The Multimedia Case: Enlarging Student Experiences with Poverty

A L R O S E N B L O O M

D O M I N I C A N U N I V E R S I T Y

P R E S E N T E D A T

S E C O N D R E S P O N S I B L E M A N A G E M E N T R E S E A R C H C O N F E R E N C E

C A I R O , E G Y P T

Presentation OverviewTo explain the rationale for -- and the benefits of -- a multimedia case

To explain why I developed a multimedia case around poverty

To have you experience various dimensions of the multimedia case

The ChallengesChallenge 1: How to engage undergraduate students with the issue of poverty when their context for such issues is different from students in other parts of the world?

Challenge 2: How to have students better understand the daily lives of individuals living in poverty

Challenge 3: How to do this in an interesting, innovative way without leaving home?

Typical ApproachesReadBooks, articles, cases

DiscussIn class, face-to-face environments

Online, virtual environments

Watch Videos

Powerpoints

My “Solution”Develop a multimedia “case experience” around poverty

Focus primarily on urban poverty (i.e., life in a slum)

Contrast urban poverty with rural poverty later in the course

My View of the “The Best” CasesThey are like time travel

◦ They transport students into different environments◦ Company

◦ Country

◦ Context

◦ They wider the “stretch” the better – for me

Cases: Seeing with New Eyes

Multimedia Case ExperienceCase studies go beyond the traditional paper-based format to actively place students in an environment that simulates or summarizes a real situation through video, email, paper briefs, and discussion with peers.

Multimedia Case ExperienceSupports the latest theories of how students learn

Neuroscience of learning

The Definition of Learning

Learning is a change in the neuron-patterns of the brain.

(Goldberg, 2009)

www.virtualgalen.com/.../ neurons-small.jpg

Keeping Students’ Attention

Neuroscientists have a saying: Emotion drives attention and attention drives learning —this makes Attention the key to learning.

(Merzenich and colleagues, UCSF, 2011)

Keeping Students’ Attention

We know that some students are impaired in their attentional abilities, but these can be improved through activities that require sustained attention.

(Merzenich and colleagues, UCSF, 2011)

What Teaching Actions Promote Learning According to Neuroscience?

The teaching that engages the brain in multimodal, experiential and diverse activities promotes learning.

Senses Create Multiple Pathways for Learning and MemoryThe more senses used in learning the more possible connections to prior knowledge and the more pathways are available for recall.

Vision Trumps AllVision trumps all other senses for learning

Vision Trumps AllOral information has a recall of about 10% after 72 hours.

Add a picture and the recall increases to 65%.

(Brain Rules, P.234)

Multi-Media Case Elements

Urban Slum

Video

Photos

Readings

Audio

Slum of Interest

Why Dharavi?Asia’s largest slum

Provides many opportunities to include audio, video and photos

Challenges some stereotypes of urban slum living

Lets me speak from personal experience – visited twice

Highlighted in Slum Dog Millionaire

Radio PodcastsChose several audio segments from National Public radio

Radio engages the imagination

Let’s Listen

Introductory Video

Vision Trumps all Other SensesSo…what did you see?

Purposefully chose a clip with no narration

Photos

Questions for discussion1. What things stood out for you when listening and viewing the photos

2. What confirmed your “ideas” of what a slum is?

3. Was there things that “surprised” you?

Reading

Chapter 6: Factory of DreamsI never knew English.

Now I have my own Facebook page.

"Every room in Dharavi is 10 x 10. But this, is like no other. No crush of humanity, no pots and pans, no spices hanging heavy in the air. The room is almost spacious, since it is so bare. There are shiny, cream Marbonite tiles on the floor. A tiny refrigerator and a drum of water in one corner. And a washroom right next to it.“ Only for bath," explains Jameel, as we stare in amazement. "I can't build a toilet, unfortunately.

Factory of DreamsJameel is what you can call a genuine Dharavi 'success story'. Jameel Shah came to Dharavi from a small village in Bihar, in the year 1995. Like any young boy from Bihar, he became a kaarigarat a workshop, for a salary of Rs 2,000. Fifteen short years later, he is running his own workshop. And not just any workshop.

Jameel Shah makes 'dancing shoes' for the most exquisite feet in the country. "See," he says, holding up a beautiful pair of blue satin heels, “This is for Bipasha Basu."Bollywood stars like Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan are among his 'regular clients'

Factory of DreamsToday, Jameel employs four kaarigars, and makes around sixty pairs a month. The shoes sell for Rs 1,500-2,000, depending on the style. And Jameel is a stylish young man now, himself. "I never knew English or how to use computers," he says. "Now I have a page of my own on Facebook."Meanwhile, one of his brothers has joined the business while he supports two younger ones who are in school. His dream is to see one of them become a doctor and the other a lawyer."Baaki unkimarzi, unki kismet," he shrugs.Jameel wants to expand his business further."I have just spent Rs 2.5 lakh to renovate this place," he says.

Discussion QuestionWhat insights did you now have into the “lives of the poor”?

Dharavi: A Hub of Recycling

Dharavi: Entrepreneurial Hub

The Potters

To Sum UpThis multimedia case

◦ engages students with

◦ a environment that has many “stereotypes” and “truths”

◦ and asks students to see , hear and reflect on their experiences

To Sum UpThinking about how to engage students with the issue of poverty as experienced in an urban slum illustrates how

◦ learning can be leveraged exponentially

◦ learning is a continuous process of review and reinforcement

◦ real life with real people

To Sum UpListen

View

ReadReact

Reflect

Joy

Comments, Observations, Discussion