VOST2011 Chronicle Teacher/Student Talk

The VOST2011 project was mentioned in The Chronicle on January 26, 2011. As I was perusing the recent blog posts of my fellow collaborators, I realized that pataphyz was having awesome dialogue within the comments of the Chronicle article. I began to comment on her blog and complement her for taking the initiative. Although, as I was about to hit save I realized that I was playing the role of a passive observer. I AM a part of the VOST2011 project, and I too have a say in its criticism. I decided to take a role in the conversation! I decided to take a role at 4:18 am. Slightly ridiculous time for commenting, but you can now see my post as dbn777 on the Chronicle article. A movement cannot move if we continue to stay idle.

Remix!

This is the first example of a remix for the VOST2011 project. It is a trailer for what we intend to create. We currently have some great video to mix, but it would great so see others join the conversation! Feel free to add any clip that displays your vision as a student. Just upload the video to youtube and tag it with VOST2011. Here is the REMIX! Get excited for more!

Class/Room Mediated

"The most important intellectual ability man has yet developed - the art and science of asking questions - is not taught in school. Moreover, it is not "taught" in the most devastating way possible: by arranging the environment so that significant question asking is not valued." - Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner

This video is a composed of both question and solution. It is easy to witness the problem proposed by Postman and Weingartner. The problem perpetuates when a student opens a lecture hall door and sits down to be a passive observer instead of an active creator. We, as students, do not have to continue to observe! We need to initiate questions in the lecture setting. We need to help dictate our learning. Questions exist with every individual, and it is important to establish a platform for the pursuit of solutions. I believe that the university needs to be the platform.

Contrary to what most think, students are not looking for entertainment in the theater seating of a lecture hall. When students enter the room, we are searching for meaning. We can find entertainment with the click of a button and the vibration of a phone. Instead, students are looking for purpose in a subject. It is easy to see that purpose exists in a classroom, but for some reason it has become routine and structured on point rankings. Success within a class is determined by the number of scan-tron bubbles accurately filled in. We can do better.

Create a meaningful platform for discovery. A teacher becomes one because of their passion for learning. A teacher stands at the front of a lecture hall for a reason. Teachers teach because they find meaning in their subject. Show the students why you stand there! Show the students what you found! Give us your questions! Let us chase solutions!

The Visions of Students Today - Call for Submissions

The story starts with a vision of the students.



Now it is our turn. This is the beginning of my Digital Ethnography project for 2011. I have already started brainstorming video concepts for the student's point of view. Here is the call to action!



So please join me in telling the story. Below is my current list of concepts for video:
• Lecture Hall Structure
• Slides are continually replaced on a screen, creating an overlapping memory
• Spending time reading information that is already taught in class
• Learning in the lab
• Library
• What a powerpoint is to me
• Multiple Choice Scantron
• Students Texting