This post addresses the notion that “ICT supports knowledge-building among teams and enables team members to collaborate, inquire, interact and integrate prior knowledge with new understanding,” within the context of Drama/Media Studies. At year 9 levels, VELS also states that ICT is about developing pathways in terms of use of technology, individual and collaborative projects, and using appropriate ICT tools for research, modelling, publishing, decision making and problem solving (VCAA, VELS, 2011.)The class that I am thinking of as I write this are a Year 9 Actor’s Studio class. Actor’s studio is a unique subject to the school in which there is a meld between Drama and Media Studies – students learn about camerawork and stagecraft elements, and acting for film and the stage. They also do digital portfolios, record radio advertisements, work in groups to film scripts they’ve developed from storyboards and already performed for an audience, create vokis (take a look on the right hand side, there’s on there if you’ve never heard of them!) Students also think about audience perspectives as live audiences or audiences of films.
With all this in mind, the subject is obviously very much involved naturally with ICT. Students are using technology for specific and integrated purposes rather than something that has been added into their course just so the teacher can say they’ve thought about ICT.
The focus here is specifically upon knowledge-building among teams. Just in learning about new and relevant technologies together, students are also being supported by it. ICT is a natural part of the course, however that does not mean that all students are familiar and natural with the ICT components that they encounter. When students work in groups, they are able to pool their learnt and general knowledge, and share their ICT skills with their classmates. They are able to use ICT to demonstrate concepts and explain ideas. It is evident that those that are more knowledgeable enjoy and are proud of sharing their skills, and those that may know less are not embarrassed to ask questions as they feel that they are part of a team.
Students get to experiment with technology such as HD video cameras and simple editing programs which hopefully they have a good learning experience with and then decide to further study Drama and Media. Students learn as a group even though they start the subjects at different levels, and make creative decisions about which type of camera shot to use, how fast-paced they want to edit their material, and what those decisions indicate to the audience in their end product. They work in groups for their main filming tasks, but have previously scripted it, acted it out for stage and created a storyboard for their filming. This overall process is a fantastic example of students helping and collaborating with each other, all supported by ICT.
With all this in mind, the subject is obviously very much involved naturally with ICT. Students are using technology for specific and integrated purposes rather than something that has been added into their course just so the teacher can say they’ve thought about ICT.
The focus here is specifically upon knowledge-building among teams. Just in learning about new and relevant technologies together, students are also being supported by it. ICT is a natural part of the course, however that does not mean that all students are familiar and natural with the ICT components that they encounter. When students work in groups, they are able to pool their learnt and general knowledge, and share their ICT skills with their classmates. They are able to use ICT to demonstrate concepts and explain ideas. It is evident that those that are more knowledgeable enjoy and are proud of sharing their skills, and those that may know less are not embarrassed to ask questions as they feel that they are part of a team.
Students get to experiment with technology such as HD video cameras and simple editing programs which hopefully they have a good learning experience with and then decide to further study Drama and Media. Students learn as a group even though they start the subjects at different levels, and make creative decisions about which type of camera shot to use, how fast-paced they want to edit their material, and what those decisions indicate to the audience in their end product. They work in groups for their main filming tasks, but have previously scripted it, acted it out for stage and created a storyboard for their filming. This overall process is a fantastic example of students helping and collaborating with each other, all supported by ICT.
Examples at 4.25 for:
- Visual thinking
use of ICT tools and manipulation techniques that support visualisation of thinking in specific learning situations; for example, use of image-editing software to explore the concept of style in two-dimensional art. Obviously use of video camera, digital cameras, editing programs. - Creating
experimentation with formats designed to enhance the organisation of information contained within contemporary communication tools such as blogs. Students create their own digital portfolios and their learning is supported through discussion boards.
Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority, 2011. Victorian Essential Learning Standards
(URL:http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ict/stages.html) [Accessed 25/8/2011].
Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority, 2011. Approaches to Learning and Teaching – ICT Level 4-5
(URL: http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/support/progression/ict.html#lev5) [Accessed 26/8/2011].
Examples of student work:
