The conversation I want to have on this blog post is about the practical side of teaching compared to the theoretical side of teaching. Tons of schooling so far in this masters has been focused on learning theories that create the backbone to student learning. More so, it highlights the way that individuals can learn and create an insight in the way we should plan our teaching styles and lessons. 

 

One of the positive things about learning about these theories is that I have learned tons about the way I learn. What I have realized is that learning does not happen in a vacuum. You do not adhere to one way of learning and just stick with that one. In my case, it seems that I touch on a little bit of each and that what creates a whole. 

 

Teaching is becoming more focused on using resources from the online world and using them inside your classroom. Children are constantly bombarded by content from the internet and it plays a role in their everyday lives. As a modern teacher we should be implementing these interests of the students into the classroom. I connect this to my own life. When I was growing up sports was my intrigue and if I did not understand it my Dad would sometimes translate that into sport terms and the concepts seemed to make more sense. I know this is an over simplified version of this but it has weight when trying to connect students to what they enjoy. 

Photo by Perry Grone on Unsplash

I also really enjoy the idea of introducing material that is more connected with the real world instead of connecting to theoretical situations. In class, we discussed the idea of allowing students to access information gathered in open access areas and using that create problems and situations for math class. Students using real life data to understand concepts in your class. Open access materials would allow us as teachers to connect concepts with real world material and information. This of course needs the idea that teachers are connected to this information and what is out there. This is the new problem/situation that many teachers face…the openness and time constraint to explore and see what’s out there.  

 

Another aspect that I have been questioning lately is the idea of how open education can directly affect younger students? Open education and research can be utilized by people who know how to explore the internet and vet the information that they can use but how do we as teachers allow students to access open ed. with being aware of the content. An idea that comes to mind is the creation of a platform or area that teachers can put their own material that can be accessed. I think for this to be better it has to happen on local levels. Teachers who share material on a local level will have more overlapping context in their teaching then someone sharing it over international lines or provinces. Overall, it’s a tricky situation that is filled with complexities and worries. I want to look at just the positive but sometimes it is hard. 

OPEN SCHOLARSHIP
Veletsianos, G., & Shaw, A. (2018). Scholars in an increasingly open and digital world: Imagined audiences and their impact on scholars’ online participation. Learning, Media and Technology, 43(1), 17–30. http://ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/login?url=https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2017.1305966

OPEN DATA
Atenas, J., Havemann, L., & Priego, E. (2015). Open Data as Open Educational Resources: Towards Transversal Skills and Global Citizenship. Open Praxis, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.5944/openpraxis.7.4.233

MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES (MOOCS)
Rohs, M., & Ganz, M. (2015). MOOCs and the Claim of Education for All: A Disillusion by Empirical Data. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(6). Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/2033/3527

OPEN ACCESS RESEARCH
Couture, M. (2017, July 12). Academic Publishing at a Crossroads. University Affairs. Retrieved from http://www.universityaffairs.ca/opinion/in-my-opinion/academic-publishing-crossroads/

 

 

Fron image:Photo by Franki Chamaki on Unsplash