Reflections

  • How to do inquiry
    • Try not to focus on subjects – focus on “the thing” that they want to learn about
    • If you focus on the thing that they want to learn about, like trains for a child in grade 1 who’s really into trains, then you build on working in curricular competencies from there. Focus on the interest they have and build on math, english, social studies, etc. skills from there

 

  • Distributed learning classrooms
    • Face to face
      • Layout of face to face classrooms is often limiting in terms of facilitating dynamic and collaborative learning
    • Online courses:
      • Mixed feelings about whether or not we like it – some people find the self-directed aspect really works for them, others not so much.
      • A lot of teachers who are teaching online courses are thrown into the job and don’t necessarily feel passionate about teaching online courses
      • Some teachers use online platforms with no collaboration and face to face meetings/discussions
      • Synchronous online classrooms bring in discussion and collaboration
    • Multiaccess learning
      • Multi access form classrooms – allows for people who want to/can come into the room as well as those who want to participate online.
    • Barriers to physically attending schools that are important to be aware of
      • Remote learners
      • Time
      • Travel
      • Physical access

 

How does integrating technology affect students by Anna, Sydney and Kathleen 

  • 3 Questions to consider when integrating screen time into your classroom:
    • Is it appropriate
    • Is it meaningful?
    • Is it empowering?

3D Design and Print by Nick and Jamie

  • Prosthetics: how 3D printing can be used
    • Many people need them around the world
    • They are very expensive – $100 000
    • Often hard to find prosthetics that work for people
    • 3D printing makes getting a prosthetic more affordable and accessible
  • What is 3D printing
    • Digital model is rendered into a physical 3D object by adding one layer of material at a time
    • This model is sliced by the printer’s software into thin, 2D layers then into a set of instructions in machine language (G-code) for the printer to execute
    • Depending on the size of the part and type of printer, a print usually takes about 4 to 18 hours to complete
    • 3D printed parts
  • Platforms: Software and Hardware
    • 3d Modeling software sites
      • Tinkercad
      • Rhinoceros
      • Fusion 360
      • Onshape
    • Predesigned model sites (industrial models)
      • Thingiverse
    • Hardware
      • 3D printer
      • Filament
      • Computer
      • 3D print software
    • If you wanted to get 3D printer set up at home (starting from scratch) it would cost you about $3500
  • Materials
    • PVA
      • Polyvinyl alcohol
      • Dissolves in water
      • No ugly marks left on the print after the support material is removed
      • Can require special chemicals to dissolve
    • TPU
      • Thermoplastic polyurethane
      • Flexible filament (elastic polymer)
      • Slow to print – rarely higher than 30mm per second
    • PLA
      • Polyactic acid
      • Used at UVic
      • Biodegradable – breaks down in 3-6 months
  • Pros
    • 3D printing allows easy fabrications of complex shapes, many of which cannot be produced by any other manufacturing method
    • Essentially no start up costs for us as students because everything is accessible on campus to us
    • Allows for easy customisation – just change 3D print model
    • Less waste production
    • Support material is broken down and reused
  • Cons
    • Temperature of the filament from the printing process is above 200 d C
    • Time for a completed model to print can range dramatically
    • Leaning curve for the user
  • Techniques
    • Supporting
      • Structures are not a part of the model – usually a light filament that are later broken off