NANCYE BLAIR

3-5 | Science & Tech | Student-created media projects

My Classroom Innovation

As an educator, I am constantly seeking to increase student learning, not merely in higher grades or elevated test scores, but in captivating students with a joy for learning that instead becomes engrained as a lifelong fascination. As a technology teacher, I must raise the bar even higher. 21st century students are naturally drawn to the computer, but they typically prefer a video game to a word processor or presentation program. It is my passion to create learning opportunities that so strongly enrapture the students’ attention that doing a project on geometric transformations or history draws as much excitement as beating the latest Pokemon game. The Student Film Festival, and the cutting edge video projects that led to it, did just this. As 2nd graders created collaborative stop-motion videos and photo movies about nouns, 3rd graders crafted digitally animated powerpoint “movies” documenting Olympic sports, 4th graders made 3D movies about Florida history, and 5th graders developed commercials about internet safety, a transformation occurred in and out of the classroom. With the anticipation of a live audience, students who had previously done the bare minimum were now shining stars, begging to learn. The results were phenomenal... and the audiences loved it!

How Students were Engaged

Just the idea alone of showcasing the best of student work in the Student Film Festival created an excited buzz on campus. As students in the tech lab worked with grammar, history, or science, they spent more time researching, improving their scripts, proving their competency, and even smiling. Efficiency of learning time and the depth of learning increased by allowing students use video tutorials to work at their own pace. Plus, students worked harder, surprisingly even volunteering out of class time, to create a quality product, knowing that their peers, family and community, would see their finished movies.

PBS Program/Content Used

http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/for-educators/digital-storytelling/