Category: Classes 22

Featured images by the author

In today’s class we will explore the role of technology in our lives – how do we use it, how does it impact us, what works (what doesn’t) and implications for teaching and learning in the digital age.

Students will work in teams to interview one another and distill some answers to our questions. We will work through a consensus building process to develop shared class point of view (POV) on the role of tech in our lives.

We will conclude by discussing how technology impacts teaching and learning.

Assignment 3: Our Tech Lives

Students will develop a web post that builds on or responds to our class discussion of our tech lives. You might be inspired by ONE of the following prompts.

Don’t forget your clever title and featured image. Feel free to use images and embeds to illustrate your writing. And it’s a chance to be creative – instead of an essay – why not write a poem or record (and embed) a TikTok? Or a Pinterest

1. What is your personal relationship with the technology in your life? Here’s a chance to reflect on a personal level. Are you addicted to social media? Does tech improve your life?
2. Interview people from other age groups (younger siblings, parents, grandparents?) What role does technology play in their lives? How is it similar / different from other age groups?
3. How does technology impact teaching and learning?
4. Another prompt / approach to explore the role of tech in our lives or schools

TIP: If you want to add poetry or formatted text use the “Verse Block”

There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O.
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!

Photo by Soragrit Wongsa on Unsplash

This class will focus on how to teach with images. We will brainstorm some image teaching ideas. And we’ll learn how to find public domain / copyright free image and how to add image blocks to a WordPress post.

FINDING PUBLIC DOMAIN / COPYRIGHT FREE IMAGES

For more information on public domain searches visit our Working with Images page.

FEATURED IMAGES IN WORDPRESS

Students will learn how to make a “Featured Image” for their WordPress posts. Then they will create one to add to last week’s post. A WordPress “Featured Image” should have a portrait format image. It appears in the top of the post and serves as an “icon” for the post on WordPress and social media.

Option: Students MAY add text “over” the featured post image using a variety of apps – Canva, Adobe Spark Post, or any other app like PowerPoint or Keynote that lets you add text over images and save as a JPG or PNG file.

WordPress Image blocks

Students will be introduced to WordPress image block styles and how to work with each one.

Image, Cover and Media and Text use a single image.

Image compare uses two images

The other blocks use multiple images.

Assignment 2: Design an Image-based Learning Activity | Image activities 22-A2

We will use this assignment as a chance to practice our public domain search skills. It will also involve a bit of curation to decide which images to use. Plus we can explore ways to use images to support instruction. 

Students should design a post that features at least two image blocks. (For example a Gallery and an Image compare.)

Here’s some student posts from last spring.

Post guidelines:

1. Students should use THREE different image blocks to design a short image-based learning activity. 
2. For example:  vocabulary, pre-reading activity, close reading of image, compare / contrast, continuity / change, activate prior knowledge etc.
3. Context of lesson – target students (grade, course)
4. Add an explanation for each activity that would help a student or another teacher would know what to do.
5. All images should be in the public domain.
6. All images should have an active hyperlink back to the source. (Always be sure to check your links.)
7. Interesting title for the post
8. Featured image for the post