Our text explains Digital Storytelling by Kate Kemker as technology not being the focus of the lesson’s activity, but rather the tool used to create the story. Digital storytelling allows the student to utilize their critical thinking skills through, first, researching, writing and organizing information about the structure of their story. Second, critical thinking skills are applied via collaboration with other students in organizing the various roles that will be played in the video for the story. Finally, digital storytelling allows for critical thinking by students when they edit their video in the final stage of postproduction. Kate Kemker suggests that a rubric should be used to help the students access their progress. I believe digital storytelling could work in my classroom, but only with matured students (possibly grades 7th grade and up). Undeniably, the opportunities digital storytelling offers students to practice their creative skills which would require critical thinking skills would be a benefit to the student.
The textbook suggests a visualization tool referred to as Geometric Supposer to help students visualize mathematical concepts in geometry. Through the process of constructing and manipulating geometric objects student’s can explore and the relationships within and between the objects. This could be a good tool for testing the knowledge and even expanding upon the student’s knowledge of geometry. This visualization tool offers the promotion of analytical reasoning on the student’s part.
Everyone learns differently, so when posed the question “Is it possible to learn from watching TV instruction in and of itself?” I believe it would depend upon the learner, but it all likely hood, there would need to be some form of hands on or verbal assessment of processed skills. As the text offers, a mental process is also involved with performance of any skill. There is a need to perform certain process such as making decisions, questioning and ultimately resolving the task at hand. This feedback, even if only a think aloud step is incorporated into the TV learning process seems to me to be a necessary one.
Jonassen, D, Howland, J, Marra, R, & Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill/ Prentice Hall
I agree that the feedback issue is an important one when thinking about learning through a television alone. In our e-classroom classes, we do get feedback through grades on our assignments. There is no way, just by looking at a television that you have access to direct feedback. This would be a big drawback for many students. The TV could certainly introduce a subject and be used to reinforce a subject,even could be used to enhance or further develop a subject, like using an art documentary to learn more about the impressionist style of painting. If you are learning facts, TV would be possible but when learning a skill I think it would be really difficult.
ReplyDeleteI had a teacher that when he was absent, he would have the substitute hand out papers to everyone and put on a movie, the handouts were fill in the blank questions to make sure we were watching the movie, so the problem with writing it down is that you cant really focus on whatever is on the TV, so the key, like you said is it depends on how you learn.
ReplyDelete-Richard Smith
Richard,
ReplyDeleteUsing a movie as a substitute when teachers are absent is a good idea! ;)
Thanks,
CK