The four terms I researched are micro-influencers, like rate, smartphone zombie, and e-waste.

This comic portrays the day in the life of a “micro-influencer.” Based on my internet search, a micro-influencer “has a social media presence larger than a normal person's but smaller than a celebrity's, landing between 1,000 and 100,000 followers” (Hunter, 2024). I am very familiar with micro-influencers through the social media platforms Instagram and TikTok. Typically, these influencers create advertisements that incorporate products that have been gifted to them by brands in their everyday lives. Instead of explicitly stating that they are creating these ads in exchange for a free product or compensation, you will typically see an “#ad” in the description of their post or video. I believe that brands use micro-influencers to gain exposure for their products without having to invest in other types of marketing campaigns.

The second term that I researched is “like rate," which is comparable to “engagement rate." It is determined by the percentage of engagement on a social media profile. Ideally, a like or engagement rate of 3% means that the audience (followers on the social media platform) are engaged with your posts and like, comment, view, or share them frequently (Polishchuk, 2022).

The third term that I researched is “smartphone zombie” and is defined as a person who is only paying attention to their phone, basically out of touch with their surroundings. This term has sparked interest in the news as being a smartphone zombie puts pedestrians at risk of being hit by a motor vehicle or other dangerous outcomes when not alert (Petit, 2023).

The fourth term that I researched is "e-waste." E-waste is produced when electrical and electronic devices are discarded as products break or become obsolete and are thrown away. This is also a problem when new Apple technology is being released on a yearly basis and consumers are not reselling or correctly disposing of their devices (World Health Organization, 2024). Research has identified that global e-waste is increasing by 3–5% per year. Due to the affluency of Canada and the US, North America is identified as a large contributor to global e-waste (Shittu, Williams, and Shaw, 2021).

Reference

Hunter, T. (2023, June 21). What Is a Micro-Influencer, and Why Do Brands Use Them? BuiltIn. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://builtin.com/articles/ micro-influencer#:~:text=A%20micro%2Dinfluencer%20has%20a,someone%20a%20nano%2Dinfluencer

Petit, R. (2023, June 5). Mulberry's 'Beware of Smartphone Zombies' signs aims to reduce pedest

rian deaths. WFTS Tampa Bay. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-polk/mulberrys-beware-of-smartphone-zombies-signs-aims-to-reduce-pedestrian-deaths

Polishchuk, D. (2022, August 8). What Is a Good Instagram Engagement Rate? Promo Republic. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://promorepublic.com/en/blogwhat-is-a-good-instagram-engagement-rate/ #:~:text=An%20engagement%20rate%20on%20Instagram,are%20trying%20to%20show%20them. 

Shittu, O. S., Williams, I. D., & Shaw, P. J. (2021). Global E-waste management: Can WEEE make a difference? A review of e-waste trends, legislation, contemporary issues and future challenges. Waste Management (Elmsford), 120, 549–563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.10.016

World Health Organization. (2024). Electronic waste (e-waste). World Health Organization. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/electronic-waste-(e-waste)#:~:text=Every%20year%20millions%20of%20electrical,disposed%20of%2C%20and%2 

 0recycled%20appropriately.

The historical storytelling video that I created using Biteable showcases John and his family's immigration story. For John, his father’s decision to immigrate to Canada significantly changed his access to opportunities, jobs, and his childhood. In the Philippines, John recounts that his family lived a modest lifestyle and earned a livable income. John recalls his grandmother owning a convenience store that he would take snacks from. John only has these fond memories because he has not returned to the Philippines since he immigrated with his siblings 21 years ago, in 2003. 

Historical storytelling is valuable because it has the capability to highlight a key or pivotal moment in someone’s life. I think that by sharing personal and private stories, the significance of one’s past and the choices prior generations have made can be understood and appreciated. For John, his family's cultural history in the Philippines is important. However, he personally has made more salient memories and accomplishments in Canada.

The reading "Citizen Documentary in the Digital Age" states that citizen documentaries has the ability to allow producers and consumers to understand and see the world (Cooper and Hughes, 2019). By creating an aesthetically organised video, I am able to produce an artefact that exposes consumers to John's immigration story. Further, historical storytelling allows myself (as the producer) and other consumers to make sense of a lived experience of immigration (Cooper and Hughes, 2019). This is an experience that is complex and differs significantly for every family. John feels fortunate for the sacrifices that his mother and father made and is proud to share his families story.

Reference

Hughes, R. (2019). Citizen documentary: A method to document and mobilize social justice research. In K. Cooper & R. Hughes (Eds.), What does it mean to become worldly? Toronto, Canada: Life Rattle Press.

In 2019, I graduated from Ryerson University and received a degree in psychology. From then on, my journey to find a career that I loved began. I tried many new things, and fate pushed me in the direction of OISE. I have included a picture of myself and my dad from my graduation day.

In 2021, I travelled on an airplane for the first time. I travelled within Canada to Alberta. I visited the cities of Calgary, Edmonton, Banff, and Jasper. It ended up being a beautiful and safe experience, which I am forever grateful for. Travelling helped me to appreciate the world and develop a new sense of desire.

I have had many pets over the years who I have loved and lost. This experience has caused me to grow because I have experienced heartache and comfort in knowing that I gave my cats as much love as they have given me. I have included a picture of Tiger, my childhood cat, who provided me with so much emotional support in high school. Finally losing him in 2017 was my biggest fear, but that experience was a challenging time that helped me appreciate the love I had for my beloved pet.

Recently (2024), I turned 27 and was blessed to celebrate in Los Angeles. I have included a picture from Laguna Beach because I am mesmerized by the ocean and consider it to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. Turning 27 has made me reflect on how much I have accomplished, changed, and grown. I am strong and determined to live my life with a positive outlook that is driven by gratitude.

Tagline, Slogans, and hashtags: EyebuyDirect’s slogan is “Make Quality Eyewear Accessible to Everyone.” To personalize my advertisement, I added the tagline “See yourself in Eyebuydirect.”

Themes (colours, icons, symbols, etc.): The sunglasses I am wearing are black. The green screen background I have chosen is a reconstructed view of EyebuyDirect’s e-commerce site. The colours are white (web page background), black text, and elements of mustard yellow. 

Emotional Techniques: 

When shopping for a pair of sunglasses online, consumers face more of a challenge when it comes to making a decision on which frame would suit them the best. I often rely on reviews posted by consumers to judge whether or not the frames will suit my face shape and features. The website does offer an AI “try on” feature, but I often find it not to be accurate. Therefore, I generated the tagline “see yourself in Eyebuydirect” and inserted an image of myself wearing the product - Crush (Cat Eye Black Sunglasses). I do agree that EyebuyDirect produces a quality product that is relatively accessible (and affordable) for those who require prescription eyewear. Similar to the purpose of consumers posting an image of themselves in the reviews, I added an emotional element by adding an untouched image of myself utilizing the product. Therefore, evoking emotions related to familiarity and comfort shows that Eyebuydirect is a trusted brand. 

In relation to Week 6’s reading, it is important to analyze media texts in critical and analytical ways because societal ideas can be marketed to individuals in a matter that targets specific consumers. We, as consumers, are literally “buying” what the brand is selling. However, what we buy into is not always a tangible product. For instance, Hughes (2021) discusses how media texts are not “static entities," meaning that consumers are influenced by the media messages that brands communicate when marketing their product. This, in turn, affects their lived experiences (Hughes, 2021). Therefore, after analyzing Eyebuydirect, I can conclude that they are benefiting consumers through their messaging and delivery of product emails, coupons, and sales. 

References

Hughes, R. (2021). “Once you shop, you can’t stop."  Are big-brand companies producing games for girls, or girls themselves? Gender and education.

When beginning the dance party coding activity, I knew that I would face a lot of trial and error. I am happy with my end product and enjoy that I was able to sync the dance moves and changes in characters with the beat, verses, and chorus of the song Back to You by Selena Gomez. I opted to use the Speed it Up, Slow it Down lesson. The process definitely involved debugging and testing to ensure the end product was cohesive. 

In relation to this week's reading, I would argue that coding supports Papert’s constructionism theory by enabling students to actively problem-solve and expand upon their creativity skills (Kafai and Burke, 2014). Coding is intended to be introduced to students in the mathematics classroom. At different primary and junior grade levels, this includes learning how to code sequential events and repeated events that lead to particular outcomes. As discussed in the reading, this type of computational thinking is enhanced when a creative challenge, such as coding a dance party, is presented to students. When students are able to share their creative works with peers or develop activities collaboratively, subjects such as mathematics can become a site where students can practice using digital tools. Beyond learning the curriculum, students can also build a personal connection to what they are learning (Kafai and Burke, 2014). I would argue that with the proper practice and guidance, coding is extremely fun and would be a salient memory for students when they participate in the classroom.

References 

Kafai, Y. B., & Burke, Q. (2014). Mindstorms 2: Children, programming, and computational participation

For many years, I believed that I had an allergy to mint. If I used mint lip balm, my lips would swell and I would develop cold-like symptoms. So strange! However, one day that reaction mysteriously stopped, and I began incorporating Mint into my oral hygiene and dietary products. My favourite ways to enjoy Mint are in a watermelon and feta salad and in a fresh virgin mojito. 

Mint has a long history of being used as a multi-purpose herb. Mint and it’s fragrant smell was identified in Greek Mythology. Hades, the god of the underworld, fell in love with a river nymph named Minthe. Out of jealousy, Hades’ wife turned Minthe into a green plant that would get stepped on in the forest. Hades, as a way to comfort Minthe, gave her a sweet and fragrant smell to make her stand out (Museum of Food and Drink, 2024). Historically, in ancient Greece and Medieval Europe, Mint was a staple for having fresh breath and smelling clean (Museum of Food and Drink, 2024). 

Mint is also known as being a herbal remedy and has many medicinal properties. In Indigenous culture and tradition, mint is used as a medicinal tea, to cure and soothe sickness and respiratory illness (Norman Wells Land Corporation, 2019). Other known medicinal benefits to consuming Mint is to help the digestive system and anti-inflammatory properties (Pearson, 2023).

Based on this week's reading by Fullan and Langworthy (2014), it is evident that students need to be provided with opportunities to engage with technology in purposeful ways that support their learning and self-reflection (Fullan and Langworthy, 2014). By completing this assignment, I had to dig deep to research multiple historical facts, cultural origins, and uses for a herb. Rather than just simply googling information, I was then able to use my new knowledge to create a visual mind map. If Junior age students can be shown to create mind maps, they can add a useful strategy for organizing information to their skill repertoire.

References

Fullan, M., & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new technologies find deep learning.

London: Pearson (Foreword, Executive Summary, Chapter 4). https://ctl7016.weebly.com/uploads/5/5/0/7/55075753/fullan_langworthy.pdf

Museum of Food and Drink. (2024). A Brief History of Mint, from Air Freshener to Breath Freshener. Eatera-brief-history-of-mint-from-air-freshener-to-breath-fresheneronsored/10709952/ a-brief-history-of-mint-from-air-freshener-to-breath-freshener

Norman Wells Land Corporation/ Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got'įnę Government. (2019). Traditional Medicines. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://nwlc.ca/index.php/events-news/Mentha%20arvensis%20(field%20mint)%20%2D%20Mint&text=Many%20Indigenous% 20peoples%20turn%20this,prevent 20peoples%20turn%20this,prevent%20illness%2C%20such%20as%20flu.

Pearson, K. (2023, July 11). 8 Health Benefits of Mint. Healthline. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mint-benefits

I like that we are able to share the link to our short stories through a QR code. Rather than simply posting our writing, we are able to connect the reader to a link that they can listen to. Since the story is posted as audio, they are able to hear the animation in the authors voice and be immersed in a dramatic experience.

In this week’s reading by Lin (2024), I learned a lot about the history of QR codes and how they are integrated into advertisements. I think that in class room, QR codes support learning by connecting students to something that they can interact with. For example, polls, responses, and other digital resources. I also like how QR codes provide more possibilities for information to be shared. For that reason, QR codes are eco-friendly and prevent the waste of paper.  I personally have provided customers access to a QR code at my job so that they can have immediate access to the days sales and special pricing. I like this method because unlike a paper copy, it is less likely to be lost or crumpled up and thrown on the floor.

Therefore, I think QR codes should stay around because they are convenient and used for a variety of reasons. I have also been exposed to QR codes for tickets and events. Therefore, learning how to use QR codes in the classroom will set students up for success in the outside world.

References

Link: https://voca.ro/15ZIG00gNDK7

Lin, Q. (2024). The magic of scanning: The science behind the QR code. Illumin Magazine: USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California.

https://ctl7016.weebly.com/uploads/5/5/0/7/55075753/science_behind_codes.pdf

For my choice assignment, I opted to build a 3D house on Tinkercad. I completed the three-part lesson on building a 3D house. This included building the base house, creating a floor plan, and then decorating the house and landscape. At first, my design process was slow, and I hit a few roadblocks. Fortunately, I was able to find a Youtube tutorial to help myself find some of the functions that the Tinkercad tutorial was instructing me to use.

The free design lesson was very fun and allowed me to freely use my creative expression to design my 3D house and landscape. I did find that the Tinkercad tutorial did provide a good backbone for being able to be more independent with my design. For example, I took advantage of the copy and paste function to avoid having to duplicate and resize shapes that I needed multiples of. 

After scrolling through the Structures and Scenery and Creatures and Characters libraries, I was excited to find mountains and eagerly added four mountains to my scene. I love mountains and reminisce about my travels to Alberta, British Columbia, and California whenever I see a snow-capped mountain. I determined that I was going to extend the house I built in the tutorial to become a penguin mansion. I added a little bit of humour by giving the penguins an unwanted polar bear neighbour. To spruce up the scene and landscape, I added in snow-covered pine trees and fencing that I resized to fit the dimensions of the house. 

I am not the kind of person who gets something on the first try, and it often takes trial and error to be satisfied with the final product. I will admit that when starting out on Tinkercad, I did struggle. However, I am excited to one day integrate this resource into my future classroom and show students my design!

What role does creativity or collaboration play in the development of your interest or passion?

I believe that creative expression varies from person to person. This is due to the uniqueness of the experiences and skills that each individual has. When given the opportunity to freely express one’s creativity, the possibilities are endless, and that freedom can often be guided by the individual’s passions or interests. For example, I decided to use mountains to decorate my landscape because I love mountains. After reading the article about AR (augmented reality), it became more apparent to me that there are fields of research and design that require people to be not only skilled but passionate about their creative endeavours. I think that the topic of integrating AR creation in schools is extremely niche and privileged. This is especially due to the barriers to accessing AR creation tools (Radu et al., 2010). However, due to our classrooms becoming more technologically infused and AR technology becoming more accessible to the general public, I do believe this could become an upcoming area of passion or interest for some students who can access the tools at school or AR camps or clubs (similar to robotics clubs).

References 

Radu, I., Zheng, R., & Golubski, G., & Guzdial, M. (2010). Augmented reality in the future of education. CHI 2010. Boston, USA. https://ctl7016.weebly.com/uploads/5/5/0/7/55075753/augmented_reality.pdf