Digital Media and Learning Conference 2017

In this Teach-In session, the GeoConvos team (Chicago-area educators, researchers, and youth program providers) will engage session participants in technologies, tools, and methods we have designed and piloted with youth and adults for evaluating and reflecting on connected learning and engagement “on the move” in our everyday lives.

We call this set of digital and non-digital activities, methods, and tools GeoConvos (geoconvos.org), which is derived from the movement-oriented and place-based nature of the activities (geo) and the ways in which the activities are built on dialogue and reflective conversation (convos). We have designed the activities as we have considered ways to support youth and adults in formal and informal educational settings in evaluating and reflecting on connected learning. We have intentionally focused our efforts towards supporting equitable opportunities to learn for all participants and towards recognizing learning opportunities and experiences that are not always validated in evaluations of learning.

We have previously shared GeoConvos with museum employees, youth in out-of-school programs, and adults from the Hive Chicago Learning Network. In each setting, participants were engaged by the activities and interested to reflect on their own learning and to consider how their individual histories led them to their current work and areas of interest. The activities have also prompted participants to consider future learning pathways. We are excited about the opportunity to share GeoConvos with the DML community.

Some activities we could share in the workshop include: 1) individually annotating paper maps to consider daily learning pathways; 2) creating a photosphere (an immersive photograph similar to photos of places available on Google Street View) of a memorable/engaging place; 3) reflecting on the interactions of our memories and our digital devices using images captured on our personal mobile devices Each of these activities includes a reflective component that supports critically considering one’s own learning pathways while also building capacity with technologies.

Session overview: After a brief overview of the project, session participants will interact and engage in a selection of GeoConvos activities, review a facilitator guide, consider case studies, and discuss how GeoConvos activities can be integrated into practice.