Here is a video I shared with my students. I warned them to be prepared for the nudity! ;) They loved it and it helped them understand the design process better.
I do have quite a conundrum going on with my research and implementation of Design Thinking within my classroom. First of all, there is so much information and so many wonderful ideas that I feel like I need an entire year to fully master this subject. Secondly, I have selected to implement these ideas and develop this curriculum with a group of students I only see three times a week. This makes it difficult to move as quickly as I'd like. Finally, my district is pushing me (in a good way) to fully develop My Big Campus. This spreads my time and information over a larger space which makes me feel my work here is not the quality I'd like it to be. I've been journaling in a notebook, but have not taken the extra time to blog. So I will be catching up on that TODAY! Hmmm...well, I'm certainly learning during this process! Here is a video I shared with my students. I warned them to be prepared for the nudity! ;) They loved it and it helped them understand the design process better.
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This week students have continued activities involving getting to know each other better, practicing communication skills, and teamwork.
One activity, FIND SOMEONE WHO, involved finding classmates who could fill in specific squares on a handout. Another activity involved putting the students into groups according to the color of their clothes. Each individual of each group used their pointer finger to lift and lower a hula hoop, keeping it level. Each time the group succeeded, a member was removed until only two members remained. We had a good discussion about teamwork and students noted things can be better with help from others. Students had a short hula hoop competition, just for fun, after the activity! At the beginning of the last class this week, I asked students to make a list of things they can contribute to a group as well as things they believe they do well. Next, I asked the students to make a big circle around the room. I started the circle by saying I could be an encourager or cheerleader for a group. We went around the circle quickly as each student said one or two things they could add to a group. Of course I cheered them on all the way around! The most challenging activity of the week involved the Human Knot. I numbered the students off in groups of three. Students were instructed to get shoulder to shoulder in a group, reach across the circle and grab opposite hands of two different people. The boys weren't too excited to take a girl's hand but they didn't resist when the girls stepped up and took their hands! From there, the kids were on their own to "untie" the human knot without dropping hands. The smaller groups accomplished the tasks fairly quickly. I then put all the kids into one large group. The group was so large (over 20 kids) and the time was too short, making the activity unsuccessful as far as "untying" the knot. However, the kids tried hard, laughed often, and I was pleasantly surprised by two kids who stepped up as leaders. I will have them attempt it again in two groups next week and then in the larger group if they would like. The only problems we've had so far is a lack of time. The first few days of my Design Thinking class have been spent explaining the parental permission slip and student assent form and a brief overview of Design Thinking. The students have spent quality time interviewing and introducing each other after I paired them up by height. I believe the more the students know about each other, the more likely they will be successful together. Everyone seems to enjoy talking about themselves and each other. Everyone listened respectfully and were willing to be introduced to the group. It appears students are forming new bonds with each other. Students were also instructed to find someone who they were not sitting by and discover what they had in common and their differences.
After several months of researching and writing about Design Thinking, I will be developing a unit to incorporate into my curriculum. I will be observing my Pride Time (ASI/RTI) ASI class for this research. I have written parent permission and student assent forms. I have also submitted all my paperwork to my professors and the University of Florida IRB. I am excited and looking forward to a rewarding learning experience.
The Role of the Literature Review
The purpose of the literature review is to advance our collective understanding in order to produce good research. (Boote & Beile, 2005). The literature review should clearly define the perspective of the research, indicate what will be studied, and defend the importance of the investigation. Through examining literature, I can more easily understand what has already been researched about my topic and what needs further study. A literature review should be inclusive and current. The analysis of the readings should show that I know the literature of my topic. The Process I’ve used so far First I made a list of what interests me in the field of Art Education. I wrote down three different interests and several wonderings about each. I talked to family, friends, and colleagues about the various topics. Through the internet, I searched each topic to determine which subjects had enough information to research and grabbed my interest. I emailed and Skyped with Dr. Delacruz to bounce around ideas and develop a focus. These conversations really helped me define and further my interest in the Design Thinking process. Over the summer, I had spent time with Dr. Roland discussing Design Thinking as a capstone project. I was not completely certain about tackling this topic until going through the first lesson. Most recently, I have been gathering Design Thinking sites and literature in my Scoop.it account, taking lots of notes, perusing through completed capstones, and communicating with colleagues and classmates. New Understandings I am feeling more content and confident after deliberating through the wide array of interests and finally coming to a more defined topic. I have a better understanding of the purposes and processes I will be taking on over the rest of this course and into my capstone. I’ve learned I have several people in which I can depend if I become overwhelmed or frustrated. I’ve also discovered there is a plethora of information on Design Thinking and it is more of a brainstorming process businesses incorporate. The process has actually been around for a while but there is a new interest to incorporate this collaborative effort into the classroom. I am excited to observe the particular behaviors my students will exhibit when I implement this capstone. I believe it is time to allow kids the opportunity to work together to design a way to make life better. I’m not sure of the particular subject I will have them conquer or if I will have them select that on their own. Maybe I should do both and compare? There are still some specific things to think about! Another new understanding, through a discussion with Dr. Delacruz, is the role of Discovery Learning, Collaborative Learning, and Industrial Design with Design Thinking as well as Social Curriculum. My new understandings are definitely leading to a topic I am very curious and excited about! The Myth of the Necessity of Artistic Talent by Marion Boddy-Evans on About.com is an interesting article.
What interests me in the field of art education?
1. Genetics 2. Visual Culture 3. Design Thinking How important is genetics in artistic development? Can people without any artistic background or make-up develop artistically more so than those who seem to naturally possess a talent? If a child is nurtured creatively, will they develop as quickly and become as talented as those who are naturally creative? Is artistic talent a little of both nature and nurture? How does alcohol exposure through music videos, movies, music, and advertisements influence underage drinking? How can we intervene? Alcohol industries obviously target youth. How can we propose legislation to protect our children from this exposure? Or can we? The Design Thinking Process can change the world. How can we implement this process in the classroom. How can we teach students to embrace the world through this process? In what ways can or will students embrace the world around them through Design Thinking? Many questions... |
Laurie Myers
University of Florida, graduate student. Archives
June 2013
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