Tag: Technology

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Virtual Reality Community

Virtual Reality

After winning the Brainly Educator of the Year Special Award, I received $500 from Brainly towards a project on DonorsChoose!

I decided on two virtual reality headsets for my classroom.

Personally, we have two Oculus Quest 2‘s in my household… and I completely enjoy them. Using the Quest 2 for virtual art making has been one of my new favorite things. Especially when its collaborating with other artists in VR.

I posted the link to my project and as I was writing this today, the project was FULLY FUNDED!

We received the headsets 2 days after the project was funded!! Just before the end of the school year, which is super exciting. I am looking forward to showing them art museums in VR and letting them create worlds in virtual reality!

Thank you everyone who voted for me for Brainly Educator of the Year, this wouldn’t have been possible without you all! And a HUGE special shout out to my son Landyn, thank you for nominating me! You are such a blessing to me. <3

Thank you to the two donors that helped the project become fully funded. The students were super excited when I shared with them that we will be receiving our new headsets soon!

Keep an eye out for future blogs about what we do and how it goes!

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Remote Education

Wow. Yesterday was tiring.

Between doing my own work, and getting Landyn and Element to do their work…. whoa. Element was more interested in the magic she found from dangling her pen from a strand of hair, then creating a word math problem. We took a few breaks, made rice crispy treats! Their work is to complete online packets, sent by their teachers through Google classroom. They go to school in SYCSD in Pennsylvania. It’s interesting to see the different between the two school systems approaches. I had to stop and take some deep breaths a few times.

Overall, the professional development BCPS created for us was easy enough. There were a few things I had to figure out on my own that could’ve been described better, however it wasn’t that difficult just a little time consuming.

The county has created a streamlined remote learning template for all BCPS teachers to use on their class pages. We were asked to put all of our previous materials in a folder labeled “Previous Q1 Q2 Q3”, and then create a few new pages and folders to reflect the BCPS default layout. Once those folders and pages were created in one class, I was able to easily copy each of them to my 9 other courses. There’s a weird glitch in Schoology when I try to copy folders to all of my other courses at once, some of the courses don’t receive the folder so I have to go in and copy it again individually.

All of my classes have been set up to the default template, and I am awaiting our art teacher meeting on Wednesday so I can see what lessons we have available to upload. The Visual Arts office and a team of awesome art educators have created lessons for us to use, so if we do not have the ability to create our own we do not have to. What’s nice is that we have the ability to alter or create our own if we want to!

I just finished setting up and creating my first Google Meet so that I can meet with my students!! I am so excited to see them, I’m going to send out an email to all of them to see if they want to meet up to say hi!!

I have to say this morning was a lot smoother than yesterday.

At 1pm today we had our first virtual faculty meeting! We used Microsoft teams. It was a good meeting, learned a lot about the expectations we have as teachers…

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  • Upload 2 mini-lessons by 8am on Monday morning, with a due date set for that Friday by midnight. Each lesson should be about 20-25 mins in length,
  • Have a live virtual meetup for 30 mins with each class… I will only be teaching my students on Thursday and Friday mornings between 9-11:30.
  • Maintain 2 hrs per day of office hours for student and parent questions and concerns.
  • Provide students with feedback at least once a week.

This all feels a little better now that I know the expectations!

Happy day 2!

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Processing

Today went well…

I could tell students were really in shock and didn’t know what to do. They were quieter.

Today I spoke to them about what was happening, and shared where the online art resources were located for them to do over the next two weeks. These digital resource folders were uploaded to each class, and they are for practice only. If students want to use them over the 2 weeks they can, but they are not mandatory.

We discussed how things might be longer than 2 weeks, and we might have to go to online learning if that happens. They’re responses were, “That would not be good. I can’t focus at home. I won’t ever do any work! I need accountability. I’ll get distracted by Minecraft!” Its funny to me because when everything is normal they don’t want to be in school… but when presented with the opportunity to not being school, they realize they might not have the self control to keep learning up to their potential!

Well then shared with them again that the best thing for them to do right now is to take care of themselves mentally and physically. To take time to rest and breath, not allowing themselves to be overwhelmed with stress or fear.  Using art to help you express how you’re feeling and how your processing this new experience. I encouraged them to keep a journal about it all, and to spend some time creating art that represents this experience for them. 

Also I mentioned they should eat less processed sugar if they can help it, since it does not help their immune system. You should’ve heard how almost every class responded to my sugar comment! It was amazing how defensive they became. So many students said, “What?! Oh No! I dont think I could do that. I love sugar.”    If they only knew how much better they would feel if they had less sugar in their diet!

After school was over I realized I needed to take my plants home with me, because there would be no one there to water them for 2 weeks. So many things I had to consider and contemplate today. Even before going to the grocery store at 4pm.

When I parked at Shoprite, I knew what I was getting myself into.  There wasn’t too much missing when I arrived. The bananas were gone, and so was all the rubbing alcohol, peroxide, toilet paper, and bread. The rest of the store was pretty much stocked. It was so weird.

And then I went to stand in line… and I had to go pretty much halfway down the aisle to get to the end of the line. I waited in line for about 40 mins at least. Everyone was very friendly and polite. Helping each other find what they needed and waiting line while having small talk. It was nice to see people being kind.

Today went well, but was also very overwhelming.

The amount of information, what ifs and questions I had to process today put my mind on overload, and being around all of those people in the grocery store added a level of emotions that were tough to balance.

When I got home from the store all I wanted to do was sit by myself alone, and cry. Releasing all of that tension and energy back into a neutral space of love and balance.

Being alone to process what we experience and feel is a very important part of learning and growing… of knowing thy self.

The energy of this experience is quite new… so slow and steady is the only way to navigate.

Keep breathing, in and out.

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For the First time…

All Maryland public schools will be closed from Monday March 16th until March 27th because of the coronavirus.

As of this moment, we will not have to teach for those two weeks. However they mentioned that we will have to use our spring break time to make it up.

This is the first time something like this has happened to me, as I am sure its a first for many. We are history in the making.

So to keep track of my experience with this virus, I thought I would write about it.

Students are aware of a lot of information about the virus. They have researched, watched and listened to information about it. A lot of students mention to me that they didn’t understand the hysteria around it. While there were a few who voiced their anxiety about it.  Most students were excited by the idea of getting out of school, and being apart of something so… historical.  They even shared information that in every decade in the 20th year, there was some type of pandemic! The black plague, spanish flu, and now the coronavirus.

Most of my friends online have expressed concern for the elderly and the sick, however they also do not understand the hype. Why are people purchasing all of the toilet paper? We went to the grocery store and the toilet paper was all gone, as were all of the cleaning supplies!  Those were the only two things missing on the shelves.

I also want to mention that the stock market is crashing, and people are promoting using digital platforms to help eliminate spread of the virus. There could be a correlation between the idea of money spreading the virus and the use of digital platforms as a financial solution.  Though cryptocurrency is also tanking… at this moment, it is down to $5k.

So as I prepare for my last day of school tomorrow before our 2 week closure, I want to remind you, change is inevitable… so just breathe.

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Cryptocurrency Education Most Popular

Financial Service Innovation

Crypto

The other day I went to PNC bank to make a wire transfer*.

This blog is about my experience and how it relates to technology innovation.

First off, I had to take off of work early to get to PNC before they closed at 4pm.  The closest branch was about 5 miles away. Once I arrived at the bank I met with an associate who assisted me in the process.

The visit took a total of 30 mins or so, from the time I sat down to the time I left the building.  To begin, I had to have the account and routing number of the bank the transfer was going to, as well as the person’s name and address. The associate input the information and had me visually and verbally verify that it was typed correctly.  He then printed out the information receipt, which was 2 pages stapled together, and had me read over the printed receipt to check once more.

The transaction also has a fee of $30 for an outgoing domestic transfer.

It takes about 2 hours for the transfer to be sent and arrive in the recipient’s account.

I mention all of this, because time and energy are currency.

All of this affirms the importance of blockchain technology education, so we might learn and know how to manage our finances for ourselves!

To be financially stable and secure is something we work for our whole lives.  A lot of times people find their stability in the forms of entities outside themselves, and this happens for many reasons; whether it’s time, energy, money, or the lack thereof. If you are not interested in learning to use it yourself, you should at least be aware of its implications and talk to someone who might be able to assist you in diversifying your investments and take back control of your funds.

So, lets say this transaction was performed using blockchain technology.

The amount of time, energy and currency needed to fully complete the task would be far less than 30 mins; that’s if both parties had all accounts set up and active. 

A blockchain transaction could look one of two ways:

  1. Recipient requests funds from their wallet to your wallet address which you have provided to them. Sender then confirms transaction to transfer funds.
  2. Sender acquires recipients wallet address, logs into their wallet and sends funds to the recipients wallet address.

These two types of transactions cost no more than $10, and the average transaction time is .65 seconds.

As I sat in the bank, I realized how much currency I could save to refocus into things I have a passion to do, like painting or doing henna.

So, later that day I was using my PNC mobile account and I noticed that I could transfer money via Zelle.  I created an account and transferred some funds, when I realized… ITS ALREADY HERE.  Zelle is basically blockchain technology, with a user friend interface, and regulated by PNC. The downfall is that there is a limit to how much money you can send in a transaction depending on your account type.

I realize now how important it is to share my experiences and learning with my community.  Time is currency! Begin learning more about what’s changing with our financial system, and blockchain technology here, or contact me to talk!

 

*wire transfers are necessary when your bank has a limit on how much you can transfer, and usually for larger amounts.

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Cryptocurrency Education Existence Most Popular

Blockstack

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We believe in a future where the rights you enjoy in the physical world extend to the digital world.

However, the rules of today’s web browsers and apps were written by the large internet companies responsible for violating our rights.

We’re building an app ecosystem that works for users, not against them, so that apps can’t be evil and your digital rights are protected.

 

Blockstack is a blockchain-based, decentralized internet platform where users completely own and control their data, and the network apps that may use the data are run locally on the user’s browser. A compatible browser is sufficient to access everything on Blockstack.

Imagine not having to upload data on an external site like Facebook or on an app like WhatsApp, and yet being able to share it with friends and other users.

Blockstack enables this by offering an all new internet platform, where all decentralized apps are run locally on the user’s browser, and users continue to own their data (text, images, videos, and files).

Using the power of blockchain, a Blockstack user gets digital keys to create their identity on the Blockstack network. User data can be stored locally or connected to his/her storage hosting providers, allowing the user to retain full control.

Sharing of content is achieved through a secure and encrypted medium. The Blockstack network supports tokens like bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and are available for peer-to-peer transfer or charging for downloads, subscriptions, and more.

Blockstack is also in the preregistration stages of releasing their own token. Stacks (STX) token is the native utility token of the Blockstack network. Stacks tokens are consumed as “fuel” when users register digital assets, like usernames, or when they register/execute smart contracts. Using Stacks, developers can build and distribute apps that let users maintain ownership of their data and protect their digital rights.

This has promise and sounds like the beginning of a new direction for the way we use the internet!

 

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Cryptocurrency Education Existence Most Popular Southern York

4 Crypto Question Survey

I have recently developed 4 survey questions’ in order to learn more about cryptocurrency awareness in my community. The responses I receive will assist in the creation of future learning opportunities for all. Please take a minute and complete the survey by clicking the link below:
 
Take the 1 minute Survey
Thank you for your participation! If you are interested in learning more, or have any questions please message me!
– Raine Dawn
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Stablecoins

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to minimize the volatility of the price of the stablecoin, relative to some “stable” asset or basket of assets. A stablecoin can be pegged to a currency, or to exchange traded commodities.

Examples of the best-known stablecoins include

Demand for such coins has been growing. Stablecoins are designed to tackle the inherent volatility seen in cryptocurrency prices. They are normally collateralized, meaning that the total number of stablecoins in circulation is backed by assets held in reserve. Put simply, if there are 500,000 USD-pegged coins in circulation, there should be at least $500,000 sitting in a bank.

Stablecoins give owners a safe place to store their assets whenever there might be turbulence in the crypto world. Consumers can quickly and easily convert from cryptocurrencies to stablecoins when they are worried about where the markets are heading next, eliminating the need to return to a fiat currency. These conversions can also be less expensive than when switching between crypto and fiat, as it takes the transaction fees of payment processing providers and banks out of the equation.

Everyone — from banks to social networks — is getting in on the action. Facebook and J.P. Morgan are getting in on stablecoins.  Elsewhere, IBM has launched its blockchain-powered World Wire in collaboration with Stellar (issuer of XLM) — also with the goal of building a cross-border payments network. Here, international banks can create their own stablecoins backed by their local fiat currency — and institutions from Brazil, South Korea and the Philippines have reportedly registered their interest so far.

There are four features that a cryptocurrency needs in order to become global, fiat-free, digital cash:

  1. Price stability
  2. Scalability
  3. Privacy
  4. Decentralization (i.e. collateral is not held by a single entity, like Tether)

None of the current stablecoin projects have all of these features, but some are aiming to offer all of these. Scalability and privacy are likely further out. But stable, decentralized crypto-assets are possible today.

Stablecoins can play a significant role in the future development of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology in general. The key feature for the companies here would be operating in the most transparent way possible.

I am learning of many new things around blockchain technology, and I will continue to share as I learn them!  So many exciting new things on the horizon!

 

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Coinbase Learning

I discovered recently that you can earn crypto while learning about crypto on Coinbase. I am learning how specific cryptocurrencies work — and I get a bit of each currency to try out for myself.

So I have been learning about Stellar Lumen and XLM.  Stellar is a platform that connects banks, payment systems, and people. Stellar unites the world’s financial infrastructure so money can flow quickly and cheaply between banks, businesses, and people. It has some amazing potential.

For people sending money to family members overseas, Stellar offers a cheaper, faster alternative to traditional money transfer services.

Banks, businesses, and people can use Stellar to turn traditional assets, like dollars and euros, into tokens. These tokens can then be transferred and exchanged with any other participant on the Stellar network.

As a Coinbase customer, you can learn how it all works and you’ll earn XLM.  XLM is the Stellar networks own cryptocurrency which facilitates low-cost, universal payments on Stellar.

Digital assets on Stellar are protected by a decentralized global network of computers running Stellar’s open source software. These computers cooperate to confirm legitimate transactions and prevent malicious ones.

Stellar is a cooperation token, that globalizes the marketplace. I can see many benefits from participating in learning and sharing how Stellar works and how it can be applied to businesses as well as personal financial transactions. If you own a small business, Stellar could be a new platform for your business to connect to the digital world.

Click here to get started! Once you have watched the five 1-2 minute videos, you can invite up to 4 friends to earn XLM too! They can be new or existing Coinbase users. You’ll earn $10 in XLM for each eligible friend who completes a lesson.

Happy Learning and Earning!

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Full STEAM Ahead

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I recently attended the Maryland Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education annual conference in Towson Maryland. This was my first MAEOE conference, and I’m excited to bring more teachers next year!

The conference theme was Full Steam Ahead, Expanding the Potential of Environmental Education.  It was wonderful to see so much integration between the arts and sciences.

I attended a painting workshop, where we talked about how to create art as an expression of ourselves, while learning techniques to be successful in the aesthetics of the artwork.

The Watershed Charter school executive director Jessie Lehson presented Growing Art through Farming, the intersection of art and agriculture. We learned to make pastels from rocks, and cut turkey feathers into quill pens.

There was an amazing presentation called When Wonder Wins, discussing how important it is to intentionally incorporate wonder into our lives.  In doing so, we are role models for our students so that they too will use the world around them to be inspired to keep growing and following their passions.

I really enjoyed the Earth Powers and Forest bathing lightening session.  Two sessions in one hour, where we discussed allowing kids to explore nature and tap in with their creative mind. We also discussed how to take moments our of our day to spend time in nature mindfully noticing our reactions and responses to outside stimuli.

Restorative Practices was by far the best session I attended, and all of the session I went to were amazing.  Dave Dahl,  from NorthBay Adventure Camp, spoke about using restorative practices and teaching out children using the M.A.E.C.E. method. Mindfulness, Awareness, Empathy, Compassion, and Engage. We participated in hands on team building activities to build relationships with one another in our 2 hour session. We discussed the self determination theory, Carl Rogers, and Dr. Dan Siegel who wrote The Whole-Brain Child.

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This conference was a wonderful learning experience and I am excited about next year!