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Showing posts from November, 2020

101. The Transformative Power of AI

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Folks, let’s face it. Our classrooms are going to look a little different this year. AI, specifically ChatGPT, is going to change the way we design learning experiences and assess student mastery. I’ll be honest, when I first explored the ChatGPT platform I was terrified. As I have dug deeper into the technology and its capabilities, I realized that while it does pose significant challenges — it also presents us with some pretty amazing opportunities. In this series, we will explore what AI is capable of, its implications in the classroom, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. Let’s start by examining where we have been, where we are currently, and looking forward to where we are going. Whether this is a trip you wanted to go on or not, the AI train has left the station and it is time for all of us to jump on board. From Card Catalogs to Artificial Intelligence I belong to the micro-generation called Xennial. Xennials are considered to be a “bridge” between Generation X a...
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#41. Using Cognitive Load Theory to Design Effective Online Instruction

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 I would like to share with you a small change that made a big difference in my own teaching this week. To give you a little background, I am a huge fan of EduTwitter (aka educators on Twitter) and as I was scrolling through my feed I saw this infographic about Cognitive Load Theory. As I looked at it, I had an eureka moment. In trying to keep my normal in-person (AP) pace, I was overloading my remote learners. Here's a brief explanation as to why and how I changed my practices. (Image Credit: https://images.app.goo.gl/hea8W3pM4SskjyhcA) Cognitive Load Theory was introduced by Dr. John Sweller in 1988. His theory built on what was known about memory capacity. He theorized that the way instruction is designed can reduce the cognitive load in learners. "Cognitive Load" refers to the amount of information that the memory can handle at one time. There are three types of memory; sensory, working and long-term. Sensory memory acts like a filter and directs our attenti...
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#40. Growth through Gratitude

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November is a hard time of the year for teachers. The days are shorter, the weather is colder and the honeymoon period has been over for quite awhile. Teacher burnout peaks and motivation falls. This year the transition to winter is made even more difficult because it is fraught with unprecedented challenges impacting both teachers and students.  In my next series of posts, I would like to share some interventions that can increase your and your students' well-being. I will even share a way that you can incorporate them into your building to increase the well-being of your faculty. The field of positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life worth living (Peterson, 2008). According to Sonja Lyubomirsky, there are three factors that influence a person's happiness; genetics, life circumstances and intentional activity. You might not be able to change your genetics or even your life circumstances, but you can change your intentional activities. In the field of psych...
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