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COATT Portfolio |
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We the Jury |
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Reflection |
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Charlie Gragg |
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"Mr. Gragg, can we write a paper instead?" The sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach passed quickly enough. But the lesson learned remains committed to long-term memory. We had finally finished the unit and started work in the computer lab. One of my best students tried several times to wrap her mind around the assignment, but gave up, frustrated with the complexity. I had pushed the use of technology beyond her limit - two graphs, one table, four digital photos, four feature articles, hyperlinks, graphics, and captions rolled into one Publisher project intended to mimic the school newspaper was simply too much. So I gave her a difficult essay assignment instead, figuring she would soon be back in the digital fold. After seven other students joined her, I wondered if my laboriously planned technology unit would suffer a silicon meltdown right there on the floor of the computer lab. I considered the symbolism of using computer lab time to write essays in protest of technology projects, and smiled at the image that would present for my friends back in Ed Tech class. Fortunately, the remaining sixteen students determined to stick with the mock newspaper project. They had completed many of the component parts prior to entering the computer lab (as part of lesson assignments within the unit), and did not shy away from the integration challenge. Several of these students had no previous experience with Publisher, but took to the project like ducks to water. I roamed through the computer lab, thankful that my gamble on complexity had paid off. Students turned in fantastic mock newspaper projects, the pride in completing a complex project showing on their faces. Most students reported they enjoyed the assignment even though - as they realized afterward - it was more work than simply writing a paper. When I teach another unit with this level of complexity, I will introduce the full project at the beginning of the unit, rather than toward the end. Students will start the design of their mock newspaper after the first lesson. Even though the unit was scaffolded, and students worked on many components as we went along (e.g., an Excel graph, a Word table), they did not have a good reference point for where they had started and where they were headed. This made the total project appear more daunting than it really was. |