Technology…It’s for the Birds

When working with teachers to integrate technology in meaningful ways, I always start by asking what the learning goals and expectations are before considering and recommending any kind of technology. Thinking about how technology has been used over the last couple of weeks here at ESH has had me thinking about different types of technology. Low-tech can be referred to as traditional, “unplugged” or non-digital tools – think arts and crafts materials such as pencils, crayons, etc. High-tech can be referred to as mechanical, computerized, digital tools – think iPads, computers, etc. – though one could describe a document camera, for example, as a low, high-tech tool. If low-tech and high-tech are on opposite ends of a continuum, convergence falls somewhere in between, and is a combination of the two. Describing technology in terms of low and high doesn’t imply good or bad, it’s just a way to identify it as non-digital, digital, or both. What’s more important is trying to identify ways in which technology can be used meaningfully, to facilitate learning and teaching.

Here is a description of a few of the ways we’ve been using technology here at ESH over the past couple of weeks. Try to identify whether it’s low-tech, high-tech, or convergence. More importantly, think about how it’s being used to enhance learning and teaching.

The next round of 2nd grade classrooms is hard at work in the Makerspace as  Ms. Marinho’s class designs solutions to their challenge related to their Pioneer unit. Tasked with designing and building “something” capable of transporting as much weight as possible, in the form of wooden blocks, for a certain distance, over various terrains, students are using materials such as cardboard, skewers, straws, string, tape, etc.

Ms. Gillespie came up with a different problem to solve. Their curious class rabbit, Cookie, has a knack for chewing through cables and hopping up on tables. Using a wide assortment of cardboard boxes and tubes, students are working in groups to design and build 6 separate mazes on 4’x 4’ bases which contain a series of pathways, platforms, walls and tunnels to capture Cookie’s curiosity and lure her through each maze. They’re learning how to score and fold cardboard and are trying out different ways to fasten cardboard using hot glue guns and Makedo (plastic screws and tools).

Ms. Wagonheim’s 1^st grade class is also in the Makerspace working on their wind powered vehicles. After a brief introduction to windmills, students were challenged to design and build a vehicle that would harness the power of the wind (an electric fan in this instance) to propel it across the floor. Students have been using cardboard, straws, skewers, bottle caps, tissue paper, foam, plastic, etc.

We have a new tabletop 3D carving machine appropriately named, Carvey, in the Makerspace, which enables us to carve and engrave on a variety of materials including plastics and wood. Using a web-based app, Easel, one can create or import a design, connect to the Carvey, and then “carve” their design.

I’m working with Ms. Neely and her second grade classes in the Computer Science lab to create geometric designs using the software. The designs will then be carved on 6”x6” pieces of acrylic tile.

As part of their 1^st grade Geometry unit for Math, Ms. Landry and Ms. Jeon came up with the idea to have their students design and make building blocks for kindergartners to play with and “test”. After learning about geometric shapes, they built and tested 3D geometric shapes for strength through a series of building challenges using materials such as straws, toothpicks, Dots candy, construction paper, tape, etc. Students then examined a variety of existing building blocks and their characteristics. Each student was then tasked with designing a block on paper, taking into consideration functionality, aesthetics, and innovation. After multiple iterations, they then created their paper ideas and designs using, Easel, for the Carvey in the computer lab. Their designs are now being carved 2-up on a block of 6”x12” piece of maple wood. For more hands-on manipulation and elbow grease, students will then glue and clamp the two pieces of wood together to create their block and sand down the edges using a sanding block to smooth over the sides to make the blocks kindergarten safe.

Often times, younger children have the belief that things like phones, iPads, toys, really anything, just magically appear out of thin air. They don’t necessarily realize or make the connection that everything begins with an idea – people’s ideas, and that people make things. We make things and they make things. I visited Ms. Collins’ Nursery classroom and had a delightful discussion about ideas and making. We then explored some ways they could take a small plastic building block toy they have in their classroom called a PlusPlus and design it ourselves in a few different ways using a couple of different apps. They were excited to be able to manipulate and extrude the objects in a 3D space. We then came up to the Makerspace, learned about 3D printing and used our MakerBot 3D printer to actually print it.

Just yesterday, during free choice time in Ms. Luna’s 1^st grade class, we explored and extended the concept of electricity/current and open and closed circuits by playing with a MaKey MaKey. A MaKey MaKey consists of essentially a small circuit board, alligator clips, and wires. Your computer mouse and/or keyboard are input devices. When you click or press a key you send a signal to or trigger your computer to do something. Connecting a MaKey MaKey to your computer enables you to turn anything into an input device or touchpad – fruit, PlayDough, coins, people, etc.

For those of you still reading, you’ll see that technology is literally, for the birds. A robin, along with her nest of three beautiful blue eggs, has taken up residency outside on Ms. Wagner’s 1^st grade class window ledge. Working with Ms. Wagner and Ms. Kennedy, I positioned a webcam under the existing black paper on the window (to keep from disturbing her) allowing her class to monitor the robin’s activities and egg status throughout the day in real time. Ms. Kennedy is able to take pictures and record video using QuickTime Player. For those of you interested in watching along with us, please email Ms. Kennedy (ekennedy@ucls.uchicago.edu) for the group call link. Please be sure to mute the audio and video on your end once connected. Otherwise, they may be able to see and hear your class. You can keep the connection open on your end so that you can view the robin’s nest at your choosing. It takes about 12 days for the eggs to hatch. Unfortunately, the first egg is expected to hatch Saturday, May 21st.