Redesigning this task allowed me to think about the original purpose of the task in a new way. When writing about what was in my bag I approached the task very literally. When speaking to what was in my bag I told more of a story, or tried to! The New London Group (1996) explore the idea of being simultaneous members of multiple lifeworlds and that this shows how our identities have multiple layers that are complex in relation to each other (p.71). This is very reflective of my identity and that to know me well you would need to understand the complexity of my layers. By talking about what was in my bag, without a script, I was much more willing to share more information about the items and the story behind them. I did refer back to my original post and picture for what was in my bag to create a transformation that was a new use of old materials and a re-articulation and recombination of the given resources of available designs (NLG, 1996, p. 76). As a teacher, I am constantly re-designing materials and resources to best fit the needs of my students and hoping that they will create new meaning. When a task is not meeting the desired outcome it should be re-defined. Teachers need to be open to developing new ways in which students can demonstrate how they design and carry out new practices that include their own goals and values (NLG, 1996, p.87). This will motivate students to continue their learning and design new meaning. The challenge with mode-bending is to ensure that you are not just redesigning for the sake of redesigning. Goals should be intentional. Creating new ways to complete tasks and think about our learning allows us to create new meaning and in the process continually re-make ourselves.

References:

The New London Group.  (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. (Links to an external site.)  Harvard Educational Review 66(1), 60-92.