I entered the first class of EDCI 336 with no idea what to expect, but was intrigued by the course’s name: Technology Innovation in Education. The 3-hour length presented on the timetable was daunting and I quite honestly feared the possibility of a 3-hour lecture. It was a relief however to discover the prediction I feared was not accurate. Considering how much technology and technology’s relation to education has evolved in recent years, I feel there’ll be a lot to learn and I look forward to the projects lined up for the term.
The Free Inquiry project is one I am especially looking forward to in the course, as its concept reminds me of the Genius Hour Project. Some of my fondest memories of learning come from working on genius hour projects and presenting them in elementary school. The objective of Genius Hour is to allow students to choose any topic they are interested in and work to understand it better in a way that they want to. Ultimately, students present what they’ve learned through a medium of their choosing such as, videos, art, an experiment or a creation.
As another similar opportunity to explore my personal interests has presented itself through the Free Inquiry project, I am so excited to dive into a new or existing interest to explore! Although I haven’t decided on a topic, some ideas I have include painting landscapes (something I’ve always avoided) or painting with natural pigments, while learning to make my own natural paints. Art is the focus I want to take with the free inquiry project as it is already a passion of mine, but I hope to delve into parts of art which are unfamiliar and daunting to me!