1. Compared to writing traditional essays as you have in other classes, were the expectations of the Voicethread assignment easier, harder or just different? In other words, was it clear to you what the format of the assignment was and how to produce one?
The expectations of the Voicethread assignment were both easier and harder just because the assignment was different from writing a traditional essay. It was easier because it implemented a visual element. By using pictures to emphasize the argument, the audience can actually see what the author is trying to argue. This can sometimes be difficult to express in traditional writing. The format of the program itself also made it easier than writing an essay because of the similar “slides” that the PowerPoint program utilizes. I have used PowerPoint extensively in the past which made the transition relatively smooth. Voicethread was more difficult in the respect that the program was new to me and I had to make sure what I said would get across to the audience the way that I had hoped. It was also difficult to use speech instead of text since I am not the most exciting speaker. In some respects, hearing my voice instead of reading an essay may have actually hurt my argument more than helping it.
2. How easy was the program to use? What problems did you have. (Give examples!)
The Voicethread program was very simple to use, but in all honesty the Animoto program was much more exciting and produced a much better result. Voicethread presentations seem somewhat dry and it was difficult to think of ways to keep the audience engaged. There are no options to add music or to add variety to slide transitions. The most advanced tool is the Video Doodling tool which wasn’t relevant in my presentation. I didn’t have any problems with Voicethread per se except that I didn’t have a microphone on my desktop so I was restricted to using my Mac that has the built-in microphone. Like I said, this wasn’t much of a problem for me but I could see how the microphone issue could easily deter someone from choosing the Voicethread assignment over a traditional essay.
3. Did the non-text requirements of the Voicethread program contribute to your learning in this class? Did they get in the way? Or did they have no affect at all?
The non-text requirements of the Voicethread program contributed to my learning because it gave me another tool to use to express my argument. It was refreshing to have the option of presenting an assignment in a new way and to step away from the traditional essays. However the non-text requirement also limited the presentations effectiveness. The Animoto program and my PSA video demonstrate how users can combine visuals, audio, and text to create a presentation. As an amateur video maker, I like to have the option to pick and choose and to combine these methods to create the most effective presentation.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Critical Thinking in Primary School
American school systems have their pros and cons. The less fortunate school systems are often restricted because of budget and resources which leads to higher dropout rates and substandard performance. On average, the American school system loses 1.2 million students a year due to drop-outs (whitehouse.gov). But when the school system is properly funded, students can learn the skills and resources they need to be successful and finish school.
One of these skills can be to learn a foreign language. Learning a foreign language allows students to open doors to new opportunities and be more competitive in the work force. Research shows that learning a foreign language while in primary school is more effective and beneficial than learning it in high school due to the learning curve of a child’s brain (actfl.org). While students are in primary school, their brains “absorb” more than that of a teenager which brings me to my point: primary schools should teach as many of the basic social and mental skills to their students while the brain is most active. This will lay the foundation for students to succeed and assure that they are well prepared in whatever they may do.
In a perfect world we would be able to teach our children priceless skills such as critical thinking, financial responsibility, test-taking skills, ethics, social skills and so forth. Each one of these can be debated separately but I will focus on the topic of this blog and lay out the pros and cons of teaching critical thinking in primary school. It was difficult to find research from an opposing viewpoint so I will inject my own critical thinking skills to balance the argument.
PRO:
1. Children will be able to reason early on and develop their own conclusions.
2. This skill doesn’t become irrelevant after leaving school. It applies to many situations in life such as furthering your education, finding a suitable career, politics, and even marriage.
CON:
1. It is difficult to teach this skill to large groups and without specialized attention. It can also be difficult to test for it (fluther.com).
2. In order to teach critical thinking, teachers must be proficient in critical thinking themselves. It’s not a topic that can be taught by memorizing steps or by learning a set of rules to follow. It’s a skill that can be very individualized.
In conclusion, certain life-skills need to be taught to our children at a point in their schooling that is most beneficial to them. It is the governments’ responsibility to ensure the proper resources are allocated to the school system and it is the school systems’ responsibility to prepare students for the rest of their lives.
References
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-announces-steps-reduce-dropout-rate-and-prepare-students-college-an
http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3653
http://www.fluther.com/7292/why-isnt-critical-thinking-taught-in-school-from-early-on/
For more information on critical thinking taught from K-3, visit http://www.criticalthinking.org/starting/elementary.cfm
One of these skills can be to learn a foreign language. Learning a foreign language allows students to open doors to new opportunities and be more competitive in the work force. Research shows that learning a foreign language while in primary school is more effective and beneficial than learning it in high school due to the learning curve of a child’s brain (actfl.org). While students are in primary school, their brains “absorb” more than that of a teenager which brings me to my point: primary schools should teach as many of the basic social and mental skills to their students while the brain is most active. This will lay the foundation for students to succeed and assure that they are well prepared in whatever they may do.
In a perfect world we would be able to teach our children priceless skills such as critical thinking, financial responsibility, test-taking skills, ethics, social skills and so forth. Each one of these can be debated separately but I will focus on the topic of this blog and lay out the pros and cons of teaching critical thinking in primary school. It was difficult to find research from an opposing viewpoint so I will inject my own critical thinking skills to balance the argument.
PRO:
1. Children will be able to reason early on and develop their own conclusions.
2. This skill doesn’t become irrelevant after leaving school. It applies to many situations in life such as furthering your education, finding a suitable career, politics, and even marriage.
CON:
1. It is difficult to teach this skill to large groups and without specialized attention. It can also be difficult to test for it (fluther.com).
2. In order to teach critical thinking, teachers must be proficient in critical thinking themselves. It’s not a topic that can be taught by memorizing steps or by learning a set of rules to follow. It’s a skill that can be very individualized.
In conclusion, certain life-skills need to be taught to our children at a point in their schooling that is most beneficial to them. It is the governments’ responsibility to ensure the proper resources are allocated to the school system and it is the school systems’ responsibility to prepare students for the rest of their lives.
References
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-announces-steps-reduce-dropout-rate-and-prepare-students-college-an
http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3653
http://www.fluther.com/7292/why-isnt-critical-thinking-taught-in-school-from-early-on/
For more information on critical thinking taught from K-3, visit http://www.criticalthinking.org/starting/elementary.cfm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
