This week, I have been reminded numerous times of the fact that the world in which we teach and the world in which our students have grown up is very different than the world in which we grew up.
On Wednesday, my students started to create the app advertisements for the apps that they made. The plan was to start with making newspaper advertisements for their apps. Students looked at newspaper advertisements in partners, and they discussed what they noticed about the ads in terms of pictures, colours, layout, and content. As we were discussing the findings, one of the students said to me, “Miss Dunsiger, why would we make newspaper advertisements? Most of our parents read the newspaper online, and some don’t read it at all. Aren’t we trying to sell these apps to our parents?!” Wow! I had never really thought of this before. My parents are huge newspaper readers: they get three newspapers a day and read them all. I just figured that the same was true for these parents as well. Maybe not.
I had a discussion with my step-dad about this that night, and he said to me, “Aviva, why don’t you have your students make Google ads? This might appeal to them more.” I had never really considered this before, but it sounded like a good idea. That night I did some research on Google ads, and on Friday, some of my students chose to make Google ads in addition to their newspaper advertisements. I love how the children helped direct this activity and make it even more meaningful to them!
Click On This Picture To View The Slideshow Of The App Advertisements
On the same Friday that the students were making their app advertisements, a Grade 1 and Grade 2 student came to talk to me. They wanted to show a presentation that they made together for Show and Tell. I was happy to let them do so. After presenting their Show and Tell, they told the class that they called each other, used the speaker phone, and used GoogleDocs to collaborate on this project. Wow! When I was in Grades 1 and 2, I don’t even think that I had a computer at home, and yet, here are two seven- and eight-year-olds, using the computer for a meaningful learning activity and under their own direction as well.
These two incidents alone have reminded me that the world in changing. As teachers, I think that we need to change with it. What do you think?
Aviva
This is another example of how you listen and respond to your students. My students created iTunes ads that could be posted in the iTunes store. We need to meet our students in the world they live in.
I really like the ad for Math Quiz. The student stated the app is free but you pay for each additional level. This demonstrates the child’s understanding of marketing for an app. This is a good reminder to teachers out there that we need to look carefully at the media literacy strand and ensure our teaching changes and reflects the current times.
Thanks for the comment, Angie! I love the idea of the iTunes ads. My students would have loved to do this too! I think that you make a wonderful point here about the media literacy strand too. The times are changing, and we need to change with them.
I agree with you about that particular ad too. I was amazed how much my students already knew about marketing, and I think that an activity like this one helps make them more critical consumers. Thanks again for the inspiration!
Aviva
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