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Humanizing our Digital Imprint

My Brave Got a Little Bigger

Diana Soriat

In July I filled in the blank: “If my brave got a little bigger, I’d probably ________________.” I surprised myself by my boldness, as I actually did not know how much I was hoping to join my friends in the International Sketchnote Community at the first International Sketchnote Camp in Hamburg, Germany. See my response below.

The event would be held in September, a lovely time to travel, but an inconvenient time for my role in education. Seeing it pop up in my response on Facebook (a platform I visit infrequently) made me ponder: “Could I actually make it happen?” (The community nurtured by Mary Anne Radmacher encourages an intentional life and taking the risks necessary in remembering to do what matters.) Over the last several years this global community of Sketchnoting friends has mattered to me. Our work spreading the love and efficacy of sketchnoting “one shape at a time” has created a family of sorts. I call it the United Nations of Sketchnoting, and my brave got a whole lot bigger when I made my first visit to Germany.

Each segment of that trip deserves an individual blog post; consider this part 1 of 3.

Sketchnote enthusiasts.

Mike Clayton, Franziska W. Schwarz, DianaSoriat, Katharina TheisBröhl, Lorraine Kasyan, and Marianne Rady share a moment during a break.

A satellite event was held at the University of Applied Sciences in Bremerhaven where Sketchnote enthusiast, Professor Katharina Theis Bröhl, is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. Katharina organized The Wonderful World of Sketchnotes for the faculty, staff and students of the University. Their coastal location supports such topics as maritime technologies and renewable energies. It was an honor to be asked to step in for Mike Rohde and begin the workshop with an introduction to sketchnotes. Katharina was our moderator and the other panelists: Marianne Rady, Mike Clayton, Andreas Teufel, Franziska W. Schwarz, Diana Meier-Soriat would focus on the nuts and bolts and process of Sketchnoting. I set the stage for the what and why including the brain based benefits of sketchnoting for education. Coming off of planes, trains, and shuttles from a 36-hour travel itinerary from the states made me dubious. Could I pull this off? Looking out at the audience, a group of eager, interested, and accomplished faces gave me the energy I needed to articulate my reverence for the skill while also sharing the research based benefits in education. You could have heard a pin drop in that room, but it was not until intermission that I realized the magnitude of our efforts.

Working on jetlag, in a new country, amidst international Twitter friends, many of whom I had never met, it was exciting for me to mingle amidst the crowd. Of course I was drawn to the students. Scientists, and engineers, they were eagerly paying attention and seemed to want more. I was not disappointed when in halting English one described his dilemma when during long, formal lectures his ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder, but, he used another term) kicked in and prevented him from paying attention. He was intent on finding a way to stay tuned into his lectures and engage with the content in a new way. Katharina had done an amazing job spreading the efficacy of Sketchnoting in her classes. Several spoke of an upcoming trip where they would immerse themselves in an island habitat and wanted a better way to capture all that they would be experiencing. Instead of leaving at the break, each and every one of the students stayed for the second half of the program and actively participated in the question and answer segment at the end. I left with such hopefulness that this university was inspiring students to listen well and remember wisely through new and creative methods.

After the event we gathered to share an authentic meal with many of the attendees. The gracious hospitality of my host and her coastal town took my breathe away and I slept that night eager to embark the next day on the official first day of the International Sketchnote Camp. More to come.

Sketchnoting, by Definition – Accessible to All

Gymnast

Is there a hurdle being constructed that novice sketchnoters feel they have to jump in order to share their work? Spalton, Chris (ChrisSpalton) “Now #Sketchnotes are becoming more popular there’s also a lean towards becoming more ‘academic, … adding barriers to what should be accessible to all.” 5 May 2017. Tweet.

Sketchnoting, by my friend, Mike Rohde’s definition, is all about ideas, not art. My adoption of the (movement) concept is focused on remembering those golden moments where a speaker (book/talk/event) opens your mind and your heart and changes you in an unforgettable way. In those moments, I: the learner whose life is enhanced by the occasion, want a sketch to help visceralize the event in my memory.

When I experienced the power of sketchnoting I realized that I wanted to spread it outward for students. That avenue was the logical next step but how was I going to prove the necessity? Mike and Sunni started that for me, but there was still the time spent in the classroom that took away from the all too familiar ‘testing’ fear. Wendi’s book helped a great deal. With a research based focus for educators she proved that instead of being time wasted – the energy and time spent familiarizing our students with sketchnoting and modeling visual vocabulary and connected ideas is crucial for every learner. Deepening comprehension and engendering connections that standard drill and kill tactics overlook.

First time sketching – teachers show the students their sketches.

If shaping your thoughts through image is a way to unleash creativity, unlock new ideas, and retain knowledge, then why don’t we all do it more? To unlearn the “I can’t draw” mantra and relearn the doodle mindset is not that difficult. Once the benefits are established the end results supply the proof. Not to mention it is fun to do and sharing with others is a win/win. I found some of my favorite TED Talks through other people’s sketchnotes, learning deeply about things that I probably would not have seen. Perception that I internalized enhancing my day to day. Win/win.

Everyone has something to share and everyone has a doodler within.

Not all of us are equally talented when it comes to art and metaphor.

The same goes for sports, cooking, reading comprehension, and fashion. But that difference doesn’t stop us from playing kickball or trying a new spring roll recipe. The reason it is important to keep #Sketchnoting accessible is because the learning gains for both the practitioner and the rest of us are infinite. If you curb your sketches because you are not going to be the best in show then you have missed the point. Some of the most visually appealing sketchnotes have the least amount of information in them. Often used for self-marketing, these are all fluff and flair with no substance. Those don’t enrich my life. But, they weren’t meant for me right? Dimeo, Rob. (RobDimeo)”Sketchnoting skill should be accessible to all. The sketchnote content need not be accessible to anyone but the sketchnoter.” 5 May 2017. Tweet.  I want the sloppy, edgy, risk taking, infographics from an intentional learner.

#Sketchnotes may actually be so academic that the content is not accessible to all viewers, but the act of #Sketchnoting is and must stay accessible to all, because as @ChrisSpalton and @SunniBrown contend, “The more thoughts and ideas are documented (however roughly) the better the world becomes.”

Bettering the world through doodles – see you there.

“Doing the Right Thing” The Inspiration in Teaching

Stepping out of the classroom in a support role for teachers and students felt right for me in my professional journey. The allure of new challenges and continued advanced learning was the obvious next step in my career. Mostly, it has been truth. Time away from grading papers affords me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of new technologies and how they fit into sound Instructional Design to benefit all learners. Helping plan and deliver robust professional development to hundreds of teachers as they prepare to embrace instruction in a 1:1 environment has been an honor.

Classroom teaching continues to mesmerize me. I have watched for over 22 years as policy changed, methods came in and out of favor, silver bullets morphed in name and color, the only constant being the human component. That essential element of teacher and student, and the trusting supportive relationship that must be established for learning to occur.

Increasingly in my role as technology facilitator I encounter teachers who endeavor, with everything in them, to meaningfully engage their students. Lamenting often that they have simply run out of time. Early adopters of tech are the hardest on themselves. These educators are also consummate learners. Invigorated by their content and eager to learn new technology both for themselves and for their students. This year, with my bullet journal ready to go and a working plan for each of my ten schools I visited one of these educators to relay the availability of an enhanced whiteboard platform. We had explored the tool together, but I cautioned him to wait till the district had populated his classes with students before building a workspace to share. The time had come and we were both excited to test it out when he said something that has really resonated with me.

“This year I am really trying to do the right thing. The magic is to make sure there are meaningful tasks, you know, inquiry based learning. But there isn’t enough time to do it all.”

He clarified to let me know that he always tries to do the right thing, but this year seemed different. This year with his content firmly under his belt, and Canvas, our learning management system clearly helping him reach his students and their parents both in school and at home, he wants to shift the in class experience to something even more vibrant. This teacher, always eager and interested, creating wonder all around the room with circuits, lights, convection currents, and buzzers, always offers to help his peers. He is kind, polite, inclusive, genuine and consistent with his students.

He did not have to clarify his intentions to me. In this new year of continued cuts and insults to the world of education that we both hold so dear, it is I who will reaffirm that yes, I too, am really trying to do the right thing. There is no one size fits all in education, for students or for teachers in professional development. To be the change we must inspire.

Education: A Collaborative Treasure Hunt

Inspiration in the everyday – teachers, caring for their students, collaborating with one another, sharing ideas, brainstorming solutions, giving back and growing too. The best of education can give me the kind of goose bumps that last a while. Working with Mrs. Jackie Dirscherl is that kind of good. Let me tell you a story.

First, quite a few months ago I was working at the office when one of my colleagues, Pam Johnson shared an iPad app she was exploring with me. She was looking at it for a K-3 elementary school that had a 3D printer and needed an entry level program to start building with kindergartners. The app was called PrintShop and it worked with the Makerbot machine. Students draw simple line drawings to tell a story, take a picture in the app and save to the library in a Makerbot account. As I had not been working with that age level yet it was immediately intriguing to me. I downloaded the app and vowed to remember it.

Fast forward several months further into the year and in one of my regular visits to classrooms I asked Jackie Dirscherl if there were any projects coming up that would allow for collaboration. She told me about a presentation she had seen at NCTIES and her hope to incorporate the project idea with the study of the Trail of Tears in her American History course. She wanted students to research tribes involved in the Trail of Tears, find out about their cultures and roles in the event, look at artifacts and photographs from the time and come up with a symbol that would represent the tribe and their role in history. She wanted the students to learn the Makerbot software and Tinkercad to transfer the drawings to 3D print designs to print replicas of the symbols as stamps. Jackie wondered if I could help with the 3D printing aspect? Jackie is a special education teacher and I had worked in her room several times before. I knew the complexities of the Tinkercad program and decided to tell her about the Printshop app. I told her I had an idea and would show her something later that day.

DesignPlan

I found a book on Native Americans in the media center, looked at images and found one of a Blackfoot eagle head worn as protection. I drew a rudimentary line drawing and took a picture in Printshop. I saved the photo in the app and created a 3D design. The first attempt printed in a little over four hours and gleaned important lessons. Lesson 1: my features (eyes and nostrils) did print, but because they were not attached to the outer lines they did not stay connected when the build was removed from the raft. Lesson 2: I had drawn the lines too thin causing the shape to flex out of shape when held. Both issues needed to be remedied for the painting and stamping activity to be a success.

I redrew the eagle head with a Sharpie this time. I changed the design slightly for the detail to connect to the edge. I took another picture, saved again and printed. This build took only one hour forty-five minutes to print and to my knowledge none of the settings were changed. (I printed at another location though.) Success! You can see in the image that the second build was much thicker and sturdier. My next step was to share the process with the classroom.

4designs

During my next visit I downloaded the app on the iPad for Jackie. She made a Makerbot account and we installed the desktop version of Makerbot on her computer. Her students were finishing up their study of the Westward Expansion and she and I brainstormed ways to move forward. Partnering in classrooms with innovative, risk-taking, and compassionate teachers is one of the most significant benefits of my work. The open sharing of ideas, content, and strategies for the needs of these particular learners, was an ongoing process. Coordinating access to the iPads and 3D printer was also part of the logistics. Jackie and I remained flexible in our contacts and created moments to meet where seemingly none existed. All while the students experienced their day-to-day lessons and marched forward in the acquisition of content standards.

The Treasure in Education

The Treasure in Education

This project will take me moving into next year. The collaboration, sharing, idea swapping, and flexibility of interested professionals make teaching an honor. Believing that there are other projects out there in my schools waiting for me to discover makes the new school year a perpetual treasure hunt.

Enjoy an album showcasing the process of this project linked here on Flickr.

 

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About Me

Educator, mom, gardener, dreamer – being the change and making a difference. Instructional technology with a heart that connects through humanity and does not dehumanize through the digital immediacy of computer screens and production applications. This journey as teacher and traveler underscores the importance of human to human, gaze upon gaze. Sharing today’s tools to keep it real. 

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