On Nov 6th, the UVIC Education Program invited our cohort for the #edcampuvic2020 online Zoom Conference. We were given the opportunity to meet other Teacher Candidates who are also at the beginning of their teaching careers. There were eleven topics we could jump into and leave during the Ed Camp. The breakout rooms designated for topics such as Art Education, Literature, Social Media Management, and Story-Telling. Also, a goal of the conference was to build online communities and knowledge sharing systems. We were free to jump into different discussions, and so we were able to get a taste of the different breakout rooms. For example, in the Online Art Practice breakout room, we discussed the following question: “What’s art?” When I think of art, I think of directed drawing and artist and art tours. It is relatively easy to delivery art education online; however, two group members emphasized the importance of music and choirs—even in a mixed delivery or online environment, music is important, but it is hard to work in online. Pitch and delivery are not consistent, and it becomes impossible to administer music lessons. One person talked about Living Art (performance art) and commented that many people think it is a funny. In conclusion, we discussed the idea of hosting a variety show or a play with students taking on small roles that contribute to a project. Some of the other topics I witnessed were Integrating Phone Use, which had a healthy debate. Some people think there is a place for phones in the classroom, whereas others feel that phones should not be allowed. Online Resources was a useful discussion where I was able to talk about some the activities my daughters’ teachers use: Cosmic Kids, Go Noodle, and Just Dance. Not every teacher wants to boogie, so these apps are useful tools to get kids moving in rhythm. Overall, it was a positive experience; I enjoyed meeting another cohort which is also experiencing the COVID 19 teacher world in real time.
Website:Â https://edtechuvic.ca/edcamp/
