Apr 30, 2011 Upcycled Computer Key Board Keys: A Fun Idea for Bookending a Learning Experience with Strong Beginnings and Endings

by Jennifer Stanchfield
My last two posts have focused on methods for positively influencing learning outcomes through strong beginnings. I shared some of my favorite activities to start off with style and create a “hook” to engage participants from the moment they walk through the door, including postcards, objects, and quotes.
 
These methods can also be used later in a program as reflective or closing activities to tie it all together. Using these methods for the dual purpose of introductions and reflection is a “brain-friendly” teaching technique. Research on the brain and learning shows that participants remember most about the first few minutes and the last few minutes of a learning experience. Psychologists refer to this as the primacy-recency effect (Sousa, 2005; Willis, 2010).

Computer Keyboard Reflection is an engaging activity that serves both purposes well. One of my favorite aspects of this facilitation tool is that it is free, involves recycling, and is easily found in most offices and schools.
 
In 2009, I facilitated a multi-week series of workshops for You Inc., a Therapeutic Youth program in Massachusetts, where I shared a variety of engagement and reflection techniques.  My friend Andy La Pointe, Career Development Specialist and Challenge course facilitator, was inspired after one of our workshops, where I shared examples of upcycling and repurposing various props and found items for facilitation and reflection. After our session, he walked by a stack of keyboards in the school’s recycle bin, which sparked an idea.


When I arrived at his site for another workshop the following week, he handed me a bag filled with the keyboard pieces that he had recycled, stating, “I bet these would be interesting to use in some way with a group.”

We tried them that day with his colleagues. After engaging in a problem-solving activity, we asked group members to choose a key that represented their role in the process. I was impressed with the conversation the keys initiated and the connections group members made to various keys. It can be surprising where conversations can go with such a simple tool.

 

New Years Resolution Example:

Since then, I have used them repeatedly as an introductory or transitional activity and a processing/reflection tool. For example, on the first Monday in January, as the middle school students I was working with entered the classroom after the holiday break, I asked them to pick a keyboard key that represented their New Year’s resolution. I was amazed at how students used the keys to represent their hopes and goals.
 
Some of their reflections included:  
“I chose the space key because I know I need to make better choices about who I hang out  or at least sit next to in class. I need to sometimes put some “space” between my friends and me so that I can get my work done, since I don’t want to get into trouble about grades again.”
 
“I chose the “escape” key because I get distracted easily and don’t finish my work. I know I need to “escape” noise, TV,  or phone to focus on homework—and maybe go to homework club to get it done.”
 
“I chose the home key because I resolve to try and get along better with my stepbrother.”
I chose the question mark key because I know I need to ask more questions and get help during homework club time so that I can improve my grades.”
 
“I chose the option key because I sometimes get stuck thinking I can’t meet or hang out with someone new, or try something new. I resolve to find more options for friends and things like winter sports or after-school.”


A teacher who attended a recent workshop where we used the keyboard keys reported a few weeks later that she successfully used this activity with colleagues and students at her alternative school.

She stated, “I really liked the keyboard activity you shared with us in our workshop last month. I’ve used it at the end of some team-building work with students and asking the question “What was the hardest part about your work today” and at a staff training using the question “how would you describe your teaching style”. I will be teaching a demo lesson on Thursday and would like to use the activity to open class rather than to close it. I see it as a good icebreaker since the kids have never met me before. The lesson is on (Microsoft) Excel and how it relates to a technology education project (truss bridges) they have been working on. The main point I would like to convey is that Excel will make their lives easier by simplifying the math involved. I’ve thought of asking the question “which key describes how you feel about math” or “describes you as a math student”.

Sandi Lindgren,  a social worker with I Support YOUth! recently shared her experience with this activity:

“I used the keyboard keys yesterday, and the group loved it!  I was speaking to a senior class of social workers at a local college about research/surveys (sharing examples from my dissertation) and then about how to find your dream job as a social worker.”

“I used the keys in the beginning as an introduction. I asked them to choose a key that best represents where they currently are in this class’ research process. The professor was delighted with the on-point honest sharing that occurred. I was then able to reference their examples later on in the session. Examples included: The space key for taking a break and not really doing much with homework. The S key for stress. The tab key for taking a break (the old soft drink tab). The group also later pointed out that the tab key moves one forward.”

“The professor picked the command/apple key, sharing that as a teacher (apple) he’s delighted with the learning and processing and he also has to ‘command’ by telling students what to do. The page down key was chosen by someone who feels their process is really slow right now. The caps lock key was chosen by another student who is so stressed they feel like everyone is talking to them in all CAPS WHICH IS YELLING ON THE SCREEN (that was great).”

Recently, I picked up keyboards from both Macintosh and PC desktops and laptops. I have been mixing them together when I use them in groups. This led to some interesting and humorous conversations about learning and personality styles.

As with many tools that I have experimented with, having no clear picture of how it would work, there have been many pleasant surprises. So I encourage you to take a new look at your recycle bin and see what you come up with!

 

References:

After being published here, this activity was added to my Inspired Educator, Inspired Learner book in 2014. (Stanchfield, WNB Publishing 2014)

Neuroscience Research References:

Sousa, David. (2006). How the Brain Learns. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Willis, Judy. (2006). Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

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