There it is, collecting dust and crushing my dreams of jamming out for an unknown audience! I call that my music corner of shame because I bought those instruments with every intention of learning to play them. As a small child I learned how to play the piano and the drums, but I dropped them after a couple of years.
The guitar that you see in the picture has always been a side-thought, but I had every intention of allowing that piano to pay its cost in value and entertainment. Alas, it remains a dusty relic and reminder of how our daily routines have a habit of building walls.
So, here I am – motivated by academia and realization – I am going to re-learn the piano.
My intent = play this piece!
(This is the music book that came with my keyboard)
According to Wikipedia, it is the first prelude and fugue in the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier, by J.S. Bach, which was written in 1722.
In the Baroque era, a prelude could be thought of as a preface – a short piece of music that introduces longer movements.
A fugue can be thought of as representative of a musical theme that is broken up in to two voices that mimic each other in different octaves, successively and recurrently throughout the composition.
Although I have largely forgotten how to play the piano, I still have an eclectic taste in music which includes Baroque era, namely Bach. I find this song to be beautiful, currently above me, but potentially accomplishable. The question is where to start.
This is where I’ve gotten, so far…
For this next week, I intend to peruse resources that remind me how to read music. I will be sure to update what I find and share any resources that I come across.
More to come
October 1, 2020
This week I focused on finding resources that will allow me to read music again, and I have practiced a couple basic scales for the piano.
I started by locating “Middle C” on the piano with this video on Youtube.com
I then looked up “how to read sheet music” on Google, and found a great site that shows some cheeky ways of remembering the position of notes on a sheet:
For next week, I am going to recall how to locate the various notes on my keyboard and then practice some basic scales that I locate from the internet.
October 10, 2020
For this week, along with practicing some basic scales on the piano, I have decided to become more accustomed to the piece that I have chosen to play by listening to several interpretations of it on Youtube. I have tried to find a favourite rendition to share, but I have not found one yet.
I think that, if I manage to play the piece myself, I may play it differently (albeit significantly more poorly). Although I love each pianist’s composition, I think that I would rather not think about playing it like anyone else. Who am I to consider myself playing like a professional, in the first place? Step-by-step. First, I need more practice.
None-the-less, I have found one version of it that I really do enjoy, so I’ve posted the link to it, just below, in case you would like to listen.
For next week, I may actually post my first video of my progress. I am not able to play the piece nor even start, but I demonstrate a couple scales.
Seeing myself on camera is not something that I love, but it is motivating. I better figure this out!
October 6, 2020.
O.K. So…
I have had a big change in heart for the song that I would like to try to play.
…
…
…
I heard the pink panther sound track again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBupII3LH_Q
I cant help myself! I must play it.
I also have the music! A friend of mine had some written out and she let me borrow it!
I am excited! Next week, I will record my first attempt at it!
November 24, 2020.
It has been lovely to share, but actually playing the piano is practically difficult. I am still practicing at this point so I do not have much to share. Stay tuned. The video is coming, I PROMISE!
Exploring 3D Brain
Quick review for teachers: 3.5/5
Pros: 3D Brain is a fantastic anatomy tool that can be used as a visual aid for the whole human brain, with 29 structures and areas depicted in 3D and an interactive display. The platform offers optional labels for each structure, and an easy to understand textual overview that includes; an example case study, various associated cognitive functions and disorders, symptoms of damage, a list of substructures, and a list of references with links to websites with additional explanations. A free version is available for iPhone/Pad/Pod, and Android phone devices. Cons: The textual summaries are brief and a few of the reference links are no longer active. The producers, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center, offer a paid version (3D Brain HQ – $1.39 CAD) which includes an improved platform, higher resolution images, and updated content. Finally, the app has only limited practical application in the classroom as a visual aid when discussing the structure and function of the nervous system, i.e. Grade 12 Anatomy and Physiology.
What is 3D Brain? 3D Brain is a mobile app designed for iPhone/pad/pod, Android, and Windows phone devices. It combines an interactive visual display of the human brain with a description of each area and the constituent structures. The graphic of the brain is fit to scale and the app consists of 29 interactive areas, including the whole organ, which can be rotated horizontally and vertically, or magnified in 3D space (see Figure 1).
Figure 1. The 3D Brainâs touch screen interface (left). The brain rotated horizontally and vertically (middle). Magnification of a selected area – the pons (right).
Each structure can be selected from an alphabetized list or looked up in a search bar, and labels can be toggled on or off by tapping the âlabelsâ tab. In addition, each brain region is accompanied by a summary overview of how it functions, a brief explanation of associated damage, related disorders, case studies, and links to research and additional informative websites are provided (see Figure 2).
Figure 2. Labels for the brain toggled âonâ by tapping the âlabelsâ tab (left). An example of a summary overview of a selected structure by tapping the âInfoâ tab (right).
 Who is 3D Brain?
3D Brain was produced by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center (DNALC), which is situated in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States, and is affiliated with the Cold Spring harbor Laboratory. The DNALC is a genetics learning center that is devoted entirely to genetics education and offers middle school and high school class field trips, tours, student summer day camps, teacher training and an extensive range of online content, classes, and virtual laboratory field trips.
The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) is a private, not-for-profit biomedical research and education laboratory founded in 1890 that employs 1,100 scientists, students and technicians. Over the course of its operation, the CSHL has boasted 8 full-time faculty members and postdoctoral fellows that have earned the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. The most recent Laureate is Carol Greider who earned her Nobel Prize for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase, in 2009. In addition, the CSHL operates an academic publishing house, a graduate school, and programs for middle/ high school students as well as teachers.
3D Brain was originally released in September 2009 and updated in 2013. Funding for its development was provided by the âDana Foundationâ and the âWilliam and Flora Hewlett Foundationâ which are both private organizations that support brain research and provide charitable contributions to educational institutions, respectively. In 2015, the DNALC again upgraded the free app and released their paid version entitled â3D Brain HQâ ($1.39 CAD). The paid version solicits higher resolution images, an improved interface, and updated content, with profits supporting the DNALC.
Why 3D Brain?
3D brain combines an interactive visual display of the human brain in 3 dimensions, complete with labels and a broad textual summary of each area and its constituent structures/functions. Presented information is backed with credible references, such as the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and is elaborated with links to expansive websites such as BrainInfo.edu from the University of Washington. The content within the app would be suitable for delivery to a Grade 12 Anatomy and Physiology class in a top-down approach to the structure and function of the nervous system, or in a Psychology 12 class when discussing clinical aspects and abnormal symptoms.
For example, a teacher may suggest that students download the app as a visual study aid for a structure/function diagram on an upcoming assessment. Additionally, the textual descriptions of each area provide enough information for students to provide answers to questions and tasks such as; âwhat symptoms may be incurred if a patient were to suffer damage to his/her/their frontal cortex?â, âcompare and contrast Wernickeâs vs. Brocaâs aphasiaâ, or âlist the associated cortical structures of the limbic system and describe how their function is interconnected as a systemâ. Within the âInfoâ tab, readers are directed to associate subcortical structures with interdependent function, linked references to relevant published journal articles, and websites that elaborate the content. For emergency pivot online education, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, 3D Brain could be accompanied with worksheets designed to have the students interact with the content and partake in asynchronous learning.
The representation of the human brain in 3D is useful as a visual aid for a variety of learners including those at the high school and post-secondary undergraduate level. The descriptive information provided by the app is devoid of excessive jargon, making it attainable by a range of readers without any pre-requisite training. The explanations within the âinfoâ tab that accompany each structure, demonstrate a conventional and pedagogical presentation of information to observers. Finally, the references and links within the app can be verified academically, and expanded by learners with various levels of education or interest.
Why Not?
3D Brain is an invaluable visual aid for many students. However, it was originally designed for Apple products, and several features were lost in the adaptation for Android devices. This includes the vertical rotation and zoom features, as well as much of the design aesthetics and image quality. Although 3D brain maintains its credibility as an accurate brain anatomy tool, the interface discrepancy may make the app less attractive for Android phone users as compared to other anatomy tools. Additionally, all users must pay for access to images that are of the highest resolution.
Although 3D brain was updated in 2015, a few of the provided links to expansive websites have not been updated or are no longer in service. To address this, the app advertises its upgraded version, for $1.39 CAD, which includes âhigher resolution images, an improved interface, and updated contentâ, with profits allocated to the DNALC. However, this problem surfaces only for students who intend to utilize 3D Brain as an academic resource at the post-secondary level. Unfortunately, its application in the BC curriculum is practically limited.
As an app for Grade 12 Anatomy and Physiology, 3D Brain would be reserved as a reference for studying the anatomy and function of the human brain in the nervous system. Depending on the unit design of a prospecting teacher, other apps may be available to teachers that provide a more holistic approach to the Grade 12 Anatomy and Physiology curriculum. Although 3D Brain provides a wealth of expansive textual content to various learners, it may not find a place in the high school classroom beyond its utility as a mobile visual aid for structure/function diagrams.
Conclusion
3D Brain has practical applications for the Grade 12 Anatomy and Physiology classroom, although, it may not be extendable beyond its use as a visual aid and study reference for the human brain. The visual content is engaging, and its textual content is credible, brief, and comprehensible. The paid version of the app offers higher resolution images, an upgraded interface and updated links to various digital resources, however, the utility of the free version is unaffected by these differences.
The overall impression of 3D Brainâs free version is that it is accessible, user-friendly, interactive, and contains current information about the structure and function of the brain. Its minimalist interface may be subject to scrutiny, although its convenient design, readability and reference lists allows users to attain or expand the information from a wide array of background knowledge. Although the app is not sufficiently robust to be used as a centerpiece for any high school curriculum, 3D Brain could be used by Grade 12 Anatomy and Physiology teachers as an asynchronous visual aid, or reference for assignments relating to the anatomy of the human brain.
References
Bowden, D.M., Dubach, M.F., McArthur, E., Song, E., Kocheleva, I., Moore, E., Atkinson, W., Dubach, J., Martin, R.F., McLean, M.R., Rauschning, W., Reinke, J., Robertson, J.E., Shupe, L., Siderova, V., Wu, J., Yacker, J., Zhou, E., Chen, T., & Kye, H. (2020). BrainInfo. http://braininfo.rprc.washington.edu/
Well, this is it. Godspeed on my journey. Consider this the first internet entry that I have made beyond Facebook. How new! How Exciting! How anxiety provoking.
We are continuously learning, and yet as we age we often afford ourselves fewer and fewer opportunities to experience something truly new. Familiarity is comfortable and as we learn more about what we already know, we allow our routines to help to define us.
And yet, the world keeps spinning and the times are’a’changing.
The last couple of weeks have been a stern reminder that the world is an awfully big place, and catching a glimpse of what we don’t know can be uncomfortable.
Here are some of the worlds that exist beyond my own. Can I see their place in the universe? I definitely can. Am I disappointed that I’ve never heard of the majority of them? I was once told to live with no regrets…
This old dog is ready to learn some new tricks!
Flipgrid – a convenient interface that hosts video discussions by that allow responses to particular topics (grids) or discussions in an online-classroom setting.
Mattermost – A messaging platform that is designed to allow for comprehensive large or small-scale collaborative communication.
WordPress – Describing this would seem redundant to whomever may be reading this right now, and yet I feel compelled. Content management has evolved. It is more customizable and user friendly than ever. What is most surprising is that it is just as free as the rest of the described apps in this post.
Twitter – This is an example of how the blogging world has evolved. Twitter is an example of “micro-blogging”, allowing people to send and receive ‘tweets’ about topics from people that they choose to ‘follow’.
Twine – This app provides an interface for creating non-linear stories that are presented as a ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ PowerPoint complete with images and audio. The narrator provides variables and conditions that the audience navigates in order to create a unique specific outcome or ending.
Davinci’s Resolve – Video editing software. What makes it unique is that it is not only free, but also extensively capable. For videos that I will create for this blog in the future, I will be using this software and I imagine that I will have much more to say about it.
Calendly – Scheduling software that allows meetings to be created by a user which can then be RSVP’d to by another e-mail recipient.
Trello – This app provides a platform for making and managing lists, which can be updated interactively or customized.
Hypothes.is – Software that allows a group to annotate, copy, or quote various websites, consolidate the annotations and quotations, and discuss on a messaging platform. One could think about it as tool for peer-review amongst colleagues.
It has become startlingly apparent to me that creating a digital identity has become communication currency in the professional world. I grew comfortable in the past, but I’ve hit the ground running. Only now, today’s run is a sprint – so it’s time to get fit.
I am excited and nervous about the future, but am anxious to learn more, faster, so that I can get back on pace with the real world.
Until next time.
October 1, 2020
For this week I have posted a video that can be located in the page entitled “About Me”, and it is just a brief summary (00:01:36.00) of myself and my path to the teaching program.
I used a resource called “Davinci’s Resolve 16”, which is free video creation software that is quite expansive, variously capable, and has a large enough user base that most questions can be Googled.
This was the very first video that I have created, and it consists of a title page, background music, and several consecutive clips and photos. Matching audio volume was the most tricky part about editing the video, but I managed to complete the product and was satisfied with the result.
Please feel free to take a look at the video.
October 10, 2020
This week is another to appreciate the transformation of the world. Here comes another list of apps that I have now used to hand in assignments – Microsoft Paint.
More and more archaic are pencils and paper becoming. Why even use them anymore when there are digital alternatives?
I’ve certainly drawn out ideas and scanned them for submission but as things evolve, and technology becomes more synchronized, we see less and less need to have compartmentalized technology. Who needs a scanner anymore?
The following is a simple concept map that describes content and ideas that compose a grade 10 science unit – which consists of about 20-25 high school classes:
The point of this post is not to brag and show you my super pretty, creative, original, and otherwise well thought-out concept map. It’s to also include that it is graphically pleasing, exciting, and makes other people envious just by glancing. Also, it was made without touching a pencil. This may have been a first, but I sincerely doubt that it will be a last.
The best part was, once I figured out how to use it effectively, it was much faster (and neater) than me writing on paper. I’ve let go of my material attachment and moved on to what’s current, what’s green, and what’s new.
October 23, 2020
Over the last week I have been introduced to a litany of technology that exists for student learning in the classroom and outside of it.
These have totally blown my mind. Contrary to my immediate perception, it turns out that many students thrive in a remote atmosphere. It may not represent a majority of students, but it certainly represents enough to be relevant.
To address the differences in learning modalities that students are faced with in today’s world, several styles have been created and implemented. These ideas are exploitable during the emergency pivot. The following styles have been instructed to us by Dr. Valerie Irvine.
“Face-to-face refers to classes that are on campus/in school. The timing is typically synchronous because everyone is engaged in a live conversation.
Blended or hybrid emerged and typically referred to the consecutive mixing on face-to-face portions and online portions.
Tech-enabled or tech-integrated is often used to refer to a face-to-face class that has technology embedded in some way, but often not reducing âinstructional hoursâ to do so.
Online learning used to be synonymous with asynchronous learning, which means not âliveâ or happening at the same time, but as the internet speeds increased and the computers/laptops became more advanced, online started to mix asynchronous (forums, emails, blogs, etc.) with synchronous learning, which means happening live or at the same time, such as video conferencing. Other words commonly used for online learning include e-learning, distributed learning, distance education, etc.
As software and hardware became even more advanced, entire classrooms became video-enabled, allowing remote learners to come together synchronously (live) â thus MERGING face-to-face learners with online (remote) learners. Because blended refers to consecutive face-to-face and online modalities, new terms emerged to brand the merging of modes. Blended synchronous and synchronous hybrid refer to the synchronous merging of remote learners and F2F learners. Multi-access learning is a broader framework that includes F2F, online synchronous, online asynchronous, and also considers open access to include open learners (the public) for access to resources and/or discourse. HyFlex emerged to capture designs that allowed the learners to entirely choose their modality, which may be the same for some multi-access courses, many courses have designs which require participation in some components (e.g., a F2F required time at the beginning of the term and end, required participation in synchronous time (F2F or online), etc.).”
Next week I will be reviewing different institutions with unorthodox or learning environments that are unorthodox as compared with traditional institutions.
November 6, 2020
ED TECH and Privacy
I figured out today how to change the public or private status on my blog. After looking into things using the resources on the EDCI 336 website, I found that American sites get all of our data, regardless of our privacy status, which has forced me to think about what I am willing to share. I’ve also taken some time to review the following resources.
I highly recommend for any prospective teachers who would like to increase their digital footprint.
This week included a lesson about inclusive learning through the lens of a professional from BCEdAccess and mother of an autistic son.
Tracey Humphreys is fantastic.
Her own personal experience with her son in the education was dismal. She remained relatively unsupported through his 17 years of attendance, despite escalations to the school board, and her son has suffered for it.
She has been an advocate for her son and has advised several technologies that can be employed by teachers to allow technology to be accessible for everyone.
In addition she informed us about grants/bursaries for students with disabilities, Assistive technology grants, Student AID BC as Post-secondary resources.
I found this list of resources surprising, largely because I hadn’t even heard of most of them.
It was a gentle reminder that we are our own strongest advocates, and we must teach our students to be the same.
