Linda the Educator

What... Is... The... Point?  Miller and McVee ( 2012 ) use this anecdotal expression in their preface to underpin the relativity and importance of digital media in learning. To be honest, it was the most relatable anecdote I've read in a long while. This ol' girl has been learning a lot about digital media of late but I can now clearly see how beneficial being digital media literate can be used in learning and teaching. What is media? Essentially, a channel of communication and its versatility can be utilised in many forms in the classroom. It can be used as a tool for direct instruction, it can be an interactive learning method, and it can be a source for student-created media. When I thought about this for a hot second, I instantly recalled my 'Introduction to Business' unit at CQUni (a brilliant university for distance learning, by the way - check them out here ), and how I was the student who created my own media for an assessment. At first, it felt like a mammoth t

Pedagogical Principles  Pedagogical Principles that inform our teaching include facilitating deep learning through higher order thinking, understanding our students and how they learn, promoting collaborative learning through communication, encouraging learning through problem-solving using relative and real-life examples, supporting learning that is directed by students themselves, is socially supportive and incorporates cultural and community knowledge and active citizenship. In common language, Pedagogical Principles is building on the foundation of students' base knowledge to extend what is known and construct meaning. This will enable students to become confident, informed and creative citizens. Personally, I struggle to remember specific moments from my high school years, but I can identify them now in my undergraduate degree. For example, the pedagogically sound usually appears in my units that are specific to pedagogical practices as these unit coordinators and Professo

Take a minute to think about how easy it is to access information in your regular daily activities. What is the circumference of Earth? How was the Corona Virus vaccine developed? Where is the best place to snorkel in Queensland? Who walked out on the last MAFS episode? Regardless of if the information is useful or not, it is readily available at the tap of a button or the swipe of a screen. Now consider how this information is also very accessible to students. As educators, we must utilise this accessibility to benefit teaching and learning in a classroom setting. Blogs, wikis and websites are different kinds of web spaces where one can find and apply information. In terms of technical aspects, these web spaces can offer important tools for learning by allowing the creation of thoughts, ideas and processes to be published and viewed by an audience. These tools provide an opportunity to make learners and learning more productive. Take this blog, for example, it is an educational tool a

The Contemporary Teacher Throughout this undergraduate degree, I have learned that if I am not emotionally invested in a unit or topic I will quickly become disengaged in the subject. I can immediately think of some lectures I have sat through in the past and consider watching paint dry more engaging **looking at you,  marketing unit lecturer** Now that I've ripped off the wrapper of EDSE12024 Digital Pedagogies in Secondary Schools, started digesting some of the content and watched the recording of Week 1's lecture, I am positively charged for this unit! As mentioned in my intro blog, I have the advantage of a re-do. I am also incredibly grateful that my practicum last term had me placed in a private college where all students had personal ICT supplied by the school and all classrooms integrated SmartBoards in their teaching and learning. I realise I still have a LOT to learn, but I'm ready for it! I know that I have fresh eyes and an eager attitude BUT I also realise

Trigger warning - this blog talks about anxiety and mental health disorders. Now this is a story all about how my life got twisted upside down.  So I would like to take a minute, just sit right there,  and I'll tell you all about how I became the girl who can't rhyme.  And, if you aren't familiar with the lyrics to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air ,  then we'll just put that down to a generational thing. Haha. Storytime! October 2020. I am part-way through my Bachelor of Education degree that I've been studying part-time while still working full-time. I made it through Term 2, but barely. I was an anxious wreck and COVID-19 had done away with my neurotransmitters. I sought professional help and started taking medication to help me re-establish a state of balance, which coincided with my uni break over Term 3. Perfect! I only had to worry about my 40+ hours a week working in public health in the midst of dealing with a global pandemic while the Selective Serotonin Reuptak

Come with us now on a journey through time and space where I undertake an adventure in EDSE12024: Digital Pedagogies in Secondary Schools at CQUniversity. I'm a "mature age" student, so if it's anything like cheese I hope to continue improving with age. Technically, I'm a Xennial - a generational hybrid. I had an analogue childhood (where the TV remote was still wired to the television), that developed into digital adolescence (where only the affluent could afford a computer and dial-up modem in their household).  In Year 4, I can vividly recall there being one computer on a trolley being shared amongst the entire school. Mr Ronan entered coordinates on a computer game to try and digitally bomb our opponent. It was fascinating! By high school, I learned to touch-type on electronic typewriters as "typing" was still a school subject in Years 9 and 10. Oh, how I aspired to become a secretary! By the time I was in Year 11, the school had two computer labs w