The Multimedia Case: Enlarging Student Experiences with Poverty
A L R O S E N B L O O M
D O M I N I C A N U N I V E R S I T Y
P R E S E N T E D A T
S E C O N D R E S P O N S I B L E M A N A G E M E N T R E S E A R C H C O N F E R E N C E
C A I R O , E G Y P T
Presentation OverviewTo explain the rationale for -- and the benefits of -- a multimedia case
To explain why I developed a multimedia case around poverty
To have you experience various dimensions of the multimedia case
The ChallengesChallenge 1: How to engage undergraduate students with the issue of poverty when their context for such issues is different from students in other parts of the world?
Challenge 2: How to have students better understand the daily lives of individuals living in poverty
Challenge 3: How to do this in an interesting, innovative way without leaving home?
Typical ApproachesReadBooks, articles, cases
DiscussIn class, face-to-face environments
Online, virtual environments
Watch Videos
Powerpoints
My “Solution”Develop a multimedia “case experience” around poverty
Focus primarily on urban poverty (i.e., life in a slum)
Contrast urban poverty with rural poverty later in the course
My View of the “The Best” CasesThey are like time travel
◦ They transport students into different environments◦ Company
◦ Country
◦ Context
◦ They wider the “stretch” the better – for me
Cases: Seeing with New Eyes
Multimedia Case ExperienceCase studies go beyond the traditional paper-based format to actively place students in an environment that simulates or summarizes a real situation through video, email, paper briefs, and discussion with peers.
Multimedia Case ExperienceSupports the latest theories of how students learn
Neuroscience of learning
The Definition of Learning
Learning is a change in the neuron-patterns of the brain.
(Goldberg, 2009)
www.virtualgalen.com/.../ neurons-small.jpg
Keeping Students’ Attention
Neuroscientists have a saying: Emotion drives attention and attention drives learning —this makes Attention the key to learning.
(Merzenich and colleagues, UCSF, 2011)
Keeping Students’ Attention
We know that some students are impaired in their attentional abilities, but these can be improved through activities that require sustained attention.
(Merzenich and colleagues, UCSF, 2011)
What Teaching Actions Promote Learning According to Neuroscience?
The teaching that engages the brain in multimodal, experiential and diverse activities promotes learning.
Senses Create Multiple Pathways for Learning and MemoryThe more senses used in learning the more possible connections to prior knowledge and the more pathways are available for recall.
Vision Trumps AllVision trumps all other senses for learning
Vision Trumps AllOral information has a recall of about 10% after 72 hours.
Add a picture and the recall increases to 65%.
(Brain Rules, P.234)
Multi-Media Case Elements
Urban Slum
Video
Photos
Readings
Audio
Slum of Interest
Why Dharavi?Asia’s largest slum
Provides many opportunities to include audio, video and photos
Challenges some stereotypes of urban slum living
Lets me speak from personal experience – visited twice
Highlighted in Slum Dog Millionaire
Radio PodcastsChose several audio segments from National Public radio
Radio engages the imagination
Let’s Listen
Introductory Video
Vision Trumps all Other SensesSo…what did you see?
Purposefully chose a clip with no narration
Photos
Questions for discussion1. What things stood out for you when listening and viewing the photos
2. What confirmed your “ideas” of what a slum is?
3. Was there things that “surprised” you?
Reading
Chapter 6: Factory of DreamsI never knew English.
Now I have my own Facebook page.
"Every room in Dharavi is 10 x 10. But this, is like no other. No crush of humanity, no pots and pans, no spices hanging heavy in the air. The room is almost spacious, since it is so bare. There are shiny, cream Marbonite tiles on the floor. A tiny refrigerator and a drum of water in one corner. And a washroom right next to it.“ Only for bath," explains Jameel, as we stare in amazement. "I can't build a toilet, unfortunately.
Factory of DreamsJameel is what you can call a genuine Dharavi 'success story'. Jameel Shah came to Dharavi from a small village in Bihar, in the year 1995. Like any young boy from Bihar, he became a kaarigarat a workshop, for a salary of Rs 2,000. Fifteen short years later, he is running his own workshop. And not just any workshop.
Jameel Shah makes 'dancing shoes' for the most exquisite feet in the country. "See," he says, holding up a beautiful pair of blue satin heels, “This is for Bipasha Basu."Bollywood stars like Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan are among his 'regular clients'
Factory of DreamsToday, Jameel employs four kaarigars, and makes around sixty pairs a month. The shoes sell for Rs 1,500-2,000, depending on the style. And Jameel is a stylish young man now, himself. "I never knew English or how to use computers," he says. "Now I have a page of my own on Facebook."Meanwhile, one of his brothers has joined the business while he supports two younger ones who are in school. His dream is to see one of them become a doctor and the other a lawyer."Baaki unkimarzi, unki kismet," he shrugs.Jameel wants to expand his business further."I have just spent Rs 2.5 lakh to renovate this place," he says.
Discussion QuestionWhat insights did you now have into the “lives of the poor”?
Dharavi: A Hub of Recycling
Dharavi: Entrepreneurial Hub
The Potters
To Sum UpThis multimedia case
◦ engages students with
◦ a environment that has many “stereotypes” and “truths”
◦ and asks students to see , hear and reflect on their experiences
To Sum UpThinking about how to engage students with the issue of poverty as experienced in an urban slum illustrates how
◦ learning can be leveraged exponentially
◦ learning is a continuous process of review and reinforcement
◦ real life with real people
To Sum UpListen
View
ReadReact
Reflect
Joy
Comments, Observations, Discussion
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