Learn to....

Before you get to the fun stuff, the reading.  Check out my video on how to get up and down the stairs when you're on crutches.

Chapter 4

The issue of technology assessment is interesting to me because of the vast promotion in the use of technology is contrary to the promotion of universal understanding of it’s assessment. This contradiction has been evident in most of my professional development and can easily be seen in the classrooms of my school.  I think most of us would have a hard time answering the parent question of “Why is my child doing this and how do you grade it?”  if it was outside the traditional course assignments.  I like the reasons Ohler gives as to why to assess new media: i. new media uses old media ii. new media is going to be the new definition of literate iii. kids are using new media now and we can choose to participate the direction they’re headed or ignore it at both of our detriments.

I also like Ohler’s suggestions about student DST performance assessment, from student’s self-assessment to, what I agree with most, the use of a performance or publication venue.  I often think of the choir at my school and how hard they work and wonder why they are the only group to perform at our back to school nights.  I would appreciate “showing off” my students work and mine too; I am just struck by the obvious simplicity in the idea of boosting performance because of public viewing.

I also appreciate the evolving new media rubric and I found the assessment points to be relevant and applicable. 

Chapter 5

I found the 3 components of story that storytellers can use to compose the essence of their narrative pretentious but useful.  First, create the story’s tension. Then, the transformation processes to the challenge, and finally, the response or resolution to the challenge.  A set of simple guidelines that have been used for generations and that students can follow.

Using story core, as a media literacy tool is fascinating to me, I mentioned in my last blog post that having students learn when they don’t realize they are learning is an objective of mine.  Ohler suggests, that through the sublet use of the story core, storytellers can, his words, pierce the neocortex and engage audience members emotionally, without causing them to question they’re experience.

Knowing when to move onto the next step is needed in story telling and the understanding between the differences of story core, story maps and story boards is a helpful guiding process.  I appreciate the clear defining and understanding of their separate needs and usage.

Chapter 6

The same point is made continually throughout this chapter, that of transformation through tension.  If that is an accurate assessment, then after this semester I should be a new person.  We’ll see if that’s the case, I do like Ohler’s connection of story mapping and story telling to the perspective of the student.  In a good story the main character grows, and with a good DST a teacher can cause growth in their student as well.  I see room to personally grow this semester as a student too, the tension that is building with these classes is unlike any other obstacles I’ve encountered before.  So, I better see the fruits of my labor, if I make it though this.

My Intro Movie

Hey folkers, here's my video.
I built it on my macbook air, using iPhoto and iMovie.  I had some issues with gathering all the photos I needed from their different locations and saving them properly, but it came out well in the end.  Actually, I'll let you be the judge of that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5O0GHIeg9Q

Chapter 1

It took a while, but Ohler finally got to a salient point for me, his revelation #14 had the most relevance to me.  He proposes that combining storytelling and critical thinking defines an important pedagogical frontier.  I took that to mean that teachers will have to adapt the way we use storytelling and show the difference in entertainment and personal critical thinking.

I also like how he says, digital stories combine traditional and emerging literacies in engaging reluctant students.   Like many educators today, I believe that students must have the skills necessary to recognize, evaluate, and apply the persuasive techniques of media to succeed in the digital world.

I’m a fan of how author states that technology doesn’t make teachers obsolete. It in fact makes them more valuable than ever, as students need guidance and wisdom to use technology with care and direction in their stories that provide clarity and humanity.

Chapter 2

I appreciate the real classroom applications that be used by teacher in multiple subjects.  The three reflective discussion questions provide a clear outline for teachers to use for their DST assessment needs.  Meaning I like that teachers can know if this project is going to be useful to the students.

I also like the wide but stringent use of defining your digital story as a metaphor and using that metaphor throughout your story.  I ties into a couple of the points from chapter 1, in that new age digital story is connected to traditional story and teachers can use the comfort of familiarity to instruct the new pedagogy needed today.

Ohler’s strongest points come from the ways to enhance active critical thinking, I like when students learn when they are not necessarily aware they are learning.  This shows them that learning is an ongoing and continual process.  Ohler suggests using story vs. report at equal frequency and passive viewing and active viewing as well.  It’s up to the teacher to set the clear objectives forth to the students and I like the examples of how to actually build a project.

Chapter 3

The idea of using DST as a content methodology seems like a no brainer to me and if the proper circumstances exist in implementing the projects I’d like to see it take place in my social science classroom. 

Maintain technology standards are also important in the classroom today and equally obvious for teacher implementation.  It almost goes without saying that, technological concepts, productivity and professional practice are interconnected with teacher technical proficiency.  Throughout Imet and with the guidelines developed by ISTE I hope to show the proficiency that is needed in today’s classroom.

Lastly, the narrative used in DST offers a helpful perspective from which to view the extension of text into the digital domain and the expansion of concepts like reading, writing and grammar that have enhanced development capacities.  I’m in full agreement that web 2.0 is a highly narrative environment.