"Creativity is contagious, pass it on."- Albert Einstein
"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try."- Dr. Seuss
Creativity and Innovation
These are expected goals and outcomes for middle/high school students established by the British Columbia Ministry of Education BC's Digital Framework (Draft 2013).
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
a. Specialized and Advanced Skills for Creative Expression
A digitally literate person uses Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to express his/her creativity.
The student:
Examples of how students might be digitally creative: Blogs, Fan Fiction, Epals, Webquests, Remixes, YouTube, Twitter or Facebook, Instagram, iMovie, or several other sites.
Are there other ways that your students have shown creativity online? How could you use digital creativity to meet your classroom learning outcomes?
Here is an example of a remix by MC Mars on Moby Dick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW76mvaaXEc
Fan Fiction site for Harry Potter
http://fanfiction.mugglenet.com
Browse YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and you will find many fictional characters, historical reenactments, science experiments and responses to various texts.
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
a. Specialized and Advanced Skills for Creative Expression
A digitally literate person uses Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to express his/her creativity.
The student:
- uses a variety of digital media (text, images, audio, and movie) to express him/herself creatively. (Gr. K-9)
- uses digital models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues. (Gr. 6-9)
- uses digital technology to identify trends and forecast possibilities. (Gr. 6-9)
- remixes different existing digital content into something new. (Gr. 10-12)
- understands how meaning is produced through multimedia (text, images, audio, video) and how culture is produced through the Internet and social media in particular. (Gr. 10-12)
Examples of how students might be digitally creative: Blogs, Fan Fiction, Epals, Webquests, Remixes, YouTube, Twitter or Facebook, Instagram, iMovie, or several other sites.
Are there other ways that your students have shown creativity online? How could you use digital creativity to meet your classroom learning outcomes?
Here is an example of a remix by MC Mars on Moby Dick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW76mvaaXEc
Fan Fiction site for Harry Potter
http://fanfiction.mugglenet.com
Browse YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and you will find many fictional characters, historical reenactments, science experiments and responses to various texts.
Suggested Reading
Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic Lit. Signs onto Facebook http://www.amazon.ca/Ophelia-Joined-Group-Maidens-Float/dp/0452295734
Follow teacher Whitney Kaulback as she uses Apps to creatively engage her students.
http://theeducatorsroom.com/2014/03/week-56-ipad-rollout-differentiation/
http://theeducatorsroom.com/2014/02/week-4-11-ipad-rollout-digital-learning-day/
Follow teacher Whitney Kaulback as she uses Apps to creatively engage her students.
http://theeducatorsroom.com/2014/03/week-56-ipad-rollout-differentiation/
http://theeducatorsroom.com/2014/02/week-4-11-ipad-rollout-digital-learning-day/
A Practical Example where Traditional Classroom Assessment Meets Digital Literacy For an English 9 Class
We chose to not give a final exam, but to give students an opportunity to respond creatively to what they had learned in the course, while also allowing them to use various forms of digital media. Students were also given more traditional options for presentation (if they were not comfortable with technology or had access problems) and were expected to complete a composition in class. The results were very engaging, with many students choosing to create YouTube videos and likely giving much deeper thought to their theme than they would have for a test.
Here is the Final Assessment:
It could be adapted and used for any grade level
English 9
Final Assessment
Objective: To demonstrate the skills you have developed this year in English 9.
Task: Using a theme of your choosing, you will create one formal, multi paragraph composition, one three minute presentation, and one reflection.
1. Brainstorm and choose a theme. Theme is a central idea about life that can be applied to many things (theme =topic + opinion) Consider any of the themes you have studied this year.
2. Decide how you will provide evidence of your theme. Be sure to make textual connections, (text to text, text to self, text to world). Find a poem, short story or article that connects to your theme. You must provide a copy of your selection to the teacher, properly cited.
3. Do some prewriting exploring your thoughts about the theme and how it connects to your selection (short story, poem or article). Bring this pre-writing to class for an in-class composition.
4. On a date determined by the teacher, you will write an in-class composition about your theme. Be sure to have a clear topic sentence. Hand in your selection with your paragraphs.
5. Prepare a presentation on your theme. This presentation can involve any of the following tools:
storify time lapse Power
Point/Keynote Tumblr Prezi
movie screencastomatic Storybird
poster flashcardlet Concept Map
iMovie iMotionhd bubbl.us
images Pinterest handouts/talking head
slideshow Youtube newscast
facebook page TED Talk interview
popcorn maker
The purpose is to engage your audience in a discussion of your theme. You can decide what direction to take your discussion and what it looks like. Your presentation should be 3 minutes.
6. Once you have completed your in-class composition and your presentation, you will write an in-class reflection about the process.
Your reflection can address any of the following:
What did you learn?
What would you do differently next time?
What did you do well?
How did your understanding of the theme deepen?
Do you feel you were able to demonstrate the skills you learned this year?
Be as detailed as possible with specific examples and thoughts.
Here is the Final Assessment:
It could be adapted and used for any grade level
English 9
Final Assessment
Objective: To demonstrate the skills you have developed this year in English 9.
Task: Using a theme of your choosing, you will create one formal, multi paragraph composition, one three minute presentation, and one reflection.
1. Brainstorm and choose a theme. Theme is a central idea about life that can be applied to many things (theme =topic + opinion) Consider any of the themes you have studied this year.
2. Decide how you will provide evidence of your theme. Be sure to make textual connections, (text to text, text to self, text to world). Find a poem, short story or article that connects to your theme. You must provide a copy of your selection to the teacher, properly cited.
3. Do some prewriting exploring your thoughts about the theme and how it connects to your selection (short story, poem or article). Bring this pre-writing to class for an in-class composition.
4. On a date determined by the teacher, you will write an in-class composition about your theme. Be sure to have a clear topic sentence. Hand in your selection with your paragraphs.
5. Prepare a presentation on your theme. This presentation can involve any of the following tools:
storify time lapse Power
Point/Keynote Tumblr Prezi
movie screencastomatic Storybird
poster flashcardlet Concept Map
iMovie iMotionhd bubbl.us
images Pinterest handouts/talking head
slideshow Youtube newscast
facebook page TED Talk interview
popcorn maker
The purpose is to engage your audience in a discussion of your theme. You can decide what direction to take your discussion and what it looks like. Your presentation should be 3 minutes.
6. Once you have completed your in-class composition and your presentation, you will write an in-class reflection about the process.
Your reflection can address any of the following:
What did you learn?
What would you do differently next time?
What did you do well?
How did your understanding of the theme deepen?
Do you feel you were able to demonstrate the skills you learned this year?
Be as detailed as possible with specific examples and thoughts.