It is my intention, and my hope, with this BLOG to explore the question stated above. Since I began my teaching career I have been eager to appropriate new technology into my practice; using it to enhance assessment and personalization. This BLOG might be an apropos fit, as I want to learn more about how to use technology to augment student engagement through its game and design aspects. However, having considered recent experiences and changes in Canada (both in terms of awareness and policy) my focal point for the use of technology has shifted. Going into my masters and this blog, I now want to look at how to leverage technology to support First Nations, Metis and Inuit students; not just within my own classrooms but for districts as well.
In October, a student teacher asked me a question that I could not answer. We were discussing the use of technology in inquiry and assessment when she asked me, “What do you do for the aboriginal students in your classroom?”
I replied that I currently had none and admitted that if I did I don’t know how different my approach would be; what accommodations would be needed, if any. What context would I need to know? What considerations would I have make and account for? I had always taken pride in my practice as one that is personalized and forward thinking; rich in formative assessment strategies, academic rigor and authenticity. However, I was perplexed by my inability to answer my student teacher’s question as well as I would have liked.
By working on this blog with the aforementioned concentration, I plan on supporting fellow teachers, strategist, specialists and administrators, to help them to use technology to support the strengths, considerations and needs of FNMI students; be it hardware, software or new modalities of pedagogy.
In the Navigation Bar you will see to headings: TECHNOLOGY and ABORIGINAL CONNECTIONS. In each category I will be making posts about one or the other and how they can be used to support each other.
By the end, I hope to a pool of ideas, concepts, resources and knowledge to help me address my inquiry.
For the time being, these two areas will be separated but it is my intention to blend them over the course of the next few months.
Bart – July 17 2017
Bart's PME Blog 