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Category: EDCI 339

Free Inquiry ~ Summary of Our Journey

June 4, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash 

Our Free Inquiry project has been driven by our shared desire to find technological resources to support differentiated learning for our future students. We are all aspiring teachers and recognize the need for more support in schools and the expanding demands for modified instructional styles to fit the needs of the students. In our personal and professional experiences, we have noticed the academic world needs to adapt to the increasingly diverse student body, including recognition and resources for students with disabilities, new students in Canada, mental health challenges, and socioeconomic differences. Residual factors from COVID, such as lockdown, trauma experiences, and the mismatch between grade level and skill levels are all contributing factors to the growing epidemic of students struggling to perform at their expected grade level. 

The four technologies we researched aligned well with open and distributed learning principles. Some of the resources found were entirely new to us like, Open Educational Resource Commons (OER Commons) and Augmented and Alternative Apps such as Proloquo and TouchChat, while others were more familiar, like Khan Academy and Speech-to-Text. 

In this video, the teacher, Samantha Kirch, explains how she integrates technology into her classroom by using a Smartboard and iPads for the students. She also outlines how a similar engagement style can be utilized with whiteboards. 

So where does this project leave us? What now? Since exploring these resources, we all have a better grasp on ways to integrate differentiated instructional styles into our teaching, but the next move is to try them out with students and find the best supports and resources for differing ages, abilities, languages, and personalities. We know every student is unique and has individual needs and finding the best fit for each student will support their probability of success in their studies and in life. 

All of the technologies that we have explored throughout this free inquiry project are ones that we think would be great resources for educators looking to expand their competencies in relation to open and distributed learning. Overall, this project was an interesting and educational research opportunity that allowed us to explore resources that will benefit not only ourselves but also our future students, as was our learning goal from the beginning: To discover the best resources to support our learners through the use of differentiated technology with a focus on open and distributed learning. We hope you have also found some of the resources interesting and will get to try them for yourselves or in your future classrooms. 

Thank you for joining us (Anna Palmer, Mady Chase, Hanne Deener, Nicole Bell) on this educational inquiry journey. 

Post #5 ~ Speech-to-Text 

June 4, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Young entrepreneur reading an e-mail on computer while recording voice message on smart phone during late night work in the office.
Image Published on August 25th, 2022 Licensed under Unsplashed+ Getty Images 

Intro:

Last week, we examined Khan Academy’s availability and limitations. We found that it follows the principles of open and distributed learning. This week, we decided to take a look at Speech-to-text technology. As a reminder, our learning goal is to discover the best resources to support our learners through the use of differentiated technology. So let’s delve in! 

What is Speech-to-Text?

Speech-to-text, also known as voice-to-text, is a technology that changes spoken words into written text. This technology uses Artificial Intelligence to transcribe, dictate, assist, and navigate. It can transcribe audio from recordings, interviews, lectures, etc. This technology is also used in voice-controlled navigation systems. However, we will focus on dictation to keep this topic relevant to K-8 classrooms. Dictation is the process of taking speech and turning it into written text. This could be in a document, email, search engine, etc. Students with disabilities commonly use speech-to-text technology.

Availability

Speech-to-text technologies are widely available and are becoming easier to use. For example, Windows has a built-in voice typing tool that pops up when you click the Windows key + H. Microsoft Word and Google Docs also have free built-in voice tools. This means students can write papers or assignments by speaking rather than typing. Schools support this technology and tend to include it in students’ IEPs. There are many free versions. However, some are paid programs. Paid programs are designed for people with more advanced needs and offer more accuracy and complex tools.

Limitations

Although this technology is widely accessible, it has many limitations. Accuracy issues like misrecognition of words, messing up homophones (there, their, and they’re), and no punctuation (unless specified) are common. Users also need access to technology such as a device, wifi, and a microphone, without which they are left unsupported. Due to various factors, some students don’t have this kind of technological access. There is also the concern for the environment.  The classroom may be too loud with background noise, or an individual might feel awkward or shy to speak out loud. Language and accents also play a role, as this technology sometimes can’t understand what the speaker is saying. Lastly, the paid programs can cost a lot of money, and many students can’t access them without financial aid.

Relation to Open and Distributed Learning 

Speech-to-text technology fits into the principles of open and distributed learning. Openness refers to the practice of removing barriers to education to make it accessible to everyone. Speech-to-text fits this principle as it is free, can be used on various devices, can be used on open educational resources (Google Docs, discussion forums, etc), and allows for greater equity in participation. Distributed learning is education that occurs over various times and locations, often referring to online learning. Speech-to-text fits this well as it can be used at home, in class, on the go, and on various devices. This technology also allows students to work independently at their own pace, which is ideal for asynchronous courses. Overall, this tool supports open and distributed learning.

Personal Experiences with Speech-to-Text – Mady Chase

I have extensive experience with speech-to-text. This tool is extremely helpful to me as someone with dyslexia. I have used it in professional and casual settings. I’ve used it to write papers, reflections, emails, texts, lectures, etc. Spelling is one of my biggest challenges, to the point where auto-correct and Grammarly don’t always know what I’m trying to write. However, speaking the words helps the word processor understand what I’m trying to spell. I also tend to waste time trying to spell a word, so speech-to-text speeds up the process. Although it works great and is easily accessible, I have to edit it and speak slower than normal so it picks up what I’m saying. I also need to speak the punctuation parts, which can sound funny and mess up the flow of my speech. Overall, I love this tool and its openness to those who can benefit from it.

Post #4 ~ Khan Academy

June 4, 2025 / / 1 Comment
Image from Clever Library, illustrating Khan Academy

What Is It?

We chose to dive deeper into one of the open online resources. Khan Academy is a nonprofit, American based educational organization. This platform shares a range of useful content, lessons and practice exercises on a variety of schooling subjects. Students can use this website to find instructional videos and articles along with interactive practices on math, science, arts, humanities and more. This technology gives students an engaging opportunity for additional or alternative teachings on everyday class content. 

Availability

Khan Academy is widely available and free to sign up. This is a resource that is used by millions of people all around the world and is available through their online website as well as their mobile app. The Khan Academy is a resource that provides multiple language lesson translations (Spanish, French, Brazilian and Portuguese).

Limitations

Although Khan Academy is used worldwide and benefits many individuals, just like any other technology there are limitations. Khan Academy is an online source that lacks interaction and collaboration with others. Its focus is on independent study/ learning through video. The auditory/ visual teaching style can also limit a student’s engagement with the content as it’s not the best for that individual to learn. Another limitation that is embedded in Khan Academy’s practice is the strategy of memorization. Students are able to work through a course/ lessons and redo an activity until it is complete. The students ability to memorize the answers of an already completed activity cause their to be less actual content learning 

Relation to Open and Distributed Learning

The principles of open and distributed learning focus on accessibility and flexibility on diverse learning needs. Khan Academy aligns with these principles, this platform provides a free, open, educational resource that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere. This platform is designed for personalized learning experiences where students engage with the content at their own pace and place!

Experience with Khan Academy

Our experience with Khan Academy, as detailed by one member of our group, is the high regard for reliable and user-friendly access to school subject support with teachers who are excellent at explaining the concepts to learners and educators alike. I like this resource, recommend it to others, and will continue to use it.

Post #3 ~ Open Online/Educational Resources

June 4, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash

What is it?

Open Online/Educational Resources as a concept. Let’s talk about it! First, what are Open Online/Educational Resources, or OER? Continuing along with our learning and discovery journey of compiling multiple aspects for supporting our students with differentiated technology, we started looking at Open Online Resources, also known as Open Educational Resources, Open Pedagogy, or OERs, which are “teaching and learning resources created with the intention of being freely accessible to all” (Simon Fraser University, 2024). This means that members of the general public and private sectors all have open and free access to educational resources and materials as they wish.

OERs are available through internet connections (WiFi or Ethernet) on personal, professional, or other, devices such as computers, tablets, phones, or iPads. They are utilized often in educational settings like schools and post-secondary institutions, but can be offered in employment settings such as for training or upgrading purposes.

Availability

The availability for these resources is to be free and easy to access for users. As our group is comprised of aspiring middle school and elementary teachers, we wanted to focus on the resources we would be using in our classroom and suggesting to our students. That being said, these are still available for anyone’s use. Let’s take a closer look at some examples of OERs for elementary and middle school students specifically.

  • Khan Academy ~ a classic open educational resource, but for good reasons. Khan Academy is a free website dedicated towards supporting coursework in schools and can be an excellent resource for learning at home, especially with parents, guardians, or family members that can benefit from following along with the learner! What we like about Khan Academy is made by teachers and features teachers explaining concepts in bite-sized pieces with visual and audio recordings. More information can be found in the next blog post here.
  • Open Educational Resource Commons (OER Commons) ~ an educational hub for students from kindergarten to grade 12 that offers resources for course supplementation or full course. They have resource collections to use at home or in a class (online or in-person) that are organized by grade level, subject, and provider.
  • Bored Teachers ~ a collection of educational websites for elementary students specifically, but not exclusively, that targets learning (of course) and having fun while doing so!
  • We Are Teachers ~ hundreds of online learning resources that are available for teachers, students, or parents that cover elementary and middle-school subjects with some printable materials, online lessons, and game-type activities. There are many resources that help support differentiated learning styles and students with disabilities.

Limitations

The limitations to OERs are the requirement for access to internet and technology and the need to set up non-invasive accounts with a couple of the platforms, which requires an email. While the world steadily marches towards even more reliance on technology and automation, the technological divide tends to increase with growing socioeconomic inequalities which decreases the availability to education when more learning is conducted online.

Relation to Open and Distributed Learning

The relation of OERs and open and distributed learning is quite high with potential for a dependent relationship between the two. As Open and Distributed learning relies on having resources and materials that are available for distanced learners, OERs fulfill the Open aspect, the flexibility, and the availability for students to learn from their residence. The relationship between the two also offers enhanced student engagement and reduces the costs of an educational experience while offering access for students who may have life responsibilities that conflict with a traditional school schedule. OERs encourage educators to continue modifying and improving content which makes the materials more directed to the learner’s needs and goals. OERs, just like Open and Distributed Learning go hand-in-hand with prioritizing student-centered education and offer diverse methods of instruction.

Experiences with OERs

We have limited experiences with identified OERs as it is a recent discovery for us, but may have unknowingly used them in the past. We’re looking forward to integrating the technological resources into our own pedagogical approaches when we become teachers.

Post #2 ~ Augmentative and Alternative Communication

June 4, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Image from Pitt-Hopkins Research Foundation illustrating Proloquo2Go, 45 Core Vocabulary 

In this free inquiry project, we are exploring technologies that support diverse learners in educational settings. Our learning goal is to discover the best resources to support our learners through the use of differentiated technology. Over the coming weeks, we will share our findings on several tools designed to make learning more accessible and inclusive!

What is it?

The first technology that we explored is Augmentative and Alternative Communication, or, AAC. AAC refers to a variety of methods and tools that support or replace spoken communication. AAC can be an incredibly useful resource for children and adults who have difficulty speaking or are non-verbal. It includes everything from simple picture boards and social stories to advanced apps like Proloquo and TouchChat, which are widely used in elementary schools.

These apps transform iPads into interactive communication devices. Users can tap symbols, words, or phrases, which the app then speaks aloud. Proloquo even includes a companion app called Proloquo Coach designed to help parents and educators facilitate the learning process. This technology allows users not just to select single words but also to build sentences by dragging and dropping icons, which encourages expressive language development.

Availability

AAC apps like Proloquo and TouchChat are available for download on iPads and other tablets. These tools are most commonly used in schools with students who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Down’s Syndrome, speech delays, hearing impairments, or other challenges affecting verbal communication. 

Limitations

While AAC technology is incredibly beneficial, there are some concerns about potential over-reliance. In one case I encountered, a former educational assistant shared her experience using TouchChat with a student who had Down’s Syndrome. While the app proved to be incredibly helpful, she noted that it led to the student becoming overly dependent on the technology, even though they were capable of speaking more on their own. The technology, in this sense, was almost too effective, and illustrates that, in some cases, students can become so comfortable using the app that they start to view it more as a toy or activity as opposed to a tool for communication. As a result, they may become reluctant to speak without it, even if they are ready and able to do so.

Relation to Open and Distributed Learning

AAC aligns extremely well with the principles of open and distributed learning by providing accessible, personalized communication tools that can be used anytime and anywhere. These apps can extend learning beyond traditional classroom boundaries, empowering students to express themselves independently and actively participate in their education. This approach aligns perfectly with our learning goal: to discover the best resources to support our learners through differentiated technology. AAC apps offer highly customizable experiences tailored to individual communication needs, making learning more inclusive and equitable.

Post 4 ~ The World Online Outside of a Teacher’s Classroom

June 3, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Photo by dlxmedia.hu on Unsplash

In a world where mostly everyone is on social media of some kind, what is the role and representation that teachers have to uphold? Does the mentor and ethical exemplar expectation carry on at every point of existence in the public eye? These are the questions I contemplated while reading through this week’s materials.

In the Networked Pedagogy: Teaching in Higher Ed Podcast by Bonnie Stewart, she notes how openness must be embraced while maintaining boundaries in interactions with students and how networks -virtual and physical- can shape human experiences… especially those with students.

Stewart addresses the overall existence of one’s online profile with three facets:

  • profile: what’s visible to an audience, private or public
  • practices: how you act online and the pictures or posts you share
  • presence: how you engage socially and spatially in networked spaces

During my Technology and Innovation course (EDCI 336), we learned about how our presence online can be perceived and the implications of various interpretations. For example, what does a shared image of alcoholic beverages or a lively night out imply for the audience when you hold the role of a teacher.

Photo by Jeppe Mønster on Unsplash

In EDCI 336, we also conversed about the standard to which teachers, especially elementary education teachers, are held and what kind of limitations that causes us to put on ourselves. It’s a hard personal decision when you want to post or share something but you also know that you’re representing a position of authority and often admiration. Furthermore, we frequently quickly assume that someone’s virtual presence represents how they conduct themselves in person because this is commonly true, but not always.

Below is a video I found interesting and can help understand a little bit more about the expectations and responsibilities of a teacher, even during outside hours.

Video by Teachers Need Teachers on YouTube

So where does this leave us as aspiring teachers? It’s important to walk the line of professionalism and personal practices with ease, if possible, and to have confidence in your decisions. It can also be integral to think about how you want to be perceived, not just what you want the world to see or know about you, but what an audience will assume about your character and practices with the content you share with the outside world. It is important to remember that mostly anything can be found with enough digging so considering the consequences of this can be crucial in making the decision to hit ‘post’ or not.

Free Inquiry ~ Learning/Project Plan

May 30, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash

A group project by Anna Palmer, Mady Chase, Hanne Deener, Nicole Bell

Learning Goal: Our goal is to discover the best resources to support our learners through the use of differentiated technology with a focus on open and distributed learning.

In each post, we plan to include an overview of what each resource is and why it is useful or helpful to our future careers and experiences. We will be adding the relation to our learning goal and delve into the drawbacks or limitations, if any. There will also be a section about where the resources are utilized or available and our own experiences using the resources! 

Week 1:

  • Came up with the topic
  • Blog post #1 – Augmentative and alternative communication

Week 2:

  • Blog post #2 – Open Online Resources
  • Blog post #3 – Khan Academy

Week 3:

  • Blog post #4 – Text-to-speech 
  • Blog post #5 – Summary

Stay tuned for more updates on our learning/project plan journey! 

Post 3 ~ Artificial Intelligence at What Cost?

May 27, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

After reviewing the reading materials for this blog prompt, I kept feeling the curious question rising of: 

"what is the digital and carbon footprint of artificial intelligence use and of more powerful technology now?"

When delving into Neil Selwyn’s 2021 article Facing up to the Dilemma of Sustainable Digital Futures, I found his exploration of the environmental impacts of digital technologies correlates to the unsustainable carbon footprint with the increase of human reliance. From manufacturing to data storage, Selwyn details how the “disposal of e-waste is another major environmental burden” and one that compiles on the existing burdens of AI usage.

He states strongly how we, as a society and individual people, cannot continue to consume digital technology at current rates due to the foreseen and unforeseen detrimental consequences. AI is so early on in the mass production and availability for general use now that we cannot determine the exact impacts it is making -and will continue to make- on the environment… but we can safely predict that it’s not feasible.

Photo by Andreea Popa on Unsplash

Another important point that Selwyn discussed in his article is the human reliance on AI and digital access now. It is inextricably not slowing down and while the technological advances are revolutionary in theory, the practices could be the eventual determining factor of our downfall. Not to give way to the concern of AI taking over, but with regard to the environmental impacts and carbon footprint, AI may take over as one of the largest mass waste producers.

My problem is how many different sources share conflicting results and opinions. I can’t decipher, as I have not conducted any studies myself, what information is reliable. Social media platforms tend to lean towards hyperbolic claims of the damage that AI use leads to while an instructor for another course at UVic requires AI usage as part of their curriculum. The information I am receiving is inconsistent and it’s hard to believe either side.

For example, in this article, Using ChatGPT is not bad for the environment by Andy Masley (2025), he argues strongly how many everyday activities like using a computer or running the vacuum cleaner use much more energy than using an AI software like ChatGPT. While reading through the article, the researcher does seem well-informed and uses many heavily-researched examples, however I do find the tone of the paper to be so assertive that I almost mistook it for satire initially. I also want to point out that the website Masley’s article is published on is a self-publishing site. This means that it may not go through a reviewing process by an external body. These kinds of things are important to note to determine the motivations and credibility behind published materials.

Alternatively, this journal article by Kate Saenjo and The Conversation US titled, A Computer Scientist Breaks Down Generative AI’s Hefty Carbon Footprint (2023) in Scientific American, tends to gravitate towards the other side of the AI use spectrum and argues that the usage of water and energy specifically is actually incredibly harmful towards the environment. Saenjo compares the creation of an AI model called BERT consumed the equivalent energy to a “round-trip transcontinental flight for one person.” Granted, this is measured for the full creation of this particular model. Saenjo goes on to present other comparisons in energy usage and determines that all of it (AI creation, maintenance, and usage) is more impactful to environmental damages than our planet can sustain.

Photo by Gwyn Hay on Unsplash

The image above is how I’m feeling about the argument. Ultimately, as an advocate for environmental protection measures, I tend to lean towards the presumption that the damages to the environment will lead to some catastrophic outcomes. At the very least, we know, as pointed out by Selwyn (2021), that the environmental impacts are unsustainable without the adoption of climate-friendly digital practices.

Post 2 ~ Open Educational Resources

May 20, 2025 /

While reading the paper, Openness and Praxis: Exploring the Use of Open Educational Practices in Higher Education by Catherine Cronin, I considered the ramifications of how Open Resources would affect students in post-secondary institutes and how the educators would utilize the materials. From first-hand experiences, I know how expensive textbooks and resources can be and how that impacts students’ already limited budgets. For the educators, assigning a costly resource must be made worthwhile with expected readings, but I feel an amount of skepticism when the required texts are written in part, or wholly, by the instructor at hand. It reflects a conflict of interest, as I see it, and I have heard it described it as “profi-teaching:” a blend of ‘profiting’ and ‘teaching.’

woman in white tank top placing a coin in a pink piggy bank on a blue table
Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash

On the other hand, I can see how a teacher could advance in their own study and profession to the point of writing all components for their class, but then I wonder how much of it is in alignment with the educational expectations set out by the post-secondary institution or if it more closely favours their own agenda. Regardless, a little part of me always pauses for contemplation when learning that a required text has a direct endorsement to the instructor’s wallet.

Free Resources?!

Back to the article. While reading Cronin’s work, I was drawn in about the educational resources being freely available at hand and online with absolutely no cost to the user!

Except… are they entirely free?

I chose to explore the ‘open as free’ concept further because I was intrigued upon reading how “[in some] cases, while resources are technically free, they have an opportunity cost to the user in the form of personal data and usage data” (Hodgkinson-Williams & Gray, 2009). I know only a fraction of the impact of personal data collection and usage, but I do know that it can be taken and stored, then sold to companies to use for various reasons including tailored marketing. What this means is that data can be sold without the explicit consent from the user, which could be deemed unethical as it can raise concerns involving privacy.

The article examines the various means for Open Educational Resources (OERs). Within the article, I found this conceptual map of the OERs helpful to for the comprehension and categorization for the broad term ‘content:’

Perhaps you too will recognize some services included in the map, as I noticed Wikis, Moodle, MIT OCW (after reading this article about it), Internet Archive, Google Scholar, and Creative Commons. It appears more clear to me to view it laid out in a visual format how the categories are organized and what resources reflect their purpose on the internet.

While the term can be rather vague and defined individually by separate educators and institutions, below is a table from the same article by Hodgkinson-Williams & Gray (2009) that lays out the attributes of ‘openness’ from several perspectives:

I do suggest reading through the article to gain a better understanding for yourself. I recognize that I’ve only scratched the surface for OERs and have more to learn. If interested, please take a look at this short video below to gain a better understanding.

Video by UNESCO on YouTube

Post 1 ~ A Reflection on Jon Dron’s Perspective

May 13, 2025 /
Photo by Beth Jnr on Unsplash

While watching and listening to the YouTube video, I was in the shower and let the reflective thoughts from Jon Dron flow while I pondered. I usually do my best thinking in the shower, which can be hard when I don’t have a pad and paper to write down what made sense; but writing it into my waterproof phone does allow me to document my reflection.

Among many intriguing points of conversation, Dr. Dron expressed something that piqued my interest: when you increase extrinsic reward, you decrease intrinsic reward. I hadn’t considered the ramifications of extrinsic motivation and the actions of encouraging such. From my new understanding, it can actually draw the effectiveness away from feeling internal accomplishments and I know that the latter is a better determinant of long-term resilience and success, as detailed in a study conduced in the Journal of Informatics Education and Research. What I have to gain from this learning is the process of teaching -or more so encouraging the exploration of- self discipline and discovery of intrinsic motivators. But, how do I teach this is if I’m extrinsically motivated myself? Is it a fault to teach something you have yet to discover? There exist marriage counsellors who are divorced and counsellors who are still unpacking their own traumas… maybe the flawed existence and continual strive for improvement is only human. I have more to learn and explore on this topic.

Back to Jon Dron’s conversational exchange. He spoke about students’ specific experiences with distanced and alternative learning. For example, portfolios are opportunities that allow students to choose their best work to be submitted for review from the teacher. Conducting a pedagogical approach such as this allows more autonomy over students’ learning assessment and encourages growth. This, paired with formal assessments in the manner of tests helps, students assess their own levels and be responsible for their education, productivity, and effort as they are able to continually progress and reflect.

Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash

The second speaker with Dr. Dron isolates the theory that to make a big change in learning we must de-couple assessment and learning. This is hard, as I consider how deeply ingrained assessment is in institutions. I need to think about this more deeply as I haven’t heard this directly from an academic. I have felt similarly for a while, especially when studying for a big exam, but I have to keep wondering how education can progress with this while so much of it is standardized to push students through a system that has been breaking down for a long time now. If anyone would want to argue the latter sentence, I would encourage some reading on the decline of literacy rates in Canada and the skill levels that seldom correspond to the grade level. This has been my own observation and research.

There are many aspects of this conversation that I have to consider further and would appreciate having some exchanges to flush out the ideas more for my own comprehension and consideration. It appears I have a lot to learn… and to unlearn.

References:
Role of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards in Motivating Employees. (2024). Journal of Informatics Education and Research. https://doi.org/10.52783/jier.v4i2.1185

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