Artefacts from New Pedagogies at GDCI

1. [image]
GoderichDistrictCollegiateInstitute
Humans of New York Inspired Inquiry Task

2. Context
The purpose of this project was to have students “create new
knowledge (and) connect it the world” (2014, p.ii)” by connecting
and communicating ideas, thoughts and opinions through social
media. By creating and reflecting on the process of ”learn, create,
do”, the goal was for students to develop lifelong, deep learning
skills. This project was inspired and informed by Brandon Stanton’s
“Humans of New York” photo blog.
Inquiry
Metacognition
GoderichDistrictCollegiateInstitute English 2D

3. Task Overview
Create your own version of a photo blog inspired by Brandon Stanton’s
runaway success, “Humans of New York” photo blog, using social media
to share people’s stories. You could decide in a focus area beforehand or
connect main themes after you have collected peoples’ stories. Comment
on peer photo blogs using appropriate tone, demonstrating insight into
other peoples’ posts. Then, present your reflection of your own skills
and strategies used for the task.

4. 1. We began with some “big questions” ~ Why tell stories? Why read stories? What do we learn from them?
2. Explored the blog, Humans of New York, created by Brandon Stanton
3. Presented the idea of students creating their own photo blogs, based on overarching themes of their choice
4. Collaborated in small groups to travel through a carousel of questions aimed at deconstructing the Stanton’s blog for key
Elements and co-constructing our own success criteria
5. Students determined an area of focus for their own version based on universal themes previously explored in literature (students
had freedom and choice in determining their focus)
6. Investigated ways to start a conversation
7. Drew on our previous knowledge of asking effective questions for students to develop their own questions for their interview subjects
8. Students determined their social media platform (only requirement was that people had to be able to respond, and class had to access
9. Taught photo composition and media display skills
10. Went into the big world and started interviewing people
11. Among all their interview stories, students decided which stories, based on theme and impact to publish
12. Stories were posted up and live – getting to people to comment
13. Draw conclusions on their area of focus (what did you learn from the stories based on theme?)
14. Students shared their reflections on what they learned about themselves and their own learning about the process orally.
I ran it for 6 weeks. I would recommend running for 8 weeks and overlapping with holidays so students have an opportunity to interview
people over holidays in a wider variety of settings. Students need TIME to do the interviews.
The Task
Length

5. Pedagogical Practices
http://flipagram.com/f/TLRfIPh9zw

6. 1.0
2.0
Questions Used to Deconstruct Exemplar Linked to the Curriculum
Ontario English Curriculum – Grade 10 Academic

7. Success Criteria
•include key elements of photo blog as identified in deconstruction (R1.3)
•locate and select relevant information and images (W1.3)
•identify, sort and order ideas (W1.4)
•includes sufficient amount of depth and stories (W1.5)
•analyse information gathered (R1.6)
•draw conclusions on theme (R1.4)
•reflect on skills and strategies (W4.1, M4.1)
•communicate information clearly in writing (W2.3), orally (O2.3), visually (M3.4)

8. Golden Moments of the ElderlyStrangers of the Square
Humans of New Orleans
Humans of the World

9. Student Metacognition
As part of the task, students were
asked to reflect on their process
and share these insights as part
of a presentation

10. Collaboration
Communication
Critical Thinking

11. Communication
Collaboration
Creativity
Problem
Solving
Critical Thinking
Character
Citizenship

12. Leveraging digital
• Feedback to blogs from responders
• Social media platforms
• Flipogram and twitter
• Used digital to view exemplars deconstruct,
and learn from experts (Present Like Steve
Jobs, HoNY, 10 Composition Tips with Award
Winning Photographer Steve McCurry, Ted
Talks etc.)
Pedagogical practices
• Clear learning goals and success criteria
• Collaboration
• Co-construction of success criteria
• Teacher/student feedback
• Peer feedback and modelling (learning from each
other)
• Conferencing
• Metacognition
• Choice
• Deconstruction of an exemplars
Learning partnerships
•Social media network
•People interviewed
•Family
•Classmates
•School Community
•Local Community
•Global Community
Learning environments
•Interactive
•Authentic and virtual learning
•Collaborative
•Risk free and safe
•Transparent (teacher and student learning together)
•Explore and try – there is no wrong way

13. [Insert a scanned copy of the
scored learning design rubric ]

15. What assessment tools/strategies
did you use and how would inform
others to plan and deliver
progressive learning opportunities?
What assessment tools/strategies did you
use to enable learners to see and
appreciate the progress that they have
made to see and appreciate the progress
that they have made and promote further
learning and development ?
What was the impact on student
learning? (Assessment of student
achievement against goals and
standards)
• Conferences - formal set up as checkpoints, informal
• Progress sheet (focused conference)
• Learning goals and success criteria
• Co-creation of success criteria
• Checklist
• Clear purpose, goal, audience (evolved as the project did with input from
students)
• Student Work was available and accessible at all stages of learning (monitored
the process) – assessment for learning
• Metacognition was built in and very natural - assessment as learning
• Conferences with each student (formally & informally)
• Feedback from peers, teacher and social media audience (digitally
and orally)
• Metacognition – self reflective presentation
• Not one student was unsuccessful in some way
AssessmentApproaches

16. Learning Progression – Student Results

17. Other impact
a. Students became much more media
and tech savvy
•Some students learned to use instagram
•Not all students have the same level of digital skills
b. Revealed so much about individual
students
•Increased empathy in students for each other and issues
•Revealed students’ passions and interest
c. Incidental teaching and learning
opportunities
•Teaching the composition of a good photo
•Respectful use of technology
•How to respectfully respond to a post (tone, voice)
•How to switch up questions in the moment depending on where the
conversation was taken
•How to capture and collect interviews (note taking in the moment, didn’t
work… explored digital alternatives
d. Increased student engagement •Students could connect with so many stories on so many levels
•Truly interested in each other’s work (responding, listening, asking
questions )
e. How much they learned from each
other
•Used other students as a sounding board, exemplar (of work, of
strategies, of techniques) in unplanned moments
Unexpected impact/ benefits (social, environmental, economic)

18. This quote was included because
reflected the awareness and insight
into this student’s metacognition
I included this quote because this
student is extremely shy and I could
not believe that this happened!
“I am so happy to have had this
opportunity. I like that it is
unique from any other projects I
have completed in my
education thus far. I loved
developing my people skills
while also learning how to be a
better listener. Great project
idea, do it again for sure!”
This quote was included because
this is the response I was hoping
for when I introduced the idea

19. “students totally
bought in because
they had so much
choice and
control”
“Students could
easily articulate
what they had
learned easily –
they just knew it”
“metacognition
happened very
naturally, was not
an add on”
“this approach
challenges teachers
to move away from
conventional ways
of teaching”
“I definitely valued
the process over
the product”
Teacher
Voice

20. Looking at ways…
•To expand learning partnerships
•Continue to leverage digital
•Ways to incorporate these ideas in other areas of
teaching English
•To continue to engage students
Moving Forward…

21. •The students of English 2D – Semester 2
•Staff and Students at GDCI
•People willing to be photographed and interviewed
•Anyone who responded to the photoblogs
A Huge Thanks to…
References
Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep
learning. Retrieved June 1, 2015 from:
http://www.michaelfullan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/3897.Rich_Seam_web.pdf
ONE LAST THING…