The
whole idea of supporting practices beyond the screen starts with a blending of multiple
modalities while teaching students to think critically about what they are learning.
The goal of my classroom is engaged
learners – students who want to be there and are interested in the topics being
presented. As a teacher I do not enjoy testing my students in a traditional
sense, but rather assigning projects where they need to gather information,
think about what they have found and share with / or teach their peers. I have found
that having the students participate in teaching the topics is a much better
method for my classroom than having them listen to me lecture at them.
Identifying ways to integrate new literacy practices within the classroom has been helpful in meeting my goal of keeping the students engaged. Many of my activities already support practices beyond the screen by integrating a combined approach of hands on and digital activities. For example, one of my favorite projects is one about parenting. Each student is given an egg “baby” (a normal chicken egg with the yolk and whites removed and dried out). The students are required to care for the egg for five days. They need to give their egg a name, construct a “car seat” for their baby, and care for the baby for the five days. Students are required to keep a digital log of activities they perform with the baby and put together a presentation detailing their life as a parent. Students enjoy working across the various platforms – they must think creatively to create a carrier for their egg that will not only hold their egg, but keep it safe while out in the crowded hallways. Students utilize the internet to do research on design ideas; they interact with classmates to take group photos; and then utilize their computers to create a digital presentation. As part of the project, students also discuss struggles that they are having with classmates and can document any “issues” – such as cracked babies. Garcia asks “As students interact with texts, engage in conversations, and explore topics of interest—what are the grounded outcomes and relationships you are hoping to foster?” (Garcia 2017). I would respond that blending the technology and the analog together is how this project works best. Parenting in real life is HARD, I want students to know that not everyone does it the same, I want them to feel that they can talk to each other about challenges and surprises.
Navigating
across the platforms is an excellent way to let students choose the path of
education that they find the most
interesting. “Balancing our focus across these areas
can help ensure that technological tools do not become the driving force of
instruction, even in a digital age.” (Aguilera 2017) Another activity
in my health / physical trainer classroom is allowing students to research a
different sports injury. I start the
lesson by showing a series of videos with famous sports stars being injured and
explaining some of the injuries, rehabilitation methods utilized, and the
length of time the injury impacted their careers. Students then choose another
athlete, actor, or specific injury they were curious about. They research the
injury, rehabilitation that may be prescribed by a physical trainer, and
present that back to the classroom. They conduct their research either in the
library or online and their presentation is face to face with their peers. During
this project, I push students to think critically about the how and why of injury
and what they would do if presented by certain injury scenarios. I ask students
to look into whether an athlete regretted coming back too soon from and injury and
think about the ramifications. Students navigate across the platforms
throughout the project to gather and present the information.
After
reading the article Building Bridges from Classrooms to
Networked Publics: Helping Students Write for the Audience They Want I got excited about potentially
creating a space for students to share their hard work with the public. As a
health teacher, my students often feel the content they are learning is
relevant here and now and regularly ask me for extra copies of items so they
can share them with family members or friends. Creating a share space for my
students to post their hard work would be an excellent way for them to feel even
more connected to their work and make it easier to share. An obvious hurdle
here would be navigating privacy issues, which will require more investigation
on my part. Another issue that came up in the article that could be a
hinderance to success is that students may feel nervous to share their work
publicly. The internet can be a scary place to put yourself out there and as
stated in the article “writing can be a very personal practice, as writers
leave bits of themselves on the page. As such, writers may hesitate to share
their work in spaces not considered safe for personal sharing” (Lammers &
Van Alstyne 2018). Students who are shy or who do not feel their work will be
well received will likely have a hard time participating in a shared work space.
The
use of multiple modalities to support practices beyond the screen will continue
to be a focus in my classroom. Utilizing these tools will help me to keep the
students engaged and interested in the topics presented.
Aguilera, E. (2017, November/December). More than bits and
bytes: Digital literacies on, behind, and beyond the screen. Literacy Today,
12-13.
https://www.proquest.com/docview/1966006470/fulltextPDF/4CF02CA7F93415APQ/1?accountid=8067&sourcetype=Trade%20Journals
Garcia, A. (2017, November/December). Nondigital skills:
Losing sight (and sound) of our analog world. Literacy Today, 24-25. https://www.proquest.com/docview/1966005428/fulltextPDF/9F45BA23572643A5PQ/1?accountid=8067&sourcetype=Trade%20Journals
Lammers, J. C., & Van Alstyne, J. H. (2019).
Building bridges from classrooms to networked publics. Journal of Adolescent
& Adult Literacy, 62(6), 653-662. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/48554924
Choose
Your Own Adventure Logo by eileenmh123 published 24 March 2021 https://www.deviantart.com/eileenmh123/art/Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-Logo-874175395
Hi Stacie--The egg baby project isn't a myth! I only ever read about it, and never got to try it--and I like that you've found ways to modernize it in ways similar to methods used by millennial parents (there's an app for that).
ReplyDeleteI understand your concerns about privacy--maybe some presentation platforms like Prezi or Canva would be well suited to "publishing" something that students can share with a specific audience.
Thanks for replying! It's a great project - except for the setup when we have to blow out 70+ eggs - lots of omelettes!
DeleteI've used Prezi in the past, i will have to check out Canva. Thank you for the suggestion.
Hey Stacie! I enjoyed reading your post! I like the idea of having students become engaged with lessons by picking a recent sport injury to research. I did something similar in my science classroom. When learning about antibiotic resistance, I had students research different bacteria that cause different infections like strep throat and pink eye. Students had to find information on if these bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. This made my students engaged because it was relatable and it aloud them to choose which bacteria to research.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciate how you accounted for the inequity and challenges that technology bring. For example, the lack of accessibility where some students don't have the same resources as others. You mentioned in your post about providing assistive technology for students who require accommodations. Have you had students who required assistive technology and if so how do you work that into your instruction? Overall, great job!
Thank you for responding Brittany. The strept throat and pink eye assignment sounds great. It definitely is relatable since I am sure many (if not all) have had one of those two issues in the past. I like that you also give them the choice to choose their topic - it always seems to make them more interested in the research.
DeleteWe have had students with assistive technology in the past. Noise cancelling headphones and speech to type technology has been used in some of our inclusion classrooms in the past. Typically we have students with additional classroom support (1 on 1 aids) or students are provided additional time for test-taking, etc. All of those have been helpful when integrated with insturction.
Hi Stacie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts on this weeks’ blog post. I think you really hit the nail on the head in saying that going beyond the screen requires students to think critically about their learning. This is so important and well said. I think allowing students to lead the learning in your classroom is a great way to boost engagement and accountability. It seems like these presentations are a perfect time for students to go beyond the screen and have discussions regarding literacy practices. Do you feel like conversations about this, as well as the process of navigating the digital world in an informed way happen naturally due to the student-led nature of your classroom? If not, how do you encourage this as an educator?
You state, “I would respond that blending the technology and the analog together is how the project works best” when explaining the success of your egg project. I love how students are able to balance both real life, hands-on experiences, as well as digital media, such as the log and presentation to successfully complete the project. I keep saying it, but I think it’s truly a balancing act when it comes to digital literacy and media in the classroom. Too much of something is never good, but neither is a complete lack of it. There are positives and negatives to adding digital literacy and media in the classroom; educators need to navigate how to address tensions and strategically use digital platforms in a purposeful way.
Lastly, I want to thank you for thoroughly addressing equity issues when using digital platforms. I was very focused on the equity issue of students not having access to devices outside of class. However, you bring up an excellent point that equity issues can extend into the classroom with the mentioned scenarios such as getting their devices taken away for behavior issues. I hadn’t thought of this and it really sheds some more light on the issue of access and equity.
Thanks again for sharing and I have enjoyed learning from you this week!
Hi Stacie,
ReplyDeleteFirst I want to thank you for giving me the best laugh of my day so far with that photo of "Baby's first playdate" :))) I think your students probably love that project! When my own kids were in middle school they had a similar project with a doll baby who would actually cry in the middle of the night (I wasn't thrilled about that part!). They learned so much about responsibility and sacrifice. I agree that when projects such as these mix the real life interactions with the digital, like the online presentations your students create, they get the most meaning out of them. The most important aspect of teaching, I think, is to engage the students. Just this past month I watched as teachers I was collaborating with in my library talked to students for 10-15 minutes at a time explaining the upcoming project. I saw the students squirm in their seats and become bored and uninterested. I've been guilty of this too when I'm teaching students how to use databases. There is so much information to impart sometimes that it's hard not to dump it all on them but I realize that it's crucial to keep the students' attention. For this reason, projects that allow them to jump right in and do hands-on work seem to have better outcomes. With so many new digital options to pair with traditional methods, it's great to experiment with how we can engage students.
I love the sports injury project you do with your students, too. These types of real life situations are perfect to draw the students in. I think many of the core subject teachers feel limited because they have to teach to various tests but I feel like there are ways to engage them while also giving them the skills and information they need to learn.
Hi Stacie. Your method of enriching classroom experiences by combining diverse teaching modalities resonates profoundly with contemporary educational essentials. Your emphasis on cultivating engaged learners through interactive projects and student-driven discussions can be very effective. I share similar sentiments with your belief in the potency of student-led instruction over conventional lecture-based methodologies. Empowering students to take ownership of their learning voyage nurtures collaboration, communication, and autonomy. By granting students the liberty to explore various learning platforms and choose their preferred educational pathways, you create an environment that celebrates individual interests and learning preferences.
ReplyDeleteCreative projects, such as the parenting simulation and sports injury research, exemplify the seamless integration of digital and analog tools to enhance student learning. Your commitment to addressing equity and engagement issues by offering alternative project options and leveraging assistive technology displays your dedication to inclusive teaching practices.
The idea of establishing a shared digital space for students to showcase their work publicly is intriguing. However, as you pointed out, it's essential to navigate privacy concerns and address student apprehensions about online sharing. Implementing robust guidelines for online sharing and providing gradual opportunities for students to build confidence in showcasing their work can effectively address these concerns.
Creative strategies for blending new literacy practices into the classroom are pivotal in maintaining student engagement. Your parenting project and sports injury research showcase how you integrate analog and digital tools to provide students with comprehensive learning experiences. These projects facilitate practical knowledge acquisition which is great. In addition, your focus on encouraging students to navigate various platforms during these projects promotes essential digital literacy skills for success in today's digital age.
Overall, your innovative approach to merging digital and analog tools in the classroom serves as an inspiration for educators striving to create vibrant and inclusive learning environments. Your dedication to supporting practices beyond the screen is commendable, and I am confident that your insights will continue to inspire both students and fellow educators alike.
Great blog post Ms. Minchoff! I enjoyed you sharing your previous assignments and how students used digital spaces to brainstorm, research, and present their findings. I really appreciate you addressing some of the tensions that could present themselves. Privacy issues are a real concern and a more closed space may be appropriate for school work. Some students will absolutely shy away from the work, if they know anyone can look at it. You've made several good points. Thank you for your insights.
ReplyDelete