- "While students and teachers noted some level of engagement at the start of the project during the planning phase, it wasn’t until the filming and editing that engagement peaked. This level of engagement at this point was quite unexpected by the classroom teacher, who predicted that students would be most cognitively engaged during the planning phase (Addlinton)."
Explanation of Quote
- It is important for us to realize that even if we "think" we know how our students will react, we will not know until we try. Teachers felt that the pre-discussion and pre-activities would be most engaging. However, the challenges of using a camera, interviewing people and finally editing the work proved more engaging for students. I thought it was interesting that students found the reflection time as "monotonous overtime." Although class discussions and reflections are important, it just goes to show how implementing new technology can create an engaging and authentic learning environment. The project reported here demonstrates that students may be behaviorally, cognitively and emotionally engaged when undertaking technology-rich projects.
Questions:
- 1. How might your citizen journalism project resemble a technology rich project?
- The students are using new resources. They are exploring the internet through TrackStar. They are conducting primary research and interviews. These type of of technological tasks can create engaging and authentic environments.
- 2. What did you learn about successful implementation of technology rich projects?
- As mentioned above,students may be behaviorally, cognitively and emotionally engaged when undertaking technology-rich projects.
- I also learned to be careful. Using new strategies that may improve engagement, such as cooperative learning, are likely to be less successful if students are not carefully scaffolded in learning how to learn in new ways.
Extra Resource
Resource Description
- I found this video of a Middle Schools News cast. What a technology rich broadcast! I guarantee that high engagement and learning took place in these news broadcast. I would love to have an elective "NEWS" class for my 8th graders to take to create this for the school on weekly or biweekly basis. In fact, I plan on sharing this with my principal. How cool!
Article Citation
Addlington, R., & Harvey, H. (2010, April 6-9). ACEC2010 - ENGAGING YOUNG LEARNERS: THE MULTI-FACETED AND CHANGEABLE NATURE OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY-RICH LEARNING PROJECTS. ACEC2010: DIGITAL DIVERSITY CONFERENCE. Retrieved July 7, 2013, from http://acec2010.acce.edu.au/sites/acec2010.info/files/proposal/172/acec2010engagingyounglearners.pdf
Addlington, R., & Harvey, H. (2010, April 6-9). ACEC2010 - ENGAGING YOUNG LEARNERS: THE MULTI-FACETED AND CHANGEABLE NATURE OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY-RICH LEARNING PROJECTS. ACEC2010: DIGITAL DIVERSITY CONFERENCE. Retrieved July 7, 2013, from http://acec2010.acce.edu.au/sites/acec2010.info/files/proposal/172/acec2010engagingyounglearners.pdf
Our high school offers a video journalism class and it is always the first class to fill up with students. The students that do not do well in other classes seam to excel in this class because they are motivated and engaged.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is a really good news broadcast for middle school. It's better than the news that was given in high school. It looks like the kids were really into this project and motivated to do their best.
ReplyDeleteI used this same quote because it surprised me that the teacher thought the planning was going to be the most engaging for her students. But, you are right - we need to remember that sometimes how we "think" are students will react isn't always the case is important. I know I'm guilty of that because I sometimes get really excited and "geek out" about technology and my students won't be quite on the same wavelength as me! I keep trying new things though.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a student I so desperately wanted to be a part of the AV Team, unfortunately only boys were permitted. By the time I was in high school and at a very large school it was the top echelon of the theatre department that ran the morning radio and I never quite made the cut. It is exciting to think that opportunities are no longer limited. There is power in exposure to multi-media!
ReplyDeleteYou are right Jane. The ease with which technology has made video production expands opportunities for all students to be a part of a real world learning experience! Struggling students often times lack tech resources outside of school so it's so important they have access to them during school.
ReplyDeleteExcellent video. When I was in HS, I participated in all the journalism classes. However, we did not have a video journalism course. I wish we would have; however, the technology resources at that time were not available. With the widespread availability of technology today, many students would really enjoy producing a newscast.
ReplyDelete