Schools : Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton & other films in the classroom

Cellphones in School

Games and Digital Resources in School are an important and serious goal in the 21st century focus on the changing face in Education, I wrote on Digital schools versus digital teachers

Let's talk about another important digital resource: 

• Films in the classroom

The performance or display of a movie by teachers in-person lessons, activities in the classroom or similar place devoted to instruction like learning environments can be one of the most interesting educational resources for k-12 and junior high school. It's a rich interactive approach of exploring Literature for children and youth. Students enjoy it a lot.

Books based on teen books

via youthlitreviews blog

There is no doubt! Mobile devices are awesome! But why forget movies? And 3D movies? Impossible ! Such a wonderful digital resource.

Movies can offer teachers and students a nice motivating push!

Narration:

A narration lets us know something. It tells us what happened. It tells us a story. Our students love to hear narrations.

They strain to hear the latest news among their friends about what happened over the weekend and they rush to see the latest films that promise a good story! We know that! Look at movies, like Avatar, Tentation the Twilight saga, some of the last films for teens.

"Movies present language in a way that is often more natural than that found in course-books, the fantastic visual context aids understanding and boosts listening, and students just simply love them."

Steve Louw

Movies based on children and youth literary books are an attractive and enjoyable digital resource to motivate students to read in school.

The Chronicles of Narnia
Prince Caspian
https://www.imdb.com

Many Literature classics for kids and adolescents have been made into movies. Movies like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, Harry Potter's Saga by J.K. Rowling, Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, and so many others, give the chance to teach and learn Literature in a complete different way. The final result is always the best! And the list is immense!

So, we can motivate young readers, presenting literary books trough movies. Gorgeous educational resource!

• Take the exemple of Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. Adolescents from all over the world are addict fans. With this saga, the success is huge because we read Meyer's books at school and after we went to the movies with our students.

Stephanie Meyer's covers

https://stepheniemeyer.com/

Displaying a movie in-person lesson to teach some subject, or going to the movies with a class allows the advantage of an incredible adventure of 3D perspective before reading some books.

So, reading a book and after, in a comparative process of learning, displaying the movie in the classroom, mobile devices (tablets, phones) or going to the movies with the class are interesting points of vue that educators can't throw way.

I experienced all these activities with great pedagogical success. The key is the students interest. And of course reaching the goals of learning and loving to read.

Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton, 2010
https://www.imdb.com/

Alice in Wonderland is  a lovely book but not a simple one to be understood by youth. Well, we all watch the kindergarten adaptation by Walt Disney! But Lewis Carroll novels are more complex than that! 

"The exchanges between Alice and the creatures she encounters turn out to be puzzling and apparently nonsensical and absurd. However, a more careful reading of the books reveals the fact that they constitute complex reflections on the philosophical questions of the Victorian Age in Britain. From this perspective, there is very little nonsense in these books. It can be said that the adventures of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are not only the stories of a little girl in two different dream worlds, they are also the stories of how human reason confronts traditional problems which have troubled mathematicians, logicians, philosophers and linguists."

http://books.google.pt

Some literature books are difficult for the 'net-generation' readers. Movies adaptation can help students to understand better these books, to appreciate and enjoy the book by having a new approach.

Activities:

Now, Gen-Y deeply loves the new Gothic novels! So, there we are!

• Showing Lewis Carroll to students by Tim Burton new 3D film based on the novel Alice in Wonderland that explores the Gothic universe of the author, keeping, however, the féerique and wonderful description of Lewis Carroll world, could be a very good choice in face-to-face teaching.

Alice in Wonderland 
Tim Burton, 2010
https://www.imdb.com/

Watching the movie in the classroom, before reading the book (full-version) can help poor readers to understand better challenging texts, boosting them to a higher level of critical thinking and language analysis.

But if the class has read the book, you can display the movie (legally purchased), or ask the students to go to the movies, individually or in group, and then ask them to write an essay on the differences between the movie and the book, what the new understanding of the story they have after watching the movie.

Alice in Wonderland

by  Linda Woolverton

Puffin Books 2009

• You can also use the book of the movie, screenplay by Linda Woolverton, Puffin Books, London 2009, to complete the activities of reading and writing.

• Propose an activity in small groups in order to exchange ideas, awaken each other's attention on aspects that they unnoticed and discuss questions raised by the teacher, now in the big group. 

• Finally, ask the students to write some conclusions or an essay.

As teachers we can use this interest to help students learn to write and, at the same time, meet most of the curriculum standards associated with writing skills. When their heads are into it, young people can write far better than when they are simply doing an assignment. Narratives, perforce, put their heads into the task.

• If you teach English as a Foreign Language, that's good as well ! This will broaden students understanding of the words. They will also hear English language and its inflection, practicing and improving their English skills in an captivating and innovative 3D environment.

• You can also display in the classroom this YouTube video where Johnny Depp presents his own character, "The Malicious Mad Hatter", and talks about Tim Burton ideas as well.

With curly red hair sticking out from his quirky hat, a ghostly pallor and bohemian Victorian clothes, Johnny Depp is unrecognisable in his latest role.


It will be great to teach some vocabulary about the characters in novels.

Don't miss this dark version of the tea-drinking hat maker in Tim Burton's upcoming remake of Lewis Caroll classic which will be on scene next 5th March.

Alice in Wonderland, 2010
Tim Burton

https://www.imdb.com/

• Another interactive resource? You can tutoring the students and follow "Alice in Wonderland" on Facebook. It will be fun! 

Social media as Facebook or Twitter as teaching environments? Why not? It's so exciting! But... always with teachers as e-tutors if the students are under 13 years old.

• Some thoughts:

"It provides the necessary information to understand the educational benefits of digital resources and virtual worlds and to learn how to use them as educational and motivational resources."

Games in Schools

The challenge will not be on how to teach, but on how to use teaching new models to create something more to communicate.


My inspiration for this publication was based on my passion : teaching by including IT and new social media into school curriculum to enhance learning.

G-Souto


19.02.2010

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Schools : Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton in the school by by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. 

References:

Souto, G., 'Assessment of Digital Resources use in Education', V International Conference on Multimedia and ICT in Education (m-ICTE2009), Formatex, vol.II

Teachwithmovies
http://www.teachwithmovies.org/copyright.html


Games in School
http://games.eun.org/2009/09/teachers_handbook_on_how_to_us.html

Teachers' essential guide to showing Movies in the Classroom

https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/teachers-essential-guide-to-showing-movies-and-videos-in-the-classroom

We Are The People We’ve Been Waiting For

www.yahoo.com/photos


We Are The People We've Been Waiting For from James Cross on Vimeo.

"Some children don't respond to academic environments, how can we ensure that we keep them engaged with education?"

The world is changing quickly, but the school is not changing! Or if it's changing, it  is because some innovative teachers understood that there are many talents and paths to success in school. The education system is not currently meeting the needs of all young people. Perhaps those few innovative and creative teachers are meeting the needs of the new generations, the Millenial learners.

Designed in the 19th century, our education systems are not preparing young people for the challenges that lie ahead of them. Learning is based on an outdated curriculum, with too much emphasis on testing.

We Are The People We’ve Been Waiting For, is a film by Caroline Rowland and based on a idea of  Lord David Puttnam and Sir Michael Barber.

We Are the People We've Been Waiting For, which was inspired and guided by Lord Puttnam, focuses on the educational experiences of five young people from Swindon (UK). 

The premiere of We Are The People We've Been Waiting For took place on November 2009 in Leicester Square, London. 

The producer Caroline Rowland describes how the film came about: "We wanted to bring the myriad of opinions about education to life and decided to give a group of young people their voice and then add analytical comment." The aim of the film, says Puttnam, is to focus on "what's being done well, what needs to change, and what can be learned from best practice in schools all over the world."

It follows the experiences of five Swindon-based teenagers and shows how we need to have a radical transformation of the education system. 

The film features a host of influential contributors, including Sir Ken Robinson, Bill Bryson, Sir Richard Branson, Henry Winkler, Dame Ruth Silver and Germaine Greer.

The documentary explores the educational system in United Kingdom and analises  the possibilities for a radical transformation in learning with a creative learning for new students, the Millenials learners.

The film shows how the system is particularly hard on children, like Harflett, who do not fit into the mainstream. Harflett always found reading and writing difficult and, as a result, hated school. His experience, as the film testifies, is a common one. 

Some important quotes:

"We label young people, people who are enormously talented and motivated, as dysfunctional because they don't quite fit in."

Dame Ruth Silver, chair of  Learning and Skills Improvement Service

"We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to realise their talent in school and that there should be many paths to success. It's simply not good enough that young people are being labelled as a 'poor' or 'average' student because their potential is not being fulfilled through traditional academic teaching."

Andy Powell, chief executive of Edge

Educators:

The film presents a compelling call for a fresh approach, including more practical and vocational learning options in schools.

Introducing technology in the curricula, digital resources, games and web 2.0 are important and serious goals in the 21th century focus on the changing face of Education to motivate students.

Teachind and learning is no more listening quietly the educator in a static knowledge. Teaching and learning is students 'doing'with the tutoring of a teacher|facilitator.

This was true for Amy Scott, 17. She struggled at her school in Swindon and found the pressure of exams very stressful. It was only when she started doing a hairdressing course at college that she realised her true creativity. "It's nice being creative, and when you've got the finished product you think 'oh wow' and you can be proud of yourself and everyone says how nice it is and that makes you feel good."

Andreas Schleicher/ OECDICT and Education
http://www.nml-conference.be/

You do remember my post about New Millenial Learners Conference where many orators presented their overview about changing policies and programs. 

Researchers presented their investigations and opened an interesting debate with all participants, sharing ideas and experiences about "the range of skills and competencies that young students will be required to have in the knowledge society of the 21st Century".

We need to prepare students to the real world, to refocus on practical and innovative learning, on creativity, giving choices that show how training has economic benefits, both for society and for the individual. 

Eve Gordon, principal of West Met high school, shows from the successful achievements of her school how to do this: "People learn best when they are intrinsically motivated, when they're learning about something that they chose, and when they do mind and hand learning together."

This is the message of the film: we need to ensure our education system provides the right support and opportunities for every young person to develop their individual talents, and to make sure every young person leaves school feeling self-confident and proud of what they have achieved. 

"These bright young people are probably the only natural resource that is going to left in the UK within the next 20 years. We have to bring these young people on and make the most of them."

Martin Stephen, high master at St Paul's school

G-Souto

10.02.2010

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®


We Are The People We've Been Waiting For by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

References:

We Are The People We've Been Waiting For
http://www.wearethepeoplemovie.com/

Welcome to the real world
http://www.guardian.co.uk/we-are-the-people/welcome-to-the-real-world

Data Day Protection

Data Protection Day will be celebrated on the 28th January 2010. The Award Ceremony "Think Privacy" organised by the European Parliament in Brussels  and supported by different partners will be hosted at Paul-Henri Spaak Building.

"Data Protection Day" promotes privacy amongst young citizens.

We just need to take precautions! And young kids must be alerted!

It's time to be proactive about things and look out for yourself instead.Taking a few minutes to run through all the available privacy settings and educating yourself on what they mean could mean the world of difference to you at some later point.

Sarah Perez, 20.01.10

www.nytimes.com

G-Souto

22.01.2010

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Where next for Digital Identity?

http://www.bl.uk

"Identity and privacy have recently rarely been out of the headlines."

www.pvnets.org

No dia 07 de Janeiro 2010 teve lugar a conferência "Where next for Digital Identity?" organizada por Eduserv - Innovative Technologies Services.

O evento decorreu numa das salas do Centro de Conferências da British Library e contou com a presença de cerca de quarenta especialistas, professores e pesquisadores do Reino Unido. Como outsider, isto é, estrangeira, apenas eu!

Eduserv funded three projects on Digital Identity as a result of our 2008 Eduserv Foundation grants call. The aim of this event is to share the findings from those projects and to analyse the key issues that they have identified in more detail. It will also provide an opportunity for discussion about the impact of social software and new media on future trends in this area. The intention is to focus primarily on the social, rather than technical, aspects of digital identity.

Delegates will have a chance to hear about and discuss differing conceptualisations of digital identity and leave with a better understanding of the relevance of digital identity to teaching, learning, research and related activities.

wn4di.eventbrite.com

Numa altura em que se começa, finalmente, a debater com preocupação, a "Identidade Digital",  dada a proliferação do aproveitamento dos dados pessoais, por questões políticas, de segurança, ou comerciais, debates como este são muito importantes! 

Certo é que a maior parte das pessoas não se importa e até providencia, de bom grado, a sua identidade. Segundo um recente relatório. UK Information Commissioner caracterizou a situação, e apelidou-a de "Sleepwalking into a Surveillance Society".

O primeiro orador  convidado Dr Ian Brown do Oxford Internet Institute, fez uma apresentação muito interessante denominada Controlling Digital Identity que poderá ser consultada aqui 

Seguiram-se, Steven Warburton, do King's College London, com a apresentação do projecto "Rhizome: Design Patterns for Digital Identity", que providenciará aos utilizadores da Internet  e redes sociais um conjunto de ferramentas e práticas para criar e controlar efectivamente os seus dados pessoais online. 

Shirley Williams, "This is Me: Exploring Digital Identity" da University of Reading, e Harry Halpin, da University of Edinburgh "Creating a W3C standard for opening social networking data" em audio participação.

A intervenção de Ian Brown, agora lida, interessa-me profundamente não só como investigadora, professora avaliadora de Conteúdos Educativos Digitais e Recursos Educativos Informatizados, mas também como cidadã e utilizadora da Internet. Seguirei com atenção este trabalho.

Na sequência, entendi melhor os objectivos da apresentação de Steve Wartburton. Não pudera ouvir Ian Brown pelo facto de ter ficado retida entre aeroportos devido a condições climatéricas.

Dada a área em que trabalho e me movo, considerei o tema apresentado por Shirley Williams muito apelativo. Deteve-se sobre os riscos que crianças e adolescentes correm ao publicar, partilhar, dados pessoais e fotografias nas redes sociais.

É verdade que a maioria dos internautas adolescentes, alguns em idade pré-adolescente, não tem a noção de vida privada!

Papel importante a desempenhar por Professores e Pais. Alertar para todo o tipo de riscos que correm quanto à não privacidade.

"Impudiques, voire exhibitionnistes, ils ne feraient plus la différence entre vie publique et vie privée."

Internetactu.net

Mark Zuckerberg, fundador de Facebook afirmou há pouco tempo, perante uma plateia ao vivo, ontem, 09 Janeiro, que se voltasse a criar Facebook, as informações sobre os utilizadores seriam "por defeito" públicas e não privadas, como foram durante anos, até à alteração dramática efectuada em Dezembro.

Marshall Kirkpatrick

Pensar no número impossível de contabilizar de pré-adolescentes, adolescentes, pais e famílias que partilham toda a sua "privacidade" nesta rede social, torna-se assustador.

Daí que considere que todas as estas discussões e debates sejam de extrema importância para criar uma "nova cultura" da utilização da Internet!

A parte da tarde foi preenchida com um workshop: "breakout groups" onde se debateram algumas propostas relacionadas com a "identidade digital".

No que me concerne, teria sido proveitosa, nesta parte, uma pequena introdução entre elementos do mesmo grupo. Seria muito indelicado da minha parte cortar a dinâmica do grupo, apenas para perguntar a identificação das pessoas com quem partilhei a mesa. É que todos eram ingleses e se conheciam, pelo menos de nome.

Andy Powell, foi o dinamizador desta conferência.

http://ebmedia.eventbrite.com/

On the 7th January 2010 took place the conference "Where next for Digital Identity?" organized by Eduserv - Innovative Technologies Services, and hosted at the Conference Center of the British Library. 

It  was attended by about forty specialists, professors and researchers from the United Kingdom. The unique 'outsider': me, from Portugal.

It began with the discussion concerning the "Digital Identity". Given the proliferation of the use of personal data for political security, or commercial reasons, debates on this matter are very important! 

It is almost certain that citizen, in generally, support identification and surveillance, according to a recent report. UK Information Commissioner characterized the situation, calling it "Sleepwalking into a Surveillance Society".

The first invited speaker, Dr Ian Brown, Oxford Internet Institute, presented "Controlling Digital"! Very interesting! The slides can be read here.

Followed by Steven Warburton, King's College London, who presented the project "Rhizome: Design Patterns for Digital Identity". He said that "individual can be provided with a set of tools and pratices that will allow them to create and control effective online identities". It would be quite useful, but I wonder...

Shirley Williams, "This is Me: Exploring Digital Identity", University of Reading, and Harry Halpin, University of Edinburgh "Creating a W3C standard for social networking opening date." on audio presentation and dialogue.

The presentation of Ian Brown, deeply interesting to me, not only as an individual researcher in Educational Technologies & private data of students, and assessor of Educational Computerized Educational Resources. 

Of course, as a citizen and user of the Internet as well. I will be in touch with this research work, certainly.

I read Ian Brown's presentation after the conference, because I attended the conference later. I have been kept between two airports by heavy weather conditions. I understood better the objectives of the presentation by Steve Wartburton. 

My area of research and interests is "Youth and Internet". So, I consider the presentation by Shirley Williams very appealing. 
She spoke about the risks of children and adolescents publishing, sharing, personal data and photos in social networks.

It's true that the majority of young people have not the notion of privacy! Here one of the important role of teaching in 21st century: alert the students to all kinds of risks they face online. 
Parents' role is also very important. We must work with both groups, students and parents.

"Impudiques, voire exhibitionnistes, ils ne feraient plus la différence entre vie publique et vie privée."

Internetactu.net

"Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg told a live audience yesterday that if he were to create Facebook again today, user information would by default be public, not private as it was for years until the company changed dramatically in December."

Marshall Kirkpatrick 

The afternoon session was practical and interactive. In "breakout groups" we discussed some proposals related to digital identity.

For me, it would be very useful, a short introduction between elements of the group. It would be very rude of me if I cut the group dynamics, just to have a curious look for ID? But I get out more enriched! And that's matter!

Andy Powell, Eduserv, made the introductions, welcome and closing plenary.

I'm sure that those kind of discussions and debates are very important and it will help to create a "new culture" for the use of the Internet! 

Internet opened new routes for Education! That's wonderful! Internet is well used by net-generation and teachers also for education and learning purposes, often in formal and informal learning. 

However there is a long work to do. Students need to know how apply skills by thinking critically. 

"Please come expecting to help shape the future!" 
I did it... on my way!

G-Souto

11.01.2010

Copyright © 2010G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Where next for Digital Identity by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

References:

Privacy Value Networks

http://www.pvnets.org/about