Bright LIGHT
Let's try blogging! This is a safe and protected way for your students to blog in an education environment. The blog (frog in a blender), actually web log, does not have to be posted as a searchable page. You will give your address to those you want to invite.
Please visit the sites below and watch the video - HIGHSCHOOL.COM (Going Online for Classes - Virtual Classrooms) and/or An Incredible Journey - Project-Based Learning. To blog - click on comments in the bottom corner. You do not need a login - choose anonymous, please sign your name at the end of your posting.
Happy Blogging!
Dianna and Jane
posted by DB @ 10:23 AM
12 Comments:
The article about VHS was a good one. I am glad they mentioned that students would need to take responsibility for their own learning in order to do this. I love the variety of classes that can be offered. I think that this would be a good thing for our kids on the verge of dropping out. Does anyone know if Aurora do this for us now?
Matt Moll
As an Agriculture teacher, I am a very strong supporter of project-based learning. Each of the 6 different courses I am teaching this semester has some type of semester-long projec that they are working on. The best example of this type of teaching/learning is the Summer SAE class and my Agribusiness Management class. The summer SAE class requires students to work in an agriculturally related job area for the entire summer while keeping records of hours, pay, skills, etc. This is punctuated by regular visits from me throughout the summer to evaluate their job skills and records.
In all, I feel that by creating a project-based learning environment, we allow the students to explore industries that they might not have access to in other situations. The hands-on learning is extremely valuable.
I am not so sure how I would be able to coordinate my projects with other teachers around the school, but I would be willing to try. I can show how I relate all my lessons to other teaching areas, but I don't know if I would like having to plan around another teacher's lessons at the same time.
Amber
I assume that virtual learning is the wave of the future. Students will probably have little trouble with this transition. However, the role of the teacher would undergo drastic changes. To quote the first article, "Joyce McClanahan is a lead teacher with the West Virginia Virtual School's online Spanish courses. Her day starts at about 6 a.m., when she logs on to her computer to answer email messages. She finally winds up by 10 p.m. or so, after logging many emails and phone calls with students throughout the state."
HOLY COW. As if those work hours aren't shocking enough, I thought the next paragraph is even more surprising, "...(She) has a tollfree line students can call after school hours when they need a little extra help with their work or to study for a test."
Again, the world of teaching continues to evolve.
Heather --again--
I watched the first video and I thought it was interesting that the teacher felt she knew her students better in the virtual setting. Why? (for those of you who didn't see the video) Because when she was working with a student, it was completely one-on-one. I find that intriguing!
Also, like the video notes, virtual learning would only work for a truly self-motivated student.
I can remember in college hearing about inquiry based learning and believing that it was a lot of fluff. However reading this article it puts it in perspective. So often we hear about a certain method but don't see concrete examples. The project-based learning makes more sense now that it is shown in perspective. As I read more and more about different methods of teaching, I have come to a better understanding of the true nature of teaching and learning. Our goal is to help students to think critically and learn on their own. To accomplish this goal, we must try different approaches including interdisciplinary teaching.
Virtual learning appears to be a new wave of teaching. Certainly it will not be the end all be all approach, but it certainly provides many more opportunities to students and teachers. It seems that as we go towards online classes, it becomes more important to make students more self-directed.
I wonder what would happen if Franklin went all-virtual? Would there be a positive response from the students? They're alread "plugged-in" as we see an abundance of iPods, cell-phones, gaming devices, etc. Will it let student work at their own pace? How would our jobs change? Would we even have a job? Would it build relevance, rigor, responsibilty, relevance, and relationships? Would if fit our three beliefs? Would some subjects be more applicable than others?
I enjoyed the Highschool.com article but I was unable to watch the video. I can see many postive aspects of online classes especially for those students who have health or family problems. I do think we need to be careful and not view online high schools as cure all for the problems facing schools today.
I see the advantages of virtual classrooms, but I hope that school systems realize that they shouldn't replace schools. We have noticed that students are becoming more isolated from each other due to headphones, spending evenings on the computer instead of with people, etc., and I think students who only connect to teachers and peers online aren't forming real world relationships. Gwen C.
PBL is wonderful if used correctly. Too many teachers hand out projects with no essential (driving) question. I have also heard teachers who utilize PBL complain that they cannot take part in common assessments, which concerns me. Any project should still focus on the standards that students will learn as a result of the lesson. We are not testing details, but we are testing skills. Projects should not be a way for teachers to shirk their responsibilities.
Kirby
PBL is wonderful if used correctly. Too many teachers hand out projects with no essential (driving) question. I have also heard teachers who utilize PBL complain that they cannot take part in common assessments, which concerns me. Any project should still focus on the standards that students will learn as a result of the lesson. We are not testing details, but we are testing skills. Projects should not be a way for teachers to shirk their responsibilities.
Kirby
Online is great. It works and gives fast feedback. It sounds like Moodle would be a great way for us to get students familiar to the online class world.
From an online student of mine, comments on blogging:
"There are bad blogs just like their are bad internet sites. However, there are quality Blogs being used. I have used a blog for the past two years with my high school students. Their age certainly helps, because they are very computer literate and we talk at the beginning of the year about the do's and don'ts of blogging. A couple of great things about blogging;
1. You can find out how each of your students feels about particular issues.
2. Students who are quiet and reserved often do well at voicing their opinions on the computer.
3. It's a great way to introduce a subject and find out prior knowledge.
I invite you to check out my Blog www.politicsispower.blogspot.com I put a statement on the site reguarding capital punishment that I knew most of the students in my class would not agree with. We have not discussed this issue in class yet. We have done amendments 1-7 and tomorrow we will discuss this topic. I have some fired up students who are passionate about their opinion and they are ready to go. Next weeks Blog is abortion and the 14th Amendment if you would like to check in from time to time. :)"
Post a Comment
<< Home