Creativity Break Through

I've finally done it! After many weeks of enviously looking on as other students come up with idea upon idea for engaging kids in the classroom and being totally and utterly unable to come up with an original, even remotely interesting idea of my own, I've done it!

One of the assessments we must all undertake is developing a learning experience in Mahara (refer to previous post). This calls for an idea, not just any idea, a fantastic idea that would encompass the concepts of Kearsley and Shneiderman's Engagement Theory. The two basic components of this theory are using ICT's and using a 'real-world' scenario or problem to make learning relevant and enjoyable. The ICT's part is, well, not easy but manageable. I am discovering quite quickly how to apply the ICT's that we've learnt to a classroom situation. But the idea... the big idea... the 'real-life' scenario, well that's another story! I have sat staring blankly at an empty word document for hours waiting for something to come to me.

But finally, the light bulb came on....

The inspiration: CSI! Yes, CSI, the TV series on Crime Scene Investigation.
Image courtesy of Brick at http://www.csiguide.com/wallpaper.aspx

The scene: One of the teachers, Mr 'X' has been found unconscious in the science lab by the lab tech Mrs 'A' with a broken beaker on the ground. Mr 'X' recalls hearing footsteps behind him as he entered the room and then...nothing. There are signs of a struggle with hair and blood on the beaker. There is also a hand smear on the door handle and dirty footprints strewn across the room. Mrs 'Y' states that she heard a loud crash at about 2 pm. Mrs 'P's' diary is found under the desk. Who attacked Mr 'X'????

Within the scenario, I can incorporate literacy and numeracy and it could also be applied to a plethora of other subjects including English, maths and film and TV. They can learn how to collect, analyse and make conclusions from data... and so much more.

Its nice to have broken through the creativity barrier, at least for now. Nothing better than feeling excited about getting students excited... might just mean that teaching is for me after all.