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EEND677 Artifact 1 - Tell Me in a Graphic

The first artifact from EEND677 that I chose to include in my reflection, is the Google Drawing I created in the “Tell me in a Graphic” assignment. I chose this assignment for a few reasons. The first reason I chose this artifact was that it was the first time I had used Google Drawings. While our district utilizes the Google Suite, this was a tool I had not accessed before. I enjoyed the exposure to a new resource and the challenge of coming up with a creation that I could integrate into my classroom. A second reason that I chose this artifact was that upon the completion of this assignment, I chose to implement the use of Google Drawings into my classroom. I found the simplicity of the tool allowed my students to think creatively, while not getting hung up on the “how to” of using the resource. Using Google Drawings allowed them to use their prior knowledge of Google tools, but yet create something that was very different than an essay or slides presentation. The final reason why I chose this artifact was that it also made me re-evaluate the use of graphics in my classroom. As previously stated in my course reflection, in creating this assignment I read Jonna Mae Mango’s article “8 Examples of How Middle Schools Can Incorporate Infographics in the Classroom”. When reading through this article in preparation for my Google Drawing, I really began to think about how I could use graphics in my classroom to allow my students to transfer knowledge more quickly than when just presented with text.

Here is my Google Drawing:


This is a representation of the “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey. I created this as a model for an assignment I was going to ask my students to complete: create a visual representation of the 7 habits that follow the same principles as Covey’s tree.I used the idea of a ladder to represent his principles.

Some challenges in creating a Google Drawing include the idea of originality. Google Drawings allows you to create your own visuals, or import images from the web or your computer. If using this tool in the classroom, it is important for teachers to explain to students the expectations regarding non-original work in their creation. If using images from the web, it’s important to teach students how to use effective and legal search methods in order to only use works that are labeled for reuse. It is also important to teach students how to cite these borrowed images. Another challenge is finding an authentic use for the images once they are created. I found simply creating them and sharing them didn’t necessarily help my students learn from anyone but themselves. Creating an activity to do after their creation of their drawings to help them evaluate and reflect each other's work, would be a better use of this tool.

This tool could be used in the classroom in a variety of ways. One way is a simple formative check to see if students are understanding concepts. For example, students could create a quick representation of a tone or mood in a story (blue images = depressed tone). Another example of how this could be used in a classroom is as a choice offering to represent summative understanding, like, for example, my assignment referenced above. Students can use Google Drawings to persuade an audience, as an alternative to an argumentative essay. They can use Google Drawings to supplement their arguments they present in writing, as well. Lastly, I like the idea of students using Google Drawings to create a digital vision board. They can use this for goal setting and to help visual where they want to be at the end of the year, high school, or in their adult lives. Truly, the possibilities for using Google Drawings is endless!

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