In our class, we explored the Common Sense Media curriculum as part of learning about information literacy. This curriculum helps us understand how media affects our lives. To make the lessons more engaging, we used a high-tech approach that got everyone excited and involved. One of the lessons we focused on was called Digital Life 102, where we aimed to understand the impact of media on our daily lives.
We started by discussing what our digital lives mean to us. Each of us kept a weekly log of our interactions with electronic devices. This activity helped us think about how we use technology every day. From there, we created metaphors to describe our digital lives. A metaphor is a way to compare two things by saying one thing is another, helping us understand our digital habits better.
To make our metaphors more exciting, we used a tool called Animoto. Animoto is a fun and easy-to-use web tool that lets you create animated slideshows. You can upload pictures, add music, and create a presentation that moves and tells a story. This tool allowed us to express ourselves creatively, much more than a simple poster could.
One of the students, who usually wasn’t very motivated, became really interested in this project. She spent extra time at home finding the perfect pictures and music that matched her personality. This was a big change, and it showed how powerful and engaging the project was for her.
Everyone loved making something that moved and could be personalized with their favorite music. It felt like a true expression of who we are. Many students were so inspired that they talked about making more videos at home. This project not only taught us about our digital lives but also allowed us to express ourselves in a unique and personal way.
Think about how you interact with technology every day. Create a metaphor that describes your digital life. For example, “My digital life is like a busy highway.” Share your metaphor with the class and explain why you chose it.
Keep a log of your daily interactions with digital devices for one week. Record the time spent and the activities you engage in. At the end of the week, analyze your log to identify patterns and reflect on your digital habits.
Use Animoto to create a slideshow that brings your digital life metaphor to life. Include images, music, and text that represent your metaphor. Share your slideshow with the class and discuss the creative choices you made.
Participate in a class discussion about how media affects our lives. Use examples from your digital interaction log and metaphor to contribute to the conversation. Discuss both positive and negative impacts of media on your daily life.
Write a short essay reflecting on what you learned about your digital habits and media’s impact on your life. Consider how your perspective has changed and what steps you might take to manage your digital life more effectively.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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We integrated the Common Sense Media curriculum into our information literacy portion of the class. When teaching this curriculum, the high-tech option allows the children to become more involved and highly invested in the lessons. I taught Digital Life 102 with my ninth graders, and the main goal of the lesson was for the students to gain a better awareness of the impact media has on their lives.
The students first discussed what their digital life means to them. As part of the activity, they filled out a weekly log of their electronic interactions. We used this as a springboard for them to create a metaphor for their digital life. Additionally, we created Animoto videos of those metaphors. Animoto is a user-friendly web tool that the children love because it gives them a sense of freedom and creativity. It allows them to create quick slideshows by uploading pictures and adding a soundtrack, turning it into an animated presentation.
Having Animoto enabled the students to express their personalities in a way that a traditional two-dimensional poster would not. They enjoyed the dynamic nature of Animoto, with its movement and the ability to personalize their projects with music.
I had one student in the classroom who typically showed low motivation and involvement, making it difficult to engage her. However, when we introduced the Animoto lesson, she worked on it at home to find the perfect pictures and select a soundtrack that matched her personality. She put in extra effort, which was something I had never seen her do before.
The students loved creating something that had motion and could be personalized with their musical choices. They felt this was a much truer expression of themselves, and they really enjoyed the process. I even heard a few of them discussing how they planned to go home and create more videos.
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any informal language and ensuring clarity.
Digital – Relating to technology that uses binary code to store and process data. – Many students prefer digital textbooks because they can easily search for information.
Media – Various means of communication, such as television, radio, and the internet, used to share information. – Social media platforms allow people to share their DIY projects with a wide audience.
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry. – Advances in technology have made it easier to create and edit videos on a smartphone.
Metaphors – Figures of speech that describe an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true but helps explain an idea. – In computer science, we often use metaphors like “cloud” to describe online storage.
Animoto – An online tool that allows users to create videos from photos, video clips, and music. – For our class project, we used Animoto to create a slideshow of our science experiments.
Slideshows – A presentation of a series of images or pages, often displayed on a screen. – We made a slideshow to showcase the steps of our DIY birdhouse project.
Pictures – Visual representations of objects, people, or scenes, captured by a camera or created digitally. – I took pictures of each step of the process to include in my DIY blog post.
Music – Vocal or instrumental sounds combined to produce harmony and expression of emotion. – Adding background music to a video can make the presentation more engaging.
Project – A planned piece of work that has a specific purpose and is intended to be completed over a period of time. – Our group project involved building a model bridge using only recycled materials.
Expression – The process of making known one’s thoughts or feelings, often through art or technology. – Digital art provides a new form of expression for creative students.
