Modeling: The Digital Demo Transcript
Common Sense Media
Strategies: Modeling: the Digital Demo
(Sam Pane Interview)
I’m a huge fan of modeling. I model almost everything- even if it’s a task that we’ve done, because I want the students to see how it’s done, and how I can demonstrate it before I turn them loose.
(Sam Pane in Class)
Now remember that a Super Hero is a person who always uses his or her great powers to help people out.
(Sam Pane Interview)
Today’s lesson is going to be about how to be a good digital citizen. And we will build a Super Hero to help us navigate the treacherous waters of being online.
(Sam Pane in Class)
I’m gonna build one of them up, and I’m gonna show you what I’m going to do with each one of them. So it starts off and you get to choose your base character. It’s basically just like the shell of your Super Hero. I’m gonna pick this one in the middle. I think they actually modeled that on me! And so there I am.
(Sam Pane Interview)
Just so they’re able to get into it effectively, and so there’s not an unfamiliarity with it. I want them to be able to step right into it and say okay, I’ve seen somebody do this before. Now it’s my turn to show whether I not I understand it.
(Sam Pane in Class)
The beauty of it is, I can do a lot of changes. I’m just gonna model one little part, and then I’ll take care of it. I’m gonna start by clicking on the eyes. And I’ve got a lot of eye choices there. You know I can with those eyes, or I’ve got eyes that look like that. But the ones that I love, are the bug eyes! I’m going to go with the bug eyes right there.
(Sam Pane Interview)
I think it makes them significantly more comfortable, because like I said they’ve already seen what it is that they’re doing.
(Sam Pane in Class)
I’m going with that mouth there. And I definitely want my guy to have some sort of beard. Uh, I like this one. Give him a little chinny action. (laughter). You wanna build up your character?
Students
Yes!
(Sam Pane in Class)
Go to it
(Sam Pane Interview)
But, there’s also that I want to get them work effectively on it. It’s not just play time after I’ve modeled, it’s work time.
Student
Ooh that’s cute! I’m gonna keep that!
17 Comments
Michael Burnett Jun 13, 2020 1:14pm
Students tend to perform better if they see how to do a task first. The teacher models how to approach and perform, and the student mimics that as they work on the assignment.
Digital tools allow for a student to quickly engage with the content without having to focus on a lot of parts. In the example, the graphic nature of the assignment reinforces some of the concepts the teacher discussed.
On some topics, there is less of a need for creativity (such as solving equations) so modeling to learn a process is important. However, in creative writing or the arts for instance, modeling can show a beginning of a process and spark creativity in a student rather than just copying what is being done. For instance, in the video the teacher shows only a few of the options in creating a super hero, to model how to navigate the program. The students then are encouraged to be as creative as they want in the assignment instead of just copying what he presented.
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