It’s Friday, so that means we’re excited to feature the innovative work of another committed educator! This week, our Eduporium Featured Educator is Christine Dixon. Christine works with students at the Double Peak K-8 School in the San Marcos USD in San Marcos, California! As an Innovation Coordinator TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment), Christine helps create and facilitate a lot of hands-on learning for her students using robotics, 3D printing, circuitry, and other STEAM tools and she’s always finding new ways to help her students build problem-solving skills—even using the COVID-19 crisis to help them think differently about solving problems. All of us at Eduporium appreciate her hard work and dedication. Read on to learn more about her!
Christine Dixon
Innovation Coordinator TOSA at the Double Peak K-8 School in San Marcos, CA
Q&A:
Please share any innovative EdTech project(s) you've completed with your students or plan to complete.
I'm lucky to work with TK-8 students in the areas of STEAM, coding, 3D printing, design thinking, and making. I have many exciting lessons, but, if I were choosing one, it's the interactive Makey Makey posters and exhibits. Personally, I loved this project because it allowed students to incorporate both coding and circuitry within ANY content area and it can be used with students in many grade levels. I have done a version of this from 4th-8th grade, changing the "posters" to creating various exhibits in our makerspace—and there's a lot more inspiration for similar projects on the Eduporium website.
What is a challenge you faced or are facing with your EdTech use? What resources did you use or are in need of?
My current challenge is what all teachers are struggling with as a result of distance learning due to school closures. As the Eduporium team understands, my job has shifted from supporting students and teachers in the classroom to professional development and all things tech assistance for our teachers, students, and families. I have been working tirelessly, meeting with teachers virtually, and creating PD to help them launch their online learning programs. I am just so proud of all teachers for learning so much so quickly.
Since the pandemic began I've used so many resources to help them, including some the Eduporium team recommends (Google Meet, Google Classroom, screen casting tools, etc.). At the same time, I wanted to make sure my TK-8 students continued their STEAM learning at home, so I have been working with a colleague to create weekly STEAM challenges that we're sharing all over social media so not only our own students will continue their STEAM learning at home, other students will be able to as well. I am very passionate about spreading innovation far and wide!
What are some of the real-world skills you've seen your students develop through regular EdTech use?
Students engage in the 4 Cs of collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and creativity in everything we do in our innovation lab and makerspace. They also develop real-world skills like design thinking and problem solving, which the Eduporium team values as well. In our makerspace, I pose design thinking challenges because I believe strongly that they will need to solve problems in the future that don't event exist today (kind of like this COVID-19 crisis).
What interests you most about Eduporium?
Eduporium interests me because everyone there shares a true passion for STEM, EdTech, and makerspaces, like I do. I am appreciative of all that they do to spread innovation in education!
We appreciate Christine sharing her thoughts and wish her continued success in distance learning and in her innovation lab! To keep up with Christine, follow her on Twitter and follow us there as well as on Instagram. Look out next Friday, too, as we introduce you to another hard-working and innovative educator on our blog!