It’s Not Charlotte’s Web
Addressing Participant, Narrative
and Emotive Learning Styles with
Technology.
Dr. Thomas Eaton, Southeast Missouri State University
What we know: Philosophy
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“Technology cannot replace good
teaching. However, technology can
become the centerpiece of a
teacher’s abilities, knowledge,
wisdom and dreams for universal
success. Teachers make the
technology work, students and
society have made technology the
voice. If teachers are to teach than
we cannot stand in judgment of the
new voice, but we can bend it to our
will.”
The Field, the Medium
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The Field is hypertextuality – how
can we take the language of learning
to the technological level. We can do
this in four primary ways. Three of
them are presented here.
Participatory X
Narrative
X
Emotive
X
Command
Particpatory
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Known as Avatar or
character based, this web
course style encourages the
student to be come a
character within the drama.
Within this style, students
take ownership of the work
by competing against
themselves and others by
searching and building
through a scenario that
challenges their perceptions.
See
http://online.semo.edu/2007f
all/li243-740
Qualities of the Particpatory.
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 Get to play along
 Sense of Ownership.
 Allows for Imagination as
learning tool.
 Graphics enhance Adventure
sequence.
 Easy to modernize to Media
 - Tougher learning curve
The Narrative “Calmness”
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 Students can follow a leader.
 a diary, photo album or simple
direction makes students feel
involved but with no effort in
comprehending expectations.
 Students can use icons to find
expectations – an “armchair”
involvement.
 Your students may not like
your character.
See the Narrative, Icon-based
website
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Using picture-squares, much
like a photo album, coupled with
an ongoing narrative (a
powerpoint journal) can let your
students “in” on someone else’
life. That narrative character
leads them through the learning
events. Visit:
http://cstl-cla.semo.edu/eaton
The Emotive Site
Visit Mental Representation!
The Emotive Website
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 Backgrounds/displays generate
emotive thought or empathy.
 Wide, panoramic visuals generate
curiosity.
 Sense of dual-learning – through
both material being taught and more
subtle impressions that convey
learning ideas.
 Visual reaction not always
favorable.
http://courses.semo.edu/2007fall/li542
Reading Minds, Writing Technology