Education is an important concept in today’s world. The term education expands into different areas and aspects of life. Some people may think that the word education is closely related to school and is exclusively an academic definition. However, education is more than just academia; it’s an ongoing process in our everyday lives. Every day, we learn things ranging from academia to other things, such as personal hobbies. Constantly learning and educating ourselves builds upon the future and builds connections in our everyday lives. This metaphor means that education can be utilized as a key to opening doors to new life opportunities. I selected this metaphor because it resonates with me closely. During my time as a university student, I was only partially invested in my degree, so I decided to take a break and complete electives with various classes. Upon completing that semester, I took a course in HINF, which led me to a new degree and opportunity. This quote has summed up my journey of how education opened up new horizons and possibilities.
As the metaphor suggests, education opens up new horizons. Although this may seem appropriate and powerful, it is still deeply flawed. When it comes to understanding the quote, it suggests that educating oneself can lead to new opportunities. However, this definition may not apply to people pursuing opportunities through different means. Sometimes education doesn’t lead to new opportunities, which is the quote’s main flaw.
Reflecting on the metaphor, advocating for education and how it can open up new opportunities and horizons is essential. However, it is also important to acknowledge that education is not the only thing which can lead to new opportunities. Thus, the metaphor that education opens up new horizons should be considered a means of motivation rather than a method to success. Reworking the metaphor to meet these standards will make it more impactful and valuable for educators/schools to motivate their students.
I chose this learning portfolio activity prompt because breaking down the meaning of an educational metaphor and reflecting on it was very interesting to me. As someone who rarely interprets quotes for their different meanings, this activity was a great place to begin. Additionally, visualizing the quote was also really interesting and brought my creative side out, which helped me interpret the meaning even more.
The final weeks of school can be extremely stressful. Upcoming finals and final assignments can lead to elevated levels of stress and can ultimately hinder performance.
So this This week, we will be learning about Mediation and it’s benefits and how we can use it to manage stress and anxiety.
To help us understand the concept of Meditation – lets begin with an introductory video on what exactly Meditation is.
Let’s begin!
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this blog you will be able to:
Describe what meditation is and how it makes a difference.
List up to four benefits of meditation for mental and physical well-being.
Recognize meditation techniques that reduce or eliminate stress.
Let’s now learn different meditation techniques, how meditation makes a difference and benefits of meditation!
Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress
Since ancient times, meditation has been used to increase knowledge of the mystical and divine energies that govern existence. Nowadays, people commonly employ meditation to de-stress and ease tension (2022, March 30). For the body and mind, meditation is viewed as a type of supplementary therapy. Deep relaxation and mental calmness are the results of meditation. The person concentrates during meditation and gets rid of the constant stream of disorganized ideas that might be causing stress. As an outcome, both physical and emotional well-being is improved. There are several types of meditation. However, most meditation techniques have similar features, including (2022a, April 29):
A quiet setting
A comfortable position
Focused attention
An open attitude
Relaxed breathing
Some of the meditation types include guided meditation, mantra meditation and mindfulness meditation (2022b, April 29). Meditation makes a significant difference because it promotes a state of balance, serenity, and tranquillity that is good for one’s mental, emotional, and physical health (2022, May 5).
Different Meditation Techniques
Meditation comes in many different forms and can be practiced through a variety Meditation comes in many different forms and can be practiced through various techniques. Meditation is especially effective as a classroom practice and helps strengthen self-regulation, boost health, and reduce negative feelings/anxiety (Kuranishi, 2018). When implementing meditation, it is essential to begin with, simple techniques to effectively train the mind to keep focus. Before choosing a meditation technique, it is important to learn how to meditate. The following is an effective guide provided by the Mindful organization on how to meditate:
1) Take a seat
Find a place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you.
2) Set a time limit
If you’re just beginning, it can help to choose a short time, such as five or 10 minutes.
3) Notice your body
You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, you can sit loosely cross-legged, you can kneel—all are fine. Just make sure you are stable and in a position you can stay in for a while.
4) Feel your breath
Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes in and as it goes out.
5) Notice when your mind has wandered
Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing that your mind has wandered—in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes—simply return your attention to the breath.
6) Be kind to your wandering mind
Don’t judge yourself or obsess over the content of the thoughts you find yourself lost in. Just come back.
7) Close with kindness
When you’re ready, gently lift your gaze (if your eyes are closed, open them). Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions.
Provided by (Mindful Communications & Such PBC, 2022)
After learning the basics of meditation, we can now observe the different techniques and how they can help reduce stress and anxiety. There are two main kinds of meditation techniques; guided and unguided meditation. In guided meditation, an instructor guides you through meditation and is usually recommended to beginners to get used to meditation. The other is unguided meditation which is the process of meditating alone. While these two are the basic types of meditation, there are specific types with different benefits and purposes. Here are five types of meditation techniques and their purposes.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation is the act of being aware of the present moment. This form of meditation can be done at any time and requires complete focus on what is being done in the present moment—for example, brushing your teeth, washing dishes, and running. Mindfulness meditation is effective for beginners as it takes their minds off external stresses and allows them to be present at the moment.
Body scan Meditation
Body Scan meditation focuses on consciously relaxing different parts of the body. This meditation helps relieve muscle tension built up from stress and anxiety. Being consciously aware of body parts can increase mind and body connection.
Walking Meditation
Walking meditation is the process of focusing on each step in order to be fully present. Focusing on the mechanics and motion of each step heightens situational awareness and increases the feeling of being present. This type of meditation is used by individuals who are jittery and find it difficult to stay still.
Loving Kindness Meditation
Loving Kindness meditation is a form of meditation that focuses on self-love and the cultivation of compassion for others. Loving Kindness Meditation helps with body image and empathy, this type of meditation starts with positive intention for oneself.
Transcendental Meditation
This type of meditation focuses on a phrase or mantra through repetition. Transcendental meditation utilizes the phrase/mantra as the object of awareness and allows individuals to focus and be aware of their surroundings. Choosing the mantra/phrase can also be beneficial, as positive mantras help with positive intention.
Benefits of meditation
1- Reduces stress:
Stress disrupts sleep, promotes anxiety and increases blood pressure. An eight-week study called “mindfulness meditation” proved that meditation reduced the inflammation response caused by stress (Thorpe, 2020).
2- Controls anxiety:
According to Dr. Thrope, eight weeks of mindfulness meditation helped reduce anxiety symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder, along with increased positive self-statements and improved stress reactivity and coping.
3- Increases attention span:
The Study shows that listening to a meditation tape improved accuracy and attention while completing a task. Similar studies have shown better performance on visual tasks than those without any meditation experiences (Thorpe, 2020).
4- Leads to kindness:
Meditation techniques, such as Loving Kindness Meditation, increase positive feelings. Another study of 50 university students showed that practising Loving Kindness Meditation three times a week improved positive emotions, interpersonal relationships and understanding of others after four weeks (Thorpe, 2020).
Activities
Actvity 1 – Shark Fin Exercise
Now that we have learned about different meditation types, let’s do a beginner meditation exercise so you can begin your meditation journey!
It is stated in this phase that educators must show vs tell. To effectively introduce the concept of meditation, we utilized the demonstration principle in our content by introducing learners to different videos and demonstrations of meditation. During this phase learners observe how meditation works and how it can be applied in real life.
Application
In the application process, Merrill believed that relying on memory was not sufficient enough for applying learning. Merrill believes that learners should actually do what they learned to understand the content in a real-life aspect. Although we created a multiple choice exam in our lesson, we also implemented interactive activities that allow the learner to perform meditation techniques and recognize the process of meditation.
Integration
Lastly, the integration principle is where learners must transfer their knowledge into practice. We utilized this principle by allowing the learners to reflect on their experiences and gave them opportunities to teach what they learned and most importantly practice what they learned. Our focus on integration was to help the learner create a new habit which will ultimately help them reduce stress and anxiety.
Mayer’s Theory of Multimedia Learning
We used some of Mayer’s principles, such as the Cognitive Load Theory, by structuring our lecture with distinct, bold headers and removing everything that would distract the student. Additionally, the multimedia material that calls for interaction provides explicit instructions for how to use it. The coherence principle, by only adding relevant materials and activities to our topic and avoiding irrelevant information and destructing materials. The signalling principle, by ensuring the key information is displayed clearly with headers and highlighted to make it simple to identify and access.
Other Design Principles
Universal Design for Learning
We have employed some of the UDL theory in creating the lessons. For instance, we have provided multiple means of engagement to increase the effectiveness of learning, we have selected different methods, materials and media to address learners variability. In addition, we set a learning goal to guide students as they work through the course, and to assess their learning progress.
Final Lesson Plan and Final Project Plan
Instructional Design for this Week’s Topic
References
Kuranishi. (2018, October 28). Pause, Refocus, Assess: Meditation in the Classroom. edutopia.org. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/pause-refocus-assess-meditation-classroom-adam-kuranishi
Learning Science Made Easy: Merrill’s Principles of Instruction | WBT Systems. (n.d.). https://www.wbtsystems.com/learning-hub/blogs/merrills-principles-of-instruction
Meditation – Mayo Clinic. (2022, May 5). https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/about/pac-20385120
Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress. (2022a, April 29). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858
Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress. (2022b, April 29). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858
Mindful Communications & Such PBC. (2022, February 5). Mindful – healthy mind, healthy life. Mindful. https://www.mindful.org/
Smith, L. (2022, November 11). 28 Meditation Statistics: How Many People Meditate? The Good Body. https://www.thegoodbody.com/meditation-statistics/
Thorpe, M., MD PhD. (2020, October 27). 12 Science-Based Benefits of Meditation. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation
Welch, A., & Laube, J., MD. (2022, March 30). Meditation: A Guide on How to Meditate for Stress Reduction and More. EverydayHealth.com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/meditation/
As a student who grew up speaking two languages, I was always intrigued by learning other languages. Recently, I decided to start learning Portuguese and didn’t know where to begin. So I started looking for Language Learning apps and came across a couple. I came across two applications, Duolingo and Babbel. So instead of choosing one over the other, I used both simultaneously to see which I would prefer in the long run and which was the most suitable for my type of learning.
Duolingo AI Approach
Duolingo is an effective application for learning new languages. During my time with Duolingo, I really appreciated the AI technology incorporated by Duolingo. Before learning a new language, Duolingo begins with a set of questions to measure your comfortability with the chosen language, why you’re learning the language, and how often you’d like to practice. Once the user answers the following questions, Duolingo does the rest and sets up a schedule for the user. Throughout my time with Duolingo, I enjoyed their AI system, Birdbrain. The Duolingo AI system analyzed my grammatical mistakes and constantly adapted to my learning needs. What made Duolingo so engaging was the “human” learning experience. Whenever I made a mistake or couldn’t remember anything, the AI would remember it for the next session instead of trying to get me to remember the forgotten phrase. Having this comfortability of not forcing myself to learn but instead learning naturally makes the Birdbrain AI so effective.
Duolingo Training Data
As for the effect of training data from English learners, I believe it won’t affect the language learning experience for other languages. From a communication standpoint, the way we communicate can be expressed in a non-verbal way, which translates into how we speak to each other and form sentences (Narsaria, 2022). This means that regardless of the training data, the AI can simulate the learning patterns for other languages as the learning experience is similar for many languages.
Babbel AI Approach
Similarly, Babbel was also very similar to Duolingo. The structure and AI system were very identical, where the learning process would begin with a questionnaire to allow the system to create a training schedule. What I liked about Babbel was the conversationalist approach to language teaching and voice recognition. At the end of each lesson, the built-in AI would commence a conversation. During this conversation, the user would practice what they learned, and the AI would correct their pronunciation. This approach was extremely helpful in helping me pronounce and gain confidence in my conversations.
Conclusion
Ultimately, humanizing the AI system in language learning is beneficial for users wanting to learn a new language. Using linguistic patterns makes it recognizable for AI to create new lessons and fix past mistakes. The constant adjustments and personalization for each user make for a comfortable learning experience that leads to better learning.
The AI Behind Duolingo
References
Narsaria, A. (2022, January 22). How Do We Speak Without Speaking? Science ABC. https://www.scienceabc.com/social-science/how-do-we-speak-without-speaking.html
Interactivity and Engagement for Minecraft Education
Minecraft: Education Edition (M:EE) is a rendition of the popular video game Minecraft. From the learning game links provided this week, M:EE caught my attention because developers could transform game elements to create a practical teaching approach via video games.
The gamification of Minecraft in education has enabled educational institutions to explore alternative methods of teaching students. Minecraft as a tool has many elements that can influence students to learn effectively. The primary aspect of gamification in learning is that it allows students to build and participate in project-based learning (Park, 2018).
Obtained from Minecraft Education Edition
Elements of Minecraft Education
M:EE has multiple elements, which makes it a valuable educational tool. M:EE can help build on STEM skills and inspire students to unleash creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Education-specific Features
M:EE contains specific features and tools within the game that can help students facilitate their learning. M:EE education is equipped with a camera, portfolio, and journal to allow students to make observations and share with other students.
Code Builder
The code builder is an in-game coding assistant that enables students to create commands and will allow the game to do certain activities. The code builder is an excellent way to teach coding fundamentals.
Chemistry
The chemistry resource in the M:EE is an effective tool in introducing learners to introductory chemistry concepts and allows students to discover ways to combine certain compounds to create fascinating in-game items and conduct science experiments.
Lesson Plans
The most powerful element that the M:EE has is its endless library of lesson plans. These lesson plans include a variety of subjects and even come supplied with custom worlds that students can use to implement their learning
How does Minecraft: Education Edition improve learning and engagement?
Encourages meaningful student-led learning where the students can own their knowledge and build confidence through their education.
Support virtual learning in a way where in-class learning can be applied within the game.
Encourages collaboration amongst peers and facilitates empathy and critical social-emotional skills.
Teaches students how to prepare for future workplace skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.
Ultimately, the factor that facilitates engagement within the classroom is the creativity and student-led learning aspect. Minecraft: Education Edition allows students to apply what they learned in school to the video game. From my experience with video games, I was always fascinated by the creativity you can have within a specific game. A game such as Minecraft: Education Edition would have allowed me to explore my learning further by applying them within M:EE. Making classroom activities fun by implementing them into video games increases engagement by allowing students to enjoy playing with their acquired knowledge.
Example of teaching with Minecraft: Education Edition
References
Park, M. (2018, July 9). Gamification Through Minecraft – Technology and the Curriculum: Summer 2018. Pressbooks. https://pressbooks.pub/techandcurriculum/chapter/minecraft/
Working with BigQuery is a free course provided by Coursera Project Network. The course’s learning outcomes are to teach students how to run queries, perform visualizations, and create a report on big data from Google BigQuery. Additionally, students will be able to learn how to save queries, views, and reports from BigQuery. The course is organized and structured into four modules. The first is a reading module that goes over the project overview, introducing the learner BigQuery. The next module focuses on a hands-on application where the student and instructor will work on the project together. After, the students will complete a graded quiz which must be passed to complete the project successfully. Lastly, the student can participate in a learner survey, where they can give their feedback on the guided project.
Comparison with Traditional Courses
Compared with other traditional courses, the learning experience for this course was similar to any conventional course. The legitimacy of the course was accurate in terms of the material delivered and the overall experience. When I took the course, it felt like any other course or lesson I have participated in. I had autonomy over my work, and as it was a guided project where the instructor provided the instructions and from those instructions, I was able to apply them to the project. The individual nature of this course limited my ability to connect with others. Moreover, the connection with the instructor was one-sided, with the instructor only providing one introductory video at the beginning of the course. When it came to the assessment and evaluation of the course, a quiz was given where learners were given multiple opportunities to pass. The quiz content was simple enough to complete as long as the guided project was being followed. After completing this course, I learned the basics of BigQuery and how to view, create, and run queries from big data. Overall, I was delighted with the course, and for the short duration of the course, I was able to learn many concepts about queries that I can compound with my current knowledge of queries.
xMOOC or cMOOC
I would label this course as xMOOC because the course is limited in terms of content. The content is exclusive to the platform (Coursera), and the exercises are limited. Although the activities were limited, the guided project was insightful and provided much meaningful information in a small project. What also makes this course an xMOOC is that it lacks connectivism among other students. The course structure is one on one, and there are no opportunities to collaborate with others taking the course.
Open MOOC?
For this MOOC, I would consider it to be open because it is easily accessible and can be provided for each student willing to participate in the course. What makes a MOOC open is that there are no limitations in enrollment, prerequisites, or cost. This course meets these standards, which makes it an “open” course.
Final Thoughts
I chose this activity because MOOCs are an excellent way to learn new skills at zero cost. Many universities offer MOOCs and are not only limited to MOOC providers. The variety in choosing what you want to know can further improve learning and reinforce current knowledge. This experience taught me how accessible some courses are and how simple it is to start. When I want to learn about a topic outside of class, it is sometimes difficult to be in charge of my learning and where exactly to begin. I can find what I’d like to learn with MOOCs and go from there. This additional guidance gave me an area to start when learning about a new concept.
Peer Review for Pod 6: Stress at Workplace and its Managing Techniques
Overview
When choosing for a topic to review, Pod 6’s subject matter caught my attention as is it is a very important factor in our daily lives. As a person who is currently employed, there are times where stress can occur and sometimes can even spill out onto other co-workers. Finding ways to limit stress is not only beneficial for the worker but also beneficial for other co-workers and can assist in creating a healthy working environment. Applying a course like this in the workplace would be incredibly helpful in reducing workplace tension and create healthy workplace relationships,
Strengths
Throughout my peer review I ran into a lot of strengths of the interactive learning resource. I personally enjoyed reading up on the anecdotal examples from stress at work. This is a very strong example as it really exemplifies the common occurence of stress in the workplace. Additionally, I liked the rationale and how stress is not avoidable and can eventually happen. For the most part I enjoyed reading on the managing techniques and introduction to the topic. Below are the following strengths that I liked from Pod 6:
Interactive Activities
I really enjoyed the choice of actvities for this interactive learning resource. The journal like activity of reflecting on their owen journey is a great way to keep track of the learners journey. Additionally, the concept map is a great brainstorming activity to get the learners to think of specific stressors. The amount of self relflection from the activities really strengthens the interactivity of the learning resource.
Assessment Plan
The assessment plan of this resource was very progressive and personal, making the course feel like more of a self improvement course rather than a traditional course. Planning it this way is extremely effective as it focuses on improvement for the learner rather than expecting grades for completion.
Managing Techniques
The managing techniques for this resource were extremely well chosen. The power of optimistic self talk was is a very effective way in reducing stress. Additionally, exercising is also a beneficial factor that often can get dismissed when reducing stress, and adding it as a technique was a great touch.
Resources
The variety in resources for this interactive learning resource was very well chosen. Complimenting your research with scholarly resources made your resource very credible.
Areas for Improvement
Structure
As for the structure of the interactive learning resource, I was a little confused on the presentation for the resource. From what I gathered, the draft seems like it was the learning design blueprint. For something very interactive, I would suggest the use of an open resource to encourage discussions for students.
Learning Theory
I was unsure of what learning theory was being applied for this course when reading up on your rationale. Identifying which learning theory in your rationale will make it more specific for your audience.
Learning Context
There was some missing context on the audience for this interactive learning resource. I really couldn’t pinpoint the exact age or audience it was being presented to. Since you’re interactive resource is directed towards working people and working class, I would suggest choosing that type of audience.
Learning Outcomes
The essential questions were very well chosen. However, I think narrowing it down and making it more concise will help your group deliver the learning outcomes.
Conclusion
I think Pod 6 has chosen an excellent topic that is very relevant. The variety of content chosen has made an excellent draft. I am looking forward to the final product.
Balance of Passive Learning and Active Learning in University
Passive and active learning have been present during my time at the University of Victoria. The balance between passive and active learning at UVic depends on the course and learning environment. As a student in the social science faculty, active learning is essential for understanding course material. In comparison to other courses at the University of Victoria, there are elements of certain courses that limit the amount of active learning and focus widely on passive learning. With the limited presence of one learning method over the other in some of the courses I took at UVic, I needed to make sure that I adjusted both methods to learn effectively.
Passive Learning in University
Passive learning is the method of learning through instruction and absorbing information. In passive learning, students receive information from the instructor and internalize it (ASU Prep Digital, 2021). This means that passive learners will have to listen to the material and reflect internally without further reflection. Although passive learning can be seen as ineffective, some benefits contribute to better learning. During my experience in university, I found that classes such as science courses like chemistry or biology facilitated passive learning. The lecture-heavy classes required me to take time to really understand the concepts, which benefitted me as it made me think critically about concepts to improve my learning further.
Active Learning in University
Active learning is the process in which students engage their learning by discussing, investigating, and creating, among others, in a classroom (Active Learning | Center for Teaching Innovation, n.d.). Active learning helps students solve problems and practice skills within the learning environment. I experienced active learning during university in creative courses such as photography or English. Participating in discussions during class allowed me to instantly utilize my learning and apply what I learned through discussions and activities.
Final Thoughts
Active learning and passive learning are both effective styles of learning. Regarding the balance of both in learning, I prefer active learning over passive learning. Although active learning is my preference, I still enjoy passive learning. But when it comes to courses that require complex concepts, the presence of active learning would be beneficial as the current forms of active learning, such as labs, focus on entirely different material from the lecture. Ultimately, I would balance both active and passive learning by focusing more on active learning and then applying passive learning when applicable.
Active and Passive Learning H5P Activity
Watch the following video about the differences between active and passive learning. After watching the video, complete the next set of questions by choosing the correct option.
References
Active Learning | Center for Teaching Innovation. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://teaching.cornell.edu/teaching-resources/active-collaborative-learning/active-learning
ASU Prep Digital. (2021, April 15). Passive Learning vs Active Learning. https://www.asuprepdigital.org/student_blog/passive-learning-vs-active-learning/
The diversity of multimedia includes the creation of various works and is distributed across a variety of different media platforms. Within the distribution of digital work comes the issue of copyright and illegal distribution of digital work. Helping combat the issue of copyright requires an understanding of creative commons licenses. The goal of my infographic will be to educate digital artists on how to protect their multimedia by applying creative commons licenses. With my infographic, I hope people will learn to safely protect their work through the implementation of different creative commons licenses and also understand how to redistribute digital work that they are also interested in.
Applying Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia
I decided to change specific elements of my Creative Commons (CC) infographic as my previous infographic design was too simple and lacked fundamental multimedia principles that would enable effective learning. To efficiently modify my infographic, I utilized the following principles from Mayer’s 12 design principles: coherence principle, signaling principle, and spatial contiguity. Applying these three principles will enhance my infographic and increase knowledge transfer.
Coherence Principle
The coherence principle states that humans learn best by removing distracting extraneous information (How to Use Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning [Examples Included], 2020). Looking at my previous infographic, I noticed that I had added icons next to headings which served no purpose. So to satisfy the coherence principle, I removed the extraneous material and adjusted the headings to align with each other for consistency within the infographic. My updated infographic is now consistent and visually appealing for learners to intake information.
Signaling Principle
The signalling principle states that humans learn best when the material is highlighted and shown precisely where the material is (How to Use Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning [Examples Included], 2020). In my previous infographic, I had an indicator next to the licenses measuring the restrictiveness of each license. To apply the signalling principle, I updated the indicator by highlighting the measurement with respective colours for both less restrictive and more restrictive. Additionally, I made the indicator bigger and bolder so that it’s more visible to learners. Applying the signalling principle will visually guide learners to point out significant information in my infographic.
Spatial Contiguity
The spatial contiguity principle states that humans learn best when relevant text and materials are close together in proximity (How to Use Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning [Examples Included], 2020). For my previous infographic, my headings were alternating sides, which can confuse the audience as it does not visually guide the learner to the information. To fix this, I decided to apply this principle and keep the headings aligned to keep the headings and information close. Keeping the headings and information close will facilitate learning as the out-of-place headings won’t distract the learner.
Applying Inclusive Design
Another major factor missing from my previous infographic was the presence of inclusive design. Inclusive design refers to building an adaptable one-size-fits-one learning experience for each learner (Chandrashekar, 2022). To apply inclusive design to my infographic, I made all fonts and headings easily visible. This included resizing my infographic to fit the adjusted font sizing. Lastly, I accompanied my infographic with a voice recording of the transcript for added accessibility. These upgrades will benefit learners and make it easier for them to learn about CC licenses.
Other Design Principles
To make my infographic more professional, I also decide to apply brand colours and fonts and design strategies from creative commons. The design adjustments made my final creative commons infographic more professional and accurate to the creative commons brand.
Chandrashekar, S. (2022, November 3). What is Inclusive Design for Learning? D2L. https://www.d2l.com/blog/inclusive-design-learning/
How to Use Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning [Examples Included]. (2020, July 24). Water Bear Learning. https://waterbearlearning.com/mayers-principles-multimedia-learning/
Privacy, specifically in education, has been a growing topic in the past decade due to the growth of education technology and the creation of national databases (Privacy in Education, n.d.). The development of data and learning analytic tools in education has been linked with improving education (Reidenberg & Schaub, 2018). Data collection is obtained through educational tools with which the students regularly interact and share information. The collection of information from educational technology has created tension in regard to the privacy of students, thus creating a call for action for privacy in education.
Expectation of Privacy for Students
The expectation for privacy in education for students should be a normative The expectation for privacy in education for students should be a normative standard. In a recent case in February 2019, a male teacher was charged with voyeurism, specifically targeting female students (Salis, 2019). The expectation for privacy must be identified in a contextual approach and consider factors regarding the circumstance where the privacy was infiltrated. After reviewing the factors in this case, the court ruled that there was a justifiable instance where students had a reasonable expectation of privacy. This case should provide insight into what kind of privacy expectations students expect. The expectation from every student must be a normative guideline. The degree of expected privacy can’t be a descriptive standard that the students identify but instead must be an expectation acceptable and normal to societal standards.
Challenging Student Privacy
The acceptable and appropriate situation in which an institution or instructor can challenge student privacy and disclose information is for health/safety reasons and law enforcement investigations. Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) in BC, there is a list of particular circumstances where personal information must be disclosed without the individual’s consent. The index consists of emergencies, privacy issues, and law enforcement agencies. If any of the circumstances fall under the circumstances above, then instructors and institutions may go ahead and challenge student privacy.
University of Victoria Privacy Policies
How easy to find, access and understand were the privacy policies that you uncovered?
Finding and locating the Protection of Privacy Policy for the University of Victoria was simple and only required a Google search of “the University of Victoria privacy policy.” Accessing the privacy policy required downloading a PDF. At the beginning of the policy, the associated procedures were outlined for specific instances regarding privacy. The guidelines were easy to understand as each procedure outlined the purpose and definitions that met the description of the procedures.
Before searching for them, were you aware of these policies?
As I have taken courses that have explored privacy ethics, specifically in healthcare, I am familiar with the Protection of Privacy Policy and FIPPA standards utilized by the University of Victoria.
Did you find anything surprising or concerning within the policies?
There was nothing I found that was necessarily concerning or surprising. The only thing that surprised me was the need to download the whole privacy policy. Compared with other privacy policies such as the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and other university policies, the access was in the form of a web page rather than a PDF download.
Reflection
I decided to choose this module as it is essential to know the privacy rights of individuals and how personal information is kept and stored. As someone who wants to work in the healthcare industry one day, it is crucial to understand privacy policies since it contains lots of personal information, leaving them vulnerable to data breaches. Choosing this module has helped me understand the expectation for privacy and the particular circumstances where a breach of privacy is required. Additionally, it has given me insight into privacy policies in an educational setting compared to a healthcare setting with which I was more familiar.
References
Privacy In Education. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2022, from https://iapp.org/resources/topics/privacy-in-education/
Reidenberg, J. R., & Schaub, F. (2018). Achieving big data privacy in education. Theory and Research in Education, 16(3), 263–279. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878518805308
Salis, R. F. de. (2019, March 4). The Supreme Court of Canada rules on expectations of privacy in schools. Harris. Retrieved October 18, 2022, from https://harrisco.com/the-supreme-court-of-canada-rules-on-expectations-of-privacy-in-schools/
Weekly Personal Learning Network (click to view enlarged image)
Did any of the nodes or connections surprise you?Â
Looking at my learning network, I was surprised at how many digital one-way connections I have. However, as my classes are online this semester, one-way connections will be more common as I tend to stay online and stick to the courses’ environment. As seen in my UVic campus node, the amount of two-way physical connections is significantly lesser than in my laptop node. I believe that more two-way connections would result if I were in in-person courses.
Are some of your classes or courses more or less connected than others?
With all my courses being online, I think that the majority are connected. In many of my EDCI courses, the amount of collaboration for coursework is equal in the form of discussions and blog posts. In comparison with in-person learning, I feel the interconnected nature is less in collaboration and interaction but more focused on active discussion of lecture material. Ultimately, the connectivity of courses depends on the environment in which the courses are placed and what kind of collaboration is applied.
Reflection
I chose this activity because it was interesting to visualize my week using data. As a person who wants to get into data analysis and data science, this activity aligns with my learning and career goals. In my research of learning maps, I have found some exciting benefits regarding network mapping. Network mapping is an effective way to measure what matters; for example, in this activity, I was able to measure my activity regarding my coursework. If I had mapped my entire interactions for the week, it would be difficult to analyze and form connections between different nodes. Additionally, by condensing my interaction map to only my learning interactions, I can analyze my interactions based on frequency and relationship types. With these quantifications, I can track what I need to work on to improve my learning experience further. Ultimately, network mapping is a simple and effective way to visualize and analyze data and improve spatial thinking.
Recent Comments