We are thinking about doing a jigsaw-collaborative-technology project to tackle the 4 page reading, which will likely be extremely challenging for the students. Instead of having them each read the assignment, we would like to involve them in making a photo movie as a vehicle for the reading.
More specifically, we can divide the reading among 12 students and 2 teachers, and each work on our part. For their parts, students slowly read their parts and use whatever resources they need to make sense of them (internet, dictionary, classmates, teachers). Perhaps we will rewrite the text to make it a little simpler for them, or provide them with a text with explanatory annotations.
Anyway, their first task will be to use flickr or Google Images to find images that help explain the various sentences in their part of the text. They will then use Windows Movie Maker or PhotoStory to record the text, assemble the images, and maybe write out the text on each photo.
After they have created a multi-image movie for their part of the reading, the students will use JayCut (an online video editing tool) to collaboratively assemble a class video of the entire reading. They will be able to insert their section and save it for classmates to edit, i.e. insert their parts.
After the video is published, the students will watch it as a class. Ideally, the graphic images as well as seeing and hearing the text will help the students understand the content as well as appreciate their group effort using technology. We could even post the movie to YouTube with a tag which identifies as the reading from the particular resource book for other students around the world to view.
A question I still have is if there is a way to make the first part of the assignment something that students could do as partners so that there is student-student interaction rather than just individual student-text-web interaction.
I believe this project meets the NET standard below:
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
I commented on Jono's blog and asked how digital patches aid learning. With your elaboration I get it now! It would be interesting to read your reflection on whether this results in better understanding than the traditional approach. On your question about student-student interaction... One thing you could do is copy the text into a google doc and then have sets of kids read and annotate right in the text, riffing off of each other's interpretations and questions. That would be a more interactive reading expereince. Could be fun...
ReplyDeleteI love your ideas and how you are determined to reach your ELL learners to make this experience meaningful from them. I'm sure the entire class will benefit from deeply thinking about and understanding the content.
ReplyDeleteI also love Jane's idea of having the document in a Google Doc to allow the students to interact with each other and the text.
Can't wait to see how it turns out!