Wicked Problem Project

You can access my Jing presentation by clicking on the following two links:

Part 1

Part 2

The reason there are two separate links is because Jing only allows 5 minute presentations.

Below is the script of my presentation, allowing you the opportunity to watch both presentations while simultaneously reading the text.

Script for final project
SLIDE 1
http://www.greatbooks.org/
In an English classroom, it is extremely important for students to hold discussions about themes, symbols, and passages in a text. For my classroom, I want students to hold meaningful discussions, where new ideas are brought to the table, not just students regurgitating what classmates have already stated. I want my students to come prepared and show an understanding of the text and the ideas the author is trying to convey. I also want students to revisit the discussions at a later time because some of the material discussed is important to reflect on before new discussions begin. I would like to find a technology that can help me accomplish my goal of having students hold great discussions and also revisit them later on. An issue I had was determining whether or not this new addition of technology was beneficial to the students or not. To get students to where they should be, I will teach them how to ask good questions that delve into the how/why questions.


SLIDE 2
I decided to incorporate newer technology, the FlipCam, into my classroom to see if better discussions would develop. I decided to videotape several discussions throughout the year, and give the same assignment that I give during a regular in-class discussion, a posting to the message board. My idea was for students to reference back to the videotaped discussion when posting their responses later that night, in the hopes that the discussion would continue through the class message board. To ensure the relevance of idea, I decided to give a survey to students to see how they felt about both types of discussions.


SLIDE 3
The technology I have chosen, FlipCam and blog/class website, and pedagogy, discussions, support what I am trying to accomplish. With a FlipCam, I can record the discussion and still be free to walk around the room. If I have to stop for an interruption (fire drill, class ends, etc…), I can start fresh and make one video using MovieMaker, or can post several videos. Students will get a tutorial on how to use and access the blog, and each student has a log in because the school uses gmail (our school specific secure network) for students to access the school website.

The technology allows my students to go back to discussions and revisit what was stated. This will cause them to think more thoroughly and analytically about the text, and what their classmates have discussed. The blog will be easily accessible, even to students that do not have computers at home because my school has a computer lab and laptop cart, so my students will have easy access to both.

Students will be able to interact with one another both in the classroom and outside of class. Students do not have to worry about fitting everything into one discussion because they can also make more points on the blog, or the same discussion can be continued on another day. Students can focus more on responding thoroughly during the actual class discussion and worry about additional information later on.

SLIDES 4-6
I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the FlipCam and its software are. I was worried about sound and picture quality, and my ability to hold a camera steady during the discussion. I liked the option of being able to stop a video and pick up with a new one, although at times I wish I could’ve just paused the video. Without having an actual classroom this summer, I improvised and found a room that is the same size and structure as my classroom. I set up chairs and had several friends engage in different discussions and test out the writing responses post discussion to see how my plan would work. Since the school year has not started, I did not have access to the message board I wanted to use, but they improvised and used a blog instead.

It took several tries before I could find a place to stand where both the audio and video quality were effective for what I was trying to do in my class. I realized that the older versions of the FlipCams run on AA batteries, and did not have enough back ups for the first test run. These problems were noted for when I begin the process in my classroom this fall. I told my friends to pretend the camera wasn’t there, which is easier said than done, and I did not participate in the discussion because my shared inquiry discussions are student led. I was impressed with their ability to pretend I wasn’t there, but I need to make sure my students do the same thing. One thing I would add in the fall is permission slips from parents stating that their child can be videotaped and placed on the message board, which is only available to me, their classmates, and administrators. For students who do not want to be videotaped, I will have them sit in front of where I stand with the camera. I was delighted to see one of my friends taking notes because I know that some students learn better by taking their own notes, even if the actual discussion will be available at a later time.

SLIDE 7
What are the key interactions among TP & C that make this solution so promising?

The technology, FlipCams and message boards, and pedagogy of discussions, allow students flexibility in their note taking, and provide an opportunity for every student to have a voice in the discussion. My department at school chose Shared Inquiry as one of the main pedagogy's in our English classrooms, and I am trying to help refine their discussion skills so that worthwhile discussions are being had. With the integration of this technology, students can focus more on the discussions in class, knowing they can directly reference them at a later time. All of the students will have read the exact same passage or assignment, and the passage will be reviewed before the discussion begins so students can refresh what they’ve already analyzed.

SLIDE 8
Describe how you think your students will experience this problem differently/better with your new solution.

I think this new methodology will allow students to hold a more in-depth discussion during class because they know they can take notes on important points at a later time, or reference something they were unsure of in a later post. If my methodology doesn’t work, or becomes too distracting for students, I will change to an audio recording, or podcast, that students can listen to so they are not focused on the videocamera. Either the video or audio discussions will help auditory learners, and help review material throughout the year.

SLIDE 9
To see what my friends thought of the experience, I created a survey using Google Forms, similar to one that I would give my students, and made them all answer truthfully. 60% found the videotaped discussion useful, while only 50% referenced the video in their blog post. 40% were not distracted by the camera, and 30% were indifferent. A few people found themselves less engaged in taking notes because they know they have the video to fall back on. This is a concern of mine, and I am still working out the kinks on that. One idea I have is to tell students to take notes for points, or get points for questions and answers during the discussion.

SLIDE 10
I think my solutions will help students learn how to engage in discussions and come prepared with textual evidence. Students will analyze the different portions of the text both during the discussion and after when they are able to process what was discussed and what they read.