Culturally Responsive EDU Tech

Phase One

Title: "Oasis in the Desert"

Format idea: A digital or paper collage that combines:

• Images of Alamogordo’s desert landscapes
   

• Water (pools, rivers, waves, droplets)
   

• A lifeguard stand or a red cross symbol
   

• Music notes or a microphone
   

• TikTok logo in the corner (subtle reference)
   

• A sun and water ripple merging—symbolizing how your roots and passions come together

My piece, "Oasis in the Desert," represents the unique blend of my identity shaped by the sun-drenched landscapes of Alamogordo, New Mexico, and my deep connection to water. Growing up in a desert taught me to value water not just as a necessity, but as a symbol of life, safety, and joy. That contrast shaped my passion for water safety, which I now share through my work as a lifeguard and educator. I’ve become known as the “singing lifeguard” on TikTok, where I use music and humor to connect with others and promote awareness. I chose a collage format because it allows me to show how seemingly opposite elements, desert and water, tradition and modern media, can coexist to tell my story.

 

Phase Two

Connection to Course Content:
One key topic from this course that strongly connects to my funds of identity is “Cultural and Environmental Identity,” how our surroundings and heritage shape who we are and influence the knowledge and skills we develop. The course emphasized the role of place, community, and personal experience in forming our unique perspectives. My identity is deeply rooted in the desert environment of Alamogordo, which has taught me resilience and respect for scarce resources, such as water. At the same time, my passion for water safety and my use of music on TikTok to educate others reflect how cultural expression and digital media are vital competencies in today’s world. This blending of environment, tradition, and technology reflects course themes around the intersection of personal identity, community engagement, and modern communication methods.

Representation Idea:

Create a digital infographic or visual map that effectively layers these connections to illustrate them. For example:

• At the center, place your collage “Oasis in the Desert” (or a simplified version).
   

• Surround it with icons or short text blocks that reference course concepts, such as environmental identity, cultural expression, digital literacy, and community engagement.
   

• Use arrows or lines to illustrate how your desert upbringing, passion for water safety, and musical outreach on TikTok relate to these academic concepts.
   

• Include a brief quote or definition from the course material about identity or cultural competence.

Artist’s Statement:

My piece visually connects my personal funds of identity to key themes from this course, particularly how environment and culture shape identity, and how modern tools like social media enable new forms of community and education. Growing up in the desert taught me to appreciate water as a vital resource and symbol of life, which inspired my work as a lifeguard and educator. Using music and humor on TikTok reflects my adaptation to digital culture and my commitment to engaging diverse audiences. This representation highlights how personal experience and academic concepts intersect, revealing that identity is both deeply rooted and continually evolving through connection and communication.

 

Phase 3: Project-Based Learning Unit

Title: Water Wisdom: Creative Voices for Water Safety

Learner Profile

• Age Group: Upper elementary to middle school students (ages 10–14)

• Background: Learners may live in water-scarce areas or communities where water is valued but often taken for granted. They are forming a stronger awareness of environmental and social issues.

• Interests: Curious, expressive, and media-savvy, many enjoy music, social platforms like TikTok, and creative arts. They value authentic learning that lets them express their identity.

• Connection to Topic: Learners are ready to connect their personal experiences (e.g., growing up in dry regions or enjoying water recreation) with broader concerns like water safety, access, and environmental impact. They are developing a voice and interest in influencing their communities.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, students will:

1. Recognize the significance of water as both a vital resource and a critical safety concern, particularly in arid or desert environments.

2. Explore how environment and culture shape personal identity.

3. Identify how digital tools (e.g., music, videos, infographics) can be used to inform and engage others.

4. Develop skills in research, collaboration, reflection, and multimedia communication.

5. Take meaningful action by creating a water safety awareness campaign.

Driving Question

How can we use our voices and creativity to promote water safety and awareness in our community?

Project Overview

Project Title: Water Wisdom Campaign

Students will create a multimedia awareness campaign focused on water safety, access, or environmental awareness. The campaign will reflect their personal experiences and cultural context, utilizing creative tools such as music, collage, and digital storytelling.

Final Products:

• A short music-based PSA video, TikTok-style clip, or spoken word performance

• A collage or infographic illustrating the student's personal connection to water

• A presentation or display at school or in the community

• A reflection piece connecting identity, creativity, and advocacy

Project Process & Timeline

Phase 1: Explore & Connect (Week 1)

• Introduce water safety, access, and environmental identity

• Watch examples of youth-led campaigns or creative PSAs

• Reflect on personal water stories (journaling, drawing, group sharing)

• Conduct a brief community inquiry: Where does our water come from? Who has access? What risks exist?

Phase 2: Reflect & Plan (Week 2)

• Students identify an angle: Water access? Safety? Conservation? Personal impact?

• Brainstorm how to express their message (e.g., song, video, spoken word, collage)

• Draft lyrics, scripts, or visual sketches

• Peer critique and teacher conferencing

Phase 3: Create & Launch (Weeks 3–4)

• Record or design final products: videos, posters, or multimedia pieces

• Upload or present projects in a “Water Wisdom Gallery Walk” or classroom screening

• Optional: Post videos or graphics on school social media, share with community centers

Phase 4: Reflect & Extend (Week 5)

• Group dialogue or individual writing:

  • What did you learn about your environment and your identity?

  • How can you continue to be a voice for safety or justice?

• Brainstorm ways to continue the campaign (e.g., form a club, host a safety day)

Critical Pedagogy Integration

Principle

Implementation

1. Name the Issue

Students investigate real challenges related to water safety or access in their communities.

2. Reflect from Multiple Perspectives

Learners explore water through personal, cultural, environmental, and media lenses.

3. Take Meaningful Action

Students produce creative work to educate their peers and the public, building real-world advocacy skills.

 

Optional Extensions

• Partner with a local lifeguard, aquatics center, or environmental group

• Invite a guest speaker (e.g., environmentalist, public health worker)

• Display collages and campaign materials at a community event or online

 

Phase 4

This project does a great job of showing that my partner understands who I am and what I value as a lifeguard instructor. The focus on water safety immediately connects to my professional identity and the work I do teaching others to be safe around water. This PBL unit not only highlights the importance of water safety but also provides students with the opportunity to express themselves creatively. The use of videos, spoken word, or TikTok-style clips is a natural way to engage this age group while still centering a crucial real-world issue.

The topic and project feel both relevant and meaningful. For students aged 10–14, connecting water safety to their own lives, whether through their cultural background, community experiences, or recreational activities, will likely make the learning experience more personal. If I were the learner, I think I’d find this project intriguing because it blends creativity with advocacy. I especially like how students are encouraged to share their voices and take action by creating a public-facing campaign, rather than simply completing a project that stays in the classroom.

This unit aligns strongly with the principles of critical praxis. It asks students to identify a real issue (such as water safety and access), reflect on it from both personal and community perspectives, and then take meaningful action through their awareness campaign. It also builds on students’ identities by inviting them to share their own water stories and use creative media to express themselves. In short, it’s a project that not only teaches essential content but also empowers students to engage critically and make a difference.

 

Phase 5:

Ripples of Identity and Impact by Madison Cronin

Before this course, I mostly understood identity in personal terms, something shaped by where I grew up, my interests, and how I spent my time. For me, that meant growing up in Alamogordo, New Mexico, working as a lifeguard, and loving music. I recognized that my environment and hobbies influenced the way I connected with people, especially online through platforms like TikTok. What I hadn’t fully realized was how those personal elements could also be powerful tools in educational spaces, not just background details, but tangible assets. This course helped me see that what I bring to the table, both personally and culturally, is part of what scholars refer to as funds of identity. And that concept has completely shifted how I think about teaching and learning.

At the beginning of the semester, I thought of culturally responsive teaching as something good to strive for, but kind of secondary to the “real” work of teaching content. Now I see it differently. Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) isn’t just an add-on; it’s foundational. It centers students’ identities, cultures, and lived experiences, and positions them as valuable starting points for deeper learning. This approach, paired with Critical Pedagogy, challenged me to rethink the purpose of teaching. It’s not just about delivering information; it’s about creating space for students to question, reflect, and ultimately take meaningful action in their own communities.

As I developed my piece, Oasis in the Desert, I noticed a shift happening within myself. What began as a personal collage, something I believed represented me, ultimately became a bridge between my past and present, my environment, and my purpose. I began to see how my identity, my job as a lifeguard, and even my TikToks weren’t just personal quirks; they were part of a larger story about safety, care, and connection. My “singing lifeguard” persona, for example, is actually a form of informal, culturally rooted education. It uses humor and music to engage people in topics that matter, especially around water safety. This realization helped me connect my personal story to the larger educational theories we explored in class.

Growing up in the desert gave me a certain reverence for water, not just as something we need, but something to respect and protect. That awareness led me to lifeguarding, and later to using music and social media to teach others about safety. Before this course, I thought of those interests as separate pieces of who I was. But now I understand how place-based learning and environmental identity play a role in shaping both who we are and how we learn. My experience growing up in a water-scarce area isn’t something I have to set aside to be “relevant”; it’s something I can lean into, especially when working with students from similar backgrounds. One of the most essential takeaways from this course is the reminder that students don’t come into classrooms as blank slates. They come in with stories, values, and ways of knowing that deserve space in our teaching.

The idea from Critical Pedagogy that resonated most with me was Paulo Freire’s belief that students are co-creators of knowledge. That concept directly shaped my Water Wisdom project-based learning (PBL) unit. In this unit, students are invited to explore their identities, use digital tools, and take action through creative expression, whether that’s making a TikTok-style PSA, writing a song, or creating a visual piece about water safety. They’re not just consuming information; they’re making meaning out of it. And in doing so, they’re becoming advocates in their own right. What really struck me is that CRP and Critical Pedagogy aren’t just about what you teach, but how you teach it—how you engage students in ways that respect who they are and encourage them to make a difference.

One shift I’ve made in my thinking is around the role of creativity in the classroom. I used to think of things like music, collage, or video as fun extras, engaging, sure, but maybe not central. Now I see that multimodal expression is essential, especially for students who may not connect with traditional formats. My own college taught me that. There are emotions and ideas I couldn’t have captured in writing alone, and the same is true for students. Offering different ways to engage with content and show understanding isn’t just about variety; it’s about equity and access.

Ultimately, the most significant change in my thinking has been realizing that teaching centered on identity isn’t a “nice idea”; it’s necessary. When we start from who our students are and where they come from, learning becomes more authentic, more connected, and more powerful. And when we allow students to express themselves in ways that feel natural and meaningful, we’re not just helping them learn content, we’re helping them see their own potential to lead and create change.

Moving forward, I want to design learning experiences that blend critical inquiry with cultural affirmation projects, helping students not only understand the world but also see their place in shaping it. This course has helped me connect the dots between my own experiences and the kind of educator I want to be: one who values student voice, embraces creativity, and sees teaching as a collaborative, transformative process.

 

Final Thoughts

This project wasn’t just a class assignment; it was a mirror and a map. A mirror that helped me better understand myself as a learner, educator, and advocate is invaluable. And a map that showed me how to design meaningful learning rooted in identity, environment, and action. I leave this course with a renewed sense of purpose and a more expansive vision of education, one where deserts can hold oases, creativity can lead to change, and every student’s story becomes a source of knowledge and power.