What?
As a class we went to the design lab at Kootenay Orchards Elementary School. Ryan Mackenzie introduced us to the amazing things the lab has to offer students. He explained different mediums that students can create, design, build and test prototypes to experiment with their creations. It was inspiring to see this space that was designed to engage students with technology and design.
So What?
There were several different games and mediums that Ryan showed us. The game Pixicade (shown below) where students can draw a game and then upload the photo to an app and then they can play the game online. This was the game I chose to play and I loved it! I love that the students can be engaged, use their imagination and take ownership of their learning.
He also showed us virtual reality, green screen video, ozobots, spike Lego, and Moxie the AI robot (think of Siri with arms and legs and an adorable face). There were also battlebots made with Lego and 3D printing.
He introduced us to the usefulness of chatgpt and we discussed the ethical issues surrounding this new intelligence. It can be used for efficiency of time for teachers, but should be handled with care as plagiarism and cheating, as well as students not even thinking for themselves are all dangers.
Now What?
The entire time we were at the design lab I was thinking of ways I could implement some of these ideas into my future classroom. The innovation, imagination, and engagement that are just waiting for students with this kind of learning is mind blowing! Students that are not usually engaged with books and worksheets will hopefully be excited to be creating and designing their own projects. It inspires computational thinking and as said before, allows students to take ownership of their learning.
I was particularly impressed with Moxie the robot.
Moxie is the world’s first AI robot for kids ages 5-10. In our class a student interacted with the robot to ask it questions and even got it to dance! The best way I could see using Moxie in the classroom though would be to use it for students with learning differences, specifically those with social anxieties and those who find it difficult to read facial expressions. Moxie was able to play a game where the child had to guess what the robot was feeling based on its facial expression.
All in all, I learned about many different platforms that use technology and design that I had no idea that existed! The advancement of technology and its usefulness in the classroom is growing all the time and its an exciting way to enhance learning and engage all students.
