I’m fascinated with stop motion videos and have found a selection of inspiration, provocation, and how-to videos on YouTube (using a Creative Commons search) that I would provide to staff if they were interested in trying it for themselves or with students.
Inspiration #1:
DISTORTION. A Stop motion Animation by Guldies. “2500 still pictures played at 24 frames per second. Shot with a Canon EOS 600D and animated in Dragonframe. The clay I used is called PLASTILINA. Everything edited in Photoshop CC and Sony Vegas Pro. Sound effects recorded with a Blue Yeti and also taken from freesound.org.”
Overview and How-To:
How to Make Stop Motion Videos from Science Filmmaking Tips
The Eternal Appeal of Stop Motion Animation from Fandor
The makers of the videos posted here have also created additional inspiration, provocations, and how-to’s that I would encourage you to explore in your own time! Have fun falling down the rabbit hole 🙂
I have the Chrome extension, “Screencastify” loaded on Google Chrome, which allows me to record my screen with microphone and camera options. I’ve used this a few times in my Education journey thus far, and am getting more comfortable with the options to Pause while filming to take a breath and gather my thoughts, edit the video once it’s made, rehearse my idea in advance so I don’t create quite as many flops…
This time, I chose to make a quick video to describe one of the Canva pieces I made for my Tracking post. This video very swiftly describes the “Styles” button on Canva. I then posted it as “unlisted” on my YouTube account, added manual subtitles for accessibility, and set up the usage rights that I felt comfortable with.
Embedded is the fruit of my experimentation.
Screencastify of Canva “Styles” feature. Created by Katrina Crawshaw.
I would 100% use Screencasting in my library to create How-To videos, describe my process, and quickly address common technical issues. I might invite kids to create their own How-To’s, ask teachers to walk me through technical issues they’re experiencing, and record workshops/presentations for sharing. I have also used and enjoyed the platform Loom to create screencast videos.
Over to you: What would you use Screencasting for in your library & teaching practice? What are some reservations you experience with this tool?
Continuing with the Mobile Makerspace Design Challenge (introduced here and further developed here), it’s time to find some photographic inspiration for what this could look like. I searched Creative Commons images and found a cart, then broadened my search outside of CC and found a couple others to add to the Linoit board.
Screenshot of the updated Design Challenge board, including new visual inspiration and provocations.
The Mobile Makerspace is intended to foster creativity, exploratory learning, computational thinking, team work, and design skills in schools that may not have the space or budget for a fully fixed Makerspace. It can also be for schools that do have a fixed Makerspace, but want a secondary option that can be wheeled into classrooms.
I have added provocations to think about ideating, brainstorming, where the cart might be stored in the library, whether a messy cart is a hindrance or not, and, thanks to my colleagues, a consideration for the tools and labeling of materials.
The updated Linoit board can be explored here. Now I want to hear from you:
What do you like about the project?
What are your concerns and/or questions for consideration?
Schipp, Jessica Gray. “Color-Coded Clean Up: Organizing Your Makerspace.” Creativity Lab – Making in School, Lighthouse Community Public Schools, 18 Feb. 2014, lighthousecreativitylab.org/2014/02/color-coded-clean-up-organizing-your-makerspace/.
Created using Canva for Educators, based on “Get STEAM Rolling” by Amy Koester
Reference:
KOESTER, A. (2014). Get STEAM Rolling! Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 12(3), 22–25. https://doi-org.proxy.queensu.ca/10.5860/cal.12n3.22
The Horizon Report: K–12 Edition from New Media Consortium is something to keep visible for LLC goal development. With a focus on 21st Century tech implementation and leadership development, this report offers insight and applicable suggestions for LLC and VLLC growth that branches out to whole-school transformation. The latest report is 2017, which leaves me wondering when the next will be available.
I [admittedly] skimmed the contents of the 55-page report, with a strong focus on the trends, significant challenges, and timeline for adoption. Although I do not yet have my own LLC to root these goals and reflections, I focussed on a blend of the two Elementary-level school libraries that I have spent most of my time as a TTOC in.
The Executive Summary (pg. 4) highlights 10 Big Picture ideas that underpin the 18 topics covered in the report: 6 key trends, 6 six significant challenges, and six developments in educational technology. I have based my LLC goals on these topics.
I have organized these based on my understanding of leveraging change in a complex system (thanks to Donella Meadows’ resources, referenced below). It is in harnessing and changing the “mindset or paradigm out of which the system — its goals, power structure, rules, its culture — arises” that we truly see transformational change happen. My longterm goal is always to close the Achievement Gap (p.34) and shift towards collaborative, hands-on, multidisciplinary learning.
Question for you: Which of these goals is most relevant to your LLC and how would you begin pursuing it? Are there any resources you would use to guide your implementation?
From Solvable to Wicked, what challenges might arise as we work along the 5-year LLC goals?
Some of these goals are immediately implementable. They do not present radical challenges to the mindsets of traditional thinkers, they follow pre-set educational norms, and are in-line with existing district goals. If they meet these criteria, they fall under Solvable.
The Difficult challenges refer to goals that might require a longer time-commitment to achieve and most likely involve challenging existing power structures. While still attainable, these challenges may require strategic conversations, a long-term focus, shifting mindsets, and a focus on re-education.
The final set of challenges are termed Wicked because they require digging deep into the Systems of Public Education here in BC. These challenges require an awareness of the roots of our policies, and how those roots are the very things that prevent social justice. Facing these challenges requires an Intersectional Analysis, comfort in discomfort, and a willingness to engage in introspective growth. It takes identity work, emotional awareness, cultural humility, and bravery. It’s wicked, but it’s worth it.
Question for you: Which of these presents the greatest challenge to you? How would you go about meeting this challenge, and what resources/tools/skills would you need to hone and harness along the way?
References:
Freeman, A., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Davis, A., and Hall Giesinger, C. (2017). NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2017 K–12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
Meadows, D. (2012, April 5). Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System. The Academy for Systems Change. https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/.
Strauss, V. (2019, April 18). What the modern world has forgotten about children and learning. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/08/19/what-the-modern-world-has-forgotten-about-children-and-learning/.
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