NETS-T: CREATIVITY
NETS-T are all about advancing digital age teaching. The set of standards provided allow teachers to ensure they are using technology in a correct, innovative and useful way that allows students to learn and be educated using various types of technology. The first stand for NETS-T (1) is Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. Standard one is all about innovation and creativity in the classroom not only in a virtual environment but also in a face-to-face one. Teachers should be able to using their knowledge and pedagogy of teaching to implement this. Some of the aspects of this standard include getting students to use digital tools for problem solving, exploring world issues, collaboration between students, planning and thinking processes, creativity, and conceptual understanding and exploration.
I feel strongly about this standard as I believe it is important for teachers imploring technology in their classrooms to get creative and innovative with it. Students are far more likely to be engaged in using technology if it is in a way that allows them to express themselves creatively but also intellectually. Students who also struggle with sometimes expressing themselves verbally are able to show their expression through a creative channel otherwise not tapped into if the teacher does not engage the use of creative technology.
One example is photography a craft I am passionate about along with being able to express myself in a creative way, students can keep a photography journal instead of trying to articulate their feelings, or even a photography blog. Students can explore world issues through the use of photographic evidence and even the recreation of such photos these issues could be famine, environmental damage or change, poverty, natural land masses, diversity of people in the world and so forth. Students are also able to use programmes such as photoshop to even create a fake photo without ever having to take one, they can create posters and even photos of outer space. Photography is just one way that teachers can utilise technology using standard one in their classrooms to get creative with students and teach them about problem solving, crafting works, current concepts and issues in the world in both a virtual and face to face manner.
Through research on the ITSE website I found a resource for 'Visual Literacy' which uses visual aids such as photography to teach students. The resource includes ideas for lesson plans using photography as a way to teach for all grades across the board and levels of difficulty, providing resources for further lessons using photography as well as templates for lesson plans. It covers all aspects of photography such as editing and framing looking at the history of photography and how its been used in the world.
The article can be found at this link for those wishing to explore this more or even to use it as a teaching aid for teaching students through the technology of photography in a creative way.
Visual Literacy
Visual Literacy Article
The second resource I found through ITSE that encompasses standard 1 and gives examples and resources for teachers and students to use photography as a means of creative expression was an excerpt from 'Digital Storytelling Guide for Educators' by Midge Frazel (2010). This excerpt goes into details about digital story telling using ideas such as scrapbloging (e-scrapbooking) where the students create a digital scrapbook online of photos or art works to express themselves or perhaps complete a research assignment. The excerpt also covers visual literacy, e-portfolios and even photo essays. Photographic essay encompass a series a photographic images that tell a narration with little to minimum text again providing ways that technology can be used in an innovative and creative way. The article also provides a list and photos of examples and resources for teachers interesting in using
photography to implement and utilise standard 1 of the NETS-T standards. The link to this excerpt is listed below for those who wish to explore further the idea of using photography as a means of technological teaching.
Digital Storytelling
Digital Storytelling ITSE
ITSE has many resources dedicated to photography in the classroom and I emplore all educators to have a look and utilise these many resources available.
ITSE
Sasha,
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is important for students to learn to express themselves, including creatively, and it's good that you pointed that out in your post. I really liked your example about using photography. For a student who is a visual learner, this would be a good way for them to explore many subjects and get a better understanding.