Drama Series: Thought Mapping

From an educators’ perspective there is one Drama strategy that lends itself to diagnostic assessment, referred to as Thought Mapping/Positioning. In order to dispel any myths, this is not the same as mind mapping (a written strategy used to organize thoughts). Thought Mapping/Positioning is used to demonstrate the student’s comfort level when starting a new subject. A chair (or any other object) is placed in the centre of the room and the more comfortable the students feel with the subject the closer they stand to the chair. An example of an appropriate question would be: “how comfortable do you feel teaching drama?” The reaction was mixed within my classroom when this question was asked, as some of us were practically sitting on the chair, while others were nearly out the door. This visual cue gives a clear indication as to the comfort levels of the students, and how quickly/slowly the subject should be approached. It may also be an opportunity to address any underlying concerns before they become an issue. Thought mapping remains an appropriate strategy for any age-range or subject, and it will become a useful tool for any educator to have in their back pocket.  

Introduction to The Drama Series!

I consider myself to be a strong advocate for the arts, so I thought it would be beneficial to share my experiences within my Drama Education class at Brock University and how they can be applied within the classroom both as drama lessons, and cross curricular. I have created what I refer to as “The Drama Series” which lists five drama strategies that can be utilized within the classroom. The Arts are absolutely essential, transformative mediums within the learning environment because of their effects on student motivation and achievement (Hartle, Pinciotti & Gorton, 2015). According to the Arts Education Partnership (2013), educators who integrate the arts into the curriculum find that they are better equipped to meet the needs of all students, but results are particularly robust with disenfranchised students (Hartle et al., 2015). Therefore, the arts can be a powerful tool to close the gap between learners, but also increase the creative and critical thinking skills for non-exceptional students.

Reference

Hartle, L., Pinciotti, P., & Gorton, R. (2015). ArtsIN: Arts integration and infusion framework. Early childhood 

       Education, 43, 289-298. doi:10.1007/s10643-014-0636-7

PhotoPeach: Learning Object

           I chose to explore ‘PhotoPeach’ as a digital tool that I could potentially use within the classroom. It was advertised to be an easy medium to create rich slideshows filled with pictures and accompanying music. I found that it was an easy tool to use, however it was als

Crisitanduque. (2013) Photopeach logo
[Online Photo] retrieved from https://www.flickr.
com/photos/93177271@N07/8535317956/in/
photolist-cgkwDw-e1eJEq-

o quite basic. There were no real opportunities to add dialogue within the slideshow, titles or subtitles to accompany the slides, and there were no options to add citations. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to allow or encourage my students to use this website.When asked to upload photos there were only three options; facebook, picasa, or from the files on your computer. In order to make this tool more efficient, there should have been more options where you could be directed to creative commons licensing websites such as Flickr in order to avoid obtaining copyright photos. This tool would be perfect for personal photos you wish to display, but for academic purposes I found this tool was lacking. Despite its drawbacks, there are some positive aspects of this tool. You have the option of sharing your slideshow with a multitude of platforms, including facebook, blogs, twitter, myspace and so on which can be very useful, and it remains a unique feature of this website compared to other presentation software. As a recommendation for educators who intend to use PhotoPeach, it can be a wonderful way to share visuals but it should be coupled with supplementary information (written text), if used academically. Below I have included an exemplar of a slideshow you can make with this digital tool entitled 'Flowers'.

Copyright: What is it, and why does it matter?

We are in a digital age

Jacober, W. (2011, August 11). Matrix. [Online Image] 

Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/wendelin

jacober/14146317398/in/photolist-ny4zj7-

‘What is copyright’, and ‘why does in matter in an educational setting’ are some of the questions I had asked myself before writing this post, and I would like to share with you some of the answers that I have found! Original, tangible work is protected by copyright which ensures intellectual property rights, or the right to use that work to the creator (Figg, 2013). Rudimentary copyright law dictates that copying, distributing, performing, displaying or adapting digital media is prohibited, unless permission is obtained. However, given the range of multimedia available, and the need for these resources copyright also invokes a ‘fair dealings’ law in Canada which dictates that if these resources are used for private study, research, criticism, review, or news reporting it is not considered an infringement of copyright (Figg, 2013).

So what does this mean for Canadian educators? In a nutshell, you may not show a video without first acquiring public performance rights, or the video must have a Creative Commons (CC) licensing that allows for distribution (Figg, 2013). Nonetheless, we are in the midst of a digital age and the need for access to open educational resources cannot be understated. Resultant from this was ‘Creative Common’s’ founded by the Center for the Public Domain, in order to encourage new copyright licensing that promotes open sharing of all creative works; flickr is an excellent example (Figg, 2013).

Example of Creative Commons Licensing: Google Images

Sankar, S. (2010, October 9). Pumeria Flower 

[Online Image] Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Plumeria#/media/File:Fallen_Plumeria.JPG

In order to avoid copyright infringement we should encourage our students to create their own images and/or videos and apply a creative commons license. If students must use photos from the internet, they can visit either Flickr or Fotopedia which will have images with creative commons or a clear identifiable license (Figg, 2013). Google Images also has the option of finding creative commons licensing photos (as displayed to the left); Jane Lofton provides a great YouTube tutorial for finding images with proper licensing (either no conditions or attribution only which involves citing the image if used) (Figg, 2013). Therefore, although copyright is legally mandated, it is often poorly understood amongst educators. When in doubt, encourage your students to develop creative works of their own; the Clever Sheep has created a comprehensive list of tools/resources for your students to do just that! Good luck and happy creating! :)

References

Figg, C., (2013) Handy4class presents: copyright for tech-enhanced teaching.

Jacober, W. (2011, August 11). Matrix. [Online Image] Retrieved from 

        https://www.flickr.com/photos/wendelinjacober/14146317398/in/photolist-ny4zj7-

Lofton, J. (2014). Finding copyright-friendly images using Google Image Search. In YouTube. 

        Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf0ksrW_Xpo&feature=youtu.be

Lucier, R. (2009). Creative commons chaos. In The Clever Sheep. Leading in New Directions. 

        Retrieved from http://thecleversheep.blogspot.ca/2009/02/creative-commons-chaos.html

Sankar, S. (2010, October 9). Pumeria Flower [Online Image] Retrieved from

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumeria#/media/File:Fallen_Plumeria.JPG

Genius Hour

Welcome back! Day one of teachers college has just begun where I will resume posting about hot topics in education!'Genius Hour' is a topic that I have some familiarity with, but have never fully grasped, as it goes by many names. To my understanding, it incorporates elements of play, passion, and inquiry based learning where students are encouraged to pursue topics of interest in order to engage more deeply with the material. But as it was pointed out by my colleagues, 'Genius Hour' can take a variety of forms, from blogging, to social media posts, YouTube videos and so on. As previously mentioned in my blog posts, Robby Novak better known as Kid President uses his social media prowess to inspire others through motivational YouTube videos. This is an excellent example of Genius Hour, as Robby was allowed to explore his own passions using a multimedia medium.

Digital Literacy

CC Technology (2012) [Video file] Retrieved from 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinshine

/6969804185/in/photolist-bBU4XF-efoWfy-

Digital literacy can be defined as the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, and share information effectively; an essential skill for engagement and citizenship in the 21^st century (Education World, 2016). Students are constantly bombarded with confusing media advertisements, Instagram and Twitter posts, Facebook and Pinterest sharing pages and other multimedia digital platforms. We must accept our roles as partial consumers of the media, but change the narrative in which we receive and interpret this information; we can no longer be passive and feeble but critical and informed.

According to the Ministry of education, technology can be a true asset as it has the capability of contributing positively to local and global communities by connecting otherwise isolated groups (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005). The vast wealth of knowledge that is available to our students is truly extraordinary, and this open accessibility of information can make learning more meaningful and engaging. There is no longer an option to ignore digital expansion, but rather educators must learn to embrace it and utilize it to the best of his/her abilities. Keeping in mind the ministry’s criteria for a good digital citizen, we must teach our students how to identify credible sources, respect the intellectual property of others, and use effective strategies for information searches (including keywords, narrowing search perimeters, etc.) (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005). Alongside these strategies, Education World has provided a comprehensive list of digital literacy resources for teachers that can be used in a variety of educational settings with many age groups. 

CC iPad Dream2 (2010) [Video file] Retrieved from 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lancesh/5066618648/

in/photolist-8HHKcW

Reflecting on my own experiences, I was asked to put together an educational video that I would show to my classmates on a topic of my choosing, and I found this process incredibly rewarding. For students who do not excel in writing, recording sound clips can be an effective alternative for displaying information. One of my most memorable placements was in a kindergarten classroom; I was amazed at the level of skill and digital aptitude that these students displayed. They were asked to create a video on Pete The Cat where the students would count the buttons on his jacket, describe the shoes he was wearing, and where he was planning on going. The students were excited to share their stories with the class, and took pride in the videos they had created. This goes to show how incredibly versatile technology can be, and when employed appropriately can spark new learning, engagement and creativity.

Despite the obvious ‘pro’s’ of technology in the classroom, there are also a few drawbacks to consider when creating lesson plans. It can be a distraction for the children, so you must create a structure and culture of respect when working with digital aids. Secondly, not all students will have access to these digital sources at home, or you make work in a school that does not have iPads, camera’s, or smartboards in their classrooms. To combat this, teachthought provides a wonderful list of digital resources for those who are looking to implement technology into their classroom free of charge.

Ultimately, we need the full range of skills we associate with media and digital literacy in order to take full advantage of the rights we hold as consumers, online community members, and citizens. Technology also has a strong influence on communication, and allows experimentation in pedagogy and assessment; for example, instead of grading a paper you may choose to grade a documentary produced by a student. Becoming digitally literate is an absolute necessity in the 21^st century, and as educators it is our responsibility to prepare them for this task.

References

Acedo, M. (2013, December). 25 teaching tools for the digital classroom. In Teachthought: We GrowTeachers. Retrieved March 31, 2016.

CC Technology (2012) [Video file] Retrieved from

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinshine/6969804185/in/photolist-bBU4XF-efoWfy-

CC iPad Dream2 (2010) [Video file] Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/lancesh/5066618648/in/photolist-8HHKcW

Granata, K. (2016). Ten Digital Literacy Resources for Teachers. In Education World. Retrieved March31, 2016.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2005). The Ontario curriculum grades 1-8: Health and physical

education.

Thematic versus Subject-Based Curriculum

Subject-based education involves more traditional approach to curriculum and teaching that is divided into several ‘subjects’ including math, history, English and so on. This approach of structuring the disciplines is practical, as it isolates specific skills and knowledge that we hope our students will acquire, and design lessons around these expectations. However, this approach is often criticized for its rigid, prescriptive approach to curriculum delivery as it focuses on specific skills and content rather than an integrated delivery.

CC Elliot Erwitt (2009) [Video file] Retrieved from 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wespeck

/4064452052/in/photolist-7canZw-6wvs22

            Thematic approaches to curriculum delivery on the other hand, include cross-curricular, integrated and interdisciplinary design, where knowledge and skills can transcend multiple areas of study. Lake (1994: as referenced in Putwain, Whitely & Caddick, 2011), identify six characteristics on non-subject-based curriculum: including combining subjects, emphasizing project work, multiple sources that go beyond the textbook, holistic relationships among concepts, and organizing the curriculum to revolve around themes and flexibility in student grouping.

            In terms of motivational outcomes, Putwain et al., (2001) acknowledge that performance-approach goals, or goals intended to demonstrate learning, declined significantly in classrooms using a subject-based approach. Although goals are adopted on the basis of personal antecedents it is suggested that a thematic approach promotes a more understanding and flexible environment which will improve the learning and competence of students. Putwain et al., (2001) describe three features of thematic classrooms that illustrate the positive impacts they can have on students. Firstly, an educator has the capability of grounding curriculum in local issues intended to create a more engaging approach to learning. As a result, students have reported stronger mastery-approach goals, or an interest in developing their learning, compared to subject-based classrooms. Secondly, the focus on group and individual projects improved collaboration amongst students, and often provided the students with more formative assessment and feedback from teachers than you would expect from a subject-based approach. Thirdly, social comparison is not as prominent in a thematic model, as students are often working collaboratively not competitively; therefore a self-referenced mode of competence judgement may be more frequent using this approach.

            Integrated instruction has certainly become prominent in 21^st century education, and is posed as a better way to meet the interests and needs of students while maintaining curriculum-specific expectations. This approach has been linked to the idea of ‘spheres of work’ in which intersecting subjects contribute to a holistic understanding of a concept or action; an essential framework for educational reform. 

References

Putwain, D., Whiteley, H., & Caddick, L. (2011). Thematic versus subject-based curriculum delivery and achievement goals: findings from a single-school study. Educational Research, 53(4), 387-398. doi:org/10.1080/00131881.2011.625149