My first reaction to cell phone use in the class was definitely, "I wouldn't want the students using their cell phones in class while I'm talking, I think that's rude."
However, I do see fault with this:
1. I'm still picturing myself up in front of the class for long periods of time, but lecturing isn't a normal part of teaching anymore. It'll be rare that I'll be up in front for longer than 10 minutes at a time.
2. This is definitely an example of my own bias.
I do like this quote from a comment found at the bottom of the following article on cell phone usage in class:
"What we educators really need to do with students is to teach them how to use tools to their advantage (just as any master craftsman does, whether he is an artist, carpenter, or welder), but not to be used by their tools. In doing so, we are giving them the critical skills for good life management. Banning devices will not give our students the opportunity to master this important skill. "
I can agree with that. Taking a commanding approach and making all the rules doesn't enable students to come up with their own rules for themselves (self-regulation). Helping them to make their own decisions on what will benefit them, provides a long lasting benefit.
This is one of the forum topics in PIDP 3250. Before this forum, I have to admit that I didn't really know what a flipped classroom was. I had heard the term before, and I knew it was a 'newer' way of doing things, but I had never really pursued the topic. In this video, the flipped classroom is defined and presented in an easy to understand, entertaining way.
Parents have the option to see what their children (adolescent or adult) are learning, or even spouses for that matter (since we're mainly addressing adult learning). It can open up discussions in their personal life on the topics, which also solidifies learning. (I personally frequently talk to my spouse about what I'm learning in PIDP, mainly because he's around when I'm all excited about it)
There is more time for active learning - demonstrations, games etc., and assessments.
Students can ask questions as they're completing assignments, instead of wasting time at home, if stuck.
Classes are more engaging and fun!
I'm presently developing a curriculum on basic bookkeeping in PIDP3210, and this has completely changed how I'm going to present it! It's kind of like a workshop for people who own their own small business, or their family members (whoever wants to do the monthly bookkeeping).
One of the problems, I was finding, is that there is a lot of material to cover, starting with basic accounting knowledge. So, it was going to need to be minimum a 30 hour course. This could increase the challenge of having students commit to it.
I had originally set up the plan of having the students come in to class, then I would present the material, we would do activities to help lock it in, and then I would assess their learning. This was going to be a long process considering we would be addressing 3-4 lessons a day that would need to run through that process. My original plan didn't include any work at home.
However, with the flipped classroom idea, I can make videos (hopefully very creative, interesting videos) on the key concepts, and then have the students attend a series of interactive weeknights, instead of full days at a time. First and foremost, this will be a much more engaging experience for the students. But also, I think it will cut down on instructional time needed in the classroom and increase time for activities and questions. Likely, I will be able to cut the total time down to maybe 20 hours? I'm excited, I think this will make it so much better!
Group Work wasn't something I had really given a lot of thought to before being involved in the discussion forum with my classmates.
My personal experience in group work is pretty minimal. I don't recall any group work in neither Highschool nor business college courses.
When I took LPN training we did a lot of work with partners, but I was paired up with a great partner right from the beginning. We did do some group work, but it was later in the program and four of us had already become friends, doing study groups and such. So, my limited group experiences are very positive.
My daughter, however, in High school has had some poor experiences. My personal opinion is that the teacher needed to step in and help them out. That could have turned it all around, but even though she tried to talk to the teacher, no assistance was given.
My take aways from our forum are the following:
Some students will have a bias against group work from past negative experiences.
It is necessary to make sure it is clearly laid out what is expected before the group starts out. The facilitator can also start a class discussion on "What can we do if .......happens within the group," addressing some key difficulties that may arise.
It is very important as a facilitator to monitor the progress of the group. Interim self assessments on individual contributions to the group are a great idea, and by doing it midway there is still time to have a poor group experience turn into a great one.
If a group is really struggling and can't seem to move past the storming stage, the facilitator must help out by helping the students to learn conflict resolution skills.
If all the above occurs I think it is fair to assign a group mark for part of it, and the rest for each individuals contribution. Maybe 50/50?
I think there can be a lot gained from students working in groups, and for most of them this is a skill that they will need when they enter the workforce. They have the opportunity to learn social skills, conflict resolution and collaboration skills.
Definition as per Badgeville: "Gamification is the concept of applying game mechanics and game design techniques to engage and motivate people to achieve their goals.[1]Gamification taps into the basic desires and needs of the users impulses which revolve around the idea of Status and Achievement." https://badgeville.com/wiki/Gamification I found this to be an interesting topic in the discussion forums in PIDP3250. Initially, I had a hard time figuring out how I could implement this instructional strategy into my future teaching. I enjoyed playing games as a child, so right of the bat I thought of it as a fun way to learn. Which got me thinking how this is a natural way that kids are taught. My son took speech therapy at the age of four, and the whole system was so set up as playing games that he didn't even realize he was learning something. He thought of the therapist as "the lady that plays games with me." It was very effective. In addition, most of his educational toys revolve around playing games, he's learned about the solar system and parts of the world playing with an Innotab (kid's tablet) and an interactive globe. These aren't things he needed to learn for school, he just enjoyed the games and learned in the process. He just started Kindergarten and most of the instruction is around educational games. My spouse as well, had been playing games about naming the bones of the body on his IPhone (Bones Lite). He, as well, doesn't need to learn this information, he just thoroughly enjoys the games. I wonder why at a certain age we stop thinking of this being a helpful educational strategy? The only thing I can think of is the bias that "games are for kids." However, I believe this to be incorrect, at any age we are able to lose ourselves in games, to immerse ourselves so fully we don't even realize we're learning something, and it doesn't feel like work. Adults still possess the impulses of status and achievement as stated in the above definition. I think it would be very helpful to incorporate games in instructing adults. The benefit other than helping students to understand or remember information, is that it will also break up monotony. It's just fun. As adults sometimes we forget to give ourselves permission to have fun, and this is a good reminder. A double whammy of fun and productivity in learning material. That being said, going forward, I intend to incorporate fun interactive games in my teaching, either by creating a Jeopardy type game or finding applicable IPhone Apps for the students to download. I am sure there are also numerous resources of ready made games online.
In this TED talk by Dan Pink, "The puzzle of motivation" he creates a compelling argument that claims extrinsic motivators no longer work. The old dangle the carrot, punishment/reward type of motivation only works for problems with a clear cut solution not requiring critical and creative thinking. In fact, money motivators can decrease productivity. In this day and age we need creative and critical thinkers and the only way to do that is to maximize intrinsic motivation.
What I really appreciated in this video was that he proposes a new method. He claims the way to increase intrinsic motivation is to focus on offering opportunities for:
Autonomy: The urge to direct our own lives
Mastery: The urge to get better and better at something that matters.
Purpose: Yearning to do what we do in service of something bigger than ourselves.
He speaks of changing the motivators to make business' more productive, but I believe it also applies to teaching and even parenting. It makes sense to me that creativity is blocked by monetary motivator, and definitely by fear of punishment. I think in those cases, by nature, we shoot for the quickest solution, not wanting to invest too much time or energy. Whereas when we're internally motivated, we are more inclined to enjoy the journey, which opens up creativity.
In teaching it is important to make learning relevant to the student's personal goals, offer encouragement along the way, and offer autonomy wherever we can. I think this would help to encourage intrinsic motivation, and maximize the creative and critical thinking skills that will benefit students for the rest of their lives and satisfy employer's demands of these skills to be developed.
In this TED talk “Susan Cain:
The Power of Introverts,” Susan admits that she herself is an introvert, and
that she was unwittingly made to believe that something was wrong with her. She
explains that extroverts require constant social stimulation and introverts
require solitude in order to perform at their best. She also notes that people
may land anywhere on the extrovert/introvert spectrum. She makes a compelling
argument that society unfortunately doesn’t support introverts well enough. That
institutions of school and workplaces are more designed for extroverts.
Due to this lack of
support, society is missing out on many grand ideas that could be generated by
introverts. She explains that because they require solitude, to function well
in life and to create, the huge push for group work stifles the powerful
contributions of introverts.
She encourages people to
stop the madness for constant group work, go to solitude and unplug
periodically and to take a look at what we would want most in a suitcase that
travelled with us. She also encourages introverts to take those items out
periodically.
My initial reaction from
watching this video was Yes! Yes! That’s me! I am an introvert. It puts certain
aspects of myself into perspective. Especially my need for solitude. In the
month of August my spouse was home full time and so was my five-year old son
and teenage daughter. I really noticed a gradual overwhelming feeling that I
didn’t, until now, associate with a lack of solitude. I have also struggled at
times with getting assignments completed due to limited amount of time to
myself. I do need quiet in order to create.
When I look back on prior
group activities, I can see that I was the one who didn’t contribute much at
the time of group discussions, but I could come up with great ideas once I had
time on my own. People would say to me “You don’t talk much, but when you do
you have great ideas and good insight.”
I also recall the
constant condescension from my mother, who is very extroverted. She would often
say “Oh Arleah!” in exasperation when I wasn’t comfortable in initiating
discussions with distant family members or having a whole slew of company over
at my house. She was unable to relate to my need to have time at home, in
solitude. I can agree that I always felt there was something wrong with me and
that I “should” be more outgoing and needing constant social interaction like
her.
I have also always
struggled with public speaking. I have plans to increase my confidence with
that in order to be able to comfortably be up in front of a class. The only
thing that motivates me to surpass that hurdle is my passion for teaching.
I believe this also sheds
light on the fact that I am most comfortable writing. I take comfort in the
knowledge that most of my creative contributions to teaching will already be
formed in solitude prior to teaching in front of the class.
I applaud Susan Cain for
bringing awareness to the value of contributions from introverts and of the
unconscious bias that these people are subjected to. Perhaps introverts, after
hearing her speak, will feel more comfortable with who they are, and perhaps
the ingrained bias of others will dissipate.
So according to Susan
Cain, introverts can make profound contributions to organizations, and even the
world, if given time in solitude to formulate ideas. The new push for constant
group work is hindering these contributions. In the classroom I do agree that
even for introverts it is necessary to have some
experiences of having to collaborate with others in order to reach goals, and of
learning social skills from working within a group. However, it doesn’t need to
be the main way of learning.
Even in their day to day
life introverts need time in solitude in order for them to feel balanced and at
their best. This video brings awareness of that need and gives these people
permission to take that time.
Teachers need to be aware
of the needs of both extroverts and introverts, in order to help their students
to learn to their full capacity. Curriculums and instructional strategies need
to support all types of people along the introvert/extrovert spectrum. This can
mean giving opportunities for the extroverts to show their stuff in class, and
allowing introverts time alone before having to present their ideas.
My plan for group work in
my class is to have the students get together, have the project goal explained
to them, then have them all go home to brainstorm. The next day they can come
back and brainstorm as a group. This allows time for the introverts to
formulate ideas on their own, and allows group work time for the extroverts.
Also, I will keep in the
back of my mind the needs of both introverts and extroverts and offer
assistance to those that are struggling. I will never make people feel “less
than” because of where they land on the spectrum.
I'd say it could be beneficial if it was clear what topic the teacher was referring to. For example I just did a full weekend for a course and we won't go back for another two weeks, near the end the instructor laid out what we needed to bring to the next class and said "any questions?" We knew he meant "any questions about these expectations?" This gave feedback to him on whether we knew what we were doing. Otherwise for all he knew we could be going home completely confused.
However, timing is key. If it's time to end the class then everybody will just want to leave for the day and there will be perceived pressure from peers to not ask a question. Likewise, if there's only a couple minutes left I view the question more as rhetorical because there isn't adequate time to have the question answered anyways. In the example above, it wasn't quite the end of class, we still had time for one more group exercise before leaving for the day.
Also, there could be embarrassment issues that can prevent someone from asking a question, especially if it isn't clear which topic the instructor is referring to.
By Ian Mackenzie from Ottawa, Canada (The ice highway) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Well, after weeks of effort, I have officially completed my first digital presentation, ever. What a journey!!
First, I researched icebreakers online and in our textbook. I had chosen icebreakers because I have a feeling I'll need something for the butterflies in my stomach, and I know they have the potential to help everybody. Before this project I didn't really know a lot about them.
After the research, I wrote the script. I really enjoyed this part and during preparation I had all these great visions in my head of what the video would look like.
Next, I researched different software options. I settled on either Powtoon or Powerpoint with Jing. I downloaded the necessary software and then started to experiment with both. I had never even prepared a powerpoint presentation before!
After hours.....and hours.........of checking both out, I ended up having two unfinished video's and I still hadn't decided which way to go! No matter what I did, it didn't seem to match the vision in my head.
I found the technical side of things the most challenging for sure. It was amazing how easily time could fly by, just adjusting images and text on the slides. Add in being in a classroom all last weekend for another course and the stomach flu going around my house for the past week.....it's been quite the ride.
In the end I settled on powerpoint and Jing. I had Powtoon do some strange things that I couldn't figure out how to correct, and that pretty much did it for me. However, I do intend to attempt it again for my next digital project in PIDP3240.
I do like Jing, it's pretty handy once you get it figured out. For PowerPoint, I had researched many dos and don'ts for slideshows.....which, I got to say, became overwhelming.
So, eventually I had my script (complete with saying when to 'click' each slide), and I had all the slides completed. It was time to record the voice.
With the system I had chosen I had to record the whole voice at one shot. So, many....many......many takes later, I had a finished masterpiece!! (ok maybe not a masterpiece, but the best video I have ever made)
1. There are 7 elements for effective digital storytelling (see link at bottom for webpage and/or video)
-Point of view – be clear on your point of the story and who you are telling the story to.
-Dramatic question – use at the beginning, engages viewer.
-Emotional content – maintains interest, can create change in the viewer.
-The gift of your voice – you may not like the sound, but others will!
-The power of the soundtrack – compliments, and can enhance, emotion
-Economy – keep it brief, use pictures to replace words.
-Pacing – make use of rhythm, tempo and speed
2. Emotion and dramatic question appear to be the most challenging parts as per participants
3. Emotion is key for engaging the viewer
4. PowToon lays out a great sequence of steps: Write your script, record voice and then add images
5. There are many types of software, some higher grade and costing money but also some very good software that is free. (see resources section)
6. As instructors digital storytelling can be a powerful tool to break up the mundane, to teach course content, to inspire students in their chosen profession and to bring awareness of important facets of their chosen occupation.
7. When preparing a digital story keep in mind that you have seven seconds to engage your viewer(s), make sure you start with a bang! Identifying a problem they may have or asking a powerful question are great ways to start.
8. Only one participant had prior experience with digital storytelling
9. People are more likely to remember a message presented through effective digital storytelling, as opposed to just being told the message, which is especially due to the emotional component.
10. If using PowerPoint there are some very good points to remember in order to maintain the attention of your audience, and to increase retention of the information (see “How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint” video, there is also a great slideshow from a student to a teacher. Links are below)
11.Digital Stories should be about 2-5 minutes long. References:
