EDCI 352
Visual Journal 5
On November 7, I had the opportunity to team teach a Biology 11 class with Thomas. We pitched the idea to the teacher, and she was kind enough to hand over the whole 80 minute block to us to teach exactly what we wanted. We planned a class that was multimodal, engaging, and included the principles of multiliteracy learning.
For our lesson, we started with a powerpoint presentation in order to review the previous classes information, and confirm that all students had the necessary information to participate in the lesson. Throughout the powerpoint we asked many questions and had time for casual conversation and discussion. This stage of the lesson was what we considered the overt instruction, which “guide[d] students to the systematic practices of learning processes with tools and techniques.” (Biswas, S, 2014). Once we made it through that information, we invited the students to join us at the back of the room for story time. As we learned in class, teaching through stories is a great way to introduce a new modality. We decided that having a physical change of location would increase engagement, and it seemed to work well. The students then returned to their seats for instructions for the activity, and to be separated into groups. They were to work in groups of four to create a sasquatch that survived 1000 generations after a major event changed their lifestyles. They had several tasks to complete, and were very creative. This activity allowed the students to apply what they learned creatively. Applying Creatively is important because it is a way of assessing how much students understood from the lesson, it “is a Knowledge Process which takes knowledge and capabilities from one setting and adapts them to quite a different setting” (Cope and Kalantzis, 2009). Learning about adaptations and evolution in real organisms, and applying that to an imaginary creature is fun and informative.
Once they did that, they shared their sasquatch with the class, and returned to their seats. We then took some time to talk about natural selection and evolution, and had the students discuss with a partner how likely the adaptations for their sasquatch would be. We finished the lesson with a casual debate, having the students try to convince their classmates if the sasquatch is fictional or real.
We planned this lesson to be multimodal. First of all, we had the visual of the powerpoint presentation. We taught through story-telling (insert source on storytelling). We had overt instruction by clearly explaining expectations and instructions, and then allowed the students to apply creatively in by inventing a fictional character. After they applied creatively, we had the students explain why they had the adaptations, applying creatively. The class experienced the known by talking about real life examples of mutations (redheads, specialized birds and insects, cancer, etc), and then some students experienced the unknown as we had students in the class who had never heard of the sasquatch.
In the end, we had a lot of fun. The students seemed to understand our goal, and did well with the review questions at the end, as well as having very creative sasquatches, and being able to explain and justify the adaptations. Although they seemed shy at the beginning, the lesson went well and we had great feedback from the teacher.
By teaching this lesson, I learned a lot. First, I learned firsthand how teaching with multiliteracies in mind was successful. Even the students in the class who may not be traditionally academic, and the ELL students with low English abilities were able to participate fully in the creative aspect of the lesson. They had to write a description, but because they were in a group, the person who was most comfortable wrote while the other students told them their ideas. Most of the class participated well, which I felt very happy about. Second, including different activities and modalities increased student engagement visibly – different students excelled in different aspects of the lesson. During the powerpoint part, a few students were very engaged, and answering all of the questions, during the story time it was other students who sat at the front and participated in the story. The drawing involved a different group again, and in the debate almost ALL of the students had something to say. We picked a topic that was silly and fun, yet still relevant to end the class on a high note! Not everything went as planned, though. We had a lot of questions prepared, most pretty easy to keep the class participating, but the students seemed very shy they weren’t overly interested in answering us. After talking to some teachers, they recommended starting the class with a little ice breaker, something to help the students be a bit more comfortable with us. We also forgot to provide the students with a plan for the day, and learning intentions. As a student, I always like knowing what the class will look like, and in the future, I will remember to include that in my lesson. Overall, teaching the class made me excited for our future!
References:
Biswas, S. (2014). How to teach multiliteracies. Canadian Journal for teacher research. 1, 38-46
(2009) “Multiliteracies”: New Literacies, New Learning. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 4:3, 164-195, DOI: 10.1080/15544800903076044
Field Trip
Recently, we were given the opportunity to join an Earth Science Class on a field trip. It was a very valuable experience, as we had the opportunity to see, firsthand, what place-based learning can entail.
Steps for taking a class on a field trip:
- Get permission from the district/school. This involves preparing a document proving that the students safety will be taken care of. You must meet all requirements outlined by the district. (Adult/Student ratio, transportation, etc).
- Send out permission slips to all parents, outlining the timing, dangers, and intent of the field trip.
- Prepare a way to compile all student information (emergency contact, allergies, etc) to take with you on the trip.
Getting your students out of the class, and into a different learning environment is beneficial for all. Not only will you show your students something that they may not have seen before, but you will give them a hands on learning experience. I hope that I will be able to bring all of my classes on some time of field trip, at least once a semester.
Being part of this field trip reminded me of the reading we did in class about multiliteracies design for geography class, where they talked about the importance of getting outside and applying classroom knowledge in a meaningful way. They stated that, “learning on such excursions can be engaging and effective, with students making multiple and meaningful connections, which lead to understandings that could not be achieved in the classroom environment.” (Lockyer and Harper, 2006). By first learning about the layers of rocks, and what that means (different shifts in the crust, water levels, sediments, etc.) and then going out in the field and seeing it first hand and discussing it there, “provide learners with an opportunity to both explore and apply their learning though multi-modal expressions within diverse contexts.” (Lockyer and Harper, 2006). It was really interesting for me to see read this paper, and then have the opportunity to see this first hand. Some students who were normally disengaged in class, lit up while discussing the layers of sediment, and the story it told of history!
References:
Lockyer, L. & Harper, B. (2006). A technology-enhanced multiliteracies learning design for geography education. 3L Journal of Language Teaching, Linguistics and Literature, 12 13-28.
Science Labs!
As a future science teacher, I was so excited today to see a class that fit SO perfectly into the readings from our multi-literacy learning class – a chemistry lab. In the reading by Cope and Kalantzis, Knowledge processes: the pedagogical moves of Learning by Design they describe the idea of learning by design. Learning by design encourages teachers “to reflect up the range of activity types during the design process, to supplement existing practice by broadening the range of activity types, and to plan the sequence carefully.” (Cope and Kalatzis, 2009). This lab let students experience the know, unknown, analyze, apply, AND conceptualize. It seems perfect. 
The class began with a LITTLE didactic instruction, which, in my opinion was completely necessary. In order to know what to do, and what they were looking for in the lab, the teacher used overt instruction. “Overt instruction helps learners focus on important features and gain experiences that allow them to understand systematic, analytic, and cognizant explanations of different modes of meaning” (Biswas, 2014) The students were to perform a lab to discover if a known, household product was an acid or a base, based on what colour purple cabbage juice turned when dropped into the substance. They would then have to find out two UNKNOWN substances, by using the information from the lab. The teacher spent the first 10 minutes or so of the class, reviewing the necessary background information about acids and bases with the students to give them the foundation for the lab. She also wrote the day plan on the board, to show the students EXACTLY what to expect for the block (sit and learn, go and do, come back and reflect – it seems to cover many different learning styles in one class).
The lab itself was quite simple, but it gave all the students an opportunity to “do” science with common, every day items. Every person in the group could participate equally, and there was enough time given for the students to think about why the reaction occurred.
Before the students mixed any “chemical”, they first predicted whether they thought each thing was an acid or a base (hand sanitizer, lemon juice, apple juice, vinegar, baking soda, shampoo, conditioner). They then put a little of each thing into their test tubes, and added some cabbage juice. The sounds of pleasure emanated through the class, “oohs and aahhhhhs” as the students saw bright pink, and blue/green colours appear.
Once they tested all of the items that they had hypothesized about, they tested two unknown items.
The unknown items made the students think. They had to take the knowledge gained during the class, and use it to discover/apply it in an unknown situation.
After the lab, the students cleaned up, and returned to their desks to finish their work. They had to look up the actual pH of the chemicals they discovered, and answer a few questions about the reactions that occurred.
The only flaw that I saw, was that the work was assessed on paper. Perhaps a student who struggles with reading/ writing could be “quizzed” on the information orally to ensure everyone had an equal opportunity to succeed.
References:
Biswas, S. (2014). How to teach multiliteracies. Canadian Journal for teacher research. 1, 38-46
Kalantzis, M. and Cope, W., (2009) Knowledge processes: the pedagogical moves of Learning by Design. Pedagogies: An International Journal. 164-195
Didactic Lecture without Multimodality!
On September 26th, I observed a Biology Class that I felt was overly didactic, followed by a weak attempt at “project based learning”.
- She entered the room, and immediately started to instruct the children on their expectations. She not only gave verbal instructions on what needed to be complete by the end of class (three things), but she also proceeded to tell the students what she expected for the rest of the week (A lab needed to be finished, a worksheet that they started last class, and the “pogl” that they were to start that class. They could then study for the quiz that they would be having the next day, followed by the end of the chapter, a chapter review that would be done the day after, and therefor the chapter test the next class after that.) It was exhausting listening to, and I, as a student teacher not completing the course, felt overwhelmed by all the tasks to be complete.
- The POGL: Project Oriented Guided Learning. It sounded promising to me, a project to end the unit. But, it looked a lot like a worksheet. I’t not 100% what made it a “project”, there were diagrams, and the goal was to answer questions about these diagrams.
The block was spent mostly working quietly, the students who understood well worked quickly, and others seemed less engaged. I think structured work is important, and I also think that it is great to give students a chance to complete work in class is great, but an 80 minute block, working on 3 different assignments seemed like a poor way to spend a class.
Throughout our course so far, we have been discussing the importances of honouring multiliteracies, using multimodal instruction, and learning by design to ensure deeper learning. First, the biology class is structured as lectures to teach the material, a worksheet to enforce it, and a test to assess knowledge. This structure works well for some students, but not all. “Educators and policy-makers have begun to incorporate multimodal literacies into the curriculum for a variety of reasons, including to improve equity and meet the new learning needs of today’s adolescents” (Smith, 2017). Observing this class really enforced how important it is to incorporate different modalities and options for assignments. I was a little bored in class, and I am a adult. Adding some visuals, and option for a project at the end is a better way to honour different learning styles. As a someone with a degree in Biology, it didn’t seem right. Biology is so applicable to our lives, and we have learned that it is important to make course material relatable. “Situated practice suggests using students’ life experiences to create meaningful classroom activities within a community of learners” and “teaching critical framing guides students to derive their own meanings from classroom activities, which encourages them to think, understand, observe, interpret, negotiate, and apply their ideas in problem-solving (Biswas, 2014). Situated practice and critical framing in biology can enhance the level at which our students learn.
References:
Biswas, S., (2014). How to teach multiliteracies. Canadian Journal for teacher research. 1, 38-46
Smith, B.E., (2017) Composing across modes: a comparative analysis of adolescents’ multimodal composing processes. Learning, Media and Technology, 42:3, 259-278, DOI:10.1080/17439884.2016.1182924
Appropriate Assessment
On Wednesday, September 21st, my partner and I went to observe a social studies 10 class. We were asked by the teacher to help two students who needed to write a quiz that the rest of the class had written the day before. As the two students were English Language Learners, we were asked to monitor their translator use and help if they had any doubts with the questions.
Upon arriving at the library, it was very clear that the student who I was helping had a very low level of English. As I have taught ELL for a few years, I was looking forward to the challenge. Most of my experience teaching is in a low risk environment for my students, as they were learning English while living in Brazil, taking away much of the pressure of learning a new language. I was excited to have the opportunity to spend time with a different type of English Language Learner, and test my skills in a different context.
The girl was nervous, and didn’t know what to do. She had me explain the questions a few times, and asked many questions about what she should write. She had me read the options to her as she was struggling with the reading. It became apparent very quickly that this quiz was far beyond her level. It was frustrating for both of us. I worked with her for the full block, patiently explaining vocabulary necessary to answer the questions. The quiz was on Canadian government, and I realized that she didn’t really understand what a province is. Much of our time was spent trying to understand the words vote, elect, and choose. During this time together, she disclosed that she left school in grade 3. There was obviously a large knowledge gap, and I felt so horrible. I attended school in Santiago, and didn’t speak much Spanish. I remember that experience being really hard for me, but I at least had the basic knowledge required to understand the course.
When the block ended, she asked very sincerely to please have another opportunity to work on this. I could see that she wasn’t happy with the situation.
Having the chance to sit one on one with a student and really assess her level, gave me a tiny window into her life. It really helped me to appreciate the idea of different assessment types, and reflect on each students “story”. It gave me the opportunity to experience first hand the idea that each student has a unique background and carry different weights. I feel frustrated even now, as I can’t come up with a solution. She shouldn’t be separated from her peers, but she definitely needs to learn so much more before writing a quiz on Canadian government.
For me, this experience reminded me of the reading, ‘The Transpoemations Project’: Digital Storytelling, Contemporary Poetry, and Refugee Boys”. The reading described a group of refugee boys with low levels of English who were given an assignment to write a poem about themselves, create a digital story, and critique their classmates work. I made a direct connection between these boys from the reading, and the two girls writing the test. Having the girls write the socials studies test on Canadian Government wasn’t a meaningful task for them. Perhaps a more meaningful task would have been to collaborate on a multimodal project comparing the Canadian Government to the Syrian Government. Teaching their classmates about differences between the two could provide the students with the opportunity to be the experts. As the article states, “This is not a role that refugee youth are often asked to play; they are typically regarded as needing the assistance of experts. So, the opportunity to ‘teach’ a concept or skill to native English-speaking adults elevated the level of the intercultural interactions and shifted the dynamics of the social situations the students often experience, especially in public school classrooms, where they are typically cast in the role of ‘at-risk child.’” (Emert, 2013). Before beginning this course, I never really considered the idea of multiliteracy. Testing language learners on their understanding of Canadian Government through a written test, isn’t a fair test, as their language was holding them back. Vital to a multiliteracies framework is the understanding that all meaning-making is multimodal, including linguistic, visual, audio, gestural, and spatial elements, which are in dynamic interaction with one another during communication (Smith, 2017). It is very probable that this girl is very much literate in other forms, but writing a test on Canadian government isn’t a good test for her.
References:
Smith, B.E., (2017) Composing across modes: a comparative analysis of adolescents’ multimodal composing processes. Learning, Media and Technology, 42:3, 259-278, DOI:10.1080/17439884.2016.1182924
Emily Oliveira 