Edutopia is one of my favorite websites in my Personal Learning Network. When asked to report on a new technology for educators it was no surprise I found something I loved there. Matthew Farber described a new way he turned on his middle school students to writing using interactive fiction technology. Interactive fiction technology is "similar to choice-based fiction, like the Choose Your Own Adventure book series that began in the late 1970s” (Farber, 2015).
According to Farber his students didn’t want to leave the classroom when the bell rang. They actually told him that the writing project was fun. Clearly, it was more than that. The students had to research and learn the history lesson in order to retell the tale. They also had to use creative and strategic thinking skills in order to create a “false” narrative that had the potential to fool the reader.
Interactive fiction technology also encouraged aspects of design, allwoing students to bring in music, video and photography. “Beyond writing, students were now applying remix principles (PDF) and becoming more digitally literate” (Farber, 2016) He also commented that the lesson met one of the eight elements for project-based learning, “student choice” (BIE, n.d.).
When I teach a history lesson, this is definitely a technology I’m going to use. Why not make learning fun?
Resources
Farber, M. (2016, April 15). New tools for interactive fiction and engaged writing. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/new-tools-interactive-fiction-engaged-writing-matthew-farber
Farber, M. (2015, April 14). Interactive Fiction in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/interactive-fiction-in-the-classroom-matthew-farber
Essential project design elements checklist |
Project Based Learning | BIE. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://bie.org/object/document/pbl_essential_elements_checklist
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ReplyDeleteI have seen students use other types of interactive fiction reading in the classroom using technology and they all seemed to really enjoy it. It wasn't a choose your own adventure type of reading, so I imagine that Farber's students were much more engaged and entertained while also applying remix principles and becoming more digitally literate as mentioned. I think that this is a multifaceted learning tool because students learn the history events first, and then are using their writing skills and imagination to create a false narrative to retell the tale. With student’s staying after class because they are having fun learning, it is a good indication that this is a strong teaching strategy that many schools should adopt if they have the technology available in their schools.
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