Page 45 - Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century

is placed on the truly important concepts – after all (keeping story structures in mind), teaching and learning can become a lot less effective if everything was promoted as being extremely important.
This approach allows the students to have some say and control over how the story will turn out, making them a contributing storyteller and builder of the story world created for the module. Such a move allows students to be more creative in their out-of-the-box thinking, rather than to be restricted in what they are or are not allowed to do. In the ‘real world’, there will not always be clearly marked rules or limitations that serve as safety nets in place to prevent one from making mistakes in their jobs. Similarly, students should be allowed to freely make these ‘incorrect’ choices and have the opportunity to see what the implications of those choices would be. Which would be remembered more effectively? An experience where you were told ‘no’, or an experience where you got to try it out and experienced the consequence of that error? Additionally, allowing students the freedom of movement gives me a better sense of understanding when it comes to evaluating where they are coming from to identify patterns of common misconceptions.
With these two aims in mind, I have slowly worked through multiple iterations, expanding on how the work of the semester can occur as a story that eventually encompasses the entire semester. The idea is then to have students acquire the necessary knowledge and skills from the first week and practise and apply that knowledge and those skills in smaller weekly assessments that will prepare them for reaching a satisfactory conclusion during the final examination.
As someone who firmly agrees with the University of Johannesburg’s ‘learning to be’ approach to teaching and learning, I like to give my students the opportunity to be that professional they will eventually become in my classroom, today. For that reason, stories that are played out in my modules involve the students assuming that role. For example, Computer Forensics students are rookie digital forensics professionals, awaiting requests from investigating police officers.
Mysteries Pre-Covid
Prior to the national lockdown, the revised Computer Forensics module featured two highlights that students looked most forward to: the Search and Seizure Role-Play and the Geocaching Forensics Practical.
In the Search and Seizure Role-Play, students form teams of four to five members and prepare kits for conducting a digital evidence collection exercise. While not compulsory, it is clear that students are invested in the exercise as can be seen from the amount of effort that goes into assembling the ‘equipment’. To name a few examples, we have witnessed tinfoil wrapped boxes, special markers, envelopes prepared with evidence detail forms, security tape and even matching Crime Scene Investigation costumes on the day.
Of course, there is also the need to prepare the crime scenes on my end. Figure 1 below shows one such crime scene where the body is found at the bottom of a flight of stairs. In addition to the smartwatch on his wrist, the victim’s laptop can also be found on the floor. Did he slip? Was it murder? It is up to our group of investigators to find out. While each team is assigned to investigate a different crime scene (or variations of the same crime scene with different evidence items), the crime scenes all tie into the same central story. For example, some teams investigated the crime scene whereas others are sent to acquire evidence from the police chief’s office as there are allegations that he is receiving bribes.
At the same time, it
is also important that the events throughout are carefully planned so that emphasis is placed on the truly important concepts – after all (keeping story structures in mind), teaching and learning can become a lot less effective if everything was promoted as being extremely important.
Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century | Showcasing UJ Teaching and Learning 2021
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