Description and Rationale
This technology is titled in such a way that it seems obvious that everything would be very graphic and cartoon-like, but I realized in looking at one example that a website offered that while it could be comic oriented as the name implies it also could be used in a much wider range. One example that I saw showed the life cycle of a tadpole. A first grade class had to show the developmental cycle of this animal that they studied.
When I used this technology at first, I focused on trying not to uses images of people, especially with faces showing. I reviewed images that I had and focused on items that I could put together that would allow me to honor privacy. I had Jerrid's comments about permission needed before putting images out on the internet. With this idea in mind, I just pulled images together showing items from a cultural heritage show. I didn't alter the images at all. Later on, I kept playing and started using images showing people and using the other half of the available features that are offered in Comic Life. I was able to make images graphic and "pixelize" (?) the images to various degrees. Instead of making things look like emoticons or Snoopy and Charlie Brown images they looked like images from a graphic novel or old-style dramatic comic strips. Colorizing and making interjections or short text additions were also things that I tried.
I could see this form of technology being used in English as a Second Classrooms for students to make autobiographical presentations or time lines for their own selves. If they are refugees that don't have or possibly never had photos of relatives or cultural items representing their heritage then they could either use a school camera to take photos of relatives that were around them and then upload the photos and work with those and/or pull images off the internet that would accurately portray their family life and heritage. If they didn't have photos and it wasn't feasible to take photos of relatives that were currently far away or no longer alive or they didn't want to take photos then they could use Comic Life to create their autobiographical history using more "comic" images. Instead of a recognizable woman as mother they could have a generic feminine figure.
One of the articles I read referenced using the creation of comic strips in the classroom and that the students were, "
Implementation
I was able to download a trial offer for 30 days at no cost. This contains the basic offerings of 7 font forms, 178 templates and 78 styles. For usage at home I could purchase this for $29. There is a deluxe version available that basically triples all the options available and costs only $15 more. Schools could purchase the Comic Life for $1000 and upgrade to Comic Life 2 with a discount, cost about $2500 for 1000 seat license with a discount for volume purchases. There is a graphic tutorial as well as a lengthier tutorial available.
Both a MAC and a Windows version are available
The process was very simple to download and start to use and for a student the downside would probably be just that they might start to be more entertained and could start to be distracted by all the options.
Biases, Limitations and Trade Offs of the Technology
This type of technology allows a student to be very creative and limited only by their vision and thus a student who has creative abilities would highly enjoy a task using this technology. A student who is not as confident about their creative abilities might find it a little more difficult but could definitely produce results.
A limitation would be that the finished product is one-dimensional and as some students are best able to fully comprehend by touching and interacting they might not do as well with this form.
It is biased towards student usage that are more visually or graphically oriented.
How does this project meet the INTasc and ISTE Teacher and Student Standards
INTASC Standards:
#4 Application of Context: This type of project would meet this standard because it is a way that the teacher can have the student apply knowledge that they have learned in the classroom in a creative manner. The student learning about nouns, interjections, or the life cycle of a frog could be asked to use comic life to show their understanding of the material presented. The students, either working individually or collaboratively, could produce a collection of images showing they know what a noun is. They could produce images illustrating the life cycle of a frog. Whereas students might also be asked to produce drawings or paper charts or collections of magazine images showing evidence of their understanding when the teacher would bring in ComicLife and expect the students to produce a product showing their knowledge then the teacher would be able to engage the learner who might be hooked by technology use compared to the old school use of paper images, scissors and a glue stick.
#6 Instructional Strategies: This standard is met by a Comic Life project because the teacher is having the student show knowledge in multiple ways. They have to produce knowledge of the material covered in class and show that they have followed and understood how to use the technology. This could be one of the ways that the teacher would expect the student to show their knowledge. Recitation and producing definitions show knowledge at one level and having to critically think about the material to produce a product shows a deeper understanding and use of the information.
#8 Assessment: By producing a Comic Life product the student can show their understanding of the material presented by the teacher. A student can show their knowledge of parts of speech or the life cycle of a frog or produce something that shows what they did and learned on a field trip or presentation. A student could recite the meaning of a noun or write the definition with some examples and/or they could physically search for images that demonstrate a noun and produce a final product that reflects their knowledge. In this fashion the teacher is able to monitor the understanding and progress of the student, a student may be more engaged by the use of technology to show their comprehension and their success or failure at producing a good product can help the teacher and student understand if the material needs to be studied or reviewed in greater length.
ISTE Standards for Teachers and Students: This project would illustrate that the teacher is able to help and inspire the student with learning and creativity because the teacher will show examples of Comic Life products that they have made and will be able to challenge the student to think of how they too can produce similar items. The student will have too learn how to use digital tools as they either take their own photos and use them or search for and pull images off the internet that fit the project requirements. They may have to work collaboratively with others to brainstorm ideas and to plan how to develop a product that fits the project requirements. If images of people are to be used and not blurred then the student will understand that there are guidelines that will need to be met in terms of gaining permission for the use of a person's likeness. By gaining this knowledge, the student will learn about being a responsible citizen using technology and digital information. In addition, the teacher can show that they are being a lifelong learner by moving past the scissors, glue stick, and crayon method of showing knowledge of a concept. If an English as a Second Language teacher was collaborating with a history or science teacher in presenting material to the whole class the teachers working together fulfill community building, and development of technology and leadership skills in other individuals.
Comic books and the creation of comic strips either by pen and paper or with computer programs is something that has been explored as a way, "to forge an alternative pathway to literacy via the visual arts," (Bitz, Michelle). The Comic Book Project done in New York City schools in 2002 found that students, "were not interested in making art and certainly not interested in fuilding literacy skills. Rather, they wanted to create comics, share their final designs, and witness their work displayed in schools and online," (Bitz, Michelle). In this manner, students are building their literacy and creating a product that enjoy making and overlook the fact that they are learning at the same time. It is a little bit as if someone is sneaking the vegetables to them disguised as a special treat.
A journal article by Lasisi Ajayi, referenced a California junior high school class of ELL students who used their English in school but outside of school only got English practice through television and some reading of comic books. The class project involved viewing and analyzing a very visual cell phone ad with some print. The article author made points about how ELL students could be exposed to different types of text, font in the classroom by studying things they might encounter in their real life such as an advertisment. When the students had to produce their own ads by using pen and paper they experienced the choices of what viewpoint, graphics, printed words and text to use. The author went on to say that, "Such materials from diverse text types have the potential to motivate, excite and engage all learners because they cretae opportunities not only to explore and interpret texts using multi-modal resources but also to relate textual experiences to their own social-cultural experience and perspective," (Ajayi, 2008) Ajayi further went on to point out, "In addition, multi-modal texts are a powerful means for teaching critical thinking," Some of the skills that the author pointed out the students would develop were to analyze, to interpret and to critique materials that they might have presented to them such as advertisements for products or political candidates. This article helped me think of Comic Life from a different perspective. Just as in the project that the article covered, students could view an ad and break down the elements produce their own multi-modal ad through Comic Life making use of different font types that can often confuse ELL students of all ages. Through this article's information I deepened my appreciation of how Comic Life could be used to tie in many skills that all students are required to develop.
After I had played around with using the Comic Life that I had downloaded and produced several items I searched for additional ideas and found many sources. One site, Suite 101, had material presented by Joanna Szeto which gave an example of a graphic novel that she had generated as well as giving additional ideas of how the technology could be used ranging from graphic organizers, to memory books for classroom or family experiences, to issues covered in class such as science or bullying. Szeto pointed out that the comic does not have to be long, a one-panel comic can be sufficient.
Ajayi, L. (2009). English as a Second Language Learners' Exploration of Multimodal Texts in a Junior High School. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(7), 585-595. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
The Comic Book Project: The Lives of Urban Youth
Art Education
Vol. 57, No. 2 (Mar., 2004), pp. 33-39
Published by: National Art Education Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3194113
Szeto, Joanna (2009, August 20). Using Computers to Make Comics in the Classroom Quick and Easy Ways to Use the Comic Life Program With Kids.
www.suite101.com/content/technology-in-the-elementary-classroom-a140487
Your discussion of rationale/description does not make explicit links to learning theory or bloom's taxonomy. While your description of ways you might use the technology makes sense, it is fairly narrow. In future projects consider identifying more general ways in which the students might use the technology.
ReplyDeleteYour discussion of implementation struggles notes the extensive cost, however, you have not discussed much about struggles students might encounter when using to use the technology. What aspects did you find most difficult to learn? How might you help students navigate these hurdles?
I like the articles you found regarding the technology. In future projects consider taking a more evaluative approach. What did you like/ not like about the article/research? What things did the article leave out?
Overall, you've attempted to address each aspect of the assignment. I hope the comments above will help you improve future projects.