Today in workshop, we were shown what we had heard about for the past two years! The “are you ready for this jelly” DJ booth!
In social studies, I have been learning about enquiry-based learning. I have been learning about stimulating children interests, fostering their curiosity and using this as a motivation where they can construct their own learning. Today during our lecture, I experienced what it must feel like to be a child stimulated by curiosity in a lesson.
As I was shown the set up, our lecturer demonstrated the MakeyMakey. Our lecturer used the app sound plant, had six pots of jelly, the MakeyMakey device and wires to conduct electricity and to the laptop. I was shown how certain keys on the laptop were connected to the MakeyMakey device which, connected to leads put into the jelly. As jelly conducts electricity, when the jelly was tapped, a part of a song was played on the laptop. On the laptop, parts of songs were to play when certain keys or jelly pots were pressed.
I was absolutely amazed by this, immediately (thinking like a child in a classroom), I was thinking “how does this work?”, “why does it work?” and “wow, how can i do this?”. My own curiosity and questions lead me to want enquire myself as to how this worked in order to gain the knowledge and be able to do it!
A task that was set for us was a design challenge. In groups we are to design are own MakeyMakeyidea, therefore using my knowledge of how it works and creativity I will be able to do the same! I am getting involved in the learning, being active in learning. In addition, because it was such a memorable activity it is something I wont forget.
In conclusion, the MakeyMakey activity and the teacher stimulated my interest, it had me curious as to how it works so I as the learner wanted to gain knowledge as to how it works which requires my own enquiry. It was a memorable and engaging activity that motivated me to want to learn myself. Therefore, I am not learning knowledge because someone told me to but because i want to find it out for myself, I have an intrinsic motivation. I have always found when I research something myself based on my own curiosity, I always remember things better even though I am not rote learning the information and I enjoy doing it! Thus, promoting life-long learning.
