678 Artifact Reflection #1

Image source

In Module 3 we were asked to do some brainstorming to generate ideas for possible Project/Problem-Based Learning (PBL) units. Problem-solving and critical thinking experiences are the types of learning I hope to offer my science students every day and these types of activities align with the expectations of the Next Generation Science Standards. It's not my present reality, but with time, effort and collaboration on my part, several well-designed PBL units could be implemented in my classes. This instructional shift would ensure relevancy and keep the students coming back for more.

Image source

Keeping the end in mind is a good mantra to recite for anyone in education, but especially with PBL, a teacher needs to stay the course and keep the kids focused on the outcomes. Sustained inquiry can be a challenge for teachers to maintain with their students, no matter what level of experience they might have. Teachers definitely need to be flexible and adaptable with PBL and also willing to learn with her students and make some mistakes along the way.

There are MANY resources on the internet that include great PBL lessons and units that could be implemented right away. Finding the TIME to wade through the information is a reality most teachers, including myself face. Best advice for any teacher considering incorporating PBL: take it slow and collaborate with like-minded people to achieve the best unit that packs the most punch for student learning. You can find my brainstorming document HERE.

676 Course Reflection

With the completion of this course, I'm officially half-way to finishing the endorsement program through the University of St. Francis. It has certainly been a learning process as I incorporate what I already know about technology and learn from the expertise of other classmates and my instructor about collaborative web tools.

image source

Bill Nye said, “Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.” Words for anyone to live by! To work collaboratively means to interact with, communicate, and learn from each other to reach a common goal. This course has given me a better perspective on collaborative student work and methods to fine tune collaborative student discussion using a variety of web tools.

The article 5 Useful Ways to Kickstart Student Collaboration in the Classroom by Tricia Whenham suggested that teachers embrace a little chaos in the classroom. I've always been a supporter of this statement, not only because I'm a science teacher and we "do" collaborative science every day, but also because students think and work their best when allowed to problem solve with each other out loud! As the teacher, I shouldn't have all the answers. It took me several years after my rookie teaching season to realize it's okay to "not know"; to help students arrive at an answer without just giving it to them. Their confidence as learners grows when you let them do the thinking together. A loud and messy classroom is oftentimes where problems are best solved!

image source

My school has been 1:1 the past four years, and the level of collaboration since that time has skyrocketed in my classes. Not only are they doing collaborative science together, but they are using the resources at their fingertips through digital devices to enhance their learning experience. The Google Suite (including docs, sheets, slides, drawings, keep, classroom, forms, calendar), digital portfolios, student blogs, and open educational resources (OER) have all increased collaboration among students, both in and out of the classroom.

Another article I read for this course that I found useful for teaching collaboration and digital citizenship skills was 8 Digital Skills We Must Teach Our Children by Yuhyun Park. In the article, it specifies eight skills that make up a person's digital intelligence: digital identity, digital use, digital safety, digital security, digital emotional intelligence, digital communication, digital literacy, and digital rights. As I reflected on each skill and the description the author provided, I felt comfortable knowing that I was making a valid attempt to teach and model these skills, especially the communication and literacy ones. It's important to be the best models for our students to demonstrate how to be responsible consumers and learners.

EEND 676 is my fourth course in the sequence of courses for the Teaching with Technology Endorsement. I didn't learn any new tech tools per se, but it was a rewarding eight-week experience using my curriculum to develop and modify materials to be more collaborative for my students.