Application Evolution

As a teacher I have found it valuable to get across to my students my passion for learning. One of the things I love to do is hear my own voice - to lecture - to sermon. This is rarely a learning activity for me - and I suppose I have to admit that that it is rarely a learning activity for anyone involved!

One way to get away from this - and I learned this from kindergarten teachers - is stations. If you break up the day into segments it feeds right into the norm we have created through Television-Web Surf(cerf)ing- video games and Web 2.0. By breaking up an activity you are chunking (google Chunking Models of Expertise: Implications for Education or goto Wiki for the short version http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chunking_(psychology)) As an extension of that into the upper grades (and their shorter classes) I have developed what I call application evolution.

1> Activity that is instantaneous - speech, memorization, song, drama, reading, etc
2> Capture that onto paper - Notes, Multiplication table, Written music, written play, book report, Poster
3> translate that paper into another medium - record it, word process, spread sheet, presentation software,
4> translate that into web 2.0 or streaming media - teachertube, video production software, blog, glogster

No one could do this in 45 minutes - this is several class periods for each iteration - but this is home work kids will relish and grow with - try it - let me know