Tool #11

Okay, at last we arrive at final reflections on the whole course.
(1) I have not had the opportunity to work with most of the new tools I found, so I can only reflect on what I THINK will have possibilities. First of all, I think VoiceThread presents itself as a great vehicle for having my students accomplish a collaborative learning project, film, post, and tie it together, and then present it to the global learning community. VoiceThread, right now, strikes me as a MUST. Again, I've fooled around with BigHugeLabs and looked over the capabilities of 123DSculpt which offer chances for my students to supplement what they've done in the actual world with similar work in the virtual world and further, to post and include what they've done in reflective projects which can be shared with the class as teaching.

(2) One project I fully intend to do this year are clay sculptures of heads. I think we will be able to use 123DSculpt to actually give students an opportunity to plan, virtually, what they intend to do before they ever touch the clay. What an advance this will be over the usual 2D pencil drawings which students are asked to do prior to work on a piece! I've also alluded more than once to the collaborative art/science project in second grade we will be doing involving the study of insects combined with insect art and its posting as a project on VoiceThread.

(3 and 4) My thinking and vision will probably really start transforming as I step forward and try some of these things. I taught for several years at a charter school where our emphasis was on multi-media, cross-disciplinary, product-based, student-led learning. I see the new technology as giving me a chance to return to that much-loved experience and do it again in a new way.

(5) We already do product-based collaborative and cooperative work in the art room, but I think we've fallen short especially in the area of finding ways to make what we do an experience which contributes to our learning community and to the community at large. That, I think, is where the biggest learning curve is going to come for me in accomodating the 21st century learner.

(6) The unexpected outcome for me was the hitherto unknown possibilities out there for sharing with a global community. I have high hopes!