CHAT Map: Navigating the Information Superhighway…
My first impression of the CHAT map was that it could definitely be a useful tool in either a student centered or teacher centered classroom to promote student engagement. Just a few clicks and I began to consider its possibilities for facilitating student/teacher interactions, as well as developing a relationship among students and the information being presented to them. If adapted to various core subjects (Science, Math, Language Arts, History, etc.) in the K-12 educational system (or even for test prep) this type of medium could become a useful and effective curricular tool, providing one way through which teachers are able to differentiate instruction. There were elements presented in Prior’s project that worked to stimulate all learning styles, including auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. He utilized various forms of delivery, style, and invention to showcase CHAT map and present the information about which he was concerned. I enjoyed that there was some information presented as an audio file and written text giving the ‘reader’ autonomy in as far as what would help him/her best derive meaning from the information. Although in some cases Prior (or his collaborating authors) reverted back to large chunks of text as a preferred method of delivery, for example, pictures or auditory/visual aids were not present on every screen, add a few assessments, activities, or even games and one could create an interactive learning module for elementary school classrooms for a generation moving toward the development of a new kind of functional literacy (technology). Moreover, while he provided subtext for each icon on the screen I did find it a little confusing. I suppose this is what makes it an interactive or engaging learning tool. There is no prescribed path to follow in order to acquire the information and process its meaning; viewers/readers are able to maneuver through this type of ‘information superhighway’ at their discretion.
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