Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Digital storytelling
My digital story illustrated the process of star birth, and is intended to be used as the beginning of a larger unit having to do with stars, our sun, stellar processes, and the connection between the earth and the sun.
-Montana State Standards covered: science standards 1,2,4,5
From opi.mt.gov:
Standard 1- Students, through the inquiry process, demonstrate the ability to design, conduct, evaluate, and communicate results and reasonable conclusions of scientific investigations.
Standard 2- Students, through the inquiry process, demonstrate knowledge of properties, forms, changes and interactions of physical and chemical systems.
Standard 4- Students, through the inquiry process, demonstrate
knowledge of the composition, structures, processes and interactions of Earth’s systems and other objects in space.
Standard 5- Students, through the inquiry process, understand how scientific knowledge and technological developments impact communities, cultures and societies.
The main learning objective of this digital story, would first be to introduce the idea of stellar formation, and through collaboration and inquiry the students could, by the end, demonstrate a deep understanding of stellar formation.
The incorporation of this digital story would be to first present the video as-is with minimal foundation. Then after the story is shown, take a survey of the class to identify prior knowledge of the subject. Then, over the course of one class period, go through the digital story on a smart board, flesh out all of the topics involved in star birth. Using groups, supplemental activities in the form of thought experiments could promote peer learning. The relative advantage of using this presentation style is that it establishes multiple pathways to the information via visual, auditory, peer collaboration, and teacher instruction as opposed to static lecture format.
-Montana State Standards covered: science standards 1,2,4,5
From opi.mt.gov:
Standard 1- Students, through the inquiry process, demonstrate the ability to design, conduct, evaluate, and communicate results and reasonable conclusions of scientific investigations.
Standard 2- Students, through the inquiry process, demonstrate knowledge of properties, forms, changes and interactions of physical and chemical systems.
Standard 4- Students, through the inquiry process, demonstrate
knowledge of the composition, structures, processes and interactions of Earth’s systems and other objects in space.
Standard 5- Students, through the inquiry process, understand how scientific knowledge and technological developments impact communities, cultures and societies.
The main learning objective of this digital story, would first be to introduce the idea of stellar formation, and through collaboration and inquiry the students could, by the end, demonstrate a deep understanding of stellar formation.
The incorporation of this digital story would be to first present the video as-is with minimal foundation. Then after the story is shown, take a survey of the class to identify prior knowledge of the subject. Then, over the course of one class period, go through the digital story on a smart board, flesh out all of the topics involved in star birth. Using groups, supplemental activities in the form of thought experiments could promote peer learning. The relative advantage of using this presentation style is that it establishes multiple pathways to the information via visual, auditory, peer collaboration, and teacher instruction as opposed to static lecture format.
Case Study - Week 10
Discussion Questions:
1. To prepare your students for podcasts, you would first have to ensure that all students have access to a device that can play them: an ipod, a computer, a smartphone, mp3 player, etc. I think equal access would be the first major hurdle to podcasting. Other than that, podcasts are pretty straight forward and require no training on how to listen to them.
2. Potential detriments to podcasting is relying too heavily on it- meaning eventually your students stop coming to class altogether, and you may have students that you never interact with directly. The obvious upsides are pointed out in the case study. The idea that class lectures and content can be completely mobile outside of the classroom, can open an array of exciting options with learning. I think the best way to boost the upsides and diminish the downsides of podcasting is to have podcasts not just replay the lecture material, but enhance and augment the learning experience.
In a classic school setting, I think podcasts can be integrated in a way that could actually help attendance instead of lowering it. For example, if different requirements were set between the in-class material and the podcasts. To get students interested in coming to class, they need a benefit to doing so. Attendance points could help, and then on the flip side, the podcast could have the unique benefit of not just simply mobile learning, but some possible extra credit opportunities.
I think if it were implemented this way, podcasting can be an extension and enhancement of the classroom material without diminishing classroom interaction and attendance. You would also get the added benefit of establishing and reinforcing multiple neural pathways to information.
3. If a teacher uses podcasts, I think some obligations students might have would definitely be attendance, appropriate use, and requirements for participation. Offering unique benefits for class discussion and podcasts can definitely reinforce the information. Requiring class attendance and participation gives the students ownership of the material– something that is not fully realized by standard lectures or over reliance on podcasts separately.
4. I think there should still be requirements for attendance, because this interaction with peers and teachers is an important part of the learning experience. If both classroom and podcast (along with other technologies) were integrated correctly, they can all add up on each other and have a serious net effect on a class and its learning objectives.
1. To prepare your students for podcasts, you would first have to ensure that all students have access to a device that can play them: an ipod, a computer, a smartphone, mp3 player, etc. I think equal access would be the first major hurdle to podcasting. Other than that, podcasts are pretty straight forward and require no training on how to listen to them.
2. Potential detriments to podcasting is relying too heavily on it- meaning eventually your students stop coming to class altogether, and you may have students that you never interact with directly. The obvious upsides are pointed out in the case study. The idea that class lectures and content can be completely mobile outside of the classroom, can open an array of exciting options with learning. I think the best way to boost the upsides and diminish the downsides of podcasting is to have podcasts not just replay the lecture material, but enhance and augment the learning experience.
In a classic school setting, I think podcasts can be integrated in a way that could actually help attendance instead of lowering it. For example, if different requirements were set between the in-class material and the podcasts. To get students interested in coming to class, they need a benefit to doing so. Attendance points could help, and then on the flip side, the podcast could have the unique benefit of not just simply mobile learning, but some possible extra credit opportunities.
I think if it were implemented this way, podcasting can be an extension and enhancement of the classroom material without diminishing classroom interaction and attendance. You would also get the added benefit of establishing and reinforcing multiple neural pathways to information.
3. If a teacher uses podcasts, I think some obligations students might have would definitely be attendance, appropriate use, and requirements for participation. Offering unique benefits for class discussion and podcasts can definitely reinforce the information. Requiring class attendance and participation gives the students ownership of the material– something that is not fully realized by standard lectures or over reliance on podcasts separately.
4. I think there should still be requirements for attendance, because this interaction with peers and teachers is an important part of the learning experience. If both classroom and podcast (along with other technologies) were integrated correctly, they can all add up on each other and have a serious net effect on a class and its learning objectives.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
After School Program #2
This week, we had the kids play a math game on their computers. After a few simple instructions on how to operate the site, the kids quickly settled in and got started. Kids at this age (kindergarten and first grade) still seem to enjoy math quite a bit; in fact I'm not sure where along the line they start to lose that. Anyway, we may have overestimated the kids last week with their writing and typing skills, I was personally blown away at how well these kids handled math. It was incredible.
There were no snags or major issues this week other than the short time (10-15 min per group) we had to spend with them, and the fact that we may need to be armed with more challenging math in the future. And, as a Physics major with a minor in Math, I am delighted that kids are proficient with math and enjoy it at the level these kids do.
There were no snags or major issues this week other than the short time (10-15 min per group) we had to spend with them, and the fact that we may need to be armed with more challenging math in the future. And, as a Physics major with a minor in Math, I am delighted that kids are proficient with math and enjoy it at the level these kids do.
After School Program #1
This week in the after school program tech club, we had the kids use "switch-a-roo zoo" where they were able to mess around a bid with creating an animal out of body parts of various existing animals. Once an animal was created, we wanted the kids to name the animal and write some interesting things about their animal.
Of course, we are talking about kindergartners and first graders; so while they were quickly able to come up with outlandish and whimsical animals, they aren't very good (most of them anyway) at things like forming words. Or spelling words. Or typing words. Or typing words into usable sentences. So the activity quickly became a troubleshooting triage when all fifteen students wanted help putting words on the page.
Next time, if this activity is to be repeated, we will not ask for full sentences, just a name for the animal and where it lives. Which is what we ended up doing anyway...
Of course, we are talking about kindergartners and first graders; so while they were quickly able to come up with outlandish and whimsical animals, they aren't very good (most of them anyway) at things like forming words. Or spelling words. Or typing words. Or typing words into usable sentences. So the activity quickly became a troubleshooting triage when all fifteen students wanted help putting words on the page.
Next time, if this activity is to be repeated, we will not ask for full sentences, just a name for the animal and where it lives. Which is what we ended up doing anyway...
Case Study - Week 8
Discussion Questions:
1. If I were the teacher, I would do exactly as the teacher did, give them zeros on the exam, as a start. Cheating is one thing, and add on top of that the deception when initially confronted about it, I think at least some further action should be taken. At the collegiate level, the girls would face expulsion for cheating and that would be the end of it.
With all of that said, however, if I were the teacher, perhaps I would design my tests to avoid cheating. Perhaps even design an "open resource" exam, ie- open book, cell phones, ipods, even take the exam in small groups; and set the same time limit for the exam. Even with all of these resources at their disposal, the students would still have to know where to find information that they need, and such an exam would only be easily completed in the time allotted if the students either know the information, or know where to find it quickly.
I personally have experience with this type of open resource exam and they are challenging, rewarding, and effective. The best part: cheating is eliminated, because everything is fair game.
2. I would not outright ban cellphones in my classroom, rather, I would embrace them in many ways as teaching and communication between my students. I would, however, stress the appropriateness of cell phone usage and have a zero tolerance for inappropriate usage.
3. Laura and Jessica should receive reprimand for their actions, not just for the cheating, but for the deception and the fact that they weren't 'scared straight' after the initial confrontation. They would be expelled in a heartbeat at the collegiate level, and the actions taken by the teacher in this case were appropriate. However, at the high school level, I don't think they should be expelled for this particular situation. I think this whole case could be flipped into a valuable experience not only for the two girls involved, but the teacher and her test making and the rest of the class as a whole.
4. I disagree with the banning of cell phones in schools. I believe we are experiencing an awkward phase in schools where we don't exactly know how to effectively incorporate such technology (except in a few emerging cases), as well as the fact that cell phone bans are notoriously difficult to enforce. I think technology should be embraced wherever possible and a creative solution can and should be undertaken.
1. If I were the teacher, I would do exactly as the teacher did, give them zeros on the exam, as a start. Cheating is one thing, and add on top of that the deception when initially confronted about it, I think at least some further action should be taken. At the collegiate level, the girls would face expulsion for cheating and that would be the end of it.
With all of that said, however, if I were the teacher, perhaps I would design my tests to avoid cheating. Perhaps even design an "open resource" exam, ie- open book, cell phones, ipods, even take the exam in small groups; and set the same time limit for the exam. Even with all of these resources at their disposal, the students would still have to know where to find information that they need, and such an exam would only be easily completed in the time allotted if the students either know the information, or know where to find it quickly.
I personally have experience with this type of open resource exam and they are challenging, rewarding, and effective. The best part: cheating is eliminated, because everything is fair game.
2. I would not outright ban cellphones in my classroom, rather, I would embrace them in many ways as teaching and communication between my students. I would, however, stress the appropriateness of cell phone usage and have a zero tolerance for inappropriate usage.
3. Laura and Jessica should receive reprimand for their actions, not just for the cheating, but for the deception and the fact that they weren't 'scared straight' after the initial confrontation. They would be expelled in a heartbeat at the collegiate level, and the actions taken by the teacher in this case were appropriate. However, at the high school level, I don't think they should be expelled for this particular situation. I think this whole case could be flipped into a valuable experience not only for the two girls involved, but the teacher and her test making and the rest of the class as a whole.
4. I disagree with the banning of cell phones in schools. I believe we are experiencing an awkward phase in schools where we don't exactly know how to effectively incorporate such technology (except in a few emerging cases), as well as the fact that cell phone bans are notoriously difficult to enforce. I think technology should be embraced wherever possible and a creative solution can and should be undertaken.
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