Author: ellaoregan
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Reflecting On My Inquiry Journey
Throughout my inquiry project, I have researched, reflected, and explored new creative pursuits to develop my children’s book. What started as a general curiosity about female representation in sport evolved into a purposeful, research-informed project centred on a meaningful message: All girls belong in sport. This is a message that, due to my upbringing and…
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Seeking Feedback
I feel like I am now at a point in my children’s book where I know my target audience, I have identified the key message of my book, I have a solid storyline, and I know the direction I want to go with my illustrations. The next step is seeking feedback from experienced teachers who…
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Creating Illustrations
Ideally, for my children’s book, I would like to create my own illustrations. However, right now I do not think I have the time or resources to do that as I prepare for my first teaching practicum! I am proud of the book I have created so far, and would like to use my own…
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Developing Characters In My Picture Book
I already have a strong starting point for my main character in my picture book. I have established a clear plot and a driving emotional turmoil that propels the story forward. The main character has a clear desire (to play rugby), a challenge/obstacle (fear of being ignored and left out), emotional turmoil (a need to…
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Inclusive Technologies & Accessibility
Inclusive educational technologies help students with diverse abilities and learning needs have access to learning within mainstream classrooms. This week in EDCI 336, we examined how inclusive technology can foster independence, engagement, and belonging in young learners, as well as important considerations for teachers related to digital accessibility. Why is Universal Design for Learning Important?…
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Developing A Storyline
For the next step in my journey to create a children’s book, I began forming my storyline. I took the information I wrote out in my brainstorming session and started shaping it into a more detailed outline, filling in the gaps in my story and identifying areas I needed to change. The two key elements…
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Gamification and Game-Based Learning
Many students are already deeply connected to gaming culture. Integrating gamification and game-based learning into teaching practices provides unique ways to increase student engagement and motivation. One important distinction we learned about is the difference between gamification and game-based learning. Gamification involves adding game elements, such as points or challenges, to traditional learning activities to…
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Designing A Children’s Book
The next step of my inquiry journey primarily involves planning and action towards my end goal. I started diving into the specifics of creating my own children’s book and the steps I need to take to create the finished product. I found it a bit intimidating and overwhelming, and I was not quite sure where…
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Education Technology Integration Models
In EDCI 336 this week, we discussed Education Technology integration models and how they can contribute to quality online and digital learning environments. The four models we discussed were the SAMR model, the TPACK framework, the TIM, and the COI framework. Each of the different models brings something different to the table and can be…
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Focused Education: Virtual Pro-D Day
For my blog post for this week, I am discussing my key takeaways from the online pro-d day sessions I attended. I went to one session about Focused Education resources for K-8 and another session dedicated to the Live It Earth website and resources. The session about Focused Ed covered the various resources available on…