For this assignment, I decided to read Ashley Hinck’s article “Digital Ghosts in the Modern Classroom”. From reading the article, I must say that Hinck’s did argue good points most of which I agree. I decided to create a sketch note highlighting key information from the article that connected with me. Hinck discusses traditional school culture and how in today’s day in age students are losing creativity due to the use of certain programs and template/ shortcut platforms, many of which depend on basic drag and drop and step by step instructions. Yes, this may seem easy and familiar to many of us, but Hinck’s argues that these basic “guaranteed working products” have diminished students drive to think outside of the box, to use their imagination, and be creative without risk of failure. I feel that the platforms and shortcuts we are used to using has without knowing lessened our drive to be original and create on our own, and once allowed to use more intricate programs, realize how time-consuming and difficult it is.
I remember a time I was taking a time-based course, where we made videos using Final Cut Pro, Audacity, and Photoshop. I found it challenging and almost preferred to use IMovie, which was quite familiar to me, but we were restricted to the other applications. Hinck’s also discusses how teachers have been so focused on “the heart of student learning”, which consists of evaluation tactics such as fill in the blank and multiple choice worksheets, as well as student-teacher relationships and class layouts.
While in placement I found this was a go-to for many teachers during evaluations, which I do not completely disagree to use, although I feel this tool is not always as proactive for all students and tends to aid students to become dependant on them. That being said, this has distracted us or taken priority over the fact that many of which are influencing our students are behind closed doors, and out of view of educators. Teachers do not realize the influence these applications are having on students creativity. Basic filters from snap chat and Instagram trick students into thinking they are being original and creative by applying them to their photos during editing processes. What they do not see is that these are all defaults and what they cannot access is creating these filters themselves. But once being allowed to do so, realize the difficulty that truly lies behind such apps (ex. Adobe’s Photoshop, Audacity). The influence this has on our students haunt them without recognition, like a ghost.
Hinck’s goes on to discuss how traditional school culture has also led students away from being speakers of their imaginative processes, thus making them fear failure. When in reality failure is what drives them to success. Students nowadays tend to ask what a teachers preference would be of different fonts, colours, sizes or themes in regards to an assignment where they might be using something such as slide show.
This was a constant question I would receive from my students, they come to feel that teachers are biased and have a particular idea of how they want student assignments to look. To fix this mindset, we should be encouraging student’s to “create, compose, and make” because such platforms and mindsets “limit imaginations and desires for bigger, better ideas”. I agree with Hinck’s that traditional school culture has manipulated students into feeling that being wrong is one of the worst things to be, thus feeling like they have to restrict themselves to a particular way or creating. Students must believe that it’s okay to make mistakes, to explore, discover, and create. They shouldn’t have to feel restricted or that they need to stay in the lines to be successful, they do not always have to be right but believe that trial-and-error and troubleshooting will inspire them more than always being right. Students are not little robots, they are creators, who make mistakes and they cannot forget that.
For this assignment, I felt that the sketch note was in my comfort range. I did enjoy creating the sketch note, it turned out differently than I had imagined but I’m happy with the result. I found that once I got started creating the sketch note, it helped my understanding of the article, which I feel will be a useful tool for student learning. From learning this skill I hope to be able to incorporate this into my teaching practice in the future, as it is creative and innovative. #UWinDig2020
