1. What was the most interesting idea you encountered as you read the chapter?
"The content fetish" was very interesting to me. This concept reminds me of a point made by my methods professor: In math classes, we typically only discuss mathematicians that are dead, by a good many years. We don't talk about relevant modern mathematicians, and therefore project the concept that math is dead- that all research, development, and discovery are complete. The content fetish is similar in that content is often used in a way that conveys a subject as dead or complete. Content should be a tool for making discovery and learning - instead it is all too commonly viewed as an end in and of itself.
2. What connections can you make between Gee's critique and Sir Ken Robinsons' critique of traditional schooling?
Gee and Kenson both agree that everyone is interested in schooling. Kenson implied, and Gee stated, that "learners" all enjoy learning when they are motivated and engaged. Gee explained that learning had to be situated, that is it has to be part of a larger and more meaningful learning experience that involves the interests and culture of students. Every person has a passion, and loves learning more about that passion. Learning is a universal desire - we just have to create experiences that foster learning and all it room to happen.
3. How did this book change or support your understanding of good teaching?
While I was already aware that the "standard" school system needed reform, this text pointed out specific problems within the structure and addressed ways in which other learning tools create experiences that are more meaningful. I am now much more cognizant of what can be learned from cultural resources, that is - areas of student interest such as video games, or tv shows. Pinpointing what makes these so effective has really enlightened me to consider particular things when developing a lesson or teaching a class. I am now very aware of the importance and necessity of situated learning - learning within a context that has meaning.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Inclusive Practices: "Critique of Traditional Schooling" Response
Regarding the video of Sir Robert Kenson's critique of traditional schooling:
I agreed with many of the ideas he stated. The three that resonated the most with me were:
I agreed with many of the ideas he stated. The three that resonated the most with me were:
- Everybody has an interest in education.
- We are educating students for an extremely unpredictable future.
- Creativity is as important as literacy.
There were several ideas of his that surprised me, the two primary ideas being:
- Children are frightened of being wrong
- We are educating people outside of their creative capacities.
Finally, there was one idea that confused me. Although I understand that creativity and expression (primarily in the form of dance, as Sir Kenson discussed) are important components of our lives as humans, I don't think they are important in the same way math is. I think that these two subjects are important in different ways, and that math and science are topics that are more generally important to all students than dance. Math and science have more applications to real world professions, and open the door to opportunities for expansion in nearly all fields of study. While dance and creative expression should be encouraged, dance is not important in this way. Thus, I was confused by:
- Dance should be taught as often as science and math.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Inclusive Practices: Double Entry Journal #13
1. Give an example of a "community of practice" in which you are currently participating in.
An example of a "community of practice" that I am currently participating in is my part-time job at Autozone. When I first began working at Autozone, I knew next to nothing about cars, but after working around helpful and knowledgeable managers and coworkers, I have rapidly learned about cars. I have also gotten to be much better at physically working on cars thanks to the help of my team of coworkers.
2.Why is the term "community" better defined in relation to spaces rather than groups of people?
The term "community" has a connotation that insinuates "membership" or some type of intimate "belonging" which are not always applicable to learning environments and can be interepreted in a lot of different ways. The word "space" allows us to talk about behaviors of specific individuals within a larger scope.
3. What is a "generator"? What is it's counterpart in school?
2. A Common Vision - A shared vision that sees each child as a respected member of the community brings a common goal and connectedness to every participant—parent, administrator, school staff, or student. Sharing a common vision produces a strong community sense and interconnectedness.
8. How are traditional classroom different from Affinity Spaces?
8. How are traditional classroom different from Affinity Spaces?
An example of a "community of practice" that I am currently participating in is my part-time job at Autozone. When I first began working at Autozone, I knew next to nothing about cars, but after working around helpful and knowledgeable managers and coworkers, I have rapidly learned about cars. I have also gotten to be much better at physically working on cars thanks to the help of my team of coworkers.
2.Why is the term "community" better defined in relation to spaces rather than groups of people?
The term "community" has a connotation that insinuates "membership" or some type of intimate "belonging" which are not always applicable to learning environments and can be interepreted in a lot of different ways. The word "space" allows us to talk about behaviors of specific individuals within a larger scope.
3. What is a "generator"? What is it's counterpart in school?
A generator is what gives a space content; In a school, this could be the textbook or curriculum designed by the instructor.
4. What is a "content organizer"? What is it's counterpart in school?
Content organization refers to how content is organized within an activity. In school, this could be thought of as the lesson plan, which structures how the content will be presented.
5. What is a "portal"? What is it's counterpart in school?
4. What is a "content organizer"? What is it's counterpart in school?
Content organization refers to how content is organized within an activity. In school, this could be thought of as the lesson plan, which structures how the content will be presented.
5. What is a "portal"? What is it's counterpart in school?
"A portal is anything that gives access to the content..."; A portal could be a textbook or study guide, or a computer.
6. What do people have an "affinity" for in an "affinity space"? How does this inform your understanding of good teaching?
6. What do people have an "affinity" for in an "affinity space"? How does this inform your understanding of good teaching?
People in an affinity space have an affinity for "the endeavor or interest around which the space is organized." This emphasizes equality, and collaboration towards a common goal - two important components of a positive learning environment.
7. How do "affinity spaces" support inclusive classrooms? Choose two characteristics below to make connections between "affinity spaces" and inclusive classrooms.
7. How do "affinity spaces" support inclusive classrooms? Choose two characteristics below to make connections between "affinity spaces" and inclusive classrooms.
1. A Sense of Community - An inclusive school is a school where every child is respected as part of the school community, and where each child is encouraged to learn and achieve as much as possible. In order to achieve that sense of belonging for each child, many schools have found that fostering a sense of community is of primary importance.
In an affinity space, everyone is working towards a common objective regardless of skill level, which creates a sort of reliance and respect for other members of the learning community.
2. A Common Vision - A shared vision that sees each child as a respected member of the community brings a common goal and connectedness to every participant—parent, administrator, school staff, or student. Sharing a common vision produces a strong community sense and interconnectedness.
This ties in closely with the first connection. Each member of an "affinity space" has a common goal. The emphasis isn't on competition as much as it is on collaboration. This type of "space" creates a connected community of learners.
In traditional school settings, the "common endeavor" is often unclear, and physical characteristics like gender and race are "more foregrounded than they are in an affinity space." Classrooms also ten to reward internal individual knowledge stored in the head, not "distributed throughout the classroom."
8. How are traditional classroom different from Affinity Spaces?
Monday, November 12, 2012
Inclusive Practices: Double Entry Journal #12
1 What is the main argument the author is making in Chapter 5.
The author is honing in on what makes video games such powerful learning devices that can provide incredible learning experiences, and attempting to draw connections between the ways in which video games teach us, to how we teach children in school.
2. What constitutes a theory of learning?
The author makes it clear that learning is unique to an individual, but states that generalities and patterns exists that can help us understand what helps up to learn well.
3. Why did the author struggle to learn to play Warcraft III? What needs to proceed before good learning principles?
He said it was "too hard" but clarifies that more precisely, he "failed to engage with it in a way that fully recruited its solid design and learning principles."
4. How would have the authors struggle with learning to play Warcraft III been interpreted in school?
It would have been viewed as a failure, even though it was "a precursor for future learning" in that it inspired him to try new games which eventually led to a passion for video gaming.
5 What kind of learning experience might be better suited for at risk students?
Horizontal learning experiences are mentioned as a way to "dabble" or "get your feet wet" in a particular area without any particular fear of failure, before continuing on to learn more complex content. This doesn't promote failure like a "dumbed down" curriculum", instead it motivates the learner.
6. Why does the school-based interpretation of "at risk" lead to bad learning?
Too often at-risk learners receive a "watered down" curriculum that doesn't challenge them or motivate them - it just essentially "spoon-feeds" them answers to ensure what can be a false sense of success. When challenge and motivation are removed from learning experiences, they can hardly be meaningful and students will therefore retain much less information.
7. What do schools need to do to function more like a good game?
Essentially, schools need to motivate learners. Video games are great learning tools because people want to play them, and when they are motivated to play them, learning the concepts within the game becomes just a consequence of liking the game. Learning becomes a seamless process that is integrated into a meaningful experience. Most schools are not like this - they employ repetitive and fast-paced drill-based instruction that does not encourage the learner.
8. What is different about how good games and school assess learners?
Video games assess learners through the experience itself. The game itself is the assessment. In schools, all learning is in order to be assessed. In fact, sometimes it seems that learning only exists so that it can be assessed. Assessment is detached from the learning experience and in fact shapes most of the learning content.
9. What are the attributes of a fish-tank tutorial that make it an effective learning tool? How is it different than school-based learning?
"fish-tank tutorials" strip away complexity while keeping the primary learning structures in place. This provides a less stressful learning environment that is presented at a more user-friendly pace. The pace set by traditional school standards is staggering, and allows little room for "stripping away" anything.
10. What is a sand-box tutorial? Why is effective? How is it different that school-based learning?
Sand-box tutorials integrate the complexity of the full game while still withholding the possibilities of failure. It is essentially a scenario of the game where failure is made to be highly unlikely. This encourages the player and allows them to still learn the complexities without the fear of failing. This is like formative assessment, which is rare in schools. Most school assignments are for a grade, and can be failed.
11. What is a genre? Why is it important for good learning?
A genre is a "subdivision" or "category" of something. Genres are important because they help us realize that different situations merit different actions and behaviors. (Or in the case of video games, "skill sets".)
12. According to the author, what do learning and play having in common?
He says that humans associate learning with intrinsic pleasure, and that learning is ultimately a form of play. He says that learning, fun, and the desire to play a game are all intimately connected. This is also similar for school - motivation, fun, and learning are all connected and interdependent.
13. How are the skills test in good games different from skills tests in school?
Playing level is typically determined in games by the amount of success. (An increase in victory leads to increasing the difficulty of the game). Skills tests in video games are built in to the experience. In school, tests and assessments are distinct from the learning process. Skills tests in school allow for failure, and do not empower the student with previous successes. In video games, skills tests are developmental, in school, skills tests are evaluative.
14. How does RoN support collaborative learning?
It allows multiple users to work together within a common interest or for a common goal, in a simulation bereft of socioeconomic status and previous learning difficulties.
15. Match at least one learning principle of good games (on page 74) with each the following learning theorists you have studied in 3352:
Dewey - "They ensure that learners have and use an "affinity space"..." A large portion of the learning process is social and collaborative.
Vygotsky - "They teach skills in the context of simplified versions of the real game..." This can be linked to the "Zone of Proximal Development"; video gamers are being introduced to new content with some assistance.
Piaget - "They create and honor horizontal learning experiences not just vertical ones." Piaget believed that children operated within stages. Teaching to them within that stage is particularly effective.
Gardner - "They build in choice form the beginning." Gamers can interact with a game in many different ways through many different strategies, which means that the game allows them to use "multiple intelligences" throughout the experience.
Bandura - "Experienced doesn't mean expert" Learning throughout the game takes place in a consistent and implicit way. There are multiple ways to learn (successes and failures).
Skinner - "They create motivation for extended engagement". Video games create and environment that motivates players and keeps them playing!
The author is honing in on what makes video games such powerful learning devices that can provide incredible learning experiences, and attempting to draw connections between the ways in which video games teach us, to how we teach children in school.
2. What constitutes a theory of learning?
The author makes it clear that learning is unique to an individual, but states that generalities and patterns exists that can help us understand what helps up to learn well.
3. Why did the author struggle to learn to play Warcraft III? What needs to proceed before good learning principles?
He said it was "too hard" but clarifies that more precisely, he "failed to engage with it in a way that fully recruited its solid design and learning principles."
4. How would have the authors struggle with learning to play Warcraft III been interpreted in school?
It would have been viewed as a failure, even though it was "a precursor for future learning" in that it inspired him to try new games which eventually led to a passion for video gaming.
5 What kind of learning experience might be better suited for at risk students?
Horizontal learning experiences are mentioned as a way to "dabble" or "get your feet wet" in a particular area without any particular fear of failure, before continuing on to learn more complex content. This doesn't promote failure like a "dumbed down" curriculum", instead it motivates the learner.
6. Why does the school-based interpretation of "at risk" lead to bad learning?
Too often at-risk learners receive a "watered down" curriculum that doesn't challenge them or motivate them - it just essentially "spoon-feeds" them answers to ensure what can be a false sense of success. When challenge and motivation are removed from learning experiences, they can hardly be meaningful and students will therefore retain much less information.
7. What do schools need to do to function more like a good game?
Essentially, schools need to motivate learners. Video games are great learning tools because people want to play them, and when they are motivated to play them, learning the concepts within the game becomes just a consequence of liking the game. Learning becomes a seamless process that is integrated into a meaningful experience. Most schools are not like this - they employ repetitive and fast-paced drill-based instruction that does not encourage the learner.
8. What is different about how good games and school assess learners?
Video games assess learners through the experience itself. The game itself is the assessment. In schools, all learning is in order to be assessed. In fact, sometimes it seems that learning only exists so that it can be assessed. Assessment is detached from the learning experience and in fact shapes most of the learning content.
9. What are the attributes of a fish-tank tutorial that make it an effective learning tool? How is it different than school-based learning?
"fish-tank tutorials" strip away complexity while keeping the primary learning structures in place. This provides a less stressful learning environment that is presented at a more user-friendly pace. The pace set by traditional school standards is staggering, and allows little room for "stripping away" anything.
10. What is a sand-box tutorial? Why is effective? How is it different that school-based learning?
Sand-box tutorials integrate the complexity of the full game while still withholding the possibilities of failure. It is essentially a scenario of the game where failure is made to be highly unlikely. This encourages the player and allows them to still learn the complexities without the fear of failing. This is like formative assessment, which is rare in schools. Most school assignments are for a grade, and can be failed.
11. What is a genre? Why is it important for good learning?
A genre is a "subdivision" or "category" of something. Genres are important because they help us realize that different situations merit different actions and behaviors. (Or in the case of video games, "skill sets".)
12. According to the author, what do learning and play having in common?
He says that humans associate learning with intrinsic pleasure, and that learning is ultimately a form of play. He says that learning, fun, and the desire to play a game are all intimately connected. This is also similar for school - motivation, fun, and learning are all connected and interdependent.
13. How are the skills test in good games different from skills tests in school?
Playing level is typically determined in games by the amount of success. (An increase in victory leads to increasing the difficulty of the game). Skills tests in video games are built in to the experience. In school, tests and assessments are distinct from the learning process. Skills tests in school allow for failure, and do not empower the student with previous successes. In video games, skills tests are developmental, in school, skills tests are evaluative.
14. How does RoN support collaborative learning?
It allows multiple users to work together within a common interest or for a common goal, in a simulation bereft of socioeconomic status and previous learning difficulties.
15. Match at least one learning principle of good games (on page 74) with each the following learning theorists you have studied in 3352:
Dewey - "They ensure that learners have and use an "affinity space"..." A large portion of the learning process is social and collaborative.
Vygotsky - "They teach skills in the context of simplified versions of the real game..." This can be linked to the "Zone of Proximal Development"; video gamers are being introduced to new content with some assistance.
Piaget - "They create and honor horizontal learning experiences not just vertical ones." Piaget believed that children operated within stages. Teaching to them within that stage is particularly effective.
Gardner - "They build in choice form the beginning." Gamers can interact with a game in many different ways through many different strategies, which means that the game allows them to use "multiple intelligences" throughout the experience.
Bandura - "Experienced doesn't mean expert" Learning throughout the game takes place in a consistent and implicit way. There are multiple ways to learn (successes and failures).
Skinner - "They create motivation for extended engagement". Video games create and environment that motivates players and keeps them playing!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Inclusive Practices: Formative Assessment
What is formative assessment?
"Formative is assessment FOR learning, not assessment OF learning." The actual definition of formative assessment is not explicitly stated, however some general characteristics of formative assessment are given. Formative assessment: "emphasizes the quality rather than the quantity of student work [and] prizes giving advice and guidance over giving grades." So essentially, formative assessment is examining the quality of a student's work and providing thoughtful comments as opposed to assigning a grade.
What is the CENTRAL purpose of formative assessment?
Formative assessment primarily allows students to "see how closely their own work matches a given goal", which in turn allows them to "monitor their own learning."
Connect a best practice in formative assessment to one research-based strategy.
Formative assessment ties into "setting objectives" since it allows students to see where they are in relation to where they hope to be, and where the instructor expects them to be.
Give an example of how a specific assessment can be used formatively and summatively.
A rubric could be used formatively to show a class what is expected for a specific paper or project. That same rubric could be used summatively to assign a grade to a paper or project.
Give an example from your field placement related to formative assessment and timing.
Formative assessment is used rarely within my observation environment. Most assessment is summative and routine. The quiz schedule and grading system for homework is consistent and commentary on student work is minimal.
What are some strategies to help formative assessment be more effective when providing students with feedback?
One strategy outlined is to allow "appropriate" wait time before responding. The article states that "premature" intervention can frustrate students or impede their understanding. One example cited is a journal entry - grading it and assessing promptly after it is assigned doesn't really give the student much time to work with the material.
Name two advantages to high quality formative assessment.
"Formative assessment . . . fosters student motivation, on-task behavior, and self awareness." Formative assessment encourages students to hold themselves to a higher standard, set higher goals and generally feel more confident in their abilities.
What are some challenges to implementing high quality formative assessment?
Improper implementation of formative assessment can appear as if an instructor is "shirking off responsibilities" by not providing a grade. The assessment has to have value and be connected to materials that outline the benefits and desired outcomes of using formative assessment.
"Formative is assessment FOR learning, not assessment OF learning." The actual definition of formative assessment is not explicitly stated, however some general characteristics of formative assessment are given. Formative assessment: "emphasizes the quality rather than the quantity of student work [and] prizes giving advice and guidance over giving grades." So essentially, formative assessment is examining the quality of a student's work and providing thoughtful comments as opposed to assigning a grade.
What is the CENTRAL purpose of formative assessment?
Formative assessment primarily allows students to "see how closely their own work matches a given goal", which in turn allows them to "monitor their own learning."
Connect a best practice in formative assessment to one research-based strategy.
Formative assessment ties into "setting objectives" since it allows students to see where they are in relation to where they hope to be, and where the instructor expects them to be.
Give an example of how a specific assessment can be used formatively and summatively.
A rubric could be used formatively to show a class what is expected for a specific paper or project. That same rubric could be used summatively to assign a grade to a paper or project.
Give an example from your field placement related to formative assessment and timing.
Formative assessment is used rarely within my observation environment. Most assessment is summative and routine. The quiz schedule and grading system for homework is consistent and commentary on student work is minimal.
What are some strategies to help formative assessment be more effective when providing students with feedback?
One strategy outlined is to allow "appropriate" wait time before responding. The article states that "premature" intervention can frustrate students or impede their understanding. One example cited is a journal entry - grading it and assessing promptly after it is assigned doesn't really give the student much time to work with the material.
Name two advantages to high quality formative assessment.
"Formative assessment . . . fosters student motivation, on-task behavior, and self awareness." Formative assessment encourages students to hold themselves to a higher standard, set higher goals and generally feel more confident in their abilities.
What are some challenges to implementing high quality formative assessment?
Improper implementation of formative assessment can appear as if an instructor is "shirking off responsibilities" by not providing a grade. The assessment has to have value and be connected to materials that outline the benefits and desired outcomes of using formative assessment.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Inclusive Practices: Double Entry Journal #11
1. What does the author mean when he says, "Learning doesn't work well when learners are forced to check their bodies at the school room door like guns in the old West."
The author is meaning that learning should involve moving your body and creating meaningful learning experiences as opposed to sitting behind a desk and listening.
2. According to the author, what is the best way to acquire a large vocabulary?
The best way to acquire a large vocabulary is to "explore the worlds to which these words refer". In other words, the best way to accrue a large vocabulary is to engage in experiences that showcase words in a variety of contexts and meanings
3. What gives a word a specific meaning?
Words are given meaning by a "game" or context in which they are used. Words are bestowed particular meanings based on how and when they are used within different situations. A word's "specific meaning" is dependent upon the circumstances in which the word is used.
4. What does the term "off the hook" mean in each of these sentences?
a. My sister broke up with her fiance, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present.
While a bit ambiguous without any more context clues, one can assume that in this case, "off the hook" means "cool".
c. Man that cat was fighting 6 people and he beat them all. Yo, it was "off the hook", you should have seen it!!
In this instance, "off the hook" is referring to something that was impressive.
4. According to the author what is the"work" of childhood? Do you agree?
The author states that the "work" of childhood is play. I agree; in simulated situations and games where children are "playing" they are unknowingly creating connections that strengthen their reasoning skills, reading skills, and vocabulary. When playing, children are motivated and engaged in meaningful experiences, which provides a perfect environment for learning to occur.
5.Why is NOT reading the instruction for how to play a game before playing a game a wise decision?
Reading the booklet before playing a game can overwhelm a player with a huge amount of information that doesn't have any context yet. The best way to learn the controls and game play mechanics is to play the game and explore your options.
6. Does knowing the general or literal meaning of a word lead to strong reading skills?
Knowing the literal meaning of a word can help identify its meaning within a certain context, but often times words are not used literally, and can take on different meanings from culture to culture or situation to situation. Strong reading skills come from having experience with words that extends beyond their literal meaning.
7. What does the author mean by the terms "identity" and "game". Give an example of 3 "identities" or "games" you play?
The author refers to any shift in identity as a game; he does this because each role or identity has some attributed rules and expectations that must be known before the identity can be realized. Some examples of "games" might be playing a particular sport, acting a particular way in church, or taking a leadership role in a group.
8. According to the author what is good learning?
"Good learning" occurs when one is "learning the right moves in embodied interactions in the real world or virtual worlds; enacting the right sort of identity for a given situation." Good learning takes place when students are engaged in authentic and meaningful experiences that have context.
9. How does understanding that being able to build a mental model and simulations of a real-word experience is closely tied to comprehending written and oral language support of change the way you think children should learn in school?
Children should learn in a more "exploratory" manner. Their curriculum should be challenging, but should allow for students to explore the content and make projects that express their creativity. The actual learning process itself should be valued and emphasized over a test or assessment. The learning should be the assessment.
10. Why is peer to peer interaction so important for the language development of young children? How does knowing this support or change the way you think children should learn in school?
Learning form one another allows students to learn their content in a familiar context; That is, children may explain a situation to a friend better than the teacher because the friend is able to construct a relevant and personal context for the content. I have always been a fan of group work and collaboration. In my math classes, group work was not a part of the actual class, but outside of class it was necessary for survival. I learned so well working with others who shared my culture, interests, and experiences. That learning was authentic, because I wasn't listening to it - I was living it and shaping it.
The author is meaning that learning should involve moving your body and creating meaningful learning experiences as opposed to sitting behind a desk and listening.
2. According to the author, what is the best way to acquire a large vocabulary?
The best way to acquire a large vocabulary is to "explore the worlds to which these words refer". In other words, the best way to accrue a large vocabulary is to engage in experiences that showcase words in a variety of contexts and meanings
3. What gives a word a specific meaning?
Words are given meaning by a "game" or context in which they are used. Words are bestowed particular meanings based on how and when they are used within different situations. A word's "specific meaning" is dependent upon the circumstances in which the word is used.
4. What does the term "off the hook" mean in each of these sentences?
a. My sister broke up with her fiance, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present.
In this instance, "off the hook" means you are "relieved of the obligation" of doing something.
b. Them shoes are off the hook dog.
b. Them shoes are off the hook dog.
While a bit ambiguous without any more context clues, one can assume that in this case, "off the hook" means "cool".
c. Man that cat was fighting 6 people and he beat them all. Yo, it was "off the hook", you should have seen it!!
In this instance, "off the hook" is referring to something that was impressive.
4. According to the author what is the"work" of childhood? Do you agree?
The author states that the "work" of childhood is play. I agree; in simulated situations and games where children are "playing" they are unknowingly creating connections that strengthen their reasoning skills, reading skills, and vocabulary. When playing, children are motivated and engaged in meaningful experiences, which provides a perfect environment for learning to occur.
5.Why is NOT reading the instruction for how to play a game before playing a game a wise decision?
Reading the booklet before playing a game can overwhelm a player with a huge amount of information that doesn't have any context yet. The best way to learn the controls and game play mechanics is to play the game and explore your options.
6. Does knowing the general or literal meaning of a word lead to strong reading skills?
Knowing the literal meaning of a word can help identify its meaning within a certain context, but often times words are not used literally, and can take on different meanings from culture to culture or situation to situation. Strong reading skills come from having experience with words that extends beyond their literal meaning.
7. What does the author mean by the terms "identity" and "game". Give an example of 3 "identities" or "games" you play?
The author refers to any shift in identity as a game; he does this because each role or identity has some attributed rules and expectations that must be known before the identity can be realized. Some examples of "games" might be playing a particular sport, acting a particular way in church, or taking a leadership role in a group.
8. According to the author what is good learning?
"Good learning" occurs when one is "learning the right moves in embodied interactions in the real world or virtual worlds; enacting the right sort of identity for a given situation." Good learning takes place when students are engaged in authentic and meaningful experiences that have context.
9. How does understanding that being able to build a mental model and simulations of a real-word experience is closely tied to comprehending written and oral language support of change the way you think children should learn in school?
Children should learn in a more "exploratory" manner. Their curriculum should be challenging, but should allow for students to explore the content and make projects that express their creativity. The actual learning process itself should be valued and emphasized over a test or assessment. The learning should be the assessment.
10. Why is peer to peer interaction so important for the language development of young children? How does knowing this support or change the way you think children should learn in school?
Learning form one another allows students to learn their content in a familiar context; That is, children may explain a situation to a friend better than the teacher because the friend is able to construct a relevant and personal context for the content. I have always been a fan of group work and collaboration. In my math classes, group work was not a part of the actual class, but outside of class it was necessary for survival. I learned so well working with others who shared my culture, interests, and experiences. That learning was authentic, because I wasn't listening to it - I was living it and shaping it.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Inclusive Practices: Double Entry Journal #10
1. What are the features of the forms of language that are spoken in a home environment that align with academic varieties of language?
Some features that overlap are: the use of titles in stories, use of generalized story schemas and literary archetypes like "Once upon a time...", summarizing the content of a story and setting a framework within which the story lies, and the use of "repetition and parallelism".
2. What are the features of Leona's specialized form of language?
Leona groups her lines into organized stanzas that share similarities in the layout of their content. Leona also cleverly "chunked" her story into "episodes" to help the story progress in a linear fashion and created a very recognizable rhyme scheme pattern into many of her stanzas.
3. Why is Leona's specialized form of language not accepted in school?
6. Why do some children fail to identify with, or find alienating, the "ways with words" taught in school?
Some features that overlap are: the use of titles in stories, use of generalized story schemas and literary archetypes like "Once upon a time...", summarizing the content of a story and setting a framework within which the story lies, and the use of "repetition and parallelism".
2. What are the features of Leona's specialized form of language?
Leona groups her lines into organized stanzas that share similarities in the layout of their content. Leona also cleverly "chunked" her story into "episodes" to help the story progress in a linear fashion and created a very recognizable rhyme scheme pattern into many of her stanzas.
3. Why is Leona's specialized form of language not accepted in school?
Her story doesn't follow the traditionally linear or step-by-step stories of her peers - her stories are seen as "ramblings" that take too much time to convey a point or "veer off topic". Her method of story telling focuses more on the details and ways in which the story is told rather than getting to the end of the story. Her approach not only differs from her peers, but provides a sharp contrast to the general objective of education.
4. Explain the contradiction between the research conducted by Snow et al. (1998) and the recommendations made by Snow et al. (1998).
4. Explain the contradiction between the research conducted by Snow et al. (1998) and the recommendations made by Snow et al. (1998).
The research showed that children who received free or reduced lunches had reading skills (collectively) within a certain percentile at the end of first grade - but the gap widened and many "high poverty" students fell behind. The researchers concluded that "regardless of their initial reading skill level", children living in high poverty areas seem to fall further behind. This creates an interesting question: If initial reading skill level is not an effective determinant of reading proficiency, then why is poverty so strongly connected to illiteracy?
5. What other factors besides early skills training will make or break good readers?
5. What other factors besides early skills training will make or break good readers?
One predominantly discussed factor is "ensuring that people feel like they belong to and are a valued and accepted part of the social group within which their learning takes place." In other words, inclusion and culturally responsive education (or the lack thereof) can prove to be more important in terms of reading achievement than initial reading level.
6. Why do some children fail to identify with, or find alienating, the "ways with words" taught in school?
Children can find academic varieties of language alienating if their parents found them alienating, if the instruction of these language varieties seem "distant, irrelevant, or frightening" or is not motivating to them. That is, children don't always see these language varieties as fresh, fun, and exciting like they do in other forms of media.
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