I have learned so much over my journey with digital art. I have focused on a variety of skills including anatomy sketches, line quality, shading, colour-picking, light sources, and background formation. I have had so much fun experimenting with different tools and techniques, but more than anything, simply practicing drawing every week has improved the confidence in my work to a visible degree. So many of the digital artists I watch talk about how getting a feel for the stylus is one of the most important early steps, as it is so different from working with a pencil and paper. The colouring process is also so radically different from my experience with coloured pencils and acrylic paints, but I found that it is so much easier. I really like how an artist is able to manipulate and change aspects after they’ve been added to a piece rather than having to redo them completely, such as by moving or resizing objects. I am so pleased with everything I’ve learned in this process and I look forward to improving even more!
Classroom Screen is definitely a tool that I will be implementing in my future classes. I played around with the program and made the above board as an example of an editing-focused class for an English course, but I feel that this would be valuable for all of humanities. I really like the check-in feature which allows students to submit their feelings regarding their comprehension on instructions or process, emotional state after heavy material, or feelings about an assignment. I also really like the checklist feature which allows the teacher to easily show the schedule for the day in addition to instructions. I will be using this tool as often as I can.
This topic was important to me as someone with dyslexia, but also as someone who has worked with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, disabled and nonverbal students, and as a future educator.
I used Assistive Technology in both elementary and high school for myself, and many more when working with vulnerable people from marginalized communities. While comprehension tools are valuable for all educators to know to improve student learning, a better and more comprehensive understanding of ATs is necessary for inclusion and proper anti-discrimination policies.
I have used Video Relay Services, direct-to-hearing-aid speakers, and speech-to-text software with Deaf individuals, and was training to be an interpreter at one point. I was really pleased to see the interest and engagement shown by my peers when presenting the sections on Disabled, Neurodivergent, and ELL students particularly, as there is guaranteed to be at least one of each student in each class that we as teachers are in for the vast majority of our careers.
My group compiled a massive list of resources, but simple free online dictionaries such as YourDictionary and WordHippo are invaluable. I think that each teacher needs to find the resources that work best for them, but students should also be made aware of the resources available to them. I wish there was a comprehensive list of resources that both educators and students could refer to, so I tried to make a start with the list at the bottom of this post.
The subjects of my three co-presenters are also incredibly valuable. We all chose to focus on different areas because there are so many different ways in which language is used in the classroom. I feel that providing this multifaceted overview of different comprehension tools was valuable and well-received by our peers, and I had several people ask me for the resource list after class.
I wanted to end our presentation on this note because while assistive technologies, comprehension tools, and other technological tools and resources are extremely valuable to have, it doesn’t mean much when the teacher isn’t using accessible and inclusive pedagogies in the classroom. The Universal Design for Learning is explicit in the need for educators to present information and activities that includes all students, and that is something that the education system as a whole needs to properly implement. Accessibility of learning is something I’m incredibly passionate about, and I feel that our presentation both educated our fellow teacher candidates on the scope of the topic of language learning in the classroom, and impressed upon them the importance of scaffolding learning and including all learners.
What strategies can we employ as educators to teach the ethical and productive use of AI?
reinforce critical analysis of sources and origins of information
looking at where AI sources its information
examining author bias
be aware of AI’s version of plagiarism (taking information without sourcing)
examine hallucinations
What strategies can we employ to minimize the risk of plagiarism?
focus on the skill and the concept, not the product
promote student-lead self-directed learning
incorporate AI in different ways that students would already be using to cheat
How can we prepare for instances of suspected plagiarism in our classrooms?
build a profile of student writing to reference back to later
have students submit step-by-step version of their assignments
explain what plagiarism is
This video examines how content creators are stealing content on YouTube, but the final conclusion section briefly touches on how that is becoming more complex with AI.
I’ve really enjoyed getting to colour in a character this week. While the outside four faces were simply flatted in (added using the filler tool without any shading or gradients) the face in the center is a lineless style incorporating lighting, shading, blending, and different hues. Though the central image took twice as long as all the others combined to colour in, it is definitely my favourite. I’m glad to have experimented with both styles, as both the simple flats and more complex style can be used in different situations. I would definitely use the simple, flat style when creating character designs or artwork for a specific purpose, but if creating a piece just for the sake of the art itself, I would want to be more detailed and complex to add depth to the piece.
Artificial Intelligence is going to be a part of the future of education whether we like it or not. Just like the transition from tablets to paper, and paper to computers, AI is a tool that we as educators have a responsibility to adopt. If our job is to prepare our students for a life after high school, then increasing digital literacy and highlighting the ways in which AI can be used to improve everyday life is part of our job description.
Part of the incorporation of AI technology into the classroom and curriculum will inherently involve changing the way in which educators assess students, particularly in summative assessments. More emphasis will need to be placed on the processes which go into creating a piece of work and the students’ understanding of key concepts rather than looking at the product in isolation. Luckily, this follows a trend which has already been established in assessment based on research in educational psychology and adolescent development. International studies have been implementing research related to more self-assessment in high school, while the inclusion of Artificial Intelligence in academia has been another area of rapid development. I really like this article in particular which talks about different ways to incorporate ChatGPT in the classroom.
Personally, I would let my students use ChatGPT for help in outlines and research for essays, as well as a tool to help come up with different ideas. I think that editing a short story created by ChatGPT would also be very valuable when looking at creative composition. However, I would not want AI software to write the entirety of compositions which students are supposed to be making themselves, as this means that they would not be acquiring the skills that I’m trying to teach. That is why my assignments would be scaffolded with constant step-by-step submissions to show learning at each level of an assignment.
Additionally, “What are some ways which ChatGPT can be incorporated into an English Language Arts or Social Studies high school class in British Columbia?” This is what ChatGPT itself has to say.
Integrating ChatGPT into an English Language Arts or Social Studies high school class in British Columbia can enhance various aspects of the learning experience. Here are some ways you can incorporate ChatGPT:
Writing and Editing Assistance: Students can use ChatGPT as a tool for brainstorming ideas and getting suggestions for writing assignments. It can be used as an additional resource for proofreading and editing written work, providing alternative sentence structures or vocabulary choices.
Research and Inquiry Projects: Students can use ChatGPT to generate initial research questions or prompts for inquiry-based projects. It can assist in gathering background information on topics, helping students refine their research questions.
Discussion Facilitation: ChatGPT can be employed to facilitate online discussions or debates on specific topics in English Language Arts or Social Studies. It can serve as a virtual discussion partner, providing different perspectives on issues and encouraging critical thinking.
Creative Writing Prompts: Generate creative writing prompts using ChatGPT to inspire students in their storytelling, poetry, or other creative writing assignments. Encourage students to collaborate with ChatGPT in developing unique and imaginative narratives.
Historical or Literary Simulation: Simulate historical events or literary scenarios by incorporating ChatGPT as a character or historical figure. Students can interact with these virtual personas to deepen their understanding of historical or literary contexts.
Language Learning Support: ESL (English as a Second Language) students can benefit from ChatGPT by using it as a language learning tool. They can practice conversations, receive grammar suggestions, and enhance their language skills.
Current Events Analysis: Utilize ChatGPT to help students analyze and discuss current events in Social Studies. It can offer insights into different perspectives on contemporary issues.
Cultural Exploration: Students can engage with ChatGPT to learn about different cultures, historical periods, or literary movements. ChatGPT can provide information, answer questions, and spark curiosity.
Critical Thinking Exercises: Develop critical thinking exercises where students interact with ChatGPT to evaluate the validity of information, assess biases, or engage in debates.
Digital Storytelling: Use ChatGPT to generate elements of digital storytelling, such as dialogues, character backgrounds, or plot twists, allowing students to incorporate AI-generated content into their projects.
When integrating ChatGPT into the classroom, it’s essential to ensure that its use aligns with educational goals, promotes critical thinking, and supplements the learning experience rather than replacing traditional teaching methods. Additionally, it’s crucial to consider ethical considerations and guide students on responsible and respectful use of AI tools.
I was able to use some new tools, specifically the airbrush and dry paint brush, to shade the figures and create the simple background. I created over ten different layers to make sure everything was working without clipping into each other, and I had a lot of fun! I’m excited to work more with different tools this upcoming week as I begin making human characters.
The dragons have well and truly arrived this week, and took me much longer to work on than I was anticipating. I used a reference photo of a coyote and a deer which I took in Yellowstone National Park, and a photo of my childhood cat and dog to create a scene with multiple dragons. Now that I have their outlines down, I will be working on shading and smoothing the textures of each dragon, and adding a background to make it a proper scene!
Gamification is a great way to make content more interesting and engaging to students. Though some considerations must be made for accessibility, such as the dangers of forcing students to compete or implementing time pressures. However, there are many different ways in which lessons can be gamified and educational games can be implemented in learning.
I am someone who benefited from games growing up, including math games such as 2048, typing games such as Nitro Type, and the classic Oregon Trail. These games are valuable but specific in their implementation. Others I have come across can be used in a variety of situations.
One great tool I’ve used is Aggie.io, a free online digital art platform which allows multiple people to draw together in real-time on one canvass. This can be used for group mind-mapping, building maps or blueprints, and practicing a variety of visual art skills.
Gartic Phone is a similar art tool in which individuals will create drawings in response to others’ prompts, and then either those drawings are build upon, or other players must guess what the original prompt was. This can be valuable in an English Language Arts or Social Studies class to visualize concepts and create connections.
Another game that doesn’t involve computers is one in which each student is given a different “resource” which requires resources from other students to be able to be turned into products. Students much speak with each other and figure out ways in which they establish trade systems so that they gain access to the required resources from other students while providing their resource to the other students which require it. Resources can be “traded” through various means. The goal of this lesson is to encourage students to establish a community in which everyone is both reliant on and helping others, to the point where you cannot remove one member without the system collapsing. This can be used to visualize a specific community, a general human society, or other co-dependent groups such as a food web or ecosystem.
All of these games are designed to teach materials in a way that’s more easily digestible by students and makes learning fun.
