Learning Through Life

A documented timeline of a lifelong learner ~ Thank you for joining me

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Post #3 ~ Open Online/Educational Resources

June 4, 2025 /
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 /

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 /
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.

Post 2 ~ Design Thinking

June 1, 2025 /
Assorted-colour sticky notes on a whiteboard
Photo by Hugo Rocha on Unsplash

What Is It?

Design Thinking, as described by Jess Mitchell in a blog post, Planning Frameworks, is an “iterative approach to learning that encourages learners to prototype (as designers) in response to a challenge or problem” (2023). This means that learners are in a process of refining their learning or theories by actively testing them then integrating feedback for further improvements. It can be thought of how designers produce models or develop solutions to problems.

How Does it Work?

Design Thinking aligns similarly with the scientific method of proposing a hypothesis, or an initial product, then working towards producing an improved version rather than aiming for perfection or a finished product with the first try…

Below is a video detailing more about how Design Thinking is developed and what the process entails:

Video by Sprouts on YouTube

The Flow of Design Thinking

Step #1: Empathize ~ Through the process of interviews, or other information collections like gathering from comment or conversational forums, the designer empathizes with a specific situation or concern to then address. Here, you’ll want to engage a large sample size in order to find the most accurate and prominent information. Essentially, find a problem to help fix!

Step #2: Define the Problem ~ After conducting the information-collection process, the designer will need to identify the main problem that emerges from the interviews or forums then formulate the ‘Problem Statement:’ a statement that defines what the identified problem is.

Step #3: Ideate ~ Begin brainstorming various ideas that could be involved to help solve the defined problem and share them with the ideas with the people involved in the ‘study,’ or information-gathering process, to receive feedback on the ideas proposed.

Step #4: Prototype ~ Take the time during this step to consider how the feedback and ideas would fit together then work to develop and complete the final prototype design for the defined problem.

Step #5: Test ~ With the prototype in the testing process, subjects must be willing to participate to test the effectiveness of the design. It’s crucial to remain neutral while receiving feedback here in order to garner uninfluenced comments, criticisms, and questions. After all, the feedback helps the designer to continue refining and improving!

How Does this Relate to Other Knowledge?

When I think of Design Thinking, I find it closely resembles the mindset one must hold in order to engage in Design Thinking. Can you guess to which one I’m referring? Here is a good infographic from Mentorloop that helps outline the differences between growth versus fixed mindset:

This related because it is critical to hold a growth mindset during Design Thinking so the designer stays motivated, impartial, open to being wrong and learning from others, embracing feedback, views the challenge as an opportunity to improve, and stays focused on the refining process rather than trying to skip immediately to the end result.

How Does this Relate to the Lesson Design Blueprint?

For our Lesson Design Blueprint, we focus on the process and lesson of literary devices and their impact in writing poetry. Design Thinking may be relevant here in the process of refinement for quality work to be produced. While there may not necessarily be a defined problem identified for students learning about literary devices and writing, we may be able to combine the two aspects to develop an assignment that would require a problem to be addressed with literary devices!

We’ll have to keep thinking about this one. Any suggestions and feedback is encouraged and greatly appreciated!

Free Inquiry ~ Learning/Project Plan

May 30, 2025 /
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! 

Lesson Design Blueprint ~ Group Assignment

May 30, 2025 /

Learning Blueprint – Poetic Devices

A wooden table topped with books and pens
Photo by Matúš Gocman on Unsplash

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

Overview

As identified in the article, Why Literary Devices Matter by Lorraine K.C. Yeung, the impact of literary devices in fiction and poetry plays a crucial role in evoking emotions among readers and writers. According to Yeung, the purpose of literary devices is to contribute to the emotional depth of a piece and grasp readers’ attention “in a way that prompts their emotional engagement even before any meaningful content for cognitive judgments is available to them” (p. 35). Similar to Yeung’s analysis of literary devices and looking into how literary devices are important in poetry, Joan Peskin from the University of Toronto talks in her article, The Development of Poetic Literacy During the School Years about the impact these devices have on poetry. For example, she states how “… poetic interpretation is driven by the intrinsic textual features of a poem. There is now evidence that poetic processing is both reader-driven and text-driven (p. 77).” Therefore, to fully grasp the importance of literary devices in poetry and other writing, we need to be learning and teaching this topic in a variety of ways, such as auditory or visually.

One of the most common misconceptions about poetry is that it is boring. One of the biggest reasons for this is that, specifically with young students, it is thought that all poetry must rhyme, which they may find uninteresting or juvenile. Another misconception in relation to poetic devices is that they don’t actually hold a purpose within the poem. Students think that devices are unnecessary and just for show; however, they don’t realize that the devices are often what gives the poem a deeper meaning and a more impactful effect.

This topic is of particular interest to us because all of us are hoping to be elementary or middle school educators. This is a resource that would be useful to elementary school teachers who are introducing poetry to their students, and show them that poetry can be interesting and fun.

Lesson Design Planning Template 

Resources

  • PowerPoint presentation
  • Example poems 
  • Writing materials or personal computers 
  • Paper or journals 

Roles and Responsibilities

Mady: One misconception (Poetry is boring) in the Overview, Learning Outcomes portion of the Lesson Design Planning Template
Anna: Connection to common practice in our field in the Overview, Big Ideas portion of the Lesson Design Planning Template
Nicole: One misconception (that poetic devices in literacy don’t hold a purpose) in the Overview, Evidence of Learning of the Lesson Design Planning Template
Hanne: One academic resource (Why Literary Devices Matter) in the Overview, Assessment portion of the Lesson Design Planning Template
Finlay: One academic resource (The Development of Poetic Literacy During the School Years) in the Overview, the learning activities portion of the Lesson Design Planning Template

Post 3 ~ Artificial Intelligence at What Cost?

May 27, 2025 /
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 1 ~ Learning, Motivation, and Theory/Assessment: My Own Understanding and Experience

May 25, 2025 /

After reading about the theories of constructivism, cognitivism, and behaviourism in the article, Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Perspective by P.A. Ertmer and T. Newby, I reflected upon my own learning style and couldn’t quite place myself into one specific area. I wondered if there was an overarching learning style where each of the specified categories would blend or overlap, considering the complex nature of the human experience and especially that tied to learning. Perhaps each theoretical practice emerges individually or simultaneously during a single learning moment. I wondered if the most prominent emergence would then be considered the theory dominant, specific to that moment and learner response.

My thinking cap was secure.

A woman leaning against a wood door, holding her chin and thinking
Photo by Paola Aguilar on Unsplash

My initial thought was that I align with constructivism more than cognitivism and behaviourism because I can be self-motivated and direct some of my own learning, but I have to wonder if each of these styles emerge continually throughout the process of learning. For example with behaviourism, I do tend to thrive when I have external stimuli motivating me like the act of keeping in pace with my peers. This means that I am motivated externally at times, even when none of my peers are establishing an expectation to perform to their level or above. It makes me wonder, again, if that is constructivismn at play as the motivation stems from my own drive towards achieving a non-existing expectation…

A example of my learning experience is a recent one while working on my car with my mechanic, or my vehicular guru, as I like to call him, who has been teaching me throughout my vehicle journey with my recent dream car acquisition. I have learned how to navigate the regular maintenance and then some. As I am becoming a teacher myself, I seem to have developed meta-observational skills -a term I made up- where I can identify the techniques or styles emerging from a teacher while I am in the state of learning. It really is a bizarre space to occupy as I feel both present in a first-person point of view and omniscient (only specific to my experience, therefore closer to a third-person point of view) when the meta-observational skills kick in.

Photo retrieved on ProWritingAid from Point Of View: What Is It?

To link this back to learning, motivation, and theory, I have to wonder how the skills of recognizing the learning theories helps or hinders my experience. Does being this aware actually advance my learning or could the experience be stunting my experiential learning by taking me out of the moment. Could these meta-observational skills foster support for students as it does for teachers? Perhaps the line between student and teacher could become blurred and would that be the worst thing? After all, who is teaching whom?

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

An Introduction to Me!

May 13, 2025 /

My name is Hanne and I am in school to become an elementary school teacher! I am going into my third year of the BEd program through UVic. I was an Education Assistant previously and have worked with children since I was about ten years old. I currently work as a nanny, as a tutor, and as a Community Support Worker with people in the disability community.

I have many hobbies and work several jobs, which keep me busy and my life fairly full. With two family dogs and a love for the outdoors, I like to keep active on hikes, swimming, cycling, and general walks. I also love gardening, organizing, making candles and bath bombs, and going to the beach!

These are my dogs: Juno (left) and Riley (right)

I am interested in the Information Communication Technology certificate courses to help integrate more technology into my teaching practices to encompass Universal Design for learning aspects and accessibility implementation. Additionally, the ICT certificate counts towards upgrading professionally to teaching category 5 with the Teacher Qualification Services.

My experience has been one technology course as part of my BEd required courses and that is all, so I am very excited to learn more and pull out some useful strategies and aspects to include in my own practice as a teacher!

A poster I made with the kids on my final day of practicum

Thank you for learning a bit more about me! Please leave a comment about anything you relate to or any questions you may have about my learning journey and experience.
🙂

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