Saturday, May 28, 2011

ETC_Final Project


Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario

Glenn Shelton

Brief Overview: The State of North Carolina requires ninth grade English students to take an End of Course Test. Instead of doing the boring worksheets and games where students recite back the information, I am having my students create the review materials using prezi, animoto, or any other Web 2.0 tool they feel comfortable using. The goal is for the students to create relevant examples of the concepts they have learned during the semester.

Target Audience: My target audience is my ninth grade English I students as they are preparing for the EOC’s.

Materials:  
            Laptop Computers
            Internet Access
            My Moodle Page
            List of EOC Term Created by School System Coordinator
            Tagxedo.com
Teacher Creation

Objectives:
Students will be able to
            1. define the EOC term in their own words.
            2. analyze a resource for its relevancy to give EOC terms.
            3. design a multimedia project that illustrates a term they choose.
            4. create the multimedia project using various tools.
            5. analyze fellow students work.

Procedures:
1. Students
of mixed ability levels
will be placed in groups of 3 to 5
2.
The groups will then be assigned five to six terms from EOC list.
3.
Students will then choose within through groups the terms they want to define

    and give examples of in their project.
(Students can divide up extra words for extra

    credit.)

4. Students will then become the
“expert” on their term and rely on other group members

   
for help portraying their word. (Example: If they decide to videotapea portrayal of

   
“conflict”or help brainstorm ideasto create a visual representation.)

5. Students then click on the
EOC term in a tagxedo creation by teacher (or other

   
student). By clicking on the term, they are automatically led to a Google search for

   
definitions, images, and activities using their term.

6. After completing the Google search, the student will then complete a multimedia

   
project using a Web 2.0 tool of their choice.The product must containthe definition of

   
their assignedword, an example, and a visualization.

7. After completion of their project, the student will then place
it on the class

    wikispace page.

8. Student will then evaluate other student
s’ projects leaving only positive comments

    or questions.

Web 2.0 Tool
1. Tagxedo (New)
2.
Wikispaces (New)
4. Presentational Tool
 of Student’s Choice
(Prezi, Animoto, etc.)

Social Participation/Social Learning:
Within their groups, students will select
the word(s) from the ones assigned to their group they beli
evethey can illustrate the best. Students must analyze as individuals the relevance of the Google search that Tagxedo providedThey may seek other group members help/ The students then need to design/create a multimedia project that will be posted on the class wikispace page. They must rely on their group members if they decide to videotape and to brainstorm ideasAfter they post their projects on the wiki, each student must comment onotherstudents’ work and respond to comments left for them by other students.

Making Connections
Students will be connecting terms they have previously learned and applying them to real world surroundings. The new knowledge the students will obtain is the application of the literary and grammar term, along with a working knowledge of technology tools.
  The students will connect to other classes covering the same material. The connection to real world is through making all the projects public on the different Web 2.0 tools.

Create/Produce
The students will create a multimedia project and compile them with other groups to form a review for the upcoming EOC
on a Wikispace page.

Rubric

Element
Superior (25)
Excellent (22)
Great (20)
Good (18)
Literary Term
Illustrates/Defines literary term correctly, but in a unique manner
Illustrates/Defines literary term correctly
Defines literary term correctly but fails to illustrate it.
Does not correctly define term.
Illustration
Students produce illustrations using various forms of media.
Students produce illustrations using one type of media.
Students gather various media but fail to produce their own.
Students gather media from only one source or one type.
Presentation
Students use a Web 2.0 tool correctly.
Students use a Web 2.0 tool with minor glitches.
Students use power point.
Students create an incoherent presentation.
Grammar Spelling
Group does not have any spelling or grammatical mistakes.
Group has less than 3 mistakes.
Group has less than 6 mistakes.
Group has over 6 mistakes.



Reflection
Students will determine if they have a deeper understanding of the terms they were assigned
by examining other students’ assignments
. They will use their previous knowledge from the course study and compare example they and their peers haveprovided compared to the examples we have studied in the literature we have read. They will also evaluate their use of technology toolsin comparison to the first time they used the tool or the willingness to attempt to work with a new Web 2.0 tool.

Teachers will reflect on the cohesiveness of the project and if the students were able to create an orderly product that illustrated the students’ grasp of new terms.
by using the above rubric.

 



5 comments:

  1. I really liked the video. The cartoon part was awesome and neat. It is obvious you use these tools quite often.Great job.
    Derek

    ReplyDelete
  2. I also thought the cartoon turned out well! Having the students create their own review materials for their upcoming standardized tests was a great idea, as now they are learning and applying a 21st century skill rather than just going over the material and studying it in a traditional manner. Great work!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great way to have students prepare for a standardized test. You have them working higher on Blooms Taxonomy! They're synthesizing instead of just memorizing. Your use of the laptops and web 2.0 tools makes the review process so much more engaging and your video, especially the cartoon example, illustrates you plan really well. Nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I was in a session at a district inservice and the presenter mentioned tagxedo. I haven't looked at it since but it seems worth the time. Are all these tools free? I LOVE English and I remember the days of rote memorization and learning terms and concepts in the traditional manner. Although we learned it, it's a struggle this day and digital age to get students to learn the way we did. Using these Web 2.0 tools brings the concepts to life and moves students more towards mastery as opposed to regurgitating information and then losing it after the test. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your video is impressive! I think that this assignment sounds fun and interesting and again, I could modify it for use in Summer School, since we have those dreaded End of Course Exams as well for Biology. The courses I teach during the regular school year (Human Anatomy & Physiology and Chemistry) do not have EOCs, but I can still tailor the assignment for use in those classes as well.

    I've learned from experience that students retain the information better when they have to gather it and produce something using it. Study Guides that the class fills in together are useless, because they write it down and set it aside. This, however gets them actively participating and gives them something to be proud of when it is finished :)

    Thanks, Glenn!

    ReplyDelete