Last Week I Learned: Final Projects

Tomorrow evening, we'll be sharing and celebrating the work of students in my class, Managing Educational Technology resources, with each other and with guests from the area. Instead of assigning a typical paper or, worse, giving a final exam, we chose to spend the last few weeks of class synthesizing and working towards some meaningful application of what was learned and experienced during the entire semester. Below are some of the ideas that will be shared:

Learning Space Design
A poorly designed physical school space hinders learning and communication of school’s brand. Based on research, a school’s physical space should stimulate learning, aid creativity, and reduce distraction. Besides being a supporting system for education, a school’s environment should also reflect its values. Our challenge is to redesign [a new school's] physical space based on its current learning space design problems.

“Virtual Empathy - Real Solutions”
It is a challenge to “teach” empathy and interpersonal skills, due to difficulties in delivering authentic social interactions in traditional secondary education classroom settings. How might we overcome the challenges in delivering opportunities for authentic social interactions, therefore allowing students to “practice” these skills? (i.e. interpersonal skills, social cues, empathy). We propose that virtual reality programs may be utilized to provide real-to-life opportunities to practice and develop these skills.

TC Course Enrollment
So many students are struggling every year to enroll in courses in CMLTD and some students also fail to register their favorite courses because of unfamiliarity. This website aims at providing information on courses, professors (including labs and centers they are leading), and program requirements for CMLTD students. 

matchEd
matchEd is an online platform that connects education students with in-service teachers and helps facilitate observations, student-teaching, and feedback.

Makeurspace
Equipment and project outcomes can cause sensory and auditory distress. How might we adapt current Makerspaces so that they cater to a larger population of students with auditory and sensory processing challenges?

Mobile Innovation Lab
Mobile Innovation Lab is a traveling learning space that provides enriching 21st-century STEM learning experiences in a dynamic and interactive environment to underserved Native American students.