So here is the link to the New York Times article John was talking about--.
I am intrigued by the role data visualizations can play and the possibilities it has for amplifying or clarifying our understandings of the world - past and present in the social studies classroom.. I do see that visualizing data is a literacy project in itself- as students will need to learn how to read the data. This just goes beyond learning how to use the tools but also how to slow down and pay attention to what is being displayed- spending time with the material. - In looking at some of the visual eyes projects-- they look cool- but there is a lot there- I have to be patient in orientating myself to them- the chronologies themselves can move fast and there is a lot of graphic movement and a chart appears (looking at the TJ in London one) and also there is the text box that details what he spent- I am in danger of cognitive overload. Not sure where to look and I have to slow it down.. I think it would be cool if there was a clear question or series of inquiry questions offered up that I could consider as I "watched"-- -- And this goes back to what john mentioned- an important question is have the designers and historians developed this stuff with a pedagogical eye to how this work can support student learning. What is really being done here and for who. Is it about the historian and the designer? Is it done because it can be-- Is it an example of just longing for something aesthetic - can it amplify student learning? Are there any learning goals for this? Is it designed to amplify student learning and if so what scaffolds and supports are put in place to help students process the information? Scaffolds don't have to be visible but I am not sure if there are any there that are designed to support student learning? But it looks cool - but how far can cool go when time and purposefulness is an essential element in the classroom. Often it is easy to back end pedagogy in and throw in some objectives.. But how different would some of these visualizations look if they were designed with students in mind..
There is potential and I think we should look to play and think of how. Remind me to talk about my first go with wordle and what I wanted to do with it...
Your points are what I was trying to get at...that there's lots of cool stuff no doubt...but if it is going to in your words 'amplify student learning' there has to be some goal (in my mind at least) of what students should be able to do as a result of going to this site, and a means/path of how to get there. Which leads to scaffolding and specific activities...rooted in a question/problem to be answered/solved. In all honesty I wander all over the place when I look at this stuff...which was why I needed to sit down and actually do something with it yesterday. I know what you're saying about adding pedagogy afterward...essentially what I did yesterday. Not to say that couldn't work but at the risk of getting ahead it would be great to design something with somebody...
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