Applying Digital Pedagogies 4

Wow, what a week of Digital Pedagogies! Here is a brief reflection on each of the pedagogies stated on the Moodle site for ICTs for Learning Design.

YouTube and TeacherTube:

This was my first real exploration into TeacherTube. I think as this site grows it will get better and better and every subject area and matter will be covered.

I found a great little video on Drama conventions which I thought was great for the classroom:



I also found this video on Dance (I have also seen it on Youtube), this would be a great hook for a lesson of the history of dance. It would appeal to the students very well I think because of its comedic aspects. It is also educational though as it goes through popular dance styles in each era.




Google Earth:

What a fantastic tool for SOSE or geography classes! It can zoom right down to my own house!

Some ideas I had with incorporating these into dance and drama included:

For drama, it could be shown to students for the location of scripts they are analysing. This way, students have an authentic approach to acing because they can visualise where they are.

A location in Google Earth could be used for a template when creating sets and backdrops for a musical or play.

If researching a particular dance culture, a location could be shown to the students so that they can understand its origins (Indigenous dancing for an example).

It really is an amazing tool and something that can be implemented in many different classes.

Wikipedia:

I remember through school getting it drilled into me that Wikipedia is not a real website and it is not to be used for research for assignments because of its unreliability. I never would have thought that in my fourth year of University I would be asked to look it up and think of how it could be useful to my students!

Contradictory to my old high school, I do see the benefits of Wikipedia. If you are looking for a quick definition or understanding of a word or phrase, Wikipedia is fantastic for a quick fix.

When researching my two subject areas Dance and Drama, the following information came up:

Dance:

“Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music,^[1] used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting.” (Wikipedia, 2010)

This is actually a good general definition of dance and it summarizes the information well.

Drama:

“Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance.^[1] The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" (Classical Greek: δρᾶμα, drama), which is derived from "to do" (Classical Greek: δράω, drao). The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a collective form of reception. The structure of dramatic texts, unlike other forms of literature, is directly influenced by this collaborative production and collective reception.^[2] The early modern tragedy Hamlet (1601) by Shakespeare and the classical Athenian tragedy Oedipus the King (c. 429 BCE) by Sophocles are among the supreme masterpieces of the art of drama.” (Wikipedia, 2010)

This is also a good general definition for students to see and gather a general perception from.

I would encourage my students to look up Wikipedia for definitions or meaning of a word or phrase. From here, there are many different key words and phrases that can be triggered and then looked up in addition to this word which is where I think Wikipedia is a great tool. Down the bottom there is a list of references where the people who have posted onto Wikipedia, have sourced their information on. This can be a great linking tool and a one stop place to find plenty of different websites about the topic of choice!

SlideShare:

I am very sad to report that I could not embed an audio clip into a SlideShare presentation. After seeing some fanstastic examples on other student's blogs, I can see how this can enhance learning. It keeps the information flow consistent to each student or class and it assists in covering the visual and auditory components of learning. Students could have access to the presentation at home and listen in their own time. It really does bring life to a simple Slideshow!

Incompetech:

This website is ideal for my two teaching areas. It is important to follow copyright laws and this is a way to access music which doesn't breach these rules. Although this is more directed to music online, this is important to keep in mind for musicals and rock eisteddfods etc. After looking around on this site, I have found theatre scripts as well! It is a great tool for someone who has their two teaching areas within this industry but also a great way at access music for other classes. Music is a great tool to enhance learning. Using music to assist PowerPoint presentations could prove to be very effective!