Inquiry Presentation

 Link to Slides: 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hk2EOKap6DbxDJHn2nUEHWPAWB3Nf3BV30QZI6Dw9NQ/edit?usp=sharing

Link to poll (I'm not sure if this link will work permanently): https://www.menti.com/qwxnkkhqr6

Exit slip 12/2

 Today we worked with combinatoric permutations in a myriad of different ways, including sound, poetry, and visual art. I noticed how my engagement changed in each activity. The most interesting to me was when we incorporated the bells into our movement. The combination of sound and physical movement held my attention more than the poetry or art. This was likely not the case for everyone in the class. Perhaps others were more engaged at different points in the lesson. 

I wonder how a more traditional lesson on combinatoric permutations would have sounded. I imagine it would have been much less fun.

Annotated Bibliography

 Here is the link to my annotated bibliography:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13SJxHJLm-8cixD-m7H2FJtZn5k4mB-OcDn9niB6QIQs/edit?usp=sharing

Exit Slip 10/21

 In class we talked about gender and mathematics. We discussed the first woman to win the Field's medal as well as Donna Strickland's Nobel prize. 

The subsequent discussion about women in stem was interesting. Jenny brought up the danger of tokenizing women in stem while promoting them. It was not something I had considered while watching the video, but after hearing it I can definitely see what she was saying. While promoting gender diversity and science we must work to include all people. One easy way to do this is with posters and decorations. Posters celebrating diverse people in science can immediately begin to break down pre-existing stereotypes, but our efforts must not stop there.

Entry Slip: 10/21

 Language is how we communicate with each other. In order to communicate and share ideas we must first establish a shared understanding of the language we use. In science this means carefully defining terms and making vocab lists, but this use of language can also be limiting. Language is the tool we use to describe the world. If we limit ourselves to the language we have already invented we are limiting our ability to discover new ideas. We are limiting the way that we think. In order to enhance our students' learning we must encourage them to explore ideas using other languages, including non-verbal ones. Reading this passage helped me realize why we should include indigenous perspectives and knowledge in our learning. We include them because they can expand the way that we think about the world, allow us to access new understandings, and see the world from a different perspective.

Inquiry Topic

Question: How does SES affect learning in an increasingly digital world?

When we consider how SES contributes to inequity in the classroom the conversation is usually focused on extreme poverty. Issues of transportation, tuition fees, hunger, etc. are brought up. The BC ministry of education is committed to providing financial assistance for these issues but do not consider subsidizing technology. As we shift towards more and more online resources and tools, the impact of devices (including a reliable internet connection) cannot be understated. 

Concept A: Internet Access

What online applications do we use in the classroom. Zoom, canvas, online simulations/other learning tools, all of these require internet access for students to use.

Concept B: Devices/Technology in the classroom

How do we use devices in the classroom. How can we empower student learning using technology while also maintaining equitable classrooms.

Concept C: Resources

What resources are available for students without access to internet/devices. Are these resources sufficient and well maintained?

Exit Slip 10/14

 Watching the videos and the subsequent discussion in small groups was very interesting. One idea that stuck out to me personally was from the Jo Boaler video. In it she said that there is a pre-existing idea that only some kids can be good at math. For whatever reason this  a prevalent idea in schooling and an extremely damaging one as well. Part of overcoming this misconception is encouraging our students to have a growth mindset when it comes to education and learning. I also enjoyed seeing the TED talk from the creator of wolfram alpha as part of that video. In it he said that math requires 4 steps with computation being only 1 piece of the process. 

Seeing the Alfie Kohn video made me question the practices we use in education. What is the purpose of grades? And how do we ensure that grading is achieving these purposes and not creating more issues. It is hard to think about removing grades, because it is uncertain what we would use as a replacement. I think we do need some way to evaluate our students learning, but it is difficult to think of ways that we could accomplish this fairly.