Kid Geocaching at UWA

Yesterday, we had a great time introducing the school age group of the Campus Summer School Program to geocaching. Geocaching is a high-tech scavenger hunt that uses GPS satellite technology to pinpoint a location where a container with a log and/or trinkets is hidden. (See this web site for more information.)

After an introduction to geocaching by Dr. Jodie Winship, we divided the kids into two teams--the Cub Cachers and the Red Wrangers. We had seven kids in each group with 2 or 3 adults supervising them. We used GPS applications on iPhones to find the hidden caches in Livingston and on the UWA campus.

The Cub Cachers searched and found four of four caches around Livingston. The Red Wranglers searched and found four of five caches that were mostly on the UWA campus. We learned some science, some local history, and some group skills while we were on our treks. In fact, at Livingston City Hall we met two really nice ladies who told us they knew about the geocache. Then, when we returned to the Campus School, we asked the kids to draw and write about their experiences.

After the searching was done, we also provided the Summer Program teachers with activity sheets for the students as well as Geocaching University I.D. cards for participating in the geocaching activity.

The kids were very excited about it and wanted to know when we were going to do it again. They also wanted to know how to hide their own caches. I think this activity will continue to grow with not only the school age kids in the area, but also with our UWA undergraduate and graduate classes. Dr. Winship, Dr. Kelley, and I hope to get many more people involved in geocaching in Livingston.

Just not that into technology

Okay, okay, okay,

I have obviously forgotten what it is like to be in graduate school and taking classes in the summer. My students are always busting a gut to get out of class. Am I really that boring? Probably not, but I am the teacher now, not the student, so my perspective is going to be different.

Let's think about being a student. So, what did I enjoy about taking classes? Meeting new people, learning new things, and discussing new information with others. What did I not like? Reading volumes of stuff or writing long, boring papers. This, however, is not the format for my Technology and Education class, but apparently my project-based learning approach is really throwing them for a loop. Or maybe my students are just not that into technology.

So what is an excited technology professor to do? I have so much stuff I have learned in the 2 years since I taught a technology class and I want to share it! I know that some of my students are still getting used to using technology and they are taking it a little slower; but for the younger crowd, I am terribly disappointed that they don't want to explore or play with the fun tools I share. They just want to know what is the assignment and when is it due. I can't seem to get them excited about anything in technology and I don't know why.

Okay, so maybe it is they are JUST NOT THAT INTO TECHNOLOGY. And it isn't really me!

Technology Class Overhaul

I am so excited about technology. . . And maybe that is not a good thing. I am getting to teach my first graduate level technology class this summer and in my zeal to share my love of technology I think I may have overdone it! I decided to use wikis as an electronic portfolio format, so I created my own wiki as an example. But in my haste, I created a wiki, a course calendar, and assignment sheets that don't match each other! ARGHHH! I hate it when that happens and I REALLY hate it when I do it.

So here is my dilemma, how to share my love of technology with my students, meet the state department of education standards for the course, and make reasonable assignments all at the same time? My students suggested that I make a check list for each class of what I expected them to accomplish so they would know if they are on the right track. This sounded like a good idea so I will try it. I also realized that I had them take learning style inventories last week and then completely ignored those results. Most of my students are visual learners with kinesthetic being the second most common mode of learning. Yet I am using basically an auditory approach to teaching technology. So I will change the way I present my material and find some tutorials to share with my students.

Last but not least, how do show them how to communicate and collaborate with tools of technology even if I don't grade them on it? I want to instill in my graduate students a love of technology and a willingness to explore and play with new tools.