Originally, the RAT (Replacement, Amplification, Transformation) Model, was created for PK-12 education. It has been implemented in higher education as well to help preservice teachers and teachers increase technological decision-making (Hughes). The RAT acronym is a manageable way to remember your expectations for student learning. The graphic below is great at explaining the process of the RAT model.
Using a technology tool
and the RAT Model can lift your lessons to new heights! Using Makey-Makey kits can allow students to
take ownership in their learning as you help them move through the RAT
model. If the students can have a learning
experience that is comparable to a flying car (as seen above in the model), the
retention of the lesson will be a wonderful bonus.
What are Makey-Makey kits?
I found a great
explanation of what these kits entail in a free resource from the Makey-Makey
site in the section of FREE lesson plan ideas (Did
someone mention FREE lesson plans?).
Here is a snippet of what a Makey-Makey kit is and how it can be used in
the classroom.
Here is what a Makey-Makey
kit looks like!
You may be thinking that a Makey-Makey kit looks
complicated, but I assure you that once you use it and experiment a few times,
you’ll have no problem using all those wires (all wires are not necessary by
the way)! Also, trust me when I say your
students will catch on with no problem—they’ll most likely figure out things
you haven’t and teach you! Of course, to
use the Makey-Makey kit, you will want to use a computer and most likely the platform
of Scratch to help with coding your student projects. (Click here for the Scratch coding site!)
How can I use a Makey-Makey kit with the RAT model?
Original Lesson Plan: After extensive teaching of story
elements within picture books, students create books of their own with paper,
pencil, crayons, and markers. Students
include character(s), setting, events, problem, and solution in their creation. Students read their stories aloud to the
class or peers..
Replacement: The teacher still teaches story elements
and book-making, but uses the tools of Makey-Makey, Scratch, and a chrome book
to show students how to code characters (sprites in Scratch) talking and how to
create characters in a story. This is
more of a modeling stage to helping students understand how the Makey-Makey kit
can work with the coding program of Scratch.
In Scratch, there are functions for voice recording, backgrounds,
dialogue bubbles, etc.
Amplification:
Students work together using the aforementioned tools to experiment and
create a story with a scene (setting) and it can change during the story which
is nice. They will create characters and
dialogue for the story as well. As they
work, they will have to test codes to see what works best to bring their
stories to life. Students can work
individually or in pairs (really dependent on how many Makey-Makey kits the
teacher has available).
Transformation: Students will set up the Scratch
stories to fit with codings of the Makey-Makey kits. This will allow students to have an
interactive station for other students to visit and listen to their
stories. Students can attach cards (with
conductive materials like a banana, play-doh, or copper tape) that say
Character(s), Setting, Problem, Solution to the Makey-Makey kit. These cards can also be picture
representations. As visitors come to
listen, they can enjoy a student-created story and then tap the various cards
to learn more about the story elements present in their classmates’ stories.
Ultimately, students will need a good bit of time to
experiment with the chrome book, Scratch, and Makey-Makey kits, but once
students complete a project, future projects go very quickly! .
Helpful Links to Get Started with Makey-Makey and
Scratch!
Resources:
Hughes, J. (2010-2019). Replacement, Amplification, and
Transformation: The R.A.T. Model. Retrieved from https://techedges.org/r-a-t-model/
Kelly. (2016, March 1). The RAT Model. [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://instructionaldesignbykelly.wordpress.com/2016/03/01/the-rat-model/
Audrey,
ReplyDeleteYou made Makey Makey seems so interesting! You're right, it did look intimidating at first, but after reading through the rest of your post, you simplified it. I love that you used a literature example for the RAT lessons because typically, with technology, its easier to apply to math or science related lessons. You made this seem like a fun tool!
Great post!
Darleen S.
I agree that the Makey-Makey kit looks intimidating at first, but your explanation makes it seem worth it! I like how you highlighted the "flying car" explanation of the R.A.T. model. This is such a great way of visualizing the components of the model. The Makey-Makey kit definitely seems to fit this model.
ReplyDeleteI attended a library tour this summer, and they had Makey Makey kits on hand. I had never seen them before. They look so fun. They are a great way to integrate STEM into the everyday teaching and learning that occurs in the classroom.
ReplyDelete