I would like to use the creation of avatars with my students to get to know them better. For the reasons I explained in my previous post: avatars are a creation, extension, projection, and I'm sure a laundry list of other "ions" of oneself..one's identity. I think it would be extremely interesting to see how my students portray themselves, and how they would use their animated identities. Again, there is an anonymity to it. I'd like to explore this with my kids.
I have a fantastic colleague with whom I love to converse about my Somali students. We recently spoke about how many of these young people, ladies specifically, have a difficult time expressing themselves uniquely due to traditions, customs, and expectations. Avatars, and spaces such as Second Life, allow for more personal freedom without persecution. Yay! I would like to see how my students would recreate themselves and behave in such an environment. A little experiment if you will. I feel as though this would lead to a wildly lively conversation about identity alone, and student personal choice and the reasoning behind it. I would enjoy a good knowledge dropping on behalf of a bunch of middle schoolers. Seriously though, how better a way to teach kids than to also be taught by them? Education should be a reciprocal relationship. Educaré. Look it up.
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2 comments:
Hola Erin,
I love your blogs (you had my vote for Jessie's blog of the week, lest you forget). Your voice and personality translate in a very accessible way, and I feel like you are able to express yourself well in blog format. Oddly, your avatar is similarly lifelike as well, which is excellent. Really though, I feel like you say a lot of important and thoughtful things in your posts. You attack these readings from a really practical, teacher-based viewpoint, which I find helpful and insightful. You are questioning and critical of the texts, which really shows that you are interacting with them in a meaningful way. Great combo of wit and insight--a pleasure to read. I particularly enjoyed your take on "avatar abuse," which basically translated to, "What the hell did you expect, guys? Of course they abuse the hot digital teacher-woman." You are one of the most sarcastic people I know, and I love it.
Kudos,
Rebecca Oberg
Hey Erin, you are right about teaching being a reciprocal relationship! I think the wisest teachers know this - that what we get from our students far surpasses anything we think we give them. Obviously you have already figured this out and so you are light years ahead. If/When you try out this assignment using second life with your Somali students, do share how it goes. I am particularly interested in the "identity" piece you bring up here. I want to know what kinds of conversations this will stir amongst students in relation to their identities and how they define their identities. Many students I know don't give it a ton of thought - or at least they don't articulate it as such (i.e. this is my identity as a ________), but it's all sitting right there and has been for some time. They just need a good assignment (and a good teacher) to tease it out.
Keep on rockin' in a free world.
Kari
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