Origami Circuits: Remixed

Last week I created a lesson plan in which students combined origami with circuits to generate a creative use of circuit learning. The lesson offers a way for students to wire an object in the third dimension as they manipulate their paper construction to allow a circuit to be built around and through it.

An origami rose with a parallel circuit built via circuit stickers.

This week we were asked to research two articles in relation to implementing new teaching strategies with technology using empirical data from known teaching strategies. We were to take this information and edit our lesson plan. My revisions post research are done in red. The two learning paradigms I looked into were expansive learning (Engestrom) and multiple intelligences (Gardner). After researching each of these ideas I went to the MSU online library to find more recent journal articles relating to these topics, see the references below. For those of you unfamiliar with either concept, expansive learning is cyclical, essentially following the sequence of question, explore, model, and repeat (Molomo, 2011) and  “[multiple intelligences] theory states that the human brain is modular and that all humans possess at least seven intelligences” (Tai, 2014) which we will not fully explore today.

I was able to gather information from these articles that allowed me to better understand the implementation of my lesson plan involving circuits. When I first created the plan, I worried that the origami creation would steal the show; students would either focus too much on the art aspect or they would deem it “not for me” and not work as hard. The article by Molomo depicts a classroom study involving game design and how this promoted learning. Reading the article I realized the new technology needs to be used as an “object” until it is understood before it is used as a “tool” (Molomo, 2011). This can be applied to the circuit stickers or to the origami. Both are to be used as tools in helping students understand circuitry. Hence, the lesson plan does not change, however, its implementation does. The origami is not “some art we are attaching stickers too” rather it is a means to “discover circuitry in a 3-dimensional model.” In understanding this I realized it was important to have more of a multi-step attitude towards using the equipment as tools and creating an expansive learning environment:

1. Question
2. Explore
3. Model

Or, as CEP811 presents it:

1. Learn
2. Explore
3. Create

I redesigned the lesson plan with this in mind. Giving the students more “play” time for questions and exploration while still leaving in the pieces where they do follow instructions on using new “tools” in their quest for understanding.

Secondly, I took another look at the group work in the project. I want students to be able to take what they have learned and run with it. Therefore, I wanted to break the groups down and give each member a task to complete – as chosen by the students. “To help students’ diversified learning, effective teachers should strive to understand and recognize the students’ intelligences” (Tai, 2014). Here I added a place for students to self-assess. They are asked to identify their strengths and weaknesses within the project before creating their group. Each student can then play a roll in the group according to their strength and ability.

I am now really excited to test out this lesson plan in my classroom. I will let you know how it goes.

Once again, for the lesson plan, click here.

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References:
Molomo, B. (2011). The Game Object Model and Expansive Learning: Creation, Instantiation, Expansion, and Re-Representation. Perspectives in education, 29(4), 87-98.
Tai, F. (2014). Exploring multiple intelligences. The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning, 10(1), 11-21. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1554975773?accountid=12598