Running head: MODULE SIX CRITICAL THINKING

Module Six Critical Thinking: Visual Fluency

Caroline A. Triggs
Colorado State University- Global Campus
OTL545: Technology and Innovation
Dr. Brenda Bagwell
November 13th, 2016

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Module Six Critical Thinking: Visual Fluency

This assignment has three major components. The first component of this lesson
features a table that illustrates Visual Fluency ideas using the Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge (TPACK) Framework for creating lessons that enhance student learning.
The second part of the assignment is a brief reflection of lesson implementation. The final
portion of the assignment is evidence from the implemented lesson.
Part 1: Visual Fluency Ideas using TPACK in an English as a Second Language Class
Learning Standard

Standard One: Grades 3-5

Beginning: Speaking Level 2.3
With visual, graphic or interactive support,
as necessary, students can describe pictures,
events, objects, or people using phrases or
short sentences

Standard One: Grades 3-5

Developing: Writing Level 3.4
With visual, graphic or interactive support,
as necessary, students can describe events,
people, processes, procedures

Visual Fluency Ideas Using the

Technological Pedagogical Content
Knowledge (TPACK) Framework in an
English as a Second Language (ESL)
classroom.
Technology: Online presentation tool, Prezi.
https://prezi.com
Ideas: Prezi is a great resource for English
as a Second Language (ESL) teachers and
students. ESL teachers rely on visuals to
convey meaning and Prezis format allows
students to follow the flow of a visual
presentation in a unique and engaging way.
I would use Prezi as a visual presentation
tool. With this specific standard, I would
use Prezi to take students on a visual and
interactive journey around the world to
explore and discuss houses in other
countries. Students would view houses in
other countries while discussing the images
as a class. Students will then travel inside
of a house and discuss the interior of the
house. This leads to a final culminating
project where students use paper to make
and design a house to present to their
classmates. While this is a great tool for
teachers, I can also see implications for the
use of Prezi by students for student-built
projects.
Technology: Digital timeline creation tool,
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resourc
es/interactives/timeline_2/
Ideas: Students can use this digital timeline
creation tool to create a visual presentation

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Standard One: Grades 3-5

Beginning: Speaking Level 2.1
With visual, graphic or interactive support,
as necessary, students can ask simple,
everyday questions

Standard One: Grades 3-5

Beginning: Listening Level 2.2
With visual, graphic or interactive support,
as necessary, students can arrange pictures
or objects per oral information

Standard One: Grades 3-5

Beginning: Reading Level 2.4
With visual, graphic or interactive support,
as necessary, students can follow visually
supported written directions

Standard One: Grades 3-5

Expanding: Speaking Level 4.3
With visual, graphic or interactive support,
as necessary, students can give contentbased oral reports

3
that goes along with their essays about
famous people through history. They will
then use their notes and the timeline tool to
give a presentation to their classmates. This
site can be used by both educators and
students to create engaging visual timelines.
Technology: Slideshows using
http://www.photosnack.com/
Ideas: Students bring photographs from
home to help us create a class slideshow.
This slideshow will be used to help us ask
and answer questions about the images to
decipher who contributed which photo and
what the photograph represents for that
particular student. This activity is great for
eliciting a broad range of language use and
for helping to build a strong classroom
community.
Technology: Storyboards using
http://www.storyboardthat.com/
Ideas: Students will listen to a story and will
then work in groups to make a visual
representation of that story using a digital
storyboard maker. Students will first use
paper to sketch the main scenes and ideas
and will then translate it to the digital form.
This is a great way for educators to assess
listening comprehension.
Technology: Movie Maker using
https://animoto.com
Ideas: As a final project, students will work
in groups to create a how to video using
an online movie maker tool. They must
first choose a teacher-approved topic and
then will be responsible for capturing
footage using their mobile phones. They
must work as a group to edit the footage
and add text to create a video. The final
product will be presented to the class.
Technology: Create animated videos using
PowToon.
https://www.powtoon.com
Ideas: Students use PowToon to make a
presentation to demonstrate their knowledge
of unit content and their speaking ability.
They must create their animation and then

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record themselves speaking throughout the

presentation. This is great for students that
may be too shy to speak in front of the
class, as they can spend time perfecting
their speaking before they record it to be
included in their presentation.
Note. The standards used in this chart are from the North Carolina Department of Public
Instructions Unpacked Content Instructional Support Tools which can be found in
references.
Part 2: Reflection
The visual fluency idea I chose to implement in my class is the first one listed in the
above table. I chose to use Prezi (n.d.) with my fifth grade English Language Learners
(ELLs). The unit students are currently learning focuses on discussing the interior and
exterior of houses. This unit requires students to use a large volume of vocabulary and the
use of visuals is a great way to help build stronger language connections for my students. I
included photographs in the presentation, because I find real-world depiction to help build
relevancy for my students, as they are able to visualize a more concrete purpose for their
language use. Crockett, Jukes, and Churches (2012) said, A learner must be able to connect
to what is being taught (p. 89). Through the use of Prezi (n.d.), my students were able to
connect to the lesson content as we all took a journey around the world while interacting with
one another using visuals to stimulate language.
My students had never seen a Prezi (n.d.) presentation before and were very energized
by the format. They enjoyed being able to see exactly where a house was on a world map.
They loved discussing the varying features of houses around the world and the ensuing
discussions could have extended for several lessons. I was surprised by some of the language
students were showcasing as they asked questions. One of the biggest surprises was the fact
that every single student was engaged and waiting to see where the presentation was taking

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us next. It was very clear to me that deep connections were being made with the content we
were studying due to the use of visuals and the format of the online presentation tool.
I am excited to utilize Prezi (n.d.) more in future lessons, but I am even more excited
to create projects that ask students to create their own presentations using the platform. I
think this platform is a fantastic way for educators to be make creative and engaging
presentations that keep students on the edge of their seats, but I also think it is a great
opportunity for students to do the same. A thoughtful project assignment developed around
the use of Prezi (n.d.) could touch several of the 21st century fluencies necessary for todays
students: solution, information, creative, media, and collaboration fluencies (Crockett, Jukes,
and Churches, 2012). I look forward to utilizing Prezi (n.d.) more in the future.
Part 3: Implementation Evidence
The bulk of this lesson was a speaking lesson and I have included a few pictures of the
class as we were viewing and discussing the Prezi. As my lessons are very fast-paced, it
proved difficult to get photos at optimal participation times. The photos below reflect times
students were thinking about the images before we discussed them as a class.

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References
Animoto. (n.d.). Animoto. Retrieved from https://animoto.com/
Crockett, L., Jukes, I., & Churches, A. (2012). Literacy is not enough: 21st century fluencies
for the digital age. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
English as a Second Language: Unpacked Content. (2011, March 30). Retrieved from
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/acre/standards/supporttools/unpacking/esl/esl.pdf
PhotoSnack. (n.d.). PhotoSnack. Retrieved from http://www.photosnack.com/
Pixabay. (n.d.). Free High Quality Images. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/
PowToon. (n.d.). Powtoon. Retrieved from https://www.powtoon.com
Prezi. (n.d.). Prezi: Online Presentation Tool. Retrieved from https://prezi.com
Storyboard That. (n.d.). Storyboard That: The World's Best Free Online Storyboard Creator.
Retrieved from http://www.storyboardthat.com/
Timeline. (n.d.). ReadWriteThink Timeline Maker. Retrieved from
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/timeline_2/