Month: August 2025

Interaction

When exploring resources to support our project on pet longevity, I found the YouTube video Dental Health in Dogs and Cats: What You Need to Know. This short, focused resource highlights why oral hygiene is essential for pets and addresses common misconceptions, such as the idea that “bad breath in pets is normal.” It’s a practical and evidence-based video that directly supports our goal of educating pet owners about preventive health care.

The video’s interaction primarily centers on reflection. Its visuals, which starkly juxtapose healthy teeth with advanced dental disease, naturally compel learners to pause and critically examine their own experiences with pets or challenge their preexisting assumptions. Though the video doesn’t explicitly solicit direct responses, it effectively creates opportunities for learner-driven engagement, including thoughtful note-taking, generating insightful questions, or sparking informal conversations.

To build upon this learning experience, I would develop a follow-up project where students craft a “Myth vs. Reality” infographic about pet dental health using design platforms like Canva or Piktochart. This activity strategically develops students’ abilities to synthesize critical information and communicate it visually for a broader audience. By requiring students to explain complex concepts in their own words, the project also encourages deeper comprehension and critical thinking. After completing their infographics, students would share their work by uploading them to our WordPress site, creating opportunities for peer review and constructive feedback using a straightforward evaluation rubric that assesses clarity, accuracy, and creative presentation. As the instructor, I would then provide targeted feedback that highlights the students’ strengths and gently addresses any remaining misconceptions to ensure comprehensive learning.

This approach offers both manageability and scalability. By leveraging peer review, the feedback process becomes distributed, which alleviates the instructor’s workload while ensuring learners receive meaningful, constructive comments. For larger groups, peer-to-peer feedback proves particularly effective in maintaining active engagement.

To promote inclusivity, I would provide a video transcript for students who require or prefer text-based content, and offer flexible submission formats for follow-up activities (such as allowing a written summary as an alternative to a visual infographic). By integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, we can ensure that all learners can interact with the material in ways that complement their individual learning strengths.

Overall, this video serves as an excellent introduction to the topic. It effectively ignites curiosity, supports evidence-based learning, and harmonizes beautifully with our constructivist and inquiry-driven design approach. It’s a resource that not only educates but also inspires students to develop a more nuanced perspective on preventive care in veterinary medicine.

Reference

The Pet Collective. (2022, October 28). 10 tips to keep your pet healthy [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/io3Ckr8R8T0

Peer review Blog Post #4

Hi, Joanne !

Your blog post offers an insightful and well-structured strategy for incorporating the Ted Talk into student learning. The diverse range of activities you’ve designed effectively combines immediate computer-generated feedback, collaborative peer interactions, and comprehensive instructor assessments. This multifaceted approach ensures that students not only practice comprehension but also engage in deeper, more nuanced reflection through discussion boards and writing assignments. Particularly impressive is the peer response component, which brilliantly fosters interactive learning and encourages critical engagement with varied perspectives.

The attention to accessibility in your design is commendable. By proactively addressing accommodations and providing responsive support through office hours and timely email communications, you demonstrate a genuine commitment to supporting students’ diverse needs. Your approach clearly positions inclusivity as a fundamental aspect of educational design.

To further enhance the post, you might consider more explicitly linking the activities to specific learning outcomes. For instance, you could articulate how quizzes reinforce factual recall, while the writing assignment cultivates advanced skills in synthesis and critical analysis. The accessibility section could also benefit from expanded universal design recommendations, such as consistently providing captions and transcripts to support all learners’ educational experiences.

In essence, your post stands out as an engaging, inclusive, and pedagogically robust exploration of innovative teaching strategies.

Designing for Inclusion

Hey everyone! I’m back with our third post for EDCI335. This time, I’m thrilled to share our group’s “Learning Design Blueprint” project: “Ensuring Your Pet Lives a Long, Happy Life.” Our comprehensive exploration of topics like preventative care, nutrition, and pet dental hygiene (who knew bad breath isn’t actually normal for pets?) was incredibly eye-opening. As devoted pet parents, we recognize our furry companions are true family members, and our mission is to equip owners with scientifically-grounded insights that enable pets to not just survive, but truly flourish.

Provided by New Ulm

During our design process, addressing the diverse needs of all learners emerged as a critical challenge. Our approach embraces accessibility and varied learning styles. For visual learners, we’ve crafted engaging “Myth vs. Reality” sections, particularly around dental health, featuring eye-catching infographics and compelling side-by-side comparisons of healthy and unhealthy gums. Auditory learners will appreciate embedded audio summaries and captivating TED Talk excerpts exploring pet longevity. Kinesthetic learners can dive into interactive quizzes and reflective journaling prompts that encourage direct, personal engagement. By blending multiple media formats, we ensure effective information absorption, catering to individual learning preferences.

Provided by Foundr

Recent global events have underscored the critical need for educational adaptability. Our blueprint anticipates unexpected scenarios, such as a pandemic necessitating home-based learning. Activities like the “Walk a Dog, Lose a Pound” program can seamlessly transition to dynamic online forums featuring shared reflections and virtual exercise challenges. For hands-on topics like pet dental care or FDA dishwashing protocols, we envision learners submitting concise video demonstrations, thereby cultivating a sense of community. Critically, providing clear online platform tutorials and readily accessible technical support would guarantee successful home-learning experiences.

Ultimately, designing this resource has illuminated the profound significance of flexibility and empathetic design in education. It’s fundamentally about constructing a resilient framework for high-quality, impactful learning, even when confronted with unforeseen circumstances.

References

Tony’s Blog Post #3

Your post does an excellent job of highlighting the significance of adaptability in teaching, particularly during unexpected disruptions like the pandemic. I genuinely appreciate how you not only focused on transitioning content online, but also emphasized providing comprehensive support through tutorials and diverse submission methods.

The concept of “soft deadlines” is particularly insightful, as it demonstrates empathy by reducing stress for students navigating complex personal challenges beyond their academic life. Your example of utilizing Padlet to foster collaboration is compelling, effectively illustrating how digital platforms can still facilitate meaningful interaction and peer feedback. What resonated most with me was your commitment to accessibility by offering both online and offline alternatives, which reflects a truly inclusive approach to education.

This design ensures that every student can remain engaged and supported, regardless of their individual circumstances. Ultimately, your approach strikes an impressive balance between maintaining academic structure and embracing flexible, student-centered learning strategies.