YouTube can be a very usefully resources.Viewing clips is a great way to engage learners, create discussion and share knowledge. The following YouTube clip is an example that can be used to introduce the topic; 'Seeing through the eye's of a foreigner'. As seen by this short clip, the learners can literally see what life is like for a refugee and why they are seeking a better life.
Voki:
Creating a Voki is another way to help engage learners. It is a fun and creative way to promote exploration. By using a voki, it helps the learner express what they 'see' and 'feel' through a personally created avatar character. The use of this tool is to ask the learner to imagine they are someone else which is a large part of this unit. They will be asked to answer questions through the eyes of a refugee. For example, why are you seeking asylum in Australia? Or if they are now in Australia, how do you feel living in Australia?
Wikispaces:
Creating a wiki is the 21st century way of organizing, scaffolding and collaborating resource. It is very appropriate for this learning journey. A Wikispace is a great way for the teacher to scaffold student learning. It allows students to work collaboratively in small groups and even as a whole class. Working together encourages students to find and share information easily with one another, and asks them to continually reflect on their own points of view. The following clip is a guide on how to create your own wikispace. This link will show further examples of a functioning Wikispace that I have created for other units.
Flickr and Google Images:
Flickr and Google Images are a popular image hosting website. These sites allow the learners to discover the world around them without the need to leave the classroom. Using images in projects will help the project become more engaging and interesting to the learners. It will be highly effective during this unit, as it will help students visually see the conditions of other countries. They will see what a street looks like in Indonesia for example. Again, it will help the learners 'see through the eyes of a foreigner'. It is important to note that when using websites like these, permission may be needed to use the photos. In many cases, all that is needed to be done is to acknowledge or give credit to the provider.
Image courtesy of: Debi Cohen
Google Maps and Google Earth:
Google Maps and Google Earth are a great way to let students visually understand the world around them. This is a great resource for this unit as it will help students see where a country is in relation to Australia and how far someone may have to travel to get to Australia etc. Students can even record and narrate the journey of a refugee using the Google Earth tool bar.
Skype:
Using skype in the journey is a great engaging tool that allows the learners to be able to see, speak and learn from a foreigner without the need to leave the classroom. The learners would be able to conduct a type of interview style using a computer, camera and microphone. The teacher can set up an interview with a current Australian resident who was an immigrant to Australia. Students will have done previous research on their former country of residence and will be prepared with a number of questions approved by the teacher. For safety, all interviews will only be conducted with teacher supervision. If possible, the teacher could set up a skype interview with their local political leader, where students have the opportunity to ask about legislation and policies relating to immigration, refugees and asylum seekers.
Blogger:
With all this information and technology being used, blogger is a great resource to help the learners reflect on what they have just learnt or done. Blogger can be used at school after the task has been finished or for homework. Blogger can also be used as a resource for reporting what they have just learnt or done. It is a great tool the teacher to assess the understanding of the learners as they progress through the unit. This link will shows an example of a Blogger I have created in the past.
There are many other resources and examples that can help the learners be more engaged, reflect and report. What i have shown is just a small sample of what can be used. Each classroom setting is different. Not all of these resources and examples will work in every classroom. The key is to find what works in your classroom that will help the learners.
YouTube:
YouTube can be a very usefully resources.Viewing clips is a great way to engage learners, create discussion and share knowledge. The following YouTube clip is an example that can be used to introduce the topic; 'Seeing through the eye's of a foreigner'. As seen by this short clip, the learners can literally see what life is like for a refugee and why they are seeking a better life.
Voki:
Creating a Voki is another way to help engage learners. It is a fun and creative way to promote exploration. By using a voki, it helps the learner express what they 'see' and 'feel' through a personally created avatar character. The use of this tool is to ask the learner to imagine they are someone else which is a large part of this unit. They will be asked to answer questions through the eyes of a refugee. For example, why are you seeking asylum in Australia? Or if they are now in Australia, how do you feel living in Australia?
Wikispaces:
Creating a wiki is the 21st century way of organizing, scaffolding and collaborating resource. It is very appropriate for this learning journey. A Wikispace is a great way for the teacher to scaffold student learning. It allows students to work collaboratively in small groups and even as a whole class. Working together encourages students to find and share information easily with one another, and asks them to continually reflect on their own points of view. The following clip is a guide on how to create your own wikispace. This link will show further examples of a functioning Wikispace that I have created for other units.
Flickr and Google Images:
Flickr and Google Images are a popular image hosting website. These sites allow the learners to discover the world around them without the need to leave the classroom. Using images in projects will help the project become more engaging and interesting to the learners. It will be highly effective during this unit, as it will help students visually see the conditions of other countries. They will see what a street looks like in Indonesia for example. Again, it will help the learners 'see through the eyes of a foreigner'. It is important to note that when using websites like these, permission may be needed to use the photos. In many cases, all that is needed to be done is to acknowledge or give credit to the provider.
Image courtesy of: Debi Cohen
Google Maps and Google Earth:
Google Maps and Google Earth are a great way to let students visually understand the world around them. This is a great resource for this unit as it will help students see where a country is in relation to Australia and how far someone may have to travel to get to Australia etc. Students can even record and narrate the journey of a refugee using the Google Earth tool bar.
Skype:
Using skype in the journey is a great engaging tool that allows the learners to be able to see, speak and learn from a foreigner without the need to leave the classroom. The learners would be able to conduct a type of interview style using a computer, camera and microphone. The teacher can set up an interview with a current Australian resident who was an immigrant to Australia. Students will have done previous research on their former country of residence and will be prepared with a number of questions approved by the teacher. For safety, all interviews will only be conducted with teacher supervision. If possible, the teacher could set up a skype interview with their local political leader, where students have the opportunity to ask about legislation and policies relating to immigration, refugees and asylum seekers.
Blogger:
With all this information and technology being used, blogger is a great resource to help the learners reflect on what they have just learnt or done. Blogger can be used at school after the task has been finished or for homework. Blogger can also be used as a resource for reporting what they have just learnt or done. It is a great tool the teacher to assess the understanding of the learners as they progress through the unit. This link will shows an example of a Blogger I have created in the past.
Follow the below link as a guide to create your own blogger:
Blogs in Plain English
There are many other resources and examples that can help the learners be more engaged, reflect and report. What i have shown is just a small sample of what can be used. Each classroom setting is different. Not all of these resources and examples will work in every classroom. The key is to find what works in your classroom that will help the learners.