ERIC EJ943734: It's in the Bag: Digital Backpacks for Project-Based Learning

2011·0.26 MB·English

by  ERIC

By James D. Basham, Ernest Perry, and Helen Meyer
It’s in the Bag
Digital Backpacks for Project-Based Learning
Build your own self-contained toolkits for your problem- and
project-based learning experiences, complete with appropri-
ate technology that works for every learning style.
W
hen it comes to technology, students with a range of academic
many schools know what abilities, disabilities, and cultural and
they want. They want tar- language backgrounds. Our digital
geted and scalable solutions that en- backpack design strives to align its
hance learning and meet the NETS•S. core components with UDL prin-
And the teachers in those schools ciples. Each backpack provides:
want simple, strategic instructional
• Multiple means of representation
frameworks for developing their stu-
to support learner perception, un-
dents’ basic and digital age skills while
derstanding, and comprehension
meeting diverse learning needs. But as
• Multiple ways for learners to take
many technology integration special-
action, express their understand-
ists know, satisfying all those wants in
ing, and increase executive-level
every lesson is no easy task.
processing
Undaunted, the University of
• Multiple means of engagement to
Cincinnati FUSION Center set out
promote learner interest, effort,
to build a solution that fulfills all of
and self-regulation
those reqirements. We partnered with
the National Underground Railroad Open a digital backpack, and Modular technology. This set of tools
Freedom Center and Apple to develop you’ll find three core components that includes hardware, software, and de-
a toolkit that is simple, scalable, effec- teachers can easily adapt to increase vices chosen to meet specific instruc-
tive, and even portable. We call it the student engagement and understand- tional goals and desired outcomes.
digital backpack. ing in different curricular areas or use The modular technologies that we
A digital backpack is just what it in interdisciplinary activities. They tested included digital camcorders,
sounds like: an actual knapsack that include: iPod touches with preloaded apps,
contains an array of digital and hard- digital sound recorders, digital science
• Foundational technology
ware tools, resources, and instruc- probes, measuring tape, and Pasco’s
• Modular technology
tional materials handpicked to engage Sparkvue (data-gathering and analyz-
• Instructional support materials
learners in project- or problem-based ing software). Other ideas include mi-
learning (PBL) experiences. We have Foundational technology. This is crophones and digital still cameras.
designed digital backpacks for specific the hardware and software that is Teachers choose their technologies
projects and challenges as well as for the core of the digital backpack. It based on their capacity to support the
projects in particular curriculum areas. must be flexible enough to support individual PBL experience, and, as
multiple modular technologies. Be- suggested by the term modular, they
m Designed to Support All Learners sides a well-constructed backpack, can add or remove a given technology
o
c Our design is grounded in the Universal the foundational technology would from a digital backpack depending on
a.
oli Design for Learning (UDL) framework. include a laptop or tablet device and the specific learning objectives.
ot
F Based on neuroscience, UDL purpose- software or apps to access instruction- It is essential for the modular tech-
-
y fully combines the use of technology al content, gather data, and construct nologies to be able to readily interface
oll
© with instructional pedagogy to support media. with the foundational technology.
Copyright © 2011, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), [email protected], www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
24 Learning & Leading with Technology | September/October 2011
for students to understand the content
and complete the associated experi-
ence. It is important to include mul-
tiple means of content representation
as well as ways to purposefully scaf-
fold the actual “engaged” experience.
For instance, teachers can provide the
students with digital templates to help
facilitate data gathering or problem
solving. We have found that having
students use a template to storyboard
as an initial part of the backpack activ-
ity helps them stay on task and better
understand the content.
We created several digital back-
pack variations by modifying these
core components to meet different
sets of curricular and instructional
needs. Digital instructional support
materials are particularly adaptable to
different learning styles, as teachers
and students can access the content
multiple times, convert it to numerous
languages, search it, change text color
and size, auto-summarize it, or have
it digitally read aloud. We also de-
signed rich tasks to go along with the
technologies that encourage multiple
modes of expression and engagement.
Finally, we designed the backpacks to
When teachers purposefully embed podcasts, videos, and content-based
support just-in-time learning as well
these technologies within an instruc- apps. You could include any digital
as information and technology skill
tional experience, we have found that learning objects, art, or artifacts as
building through the use of various
they can increase engagement and well as URLs for online resources and
types of communication, collabora-
support learners in expressing their informational background articles.
tion, problem solving, critical think-
understanding. Our backpack designs have also in-
ing, and other executive-level skills.
cluded learner handouts to structure
Instructional support materials.
activities, such as storyboarding tem-
These include all of the curriculum Digital Backpack Field Experiences
plates and activity instructions. Some
resources that provide the structure, We tested the digital backpack with
instructional support materials pro-
guidance, and specific information multiple age groups, from kindergar-
vide technology tutorials for the foun-
learners need to understand the con- ten through adult, and in a range of
dational and modular technologies.
tent and complete the learning experi- settings.
In the various digital backpack de-
ence. Teachers can change or modify
signs we have implemented, we have Elementary school. A group of stu-
the instructional support materials,
found the instructional support mate- dents in kindergarten through fifth
just as they did the modular learning
rials to be the most critical, yet often grade participated in a digital back-
technologies, based on instructional,
overlooked, component. The teacher’s pack experience at a nationally ranked
curricular, or student needs.
expertise and knowledge of students zoo. Their instructional task was to
In the backpacks we tested, the in-
and their learning needs comes most determine how the zoo could become
structional support materials included
strongly into play when they are pre- more kid friendly.
content-specific instructional infor-
paring the instructional support mate- Because of the age and size of these
mation in the form of documents,
rials, as that’s what provides the basis young students, some left the laptops
Copyright © 2011, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), [email protected], www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
September/October 2011 | Learning & Leading with Technology 25
We designed the backpacks to support just-in-time learning as well support materials included project
as information and technology skill building through the use of various guidelines, project templates, and
types of communication, collaboration, problem solving, critical multimedia background information
on Freedom Center exhibits.
thinking, and other executive-level skills.
Like the zoo activity, this PBL expe-
at school during the field trip but used Each backpack was equipped with rience demonstrated the UDL prin-
them to complete the lesson once they a laptop (they now have iPads) and ciples of supporting multiple means
returned. At the zoo site, the students task-specific modular technologies: of representation, learner decision
used several modular technologies camcorders, cameras, tape measures, making about information gathering
to acquire pictures, video, and audio and digital microscopes. The in- and expression, and role assignments.
of their observations. Student teams structional support materials includ- It was a popular and effective activity
gathered information on zoo safety ed fossil identification information that continues to be available to all
and animal habitats. Many student and a project overview indicating Freedom Center visitors.
groups interviewed other children and they should collect digital images to
families visiting the zoo. catalog fossils. The students devel- Build Your Own
After the visit, the students used oped presentations depicting their Al though digital backpacks are rela-
their data to develop presentations, fossils and findings and used this tively easy to develop and implement,
including simulations and models information to develop hypotheses you should keep a few things in mind
using simple programs (such as draw- for the types of habitats that existed when building your own backpack.
ing in Apple’s Keynote or modeling during the time of the fossilized ani- First, it is important to think through
in Google’s SketchUp) about how the mals’ lives. the core components you’ll need us-
zoo could be more kid friendly. The As part of the design of this PBL ing the UDL framework. How will
teachers shared the presentations with experience, students were given dif- your backpack meet diverse learning
zoo administrators, who implemented ferent roles to increase engagement. needs? Does it provide for multiple
some of the students’ suggestions. For Each contributed to the overall project means of representation, expression,
instance, the zoo now has a life-size by employing a different skill set. The and engagement? Each of our digital
cutout of a giraffe for people to com- student roles included team leader, backpack designs meet diverse learn-
pare their height to. data collector, data analyst, and pre- ing needs by including multiple ways
This example demonstrates a PBL senter. (The National Center on Uni- for learners to acquire content or
experience. The project was open versal Design for Learning’s guidelines project information, and they often
ended enough for students of different further explain the idea of learner role contain duplicate digital files and pa-
ages to engage fully and at their own differentiation.) per documents. You can also provide
learning pace. The students had to de- links for online tools and media, such
High School, college, and teachers.
fine for themselves what a kid-friendly as websites, podcasts, and videos,
The task that high school and adult
zoo would look like and, once they that learners can use to gather neces-
participants were assigned was creat-
had a definition in mind, how to gath- sary information. The problem- or
ing a movie. The participants were
er data about the zoo’s status based on project-based learning experiences
told that a media company had hired
that definition. you embed in the digital backpacks
them to develop a five-minute movie
The experience also demonstrated should also provide alternatives for
addressing the question “What is free-
a number of UDL ideas. Students had learners to engage in the project and
dom?” with the Freedom Center as a
to make decisions about how to gather demonstrate understanding of its
backdrop. In a four-hour period, the
information (videos, pictures, and content.
participants used digital backpacks
interviews), how to make sense of the Second, consider how the students
outfitted with a laptop and media-
data (in photos or Excel spreadsheets, are actually going to use the technol-
focused modular technologies, such
for example), and finally how to repre- ogy. To avoid large-scale retrofitting,
as digital camcorders and cameras, to
sent their findings to other people. consider which foundational technol-
create their movies. The instructional
ogy and modular technologies will
Middle school. The integrated prob-
lem-based experience for middle
When teachers purposefully embed these technologies within an
school students was using their digital
instructional experience, we have found that they can increase
backpacks to catalog and gather data
on fossils at a nearby fossil outcrop. engagement and support learners in expressing their understanding.
Copyright © 2011, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), [email protected], www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
26 Learning & Leading with Technology | September/October 2011
documents. To meet student needs at
Foundational Technology Modular Technology Instructional Support Materials
various levels, this information had to
be engaging, accessible, and flexible.
Finally, we planned a project workflow
that scaffolded student work and proj-
ect completion. As with any instruc-
tional plan, you can make adjustments
during the project to ensure comple-
tion of desired outcomes.
The digital backpack provides a
powerful, flexible, and teacher-friendly
design for engaging learners of dif-
ferent ages, interests, and abilities. It
supports learning across content areas
and incorporates a meaningful expe-
Each digital backpack contains a foundational technology as well as a variety of modular rience to develop, refine, and assess
technologies and support materials that teachers can adapt for the lesson, age group, students’ digital age skills. Mission
and individual students’ learning needs.
accomplished!
provide the greatest amount of flex- We encourage a backward de- Resources
ibility and student use. Also consider sign process infused with the UDL FUSION Center: www.cech.uc.edu/fusion
time efficiency. We quickly learned that framework for creating backpacks National Center for Universal Design for
Learning: www.udlcenter.org
camcorders with built-in memory were to fit your needs. This process starts
National Underground Railroad Freedom
more time-efficient than camcorders with the desired learning outcomes
Center: www.freedomcenter.org
without internal memory, for example. and then moves through designing
NETS•S: iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.
We also learned that supplying instruc- specific tasks and determining the aspx
tional materials using various media resources you need to facilitate these Pasco’s Sparkvue: www.pasco.com/sparkvue
(text, audio, video) and on various outcomes. The key is to develop an
platforms (paper, laptop, and iPod) led initial digital backpack that provides James D. Basham, PhD, is an
assistant professor in special
to the greatest use. And we discovered for targeted learning but maintains
education at the University of
that providing and encouraging the use sufficient flexibility and scalability to
Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas,
of digital technology supports (such as be useful for multiple teachers and USA. His research focuses on
premade software tutorials) advanced students. innovative solutions and strat-
just-in-time learning, independence, For example, in our media-driven egies for engaging all learners,
and problem solving. digital backpack for the Freedom the use of technology, and Universal Design for
Learning.
Third, as with any lesson, you Center, we first considered the content
should aim to strike a balance be- outcomes and the process objectives Ernest Perry is the architect of
tween instructional design and students would need to achieve these the Digital Learning Environ-
ment at the National Under-
instructional management. Even outcomes. Like any instructional plan,
ground Railroad Freedom Cen-
the greatest digital backpack and les- the design was balanced with the
ter in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA,
son design can fail if you don’t give time and space constraints we had to where the digital backpack was
students appropriate instructional work within, including the school day, developed and launched. His
management. For instance, one transportation time, and the physical work focuses on social enterprise, education reform,
and informal learning.
problem we noted was that students space of the Freedom Center. Once
wanted to develop such sophisticat- we defined these instructional guide-
Helen Meyer is the director of
ed products that they missed their posts, we planned the instruction, the FUSION Center, a STEM
delivery window. When designing including a storyline and the tools education and outreach center
instructional support materials, and media the students would need to at the University of Cincinnati,
Ohio, USA. She is also the proj-
consider including support for proj- gain content information and technol-
ect director for the Woodrow
ect management. It’s important to ogy support. This planning resulted
Wilson Ohio teaching fellows
include project goals, timelines, and in the use of digital videos, podcasts, program. Her teaching includes masters- and doc-
planning templates. and various digital and paper project toral-level courses in teaching and learning.
Copyright © 2011, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), [email protected], www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
September/October 2011 | Learning & Leading with Technology 27