Here are some of the girls from our Technology class. It is difficult to discern what “language” cues are being used because we are looking at a photograph. For this reason, I will concentrate primarily on the nonverbal cues that are being given. Three students seem to have an intense gaze upon the front of the room. It is assumed that they are looking at the teacher. The other person, second from the left, seems to be intently looking through her work. It seems that the person in front of the room is commanding their attention. The girls are positioned comfortably at a classroom table with their school papers and laptops opened. The fact that these items are out and ready to be used shows that they are interested and well-prepared for class. Their clothing is informal because the classroom setting that they are involved in allows for such dress. They are spaced equally apart from one another, as not to make someone uncomfortable with their spacing. Their positioning in their chairs differs slightly. Person A, on the far left, is on the edge of her seat. She is looking intensely with a bright smile toward the front. Her hands are neatly folded; presumably to show that she is not fidgeting with anything, and that the teacher has her full attention. Person B, second from the left, seems slightly less interested because she is not looking forward. She seems more engrossed with what is on her desk than with what is happening in the front of the room. She is slightly more laid back in her chair. These gestures seem to demonstrate a slight disentrest in the teacher. (This may be completely untrue, and these are simply observations and inferences.) Although Person C, third from the left, is more laid back in her chair, she is looking forward intently, and her hands are folded. The last two gestures seem to negate the fact that she is laid back. Person D is perched on the end of her chair. Her look is inquisitive, as though she is actively thinking. Her hands are also folded, as to show that she is paying attention.
Second photograph
Approximately 5 seconds later. Do we note any differences? Person A, C and D have changed their positions, expressions, and what they are doing with their hands. Person B must be very engrossed in something, because nothing has changed for her really. Persons A and D have both picked up their papers. Perhaps the teacher has just referred to the syllabus and they both want to follow along. Person A is still smiling, and Person D still has an inquisitive look on her face. It seems that Person C has lost interest, because instead of holding her paper, she has a gadget in her hand. She does not seem to be doing the same thing as Persons A and D, and the teacher has lost her gaze. Things that we can infer from the changes in this picture: All of these students are grad students in Technology class at Bennington College. From the body language of Persons A and D, we can infer that they are the types that follow along exactly with where the teacher leads a conversation. They seem to value the fact that the teacher knows that they are paying attention. Person C shifts from valuing the teacher’s feelings about her to putting away or getting out her gadget. Person B seems to be listening to what is going on in the class, but seems to prefer to take charge of her own learning, and does not want to wait around for the teacher to give her cues. She is writing on the paper that the teacher had just handed out. The relationship between the girls seems to be a professional one. They each act independently of one another, and seem to only care about whether they learn individually. The girls have the identities of students. There seems to be a connection between each student and the teacher, although the connection seems weaker with some than others.
Discussion: Here, I will discuss what I was doing in this artifact from my tumblr, and why it is useful to my learning. This was one of the first times that I had the opportunity to utilize the "Frog" by Gee. I wasn't sure of the usefulness of the "Frog" until I had done this activity. I then realized that it was very helpful to learning, and to the process of AR to begin with unbiased opinions, connect them to concepts, and then go on to larger principles. I found that the "Frog" is a great way to analyze data, and to utilize reconstructions and field notes in my AR for the following school year.
First photograph
Here are some of the girls from our Technology class. It is difficult to discern what “language” cues are being used because we are looking at a photograph. For this reason, I will concentrate primarily on the nonverbal cues that are being given. Three students seem to have an intense gaze upon the front of the room. It is assumed that they are looking at the teacher. The other person, second from the left, seems to be intently looking through her work. It seems that the person in front of the room is commanding their attention. The girls are positioned comfortably at a classroom table with their school papers and laptops opened. The fact that these items are out and ready to be used shows that they are interested and well-prepared for class. Their clothing is informal because the classroom setting that they are involved in allows for such dress. They are spaced equally apart from one another, as not to make someone uncomfortable with their spacing. Their positioning in their chairs differs slightly. Person A, on the far left, is on the edge of her seat. She is looking intensely with a bright smile toward the front. Her hands are neatly folded; presumably to show that she is not fidgeting with anything, and that the teacher has her full attention. Person B, second from the left, seems slightly less interested because she is not looking forward. She seems more engrossed with what is on her desk than with what is happening in the front of the room. She is slightly more laid back in her chair. These gestures seem to demonstrate a slight disentrest in the teacher. (This may be completely untrue, and these are simply observations and inferences.) Although Person C, third from the left, is more laid back in her chair, she is looking forward intently, and her hands are folded. The last two gestures seem to negate the fact that she is laid back. Person D is perched on the end of her chair. Her look is inquisitive, as though she is actively thinking. Her hands are also folded, as to show that she is paying attention.
Second photograph
Approximately 5 seconds later. Do we note any differences? Person A, C and D have changed their positions, expressions, and what they are doing with their hands. Person B must be very engrossed in something, because nothing has changed for her really. Persons A and D have both picked up their papers. Perhaps the teacher has just referred to the syllabus and they both want to follow along. Person A is still smiling, and Person D still has an inquisitive look on her face. It seems that Person C has lost interest, because instead of holding her paper, she has a gadget in her hand. She does not seem to be doing the same thing as Persons A and D, and the teacher has lost her gaze. Things that we can infer from the changes in this picture: All of these students are grad students in Technology class at Bennington College. From the body language of Persons A and D, we can infer that they are the types that follow along exactly with where the teacher leads a conversation. They seem to value the fact that the teacher knows that they are paying attention. Person C shifts from valuing the teacher’s feelings about her to putting away or getting out her gadget. Person B seems to be listening to what is going on in the class, but seems to prefer to take charge of her own learning, and does not want to wait around for the teacher to give her cues. She is writing on the paper that the teacher had just handed out. The relationship between the girls seems to be a professional one. They each act independently of one another, and seem to only care about whether they learn individually. The girls have the identities of students. There seems to be a connection between each student and the teacher, although the connection seems weaker with some than others.
Discussion: Here, I will discuss what I was doing in this artifact from my tumblr, and why it is useful to my learning. This was one of the first times that I had the opportunity to utilize the "Frog" by Gee. I wasn't sure of the usefulness of the "Frog" until I had done this activity. I then realized that it was very helpful to learning, and to the process of AR to begin with unbiased opinions, connect them to concepts, and then go on to larger principles. I found that the "Frog" is a great way to analyze data, and to utilize reconstructions and field notes in my AR for the following school year.