Hello blogging world, in my blog this week I will be looking at the transition of different styles of presenting and how the have shifted in the past ten years using our ASTU 100 class Archives project and my person experiences as examples.
In my participation in group projects I have notice a shift in presentation style especially in the medium used. The vast diversity of mediums availably for students in both high school and university to present the work in a classroom setting. It was evident in My ASTU’s archives project just recently. We had a wide range of presenting styles: book, an infographic PDF, websites, and a Tumblr blog. A Tumbler blog is newer form of social media allowing people to create blogs of photos and stories as well gives the ability to re-blog others creative work. This newer medium can allow students to work with something they could be very familiar with something the possibly use every day. Also it gives a way for students to incorporate photo and text in a new way. Allowing students to do class project in a new medium such as this can inspire student to put much more effort in. Personally if I had the choice back in early stages of my school life to choose between creating a Tumblr blog or creating a boring old poster boarder, I know I would have chosen the blog and put much more effort into it.
Along with the Tumblr one of the groups in my class found very interesting and inviting way to share their knowledge on Chinese immigration. By using power point they were able to create a visually stunning info-graphic using concepts of their topic as background and showcasing a different way to present class projects. Using PowerPoint, they were able to compress slides of information and bring them into a leaflet. This made the information much easier to assess and take in. in my experience sitting through student power point presentation can be quite dry I personally preferred to spice them up by including matching interpretive dances but that’s just me. This groups excellent use of PowerPoint skills made the information they were trying to share both more interesting and easier to taken in for me at least.
As well as potentially inspiring students and make info more interesting and easier to take in. these newer mediums for class projects also allow people not just in the class to see the work that has been done. For example, the Tumblr blog is available for any one to access as long as the have the URL. As well the PDF infographic can be sent between teachers for student of different classes to use.
I my self have been part of the shift I remember glue pictures and big blocks of text on large poster the night before projects are due or endlessly trying to make PowerPoints interesting by using the nonsense transition and sounds. By with the access to these new mediums I’ve created websites and blog sites make projects much more interesting as well as learning new skills. However, although I am very proud of the website my Archives group was able to put together on the McLennan Family my favorite project that I have every done will forever by the interruptive dance I did in Social Studies 11 about Fracking and its harmful effects.
