Instructional design is the heart of becoming a teacher and going through the practicum process. There is a week of planning for a 3, 6, or 9 week practicum of full time lessons and units. During this time you collaborate with mentors, and colleagues to create meaningful learning opportunities. All units must be assessed and marked to insure they are hands on, effective, and active. Practicums allow thoughtful planning and engages metacognitive thoughts to recognize effective and ineffective teaching practices. Lessons and units improve before lessons, after lessons, and after the whole unit is finished. In order to reflect on what was successful and what needs improvement.
The Cognitive Load Theory and its practical application moving into a covid world resonated with me. As someone with ADHD, my brain goes through this process every single time I want to complete or start a new task “Which is exhausting.” ( Jarett Christian, 2020.) The switch from autopilot to consciously thinking out every step a task requires in order to complete a new routine is a gruelling process. Having a direct comparison and deep rooted empathy for the sometimes crippling stress that can accompany being over loaded mentally helped me understand the importance of cognitive load theory.
When I TTOC I try to always break every task into three steps. Most students can understand and follow through on three steps. At younger ages we review them until each person in the room can label the steps forwards and backwards. This allows students to all understand their task and creates the self sufficiency once we break into independent work time. Creating the simplicity of three allows students to not get overwhelmed when transitioning to new work and lays out their expectations.
I have never considered myself a tech savvy person as websites, formats, or apps can be challenging to learn. With Canva however, I would consider myself a connoisseur. I use Canva for all of my worksheets, handouts, field trip forms, schedules, designs for my Cricut, and more. Canva came naturally and was user friendly. I took digital arts last summer and learned how to use photoshop which can be time consuming and I find Canva my go to choice. I can create detailed and exciting worksheets, remove backgrounds on images, share and edit presentations all in one place.
Canva Uses:
This is my redesigned Canva Poster. I used the “Blue Yellow Pink Pastel Cute Abstract Graduation Party Invitation Poster” Template and redesigned it with font, colour choices, image, and overall vibe. This is a poster I made for my Indigenous graduation ceremony at UVIC.
This is my redesigned travel brochure using the template “Beige Fun Abstract Trifold Travel Brochure • 11 × 8.5 in” This is a project I am going to be starting in a mom group I am apart of to provide low cost options for photography.
References
Cognitive Load by dawn.diperi on Genially. (n.d.). Genial.Ly. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from _____https://view.genial.ly/6074a087f1dd190d15ba4a20/interactive-content-cognitive-_____load
Creative Commons Licensed Workshop Curriculum | UVic Libraries Digital Scholarship _____Commons. (n.d.). Design and Layout with Canva. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, ______2021, from https://oac.uvic.ca/dsc/workshops/lessonplans/
Jarrett, C. (n.d.). Cognitive Load Theory: Explaining our fight for focus – BBC Worklife. _____BBC – Homepage. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from _____https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201103-cognitive-load-theory-_____explaining-our-fight-for-focus
Richards, L. (2022, May 22). 4th Topic EDCI 337 [A01] Summer: Design of Multimedia _____Learning Objects and Artifacts – EDCI 337: Interactive and Multimedia Learning. _____Educational Technology at the University of Victoria. _____https://edtechuvic.ca/edci337/2022/05/22/4th-topic-edci-337-a01-summer-_____design-of-multimedia-learning-objects-and-artifacts-graphics-infographics/
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