in our exploration of creativity tools this week, I wanted to spend my time playing with various iPad apps that students could use to make movies. The two apps I focused on the most were iMovie and DoInk. Both apps are fairly user friendly, so I feel like students would pick them up pretty quick.
Even though it's not for me, I have a feeling my middle school students would love it. At the end of this year, a kid who was considered a trouble maker told me he had a blue screen he used while he was gaming. What if we gave him opportunities to use the skills he's figured out on his own here at school?
I chose iMovie because I have experience using the desktop version and wanted to see what was available with the app. I was disappointed in the green screen feature not being available is the app. Additionally, if students can't finish their work in one class period, they will have to get the same iPad the following day. But, there were templates of movie trailers that were a bonus. These templates would be extremely beneficial for students to help organize their videos and keep them on track. One of my 7th grade Reading teachers wanted her students to take more ownership of reading their novels, so she wanted her students to use iMovie to create custom movie trailers of their book. This would be an opportunity for students to show their knowledge and mastery of story elements. This project afforded students the chance to creatively express themselves and display their knowledge of their story's plot line, for example. Because this app allows users to share directly to YouTube, students are given access to an authentic audience who could constructively give feedback on these students' book trailers. iMovie can be used to document a student's school year, explain school work like math problems, interview another person, etc. The uses are endless; you just have to come up with prompt, or idea of the video, and students will use iMovie to edit and piece together their project. In general, what makes these creation apps special is that students learn by doing; I feel like I keep mentioning constructivism. Not only are students using these tools to show their knowledge, they are practicing and fine-tuning important digital skills too. Repetitive drill and practice does not give students that same affordance. As for tools that I don't care for or don't see myself using, I don't have a problem with students using them. If they can complete the task at hand it shouldn't matter.
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A portfolio is a compilation of work over time, whereas quizzes/tests, essays/research papers, presentations or homework/worksheets are all “one and done” assessments. The latter, as individual occurrences, are unable to show growth over a period of time. As the learner, it would be much more meaningful to assemble a working and fluid portfolio. By choosing items I created during my coursework and then reflecting on how they have influenced my thinking, I would feel like I was given the opportunity to own my learning. In just two weeks of my first two courses, I can already see how I’m being challenged academically. When I leave with my graduate degree I am thankful I will have a tangible portfolio that documented this learning experience.
Portfolios are also comprised of artifacts in which the creator analyzes and appraises those items to show an evidence of learning has occured. With a traditional assessment such as a test, I would be subjective to specifically what the instructor wants me to know. There is something that attracts me to the idea of having a physical portfolio, but only for personal and not professional reasons. I suppose I do have a habit of collecting items that highlight times of my life, but I haven’t spent time reflecting and sharing those items with anyone - yet. Digital portfolios offer flexibility to the creator to include virtually any kind of media imaginable. Various online tools such as Weebly, Wix or Google Sites offer simple avenues for eportfolio authors to display, share and reflect on published items. One of the first things I consider when thinking about having something published for others to see is how it is going to look. Since I am not a coder, I will rely on the drag and drop feature that all of these sites afford. However, they are not created equally in this area. Yes, each tool provides templates to choose from, but customization is a huge variable. Wix provides hundreds of templates with the most customization options, but I fear that my love for graphic design would slow me down if I went this route. Weebly has much fewer templates but still offers users a decent amount of formatting options. This option is my very own Goldilocks - just right for this purpose. Google Sites, which doesn’t include an in-house Blog page gives the least amount of options. Even though it won’t be appropriate for what I am trying to accomplish, I believe it is a practical solution for students. If I asked my students to create an eportfolio, I would recommend using Google Sites because they have Chromebooks available in their classrooms. Students use G Suite to create most of their work, and since all of these are housed in their Google Drive I think it makes the most technically simple tool to use in that setting. Also, our content (which contains our learning standards) is shared with students in Google folders via Classroom. I am intentional about creating an environment where my students are comfortable speaking up and sharing what they have learned. We would even use peer-reviews to reflect on one another’s learning. This pedagogical approach combined with the technology and available content makes for enriched and successful learning experiences. I have chosen Weebly to host my eportfolio, and the link can be found here. taigetsamasters.weebly.com A blog is a Web 2.0 tool that allows to user to journal and post on any topic they feel enticed to share. This online channel hosts the owner’s thoughts and opinions on topics they are passionate or maybe even learning about. I came to this conclusion as the author of two blogs, a professional and personal one. This is why I added that a blog’s contents could be about something you’re learning about. To learn more about blogs, I checked out sites like Blogger, Wordpress and Weebly to see what features they had to offer bloggers. Each site allowed the user to publish public, titled posts for others to read. Each site creates a unique URL for each post so that it can easily be shared with whomever you choose. Blogs are generally text based, as opposed to glogs that are image/poster based or vlogs which come in video form. While all of these things are hosted on the web, I feel they are more than just a website to visit and each have their own unique characteristics. For my blog, I have chosen to create a Weebly site that includes Blog pages embedded in it. Yes, I am more familiar with it, but I appreciate the easy to use drag and drop features that allows me to quickly customize added content. The biggest affordance I believe blogging offers is the ability to have the author’s voice published and heard for others who read it. A published web blog creates an audience of individuals (readers) who may learn something new or who may even be inspired because of what they read. A personal journal or diary that I write in at home cannot have the same effect because it’s basically for my eyes only. It is the technology that affords, or give us, a platform with the opportunity to reach a global audience with our words. A secondary affordance of blogging is the growth I have seen in myself as a learner. I believe I have become more articulate and comfortable when sharing the knowledge I have on various topics. Perhaps this is because I want to really make sure I understand what I’m talking (writing) about before I make bold claims for the world to possibly criticize. The only comparable technology that has come close to this affordance of blogging is using Twitter for professional learning. I think the biggest difference, though, is that it is difficult to share information AND be reflective in 140 characters or less. But, I do think they compliment each other, so I choose to share most of my blogs using Twitter to gain a bigger audience. To support learning in a secondary ELA setting, blogs would be a great technology to use during students self-selected fiction readings. For content purposes, all students must be able to identify and analyze literary elements such as setting, plot, theme, conflict, character development, etc. Because each student is reading a different novel, it is difficult to assess whether or not they master the essence of those elements.
In theory (pedagogy), it is helpful for students to read on their own, internalize what they have read, and then have the chance to talk about it with another student. Even though all novels are different in this case, students could be grouped together by genre to discuss the various literary elements. This interaction can be put to good use through a collaborative project where students critique one another’s thoughts on what they are reading. Students could use a collaborative Google Site to house their blogs where they share/reflect on literary elements present in their self-selected readings. Here is an example. This shared technology would allow students to see multiple examples of literary elements in a variety of different novels. This could even foster a student’s curiosity for wanting to read a novel their classmate shares about. The blog format provided the critique, or analysis, that the learning objective class for. Additionally, other students reading the blogs will be exposed to diverse opinions that they otherwise would not have been exposed to if it weren’t for the technology used. One main obstacle to using this tool is that it is dependent on each learner not only completing their assigned reading, but it’s also necessary for them to post and share as they read. Different reading paces could slow down the process. A public blog where the reader checks in and shares as they are reading will give classmates the opportunity to learn - even if there are those who choose to fall behind or not participate. Even those students will be able to check out what others have posted. |