Diana Wilkes                    Vignette 1 Analysis-ETEC 532                      January 29, 2011
When Fiske (1990) describes semiotics as a mental concept that is common to all people of the same culture and language he is essentially making a transparent connection between signs, systems and the culture they exist within.  Art is one vehicle used to express culture but it is a mere snapshot because culture isn’t static, it is constantly evolving.  Looking at artefacts in museums or other media is but a glimpse into a culture.  Culture is our inexorable desire to explore what we are, our values and beliefs and all that we have learned, combined with personal, lived experiences.   In fact, we could say that we are part of one enormous culture because we are all connected by layers of fascinating experiences.

Sylvia Kind (2004) postulates that art demonstrates a relationship between culture and identity and that art makes the knowledge of the times tangible.  This visibility thereby illuminates the culture for others; an invitation to conversation.  Interpreting the art allows us to explore culture and acts as a tool for people to understand one another.  Making meaning of art through interpreting artefacts is how we comprehend culture.

Each artist approaches their task in a different way.  Sylvia Kind has an interesting approach to expressing culture through story telling using textiles.  She believes that identity is constructed, negotiated and expressed.  She uses her textile pieces to both represent and interpret disabilities- through the reconstructed sweater and to discuss how people are actually products of their stories (known and unknown silent stories) in her autobiographical dress.  Her idea of having 30 of these dresses to represent a classroom of students is quite remarkable and hammers home how much teachers don’t know about their students.  Her ‘teachable moment’ stones are prolific in capturing the essence of how a teacher can manipulate her lessons to incorporate profound issues as they are encountered.

Friedman uses technology to document the learning process of her pre-service teacher students while they explore racism in education. This project causes the students to be producers and consumers of both art and culture. As the students explore multiculturalism in education, they are prompted to explain why ‘racism is bad!’.  Their creation of an ancestor puppet enables them to look at racism and art through another lens.  This caused the students to engage in dialogue with themselves and their ancestor and enabled them to communicate some ideas that they normally wouldn’t articulate for fear of being politically incorrect. This approach had the desired effect of engaging students in communication via an artefact.  Consequently, their message and interpreted perspectives were not manipulated or distorted.

Dane endeavours to communicate the possible perspective of his ancestor through his puppets’  ‘credo’.     His exploration of multiculturalism in art education forced him to represent another’s perspective and to confront race related issues in a safe way.  As a participant in this class project Dane was able to think critically about his own meaning making and analyse both visible artefacts and the undercurrent that is ever-present in a culture leading to very different interpretations.
Tapscott (2004) refers to the interactivity of technology and how this is enabling the Net Generation to be in control of their communication through critical thinking and overt questioning which is necessitating the change from broadcast learning to learner centered facilitation.  The affordances of the internet have helped ‘create a culture for learning’ but as educators we must remain aware that the interpretation of culture can cause false impressions.  We heard Friedman discuss the challenges of being a filmmaker (editing, actual representation of another’s message, interpretation of dialogue, use of technology to desensitize or water down meaning making) and a teacher (ensuring equal opportunity for students to speak, addressing the challenge of students who won’t express themselves, ensuring a balanced dialogue).

Using technology in pedagogical practice will have a significant impact on voice (use of Web 2.0 applications, social networking, Skype/Illiuminate), culture (opportunities for virtual field trips, increased exposure to artefacts, interviews with art experts), identity (avatars, online vs offline personas, social networks) and representation (Web 2.0, digital movies/photostory, virtual vs real exposure to artefacts, censorship).  I believe this impact will be for the good.  Culture isn’t static.  It is continually changing and our cultures are more interconnected than they have ever been in history due to technology.  Educational technology, when used as a tool for learning, can encourage discussion across cultures about art, acts as the vehicle for critical analysis (voice) and enables synchronous and asynchronous communication regarding the interpretation of culture and identity.  However, we must remain aware that technology will always have the ability to dilute culture.  Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure that technology is used to enhance culture.

References
Tapscott, D. (2004). The Net Generation and the School. Milken Family Foundation (http://www.mff.org/edtech/article.taf?_function=detail&Content_uid1=109)
Fiske, J. (1990). Communication, Meaning and Signs. Introduction to Communication Studies. London: Routledge.

Friedman, S. (2004). Responsibility and re/presentation: Reflection on digital video and puppet-based inquiry.

Friedman, S. Documentary: Art education culture: A puppet based exploration of identity, racism, and responsibility. Retrieved from: https://www.vista.ubc.ca/webct/RelativeResourceManager/Template/VideoLinks/ETEC532combo56k.html

Whole School ICT Integration

I selected this topic because this is a situation that I find myself in:  A school with 2 ICT labs (one for ICT lessons with the ICT teacher and a separate computer lab for teachers to sign out and use with their subjects).  Each classroom has one computer (teacher desk) and the library has a pod of 6 computers as well (not even hooked up to power never mind the internet!) and there are two ‘pods’ of 5 laptops that can be signed out and shared.  There are two Promethian IWBs that are completely under-utilized (one in the teacher meeting room and one in the second ICT Lab).

Principles of Learning

There is a real disconnect between subject teaching and ICT.  My challenge, much like in the vignette, is to marry the top down dictatorial approach with a more organic, self-directed approach to integrating technology.  I believe that for ICT integration to happen in a school environment it needs to have an active community of practice which values knowledge building (rather than rote learning).  It should project Chickering and Ehrmann’s 7 Principals of Good Practice (1996) which will enhance the opportunities for integration of the educational technologies in the school:

1. Encourages contacts between students and faculty

• With PD and support the subject teachers will be more able to utilize the ICT lab, classroom computers, the laptop pods, IWBs and internet access at home to enhance/increase opportunities for the students and teachers to interact (wikis, blogs, LMS blended learning courses and email)

2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students

• Students can be immersed in a knowledge building environment where they can collaborate and communicate with their classmates through another medium.

3. Uses active learning techniques

• Use of  LMS, Wiki, Blogs, Web 2.0 Applications, discussion forums, email, webquests and desktop publishing will engage the students more actively in their learning

4. Gives prompt feedback

• Enables the teacher to give feedback in a timely, but her timely, manner.  She can engage in 1:1 dialogue with students which will enable her to provide more scaffolding, feedback and differentiation as needs arise.  It could also become a medium for self and peer assessment practices.

5. Emphasizes time on task

• The use of the computers in the school (and at home) will enable a clear focus on the task at hand, if only because there is limited amount of time to use the ET resources.

6. Communicates high expectations

• The expectations need to be very clearly outlined and the use of success criteria must be explicit.  The ET becomes the vehicle for this message.

7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

• Teacher will be able to facilitate and cater to a more diverse range of learning styles. Asynchronous communication and modular style activities provide appropriate think time.

Building Bridges for Barriers: An Action Plan

Bates and Poole (2003) state that “I is for Interaction and Interactivity and so many of the barriers and challenges come from this lack of interactivity with technology.  In order to maximize the use of the ET resources in the school the following is required (loosely based on some of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers, 2008):

1) Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Teacher Creativity

Provision of weekly PD is essential for success and will ensure a technological skill set for teachers is attained for the following:

• Operation of IWB and creation of notebooks, sourcing compatible online resources
• Basic MS Office skills (if not already skilled)
• LMS course design
• Blog, Wiki and Webpage creation and design
• Social Software and Web 2.0 applications
• Synchronous and asynchronous communication tools (blended learning opportunities)

In addition the creation of a computer club and training a group of students to be ‘Computer Crew’ (pod sign outs, minor technical issues/assistance, resource movement and inventory) will help promote the integration and use of ICT in the school.

2) Assessment Practices

• Use of rubrics that include assessment of subject content/skills and ICT skills
• Consistent use of success criteria
• Training on the use of online assessment tools and integrated assessments

3) Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

• Help teachers to inform parents about the benefits of ICT integration and cybersafety
• encourage participation in local ICT challenges/competitions
• promote the safe use of Web 2.0 applications and social media

4) Resource Procurement and Equitable Use

• find appropriate resources/equipment and establish contact
• develop a timetable to ensure equal time is allotted for all teachers/subjects but remains flexible for teachers to inter-change their times
• use the Computer Crew to move the laptop ‘pods’ around the school and keep it all in good condition
• the SECTIONS model (Bates and Poole, 2003) is an excellent framework for anybody involved in instructional design and should be employed whenever there is funding for new resources

5) Vision- Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

• involve the committee, coordinator, administration and teachres in the creation of a schoolwide ‘integration of ICT vision’ and display it, share it frequently
• create an information pamphlet in English/Arabic with visuals for parents
• create and implement a cybersafety policy/agreement in the school
• support the creation of a Computer Club

Final Thoughts

Many of our students are digital natives and they deserve to learn using the tools that they will use in the ‘real world’.  It is an obligation to integrate technology and a responsibility for teachers to upskill.  This cannot be done, however, without support.  It is imperative that teachers receive regular PD and in school support in order to ensure focused integration of ICT into all subjects at a level where it is enhancing their ability to create knowledge and not simply as a means to an end. (Bereiter & Scardamalia, 2006).  Ultimately, teachers must remember that their role is to facilitate learning and the integration of technology will afford them to do that- making the move from a teacher-centered methodology to learner-centered, constructivist approach less painful (Tapscott, 2004).

References:

Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: A Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. In Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. (pp. 77-105). San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.

Bereiter, C. and Scardamalia, M. (2006). Catching the Third ICT Wave. Queen’s University Education Letter, pp. 1-3.

Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S. C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39(7), 3-7. Accessed Online 15, May, 2010 from http://www.aahea.org/bulletins/articles/sevenprinciples.htm

National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers. Retrieved February 1, 2011 from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_for_Teachers_2008.htm

Tapscott, D. (2004). The Net Generation and the School. Milken Family Foundation (http://www.mff.org/edtech/article.taf?_function=detail&Content_uid1=109).