I chose to look at the article “Digital Ghosts in the Modern Classroom” by Hinck, A (2018). The article connects standardized learning and practices like worksheets and multiple choice tests to technology that follows this same model. This standardized technology like standardized pedagogy leaves little room for exploration and true creativity. Success is possible within standardization, however it is not as authentic because it is essentially the art of playing by someone else’s rules, or mastering step by step process.
I like the connection the article makes between the classroom and shortcut template websites. I do believe that we as teachers need to prepare our students to be the creators and innovators of the future. Students need to be encouraged to make and create in their lives and with technology. This can be a scary process for students and teachers alike because with creation often comes trial and error and failure. I think that their is a fear of failure in our society and in the education system. I think this is the main ghost of the work sheet that Hinck is referring to; failure. As a future educator I want to normalize and even promote failure. The article talks about permission and opportunity to fail, which is the beginning of viewing oneself as able to take risk in creation.
As a student I have always felt very uncomfortable without having clear instructions from my teachers. I think this is because I have always been afraid to fail, or not follow instructions properly. Especially when it comes to using technology, like this assignment I had to give myself permission to fail while even using a template. To me this shows that we have work to do with the next generation. In my last placement I did a final project on the Geography unit I was teaching. I wanted to incorporate choice so I allowed students to present their information that they collected about the place they would like to live by using either a traditional bristle board, a power point, canva, a youtube video, a recorded song/rap, or a powtoon. I realized that even though I am not the best with technology my students may be and I have a lot to learn from them. This assignment was a hit, and students were able to create something they were proud of. Although many of them used template websites (not all), it was a great into to being a creator in grade 7. I hope that experiences like this will give them confidence to create and expand their knowledge with technology and perhaps they will create websites like kahooot and canva for others to use. They are a great way to offer accessibility and spark interest in students!
I used Powtoon to create a video. While reading the article I envisioned a parallel between choreography in dance and template web design and the dreaded standardized test. Although there is a place for all of them. Dancing without fear of missing steps, or dancing with friends on a night out is much more freeing and fun! In the last slide I purposely left the add company name here, because although it is a professional video it was essentially a work sheet.
Please click the link to view 🙂
https://www.powtoon.com/c/dczmrlL4wxa/1/m
Tabitha Klein