Embedded Task Three

Reflection - Digital Presentations

This post is going to be just a little different to my other embedded tasks.  I chose to reflect on the general idea of digital presentations rather than zeroing in on one product.  I hope by the end of this post, the reason for this approach will be clear.

When it comes to presenting information there are many available options.  My staple, PowerPoint, the way I have used it and some of its technical features are discussed in an earlier post.  I have also reflected on my experimentation with Prezi and its potential elsewhere.  I even dabbled in Pow Toon when exploring videos for learning.

Ultimately, what I have learned is that they are all user friendly and can be adapted to suit different purposes.  As a future teacher, I feel that any of these platforms do an adequate job of enabling a student to present their work.  However, each requires a little practice and time to learn the nuances of the program.  For this reason, I think that I would be happy for my students to self select their digital output platforms for their products.

The best thing about not setting a specific platform for their output, in my opinion, is that they can enter the task with a working knowledge without being overwhelmed about learning a new platform  getting in the way of their creativity towards the task at hand.  However, an opposing view of this may be that they need to step outside of what they know to learn more effectively. I would prefer that they step out of their comfort zone for the learning and working out how to creatively convey their learning to me (and the world) on their choice of platform.

Obviously there will be students that require specific guidance or a suggested platform and that's what I'm here for.  But I am anticipating that they are probably going to be more up to date with the 'latest thing' than I am at any given time.  This opens the door for me to keep being updated and educated on what is out there.

The following activity in a year 7 business unit demonstrates how the SAMR model together with digital presentations can enhance student products.

Business Activity to Implement SAMR Model
Year 7
Knowledge and Understanding
·         Characteristics of entrepreneurs and successful businesses (ACHEK019)
Skills
·         Gather relevant data and information from a range of digital, online and print sources (ACHES022) ·         Present evidence-based conclusions using economics and business language and concepts in a range of appropriate formats, and reflect on the consequences of alternative actions (ACHES026)
Implementing SAMR
Previously	Research an entrepreneur and write about their success story.
Substitution	Research an entrepreneur and type about their success story
Augmentation	Research an entrepreneur and type a newspaper column detailing how they succeeded
Modification	Work in pairs. Research an entrepreneur. Make a Q&A digital presentation that covers the challenges the entrepreneur faced and how they overcame them.
Redefinition	Work in groups. Formulate a set of interview questions. Attempt to contact an entrepreneur for an interview. Make a Q&A digital presentation that covers the challenges the entrepreneur faced and how they overcame them (either by interview response or research).

Prezi, with its free accounts makes all the students' content public and they will need to be reminded of this.  They will need to consider how their digital footprint can be altered by what they put online for strangers, classmates, future employers and parents to see.

As with other forms of digital content, students will need to be alerted to or reminded of the requirements surrounding copyright.  This is very relevant for presentations as images (and increasingly videos) are prolific in this kind of product.

All in all, I think presentation for assessment has been around since poster sized cardboard projects and is here to stay.  The medium for presenting has changed and will most likely change again and again. A teacher has been presenting content to students since the beginning but it is exciting that the presentation platforms are helping teachers engage students in more ways.