To challenge the Bruce/Levin Taxonomy:
The Clay movie
As many students from previous Edpsy 387 classes have acknowledged, it is indeed very difficult to challenge the Taxonomy. Based on the four-part division drew by Dewey, which is a very general classification per se, but broad and encompassing; the taxonomy has many more detailed and sophisticated subcategorizes, thus seemed to cover the entire usage of modern educational technologies.
An initial challenge to the taxonomy:
Can a student learn?
This set of questions may not seem to challenge the taxonomy directly, instead, they resemble a resistant against the use of media and technology in replacement of quality human teaching. However, indirectly, they raise a question of the adequate classifications of this taxonomy, perhaps another category needs to be set aside, media for quality standard setting.
A better way to challenge the taxonomy
would be to locate "something" which fit into more than one
of the four categories simultaneously, then the purpose of creating
the taxonomy as a simpler and effective way of classification would be
threatened.
Here is the URL:
http://www.cmi.k12.il.us/Urbana/projects/UMSart/muscleman.html
The clay movie is unquestionable to be a collective form of expression for the few groups of Urbana middle school students who are directly involved in its creation. The writing of the script, the making of the clay figures, the control of the equipment to achieve the visual effects, are all seperate forms of self expression for each individual student. The clay movie can thus become a media for expression for all students interested in these areas, e.g., clay modeling, movie making and computer technology.
The clay movie is also a form of data access which provides a source of teaching reference for other art teachers who intend to explore this area. The visual image and the script is not limited as an instructional aid for art teaching only, it can also be used for language and music teaching in early childhood education.
Since this collaborative project
is also a student created hypertext environment, it can be considered as
a media for communication to reach out to students from other schools.
There is a high possibility to set up a stage for future interactions amongst
those who are interested in this area.