Hmm.....just the title is enough to make you already hear, "Are you tattling or reporting?"
But somehow, elementary teachers still try to play superman and think that 2nd/3rd graders can actually work cooperatively and respectfully. Nevertheless, group work somehow manages to turn out without too many tears or hurt feelings.
For my collaborative lesson plan, I chose to use a Wiki Space. I had to think about a way that I could get students to use technology in a way that required no at home work (I can't expect all my students to have a computer with Internet at home) and they are not old enough to drive themselves to a library. So therefore, I had to come up with something that could be done all in class. The students also do not have email access so it is hard for them to be allowed at school to privately sign in to a wiki and make changes. This weeks lesson plan, I decided to use a wiki over Martin Luther King Jr. and use it more for a self-guided tour through the assigned projects.
When they visit the Wiki with their group, they will see several assignments that they must complete. For example, a video, a PowerPoint, listen to speeches, and complete some Q and A's. They will practice dividing up their assigned tasks and working together to make sure ALL the assignments are done. Each group will report to me who is in charge of what, and then be responsible for sharing that information with the rest of the group.
Thankfully, using a Wiki will cost me nothing since it is free to start them. I used a PB Wiki which all I had to do was sign up and log in. In the future, it might be fun to have each student create their own Wiki (since they are free) and have the students work in groups to complete a project. But first, since they have not experienced Wiki's, I wanted something that would be pretty easy for them to navigate through.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ashley, I like your idea of grouping them up to work from a pre-made wiki. You're right in that we can't make it a homework assignment because so many oof our students don't have internet access. Did you make the MLK wiki or did you find it online? It sounds similar to a webquest and I would love my students to try one of those.
ReplyDeleteI think you have hit on something with regards to collaboration. A product does not necessarily need to be made shows they have collaborated. Rather, working together and distributing the work equitably is a collaborative task in itself. You have also taken into consideration technology restraints that my cause some students to be unfairly disadvantaged.
ReplyDeleteAshley,
ReplyDeleteYou make some great points about students not having access to the internet. I think this is the biggest issue in regards to using wiki's on a regular basis in the classroom. As a teacher you have to provide time for the students to access computer and the internet as school. In high school this is easy. They have specific time set aside in the week for students to work. In elementary school you have to devote class time to for students to access the wiki's. You really have to plan for it in elementary. Good job!
I really like your idea. I also chose to use a wiki. I like it because you can see your students work even when you edit it. I also liked how you incorporated other technology tools into your lesson. How long are you planning for this whole lesson? It seems like a pretty long project, but those can be the most fun!
ReplyDelete