Filming Compassion

 

The article titled Filming Compassion, written by Janet Bremer and Marilyn Clark, explores a fantastic new way for students to do their service learning!  This article was written to detail how video production can be tied together with service learning for a beneficial and fun learning experience for students.  The authors provided a great example and explain how this idea can be implemented into the current service learning requirements that most (if not all) schools require for graduation.

I thought this was a great article that would truly provide students with valuable knowledge and skills for life after high school.  By having students put together videos for different community organizations they will be gathering intrapersonal skills by working to schedule with their peers and the organizations.  A lot of times, I think that teachers forget about the social aspect of learning and students often graduate lacking the appropriate communication skills.  Students will have to take initiative and work to self-motivate with only minimal guidance from the instructor, through rubrics and feedback.  In addition, students will “learn interviewing skills” (Bremer & Clark, 2005, p. 41).  I truly appreciated the collaboration aspect of this idea and think it will be invaluable for students to begin to gain these people-skills.  As future-educators we can work to incorporate ideas like this into our classroom at all grade levels.  Community involvement and working to make a better community should be a focus in our classrooms.  By incorporating technology into this we can make it more interesting to students and encourage participation that benefits both their learning and their community.

Picture taken from: Pics4Learning.com

I also appreciated that Bremer and Clark (2005) explained some of the problems that may impact the execution of this idea, including resources and availability of staff to assist students.  Also they detailed the changes that can help to make this project run more efficiently in the future, including more planning to allow for preparation, and the incorporation of art classes.  I was glad to read about the interdisciplinary aspect of this project and I think that makes it an even more beneficial project.  Interdisciplinary instruction allows students to more smoothly transition between subjects and also helps students gain a deeper understanding of processes and ideas.  Also, by Bremer and Clark’s (2005) description of possible issues that may arise, it can help instructors to plan ahead and take more proactive steps when implementing this project into service learning!

This project would satisfy numerous NETS.  NETS 5 is extremely important and students will be greatly addressing digital citizenship through this project.  Not only will students be gaining knowledge to exhibit effective use of technology, but they will also be working to gain responsibility in the use of technology, as they will be required to use copyright free sources for music and images.  Often times, with the use of technology, “issues of copyright infringement” (Bremer & Clark, 2005, p. 41) are often ignored.  I, personally, never thought about copyright issues until entering the EDUC 422 class, which is astonishing because I have been using pictures and music for presentations all throughout high school.  In addition, students will satisfy NETS 1 by creating their own unique works for different organizations.  NETS 2 is also addressed because students will be required to effectively communicate and collaborate with their peers, instructors, and organization personnel. 

The authors conclude this article by explaining the benefits that pairing video production and service learning together has on everyone.  Students work to learn about technology, copyright, collaboration, initiative, and also learn “about the inner workings of a humanitarian agency” (Bremer & Clark, 2005, p. 41).  And the community is also benefited because the students are working to create videos for local nonprofit organizations.  The individual organizations are also enhanced because they then have a video that they can use to promote their cause.  Implementing this idea has incredible benefits for students in numerous subjects/areas, and also works to help our community.  After reading their article, I find it very difficult to pinpoint any negatives that can arise from implementing this idea into our classrooms!

Reference:

Bremer, J. & Clark, M. (2005). Filming Compassion. Learning & Leading with Technology, 32(7), 39-41.

Thanks for reading!

Catherine Weldon

New K-12 Computer Science Curriculum

Picture from: Pics4Learning.com

New K-12 Computer Science Curriculum by Allen Tucker details the need for United States’ schools to integrate a computer science curriculum.  Tucker seeks to inform his readers about the report, published by the Association for Computing Machinery, which proposes a framework for integrating computer science.  In this article, Tucker attempts to persuade foundations, organizations, schools, and individuals to support the effort to “educate young people in computer science, thus better preparing them for effective citizenship” (Tucker, 2004, p. 17). 

            Tucker makes some very logical arguments as to why computer science curriculum is important to our students, noting that it is also becoming a growing profession in our global economy.  He explains that it is essential for our public to gain an understanding of computer science and curriculum implementation is the best way to do this.  As educators, we should recognize this because we are supposed to be preparing our students for the future.  There is a growing need for computer specialists in the workforce, and neglecting to teach computer science may be closing career doors for many of our students. 

            What I found to be most valuable in this article was the framework that Tucker details, which explains computer science curriculum at the varying grade levels.  From Grades K-8 there should be an integration of basic technological skills with simple problem solving ideas.  This would satisfy NETS 6a because the students would be incorporating basic skills, therefore demonstrating an understanding of technology systems.  In addition, by the use of modules to aid in existing units the students would be addressing NETS 1c because they would be gathering information from models and simulations to explore different subject content. 

Even if state standards are not currently in place for computer science, as educators we can implement this idea in our everyday classrooms.  Using modules to accompany our lessons will help to promote student interest, engagement, and, in turn, student achievement.  We can also find culturally relevant modules and resources that allow students to gain an appreciation for diversity, something that can sometimes be stifled by our own knowledge or availability of resources.  In addition, implementing the use of modules and online tools works to satisfy NETS 5 because it helps students to recognize the educational value of technology, something that educators should be highlighting in the ever-growing Twitter, Facebook, iPhone, MySpace, iPad, Blogger world!

            During Grades 9 or 10 students should be appreciative and understanding of the principles, applications, and methodologies of computer science in the real world.  Tucker explains that this is a crucial aspect of computer science curriculum because students will have this as their last computer science experience, and “it should be considered essential preparation for the modern world” (Tucker, 2004, p.18).  This addresses all of the NETS, but specifically would satisfy NETS 2 because this fosters global awareness, cultural understanding, and communication that will help them in the future.  At Grades 10 or 11 students focus on scientific and engineering applications of computer science, while also addressing social impact and networking.  This satisfies NETS 5 because students will be working to analyze societal and human issues in relation to technology. 

And the final level of the computer science curriculum is an individualized focus on a specific aspect of computer science, which may include multimedia projects.  This would work to satisfy NETS 1, 2, and 3, because students would create their own works while effectively communicating their information and processing/reporting results from their findings.  This idea can also be implemented in a classroom in terms of portfolio projects or other forms of authentic assessment.  We should be equipping students with the skills and knowledge to create projects with technology, and they should be encouraged to incorporate technology into their studies.  I see the benefits of having students create portfolios as a more complete means of assessment.  By using multimedia projects and other technological resources I can encourage my students to create online or interactive portfolios, which will not only allow them to see their progress, but also help them to gain an appreciation and understanding of the practical applications of technology.

Tucker also details some of the challenges that we face when trying to implement a computer science curriculum.  He explains the huge impacts that lack of funding has on its implementation, but explains that in order to make this curriculum work we must address “teacher preparation, state-level content standards, and curriculum materials development” (Tucker, 2004, p. 18). 

Tucker concludes his article by detailing the need for computer science to be recognized as an important and meaningful academic content.  He explains that collaboration among educators and communication about the importance of implementing a computer science curriculum can help to highlight the need in our K-12 public schools.  Tucker also addresses the need for adequate funding in order to get a computer science program into public schooling and states “corporations, foundations, and other external sources should support this effort by providing incentives” (Tucker, 2004, p. 20).  This actually makes perfect sense considering that the world market needs computer specialists.  Money talks, and if corporations and organizations (that may or may not benefit from its implementation) provided monetary or resource incentives to schools, it is much more likely that school would begin to implement and gain an appreciation for a comprehensive computer science curriculum.

Reference:

Tucker, A. (2004). New K-12 computer science curriculum. Learning & Leading with Technology, 31(7), 17-20.