ASSIGNMENT 1.

1A

Assignment 1.1a
Aaron Mancilla
023060682
National University
September 03, 2015

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Abstract
The first part of this paper addresses the questions of modules 2, 3, and 4. The second part of this
assignment summarizes the articles Designing a Dream, Buildings That Teach, and Building the
Future: Lessons from Tasmania.

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ASSIGNMENT 1.1A
Part I

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How do we use photographs, drawings, paintings, and other visual material as information
rather than for mere decoration or illustration?
The imagination of students can be intrigued by images, photographs, drawings, paintings
and other visual material. When students are presented to images and any other visual material
their minds begin to connect it with the subject that they are learning. In practice, visual
materials are used as information to create meaning, and are used for the application of specific
skills. Visual materials can be used for any content; the pictures can be used as concepts to help
students understand information and special aspects. On the other hand, photographs, drawings,
paintings, and other visual material are also used to differentiate instruction. The purpose of this
strategy is to facilitate the understanding of the content. Students who present the visual-spatial
intelligence will benefit the most as they engage and learn from visuals. According to Jaime
McKenzie, Mary Alice White, a researcher at Columbia Teacher's College has found that young
people learn more than half of what they know from visual information(McKenzie, 1998), this
implies that in any classrooms students need to be presented with graphics and visuals for them
to learn and master any skill. As for example, if I would be teaching about circles I would first
present my students with several pictures of circles and then I would draw a picture of a circle.
At the point I would help my students to recognize the diameter, radius, area, circumference, and
the center.
How do we utilize databases and statistics to connect and interact globally?

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The Best Practices strategies encourage educators to prepare students for the 21st century
and for the global economy. Our students are not just in competition with each other but also in
competition with the rest of the world, for that reason is important that students learn about
databases and statistics to connect and interact globally. Is important to mention that students
must learn to interpret the data, bar charts, pie charts and graphs; the students need to be able to
read in context and derive conclusive implications. Since our students are in competition with
other nations is important that our students learn to utilize databases and statistics, students need
to master analytical and interpretive skills. This job belongs to all educators that care for the
future of students and the future of our country. Jaime McKenzie states that educators must
teach them to recognize the questions which reside within such data collections along with the
skills to pose and explore such questions. (McKenzie, 1998). Almost for any content there is an
application of statistics, this implies that educators should collaborate together to help students
develop a higher understanding of the application and interpretation. Students need to be able to
understand what the databases are implying; they are not just collection of numbers but a set of
analyses that have meaning. As a future educator, Im concerned about the interpretation skills;
many high schools students lack this skill because they were not educated correctly.
How do we use electronic text and search engines to find new information? What does it mean to
be "well read" in the 21st century?
In my opinion, well read in the 21st century means reading research based articles and
information. Todays technological resources make information more accessible to students, all
they have to do is copy and paste and they will choose from different websites. The problem is
that a lot of search engines provide inaccurate information, and this causes the students to learn
inaccurate information. I believe that students need to be guided on how to search for proper and
research based information. Helping students to search on safe search engines will prevent

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students from searching wrong and inaccurate information. A lot of information on the web are
conjectures that have no research fundamentals, and the problem is that the information is
misleading. Jaime McKenzie states that the Internet offers millions of pages of text. If our
students download files without sorting, sifting, weighing and considering the meaning of the
text, if they simply save without reading, it will be an exercise in futility (McKenzie, 1998). I
also believe that we need to help our students to target information that is meaningful and
understandable information, in other words the text needs to be applicable.
Part II
Designing a Dream
In the article, Designing a Dream: The ultimate High School from Concept to
Completion, John Jones discusses how the community of Mill Creek, Washington helped to
build a high school that accommodated new technologies and teaching. Jones was the architect
that helped to design the school. According to Jones all segments of the community provided
input and ideas for the facility, which was designed to accommodate new technologies and
teaching techniques(Jones, 1997), the construction took three-plus years. The dream of this high
school occurred after the school district realized that they were facing overcrowding and they did
not have enough teachers to educate the students. The initial idea was to construct a 21st century
school dedicated to the incorporation of technological resources. The vision of the committee for
the future of education was to include a multi-disciplinary approach for instruction that would
better prepare students for the workforce of the 21st century. The committee was formed by more
than 120 people; most of them were teachers, parents, and administrators. The committee
members were organized in smaller groups and they focused on the needs of different academic
disciplines(Jones, 1997).. The committee members were also chosen because they were open to

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change. The committee were also interested in promoting a project-based, interdisciplinary

curriculum that would better prepare students for the workplace by taking their individual needs
and interests into account(Jones, 1997). The committee also considered the opinion of students,
for that reason they constructed computers labs that would help students prepare for future
careers.

Buildings that Teach

In the article, Buildings That Teach: Design and Learning Go Hand and Hand, Anne
Taylor discusses how the design of a school can impact the way students learn. From this article
it can be assumed that the building and the structure is a tool for learning, or the premises the
application of the skill. This article addresses how a number of communities are building
schools of the future that feature spaces that accommodates the different learning styles of
students. The environments include outdoor and indoor areas. The indoor learning environment
fosters hands on task, problem solving, collaboration, presentations, discussions, and reflections.
The indoor structure is designed to stimulate curiosity. The structure is a reflection of the many
contents. Cooling systems and heating systems are visible to the naked eye so that students study
the process. Corridors are decorated to reinforce creative thinking. According to Taylor
classrooms are now studios, workstations, and laboratories for learning(Taylor, 1997), and the
teachers are mentors and guides. The outdoor learning environment fosters the respect of the
natural environment. The environment includes community gardens, roots cellars, nature,
rooftops gardens and greenhouses. In this environment there is no graffiti because students learn

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to respect Mother Nature. This environment encourages students to be part of the learning
process; the students feel the commodity of the enjoyment of a respectful environment.
Building the Future-Lessons from Tasmania
In the article, Building the Future: Lessons From Tasmania, Prakash Nair talks about
how an obscured remote area of Australia was recognized as producing the best planned,
designed, and technologically advances school in the world. The High school in Devonport,
Tasmania received the James D, MacConnell award, known as the highest honor for schools. The
name of the school is Reece Community High School. This school was designed and constructed
for considerably less money than any American schools. In December 2000, an arsonists blaze
destroyed the school; the problem was that for years Tasmania had not built a high school. At this
point the education department decided to construct something radical: a state-of-the-art facility.
The goal of the education department was for the community to share vision, that is all work
alongside to benefit the future students of Tasmania. This community suffered several factors
that seem as impediments to construct the school, the factors range from high unemployment to
economic hardships. The planning of the school was decided by collaboration of the teachers,
administrators, students, and parents. All parties expressed the kind of school that they desired,
and their opinions were considered. They wanted a place that would allow the students, parents,
and community to socialize and create social skills and this sort of structure was constructed. The
Collaborative planning focused in meeting the needs and goals of the community. As for
example, when there are visitors the students are able to cook and share a meal. Technology is
available but when not necessary it can be put away easily. The school also provides indooroutdoor structures available to students and the community.

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Conclusion
In summary, the articles that I analyzed suggest that a new paradigm in education needs
to occur. If I could make a statement that would conclude the three articles, would be the
concern should be the students and communities. I say communities because recently many
charter schools are opening without the opinion of communities. Just as content is differentiated,
building structures should be differentiated. Indoor-outdoor structures seem to meet the different
learning styles of students. Also, from the articles, I can conclude that building structures should
also be open to benefit the community.

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10

References
Jones, J. K. (1997). Designing a dream: The ultimate high school from concept to completion.
Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/node/1115/print
Nair, P. (2004).Building the future-lessons from Tasmania. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.designshare.com/index.php/articles/building-the-future-lessonsfrom
%09tasmania/1/
Power Learning: Creating student-centered problems-based classrooms
(1998). Retrieved from http://fno.org/PL/powerlearn.htm
Taylor, A.P. (1997). Buildings that teach: Design and learning go hand in hand. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/node/1116/print