Learning Project Wrap Up

If you think about it, we are constantly engaging in learning projects. Recalling a discussion we (ecmp255 class) had with Alec Couros, we talked about this idea when he invited us to think about what we all have taught ourselves to do via online. Things like cooking, playing a musical instrument, how to change a tire, different kinds of crafts, and document formatting were some of the experiences presented. It’s crazy, really, how accessible it is to learn how to do something (almost anything) by clicking in a search bar or using youtube. It is also so exciting to me to imagine how I can apply this in the classroom. If we are constantly engaging in online learning, why not bring in digital literacy and citizenship into it! Creating a learning experience in the classroom by doing this is a fantastic idea and one I will adopt in the future. Having some sort of documentation and applying outcomes will foster skills that will allow students to explore recourses, what is credible and what is not, finding support, determining the difference between real and fake news, as well as learning about the elements of the digital citizenship while exploring online. In addition, literacy is being brought into this because of the documentation element, science can be brought into this for learning an experiment online, math, physical education, arts education, anything!

What better way to teach about something than to teach from experience? Engaging in my own learning project for ECMP355 has been an experience that gives me a understanding of the process I spoke of above. I taught myself (or, the internet taught me) some techniques and chords on the guitar that I have been interested in. Something interesting about my learning project is that it did not necessarily go exactly how I planned, but realizing that is okay, is all part of the process! I started out with trying to learn the song Like a Star by Corinne Bailey Ray using this tutorial and began practising the first four basic chords. I realized that as the chords progressed I knew that it might be the type of thing I will go back to after some more basic training and practice with the technique of picking and playing chords. I started to use this website and learned a new song and was able to accomplish a lot more! I used other websites throughout this process to help me with understanding various techniques and exercises as well as some moral support throughout my project. As I said, since I engaged in this myself, asking students to participate in this type of learning experience will be so much more authentic. I can show them my example which would hopefully make them excited to engage in this learning experience.

I created this short little video to give an overall look of what my learning project journey looked like. Enjoy! (videos referenced in this are all found in my blog post in my Learning Project category)