DML2012

[|DML] Conference 2012

Follow the twitter back channels- #DML2012 & # DELT17

Opening presentation by John Seely Brown

Discussing the importance of pairing the new with the old. "Writing is back and here in a major way," when referencing fan fiction. Over 65,000stories of fan fiction or podcasts Amateur movement: professionals interacting with the amateurs. They learn things from each other.

"Where knowledge and practice meet"

Changing the context can change the content, reference: music in a movie

Key terms:


 * Communities of interest
 * Knowledge production & consumption
 * Learning ecologies
 * Entrepreneurial learners: makers and tinkers

Class applications:


 * Incorporate fan fiction into multimedia class

The session I enjoyed most was, “What do students learn? Connecting classroom games and measures of student learning.” Quest to Learn was the group that put it on. They had curriculum designers, teachers, and game designers present. It was a good combination of presenters, getting each side of the project.

Quest for Learn’s focus was to coupling learning and assessment. I their project/school learning and assessment are not separate, but paired together closely. The games that are designed are directly related to student learning goals. They look at standards and benchmarks in the curriculum, design games to teach and assess those standards and benchmarks. The focus is on challenge based learning. Students are learning and teaching each other during the games. Games typically take between one to three days. When students finish early they are divided up into new groups to spread out their experiences and knowledge on the topics. The games are design focused and product orientated. Follow up conversations are had when needed to provide clarification and focus on the intended purpose. The teachers “Press pause” when chunks of knowledge are missing, A situational narrative takes place on the topic to deepen the topics. Teachers have sidebars, ask more questions and work to solidify the knowledge they are gaining and applying from previous lessons. Real world issues are tackled in the games that make the lesson based in real and authentic places. The games are sparked from meetings with the team and other subjects that are difficult to teach are often used.

The presenters stated that games...

Questions that I had during the presentation where…
 * Allow formal and informal assessment throughout the process
 * Pre-assessment and post assessments take place during the process
 * Task students with design tasks

Where does the background information come from? The do provide students with background lessons and information before the games. What does //that// learning look like? How much time in class is actual game play? One to three days

The panels’ final thoughts: play spaces are learning spaces; we don't always get it right the first time (programmers and student perspectives). Play spaces can be assessment spaces.

Session 2:

Thoughts from DML's emerging scholars; finding and insights from early career researchers, developers, and parishioners

Couple of way to look at technology in education...

Tech as the teacher

Tech as a tool

Digital media in literature circles in preservice teachers. Projects were loosely defined.


 * Movie
 * Documentary
 * Choose your own
 * Magazine

Results of the project

Have students use a back channel while they are reading: example tweet while reading
 * Process knowledge
 * Knowledge
 * Implications of model

Find out what tech kids are already using and then incorporate it into the projects.

Content from research on no child left behind.

Saturday session one: Meta remix

A studio for code: learning + ether pad

Ether pad: a collaborative text editor

Studio sketchpad: allows collaboration, shows the time line and live changes shows was the effects of the written code on the right as it's being written.

Session: innovations across communities: technology, participation and education

A student's doctoral work focused on how Muslim girls are using tech in and out of school. Many have the tools and their knowledge, but there is very little transfer. Often, teacher focus on what they know how to do rather than what students know how to do.

Session 2: mobile Devices

Slides are on slide share

Importance if building community within the classes.

Research on the topics:

Ideas
 * Pew Internet
 * ECAR
 * Horizon Report


 * Offer a Google hangout once a week optionally, rather than the discussion question for online classes.
 * Post reflections on the social media that the students are using

Educational applications:


 * Wiffiti - interview texts, answers upon up on a live feed wall, similar to wall wishes with texting
 * Show and tell with something of importance to them on their phones, builds communities
 * Celly: aggregates all the students’ answers
 * Use your camera to take a picture to cap someone of your core values. Upload them to your Flickr group page account