And now we immerse ourselves…

Here’s a little ditty Mac and I put together about why we have decided to becomes teachers.

Enjoy!

Download

Ideas on how to use DV in an English/History collaborative way

This is by no means complete, but it offers some suggestions for how DV can be used for English and History learning outcomes.

What does the research say about DV?

I’ve been thinking about the experience I had on Professional Experience with DV, which was far from a success. Teachers were not comfortable using the technology, there wasn’t enough equipment to go around all the classes, and there wasn’t sufficient planning. I’m all for DV being used in the classroom, but I think it has to be done properly: so what is “properly”?

According to the research (BECTA (2003). What the research says about digital video in teaching and learning) using DV in the classroom:

• increases motivation and engagement
• develops literacy skills
• accommodates different learning styles and abilities.

But for maximum impact, teachers should:

• plan and structure DV activities
• understand visual literacy
• allow frequent access to DV.

As an English and History teacher, I think DV can be a particularly useful tool in dveloping students’ visual lieracy skills, which is explicitly mentioned as a skill in the NSW English Syllabus.  But I also think that this final poit – frequent access to DV – is something that should be thought of in a whole-school approach.

As DV can be used, and in deed works well, in all KLAs, doesn’t it make sense for teachers to work across faculties? Rather than DV used in a short film, advertising, or documentary unit once a year in English, why can’t it be used by for example, the PDHPE and English faculty together, to produce a documentary on sport or teen drug culture for example? Thinking in an interfaculty way will result in students using DV more often, but this requires a whole-school approach and support from teachers.

Students with short attention spans

This is a response to Mac’s post:

Some interesting thoughts here. In terms of doing lots of shorter activities within a lesson… I think that depends on how the unit is structured. Students can become frustrated if they are constantly changing activities when they want to concentrate on one and do it well, particularly if they are interested in it. If students are working on a project independently on something they are interested in, short sharp activities aren’t needed, as students are able to fully-immerse themselves in their work, and can change their activities within that unit to suit their own individual needs.

This also means that students have the opportunity to undertake projects which are more long-term, such as constructing replica Viking weapons, as one student with a so-called “short” attention span was. As the History lessons were one and a half hours long without interruption, he was able to use several of these lessons to research Viking weaponry, and make his replicas. He was able to concentrate on this project for long period of time without distraction because it was something he was genuinely interested in and enjoyed doing.

Pencils are the old computers

This is in response to a hilarious story about cutting edge pencil technology from Mac’s post:

This is hysterical! It just shows how important it is to have support networks in place and teachers who are willing to learn about new technologies, how to use them, and how they can be used in the classroom. Not only that, but it highlights the fact that technology is forever developing, and just because “digital native” now, it’s crucial to continue to use technology and update my knowledge so that I can keep up with my students’ knowledge.

The importance of choice:

Response to Mac’s blog:

Totally agree with “choice” being an important part of students having ownership over their own learning. If students are actually interested in what they are studying, which you would assume they are if they choose it, then they will be engaged with the subject material and therefore they will not have to be “classroom managed” in the traditional sense. Teachers don’t need to force students to “sit down and shut up” while they direct them towards particular content goals, but rather students regulate their own behaviour as they concentrate on the task at hand, pursuing something of genuine interest to them and improving on their learning outcomes.

The Google generation…

This was a response to Mac’s post:

“An increasing number of students – and their parents – expect academic success with little academic effort.”

I thought that it’s interesting Oblinger has linked consumer culture to the way in which we use technology, and then further onto the idea that students and parents expect high academic success without the correlating effort! My personal experience at high school, from 1997 to 2002, was that this was not the case. While the internet was definitely used as a first choice for information, this ease of access to information it seemed did not guarantee academic success. Perhaps because in the culture of my school, it was not so much about recalling information, but also the way in which the information that was presented ie. flair with language etc. The way in which technology affects education, it would seem, is therefore particular to the culture of the school.

New Media video in the classroom

According to Hoffenberg and Handler (2001), students are absorbed in visual media, and because of this, it’s a great opportunity to use this media as teachers.

“Equipment and financial obstacles can no longer be used as reasons for limiting student opportunities to explore, expand, and even create big ideas about their learning. Any school which has a computer capable of video editing (which includes most modern Macintosh and Windows systems), a camera capable of capturing video footage, and a teacher willing to give it a try, can begin” (p.10).

While this is technically true, my experience on Professional Experience at a public school showed me that it was not this simple. While the school I was at had access to computers and video cameras, for the students to have the best possible filming experience, they were placed into groups of six students. This was so each student had significant input into every aspect of the video-making process, rather than being limited to just one aspect. With only five cameras and two computer rooms, a maximum of one class of thirty students could film at the one time, and a computer room had to be available for many lessons for the editing process. Due to a lack of planning and available equipment, this experience, while still valid, was not as valuable as it could have been.l

Hoffenberg & Handler also state that “curriculum-driven technology use [should be the focus], not technology-driven curriculum” (p.10). This is key to my ethos on the way technology should be used in the classroom.

Hoffenberg, H., & Handler, M. (2001). Digital video goes to school. Learning & Leading with Technology, 29(2), 10-15.

Digital metalanguage

Daft Punk’s Technologic (you can see the video here) highlights the extent to which technology has its own metalanguage. There is a whole dictionary of terms which digital natives use to describe certain ways they use technology, or certain actions when using technology. Most of these terms have their basis in the “real” world rather than the virtual, however for those who do not use technology regularly, they may not be fluent in these terms. There is a digital language which one must know to communicate about technology. As teachers, this is important to remember, particularly when we are communicating to students exactly what it is that we want them to do. As a digital native, I am fluent in “technologic” language, but how many teachers are?

Something to think about when listening to this track: the ‘it’ ie. the subject changes throughout. Digital natives will be able to pick up what the ‘it’ is depending on the verb used. Can you tell the difference?

Move where the puck is going to go, not where it is

Written in response to Annie’s blog:

With the educational system being relatively slow to move, I agree that it is not enough to simply be reactionary. With the systems and hierarchy in place, we can’t simply react to students’ needs when we see them, particularly in terms of technology.

I believe that part of being the best possible teachers we can involves being media (and therefore technology) consumers and users. If we are abreast with the latest technology and it is a seamless part of our lives, it is more likely that we will use technology in real, authentic ways in the classroom to enhance our students’ learning.

The availability of technology, particularly in the public educational system, now seems to be the only thing holding some teachers back. There must be a massive increase in funding to get schools up to speed even for now, let alone for the future.