We have been given the challenge of figuring out other possible ways to do the mandatory legal briefs assignment in the Xavier University Tech and Topic class. Increased efficiency and brevity in presentation are two elements that are behind seeking a new method.
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My problem? I like this method, partly because it fits my learning style and my educational background. Even though I was a journalism undergrad, my minors were psychology and law.I am already familiar with many of the cases. I do not have a perfect eidetic memory, but I can scan a document in seconds and remember at least the gist of the topic. That means that a well-written legal "brief" is a perfect tool for me to study. Anything that involves video or screencasts -- actually anything that takes longer than simply reading a concise text -- is not time-efficient for me.
Now how would I redo the exercise for those students who are different-styled learners? Well, I might suggest a method that would combine the old and the new (in other words, a method that still might help me!). I would have students post their legal briefs onto something collaborative, such as a Google Doc. I would categorize them by topic (for example: freedom of speech, student rights, religion, etc.) to make it easier to draw mental connections between cases.
Since students are working in a collaborative document, I would also have them make comments or add to the other legal briefs. For example, as students read other briefs, they can add notes as to how their own cases that they reviewed are linked in concepts and implications. A variation on this would be to include hypertext links between cases that tie together concepts from each case. A student would read a case, see a hypertext to an interesting/important concept, then would click on it and be taken directly to that other court case's legal brief.
I am eager to see what other ideas are floating around out there. My challenge to the rest of the class is to present something that might change my mind on my own personal learning style!
Mark,
ReplyDeleteI really like you seeking to integrate "the old and the new." It seems really easy for us to think we only have two options; the old or the new. But in order to thoughtfully engage the past and consider the impact of technology on the educational process today, it does seem healthy to walk the uneasy balance there.
I haven't spent a whole lot of time with Google Documents and other Google tools yet. This class has really forced me into that territory, and I've gotten some good hands-on experience and practice.
Nate,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comments.
As my experiences in the classroom expand, I, too, am forced out of my comfort zone and into using new, unfamiliar tools. I've discovered that (as long as it does not involve money!) the best route is to just go play. I taught myself Smart Board just by fooling around with it and asking a few questions. Soon, I was teaching other teachers who had been "using" it for years!
You seem like you could pick up things in the same manner. Good luck in your education future.