Final Post!!

1. All of our ideas and thoughts are present on our documents.
2. Sometimes we drew pictures, used media apps, used visual note taking, used a video recording of our conversations, pictures or wrote about the topics. Sometimes the work that was posted was part of a process because it took multiple stages to complete it. Using wordle, Alexa had experience before but Amina and Rozaliya did not so they had a hard time figuring it out. With the wordle, it was more product oriented because there was a certain look that Alexa was looking for and wanted certain words bigger than others. For the writing, it didn't take much time because technology wasn't a factor because the technology part was new to Amina.
3. It helps us know that there are different outlets to present ideas and learn. Looking back at our posts, we feel confident with what we posted because we took our time and went back to review what we posted. Amina and Rozaliya just learned to post their responses!  Yay!!

Christal & Laura Final Post

We really enjoyed working together to create Multimedia Portfolio! We gained valuable experience from trying out different ways to explore the topics. We enjoyed using all of them, but found that we got the most out of techniques that allowed us to focus on the process, rather than the product.

Final Review - Rachel, Janet, Stacie

Our Final Mutual Thoughts...

Whose ideas/actions are missing from documentation?

So when there were absences (Stacie and Rachel), we contacted one another via email to discuss what what missed and then reviewed the blog. We also made sure that, even when we were absent, that we submitted on time so that those who were attending class could review it live in class.

How does your portfolio show HOW you arrived at your answers?

As a group of individuals, we found ourselves to be researchers that think the same way. We discussed more than once that we were all most comfortable responding via text submissions, because we all had this feeling that the images didn't thoroughly answer the questions. We all felt a strong need to be "sure" that we answered correctly and completely. After discussing with Minsoo, we all decided to make sure that we were using the other media options (word clouds, thought mapping, visual note taking) for our future response. However, it still seems we added text responses along with the multimedia responses, nevertheless.

How does reviewing your work solidify or change your thinking? 

Reviewing our work primarily showed us how we were such close thinkers and that our processes were so similar. Mainly, reviewing offered the three of us insight on how we can broaden our techniques and incorporate additional media outlets to our future portfolio ventures. We feel as though this solidified the strengths that we personally bring to groups that are usually more diverse that this one. We just "lucked out" that we all have the same strength! 

Rozaliya - Brain

Christal - Play Part 2

Rozaliya - Play Part II

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Amina - Play Part 2

The imagination Playground is a unique active creative play product for kids. It is unique, imaginative, and inspirational for kids and transforms any space into a child directed play. Children use soft, non-toxic foam blocks that are 10X the size of regular wooden blocks to make different things. The enormous blocks are so unique and big that when kids see them they get excited to explore and investigate them. These blocks are safe, waterproof, mold resistance, and resistance to heat and sunlight. With the portable imagination playground, children use their cognitive thinking skills to build their imaginary castles, cars, trucks, or whatever they imagine of creating. 

They engage in active play to create their own imaginary world. They explore various ideas with the blocks to create an imaginary world for themselves. The blocks are soft but firm enough for kids to make various projects like hospital, schools, library buildings, bridges, houses, restaurants, hotels, towns etc. When children create something they get excited. There is no doubt that play is important for healthy brain development. Kids develop social skills when they collaborate and interact to create their imaginary world. With these gigantic foam blocks, kids can create different thing alone or within a group. They can connect their individual products with others to make different and unique designs. When children engage with others they also develop important skills like problem-solving skills, self-control, vocabulary, language, and teamwork.

Adventures of a Cardboard Box

How do the examples engage children in questioning, exploring, and investigating the world around them? 

The Adventures of a Cardboard Box is an adorable film showing the adventures of a young boy and his cardboard box. Throughout the short film, we see the boy using the box in new and different ways. I especially liked the very beginning where after he first discovered the box, he spent some time brainstorming and using his imagination - not only with the box but with other items in his house as well. He can be seen going through his home and finding toys and objects and thinking of them in imaginative ways. He can also be seen "warming up" before playing with the box - doing jumping jacks, stretching, etc. He is also outside most of the time when he is playing with the box. He is entertained, amused, and using his brain. The box also appears to bring him together with his sister, as well as his parents - they all participate in the fun! 

The Adventures of a Cardboard Box

Imagination Playground!

How do the examples engage children in questioning, exploring, and investigating the world around them? (Be as specific as possible!)

Imagination playground is an incredible way for children to create anything their imagination can dream up! By providing children with non-specific and open-ended instructions, they are free to build structures that represent their own unique ideas. Imagination playground encourages inquisitive play and questioning, as the structures can be used in many ways and the possibilities are endless! Children can use any pieces they'd like to creat houses, factories, schools, and more - all present opportunities for children to explore various roles in play situations (i.e., assuming the role of a teacher in the school they've built) and explore their newly constructed structures. Imagination Playground gives children the freedom to create, imagine, and build. It is comprised of portable materials that can be used indoors or outdoors (materials are soft, non-toxic, and appropriate for use in either space). Unstructured materials allow children to express themselves freely, either independently or as part of a team. Children creating structures together can engage in role exploration, working as a team, taking turns, sharing, compromising, etc. By providing themselves with concrete representations of structures, children have the opportunity to use the materials to understand real-world contexts. Pieces can be either large or small, providing opportunity for fine motor and gross motor development in addition to the wonderful cognitive benefits children receive when manipulating such open-ended materials. 

Pop-Up Adventure Play - Rachel

"Pop-Up Adventure Play"

Word Cloud Brainstorming:

Question: 
How do the examples engage children in questioning, exploring, and investigating the world around them? (Be as specific as possible!)

Answer:
A Pop-Up Adventure  Playground is a creation directly from the exploring, brainstorming, planning, and building of children. On public sites, children-led play is encouraged with the use of "loose parts (such as cardboard boxes, fabric, tape and string)" that are provided by the Playworkers staff members. This type of free play with miscellaneous tools and  materials allows for children of all ages and abilities to participate and be challenged at their own level. Also, the use of everyday items and basic tools asks the children not only to be creative, but to be economical with supply, and investigative as to what to use.
These pop-up playground allow support community involvement for family and volunteers, bringing together children and community members for collaborative work!

Play Part 2

• Please pick one of the play examples below and answer the following question:
  How do the examples engage children in questioning, exploring, and investigating the world around them? (Be as specific as possible!)
  1) Pop-up Adventure Play
  http://www.popupadventureplay.org/
  2) Imagination Playground
  http://www.imaginationplayground.com/
  3) The Adventures of a Cardboard Box
  https://youtu.be/XnbhLwNUQ-Y
  *Please post your response before our last class on May 9. Please try to use a different medium than last time!