Empowering Their Voices (continued)
Problem Solving The students then use a problem solving model to form
their own opinions and ultimately to create an action plan where they can become personally involved in cleaning up the Sound. The model begins by summarizing the situation and crafting a question to focus thinking: “Evidence shows that the Puget Sound is polluted. There are various stakeholders who have vested interests in the future of the Sound. Considering the com- peting interests of preserving our environment, supporting our economic growth, and honoring our culture and traditions, how can the health of the Sound be preserved for a sustainable future? “ After analyzing the interests of the multiple stakeholders, the
students develop their own point of view with evidence. Students have applied the thinking skills of Problem Solving, Point of View and Analysis. They have learned and practiced habits of mind such as thinking flexibly and applying past knowledge to new situations. Rather than passively studying a local issue, the students are actively engaged in developing their own point of view so that they can be part
of the solution to a complex problem directly affecting the quality of their lives. The learning is relevant and rigorous. Students are respected as young adults with good ideas for improving our world.
Technology for Collaboration Technology can be a powerful motivator for students when it
provides a social context for their learning. In addition to utilizing a variety of technology tools for research and production, students in the Sounding Off unit collaborate creatively in an online learning community. Web-based tools allow this virtual space to mirror elements
of students’ social networks while scaffolding their collaborative skills: students learn to respond professionally and respectfully to one another’s ideas, and to incorporate others’ ideas into their own work responsibly. Student posts begin as structured responses to prompts and
evolve into more spontaneous expressions as the unit progresses. The online venue also provides a record of the class’ learning over time; the history of students’ posts allows the class to reflect on their evolving understanding of complex issues. Students’ individual voices gradually form a chorus in which their distinct tones can still be heard. For instance, at the beginning of the Sounding Off unit,
pairs of students choose one word to express their impression of Puget Sound. They post their word on the class site. As students explore the economic, cultural, and environmental
issues facing
Puget Sound, they are periodically asked to post additional one- word or one-phrase summaries of their understanding. Students
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comment and elaborate on each other’s posts, and the growing list of words and phrases generated, along with the support for those summaries, represents an increasingly sophisticated interaction with those issues. The students are asked midway through the unit to use
a web-based video generating tool to create a short video that incorporates images, words and music to express how their perceptions of Puget Sound issues have changed. With technology tools, students apply principles they have learned about how artists use those elements to provoke an emotional response in the public. The videos, in addition to synthesizing the class’ learning up to that point, serve as another opportunity to scaffold student skills, in preparation for the culminating Sounding Off Project. The online learning community also provides the opportunity
to expand the classroom beyond its walls. As students learn about Puget Sound stakeholders, those stakeholders and other experts can join the virtual community and contribute to the students’ learning. Students are empowered by interacting with adults as equal participants in exploring the real issues that affect their lives. Certainly, technology provides powerful tools for generating
creative products. However, in this unit, technology’s true power is found in its ability to foster community – to break down walls between individuals both within the classroom and beyond it. The structure of the online learning community provides a safe place for students to try out their voice, while the widening circle of that community allows them to amplify it.
Field Experiences While the online learning community provides an engaging
virtual experience for students, we find that there is no substitute for engaging students in the real world outside the classroom – for getting up close and personal with the issues. In Sounding Off, this means getting the students down to the waterfront and out on the Sound itself. In an era where field experiences are often the first casualties of budget cuts, we remain committed to these opportunities for all students. We
are equally committed to ensuring that the field experience is one of the most meaningful learning experiences the students will have throughout their educational career. This requires careful planning and orchestration of activities that are integral to the learning goals of the unit. During the Puget Sound field experience, students engage
in activities at two sites: the Seattle Aquarium and on board a Washington State Ferry. At the aquarium, students explore the marine habitat and the wildlife that calls the Sound home. They use their field journals to make observations, compare and contrast, generate questions, and pose problems.
www.clearingmagazine.org/online CLEARING 2011
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