Vlog #1 Reflections on Multimedia Learning

Connected Educator Interview: Meet Mrs. Patti Patrick

On July 8^th, 2015 I had the opportunity to interview Patti Patrick, experienced teacher, administrator, and connected educator. Patti has been a high school science teacher, technology coordinator for Fresno Unified School District, instructional designer, and adjunct professor at Fresno Pacific University. He dedicates part of her professional career to work with students at the Center for Online Learning at Fresno Pacific University. Patti describes a connected educator as someone who has built a platform on different social media outlets as well as someone who connects with other educators online over a variety of topics. In her own words, technology does not replace the teacher but rather gives students the ability to consume, create, and disseminate information and as she states: “to do things that would not be possible without technology”. Patti connects with educators and the community through Linkedin, Twitter, and Moodle communities. The questions that Mrs. Patrick answered for Educator Talk are embedded in the video. 

Photo Credit: Concept of six ability in human brain via photopin (license)

To Game or Not To Game by Kristine Rubenstein (Originally Posted 7/09/2015)

Follow Kristine Rubenstein at Juggling Technology and on Twitter @jugglingtech

One of my goals for next school year is to include more aspects of gamification into my science classes.  At first I thought the idea of gamification was a little silly.  I enjoy games and all, but I teach Biology, Chemistry and Physics to high school students! 

 I think it is important to understand that there are many ways to incorporate gaming strategies in core classes (even at the high school level) that do not involve high school students playing video games instead of learning core content.  

My first attempt at gamification was in my Physics class during the Spring 2015 semester.  Here is a link to my blog post about the success of adding badges to my homework wikis.  It was amazing how even high performing high school seniors were excited about earning what amounted to a digital sticker!

As with anything else in educational technology, I believe it is important to remember that it is ok to start small.  Don’t try to revamp your entire course.  Find a great idea and go with it.  Sometimes things will work.  Sometimes you will fail.  It is ok to fail.  We learn by making mistakes!  

If the idea of creating your own badges seems overwhelming or not worth your time, check out

  for help getting started with badges.

Blogging Challenges: From Private to Public

Lately I have been reading about the importance of using online tools to launch a professional platform to participate in the bigger community of connected educators. This has truly been a difficult concept for me to grasp since I grew up in an educational system where someone else is the repository of knowledge and the only skill I needed to develop well is that of understanding the lecturers' perspective and crafting my knowledge to match that of the lecturer's expectations. I used to work for an audience of one. I am now an educator that is witnessing an education reform with a strong focus on technology integration. Well, needless to say, I am learning in the process, facing challenges, and trying to overcome obstacles in order to help students transition to the 21st Century.

Considering that I have been an educator of 20 plus years, how do I integrate technology education reform from an ethical perspective? My first dilemma is becoming a public figure online. How do I keep my privacy and the safety of my identity when I have to talk to the world through a Blog to become a connected educator? I understand the importance of exposing my ideas to the public and inviting the community to collaborate and wrestle with cognitive endeavors. The ethical issue for me as an educator, a private person, and a concerned citizen is what to share, how to share it, and whom to share it with? What is it that others want to hear that they don't already know and what is it that I can share that will become a professional platform and not a record of wrong doings? 

At this time, I am thinking that my plan of action to become a participant of the virtual community is summarized through the following thought process:

1) When Blogging, find a meaningful connection between what I am learning and what I think is relevant to others with similar interests.

2) Carefully review every aspect of my online platform to find out which details are too private or too revealing.

3) Think from the perspective of my audience. If I am reading someone else’s blog, am I really interested in what they have to say or am I just venting out in public.

4) Write every post assuming that every single person in this planet earth will be reading it (I know that this is pretentious but better safe than sorry)

5) Exercise political correctness while striking a balance between being truthful and kind