A Fair(y) Use Tale (Video)

Wow...that was cool! Not only was it interesting to see how the movie was put together, using clips from Disney movies that were only a few seconds long (if that!), but the message of the video (although hard at times to decode) definitely came through.

Learning Styles Don't Exist (Video)

After watching our latest online video, entitled “Learning Styles Don’t Exist,” I will honestly admit that (at first) I didn’t know what to believe. In the video, Dr. Daniel T. Willingham, a professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, examined the theory of learning styles and explained (as stated in the title) why they do not exist. According to Dr. Willingham, the learning style theory basically states that “…different people have different ways of learning. If you can teach in a way that is consistent with the student’s style, he or she should learn better.” Since high school, I have believed this theory. Yet, as he continued to explain the various proposals that have existed over the years (Broad vs. Narrow, Visual vs. Auditory vs. Kinesthetic, etc.), gave examples (building a house), described why the theory technically “works,” and then discussed his view on the theory (why it is wrong), I started to understand his reasoning.

While Dr. Willingham was explaining how teachers generally approach this situation, he made an interesting comment by stating “…when you’ve got something that you want students to learn that is especially visual (like the shape of a map) everyone needs to see a visual presentation, not just those people who have really good visual memory.” At this point I was beginning to recognize the flaws that Dr. Willingham saw in the learning style theory. In the classroom, although some students might be better visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners, teachers must create lessons that will allow the content to be clear to all students, regardless of their learning style.

Out of all the statements made by Dr. Willingham, the most memorable was his closing. In it, Dr. Willingham exclaimed that “Good teaching is good teaching, and teachers don’t need to adjust their teaching to individual students’ learning styles.” Although I support his comment that “Good teaching is good teaching…” and the fact that not all students have a particular learning style, I do believe that at times adjustments are necessary. Teaching is never an exact science. What works for one student, may not work for another. Due to the class (size) or subject matter, it might be difficult to meet the needs of all students. Teachers should not base their lessons on the learning styles of their individual students, but should turn their attention to addressing the content in an appropriate manner. I believe that if the student is still struggling and requires additional attention, then the teacher should assist the student and focus on their specific learning style (if needed).

Not all students learn the same way, and it is our responsibility as teachers to recognize their differences and adjust our approach to ensure that all students are successful.

Environmental Health iMovie Project (Video)

Unlike previous classroom observations, today's online video focused on a project that was slightly different from the rest. At Central Community School (in Elkader, Iowa), two teachers, Ms. Susan Gnagy (English) and Ms. Barb Duwe-Peterson (Health), teamed up together and developed an interdisciplinary unit for their sophomore students that they hoped would, “encourage the students to combine their knowledge of environmental issues with their ability to persuade the audience.” To accomplish this task both the Health and English classes required the students to work on the same final project, which challenged the class to create a short (five minutes or less) video discussing a specific environmental health topic of their choice (such as pollution).

Before the students were allowed to start filming, Ms. Gnagy first lectured the class on the details of the project (choosing a topic, researching information, using resources, etc.), presented a sample video (created in a previous class), and encouraged feedback. Then, Ms. Duwe-Peterson helped each group complete a planning sheet and storyboard (with the assistance of Ms. Gnagy [Star Wars]) before assigning them to the next step. Once the groups had completed each of these components, Ms. Gnagy introduced the class to two types of video editing software, iMovie and Avid Cinema, and required each group to complete a tutorial before starting on their final projects (filming and editing process). For the final step of the project the students met with the school’s media specialist, Mrs. Garms, and discussed the importance of using credible dates and sources.

In order to accomplish these tasks, the students were required to use a number of tools that included the Internet, iMovie, Avid Cinema, the school’s media center, video cameras and more. When watching this video I recognized several strengths in this lesson, such as the integration of technology, that helped to make it a success. The teachers did an excellent job in dividing the students into groups (of two or three), setting a steady pace, encouraging motivation and peer teaching, and providing numerous examples (sample video, Star Wars). To me, one of the biggest strengths was the teachers’ ability to include prior knowledge and learning experiences into the lesson. By including topics that were previously learned in class (discussions on parliamentary procedure, partner pro/con essays, and the reading of non-fiction essays on persuasion) the teachers were able to add another dimension to the assignment, without the need of added instruction.

Even after re-watching the video online, the only part of Ms. Gnagy’s lesson that bothered me was the sample video that was shown to her students. Instead of presenting her class with a newer video, in which current technology had been used, Ms. Gnagy relied on a two year old sample that was created using outdated technology. Yes, it might give the students a starting point for their own videos, but how does it prepare the class for using the new technology?

“A Vision of Students Today” (Video)

As usual, before discussing today’s topic (“Internet as a tool for inquiry”), the lesson was started with an in-class video observation. Instead of following our usual assignment, in which we are required to watch, examine, and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of a particular video lesson, we were presented with two separate Youtube videos that we were asked to compare and contrast.

The first video, entitled “A Vision of Students Today,” was created by Michael Wesch and the students of his “Introduction to Cultural Anthropology” class (during the spring of 2007), at Kansas State University. Opening with a quote from Marshall McLuhan (1957), the tone of the piece was instantly set. Through quick and creative introductions to questions (such as “…if students learn what they do…what are they learning sitting here?”), Dr. Wesch was able to build up to the main focus of the video, “What is it like being a student today?” To answer this question, students were given the opportunity to express their opinion on the subject, and gave over twenty different responses (such as “18% of my teachers know my name…We are multitaskers… only get seven hours of sleep each night”). As I watched this video I not only enjoyed the characteristics mentioned by his students (which I were often able to relate to), but the artistic approach (used signs instead of spoken words), captivating music, and relatable setting.

The second video, entitled “A Vision of K-12 Students Today,” was written and produced by B. Nesbitt and focused on a similar subject. Much like the first video, “A Vision of K-12 Students Today” opened with a mood-setting statement that led into the explanation of why each of these students is “…a 21^st century learner.” Using erasable white boards as signs (which was similar to the approach used by Michael Wesch and his class), the students, without speaking, questioned their current education, encouraged the use of technology in the classroom, and begged educators to “engage” them. I really enjoyed hearing the passionate statements and shocking statistics mentioned by the students, and was impressed by this video’s ability to capture my attention.

After rewatching these presentations, I was actually surprised at how similar these two videos really are. Even though there is a large age difference between the students in each video (K-12 vs. College), they both mentioned similar concerns about their education (“By the year 2016 the largest English speaking country will be China! There are more honor students in China than there are people in North America!”). Also, the students from both groups seemed to believe they knew more about technology than their teachers, constantly used technology in their lives (“Listened to 5 hours of Harry Potter,” “…will read over 2300 web pages and 1281 FB profiles”), desired a more “hands-on” approach to learning (“If we learn by doing…what are we learning sitting here? How do you learn?”), and believed that their future employment does not yet exist. Both groups desire to have technology utilized more often in the classroom, and simply hope to be inspired to learn. It has been suggested in the past that “…technology (alone) can save us,” but only the future can tell.

Although there are many similarities between these videos, there are also a few differences. While the college students seemed frustrated by the lack of attention from their professors as well as the outrageous costs of school (“…average class size of 115, complete 49% of reading assignments with 26% being relative to my life, waste money on textbooks that are never used”), the K-12 students were mainly concerned with becoming more digitally engaged. Also, compared to the K-12 students, the college students tended to abuse their technological privileges more often (“I Facebook through most of my classes, I bring my laptop to class but I’m not working on class stuff”).

"The Machine is Us/ing Us " (Video)

That video was awesome! I’ve seen a lot of interesting Youtube videos in the past, but that was definitely one of the most memorable and unique videos I have seen in a long time. Created by Michal Wesch, the Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University, the video, entitled “The Machine is Us/ing Us,” gave a brief history of the Internet, and highlighted some of its basic uses and features. From beginning to end this video completely captured my attention. Through its quick pace, creative style, and catchy music, this video was not only entertaining but educational. I absolutely loved the transitions between topics, the artistic quality of the piece, and his innovative approach to illustrating this information.

My favorite quote from the video (its title), which states “The machine is us/ing us,” also ties in with a comment that Holly Mathys made on her blog, “Such is Life.” Holly made an interesting point when she mentioned that on the Internet, “What is real and what is not…how does one know the difference?” The Internet is an interesting blend of ideas, opinions, and beliefs, and it is the responsibility of the viewer to keep an open and understanding mind. We have always been cautioned to “…not believe everything that we see on the Internet,” and after watching this video, I will think twice about what I see and hear.

Ms. Kunath's Collage Activity (Video)

Today’s classroom observation video focused on Ms. Jean Kunath, the Art and Photography teacher at Central High School (in Victoria, VA), and her creative collage assignment. Ms. Kunath developed this activity to challenge the 9-12^th grade students of her Photography class to “master” technology that included digital cameras, floppy discs, Microsoft Image Composer, and the Internet, as well as create a digital collage (which would be posted on the school’s website). Before allowing the students to start the assignment, Ms. Kunath first guided the class through the Central High School website and showed them examples of previously completed collages. Ms. Kunath then pointed out the pros and cons (of each collage), discussed the characteristics of a good collage, set expectations for the class, and even made each student complete a practice collage. Once the students had successfully completed the practice collage, Ms. Kunath explained her method of assessment and supplied them with the needed materials.

When watching this video I recognized several strengths in Ms. Kunath’s lesson that helped to make it a success. Ms. Kunath did an excellent job in clearly stating directions, presenting expectations, explaining her method of assessment, including various types of technology, checking class progress, and teaching the importance of respect. Instead of rushing into the assignment, Ms. Kunath took the time to show her students quality examples (which taught them important details like including spaces between pictures, limiting the use of words, never using student names, and only using quality pictures) and taught them, step-by-step, the important functions of Microsoft Image Composer (brightness control, re-positioning pictures, inserting borders and shapes). To me, the most important feature of Ms. Kunath’s lesson was the fact that she checked each of the students work before allowing them to move on to the next step. This not only prevented any confused student from sneaking under the radar, but gave Ms. Kunath the opportunity to follow the progress of her students.

Although Ms. Kunath taught a great lesson, there were a few details that could be considered weaknesses. I believe that Ms. Kunath should not have openly embarrassed one of her students in the middle of class (by stating that she had made a mistake), but should have simply informed the other students of the common mistake and left out the name. Also, Ms. Kunath should have added more to the final assignment, which did not sound like much of a challenge to the students.