see all of the information. To create the infographic, I started with one of the available templates and customized it to fit my needs. At first, I had a hard time finding a usable template and creating one from scratch seemed too difficult and time consuming. Finally, I found one that I felt would work for this project. I did leave the provided template picture in the center of the infographic because I thought it was cute, but it really had nothing to do with the content of my infographic. If I did it all over again, I would delete the picture and add an image of something more pertinent to the infographic's subject.

What I love about an infographic is that it's a great way to alternatively assess using technology. Kids really have to understand a subject inside and out in order to be able to concisely convey information through an infographic. It also reveals how well students can organize information and use visuals to convey a message.

A big thumbs up for the infographic!

Course Reflection (EEND679)

There were many resources I found helpful, especially the video by Rick Wormeli. But One of the articles from the resources I really liked was "Know Students Better:  A Visual Guide to Formative Assessment Tools" by Tony Vincent. It's just so practical because it lists (in a visual way) the top online formative assessment tools as well as provides a brief description with the added bonus of a succinct review. I also like the provided links for formative question ideas. So helpful! It isn't a flashy article and it isn't ladened with educational pedagogy. It's just a down and dirty practical compilation of formative assessment tools. I referenced this article numerous times throughout the course.

I also really appreciated the discussion time we devoted to Genius Hour or Passion Projects. It was great to hear the different ways teachers were utilizing this time. Although I have never used a Genius Hour, there are teachers in my building that do and the kids love it. I am very impressed with their completed projects and ideas. I don't think I'm in favor of letting students pursue a topic or interest that doesn't align with curricular goals. I do like the idea of a PP or GH being driven by a "burning question," but that question should tie to the umbrella questions or essential questions of the course. For instance, if the umbrella concept is how civilizations survive, thrive or fail, students should have to pursue an idea that ties to that concept. Some of the questions that were listed as example GH ideas seemed like a simple Google search could answer them. I think a good GH project should have a burning question with depth, substance and maybe even a little mystery. The search and development should be as satisfying as the final result.

Because I am so intrigued with the GH or PP concept, I will definitely continue my learning by trying to implement this in my class. Since I teach instructional kiddos, it would need to be stripped down and simplified, but I think the kids would love it. I would also like to dabble with personalized learning and maybe even incorporate badges. What's so great about personalized learning and learning paths is that they can be individualized based on the needs of the students. Kids can also work at their own pace, which is so helpful when trying to reach all of the students.

Wow! I can't believe I just completed my reflection for the last class of the cohort. It's astounding how much I've learned and how far I've come. Here's to an educational future chock full of technology...cheers!