I think the phrase, “Teacher as Designer” can evoke different ideas for different people, but ultimately, it places important emphasis on the role of the teacher in creating and developing not only curricula, but learning environments as well. This means ensuring that the content is engaging and accessible for all students. For me, this phrase also highlights a sense of freedom and independence as an educator and reminds me of a saying we have in 7th grade: “With independence comes responsibility.” The responsibility that comes with creative freedom in terms of curriculum design is no different. Our responsibility as educators is to provide engaging and equitable learning situations for all students, which is highlighted by ISTE standards for educators. According to ISTE standards, the idea of “teacher as designer” requires educators to use technology to create personalized learning experiences and emphasizes the importance of creating an environment where learning is authentic, engaging, and rigorous.
After going through the assigned readings for the week, regarding the idea of teacher as designer, I was particularly struck by the Teaching Tolerance article, “Avatars and Activists” by Maya Lindberg. I was inspired by the idea that teachers are using gaming in the classroom to promote social justice awareness. I was previously unaware of the existence of video games that center on social justice themes and was delighted to find countless games on the Games for Change website that we can use in our 7th grade classes. Games for Change.org offers a wide array of free online games that students can play to expand their knowledge on a subject while also expanding their awareness of particular social or human rights issues. For example, students in our 7th grade science class are currently learning about water rights and accessibility in a 3rd world country they chose to learn about. The game “3rd World Farmer” highlights the struggles farmers in such countries face and provides a simulation of the decisions many farmers encounter in order to survive. Such games reveal the interconnectedness of water accessibility, poverty, and human rights and provide teachers with an opportunity to design curriculum with perspective and global awareness in mind. While I’m excited to introduce our students to games like this, I was still left wondering what else we can do as a team to further implement technology in an innovative way in order to promote authentic, engaging, rigorous, AND differentiated learning. After poking around on the PLN FreeTechforTeachers, I found a fun discussion platform called FlipGrid, which I’m planning to use in addition to various Games for Change. FlipGrid is a free digital discussion platform where students can share their thinking from anywhere with a phone or tablet. It allows teachers to post discussion questions for students to answer with short video clips. This is both authentic and engaging and allows students to participate in two-way communication in a new way. Students can post their own questions as well. I think this will be a useful tool for facilitating discussions regarding the games we play from Games for Change. The use of Games for Change and FlipGrid together make for an engaging and personalized learning experience that allows students to generate ideas and test theories through collective conversation (ISTE Student Standards). According to Mica Pollock, (Teaching Tolerance) getting students to “think and communicate with technologies” is an important part of effective design (see “Smart Tech Use for Equity”). Pollock contends that equity requires a sharing of voices with the overarching goal of encouraging “confident collaborators and creative thinkers” (2016). My hope is that by providing students with an alternative option for learning about 3rd world water issues for example, coupled with digital discussion forums where students can share their voices in an equitable way, we can avoid “passive or low-level learning tasks” (Pollock) which are often associated with the misuse of technology in the classroom. The other important facet of designing for equity is ensuring that the needs of all students are met with the use of any technology. Using Games for Change in tandem with FlipGrid meets the framework for differentiation by allowing students to engage in “producing and communicating” as well as “dialoguing and collaborating” (Andersen & Sorensen, 2017). Such tasks are important for all students and lead to a more equitable learning environment. I’m confident that the integration of both tools together will provide students with voice and choice, while allowing them to share creative video content that connects to real world learning. Games for Change.org offers such a diverse compendium of games while FlipGrid provides a unique platform for conversation. Both can be used in any content, though will probably require upfront effort for norming and modeling. I think if properly used both platforms, whether used together or separately, can provide positive learning outcomes for students with diverse needs and interests. The participation in Games for Change teaches students about real world issues while FlipGrid gives them practice with appropriate online engagement and discourse. Used together, I think both technologies serve as an example of design that is both engaging and accessible. References: Andersen, H. & Sorensen, E. (2017). “Enhancing understanding, flow and self-efficacy in learners with developmental and attention difficulties through ITC-based interventions.” European Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning 20 (1). DOI: 10.1515/eurodl-2017-0010 Byrnes, R. (2017). “How to use FlipGrid: Guide for getting started.” Free Tech For Teachers: https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2017/12/how-to-use-flipgrid-guide-for-getting.html Flipgrid website https://flipgrid.com Flipgrid walkthrough video https://vimeo.com/229139609 Games for Change http://www.gamesforchange.org/games/ ISTE Standards https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students Lindberg, M. (2015) “Avatars and activists: Digital gaming offers a new frontier for social justice educators.” Teaching Tolerance 49. https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2015/avatars-and-activists Pollock, M. (2016). “Smart tech use for equity: Become an “equity designer” with new research from Mica Pollock and colleagues.” Teaching Tolerance 52 https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2016/smart-tech-use-for-equity
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