In August of this year I began a Masters course of study at Walden University. The following is a Reflection of my work during and before that course and the commonality between my efforts and the course itself.
A Reflection
My reflection will mirror what most teachers have known for a long time. In fact, I am confident that many teachers having performed similar analysis have designed their own class improvement strategies. But for me, as a former engineer new to the teaching field, my quest for a solution to what I perceived as educational shortcoming began in January 2010. As a consequence of my personal quest, this course was less of a revelation than an affirmation that I had chosen a good path on my search for educational excellence.
I had changed careers in 2006 because I felt that I could offer high school science students a different perspective, an engineering perspective. But after several years and a growing concerns that our country was slipping further behind in education, I decided to begin an analysis of my students and what might be done to rekindle the flame of discovery within each child. Using SurveyMonkey™ as my primary data gathering tool, I soon had proof of what I and most teachers probably already know, that is, 80 % of high school students spend less than 30 minutes on all homework combined and less than 10 minutes per night on math and science homework assignments. Furthermore, in math or math related subjects such as physics, homework often done incorrectly reinforces incorrect practices and theories.
Armed with this preliminary data and determined to modernize my approach to homework, I began to seek out the reasons why math and science were so feared by my juniors and senior physics students. Based upon pre-assessment testing, polling and student interviews, I concluded the following:
In General
1. Despite having passed algebra and trig, many of my students had not retained many of the basic concepts necessary for physics.
2. Preconceptions led students to believe that physics was a science/math intensive course. As a consequence, there was a feeling of hopelessness starting from the first day.
3. Because we are a regional high school, after school extra help was difficult to arrange and sporadic in attendance.
At Home
4. Parents, unfamiliar with physics concepts, could offer little assistance. Efforts to assist often resulted in student-parent frustration and conflict.
5. Standard homework was merely copied and often wrong, forcing a re-teach effort.
In Class
6. Classroom time was limited especially given the fact that we are a technical high school expected to cover all major physics concepts in 92 days, not the standard 180 days.
7. Students were often unwilling to admit that they did not understand certain topics for fear of peer ridicule and embarrassment.
8. Formative assessments often resulted in poor grades and loss of student confidence.
9. Any absence that required class room make-up time was difficult to schedule.
10. Any substitute teacher lesson plans were ineffective if the teacher was not familiar with physics.
11. Re-teaching of supporting math concepts was virtually impossible due to time restraints.
12. Regardless of my efforts to offer a varied pace of instruction, the pace remained beyond some students ability to keep up.
The Solution
In March of 2010, I began the design of what I would later call my Home Tutorials. These self paced multimedia tutorials are WEB based and viewable at home. In short, they are intended to supplement, not replace what is covered in class. In September of 2010, I launched my tutorials in my daily lesson plans. An example of the tutorials sent home to parents can be viewed at An Introduction to Parents http://voicethread.com/share/1265705/ and another example of an actual lesson can be viewed at Force and Friction http://voicethread.com/share/1003853/ .
Within weeks, comments regarding my Home Tutorials were filling my email. Subsequent emails continued to show support and a recent SurveyMonkey™ survey indicates that the intended goals are being met. Students who view the tutorials have shown marked improvement and those who do not take advantage of the tutorials seem to be having more difficulties keeping up. In an effort to encourage use of the tutorials, I maintain an email newsletter to parents. I also show weekly progress and inform parents of what we are studying. Also, in an effort to keep my course interesting and fun, I now embed a Secret Word within the tutorials which can be changed as often as required. The first five students to discover the secret word and email me immediately will receive 5 points toward their next quiz. This has been great fun and has also encouraged student-teacher communication.
Finally, this approach to homework seems to be teaching kids how to study. A course we should offer but never do. In addition, parents have reported that they enjoy the tutorials as much as the kids. Indeed, when I review the list of General, Home and In Class problems noted earlier, I can see the use of WEB based tutorials becoming the new alternative to traditional home study.
In this course, we have discussed how to present material in a way that would satisfy the needs of a diverse class room. We have also discussed Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and endeavored to implement the fundamental philosophies of that initiative. That is to:
• Provide multiple and flexible methods of presentation to give students with diverse learning styles various ways of acquiring information and knowledge.
• Provide multiple and flexible means of expression to provide diverse students with alternatives for demonstrating what they have learned, and
• Provide multiple and flexible means of engagement to tap into diverse learners' interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learn.
In a coincidental initiative started last January, I believe that I have drawn the same conclusions as enumerated by UDL and inadvertently initiated those philosophies in my Home Tutorial effort. Furthermore, I have made progress in engaging parents in a way that fosters academic achievement for their student and provided an environment that allows for self pacing without peer ridicule.
References
Universal Design for Learning. (n.d.). The Advocacy Institute. Retrieved October 31, 2010, from http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A Reflection
"I have learned throughout my life as a composer chiefly through my mistakes and pursuits of false assumptions, not by my exposure to founts of wisdom and knowledge.”
-Igor Stravinsky
Indeed, Stravinsky had it right. As humans we are in constant pursuit of excellence. We are always trying to improve upon the norm. Our quest, however, is never a straight path, but rather a serious of progression and regression. Never the less, to cease to strive is to cease to exist and we continue toward our personal goals undeterred by failure. More so than any other professional group, teachers have developed a certain tenacity that keeps them on that perpetual quest for excellence. It is the teacher that continually strives to improve their craft, not only for their personal satisfaction, but for the unselfish and often unheralded wellbeing of their students.
Long before this course began, I, like most teachers, had developed a insatiable desire to make a difference in our educational system. In order to affect a difference, however, I realized that it was essential to identify the problems. I began a study of my students in an effort to identify not only their needs, but on a broader sense, the needs of all students.
I identified these areas which seemed to require attention:
1. Diverse learning in the class room–
2. Poor study skills and the shortcomings of traditional physics homework
3. A need for greater home support
4. Poor math skills needed to support physics
5. Poor note taking skills
6. A sense of student and parental frustration.
7. Lack of a team approach
These categories of concern are typical among teachers and require no further explanation. Based upon these problem areas, I attempted to find a single area that I could focus upon that would affect the changes I was searching for. Coincidently, in May of 2010 I started a college course that required students to create a goal statement in the form of a GAME plan. Since this requirement seemed to dovetail nicely into my personal quest, I developed the following GAME plan.
Goal –
Improve study skills and parental involvement by extending my classroom into the home using lessons that are self paced, teacher generated, internet based home tutorials.
Action –
1. Determine probability of success through data acquisition and student/parental surveys.
2. Select the digital tools most likely to ensure success through ease of use and availability.
3. Use these tools to develop a model test tutorial and poll for effectiveness through data acquisition.
4. Establish close parent/guardian lines of communication.
Monitor –
Data acquisition and continuous monitoring of the effectiveness of my model tutorials was essential. Both standard formative and summative assessments were used as well as online digital surveys.
Evaluate –
Traditional assessments and data surveys of student and parents were used to gauge the effectiveness of my game plan. Appropriate changes were made and reevaluations were conducted. Based upon initial trials last semester, I am encouraged and will continue to develop other tutorials to be added to my Tutorial Library this September..
As noted at the outset of this reflection, more so than any other profession, teachers are continually searching for perfection. It is a natural attribute of the profession. It requires no college course or training. And while creativity in education cannot be taught only encouraged it can be copied, modified and utilized by caring teachers. The eagerness to share is another endearing attribute that teachers possess. A plethora of publications of new teaching ideas flood the internet, presented by teachers who care about continuing educational improvement. In fact,it is the new idea that, integrating technology into the classroom is essential to student achievement, that is the primary subject matter of this course.
Because an idea is published and perhaps even used successfully by many teachers, however, does not mean it will work for all. This is where the individual teacher must be the judge. Teachers must be judicious in the selection and use of a teaching tool. They must know their students.
This course spent a good deal of time emphasizing Story Telling. There is a place for Story Telling in every teacher’s bag of tools. In fact, it is a natural tool used by physics teachers to set the stage of the natural phenomenon to be studied. I use story telling at the outset of a new topic as my Schema Thought Question to stimulate the imagination of my students and draw relevance to the topic at hand. But, when Story Telling is used by the student as a means of expression or self inquiry, it is a tool that requires a cautious eye. It is a tool that students are more likely to use successfully in some courses and not others. Student generated math and science story telling projects could be limited in benefit and time consuming in development. A force fit.
But, successes and failures are commonplace in our quest for excellence. Teachers are continually looking to improve what, to others, might seem the perfect solution. We must do so, because the single most, ever changing variable in our formula for perfection are the students themselves. The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers has been designed to enhance and enrich the learning experience of students through an integration of standard teaching best practices augmented by state of the art digital enhancement. As time goes on the development of new tools will allow teachers even more choices. Like any tool in the craftsmen’s tool box, there is a need for some tools more than others. When and where a tool should be used depends upon the skill of the craftsman himself. As Stravinsky pointed out, we not only learn through our successes, we learn through our mistakes. If a tool does not serve the purpose, discard it and seek a new tool. If we discover a tool that achieves our desired goals, use it and most importantly, share it with others.
The aforementioned reflects my general thoughts on teaching and these thoughts are in alignment with much of the information presented in this course. The course itself was less of a revelation, however,than it was a reaffirmation of what I had begun last January and continue to develop in hopes of creating a new paradigm of home study centered around in class work. A home study plan that:
a. encourages parental involvement
b. is self paced,
c. limits student frustration and the fear of classroom competition,
d. whose effectiveness is measurable and
d. effectively crosses academic discipline boundaries.
-Igor Stravinsky
Indeed, Stravinsky had it right. As humans we are in constant pursuit of excellence. We are always trying to improve upon the norm. Our quest, however, is never a straight path, but rather a serious of progression and regression. Never the less, to cease to strive is to cease to exist and we continue toward our personal goals undeterred by failure. More so than any other professional group, teachers have developed a certain tenacity that keeps them on that perpetual quest for excellence. It is the teacher that continually strives to improve their craft, not only for their personal satisfaction, but for the unselfish and often unheralded wellbeing of their students.
Long before this course began, I, like most teachers, had developed a insatiable desire to make a difference in our educational system. In order to affect a difference, however, I realized that it was essential to identify the problems. I began a study of my students in an effort to identify not only their needs, but on a broader sense, the needs of all students.
I identified these areas which seemed to require attention:
1. Diverse learning in the class room–
2. Poor study skills and the shortcomings of traditional physics homework
3. A need for greater home support
4. Poor math skills needed to support physics
5. Poor note taking skills
6. A sense of student and parental frustration.
7. Lack of a team approach
These categories of concern are typical among teachers and require no further explanation. Based upon these problem areas, I attempted to find a single area that I could focus upon that would affect the changes I was searching for. Coincidently, in May of 2010 I started a college course that required students to create a goal statement in the form of a GAME plan. Since this requirement seemed to dovetail nicely into my personal quest, I developed the following GAME plan.
Goal –
Improve study skills and parental involvement by extending my classroom into the home using lessons that are self paced, teacher generated, internet based home tutorials.
Action –
1. Determine probability of success through data acquisition and student/parental surveys.
2. Select the digital tools most likely to ensure success through ease of use and availability.
3. Use these tools to develop a model test tutorial and poll for effectiveness through data acquisition.
4. Establish close parent/guardian lines of communication.
Monitor –
Data acquisition and continuous monitoring of the effectiveness of my model tutorials was essential. Both standard formative and summative assessments were used as well as online digital surveys.
Evaluate –
Traditional assessments and data surveys of student and parents were used to gauge the effectiveness of my game plan. Appropriate changes were made and reevaluations were conducted. Based upon initial trials last semester, I am encouraged and will continue to develop other tutorials to be added to my Tutorial Library this September..
As noted at the outset of this reflection, more so than any other profession, teachers are continually searching for perfection. It is a natural attribute of the profession. It requires no college course or training. And while creativity in education cannot be taught only encouraged it can be copied, modified and utilized by caring teachers. The eagerness to share is another endearing attribute that teachers possess. A plethora of publications of new teaching ideas flood the internet, presented by teachers who care about continuing educational improvement. In fact,it is the new idea that, integrating technology into the classroom is essential to student achievement, that is the primary subject matter of this course.
Because an idea is published and perhaps even used successfully by many teachers, however, does not mean it will work for all. This is where the individual teacher must be the judge. Teachers must be judicious in the selection and use of a teaching tool. They must know their students.
This course spent a good deal of time emphasizing Story Telling. There is a place for Story Telling in every teacher’s bag of tools. In fact, it is a natural tool used by physics teachers to set the stage of the natural phenomenon to be studied. I use story telling at the outset of a new topic as my Schema Thought Question to stimulate the imagination of my students and draw relevance to the topic at hand. But, when Story Telling is used by the student as a means of expression or self inquiry, it is a tool that requires a cautious eye. It is a tool that students are more likely to use successfully in some courses and not others. Student generated math and science story telling projects could be limited in benefit and time consuming in development. A force fit.
But, successes and failures are commonplace in our quest for excellence. Teachers are continually looking to improve what, to others, might seem the perfect solution. We must do so, because the single most, ever changing variable in our formula for perfection are the students themselves. The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS-T) and Performance Indicators for Teachers has been designed to enhance and enrich the learning experience of students through an integration of standard teaching best practices augmented by state of the art digital enhancement. As time goes on the development of new tools will allow teachers even more choices. Like any tool in the craftsmen’s tool box, there is a need for some tools more than others. When and where a tool should be used depends upon the skill of the craftsman himself. As Stravinsky pointed out, we not only learn through our successes, we learn through our mistakes. If a tool does not serve the purpose, discard it and seek a new tool. If we discover a tool that achieves our desired goals, use it and most importantly, share it with others.
The aforementioned reflects my general thoughts on teaching and these thoughts are in alignment with much of the information presented in this course. The course itself was less of a revelation, however,than it was a reaffirmation of what I had begun last January and continue to develop in hopes of creating a new paradigm of home study centered around in class work. A home study plan that:
a. encourages parental involvement
b. is self paced,
c. limits student frustration and the fear of classroom competition,
d. whose effectiveness is measurable and
d. effectively crosses academic discipline boundaries.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Week 7 - NETS
There seem to be two standards within National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for teachers and students standards that are very closely related to my ongoing efforts to design and promote a new approach to home-study. They are:
"Teachers will design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity”
And
“Teachers will participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.”.
By now, reader and fellow students who have followed my blogs are aware of my pet project. That is: teacher generated, home-based, self paced tutorials. I believe that through the use of these tutorials, students can improve their understanding of physics. As such, this personal initiative seems to align closely with the intent of NETS, that is, to strive for ongoing continue improve in our educational system.
Indeed, I am an advocate of the use of technology in our schools where there is a fit. What I will not advocate is technology for technology sake. Teachers must be guarded. They must ensure that the tools they intend to use will yield significant benefits to the student. Anything else is a gimmick. I recall a college professor long before calculators could fit in one’s pocket. His subject was physics. He did more with a piece of chalk and a blackboard than many teachers do today with all the technology they can grab. The point is this. Technology is a tool that we should use judiciously and not at the expense of polishing our teaching technique. When we stand in the front of our classes, we are on our personal stage. We must zealously grab and hold the attention of our students as that old professor did. Anything else is not teaching, it is presenting.
"Teachers will design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity”
And
“Teachers will participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.”.
By now, reader and fellow students who have followed my blogs are aware of my pet project. That is: teacher generated, home-based, self paced tutorials. I believe that through the use of these tutorials, students can improve their understanding of physics. As such, this personal initiative seems to align closely with the intent of NETS, that is, to strive for ongoing continue improve in our educational system.
Indeed, I am an advocate of the use of technology in our schools where there is a fit. What I will not advocate is technology for technology sake. Teachers must be guarded. They must ensure that the tools they intend to use will yield significant benefits to the student. Anything else is a gimmick. I recall a college professor long before calculators could fit in one’s pocket. His subject was physics. He did more with a piece of chalk and a blackboard than many teachers do today with all the technology they can grab. The point is this. Technology is a tool that we should use judiciously and not at the expense of polishing our teaching technique. When we stand in the front of our classes, we are on our personal stage. We must zealously grab and hold the attention of our students as that old professor did. Anything else is not teaching, it is presenting.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Week 6 Blog
Revising my Game Plan
It is unusual to revise any plan without first testing it, however, I have built upon my original effort.
I have been advocating a new alternative to traditional homework since last March. An alternative that engages students and parents at a pace that can be adjusted to each students learning ability. This has been my game plan and I have endeavored to use technology as the tool for accomplishing this goal. Each in class lesson will be supported by these tutorials as addendums to in-class work.
I teach 11th and 12th grade physics to students who have found science and math a challenge in past years.
Limited in-class time makes revisiting math difficult. Never the less, since math is the language of physics, it is often necessary to revisit certain math concepts to ensure that my students can tackle associated physics concepts. I have revised my lessons to touch upon theses math concepts briefly in class but more importantly, I have included them as a tool in my self-study WEB tutorials. In a preview last March, Juniors who had difficulty in algebra, had shown significant improvement after viewing the tutorials. Therfore, I have added a basic algebra tutorial to my plan. Soon I will be adding trig. It is important to note that because these lessons are WEB based lessons intended as home-study work, physics class time has not suffered.
See Algebra; Some Basic Math at http://voicethread.com/#u723481
What goals do I continue to strive for?
My goal is to continue to focus and improve upon my self-paced physics tutorials. I will continue to solicit input and collect data until my students show significant improvement.
Revising my Game Plan
It is unusual to revise any plan without first testing it, however, I have built upon my original effort.
I have been advocating a new alternative to traditional homework since last March. An alternative that engages students and parents at a pace that can be adjusted to each students learning ability. This has been my game plan and I have endeavored to use technology as the tool for accomplishing this goal. Each in class lesson will be supported by these tutorials as addendums to in-class work.
I teach 11th and 12th grade physics to students who have found science and math a challenge in past years.
Limited in-class time makes revisiting math difficult. Never the less, since math is the language of physics, it is often necessary to revisit certain math concepts to ensure that my students can tackle associated physics concepts. I have revised my lessons to touch upon theses math concepts briefly in class but more importantly, I have included them as a tool in my self-study WEB tutorials. In a preview last March, Juniors who had difficulty in algebra, had shown significant improvement after viewing the tutorials. Therfore, I have added a basic algebra tutorial to my plan. Soon I will be adding trig. It is important to note that because these lessons are WEB based lessons intended as home-study work, physics class time has not suffered.
See Algebra; Some Basic Math at http://voicethread.com/#u723481
What goals do I continue to strive for?
My goal is to continue to focus and improve upon my self-paced physics tutorials. I will continue to solicit input and collect data until my students show significant improvement.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Week 5 Post - 6713
As this is a summer course, it is difficult to assess the effectiveness of any changes to my teaching practices or introduction of new technological tools. I believe that I have a certain advantage, however, in that prior to this course, I spent a good deal of introspective time considering what I could possibly change in my teaching practices that would have the greatest impact on my students. I decided that seating myself down at each student’s kitchen table each evening and helping my students on a “one on one” bases was the way to go. Unfortunately, while the prospect of a free supper was enticing, I sensed that inviting myself into my students home could have negative consequences. Never the less, my target goal of improving my student’s understanding of physics was undaunted and being a technogeek anyway, I decided that I would create a new approach to extending class time and providing a targeted, individualized lesson for each of my 180 students.
In early March I polled a dozen parents of struggling students using SurveyMonkey and phone conferences asking the following-
“If a self paced lesson that provided additional “one on one” tutoring were provided to your struggling student could be provided, would you ensure that your child attended the session?”
The answer was a resounding yes, but it was qualified with the comment that my child cannot stay after school because there is a transportation problem. A comment I had anticipated. At this time the parents did not know that I was intending to provide the additional help via the WEB.
The second question –
“Whose responsibility is it for your child’s education? 1. The Teacher; The student; The parent; The administration; All parties.” Most answered that they felt it was the student, the teacher and the parent. Follow-up questions usually stated that they would be happy to assist their student, but physics was intimidating.
The third question – How much homework does your student do each eveninging? ..physics? …all subjects?” I had asked my graduating seniors the same question and was surprised to find that they seldom did any homework. It is a malady that all teachers are contending with, especially for juniors and seniors.
Based upon the answers to these questions my WEB based tutorials that allowed student/parent study at a self paced tempo was designed.
(In order to answering the questions for this assignment, I consider the effectiveness of my WEB based tutorial initiative.)
How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?
Both students and parents have commented on the tutorials and while it is an evolving task, the feedback has been outstanding.
What have you learned so far (in the course) that I can apply to your instructional practices?
I have used WIKIs and Blogs in the past and their use is questionable. I am not a fan of digital assessment and question its effectiveness especially in diverse classrooms. I have learned that we must continue to strive for a better way of teaching and the WEB may have a great benefit.
What do you still have to learn?
Each day a new question arises. This, in part, is the joy of teaching. Teachers are continually learning something new. Each day there is new discovery.
How will you adjust your plans to fit current needs?
Teachers are continually modifying their strategies. I am often amazed at how a homerun in the 9:ooAM class can be a strike out at the 1:30 pm class. In order to adjust my plans, I must consider the abilities, likes and dislikes and the aspirations of my students. There is no "one answer-fits all" to this question.
In early March I polled a dozen parents of struggling students using SurveyMonkey and phone conferences asking the following-
“If a self paced lesson that provided additional “one on one” tutoring were provided to your struggling student could be provided, would you ensure that your child attended the session?”
The answer was a resounding yes, but it was qualified with the comment that my child cannot stay after school because there is a transportation problem. A comment I had anticipated. At this time the parents did not know that I was intending to provide the additional help via the WEB.
The second question –
“Whose responsibility is it for your child’s education? 1. The Teacher; The student; The parent; The administration; All parties.” Most answered that they felt it was the student, the teacher and the parent. Follow-up questions usually stated that they would be happy to assist their student, but physics was intimidating.
The third question – How much homework does your student do each eveninging? ..physics? …all subjects?” I had asked my graduating seniors the same question and was surprised to find that they seldom did any homework. It is a malady that all teachers are contending with, especially for juniors and seniors.
Based upon the answers to these questions my WEB based tutorials that allowed student/parent study at a self paced tempo was designed.
(In order to answering the questions for this assignment, I consider the effectiveness of my WEB based tutorial initiative.)
How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?
Both students and parents have commented on the tutorials and while it is an evolving task, the feedback has been outstanding.
What have you learned so far (in the course) that I can apply to your instructional practices?
I have used WIKIs and Blogs in the past and their use is questionable. I am not a fan of digital assessment and question its effectiveness especially in diverse classrooms. I have learned that we must continue to strive for a better way of teaching and the WEB may have a great benefit.
What do you still have to learn?
Each day a new question arises. This, in part, is the joy of teaching. Teachers are continually learning something new. Each day there is new discovery.
How will you adjust your plans to fit current needs?
Teachers are continually modifying their strategies. I am often amazed at how a homerun in the 9:ooAM class can be a strike out at the 1:30 pm class. In order to adjust my plans, I must consider the abilities, likes and dislikes and the aspirations of my students. There is no "one answer-fits all" to this question.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Monitoring My Game Plan
(This post seeks to complete the assignment required for course 6713 – week 4 of Walden University. In order for the reader to appreciate what this assignment refers to, it will be helpful to review APP3 and the previous posts to this BLOG. http://mrcsphysicswiki.wikispaces.com/Extra+Credit )
This week’s assignment asks that students post their progress toward their individual game plans. As noted in the previous descriptor, Blogs and posted Applications (APP3), one element as noted in the previous BLOG stated that my classes tend to be a unique mixture of varying abilities. It goes on to say that this broad range of abilities and the lack of sufficient class time hindered my student’s ability to grasp key physics concepts. The solution I proposed was to develop, what I called an on-line “Tutorial Matrix” that was teacher generated and related to the subject matter of the actual class. I said that this matrix, started last March, seemed to have hit the mark and preliminary feedback was great.
In fulfillment of this assignment and based upon the enthusiastic feedback from both parents and students, I would like to report that I continue to generate these tutorials. Since much of the information required for this effort is self generated and specifically designed for my student population, there are few resources that I need call upon to reach my September goal of a complete first quarter tutorial matrix. Furthermore, I remain convinced that this approach of offering a self-paced home-study plan for both parents and students will yield good results and I need not modify my approach until me next student/parent SurveyMonkey poll in November.
This week’s assignment asks that students post their progress toward their individual game plans. As noted in the previous descriptor, Blogs and posted Applications (APP3), one element as noted in the previous BLOG stated that my classes tend to be a unique mixture of varying abilities. It goes on to say that this broad range of abilities and the lack of sufficient class time hindered my student’s ability to grasp key physics concepts. The solution I proposed was to develop, what I called an on-line “Tutorial Matrix” that was teacher generated and related to the subject matter of the actual class. I said that this matrix, started last March, seemed to have hit the mark and preliminary feedback was great.
In fulfillment of this assignment and based upon the enthusiastic feedback from both parents and students, I would like to report that I continue to generate these tutorials. Since much of the information required for this effort is self generated and specifically designed for my student population, there are few resources that I need call upon to reach my September goal of a complete first quarter tutorial matrix. Furthermore, I remain convinced that this approach of offering a self-paced home-study plan for both parents and students will yield good results and I need not modify my approach until me next student/parent SurveyMonkey poll in November.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Resources Necessary to Implement My Game Plan
(This post seeks to complete the assignment required for course 6713 – week 3 of Walden University. In order for the reader to appreciate what this game plan refers to, it is helpful to review App 3. see link http://mrcsphysicswiki.wikispaces.com/Extra+Credit )
What resources will you need to carry out your plan (video, reading, experts or colleagues, etc)?
In order to carry out my plan:
1. it is imperative that all students have access to the WEB. In a recent poll, 85% of all students do have access and the remaining students will have access through the use of the library computers during study hall.
2. Since only a portion of each period of my class involves theory, a video projector is required to allow for WEB visual reinforcement.
3. In order to replace traditional homework with home study time, online tutorials which can be accessed via the WEB must be geberated. Each tutorial lesson will track in class work.
4. For this particular lesson, students will be introduced to a WIKI to facilitate student interaction toward a common assignment goal.
5. Close collaboration with parents, encouraging a multi team approach of teacher and parent will be encouraged, via email correspondence and parental access to the tutorials themselves. Parents will understand that the ongoing (perpetual) homework assignment is to access the tutorial as often as required to understand concepts, supplement in class notes and learn how to study.
What steps have you been able to take so far?
1. Thus far, I have begun to generate my online tutorial matrix.
2. I have tested the effectiveness of this new approach and polled parents and students as to their opinions of the effectiveness of the new approach. Initial polling is encouraging.
3. I have generated an on line polling process using SurveyMonkey®, a WEB based survey tool, to encourage parental feedback in order to modify my pedagogical approach as required.
What resources will you need to carry out your plan (video, reading, experts or colleagues, etc)?
In order to carry out my plan:
1. it is imperative that all students have access to the WEB. In a recent poll, 85% of all students do have access and the remaining students will have access through the use of the library computers during study hall.
2. Since only a portion of each period of my class involves theory, a video projector is required to allow for WEB visual reinforcement.
3. In order to replace traditional homework with home study time, online tutorials which can be accessed via the WEB must be geberated. Each tutorial lesson will track in class work.
4. For this particular lesson, students will be introduced to a WIKI to facilitate student interaction toward a common assignment goal.
5. Close collaboration with parents, encouraging a multi team approach of teacher and parent will be encouraged, via email correspondence and parental access to the tutorials themselves. Parents will understand that the ongoing (perpetual) homework assignment is to access the tutorial as often as required to understand concepts, supplement in class notes and learn how to study.
What steps have you been able to take so far?
1. Thus far, I have begun to generate my online tutorial matrix.
2. I have tested the effectiveness of this new approach and polled parents and students as to their opinions of the effectiveness of the new approach. Initial polling is encouraging.
3. I have generated an on line polling process using SurveyMonkey®, a WEB based survey tool, to encourage parental feedback in order to modify my pedagogical approach as required.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
