The prompt for this blog response is inspiring:
"There are several questions that you will come across in your life that will be formative. For example: After looking at websites through the lens of “what were the end-user needs?”, how has your thinking changed about designing your own site?" What influences have the SITE model analysis, Baggio’s Visual thinking, Clark, and the design thinking process had on your work? Share significant design steps, progress, challenges, and/or success in creating your research plan for round 2." In my my mind the question is: How have our end user needs drastically changed with this Corona Virus situation we are living in now, and how can we use what we've learned in this class to reach and serve them in these times of social distance and online learning? Hmmmm.... My initial idea during this study was that kids need to get outdoors more and to experience the actual natural, physical world around them in order to be more healthy. I also hoped that increased contact with nature would lead to students being better able to identify, understand, and solve the pressing environmental problems of this 21st Century. My initial inquiry revolved around how educators might use screen based technologies to increase student interaction with and awareness of their natural surroundings habitats. I hoped my humble data might add a drop to the bucket of research evidence pointing in the direction of the need for increased outdoor activity and environmental awareness and action. So when this latest crisis happened, my knee jerk reaction was to create an "outdoor photography scavenger hunt" project where the kids could share their outdoor photographs with the rest of the class through a digital platform that they and their parents were already partially familiar with, called Class Dojo. Happily, this first fun idea has proven, so far, to be the most popular form of contact I have maintained with my students and families. I have received more outdoor photos than any other form of communication with families so far. Now with the tighter "hold in place" orders, even this activity is no longer possible. People are told to stay indoors. The parks are closed. I am at a loss. With my end user needs in focus, the last two weeks have taught me to keep it simple and fun. My first goal is to just get as many kids online as possible. I created more Google Classrooms for reading, art, and science. I put one fun lesson in each. They have videos for the kids to watch. The math is adaptive and gives instant feedback. Since then our grade level has created a plan which includes our curriculum for reading and math. For the kids who want more, it's easy to upload more material for them. For the kids with IEP's, or newcomers to this country, it's equally easy to upload material for their specific needs. What's troubling is the silence from several of my families. We continue to reach out to them. What might be my end user needs these days? Hmm. Maybe a mix of entertaining introductory visual/audio content, combined with common core guided standards, and the flexibility for them to express their understanding in a variety of ways? They also need self paced, adaptive lessons in math that give instant feedback if they get stuck. I'll try scheduling Zoom once a day between 9:30 and 10:30. How much guidance is enough or too much, now that we are physically separated? I've also been pessimistic during these times. I've talked to neighbors about what has happened in these last few weeks. I've spoken about the loss of the all important but seldom uttered "social contract" that exists between parents and schools. Now, that contract is broken and parents are learning to teach. We no longer not have their kids with us for six or seven hours a day so that they can go to work and earn money. What's going to happen now? Will kids and parents take the extra step to get online and fulfill our curricular expectations from home? We shall see.
2 Comments
Melissa
4/1/2020 07:11:48 pm
Jeremy,
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Jeremy Smith
4/6/2020 03:42:16 pm
Hi Melissa,
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AuthorJeremy Smith teaches third grade at Calistoga Elementary School. Archives
July 2020
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