2. Research Findings
RESOURCES:
lack of resources supporting personal qualities:
individual responsibility
self-esteem
sociability
self-management
integrity
personal qualities closely tied to social studies
supported by participatory media
3. Research Findings
TEACHERS:
relationship to self:
teacher as researcher
asking themselves questions
relationship as administrator:
managing classroom
relationship to students:
speaking students' language
4. Research Findings
TEACHER INTERVIEW
need for new media
new ways of approaching education
CLASSROOM OBSERVATION
very little time
fast pace of classroom
teachers using resources piecemeal
students' level of understanding abstract concepts
whole classroom discussions
5. System Map
MAIN INTERESTS
developing critical thinking
asking essential questions
facilitating discussion with our tool
different avenues for students to learn/ask questions
(privately, publicly)
helping teachers become more structured or
more loose/improvising
6. System Concept Map
Accept others and learn to cooperate with others
1-on-1 professor-student feedback Understand worldviews which are different from thier own
Recognize positive character traits of people in history Social studies programs should include
individual “confessional/diary” Broadcasting to community (students experiences that provide for the study of
(video blogs, journals, etc) encouraging peers to inquire) culture and cultural diversity, so that the
Recognize their potential for impacting the world
learner can: explain why individuals and
smaller inquiry groups larger inquiry groups Have global understanding groups respond differently to their physical
and social environments and/or changes to
them on the basis of shared assumptions,
Providing forum for private inquiries Providing forum for public inquiries Be critical thinkers values, and beliefs
Develop a point of view Teacher ’s personal goals for studen
Internally Externally ts
National Content Stand
ards
Creating a space for students to inquire...
“HOW CAN I gO ABOUT “WHAT dO STUdENTS
ASKINg qUESTIONS?” NEEd TO KNOW?”
Increasing Recognition
of information that is
subjective vs objective A scenario based
game which prompts accumulated academic knowledge
Encouraging students “WHAT CONTENT Providing an avenue for Creating a framework for “WHAT dO STUdENTS
SHOULd I qUESTION?” students to wonder... consideration of teachers to wonder... ALREAdy KNOW?”
to feel comfortable with
asking questions essential questions personal experience...
Make sure to avoid decontextualizing
What roles can students play learning... Don’t ignore “existent student
in inquiry process? language, cognition, and discourse
Journalist, Diplomat, which day to day human development in
Advocate What is an essential question? society has generated”
+ causes genuine and relevant Best Practices for Teaching
inquiry into the big ideas and Social Studies, by Randi Stone
core content;
“WHy IS IT IMPORTANT + provokes deep thought, lively
fOR ME TO qUESTION?” discussion, sustained inquiry,
and new understanding as well
as more questions;
+ requires students to consider
to develop a point of view
alternatives, weigh evidence,
support their ideas, and justify
a global perspective their answers; How can I fill in the gaps?
+ stimulates vital, on-going “WHAT dO STUdENTS
rethinking of big ideas, assump- WANT TO KNOW?” What might I learn from their ques-
an individual identity/value set tions, and prior lessons; tions & observations?
+ sparks meaningful connec-
tions with prior learning and per-
sonal experiences;
+ naturally recurs, creating op-
portunities for transfer to other
situations and subjects.
7. Research Question
How can a scenario-based system help
Social Studies teachers engage students
in asking essential questions about culture?
Content Standard
NATIONAL STANdARd 1d:
Explain why individuals and groups respond
differently to their physical and social
environments and/or changes to them on the
basis of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs.
8. Content Map
Hindu caste system
paired with students’ personal experience
in Western culture
connections between two cultures’ practices
social stratificaiton
9. Content Map
SOCIAL STRATIfICATION
closest to spiritual Indian society is practiced by Western society
Brahmin
perfection
priests observes Varna system recognizes economic classes Upper class
Kshatriya
warriors/rulers
who decides?
who enforces?
Vaisya Middle class
who submits?
merchants, craftsmen, farmers
who rebels?
Shudra
laborers, tenant farmers
less pure
spiritually Dalit Lower class
spiritually unclean, banished from society
has historical lineage of
Indian religion Indian politics Indian economics Western religion Western politics Western economics
Hinduism, Buddhism Varna system was codified into law Caste system more suited to Christianity US abolished monarchy, nobility, Feudal system history:
during the British census of 1901 pre-industrialized society Divine right of kings slavery, denial of suffrage nobility, merchant class,
Reincarnation + karma peasants
British artificially folded Jati system Globalization and new Affirmative action
After death, people born into a (autonomous groups centered around occupations have left the Strict class structure in
higher caste if they had lived a hereditary occupations) into Varna caste system less enforced English culture
moral life; lower caste if they led system than in past
an immoral life. Those who served power economics
undesirable functions deserved Abolition of caste system: Ghandi and uniting social (applying for jobs,
their lot because of past Karma. Indian independence from British used in settings getting married)
work: Dalit did forbidden work
characterized by political
(cleaning streets, waste)
religious
enables
belief system—reincarnation...
other practices other material progress other perspectives
exclusion benefits no religion
power struggles affordances of the system other religion—Buddhism
economy women
democracy has changed caste system
no longer legal
10. User Path
3 stages: watch, discuss, interact
designed for piecemeal use
leads teacher and students through exercises
but doesn't have to be linear
teacher/group work and student/group work
"influence" path we built
11. WATCH User Path
DISCUSS
INTERACT
Part A : Influence
INVESTIGATE MANIPULATE CREATE
Gain global perspective Deconstruct judgements Develop empathy
Compare class votes to Manipulate elements of Watch the scene from one
national statistics the scene such as setting, character’s perspective and
characters, and clothing insert the thoughts and feelings
of that character
Part B: Authorship
Report tvo the class on a Create new dialogue based for Use the feelings and thoughts
current event via system your manipulated scene to create a monologue for
generated avatar that character
REPORT REPORT REPORT
dISCUSS
47. WATCH
the same scene
WATCH a new scene
INTERACT
part B
DISCUSS the scene
INTERACT DISCUSS
part A the big picture
48. Yes, I called yesterday. 1 2 3 4 5
I’m looking to buy an apartment.
SCRIPT VIEW
I’m so sorry, I forgot about the appointment.
Please come in. Would you like something to drink?
Why di
CHANGE
NEXT CANCEL DIALoGUE
49. I am terribly sorry sir, I don’t remember setting
an appointment for today.
Yes, I called yesterday.
I’m looking to buy an apartment.
I’m so sorry, I forgot about the appointment.
Please come in. Would you like something to drink?
Why d
NEXT CANCEL
May I see the rest of the apartment?
SCENE VIEW
Are you really serious about buying this place?
I can’t afford to waste my time if you’re not.
CHANGE
I’m having a party in an hour. DIALoGUE
50. WATCH
a new scene
WATCH WATCH
the reports
the same scene
DISCUSS
the scene
INTERACT
part B
DISCUSS
the big picture
INTERACT part A DISCUSS
the reports
51. WATCH
the same scene
WATCH
a new scene
TERACT
B
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