The first tool I attempted to use, mindomo, was not easy for me to use as a Venn Diagramming tool. The diagram above was designed using Creatley.
It's an intuitive little piece of software - I love it when I don't
need to read a "getting started" guide to use a new tool. I was able to
sign in using my Google account, eliminating the need to fill out yet
another account creation form. The only feature I see it lacking at this point is an alignment guide.
The background has grid lines, however software that gives me a visual
cue to show an object's alignment in relation to another object on the
page allows me to line up elements perfectly. I didn't correct the
titles above each circle to illustrate an error that can be made -
things look lined up but are not.
I chose to step into the shoes of a high school
student for this assignment. I approached the diagrams from perspective of old school vs.
new school paradigms. I strongly feel that traditional, brick and
mortar learning institutions contribute to high drop-out rates by
forcing a "one size fits all" model on students. In our nation's zest
to improve instruction through contest-based funding and connecting
teachers scores to assessment results, we lose sight of a fundamental
step in needs analysis - that of audience analysis. What do kids want
from a school? How do they want it delivered? Education is a field
that would do well to improve it's customer service model, rather than
imposing its will upon the youth it serves. Let's continue to explore
and think out side of the box to identify modes of instruction that
excite kids about the content and the process of learning while
leveraging all the tools within our reach.