REFLECTION 3: working away...

In simSchool: The Game of Teaching, Melanie Zibit and David Gibson discuss a simSchool, a product to help new teachers develop the skillset they need to (hopefully) succeed in the classroom. This product is a classroom simulation and attempts to emmerse new teachers in a 'real' classroom, with all of its unique personalities and characteristics.

An interesting part of this simulation is the ability to create a classroom which will have a similiar group of students to a real class in that region. This software pulls data from the National Center for Educational Statistics Common Core of Data, thus insuring that the makeup of the class accurately reflects the reality.

Additionally, student behavior consists of three factors: (1) five "Traits and Needs"; (2) seventeen "Learning Preferences," and (3) a variable for "Social Expectations." Students in simSchool have an effectively infinite number—in the trillions—of nuanced combinations of these factors (23^10 = 4.14E13).' --(Zibit & Gibson)

simSchool attempts to strengthen new teachers in decision making and develop a core of expertise in:

* Which kinds of tasks work and do not work in this particular setting?
* How often does a particular student need teacher interactions to stay on task?
* Where is the zone of proximal development for this student as defined by task content and difficulty? --(Zibit & Gibson)

This article was interesting to me because I do not usually think of teaching as a field which can be learned via software. Yes, the technical aspects, software tools, etc. are certainly learned online, but, the art of teaching?

PROJECT PROGRESS:
This article was read in support of the GAMING SIG, where we discussed the roles in gaming, simulations, and the process of creating an interactive game. I found the GAMING SIG interesting in the notion of how learning could be situated in a different enviroment. I am not sure how that plays out in my project. I do hope to add some interactivity to my project, but I do not know if it will go as far as a game. I have really thought and reflected on whether (or how) I could use a game component in my project. I have also thought about whether that would be the best fit for my project. I am not sure. This SIG was definitely food for thought... the notion of storytelling and gaming seems like an easy fit for a project which is really on creativity... hmmm.

Reference: Zibit, Melanie and Gibson, David. simSchool:The Game of Teaching. The Innovate Gateway, August/September 2005, V.1, Issue 6
http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=issue&id=9

word count: 432

REFLECTION 2: A name: SPARK

In Papert's Situating constructionism, he states that "Constructionism--the N word as opposed to the V word--shares constructivism's connotation of learning as "building knowledge structures" irrespective of the circumstances of the learning. It then adds the idea that this happens especially felicitously in a context where the learner is consciously engaged in constructing a public entity, whether it's a sand castle on the beach or a theory of the universe" .

Truly this is the key component of creativity. One of the means to engaging creativity is through creating (building/constructing) something (a book, a story, a painting, a new pair of shoes, a gourmet dinner, a new world view).

As Papert continues with, "although it is conceivable that science may one day show that there is a "best way," no such conclusion seems to be on the horizon. Moreover, even if there were, individuals might prefer to think in their own way rather than in the "best way." Now one can make two kinds of scientific claim for constructionism. "

My experience has been (and seeing the experience of other creative people) that much as a painter layers paint onto a canvas to create an image, people build their creative endeavors. Writers may proof, edit & revise; photographers may change lens or reprint; painters may completely rework the painting; musicians may re-record or change parts of the melody. It seems to be that the creative process
theory follows very much along constructionism. However, EXACTLY how each artist does it is complete unique; it is their response to their unique situation and enviroment.

PROJECT PROGRESS:
Well, my project now has a name and a few artists. SPARK. I haven't figured out how I can change that into an acronym. Something P Artist R K? Who knows. ;)
Also, I originally thought my project would be imovie for the video clips, but I have now decided to try windows movie maker. I have never used that before, so it will be a good tool. In the first part of the gaming SIG (I need to back up for a moment in discussing the readings and class stuff) we talked about creating games using powerpoint and hot potatoes as well as some of the elements of games (roles, rules, story, etc.) We talked about what is a game... also in the second session we talked about what is a story... and all of those elements related to educational/instructional design.

My project isn't really going to be game oriented, but I can see how elements of the story, as well as roles, may play apart in my project... and after all, wouldn't it seem that the structure of a project or the framework of a website, really "the rules"? Anything beyond is definitely out of bounds, at least in the constructs of a confined project....

Reference: Papert, S. (1991). Situating constructionism. In I. Harel & S. Papert (Eds.), Constructionism, (pp. 1-11). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

Word Count: 486