Using New Media to Deepen Thinking
Think like a scientist!
Kindergarten Thinking...
Most of the time, it's difficult for a kindergarten student to dig deeper than surface level, five-year-old thinking. When redesigning an Animal Defense science unit, my focus was on getting my students to think deeper, think like a scientist, and become a defense detective. In my plan to encourage students to "think like a scientist", while using new media, I will create kindergarteners who are critical thinkers, observers, and explainers (Miller et al, 2014). I used different new media tools to promote independence, create this "scientist" culture of thinking, use what they have learned to apply it to new concepts, and to make a home-to-school connection. My redesign project took what was an only journal writing unit, and revamped it to a video-watching, game playing, thinking routine filled website. Check it out here!
Google Drawing...
Including Google Drawings within my website is a quick, easy way to informally assess my student's growth. Kindergarteners will independently watch a video on their own, find their name, and complete the Google Drawing task, which was labeling dinosaur defenses. Google Drawing can go beyond what I used it for. The best part about Google Drawing is that I can quickly make copies of an assessment to use for multiple students, but I can also quickly alter it to differentiate for the needs of all my students. Google Drawing worked for my specific goal of wanting students to become deeper thinkers because they had to apply the knowledge that they have been learning independently. Instead of simply writing a few words in a journal, my kindergarteners had to use their reading skills to read the labels and match the labels to their parts, all from the comfort of a computer or iPad. As my students become more familiar with Google Drawing, they can think even deeper to create drawings of their own, of animals we have yet to study, and create their own labels for their defenses.
Voki...
By adding a Voki to every lesson on my website, my students are able to be independent learners. My student's will be able to refer back to my Voki to hear my voice either describing the lesson, retelling directions, or encouraging them to, "Think like a scientist!". Including a Voki is a simple way to remind my students of the higher level of thinking that is expected of them throughout this unit. Student's can continuously go back, listen to the Voki, revise their work if needed, and make sure they have all the necessary parts that were required of them.
Padlet...
In using Padlet in my redesign project, my goal was to create a home-to-school connection, while pushing students to use their new knowledge of defenses and apply it to something that they are more familiar with, their own pets. Using Padlet allowed me to create my own question the promoted deeper thinking on our unit, and make it into a mini-homework assignment. As my students become more familiar with using Padlet, I can then create a blank board and redesign a traditional "think-pair-share" and put it on a Padlet board. For example, have one partner post an animal picture, while their partner responds to it and their think-pair-share becomes web-based (Fuchs, 2014).
References...
Fuchs, Beth, "The Writing is on the Wall: Using Padlet for Whole-Class Engagement" (2014). Library Faculty and Staff Publications. Paper 240.
Miller, R. G., Curwen, M. S., White-Smith, K. A., & Calfee, R. C. (2014). Cultivating Primary Students’ Scientific Thinking Through Sustained Teacher Professional Development. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43(4), 317-326.