My actions were very helpful in meeting my goals. I have since looked into the three presenters and what we will be learning the days of the professional development. I have set up a graphic organizer to make note taking on those days easier and more organized. So far what I have learned that I can use in my instructional practices is that doing research and being prepared makes for a more prepared learner.
I still have to learn the exciting web 2.0 and Discovery Education tools that they are going to teach us. The question that I have come up with during my research, is if power points or other presentation tools are going to be emailed/available to us after the presentations.
I will adjust my plan in order to apply the current week’s lessons on problem based learning. I have learned that when coming up with the problem I should make sure that it is not too broad or too specific; it needs allow for more than one correct answer. I also need to be prepared to turn control over to the students and to think about exactly how I want to group the students. While hearing Dr. Peggy Artmer discuss document sharing software, such as google docs, I immediately thought that I might need to ask parent permission for creation of accounts and that I should check with our library media specialist (Spotlight on Technology: Problem Based Learning Part 1 & 2, 2009).
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Spotlight on Technology: Problem Based Learning Part 1. Baltimore: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Spotlight on Technology: Problem Based Learning Part 2. Baltimore: Author.
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Ms. Griswold,
ReplyDeleteHow are you going to be able to effectively turn over control of your students to themselves while maintaining a functioning classroom? I too had to deal with this problem over the past year, and spoke with our technology department in order to come up with the answer; real-time computer monitoring software! While seated at a central computer, I could control what websites students had access too, offer suggestions for their work, give technical support by actually taking over their screen and manipulating the mouse, could monitor their keystrokes, and see what what was on each and every screen (and if needed by, blank out their screen). I cannot remember the name of the software, but once the students realized that I could see what they were doing, a majority of the off-task behaviors were eliminated and students were focused on getting their assignment completed.
Knowing what 13 year olds are capable of with a computer made me hesitant to utilize the computer labs at school, but now the monitoring software has helped me relinquish the instruction to the students in order for them to become self directed learners. Prior to jumping into the lab, you might want to ask about this type software! Its well worth it!
Christine,
ReplyDeleteI think that it is wonderful that you are attending inservices over the break to enhance your learning. It sounds like you have put in a great deal of effort already familiarizing yourself with the presenters and setting up graphic organizers for note taking. This should make the process go more smoothly and allow you the opportunity to ask needed questions rather than worrying about trying to organize your thoughts on the paper. I hope you learn a lot!
When looking at this week's resources about problem-based learning, I too had questions about how I would group my students. What types of students do you have in your classes? Do you have many special education, gifted, ESL/ ELL students?
Craig -That computer monitoring software sounds great- wonder if my school would look into that.
ReplyDeleteLindsay- Yes I normally have a good deal of SPED students. I typically have one or no ESL students and some gifted and talented. I am not quite sure yet how I am going to group them, but grouping low w low and high w high sounds like a good idea for me.
Christine,
ReplyDeleteI am curious as tho how your discussion with your media library specialist goes. At my district anytime we mention sharing things of a personal nature about students that includes work we always get stuck in limbo while waiting to find out if what we want to do is okay. We may get permission one time and then it will change next year. I really feel that our technology department is not on the same page with the teachers in our district. One example is that students have lost their school email accounts due to bullying that was happening on school email. I can understand why it was taken away but I would prefer a different solution be found so that teachers can email their students on a school email which is much easier than collecting various private email addresses.
I think your Game plan is excellent and I hope it is very successful. Hopefully things will get better for me and I can come up with a plan that will goes as well as your seems it will.
Scott Monthie
Christine,
ReplyDeleteYou learned that preparing and researching prior to a lesson helped you to be a better learner. I'm wondering in what ways you can encourage your students to engage in the same practice that you did? By creating outlines or researching information prior to instruction, they may find themselves to be better engaged and able to learn.