Digital Atelier: How to Use Digital Resources in Instruction?
I am mainly going to be focused on the reading about Mullen High School but it seems that for this week's readings overall there is a discussion about the use of including digital resources towards instruction.
What I liked about the Digital Atelier (DA) that Muller High School is the fact that it wasn't focused on one thing and about content material that they have learned in schools but instead on the students interests. On top of that mentors, that monitor and instruct students at the DA, are open to using online resources that will help students improve on their disciplinary trajectories instead of just relying on their disciplinary knowledge / expertise. Wilson points this out in the fourth paragraph of Verbs, Language, and Culture, as teachers we tend to forget the wealth of our knowledge and try to rely on that when instructing students. There are so many digital resources now that could better visualize or explain something to a student and might lean towards their interest.
The vignettes show this as mentors approach students by starting with their personal experiences and knowledge then direct them to online resources that will help improve them towards whatever they are working on. Some examples of this include YouTube videos, online resources for sampling, or an introductory kit and based on what the student has access to outside the DA they can take materials such as posters to further help them learn.
I also want to point out that in the vignettes of interactions between mentors and students, although the article's model does not view race and ethnicity as central to teaching and learning the mentors do. We have read and learned throughout class and in our mini lesson plans that it is important to consider these aspects of students in our teaching, so while I do not understand why they say it is not important even when mentors view it as important, it has given me different ways ideas in which how I can approach instruction.
The DA in Muller High School seems to be an effective and responsive program for students. I also appreciate that the program pushes for student interests instead of more course material. This environment should be for the students, a place where they can create, act, and expand their interests through different formats. The relationships the DMMs create are also vital. As you mentioned, race and ethnicity should be highlighted. In the real world, these are types of identities that define who you are, and excluding them does not acknowledge the impact it makes. To clarify it shouldn’t make DMMs treat students differently but recognize that for some these identities are close to their heart.
ReplyDeleteWhat I also think is important to consider is how can all students benefit from using this space. Lund and the authors mention that about 15-30 students stop daily but what about the goal for the long run? How can the program, DMMs, and high school invite more students to use this space?
I believe as an educator you need to find ways to hit crucial curriculum in a way that will ensure students are maximizing their attention and passion into the work. Ive been in courses that have allowed or required students to act in or create vignettes and these classes have been some of the most instructional and memorable classes ive had. While vignettes alone are far from perfect, youre absolutely right about the interactions between the mentors and mentees vignettes dont take crucial contextualization of the people in it. By appying race and socio-economic backgrounds, students may be able to understand hard hitting topics and nuanced interactions that they may have to face in the future.
ReplyDeleteI think we are at a complicated point in society with digital tools and how to use them, when to use them, and generally other questions. I do think the DA concept works well though, and for what its worth, I think that it is a useful tool. Finding ways to connect with students is challenging in classrooms and it does require some thinking outside of the box and in many ways challenging older ways and methods of teaching. I also like the fact that race and identity should be highlighted so that students can connect better. These are things that are absent from far too many curriculums in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI want to call attention to a claim the article makes which is that this type of explorative, unstructured education is not viable to be set up in every school. I think that these kinds of activities are things that should be available on a wider community level and not just to children. Access to the equipment and expertise as described in the article is what many libraries are expanding to include and give opportunities to all community members to participate in learning.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to be able to rely on other sources of information such as digital recourses or DA in this context. I think people commonly want to rely on only what they know and are afraid to reach to out to other places for informations or assistance so i can defintely see the importance and the use of DA.
ReplyDeleteI also think its interesting that they say not to focus too much on the differences between students in the context of race. As i think its pretty important to work in a way that includes everyone and creates a learning space thats safe for everyone.
I very much agree with your point that the Digital Atelier at Muller High School stands out by making sure the students interests are prioritized over the traditional curriculum content. This approach fosters creativity and engagement, as mentors use digital tools like YouTube (khan academy is another good example) and other resources to support students in their learning. Starting with students experiences and recognizing diverse identities, including race and ethnicity, adds an important layer of inclusivity to the DA’s model. This method shows how combining flexibility, creativity, and digital resources can make education more meaningful and student focused.
ReplyDeleteI think you raise an important point with your statement about teachers who rely only on their personal knowledge to teach students and who perhaps aren't willing to be let technology do any part of their job. Some teachers are also afraid of admitting a lack of technological proficiency and risk appearing uneducated to their own students. This is an example of the expert-novice binary in that the majority of teachers, even our own generation who were born into a digital age, are going to have to accept that we won't be as savvy with tech as younger generations. We'll have to keep in mind that we're there to be facilitators of digital literacy and that the goal should be to align education with technology, rather than outdo it. We still have to maintain some authority over tech though. Technology can be a useful tool that opens doors for a lot of students, but ChatGPT and other AI software make this a gray area. Where do we draw the line to distinguish technology-assisted learning from cheating?
ReplyDeleteI really did like this and definitely agree with the use of digital resources ESPECIALLY youtube videos. Sometimes kids will completely miss the mark most likely because I was not clear enough. One of the resources I lean on a ton are the Crash Course World History videos. I usually attach them with whatever slides/lesson I make available for them on Google Classroom because they won't understand my slides on their own (for the most part).
ReplyDeleteI think many teachers have unchecked egos in their classrooms. They tend to think of themselves as the be all end all of education in their rooms, and I think that is really counterproductive to helpings kids understand what education is about. Students ask me questions that I do not know ALL THE TIME, and I use it as teaching moments. I admit I don't know it, and I tell them let me look it up. Helping them understand it's ok to not know something and take the time to look it up is the most valuable skill any teacher can give their students.