Michael is a father of two boys, in this discussion he talks about his youngest son, Brennan. Michael kindly offers his thoughts and feelings on take-home assignments.
Michael feels passionately that work should not be taken home at all. He does not see how teachers can truly assess the content to discover exactly what the student has completed or what another interested family member or friend may have completed.
I also ask Michael in this interview how he would feel about communicating with the teacher through a site such as a Blog or a closed (Parents of class A, teacher and Principal only) Face Book page.
Much thanks to Michael.
Group 4 technologies:
Animations and Simulations:
In a science course last year we found this website.
1. Playing with ecosystems.
This is an interesting simulation where you can play 'God' or (intervening human) and change an ecosystem. It took me a while to learn how to use it, which buttons to press and to take it seriously. At first I just wanted to 'play' with it and add more meat-eaters or take away the plants, then after I began to act like the adult learner that I am... I realised that this interactive 'toy' was actually very clever. As with many of these simulations, these types of learning tools allows a student to experiment with something that would usually be virtually impossible. Studying a landscape over many years in real life would take ...many years. Here students can become researchers as they manipulate the layers of lifeforms and attempt to find a balance that supports all life.
In my first simulation I introduced plant A and plant B, Plant A was obviously aggressive and went wild and plant B quickly died out. Perhaps Plant B needed something in order to survive? Maybe it required fertilizer from a herbivore's droppings? Or perhaps the Pant A grew some fast it blocked out the sunlight that plant B may require? I played with this some more and found that each time I changed an element, introduced another animal or plant, I was left with more questions.
Using this tool in a classroom would ask students to use higher order thinking and questioning as they attempted to find a balanced ecosystem. Students could also work collaboratively as they share ideas and discoveries as they 'twig'their ecosystems. Another thing I loved about this and any simulation is that students could take this work home if they had access to the site and the internet. Both of these simulations allowed for a various scale of academic ability, with a base model to start with and extension for gifted students. Playing interactive games will always engage and inspire children to learn. I know these have engaged me and getting the children interested in learning is the biggest step in educating a child.
This type of tool would appeal to most learning styles and is visually engaging. The time line simulation projects data in a format that is easily understood and a graph that most children would be able to decipher. This activity could not be undertaken with just pen and paper. It is also learner friendly as all students should be able to succeed if they follow the prompts closely.
2. Building a roller coaster:
I attempted to find the link which we used last year and was unable. I did find this one, which looks the same, however I had to pay if I wanted to do the simulation. There were other links to these ICT simuations but all required money in order to build your own coaster.
In this simulation students would learn about kinetic energy and friction as they 'build and create roller coasters that stay on the track and work really well. This digital learning tool is an engaging way to teach students about these elements as they adjust the levels and slope of their roller coasters. I found it fun and interesting as well as very informative. Students could also learn about selecting materials and how to put these together (engineering), stability and balance would also affect a successful coaster. Again, this simulation allows students to interact with something that they could not do in a real life situation as they use investigation skills, work collaboratively or individually, test and re-test, made valued judgments, develop inquiry skills and think deeply as they puzzle together and 'nut-out' problems. Using an animation tool to build a 3D roller coaster would bring this learning to whole new level. In upper primary grades this project would appeal to most learning styles and both boys and girls. It is visually attractive and the audio enhances the real life feeling to this simulation. Great fun!
Google Maps:
Here is a snap shot of two places where I have lived or visited in Australia...the most northern residence was in Weipa, Queensland and the furthest south was near Hobart in Tasmania
These are the directions that Google maps provided to show you how to get from one to the other.
In a classroom students can use Google maps for many reasons. I have taught a mapping lesson with this as a hook in year 7 where students firstly estimated how many kilometers it would be from two selected positions in Australia then they went on to Google maps and using the get directions they found the exact kilometers. They used different methods of estimation, from measuring with rulers to even guessing. Students love to look at their homes with this and explore the world. It brings the world to our fingertips.
Museum Box:
This virtual box of treasures sounded amazing and I wanted to create one to put on this blog however I was unable to access this. If I had been able to I would have made a box of my favorite art treasures. I am an artist and have photos of many of my pieces that I have created over the years...right from when I was a little girl, so I would have enjoyed making a box of these with information about each. In a class room students could utilize this tool on many ways. I see it as a way to display creativity and or investigative processes.
1. Creativity: Students could make a box for a mother/father. Int this box they could place photos, drawings or illustrations, with text describing that special moment or a poem they write to represent this.
For example: (if it was me) a photo of a gardenia flower with the text describing how these flowers make me feel loved as my mum always picked the first flower of the season and put t in a vase next to my bed because she knew I loved the smell of them.
2. Investigation: What a fabulous way to ask students to gather information about an explorer such as in the example provided!! Again, a much more engaging way to present information.
I am not sure how easy these activities would be or what ages these would suit as I was unable to have a play with making my own without paying for the privilege.
Zoo Burst:
Here is a pop up book I created with Zoo Burst. This interactive tool is very easy to use and would be a fun way to engage students in the writing short stories or poems. Students could design and create story books for younger students. I tried to embed this into this blog but was unable to.
These interactive tools are engaging and it is wonderful to know that they are out there just waiting for us as teacher s to discover them and the many learning opportunities they can provide. I feel the only danger is that there are so many...and finding the one that is perfect is difficult. They are wonderful when they work, but extremely frustrating when they are complicated. They last problem is lack of funds. It would be wonderful to be able to afford all the gizmos and gadgets not just for myself but also for each student I work with.
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
A Year 9 student talks about his take on assignments that are completed at home
Brennan is asked:
ARE THEY ALWAYS FAIR???
Monday, 25 November 2013
Engagement Activity 5: Interactive Learning Objects (optional activity) ‘Preparing Teachers To Use Learning Objects’
Many of the links on this page do not link…which was really frustrating.
The learning object, the five Martians was rather simple and not engaging. My 15 year old son said, and I quote, ”That’s stupid”
The article describing how this particular one can be used for different ages by modifying or eliminating the sigma adds, “There are myriad reasons for teachers to encourage their students to use computers in conjunction with learning objects”
I believe that statement however after my son’s reaction I would question just how engaging this particular learning tool would be to a student that plays x box or play station?
It also talks about how year 5 students actually act out this scenario with real coins,
“The rising fifth-graders both watched the animation and mimicked the scene with five people and ten coins”
I feel that in many age groups teachers should not forget to use real life activities such as these. By all means use the interactive learning tools too…but in with the technology most children are used to they must be very engaging.
On this note.... here is a link to a web site. It is very engaging and full of information. I loved it so much I have pasted it here on my blog so that you could all see it and so I could find it again.
I love how useful my blog is for this reason. It is like a storage place for all great ideas that I want to remember. When I start my teaching career, I will be able to come to this blog and find everything I would have otherwise forgotten.
Here is a link to an interactive learning site..
Darfur is Dying is a viral video game for change that provides a window into the experience of the 2.5 million refugees in the Darfur region of Sudan. Players must keep their refugee camp functioning in the face of possible attack by Janjaweed militias. Players can also learn more about the genocide in Darfur that has taken the lives of 400,000 people, and find ways to get involved to help stop this human rights and humanitarian crisis
This got my heart rate going and also made me see and understand a little of what these refugees face. While it could be looked at as a survival game it is also very educational, however because of the graphic messages about how these children and adult refugees face horrendous crimes such as rape, it would probably not be something that would be used in a primary school.
The following links are just copied and pasted from week fives learning materials, I have had a quick look at these and wanted to keep them on my blog. There are so many wonderful interactive sites.
It allows students to dissect frogs, starfish, etc in a simulation. Very realistic and very informative. The school can buy this interactive scientific tool. As an animal lover I remember many years ago refusing to take part when we were asked to dissect a frog. I received a fail, as did many of my other peers who flatly refused to do this activity. This interactive tool would have enabled me to take part and learn while being very engaged without getting my fingers dirty or feeling sad about a dead creature.
A GIZMO???
I joined the Free Gizmo site with anticipation...it sounded wonderful and I couldn't wait to try it...all those gizmos to play with. However for some reason I am unable to open any of the gizmos. Not sure why, but considering I am only half way through looking at all the links for my activities this week, I will leave this to a later time to explore. It looks really good, you can add up to 6 classes and link all the interactive learning tools into each class. Students get a password and can log on to interact with these. Engaging and perhaps self paced as well as being self assessed.
This is an interactive graph where students can compare data over a timeline about various things such as deaths from earthquakes or child mortality rate. It is colourful and engaging, although it could be hard for younger students to 'read' as you have to hover the mouse over the bubbles. I found the bubbles confusion but the map was more user friendly as you could clearly see which country you were looking at. Okay I looked at the example embedded into our learning site.....and now I am able to read this with more understanding. (Note to self: follow all the instructions.)
And that is all tonight.
I have completed and explored Engagement activity 5.
I know Power point is considered old hat by many, but I really love this tool and have used int already in many lessons to hook or engage students. I am attempting to upload some power points that I have created.
(This is the hardest part...working out how to
do all these things)
I am attempting to use Scribd to upload
this....but it is taking a very very long time. We will wait and see if it
works.
Success!!!! Here is the link to the blogpost page with this on...
Power Point has been a friend for a very long time and I have used these many times in the classroom. Discovering the virtual museum has been a revelation for me. I love this! what a wonderful way for a student to present information on a famous explorer or artist.
See my attempt at a virtual museum below. Only a couple of the paintings on the wall have hyperlinks.
Me talking to Cassy about the fairness of assessments.
Saturday, 23 November 2013
START USING SMARTART.
How can art enhance learning?
Here is a your tube clip I created showing the results of a year 7 class lesson in writing sentences, using golden words (descriptive adjectives etc). The children wrote these after they created artworks and then saw these sentences in their art pieces.
(Please excuse the few errors in this You Tube clip and the fact that this ends so abruptly, need to learn how to fade the music out...also I know it is a little fast on some slides and you will have to pause it to have time to read. )
I believe passionately that artistic people see the world in a different way and that having the ability to create can not only enhance learning but add to the quality of life. Teaching children to value and love creativity is the first step.
But why do some embrace this and others reject this?
Can all people become artistically creative?
I guess it is the same as singing. Can nearly all people sing? Yes! But can all people sing well? No. So how does this affect people?
I know from experience that, while I love singing, I am not good enough to feel that I could stand in front of my peers and sing a song, however I will sing a song with my closest friends and have fun singing with family or with people that I know will not judge my voice or lack of. So I am a private singer. Do I enjoy singing? Yes! I love belting out (murdering) a good song that I love, particularly in the car.
So how does this relate to say...painting a picture?
Can all people paint a picture?
Yes! Of course you can...you pick up a brush and just start putting colour onto the canvas.
Anyone can create a piece of artwork.
Will it be amazingly realistic or another Picasso?
Possibly not, unless you are classified as gifted...talented...etc.
Does this mean that you would not enjoy painting?
No...given the right opportunity and encouragement most people enjoy playing with paint just like most people enjoy belting out a song.
Okay then, what happens, why do most people who do not feel artistic refuse to pick up a brush? Young children never refuse.
Give a very young child a brush and some colourful paint and they will paint until your fridge collapses under the weight of treasured 'masterpieces'.
Then one day they look at a peer's perfectly painted roses... or a person picks up their drawing of... a dog in a park with a tree in the background... and asks them.. "why is a crocodile in the park and what is that thing in the background?".. as this person views the artwork sideways through squinted eyes.
Suddenly the embarrassed child makes a decision.
I can't paint and I am not artistic.
So just like the person that won't sing in front of the class, they wont draw or paint in front of the class.
Okay...so why do I think it is it important that children all feel safe enough and confident enough to pick up that brush?
Because art can enhance learning.
Being creative should not rely on having an amazing talent, being creative should be something we all enjoy.
