Blendspace Reflection
How does the addition of the tech resource improve the lesson/deepen learning? How is this lesson transformed by the tech resource? Does my redesign create a more learner-centered experience?
Last year, my co-teacher and I taught this same graphic novel that we taught for this assignment, Persepolis. We tried to provide students with background knowledge, but there was so information to provide--what is Islam? the Iran-American relationship? the Iranian revolution?--that we simply could not spend an entire week on the background information. This year, we decided to enlist Blendspace to help us with providing background information for Persepolis. The technology deepened this lesson in several ways.
First of all, in a classroom full of students of varied abilities, I welcome a tool that allows students to learn the same material but at each individual learner's pace. Though students received only two days in class for this assignment, Blendspace still allowed students to work at their own pace. We scheduled the assignment so that the second day fell on a Friday; that way, students could use the weekend to finish the assignment if necessary. Second of all, Blendspace allowed us to use more than just text to communicate the complexity of the Iranian Revolution as well as the relationship between America and Iran. Thanks to Blendspace, we could use videos in addition to text and external websites. Third of all, Blendspace created a more learner-centered approach in its ability to allow students to work at their own pace. Additionally, this assignment introduced students to Blendspace early on in the unit it; that way, they could use this same technology for their final project, which requires them to illustrate, in written and visual forms, the influence their hopes and fears have on their lives.
How does my use of technology integration fit into the SAMR model?
Originally, I decided that, under the SAMR model, this lesson was modification. However, upon further consideration, I realize that this technology allowed us to present the lesson in a way that would not have otherwise been possible. I could not provide hard copies of texts and project videos about the Iranian Revolution conflict while simultaneously allowing students to work at their own pace. Sure, I could make an Edmodo folder with all of the same materials, but that lesson would still require technology. Plus, Edmodo does not provide the same aesthetics for the lesson that Blendspace does. Yes, I could have had students create Blendspace lessons based on different aspects of Iranian culture; however, that assignment would have taken far too much time for the needs it fulfilled. Additionally, I wanted students' first experience with Blendspace to be one in which I created the lesson so that they knew how to navigate it as a user first before using it for their final project. (Note: we showed students multiple technologies during first and second quarters so that they could choose from any one of them to create their final project for second quarter.)
The final project, the lesson that is discussed with more brevity here, is also redesigned because of Blendspace. It allows learners to present and synthesize information in a way that not just a collage, poster, or "soundtrack" can provide. Students can find images, text, and videos that represent their hopes and fears. In fact, students can upload videos of their own creation to YouTube and link to those videos on Blendspace, creating a multimedia collage that requires far more higher-order thinking.
How does my lesson address one of the ISTE-Teacher Standards?
One of the ISTE-Teacher Standards is "Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments." Part a of this standard states, "Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity." We designed this first lesson, the background information for Persepolis, using Blendspace, which is an adaptation of previous frontloading techniques that were not quite as successful. In order to foster students' creativity for their final project, we presented Blendspace in this format to promote their learning of Iranian culture as well as foster their creativity for a future project.
Part b of this standard states, "Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress." I do not think this first lesson alone serves this part of the standard completely. Yes, this lesson allows students to set their own goals in terms of their pacing for the assignment as well as assessing their learning by going back and forth to the documents/videos in order to check for understanding and the answers to the questions asked of them. However, I think it is the final project that really allows students to set their own educational goals using this technology. (I did not use the final lesson for this technology because we allowed students a choice for how they would present their projects; we did not want to mandate that they choose Blendspace for such a personal creation.)
Part c of this standard says that teachers "Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources." This lesson absolutely meets that criteria. One of the primary reasons we chose this technology is so that we could appeal to multiple intelligences and allow students to receive the information in a variety of ways (not just via text). The fact that we allowed students to work independently and at their own pace means we addressed their working strategies. Additionally, the Google Form component really tested students' abilities to use other tools (ex: Googledocs) to their advantage in order to avoid losing any work.
Finally, the last part of this standard states that teachers, "Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards, and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching." We assessed student knowledge through the Google Form that they completed. From there, we assessed the class as a whole by discussing the questions more students struggled with than others. Then, we used the information that students gleaned from this assignment for many questions throughout the course of the novel. We consistently tied our questioning back to what students knew about Iranian culture. As for students' knowledge of Blendspace, they can choose to use that knowledge or not for the final project.
What are barriers to technology integration that are impeding my design from "getting above the line?" What additional ISTE-Student or Teacher Standards would I meet with this redesign?
I think this lesson already gets above the line in what it was designed to do as well as what it prepares students for being able to accomplish for their final project. The fact that it serves a purpose for more than just this introductory lesson makes it an even more valuable tool.