https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio en-us 2023-02-28 01:29:48 UTC 2023-10-23 19:41:40 UTC hello@padlet.com neb80860 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692495431 When I reflect on my current teaching position in relation to the social presence pillar, the biggest concern I see is that teachers are not given enough time to build that foundational group relationship with students. Teachers are made to begin curriculum so soon into the school year, that there is no time to foster those group interactions in the beginning where students can interact with the focus of the group. ]]> 2023-09-10 23:04:12 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692495431 neb80860 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692498073 When I reflect on my current teaching position in relation to the instructor presence pillar, the biggest concern I see is with the first aspect of this pillar, designing the curriculum, tasks, and timelines. Where I am currently, the district provides all of this to teachers with the expectations that it is followed. This leaves no room for teachers to add their own personality to the lessons or create lessons to fit the specific needs of the students that are currently in their class. The curriculum design the district provides is rarely ever updated, so even if your class is vastly different and not responding to what had been laid out, there is no option to change it to meet the needs of the current students. ]]> 2023-09-10 23:10:22 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692498073 neb80860 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692511300 When I reflect on my current teaching position in relation to the cognitive presence pillar, the biggest concern I see is the lack of time devoted to independent exploration for students within the classroom. At this point, I feel like we do a good job during science to allow students that time to explore and try out different solutions to a problem and then reflect on their solution. In other content areas, it is more difficult at the kindergarten level to allow this sort of student-guided exploration since kindergarten is the time students are learning foundational skills that they will need to have in future grades.]]> 2023-09-10 23:39:51 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692511300 amiewilliams1 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692676176 The biggest concern I have for cognitive presence is that we do not give students a chance to think critically about or explore any topics.  We have so much curriculum to cover in a year that we have to move fast through it.  Teachers are required by their districts to cover all the material but this doesn't leave time for students to explore and digest any single topic. Amie Williams]]> 2023-09-11 01:53:15 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692676176 amiewilliams1 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692680411 My concerns for the social pillar are that we don't have time to allow students real social interactions. We have too much curriculum to cover and that leaves very little time for getting to know students and for students to get to know each other.  I wish that we could give kids more recess time each day and more time at lunch to socialize. Amie Williams]]> 2023-09-11 01:56:20 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692680411 amiewilliams1 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692687868 I think that modern education has taken the teacher's role and made it into that of a facilitator.  We are given specific curriculum to teach and it must meet specific standards that are set by school districts and states.  It leaves very little room for a teacher to be creative and design learning experiences for his or her students.  Teachers get to know their students well through a school year and I would like for districts to allow the teachers to make more decisions as to what their students need to learn and how they learn best. Having smaller class sizes would really allow for teacher to teach the kids he or she has, not just the required curriculum. Amie Williams]]> 2023-09-11 02:01:43 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2692687868 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2699553272 As a student I always have concerns when I am asked or even indirectly expected to share information about myself. I'm just an introverted person with firm boundaries between work/home and I don't talk about family outside the family. As a teacher I try to always make this information voluntary and I do not ask students to post images or have an image for their account. This is because some students have experienced stalking and abuse in the real world and compelling them to share this information can be stressful or even cause problems for them if another student is the problem (i.e. is following or stalking them in classes too). I understand the need to put some personality and individuality into social presence to help build connections in online courses, although a big mitigating factor in these practices (for me) is trying to respect others' privacy and boundaries. J. Cannon]]> 2023-09-12 08:45:14 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2699553272 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2699567903 One concern with creating cognitive presence based on my teaching experience are the 2-3 students every section, every semester who never submit any work in online courses. There is another portion of each class (another 4-6 students each section) who consistently submit only about half of the work and thus do not pass. These two groups end up being 30-40% of the 25 enrolled students in any Gen Ed course section (consistently every semester for a decade of my observations) that does not change no matter what I do to support/reach out/be flexible or that the university does to reach out. I do not know what else to do to get these students to engage, esp. the latter group who partially engage, since they could succeed if they just completed the work. It is also hard to ignore such a large portion of students in Gen Ed courses with this problem when D's, F's, and withdraws count against professors and the university is focused on retaining students. J. Cannon]]> 2023-09-12 08:56:33 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2699567903 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2699585068 Instructor presence is very important to online courses, as not grading and providing feedback promptly or not being visibly engaged in the course is very easy to see and can push students away. That said, in modern higher education there are so many demands of instructor time by the university that the 40 hour week is easily filled meeting those demands before you even get to engaging in the classes you are teaching. It's also very difficult to work traditional hours with online courses; trying to respond with discussions in the learning management system requires being in there evenings and nights and weekends, but the university still demands you be available 9-5 for their stuff. So you ultimately have to work random hours to do it all and the university doesn't care about being flexible on their demands to help resolve that overload for instructors. J. Cannon]]> 2023-09-12 09:07:04 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2699585068 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2700867292 Alex Anstine 

There are several barriers that our students face under this pillar related to technology. Many students may take time to get used to a certain online learning platform or their assigned device may have issues accessing the content. A rural student such as myself may have limited internet connectivity. All of these things take away from meaningful participation and therefore they take away from cognitive presence. 

Technical issues can be stressful for a student or a teacher and the cognitive load associated with troubleshooting takes away from the learning process. ]]> 2023-09-13 01:03:15 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2700867292 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2700878085 In an online world, We often times rely on our  internet presence to determine or social well being. Whether that be participating in class or updating our facebook page, many students rely on these services to feel connected. Therefore, what happens when we cannot access those sources? I have seen it give way to isolation and loneliness when that connection is severed. 

Technical issues can disrupt communication and social presence. Availability of a troubleshooting team goes a long ways to mitigating concerns on social presence but it is difficult to foresee all issues and online learner may experience at home. 

]]> 2023-09-13 01:09:54 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2700878085 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2700883894 The largest concern I have with instructor present is the ability of the instructor to navigate the tools available to them. Many instructors do not have the technical proficiency to navigate online learning platforms to create engaging courses. I have spent many hours with educators on the creation of content in online courses. I have seen many instructors want to go back to the old way of doing things and not put the effort into their online courses. In these situations I try to support them and train them to the best of my ability ]]> 2023-09-13 01:13:34 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2700883894 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2704809892 The aspect of the social presence pillar that stuck out to me was that part reflecting on communicating purposely in a trusting environment. As a teacher and parent, I see the way these students communicate with each other online. This environment that they spend most of their lives in does not provide mediums for purposeful and trustworthy experiences. I feel like it has led them to actually separate further from each other in a way that makes them struggle to communicate even face to face. This has also led to issues with insensitivity and understanding of others thoughts and feelings. I have never been one to really feel comfortable expressing my opinions, but I enjoy listening to others. Many students are either that way too or feel like they cannot speak up or answer because students will find ways to make fun of them or worry others will think they are dumb. So, I always look for ways for students to communicate, as well as create an environment where students know that it is ok to ask questions. I feel that this area of positive social interaction in class or online is something that we should always be looking to improve on. Something like this would be a positive way students could share information or respond to questions. - M. Kilby]]> 2023-09-14 20:31:30 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2704809892 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2704820136 Reflecting on my own teaching, this is the thing I struggle with the most. On our tests, benchmarks, and EOC, we expect the students to think cognitively and at higher levels. However, we are not always providing them with the opportunities to develop those necessary skills and understandings to be successful. Rather, it feels like we are just supposed to expect the students to jump from a low level to a high level with the snap of a finger. A lot of times we do not get the opportunity to build the students up and help them learn the skills and make connections with the content. This is a major problem with me for history because kids do not get to make real-world connections or create projects to build upon their overall understanding. The reason we do not get to do this is because we are expected to teach so much in a short amount of time. 

I teach Reconstruction up through the present. That is a lot of material to cover. As a result, I do not always get the opportunity to get into topics that are related and probably interesting for the students. These sorts of issues have proven difficult to combat. I love making learning relevant and intriguing, as well as providing students with the opportunity to apply those in meaningful ways. I often feel like I do not get past phase two because I have to meet a unit deadline, which is frustrating sometimes. - M. Kilby]]> 2023-09-14 20:44:36 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2704820136 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2704847682 This is probably my area of least concern, reflecting on myself as a teacher. I have continuously worked hard to provide valuable and timely feedback. I did struggle at first when I had to start using Canvas because I had to learn to navigate, and I was used to 75-80 kids versus 150.

I think that feedback is extremely valuable, and yet, I think that it can be extremely time consuming and lead many teachers to burn out over the task. It happens to me at various times throughout the year. I always try to bounce back.

Communication is also key. The ability for students and parents to reach out can be extremely important in creating, building, and sustaining relationships. I think the one good thing about technology is that we have a multitude of options to reach out to parents and students, as well as share all the great things we do. At the same time, I think it can be hard for us to shut things off and step back to take some times for ourselves.

One of the other important but sometimes difficult tasks of the instructor presence pillar is designing and organizing instruction. There are so many ways to design lessons and it can be challenging to determine the best course of action. Another issue may be the fact that you have these great resources but lack the knowledge or expertise on how to properly use them (like technology or strategies).
- M. Kilby]]> 2023-09-14 21:21:20 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2704847682 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2705198531 When thinking about my position and the social presence, it made me think about how our curriculum/standards really do not help us as kindergarten teachers. Some of the kids we get never add interaction from a peer their age, or let alone 20 peers their age with one teacher. When teaching kindergarten we only have TWO weeks of teaching our students all about school before we have to dive into all the content they need to learn. It does not give us a lot of time to really get to know our students, our students to get to know each other and others in the same grade.  Also with some of kids being so tech savvy, they don't know how to "play" or interact socially with others because they are used to being on technology.   
Jayden Vosika]]> 2023-09-15 02:54:54 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2705198531 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706104327 In the article Community Inquiry in Online Learning, the author states "It is defined by the inquiry process where learners are tasked with a problem or issue and, through iteration between discourse and reflection, construct meaning and confirm understanding."

As a high school teacher, the issue with this process lies in the differing abilities of students within my 10th-grade group. While synchronously teaching, the teacher who knows his/her students can bring out the best in each student. However, while asking the students to discuss using "discourse and reflection", is possible for some students, other students lack the skills (through practice) to enter a discussion online. This type of activity will have to take into account the students' backgrounds to strategically place them within a group that would provide a sense of community within each group.
From Ramona Geiger]]> 2023-09-15 15:34:58 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706104327 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706414872 Amber Deaton

At the risk of sounding like a broken record after reading so many great responses, I, too, struggle with finding the time to give my students the time they need to explore a provided issue, collaborate together, understand the research they've gathered, test the solution, let alone have time to  start the cycle over if need be. I also agree that a large portion of my students also struggle with how to reach a higher-level of thinking, which I have felt inadequate at teaching for years. I often wondered if we were ever really taught how to teach thinking outside of the box, digging deeper, and bouncing off of each others' ideas to students when getting our teaching degrees. Some days I feel like we achieve that successfully, but I am also aware that only a handful of my students are able to do so, while I've got kids in class not paying attention because they are thinking about where their next meal will be. 

Again, I am also in the same boat of lacking time to pause and reflect, based on the required curriculum I need to cover before my sophomores take the EOC at the end of April each year. Otherwise, the idea of going back to the drawing boards after a failed solution sounds fantastic.]]> 2023-09-15 21:04:41 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706414872 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706420625 Amber Deaton

What stood out to me when reading about social presence via an online course is that students share the bond of being in the same class together without worrying about any of the societal norms when face-to-face, which unites them, versus an in-person class where the students will see the differences between each other right away. I notice on a daily basis how the fear of judgment by others restricts my students from being comfortable and more open to the cognitive portion of class. Again, due to lack of time and a need to get started on curriculum within days of starting school, there is not a lot of time for some "Kumbaya" moments, even though I do try to sprinkle bonding moments and life lessons throughout the year to help achieve cohesion within the room.]]> 2023-09-15 21:16:08 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706420625 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706527936 I am in week 4 of teaching a new group of 3rd graders in person. Luckily, our goal for the first two weeks was to primarily focus on getting to know one another and growing friendships. However, since curricula have kicked in, time allocated for getting to know one another has felt limited. Each morning, I always try to implement community meetings in which we all sit in a circle and discuss our interests and experiences to learn more about each other, but the designated 10 minutes we have each day is often stripped due to other teaching priorities or is not enough time to deepen our connections with one another. It takes time for the introverted student to want to engage in a collaborative atmosphere. I have noticed that the wider the gap in having time for community conversations, the more problems we face in understanding and getting along with each other.
-Mandy Faulkner]]> 2023-09-16 02:14:56 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706527936 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706535181 Just the other day, I was reflecting on some of the lessons I have taught in the past by thinking about the level of engagement I have been initiating for my students. I have noticed at times that I catch myself instructing for an extended amount of time without inviting students to partake in the discussion. It's easy to get caught up in the teacher doing most of the talking and asking questions that don't promote high levels of critical thinking. I realize at times that I am calling on a few students to answer questions when the levels of engagement could've been much higher if I instructed partnerships to discuss their thoughts. The way we ask questions is a huge component to learning. For example, teachers can unintentionally ask close-ended questions, when more open-ended questions are what is needed to promote deeper understanding. 
-Mandy Faulkner]]> 2023-09-16 02:32:31 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706535181 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706579441 A challenge faced in promoting deep reflection is the time we have allocated to teaching each subject. In reading and writing, we follow a workshop model in which 10 minutes is allocated toward direct instruction while the remainder is spent putting what is taught into practice. It's important for teachers to facilitate meaningful conversations during direct instruction, and it can be hard to give adequate think time to respond to a question essential to the learning process. With time restrictions, I often can only give my students a small amount of time to respond to a question that I might have that inevitably requires a deeper reflection in thought. The more we have time to reflect, the more we can bring new insights and ideas to the table. Students need more time for trial and error opportunities.
-Mandy Faulkner]]> 2023-09-16 04:16:40 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2706579441 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707067319 When it comes to teacher presence, I see concerns as a student and a teacher.  I know that when I first began grad classes, I was exposed to a well structured course with clear expectations. I was also a little overwhelmed in the beginning because of the amazing organization and structure of the instructor.  I felt like it was a lot of information all at once, but as I navigated through the course, it was very easy to follow.  Then the second course I took, it was not clearly organized.  I felt like I had to be more of the teacher to follow along.  Some of the assignments were unclear and due dates were different, so I felt lost.  I see a concern with this because as a student, we need a strong teaching presence in order to learn.  

As a teacher, I can see this could be a concern as well if the instructor wasn't organized or attentive as a teacher. When I taught virtual classes, I made sure the kids knew my expectations with the assignments. I was able to use videos for the little ones, so they clearly understood the instructions. They could hear or see me, so they knew I cared for them. I also chose assignments that I know they would enjoy--some that included movement, instruments, and simple fun! ]]> 2023-09-16 23:01:12 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707067319 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707069335 When it comes to social presence, I see concerns when it comes to having different personalities in a class.  For me as a student, I can be social when I have to, but naturally, I tend to seek out my surroundings first.  I sometimes have to be forced to be social as well, esp since I have been married.  My hubby is a talker, and I haven't had to talk too much..lol.  I enjoy talking with new people, but sometimes classes can be overwhelming when forced to socialize online.  I don't mind discussion boards, esp because it's on my own time, and once we get going, I feel much better. But if there is a heavy quota on socializing, I feel that can ruin the social presence for me. I am glad that we don't have to zoom each week!  

As a teacher, I also see this trend with my students. Some kids love being forced to dance or sing, while others do not. I get to gauge this everyday with them. And, sometimes it does get better as they get to know me. I quiz them on their steady beat and singing voice at the beginning of the year and at the end. Most kids that are shy at the beginning really open up to me by the end of the year, and that is the most rewarding part of my job! I also try to make my students laugh with puppets and stories, so we do a really good job of getting to know each other throughout the year. I feel famous sometimes walking down the hallway when they yell my name, but maybe that's just because I teach them all??? LOL. ]]> 2023-09-16 23:12:11 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707069335 adeaton6 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707070603 Amber Deaton

Lack of time and training. That's my biggest concern in regard to the column of teaching presence. Between the three responsibilities (design, facilitate, and direct instruction/proactive intervention), I struggle to ensure all of them are maintained, let alone efficient. With technology changing at a fast pace and teenagers evolving with it, making sure my curriculum has "engaging" activities for my too-cool-for-school students is tricky. Now that our school is 1:1 with Chromebooks, I can use apps and gamification, but it is also overwhelming to find the time to choose which ones to use that will be most effective with the lesson at hand. Honestly, I really like this Padlet app and am planning to implement this within one of my units. Now if I just had the time...]]> 2023-09-16 23:16:21 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707070603 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707072536 When it comes to Cognitive Presence, I see that there are still going to be students that I teach that will probably not learn everything I want them to, no matter what I do.  Still to this day, I see some of my former students who are in jail and have not learned from their mistakes.  I know this is not my fault, but it still saddens me. I spend a lot of time giving "mommy" lectures on being respectful, responsible, and safe.  I tell my students all the time that I would rather them turn out to be a good citizen that a fantastic singer or instrument player.  And that is also an issue, because as teachers we are constantly disciplining on behavior more than we have time to teach cognitively.  I just hope that deep down inside that some of my students will learn these life lessons.  
But then again, I still have students who say they remember this certain thing I taught them and that they will never forget it! So that is encouraging and worth it!  

As a student, I love seeing what I have learned throughout the semester and being able to reflect on it.  I try to have my students think about this as well when we do a performance.  I ask them how they thought they did with a five finger scale.  
I know sometimes they are harder on themselves, but some know they did a great job too.  

Online for elementary students is much more difficult to see how they thought they did. When I taught virtually, there were students that never turned their assignments in, so being in the classroom was the best for them. Once in a while, I would get a student who said they learned so much from that "cup game" video!!!

]]> 2023-09-16 23:26:44 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707072536 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707074193 Social presence sounds like it would fit right in with the high-school aged student. However, when faced with a project in which they are interacting asynchronously with peers, this could be intimidating. Social cues are not immediately evident in this environment.

To counteract this, synchronous discussions covering the project concepts would help in the future interactions asynchronously. It is up to the teacher to model proper responses and questioning.

This may not be possible in certain courses. Without proper instruction and practice, students could find it difficult to interact in an online community covering new concepts.]]> 2023-09-16 23:35:12 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707074193 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707076144 In an online community, it has been my experience that feedback is necessary early and often. Without feedback, it can be a lonely place and students can lose interest quickly.

As the instructor, this is very time consuming.   An instructor will need to be purposeful in the structure of time to respond to each student. At times, this might not be possible. 

An instructor's presence is crucial in learning and collaborating in an online class. It also is difficult to understand a student's needs in an online environment. Intentional questioning and structured time planning can help the instructor cater to the student's needs, however, this is an art form that must be practiced to be successful.]]> 2023-09-16 23:40:49 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707076144 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707110478 As I think about concerns in the instructor/teaching pillar, the biggest and most glaring concern that I have, which is shared with teachers everywhere, concerns curriculum.  During my first two years in my own classroom, we were not given any type of guideline beyond DESE standards and we were not given time to work on developing a curriculum.  We were left to create or buy everything based on our own needs.  Year three saw us have time to design curriculum but without any background knowledge on it, we struggled with little guidance.  The years that followed were a little easier as we gained knowledge and experience, but it was still rough as we created everything ourselves without supports.  This year, having a comprehensive curriculum that we can mold to fit our needs has made the year, so far, much easier than years past.  Teachers need support beyond a list of standards that was broad when interpreted when it comes to lesson and curriculum planning.

Randall Helm]]> 2023-09-17 02:17:04 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707110478 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707111953 When it comes to concerns related to the social presence pillar, my concerns echo that of what my classmates have already said.  At the beginning of the school year, we are repeatedly pushed to begin lessons ASAP, normally on the second or third day after we go over school expectations and the handbook as well as our own classroom expectations.  With this being pushed on us, I sometimes find myself forgetting that it is okay to take a break, catch-up, and just have fun as well.  I try and be cognizant of this and allow my students to have that extra time rather than just rush through everything back-to-back, day after day and week after week.  Brain breaks are good and will lead to better results for students in the end.

Randall Helm]]> 2023-09-17 02:21:44 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707111953 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707118026 Being a teacher in a rural school in a low socioeconomic area, there was a huge disconnect from our students during Covid.  This time of transitioning to distance learning and going 1:1 with devices highlighted our area's biggest weakness when it comes to technology.  Between internet access, students not having access to devices at home, technology literacy, hardware/software limitations, etc. it is a never-ending battle.  I am experiencing this first hand with our new online curriculum that we are implementing this year.  The program itself if fantastic, but our devices are getting older, some do not work or are slow, our internet coverage at the school is not the best, systems often go down, the list could go on and on.  When these small roadblocks are added up, they can cause big issues for student's cognitive presence when it comes to learning.  They are a lot like adults in this sense; if something keeps messing up over and over without getting fixed, we would almost rather ignore it, move on, and pretend the problem does not exist.  The problem with this is, obviously, the issue at hand does not go away when we ignore it.

Randall Helm]]> 2023-09-17 02:42:41 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707118026 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707553074 As a kindergarten teacher, you have to be presence for your kids 100% because if not they will know it and it will be complete chaos. However, they can be very forgiving when it comes to mistakes or need to look something up. 
This is my first year in kindergarten so I am a bit new to the curriculum. A concern I see with my district is because I am not a new employee (use to teach pre-k in the district) I did not get/have to do any curriculum training without have to go through all the new teacher training. 
The main concern is teacher training, sometimes there is not a lot of teacher training or teachers don't have the time for training throughout the school year to get the training the may need 
Jayden Vosika]]> 2023-09-17 17:30:49 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707553074 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707562799 This is only my 3rd year teaching so I did not get to see how drastic the changes have changed with cognitive presence but I can compare it with my school experiences. When I started my first year teaching, I remember the first day of school, I had a coloring page ready for them to color, a crown to make/color for the day, and some toys. With the coloring pages, I couldn't get most of my students to spend more than 10 minutes coloring let alone make them put a crown together. I felt so sad because I remember when I was their age I could of spend hours on coloring. The same thing happened with toys, I had pattern block for them to explore and they were only interested in them for about 10 minutes. I know this was right "after" covid so some of my kids just got done with a year and a 1/2 on lock down but they were able to stay on a activity for more than 10 minutes with out wanting to do something else. Some students are used living in a fast pace environment, they aren't used to slowing down to learn/explore deeper. 
Jayden Vosika]]> 2023-09-17 17:44:51 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707562799 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707664674 As so many of my peers have highlighted, I find my biggest concern I have with students is not giving my students a chance to think critically. I teach Health and the material is enough to span an entire year, yet it is crammed into a semester. There are so many interactive, higher DOK projects I would like to take students through but we just don't have the time. 
It is also worth noting that I also struggle with students expanding their thinking. Students will often give the answer without expanding their reasoning or explaining their thought process, even if I direct them to do so. I have to believe that these two issues go hand in hand.  
-M. Abundis]]> 2023-09-17 20:34:43 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707664674 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707684905 My concerns for the social pillar are both with my interactions with students, and students with each other. Because of the pressure to start content immediately, there is only a small window of time we are given to "get to know" our classes. When you have 120+ students, that time is spent mostly on activities within the class. These students tend to have the same schedules and therefore spend much of their day together. So the students have a stronger interactions amongst themselves than I do with them. This can make class time difficult, as students are often more worried about peer perception than classwork. It's only once I am able to get to know students better and promote positive interactions that students begin to focus less on those peer perceptions. The issue is that this takes time, which we don't always have.
-M. Abundis]]> 2023-09-17 21:12:04 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707684905 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707689169 My concerns about Instructional Presence is that I fall short with feedback. In a digital age, I assign very little paperwork for class. Students do most of their work on Google Classroom and only do paper assignments if they do not have access to their chromebooks. I grade things off of the rubric and then input the grade into google classroom. However, I really struggle to leave detailed feedback for every assignment. When assignments were paper I found myself writing much more feedback for students. It's something that as we move away from Covid's "participation is key" model of grading to back to traditional grading is something I need to work on. Students often respond well to the feedback (both positive and negative) that I post and is something I feel is important to my growth as an educator. 
-M. Abundis]]> 2023-09-17 21:20:19 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707689169 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707711488 I have personally noticed the concerns that come with social presence among student to student relationships. Throughout the day students get barely any time to converse with peers or explore new friendships with each other. Most of the time I notice myself asking students to sit quietly while I am teaching and while they are working independently. When I tune into these conversations I notice they are actually just trying to talk with their friends with things like "This weekend I got to.." I don't think we allow enough time in our day to just allow them to build their own friendships and get to know the people around them. - Lauren A.]]> 2023-09-17 22:15:34 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707711488 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707712802 This is something I think sometimes I have a hard time with. I want my students to be engaged in the lesson, but I also have a lot of material to cover in a short amount of time. I also notice that I don't have a great way of collecting answers during my lessons. I will typically pick on a student to answer, while the others listen. I don't think this is very beneficial to all the learners in my class. 

Another thing I have trouble with is providing timely feedback to my students/parents. I typically pass out graded work at the end of the week, and don't spend much time leaving details. This is an area I want to work on. We do a lot of of work in a day and to grade all of those for 23 kids and leave feedback takes a lot of time. - Lauren A.]]> 2023-09-17 22:19:00 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707712802 https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707714022 I always notice the struggle in this area when it is time for standardized testing. Most of our students can answer basic questions when asked about reading comprehension. However, once they are asked any deeper level meaning questions, they are unable to answer. This is something my school as a whole is working to improve, and thinking of ways to challenge them more without just giving basic questions. We are working on this in a variety of areas and looking for ways to allow them to explore without the fear of getting an answer wrong. -Lauren A]]> 2023-09-17 22:22:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2707714022 jxb65640_ https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2759677098 One of the concerns I see relates to teachers not (being able to) provide multiple representations of the
information students are supposed to learn and a variety of activities to practice those skills. The pace at which teachers are supposed to get through the topics leaves little room for extension or reteaching activities. 

Jody Brison-Molina]]> 2023-10-23 19:10:04 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2759677098 jxb65640_ https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2759695150 As an introverted student, I struggle with wanting to reach out to peers more than what is required; however, once I am working in a group, I see the benefit and am grateful for the experience. So, the concern is how to create low-stakes options for classmates to connect without the demand to produce a lesson or assignment.  In a synchronous, in-person environment, building relationships at the beginning of school is beneficial; however, I don't see that happening as often in online, asynchronous settings. 

Jody Brison-Molina]]> 2023-10-23 19:21:25 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2759695150 jxb65640_ https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2759718215 I share the same concerns as some of my classmates—lack of professional development on required resources and a curriculum that isn't flexible. An instructional tool being implemented without proper training isn't going to be as effective and used to its intended potential. Additionally, teachers can't foster student agency if they aren't able to follow their student's lead from time to time because they have to stick to a strict pacing guide. 

Jody Brison-Molina]]> 2023-10-23 19:41:40 UTC https://padlet.com/jurkowski/a55fbfqrcwhn9lio/wish/2759718215