Assignment 4A: Interactive Game

I have tried a number of interactive games with my classes, and I do really enjoy KahootIt, but the one I am sharing today is a Jeopardy game.  I use the format as a review for quizzes quite frequently in my classes because the students seem to enjoy it so much.  This Jeopardy game is designed to review the Greek and Roman Gods/Goddesses, their realms, symbols and picture identification skills.  The students have had a lot of practice and I usually play the Jeopardy game with them the day before a quiz or a test.

I randomly divide the class into three large groups.  Each group writes down a batting order and submits it to the teacher.  The students are usually sitting in tight circles around a couple of desks so they can communicate quietly to one another.  I have three chairs in the front of the room and the PowerPoint showing on the overhead LCD projector.  Each team sends their designated representative up to the front chairs to begin the game.  One student chooses a category and I show the question to the whole class.  No one can speak until the three students in the front have had the opportunity to answer the posed question.  When the three in the front raise their hands, the teacher decides whose hand goes up first and calls on that students to answer aloud.  If one of the three students in the front gets the correct answer, then that team is awarded the points. Then the next three students come to the front and we repeat the process until all the questions are answered.

If the three students in the front are not able to answer the question correctly, each team may submit a written answer and I will rotate who has the first, second and third chance to steal so it if fair.  The team that ultimately answers the question correctly gets to choose the category for the next round and wins the points.

Once we have answered all of the questions, we add up the points and play a final Jeopardy round.  Each team keeps track of ALL of the points earned so there is extra accountability; I keep track too.  The team that wins usually gets some extra credit points or a sucker.  The students are very competitive and engaged during the entire lesson.  Reviewing has never been so much fun.

I can differentiate this lesson by printing out the slides and making sure that my students who need to be able to read the questions off a paper instead of reading it off a screen can.  I sometimes allow my special education students to take a small note card up to the front with them to help them remember some of the names they have a difficult time pronouncing.

I provide the students with a excel spreadsheet at the end that has all of the questions on it.  Each student sitting in his/her seat, will write down the answers to each of the questions, like a practice run of the quiz, so they have an extra study tool to review that afternoon.  The quiz, or test the following day will be the measure for how much the students learned.  I have also used a "ticket our the door" routine where the students will write what they found valuable or learned today in class.  That is another way to check for understanding with an interactive game lesson like this one.

Assignment 4B: Book Review

Horn, Michael B. & Heather Staker, (2015). Blended Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools.  Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA.,287 pp.

Michael B. Horn is the co founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation.  He is the executive director of the institute’s education program.  He and his team are striving to “transform monolithic, factory-model education systems into student-centered designs that educate successfully every student and enable each to realize his or her fullest potential” (Horn & Staker, 2015, p. xxv).  He has co-authored books, written many educational articles, is a frequent keynote speaker at educational conferences around the country and sits on a variety of educational boards.  Heather Staker is a senior research fellow at the institute.  She has written many educational articles, taught at Harvard and was named by Scholastic as one of the “Five People to Watch in Education in 2012” (Horn & Staker, 2015, p. xxvi).

Major players in the educational world like Vicki Phillips, the director of education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to the governors of Florida, West Virginia, and North Carolina hail the book as transformative for schools.  They state that the book is a field guide to maximizing what online learning has to offer as it is blended with the best of stand up teaching. 

The book is divided up into four main sections.  The first section is focused on research that proves the need for blended learning in schools.  The second part of the book shows schools how to create a plan for their school to follow that is unique and custom.  The third part of the book focuses on the implementation of blended learning and how to choose the technology to support the chosen content.  The final section of the book discusses the right culture for change, and how to establish an environment to maximize the effectiveness of the changes. 

One of the most interesting ideas presented in this book is the positive effects of a “flipped classroom.”  A flipped classroom is the opposite of how traditional classrooms operate.  Instead of giving the lectures and presenting material in class, students “homework” is to watch lectures, review notes or PowerPoint presentations in order to access the basic information needed.  Instead of having to complete that laborious task in class, students can do this at home at their own pace.  They can go back if they need something reviewed and take notes at their own speed.  Now, class time is used for the extension of those ideas already presented.  Class time is now when the more challenging and engaging learning happens instead of that learning happening at home where they do not have access to their teachers or their classmates.  Horn and Staker note that “Classroom time becomes a time for active learning, which thousands of research studies on learning indicate is far more effective than passive learning” (Horn & Staker, 2015, p. 43).  I think this flipped classroom has the potential to allow teachers to engage their students in higher level thinking activities and assignments that are exciting and enriching.  Included in the book are two examples of what a flipped classroom looks like in action.  I love seeing what this looks like in an actual classroom with students as opposed to hearing testimonials from professionals.  With this book, you get to see the suggestions in action which is more effective, more interesting, and more persuasive to the reader. 

Another highlight of the book is the assertion that teachers don’t need to do EVERYTHING.  When Summit Public Schools made teacher lectures optional, most students still attended.  The staff didn’t see dramatically improved learning outcomes.  However, when the number of students attending the lectures got so small the teacher gave up the lecture and held an informal group discussion, magic happened.  That was the type of setting that yielded very positive results regarding more learning.  The students enjoyed the “discussions” far more than lecture, were more involved, and learned more faster.  Horn and Staker note that “Teachers were no longer lecturing, but were instead answering questions and facilitating discussion.  Not only that, but both students and teachers enjoyed this type of engagement and found it to be productive.  Shedding assumptions of what teaching has to look like as schools redesign learning environments is critical to unlock the potential of blended learning”  (Horn & Staker, 2015, p. 172).  What a relief, as a teacher, to be able to embrace the classroom as a place for all to learn, communicate, ask questions and grow. 

The last highlight of my book seems like such a simple concept, but it is often very difficult to change the classroom climate.  It is very difficult for schools undergoing any kind of major change, especially any of the changes mentioned in this book.  Horn & Staker state that in order to change culture you have to first, “Identify and define the problems that need to be solved in the new organization and then solve them.  If the solutions are successful, then repeat until the processes and priorities become reflex within the organization’s culture” (Horn & Staker, 2015, p. 225).  It seems so simple, identify the problem, have a small group offer suggestions on how to fix the culture and if it works, great; and if not, keep generating ideas and trying different solutions until you find something that works.  I really like the idea shared in the book of beginning each meeting with everyone sharing something worth celebrating.  In my school, we are using restorative circles for discipline and to create a stronger on campus community for students and teachers.  I think opening meetings with a circle where everyone shares something can improve relationships, which is the heart of a school’s culture.  

21st Century Teacher/Learner

After spending time considering the ways in which I am a learner in the 21^st Century, I realized that I am someone who uses the digital world to learn in many ways, but I don’t see computers, electronics, and the Internet as the educational Holy Grail that my children see it as.    My son uses an online math program called Jiji at his school.  He loves it.  However, once he got to the challenge questions, my husband and I honestly couldn’t help him anymore.  There were problem solving spatial problems I could not figure out.  He was only in the first grade and I was shocked I couldn’t help him with his first grade math.  I spent an entire evening trying to figure out the correct answer to one question.  I sent him to my mother, a mathematical genius, who also couldn’t figure it out.  I was out of ideas and he said “no problem, I will just look up how to do it on YouTube.”  First of all I couldn’t believe he immediately thought of YouTube as the answer, and secondly I didn’t believe his Jiji math problems would be on there.  Well, I was wrong.   He watched the tutorials and was able to complete the challenge section of his math program independently.  That is when it first hit me that students today are definitely learning differently than I do.  My children use YouTube to teach them how to build Legos, make Rainbow Loom bracelets and draw animals.  I do not look to the internet first, I generally look to people to teach or help me learn something.  That being said, I am finishing my Master’s Degree online so I am becoming more of a 21^st Century learner.  I use the Internet to research information, to find pictures of what something looks like, or to gather ideas.  I do still prefer to learn and access information in a linear way, very opposite to what Mattan Grifffel was describing in his “Crash course in Digital Literacy” lecture.  He was describing learning something new in stages that allow the entire picture to become more clear as you learn more and more about your subject rather than learning one thing at a time and moving on to the next concept.  He suggests learning the big picture first and then focusing on concepts once you have a place to “hook” them.  I don’t think I learn like that; I am usually looking for a sequence or an order.  I also find Prezi Presentations interesting to look at but again, it seems they lack order.  In some ways I am definitely embracing the technology available to me as a learner in the 21^st Century, but in other ways I prefer a pen, paper, a linear approach and a book.

I believe I am also transitioning into a 21^st Century teacher in many ways.  I am learning different ways to use technology so that it can help my students learn more, faster, be more engaged with the material, and communicate what they know through a broader variety of products.    Students respond better to information that “looks” a certain way and technology has helped me put information together for my students in a more modern and appealing way.  I access short videos, clips, news reports, audio readings and many other digital media to engage them in the curriculum.  Student production capabilities are enhanced because of the various technology tools available to them.  I can offer a greater choice of learning products because there are so many interesting and creative ways for students to express themselves in the 21^st Century.  Also, I use technology to help my students reach a greater audience with their learning products because we can e-mail, publish, and easily share what they are creating.  Using technology to allow them to connect and share what they are learning helps build buy in on the part of the student and I am continually impressed by what they can create.  Technology has also improved my communication between parents, students and myself as the teacher.  I can communicate with parents and students through e-mail, the Goggle Classroom, my school website, Teleparent, ABI, and so many other avenues that have only become available in the last few years.  It is an exciting time to be a teacher; there is a lot to learn. 

I think that in order for me to become a more confident 21^st Century learner I will need to branch out and try new tools available to me when creating my learning products.  I noticed in my reflection process for my Master’s Degree I have opted to write a more traditional paper whenever given the choice.  Even though I can create a PowerPoint, I find it interesting I would still prefer to write a paper.  Prezi is new to me, but I am going to try to learn how to use it effectively as a way to convey information.  The “thing” I usually ask for when I need to learn something new is time.  I need the time and freedom to play with a new form of technology in order to become comfortable with it and there is just not enough of that to go around.  

However, I am excited about the tools available to me as a learner and a teacher and am committed to learning how to utilize some of these technologies this year.   Dr. Doug Belshaw discussed at length in his TED talk that “The place to develop these digital literacies is the overlap of the two circles.”  He was referring to the circle of individual interest and the circle of important issues.  I am looking for ways for students to learn how to create something like a meme to express an opinion, persuade others to agree with them, and publish what they have created in a public forum.  That overlap seems to be the sweet spot of educational utopia where the students are interested, learning, and creating something that is valuable.  I want to use digital literacy skills to allow my students to find their voices and learn how to make an impact with their words/ideas.  In order for me to ask them to do this, I need to learn how they might accomplish those goals first. 

References:

[Media Evoluion / The Conference]. (2014, August 19).  Mattan Griffel – Crash Course in Digital Literacy.  [Video File].  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTZqv9tCDtY.

[TEDx Talks]. (2012, March 22).  The essential elements of digital literacies: Doug Belshaw at TEDxWarwick.  [Video File].  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8yQPoTcZ78.