Since my lesson plans for my English lessons are written in English, this post simply has to be in English, too. I will give you parts of my lesson plan here, and I will add some student responses using quotation marks. The topic was «Child labour – a global challenge».
Aims: to learn about Child labour as a global challenge, to use Scoop.it (curating texts, writing insights), and to pay attention to attention (digital habits). 15-20 minutes – attention span.
You need a piece of paper, a pen, a computer, and a text about Child labour (we use one from Global Paths called “Child labour in India”).
1. No computers, just pen and paper so far.
a) Your digital habits since last lesson. Write an insight about it. Also: what do you feel when holding your phone?
«I like my phone»
«I want to press the button»
«I feel nothing in particular»
«When I hold any phone I feel bored, like I have to perform a task»
“I feel that I am holding an information box – interesting”
“I feel calm”
“I love it”
“I feel in control of things”
“I feel safe”
“I feel like I am holding the world in my hand”
b) Who made your phone? What do you know about the products you use? (Most of them answered «someone in China»)
c) Text about Child labour. Some ideas on paper as we go along.
BREAK 3 minutes. You may check Facebook or whatever.
2. Computers up.
a) Child labour video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJXfILoTEXQ
b) Rescoop the same video and write your insight (PC)
c) Question: Research “fair trade items” and information about this. Scoop a text and write your insight. (PC)
BREAK (physical this time, 5 minutes)
3. Still on computers
Read and rescoop the article from Guardin about Iphones made in China. Add your insight.
BREAK 3 minutes. I urge you to check things you normally check. What did you do? Had anything happened?
“I had received a few messages”
“I checked my phone and talked to my friends”
“Since last time I checked, I had a new friend on an app”
“Since last time I checked, Instagram and Facebook was identical”
“I had a new comment on my profile picture and a new follower on Instagram”
“I got a new Snap”
4. Still on computers
a) Find another article of your choice that deals with child labour, what can be done about this, why or how this is a global challenge. Scoop and write insight.
b) Follow at least two other students on Scoop and check out what they have on their lists so far. Consider rescooping.
5. On paper: what are your thoughts so far about: – Your phone, child labour, attention, education.
Some thoughs on attention:
“I am good at paying attention as long as the topic is interesting”
“I am not that good at paying attention”
“I have learned that if I pick up my phone, it is hard to put it back down”
“My attention to class has been better than usual”
“My phone prevents me from paying attention”
What can we learn from this? I am not sure this is revolutionary, but I think that we are on the road towards something interesting here. Students must learn how they pay attention and how they behave online. My general impression was that although their concentration was highest when I read for them and they just wrote on paper, I also believe that their attention to their computer work was better than usual. Some of their scoop lists are now starting to grow; it is important that they actually write their insights as they add a text or a video.