(u03a1) - Assignment on "Creating a Synthesizing Mind"

In my digital media course, I am sharing a digital tool that could be used with students to develop a synthesizing mind.  For this example I have picked out the following outcome:

Alberta Program of Studies – Biology 30, Outcome C1.2k – explain, in general terms, the events of the cell cycle; i.e., interphase, mitosis, and cytokinesis.  For this blog entry, I am just explaining the stages of mitosis

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In order to create a “synthesizing mind”, Gardner (2007) states that any effort to synthesize needs a goal, a starting point, the selection of a strategy, and the creation of drafts on which feedback is provided.  (page 95, Kobo edition)  My goal would be to explain, in general terms, the events of the cell cycle, or more specifically mitosis. My starting point would be to ask the following questions:

In your own words, identify the key highlights of each stage of mitosis and what organelles are at work in cells that allow mitosis to take place.  Also, identify any questions you still have about the process.

The strategy by which they would explain the stages of mitosis (and answer the above question) would be to use “Voice thread.”  This is a web 2.0 tool that allows a person to upload video and images into the online program and add their voice and drawing tools to be able to highlight words or images while creating the voice thread.  People who view the voice thread can then add comments of their own – which would allow feedback as an individual works on “synthesizing” information in a project.  The first time a person makes a voice thread, it is probably a draft.  After watching the voice thread I created, I made five or six different drafts before I ended up with the final product.

To complete this project, I took an editable clip from discovery education.  I downloaded it to the computer, and then uploaded it into windows live movie maker.  I muted the sound and took out only a clip of the video that contained an animation of mitosis.  I saved the movie as a windows media player file.  (I tried saving it as a flash file, but the program wouldn’t open it.)  I then uploaded the clip into voice thread.  I added my own comments as to answer the question above.  If you were using this idea with students, I would have them write scripts that would answer the questions.  After I learned how to work the program (through many trials) I saved my comments to the voicethread.  Students would also go through many trials as they complete this process.

I have embedded my voicethread below.  

Voicethread is a powerful tool to give evidence that students actually understand and can explain a concept ( synthesize information.)

Citations:

Ancient Lights (Producer).  (1998). Lesson Three: How Cells Reproduce. [Video Segment].  Available from http://www.discoveryeducation.com/

Gardner, Howard. Five minds for the future. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press, 2007. Print. 

(u02a1) Blog on Digital Media

In my course this week, we have been reading a chapter dealing with how to create a disciplined mind (Gardner.)  This is my response of one way to use digital media in a science classroom.

In Science 10 of the Alberta Program of Studies – Unit D: Energy Flow in Global Systems, a teacher must have students learn about “social and environmental contexts for investigating climate change.”  A specific outcome is to investigate and identify human actions affecting biomes that have a potential to change climate.

In the view of multiple intelligences, a teacher could use an exploration from Discovery education called “Changing Climate Quickly.”  I would create a writing prompt for my students that has the exploration embedded.  I would ask following questions.    For each natural event, explain if this could have a major effect on climate and what specifically causes the change. Secondly, identify a human activity that could cause the climate to change quickly.  Explain your reasoning.

This type of assignment would touch on the following multiple intelligences: logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, and also spatial.  Students have to select different scenarios of natural events (bodily-kinesthetic), process the information (logical-mathematical & spatial) and write their response (bodily- kinesthetic.)

I am a really visual learner (in terms of modality) and this exploration gives a great representation of how different natural events would cause climate change.  The students are further prompted to think how human activities are similar to natural events.  I would be checking to see if they can relate increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as being linked to the greenhouse effect and global warming.  This type of activity – a writing prompt is also very engaging.  The teacher has the ability to make comments (formative exercises, with detailed feedback) which is another way, according to Gardner, of creating a disciplined mind.

The link to the exploration is included.

Changing Climate Quickly

EDIM 508 Introductory Blog - 728 Challenge

This blog post is an introductory assignment in my digital media course, answering the following questions in 20-25 word twitter style.

Who are you and what do you do?

Greetings from Alberta, Canada!  My name is Nicole Bondarchuk.  I am a mother and science teacher currently working as an AISI Teacher coach.

 What is your primary goal for taking this course?

I am interested in applications of digital media for combined teaching and being an instructional media coach down the road.  I love half time teaching!

What is your philosophy of education?

All students have the ability to learn.  A teacher needs to take a student where they are and help them move forward in their learning.

 What do you see as the greatest benefit of using technology and/or digital media in the classroom?

Digital media and technology provides engagement, multiple means of representing a concept and multiple ways for students to transfer their learning.  (Universal design for Learning)

 What is your biggest concern or challenge with using technology and/or digital media in the classroom?

One to one, or two to one continual access to computers and speedy Internet bandwidth is the biggest challenge my school faces.

 Provide an example of how you currently use technology and/or digital media in the classroom.

I have been working with teachers on making writing prompts using discovery education, having students use google docs to collaborate on presentations in English.

 How does your classroom today differ from when you were the same age as your students?

When I was in school, the teacher lectured and was the source of learning.  In my last classroom, students were responsible for their learning.