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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Digital Storytelling Workshop Reflections

*The extended version of this, which includes reflections, comments, and summaries from Jason Ohler's book (below), is in the PAGES section of this blog, linked to the right.

In November 2012 I attended a professional development workshop on Digital Storytelling, conducted by Jason Ohler. These are some reflections on that workshop, as well as revisions/ additions made as I read through his book Digital Storytelling in the Classroom: New Media Pathways to Literacy, Learning and Creativity. For those interested have a read for more detailed study. I'll start with copyright, one of the burning issues.


FROM THE WORKSHOP
A key idea in this workshop that I appreciated was the emphasis on the story and the process, not the technology. I’ve seen in the past how students often get hung up on the technology rather than concentrating on the content and the task itself. This of course may be due to poor planning on the part of the teacher (yours truly) and not scaffolding the process well enough. Key idea: the technology supports or highlights everything else and shouldn’t necessarily be the focal point. This whole idea help limit the habit of students being given high grades because the technology looks good, regardless of the quality of the content. Story telling can be anything. It can be a description of how to conduct a science experiment, a photo documentary, a local news event, or a fictional story about the monsters under your bed. Think of anything that can be told!



OHLER’S DAOW of LITERACY & APPROACH

  • So how can we approach storytelling? DAOW: Digital, Art, Oral and Written Literacies 
  • Concentrate on the narrative, not the media.
  • Incidental music – make the audience feel what you want – relative to the theme, topic
  • 30 seconds plus a soundtrack forcing the atmosphere
  • Remind students to be aware of visual noise; the background that is distracting or irrelevant
  • Be careful of images used – even on blankets, green screen background images
  • Story vs Lists – tell a story, rather than listing “facts”, and you get greater student retention
  • Flow of the story is important: Beginning, Conflict-Transformation, End (table below can be a god start
  • ing point)


COPYRIGHT
Essentially, anything you produce and put online or in public is automatically copyrighted. You can pay for formal copyright, but it’s slow and can be expensive. (before I put my own original music in the public sphere I email it to myself and make a CD, and mail that to myself for the date and official “stamp”) See Chapter 15 of Jason Ohler’s book.

The United States’ TEACH Act:
For music, video, and animated you can use up to 30 seconds or 10%, whichever is shortest
For words, you can use up to 1,000 words, or 10%, whichever is shortest
For illustrations, photos, graphics you can use up to 5 images from one artist; you can use 15 works from a collection, or 10%, whichever is smaller
  • In terms of using copyrighted material for education:
  • Cite the source and creator(s) of the material used
  • Seek permission but be prepared to be turned down
  • Pay for it, if you’re willing
I think Ohler makes a very important point in his book: create your own material. GarageBand makes it easy and free (for Mac users), at least. Create your own images and scan them. Ohler suggests also using friends’ materials, as it’s easy to get permission. Use free-use web sites. Use pay-for-use web sites. Use Creative Commons. He does note, using the “rules of respect” noted above if you use other material.  

Check the Copyright Clearance Center. (remember, this can be based on country, as well)



ASSESSMENT CONSIDERATIONS
  • Set clear goals
  • Assess the story without being overwhelmed or overly impressed with the media
  • Assess everything the student uses in order to achieve the final result, for instance, the story map, the audio narration, the video, etc, (the build-up, not just the final piece of work)
  • Assess the student’s planning process
  • Assess the student’s understanding of what Ohler calls “media grammar” – a simple example being an audio narration that doesn’t have inappropriate background noise 
  • Assess the student’s understanding of the content presented
  • Assess the use of resources
  • Assess the performance of the student (ie) the ability to act, how well rehearsed a part is, etc
  • Have students self-assess

SOME SUGGESTIONS (will be updated)
The following are not necessarily only for digital storytelling.

TOOLS
Stop Animation (such as I Can Animate)
Audio programs (Reaper, Audacity, GarageBand)
Green screens ("How To" Guide)
Keynote / PowerPoint / Prezi ("How To" Guides)
iMovie / Movie Maker ("How To" Guides)
Online mind mapping (Mindomo, Mind 42, Mind Meister and more...)
Video Cameras
Flip Cameras
Smart Phones


IDEAS FOR A SOCIAL STUDIES CONTEXT (will be updated)
Social Studies is my field of expertise, so I thought I'd add to the post. These ideas can be used jointly (ie) record the audio and layer it with images. 


*Be sure all images, outsourced audio, and documents quoted are sourced AND historically accurate.
*Be certain that whole photos are used, and not altered.


Image-Only
  • Myths
  • Journal reading from the "author" with supporting images
  • Historical Documentaries
  • A biography of an historical figure
  • Narrative of an opinion on an historical document (or anything else)
  • Narrative assessing images in history and describing them and why they were painted, photographed, etc. 
  • Letter writing. Students can pretend to be a person in the photograph, outside the range of the photo, or the photographer him or herself. They can write a letter to a friend, a wife, a commanding officer, or even make a diary entry about the event. Source
  • Have students create a diagram, such as a table or mind map, and have them explain it through an audio narrative
  • Describe changes to a region in geography (ie) the division of the "Middle East", with several maps to go along with a narrative
  • Make a children's story based in history
  • Draw, scan and produce a storyboard for a period in history

Video
  • Reenact a scene in history (write an original dialogue; write a dialogue based on modern language and social mores)
  • film a puppet show (even a simple drawing on a stick puppet, sock puppet, or paper bag); draw a backdrop to scan and use with a green screen
  • A newscast based on an event in history
  • A political speech by someone in history
  • Reading an original poem written about something in history (and use a green screen with an original image or historical image as the backdrop)
  • Have students create a diagram, such as a table or mind map, and have them explain it with the diagram as the backdrop
  • Interview a community resident about local history
  • Film a rant about an historical figure as if they were a roommate

Podcasting
Have a look for some ideas on teaching podcasting here or here. Here is a good podcasting pdf file that goes beyond this discussion.
  • A radio news broadcast of an event that happened yesterday
  • A radio interview with a person in history
  • An audio journal giving an opinion or theory
  • A political speech by someone in history
  • A (telephone) conversation between two historical figures
  • A narrative describing a dinner party in history
  • A biography of an historical figure
  • Describe how a device in history looks and works (success can be judged by students ability to figure out what it is)
  • A radio advertisement for a product of the past
  • Write an historical rap or song
  • Write an editorial or an editorial letter outlining concerns of the "consequences" of a present situation (in history) 

Keynote/ PowerPoint Presentations (developed by students)
  • Choose Your Own Adventure story
  • Jeopardy review game
  • 20 Questions review


Thursday, November 8, 2012

Global Online Academy: Online Courses for High Schools?


I read an article on the WSJ about the Global Online Academy, which my school has now become a member of. The article doesn’t debunk a trend in which researchers claim that elite private schools are resisting online learning (meaning the delivery of online courses), but it does make a valid point that online coursework amoung private schools is growing and GOA is an example.

GOA is non-profit, though there is a fee to take courses. The fees pay for basic administration, and for teachers to develop and deliver curriculum.

A little about GOA.

Students can work at their own pace, but there are deadlines that must be met. The structure is collaborative in nature, with students interacting with the teacher and each other. One teacher notes that there is still “human interaction” but that it is mediated differently. For myself, I enjoy online coursework, but I do prefer being in a room with people discussing ideas, problems and solutions. I think the online programs that require students to do on site training (such as during summers) the best of both worlds is met. In the case of teaching this is possible due to longer breaks.

What I like about the online world is meeting people living in all parts of the world. This point is made as a benefit of the program, along with other “pros”, such as an expanded choice of courses and the fact that classes are limited to 18 students. (so there can be meaningful interaction, if all participants engage each other and build a relationship) Drawbacks can be a lack of intimacy and spontaneity. (you’ll never have the situation in which you’re in class and jazzed about the topic and choose to carry over in the pub) I think the most important point, which can be said for any learning environment, is that it doesn’t work for everyone. Some kids need the four-wall structure and a teacher in the room. Online learning also benefits kids who are sick in the hospital, home as a teenage parent, or one who needs an extra course to finish school on time or early.

The article poses the question: Can it be avoided? I personally doubt it. I’m not convinced that online learning is going to replace traditional schools any time soon. There have been arguments that kids will learn at home, and schools will be places for community building activities and socialization, like fine arts and sporting activities. It’s possible, but not soon.

The article also points out the opportunities to break down cultural barriers. Yes, this is possible, but with any other form of media, it can be used for cultural conflict as well. People have access to publicize delinquent, and deliberately antagonizing material.

But all of that can be said for any kind of online learning platform. I like the potential benefits that GOA provides for students and teachers. For example, teachers who have to (or choose to) stay at home can earn money through online teaching. Students can pick up extra coursework, and possibly courses that are more attractive to their interests.

Perhaps I'm growing older, but didn't we have distance learning by paper just a decade and a half ago? 


Source Article:  Online Holdouts No More


Friday, November 2, 2012

The Story of Sugata Mitra's Experiments with Self-Teaching


An autodidact is a self-taught person. Something I love about this whole story (or experiment, rather) is that it demonstrates how intelligent kids really are. Being a teacher who has taught second language learners I have first hand experience with young people who have difficulty expressing themselves or demonstrating knowledge in a second language, but are otherwise highly intelligent people. 

Sugata Mitra is an education scientist from India. His TED talk, “New Experiments in Self-Teaching” is something all educators should study. Mitra suggests that good teachers don’t want to go in the places they are most needed (ie) impoverished communities/ countries. I have to agree with this, as a generalization. There are those teachers who love to travel and teach, but the best ones often aim for the elite schools.

The First Experiment
Mitra embedded computer touch screens into the walls of public spaces (slums, in particular) in several countries worldwide and waited for the results. (public "hole in the wall" computers) The conclusion was that children are not only keen to explore, but they also have the ability to teach themselves to use computers without guidance: when are interested, they learn. (he jokes about how an extended version of the experiment, using speech to text software, led to children having changed their accents to be understood by the program) Another interesting observation Mitra had was that over several months children retained more information when they worked at a computer, but collaboratively. One computer for four students is one of Mitra’s criteria – forcing collaboration. He concluded in his experiments that one computer for one child hinders learning. (being at a one-to-one school, I can see this, though it’s a generalization and very much context-based)

Furthering the experiment, Mitra went into classrooms, with 4 students to 1 computer, and would ask them a tough question for them to figure out. Eventually they do. One question I have, though, is what quality the collaboration is. It’s human nature to have a leader and follower, even in situations of good collaboration, and some know more than others. To be fair, I haven’t looked at data from the experiments, but how does Mitra learn about the nature of the collaboration? Was it one student that had the tech skills and / or mind to figure out the answers? When a group solves a problem we have to question how they solved it and what contribution each student made.

Self-Organized Learning Environments
Mitra also discusses SOLE - self organized learning environments. His experiments are the foundation of this idea that we can organize our learning independently. (though I’ve not read Mitra suggest this is the best form of learning, but merely one facet of how we learn) “To go further, Dr. Mitra supplements SOLE with e-mediators, or the "granny cloud" as he calls it: amateur volunteers who use Skype to help kids learn online. (source)” A recent Google Power Searching course I recently took reminds me a little of the skills needed to search effectively for answers. The skills learned are not advanced in the sense that it takes a while to learn, but the search strategies are not always intuitive.

I think I need to lean more about SOLE.





Wall Street Journal Article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704584804575645070639938954.html

Here is an example school package that outlines a SOLE program based on Mitra’s work:
http://repository.alt.ac.uk/2208/)

Mitra also has a book, Beyond the Hole in the Wall: Discover the Power of Self-Organized Learning.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Free Education for All: Reflections on Daphne Koller’s TED Talk on Coursera


Coursera  is a fee online education platform, founded by Stanford University professors Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng. These courses can be taken online and are provided in cooperation with 33 high level universities. (at the time of this publishing)

In the talk Professor Koller discusses the nature of education, technology implications, and disparity. Koller notes that many jobs need a high level of education, although many graduates with higher-level degrees can’t find work. One point that made me laugh (and think) was with regard to a professor who reaches 100,000 students with Coursera online, and that to reach as many people in a traditional environment it would take him 240 years to reach the same number of students. I appreciated the acknowledgement that it’s not only the poor who need greater access to (higher) education, but also those who are “house-bound” due to a variety of circumstances.

While watching the video, most of my concerns early on were addressed, adequately. Koller points out individuals who had courses (credits) recognized by universities, and one family in which the father/ husband landed a job based (partly?) on the Coursera work he did at hoe while his daughter was sick and housebound. She also notes how grading is done. I’m not 100% convinced that identifying the major “common” mistakes learners have and subsequently giving general feedback to all is the best method. (though better than no feedback or less-than-adequate explanations) I recently took a Google Power Searching course online. For the kind of course it was the feedback was appropriate, but for a full-on university course I would expect more. (even if it’s free)

The courses are properly segmented, so they are broken down into units just as traditional study would be. Another great point is that some cities that have several people in the same course have spawned study groups. People in some courses have actually connected at restaurants for sessions in which they support each other’s learning.

The issue of who has access to electricity, let alone a computer and internet access, wasn’t adequately addressed. Perhaps that wasn’t the point. It also brings up the discussion of how we break the education disparity gap. Is it that we need to bring this online education to (what one of my students referred to as) “education stations”, accessible to everyone. Perhaps these community learning stations could be staffed by an educator/ tech specialist(s) to assist with independent learning and technological/ logistical issues that inevitably pop up.

I’m still in the “balance” camp. I appreciate online study and have done it with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), Deakin University, the IBO and even Google. But even with chat rooms, discussion boards, Skype and Google Hangouts, I prefer being in the room with a cup of coffee and people to bounce ideas with.

My Global Issues Network students found and chose this video as a discussion piece. In that chat they compared it with Khan Academy. KA is a site with (on average) 10-minute videos about anything you may want to learn or need to brush up on. Some topics include interactive materials and assessments. It’s free. 


Thursday, October 4, 2012

Google Power Search & IB History Notes

I've been working on the pages, seen in the right sidebar. I'm slowly, at glacial speed, adding notes on the category 1 IB History course and a Google Power Search course. Have a look. The Google notes (and embedded videos) will benefit anyone. (you don't have to be an educator to gain from this)

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Response to "Creating Innovators" by Tony Wagner


CREATING INNOVATORS (by Tony Wagner)

Over the summer (2012) I had the opportunity to read Creating Innovators, by Tony Wagner. I recommend his book. Although Wagner is a Harvard professor he writes in such a way that the reader is engaged and wants to learn more about his subjects through their stories.

Essentially, Wagner presents several individuals from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds who have “succeeded” through innovative ideas. He provides the common themes, such as allowing time to play, along with supportive parents and school leaders. With regards to playing I especially appreciate his position that children need time for creative play, learning to solve the “boredom” problem without television and video games. (he isn’t against video games, but that creative play opportunity allows the creative part of he mind to develop) Below is from p.42.

Childhood Play
ê
Childhood Passion
ê
Adult Purpose

Motivating learners of all ages demands empowering them. (p.52) Giving people the freedom to explore and make errors will ultimately lead to a culture of innovation, teamwork, and interdisciplinary problem solving. (p.57) This last idea strikes a chord with me. It requires that we as educators give learners the opportunity to apply knowledge in a variety of real world contexts. We need to guide them through solving problems on their own, in contexts outside of the classroom and textbook. I’m envisioning a simulation activity I gave to Grade 9 East Asia Studies students. We turned our school’s main field into a Silk Road map. They worked in pairs to trade along the route. There was a set of rules they had to play by, but by trading along the route while still protecting your home-base business, they acquired new knowledge about the nature of the Silk Route – by actually trading! This was a game, and the information I could elicit from students was rich and thoughtful.

Collaboration is another theme. Providing opportunities to collaborate with peers, adults in the school, and people in the community. Project-based collaboration gives students a goal to achieve together and requires discussion, debate, compromise, and skills such as active listening. Working together to identify problems (p.105) and challenges helps us flesh out solutions and develop new ideas. The yearbook class I lead is a great example. (I say “lead” because the students make the truly important decisions) One of the challenges is to compromise on content, style/ layout, and even on what roles each person takes. My approach to this is to allow students to explore new ideas. Wagner notes how some students fell they “need permission to try new ideas”. (p.110) I think this is more common in schools than we think. Another problem I see isn’t really with lessons that lack creativity, but learners not intrinsically motivated – learners who don’t want to innovate, but rather want to study and regurgitate facts and methods in order to “get an A”. (and into university) Thus our challenge as educators is to have students develop a desire to create and innovate.

Another interesting idea from Wagner suggests that rather than develop lessons plans, we “design learning experiences”. (p.162-163) This makes me think of the flipped classroom, a more recent approach to teaching and learning. How recent I’m not really certain – many of us were challenging students to do the digging and ask the questions before the catch phrase “flipped classroom” caught on. Social networking and online collaboration being so easy, as well as access to information (in the “have” countries and schools), has paved the way for the “flipped classroom” to spear it’s reach.

I should probably study some of what the experts say on the FC.

I do find I’m using some of Wagner’s vocabulary. One phrases is learners “developing competencies”, not simply skills. (p.175) The idea is that we may have basic computer skills, but are we competent using a computer in a variety of contexts. (let alone troubleshooting)

One thing I had trouble with Creating Innovators was the limited dialogue on how to assist teachers in this task of “creating innovator”. Wagner does acknowledge the problem with universities and colleges changing at glacial speed, as well as the problem of resource limitations. Educators need more professional development time, guidance, and have to be taken to task to innovate and develop as professionals. We also need more free-flowing time with students; not constrained by time and external examinations.

I think when it comes to creativity, student and teacher, demands perseverance. Giving up early on in the process can’t be a factor, and we should appreciate finding out why we failed and how we can improve.