My reflection on the course.

Record music with Vocaroo >>

A Case Study: Digital Storytelling in Argentina.

Hi everyone!
I am working with one of the case studies in chaper 2. I have designed a mindmap to explain the basics of the case (problem and solution) and will give more details below. For this, I have used a programme called BUBBL.US, which I found useful for making mindmaps (the only drawback is that you need to register to save your production).
Here is the screenshot with the information and the site for you to visit.

One example of Vicky's work in the classroom is Digital Storytelling. Vicky tried this with a group of 17-year-olds. One of her projects was called "Art Stories": students worked in groups to choose famous paintings and they wrote a narrative that linked the paintings together. They used Windows Movie Maker to create a slideshow with a soundtrack recorded by students to go with the images.

Why is digital storytelling motivating? 

• it gives students a voice 
• it gives them freedom and creativity 
• it can be shared online with parents, friends and even people they don't know, from around the world. 

Thus, students will develop  DIGITAL LITERACY, defined as the ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment. 

Another example of technology enhanced learning is MALL: mobile assisted language learnning. The mobile phone is a valid device for 

• content delivery
• field work 
• data capture 

How does this interact with TPCK and SAMR? 

Content-aim: developing digital literacy, practising speaking skills, working with real-world tasks. 

Pedagogy: a narrative was elaborated and recorded by students, in relation to works of art of their choice. 

Technology: Windows Movie Maker was used for the students to link pictures and recorded text. 

As regards, SAMR, I believe this would be close to the Redefinition stage, since the students would be using technology to perform activities that otherwise would not be feasible: the recording of the text to go with the images in a slides presentation. 

This is a most interesting case study! Here's the link to the teacher's blog: http://vickysaumell.blogspot.com.es/

Digital Play

To be absolutely honest, I'd never considered gamifying my class, since I'm not a player myself. Still, I do agree with the idea that games engage learners more than other activities may do, and their integration into our lessons may positively surprise as well as enthrall learners of all ages.

The game I've tried is HeroMachine, which I believe is useful for SS to create their Hero and use it later for different classroom activities. Almost as a sort of Avatar. My hero is TechnoWoman!
http://www.heromachine.com

On Content Curation

I've just opened my account on Scoop.it. Here's the link to it: http://www.scoop.it/u/agostina-spinella-trapani

It's my first experience with content curation and I'm still exploring Scoop.it. I think it's a useful way of following experts in different areas of interest and get their latest updates.
I'll be able to comment on this more extensively once I've become more acquainted with content curation.

Practising Speaking Skills through Webtools.

Audio recording and upload >>

I've tried Vocaroo for the recording of one of the activities me and my group designed last Saturday. I am aware that the volume is a bit low but I have been trying to mend it unsucessfully yet (and I don't happen to have a microphone other than that incorporated in my notebook).
I think it is an interesting tool for voice recording, and now that I am working with my students on a unit called "On the Phone", I figured that the dialogues I've asked them to write (be it phone conversations or answering machine messages) they can later record using this webtool and share it on my class blog.

Here go the other two activities we designed:

A. Using Voxopop.
Target: 6th formers, primary school.
Level: Pre-intermediate
Goals: improving speaking and writing skills.
Activity: Collaborative story writing. SS work in groups of five. The teacher gives them titles to use as triggers for the stories they are going to invent. The groups receive different titles. Each student in the group is supposed to write a part of the story (in two paragraphs) and record it. This is what they will upload to the class blog, with each section of the story having its corresponding picture. Once their story is ready, the whole story (pictures and recordings) will be uploaded for other students to check it out and comment on it in class.

B. Using Present Me.
Target: 5th year, high schoool
Level: upper-intermediate
Aim: enhancing speaking skills while developing the ability to deliver a presentation.
Activity: SS will deliver a presentation regarding their course of studies. The teacher gives them guidelines as to what information should be there. Their presentations should be uploaded to the class blog using Present Me to be shared afterwards in class.

Very useful webtools for the practice of speaking skills!

My Avatar

Here's my Avatar again!!

On Nick Peachy's talk about Web Tools and Apps

I think the tools Nick presents are most interesting. I chose to try the Infographics tool: Draw.io, because I don't have enough time right now to try my favourite one: the Video Email. I will most certainly try it soon and post on it when I do.

As for the criteria, Nick mentions: Digital Literacy, Price, Authenticity; Accessibility; Learnability/teachability; Registration; Learning Goal/Outcome; Prolonged use. 

I believe Draw.io meets all of these criteria and it could be very useful for students to create their own drawings and networks of concepts and ideas for the class.

I hope you can all see my humble creation this time due to time limitations!