A Mediated Symphony
An hands on, interdisciplinary lesson using technological solutions to interpret, represent and share the environment around us using the Scorecleaner Notes app for iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch).
This was a presentation and lesson that was designed for an Information and Technology Education methodology course. Students go out into their enviroment (natural or urban) and listen to the sounds around them. Using their imagination and prior knowledge, they then interpret these sound into something that they can humm, sign or whistle. This could be the rhythm of the crickets, low rumble of an airplane or the faint beats of music far away.
Perhaps something like this
Students are then asked to record this into Scorecleaner Notes. Scorecleaner Notes analyses the recording and creates notation and a midi file. This can be then imported into a sound program on a computer where students let their imaginations run wild. This could be the end result.
More Info:
Setting the Agenda – Revised
An adaptation on The Library of Parliament’s lesson Setting the Agenda.
This is a lesson plan originally develop by the Library of Parliament with a focus on understanding the daily activities of Senators and Parliamentarians. It is easy to follow and complete with printable resources. However, as a project for my Social Studies methodology class, I made an adaptation of it which, in my opinion, makes it more engaging and relevant for students.
Outcomes
- Original Activity Grade Level – Grades: 6 to 10
- Adapted Activity Grade Level – Grades: 9 to 12
- General Outcomes: Citizenships, Power and Governance
Links
Speak UP – Eat UP
Using medium appropriately to enhance content.
A briefing overview of the “Speak Up” Keynote speech by Elizabeth May on October 26, 2013.
This presentation started out as a project for my Social Studies Methodology class as a way to present the themes that Elizabeth May spoke about during her talk. I made it using the good old fashioned way as a poster board. I chose this medium because we were tasked with presenting our projects in a coffee house format. This meant groups of peer would wander around the classroom while looking at projects and engaging with presenters. The poster board was the most appropriate medium for this style because it allowed multiple people to interactivly browse my project at the same time. The style of big bold numbers with small text specifying what it means is a effective technique I borrowed from the “briefing” section of time magazine.
However, displaying this project on my website as an exemplar posed some challenges. Simply taking a photo (as seen) is not ideal because it loses it’s physical charm and gains nothing in the process. Traditional PowerPoint or Keynote formats could have worked but they too poses challenges. It is not easily shareable directly within a browser without special plug-ins and services. It also loses it’s interactivity and becomes a linear narrative.
Using Prezi allowed me to solve all of these problems.
The project retains it’s interactivity while at the same time can follow a linear storyline if so desired. It is easily shareable online only requiring the flash plug-in which is installed on nearly all computers already. It also allowed me to easily extend the scope of the content by offering embedded links to videos that further the learning. Lastly, a simple click on the source links below each text snippet act as a gateway to a wealth of auxiliary information.
This serves as a good example of how the pros and cons of the medium must always be tailored to the specifics of the project when choosing the form of a project.
There are 2 ways to view the presentation.
- Interactive (Non-linear) – Use your mouse to click on facts and bubbles in what ever order you wish to explore the topic. Click away from the main content (in the empty green space) to zoom back out.
- Guided Tour (Linear) – Use your arrow keys (or onscreen controls) to view the presentation in the predetermined order. Use your mouse only to play videos.