I’m an Experimenter!

A response to the I’m an Experimenter! Activity
created by Jenn Harren (@j_harren)

Number of views: 390

Reflection of Experimenter Module

 

  • Which three experimenter activities did you choose to complete and why? 
    1. H5P – I wanted to use this activity as it’s talked about a lot at Fanshawe College and I know a number of professors using this often in their online courses.  I have had some experience with H5P before but the knowledge did not “stick” in my brain so I thought a refresher was in order.  I did not like this tool.  I found it not very intuitive, bulky (as in I had to save often (which took an extremely long time), and lost my work at one point) and really wasn’t very graphically appealing.  I’m glad though I got hands on with it to understand its uses which might work for some else though I will likely not return to use it.  Link: https://h5pstudio.ecampusontario.ca/content/21316
    2. GIF – I use GIFs when texting friends (copy and paste from online) but have never used one as part of teaching nor ever created.  I thought this tool was super easy, fun to use, intuitive though I likely won’t use a lot as I’m more a fan of static images that do not take up as much data and seem to work in all settings (I had some issues with sizing the GIF).  That said, I can see myself going back to it on occasion and creating GIFs in the future.  I’m still a little unsure of how to have them “active” in all settings (i.e. in PowerPoint vs. in D2L).  Link: https://bank.ecampusontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Animated-GIF-original.mp4
    3. Padlet – I’ve gotten to use Padlet as part of this Ontario Extend module and really liked it.  When I used it the tool was really intuitive, saved as I went, easy to use, and I could see using it in multiple different teaching environments.  The one thing I’m still working on is “embedding” it more clearly in our D2L platform.  Link:https://padlet.com/j_harren/krnw99qelb2ei3bp

 

  • Identify and explain three overall lessons learned from experimenting with these three activities. How might you use these activities going forward in your teaching practice?

 

  1. One lesson I learned is to take some time and “explore” the site of the tool first and see if I can view some completed work from an education standpoint first before jumping in to complete the activity.  For example, I’ve used and viewed many GIFs but not in a teaching setting so it would be helpful for me to spend 5-10 minutes to view the GIFs of fellow learners before launching into my own.  This would also be helpful to “borrow” from others on public sites to avoid “reinventing the wheel”.

 

  1. A second lesson I learned was to potentially pack it in and try another activity/tool if one is not giving me the results I am looking for.  This was true for H5P where it might have served my time and efforts better to stop using it when I was frustrated and step away to another activity which might yield better results.

 

  1. A third and final lesson I learned was to keep it simple.  I don’t need to go for all the bells and whistles (at least not right away) and do one or two things with one activity/tool vs. an entire lesson/class which might be overwhelming and cause frustration and myself and/or higher expectations on the outcomes and more disappointment if engagement is not increased with students and/or myself.

 

  • You were asked to complete at least one experimenter activity on a tablet or a smartphone. Identify the activity completed and on what type of mobile device? Then, identify and explain the advantages and challenges of using this technology tool on a mobile device. Comment on how you might plan for an upcoming assignment to be completed on a tablet or a smartphone. Explain the steps you might take in making access to these devices available to all students.

 

  • I completed the GIF and part of the Padlet on my iphone.  Both of these activities were easy enough to use on the phone though the GIF was easier.  

 

  • Some advantages include: I can complete activities on the go.  I.e. waiting at a doctor’s office, while a passenger in the car, perhaps while on vacation more easily.  It also helps me see if the activity works well for students viewing on a phone screen vs. a laptop/desktop and adapt if it is not as easy for them to view/use.

 

  • Some challenges include: not having the same abilities to have multiple websites/applications open, harder to cut and paste, sometimes not as many functions available on my phone.  I don’t use my phone very often to set up learning activities so it will take longer and likely be more frustrating. 

 

  • I could get students to add their reflections/responses to the Discussion board I put up on my Padlet using a video created on their phone/tablet.  This would be easy enough for them (likely they have created videos more often with these devices than a laptop) and can easily post so they can do the activity from anywhere, at any time.

 

  • To make this activity more accessible to students using phones or tablets I would also give them the option of using their laptop and possibly creating an animoji (animated cartoon of themselves creating a video) if they don’t feel comfortable using video for themselves.  Essentially, giving options.

Example for "I’m an Experimenter!":
https://padlet.com/sroch/e8hs1y59rfx0ktpg