Lorenza Masia's learning diary by Lorenza Masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc Made with a bit of madness en-us 2016-06-07 12:38:16 UTC 2026-02-17 06:18:55 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Beartoy.png About me lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113928989 Hi everybody! My name is Lorenza. I am italian and I live in a small town near Venice. I have been teaching English and German to adult italian for the last 3 years. Last September I started working in a primary school. 

I hope this MOOC will help me learning how to use technology in my classes. ]]> 2016-06-07 12:41:15 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113928989 My teaching context  lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113929040
I teach mostrly adults during the summer and children (6-10) from september to June. I can't describe te schoole where I work because I don't have one. I change every year. 
So far I have seen only  a LIM in the LIM classroom and some computerns n the computer lab. Both those classrooms require a reservation. 
The classroom layout is very traditional. Students sit in rows in front of the teacher's desk facing the blackboard. ]]> 2016-06-07 12:41:41 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113929040 lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113940363 2016-06-07 13:41:12 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113940363 1.2 - What is PBL and why use it lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113942374
Importante to bare in mind:

PBL is not about memorizing but it is about deepen the knowledge of the students. LEARNING BY DOING

1) CRITICAL THINKING (ask questions, for example)
2) COLLABORATION (research, be collaborative in teams, find out the solution/s)
3) COMMUNICATION 

in the end students can produce posters, have a presentation, ecc...

How can I use this PBL in the primary school? How can we reaserch and try to find the answers with little children? 


]]> 2016-06-07 13:45:40 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113942374 Resources lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113943690 Nice tool to crete cards]]> 2016-06-07 13:53:04 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113943690  1.3 P2P  - Reflections on our current teaching practice lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113980163
I am teaching a 3rd grade primary school class. Children are 8 years old. I teach English and it's not super easy as it seems!
The set of my class is not very comfortable, the students sit in a row in front of the teacher's desk and there's no way to move thier desks to create a better environment.  Sometimes I try to do works in pairs or in group (my pupils are 8 years old) but they are extremely noisy and don't want to speak english for a long time. 
I let them manipulate the book, I explain the excersise and then I leave them trying to figure out how to solve it, in pairs. I have noticed they prefer to work alone and then correct with the partner. 

I sometimes use some approches such as looking for information and thinking about what they ahve learnd but so far I haven't seen much progress and the students get tired and bored very easely. 

Playing games is the best option I have found out to make my children practice and use the english language. It's very difficult for them to remember the words and I am convinced they will learn more and more with PBL. 

For example I would like to do an activity about Clothing

1) class brainstorms about words thy already know
2)creating a mind map looking for some new words using the books or images given by the teacher
3) in collaboration , in small groups (4 children per group) they create their own shop, drawing or printing the clothing, cutting them out and naming them.
4) creation of a little book with all the clothing, describing the coulour and the size.
5) play a game where they have to go to the other groups and ask for a specific dress, or trousers. Practicing.

]]> 2016-06-07 17:44:35 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/113980163 1.4 Components of a good PBL lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114601191
If I think about my context I think all the 5 keys are very difficult to realize. 
Collaboation is always a challenge, children tent to work alone insted of sharing, eventually they would check togeter but anyone wants to to alone, to show off, and show they can do the excersise. Is very difficult to trigger interest and attention because my children are always very noisy and easely bored. You ask them to play a game, they are bored. You ask them to find out why, they are bored. No way to improve critical thinking skills. That's why next year I'm going to try with PBL. And I already know it' will be a success!
The space in the classroom doesnt allow teachers to work in groups and at the same time assessment is another issue. There are so many parts that needs to be verified. 
Thinking about a good PBL project will be hard but probably will be a solution for many of these problems mentioned above. ]]> 2016-06-14 12:25:50 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114601191 1.4 Components of a good PBL resouces lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114602230

Real-World Connection http://www.edutopia.org/video/real-world-connections-keys-pbl-series-1

Core to learning  http://www.edutopia.org/video/core-to-learning-keys-pbl-series-2

Structured Collaboration http://www.edutopia.org/video/structured-collaboration-keys-pbl-series-3

Student Driven http://www.edutopia.org/video/student-driven-learning-keys-pbl-series-4

Multifaceted Assessment http://www.edutopia.org/video/multifaceted-assessment-keys-pbl-series-5

]]> 2016-06-14 12:35:20 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114602230 1.4 The 5 key components of PBL lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114602682 1) REAL WORLD CONNECTION: students need to have a real problem to face.
2) CORE TO LEARNING:  the importance of the scaffolding done by the teacher
3)STRUCTURED COLLABORATION: students must collaborate in a way that has a meaning and a goal
4) STUDENT DRIVEN: the teacher is just a facilitator and must ask the right questions. this will improve Collaborative & teamwork skills, as well as critical thinking skills.
5) MULTIFACED ASSEMENT:  different skills and competence can be verified.

With PBL:

* Students become more engaged an self-directed learners

* learn more deeply an transfer their learning to new situations

* improve problem-solving skills

* perform as well or better on high-staker tests

]]> 2016-06-14 12:39:01 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114602682 1.5 The Driving Question lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114604772 the driving question is the question that i the principleguideline for the PBL project. 
The student will have to go through this question to improve their critical  thinking.
The question shoul be open-ended and trigger students' curiosiy

Good driving quesin are non-Googleable questions. The answer your tudents are looking for should not be strait-forward, to force them to read, find out and try to give their best answer.

]]> 2016-06-14 12:54:51 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114604772 1.6 P2P formulating your driving question lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114763660 As we know, the question should be open-ended, engage and inspire students by creating curiosity, be aligned to the learning goals, and at the same time be non-Googleable.
As anticipated in 1.3 I would ask my students to create and develop a clothing shop.  I teach English in a 3rd grade primary school class (8/9 years old) in italy and I think this task would be very interesting and would call their attention.

the question: in group research and build your own clothing shop,  you have to choose the clothes, the colours, the size and the price. Try your best to describe the clothing to sell them.

The goals:

  • know to search for word they don't know                    
  • learn the colours and learn the name for the clothing           
  • improve their ability of working in groups, 

  • learn how to share ideas and    
  • Learn how to produce their own material            

  • Improve writing skills            
  • Aquire self-esteem and autonomy 


]]> 2016-06-15 20:33:15 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114763660 Treviso, where I live lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114920784 2016-06-17 15:29:26 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114920784 2.1 collaboration lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114980436 what is collaboration? This picture shows perfectly what can be reached with team work and collaboration. One ant alone would have never been abile to nove that log, togeter the work is stilo hard bit certanly easier to accomplisch. 

]]> 2016-06-19 13:18:04 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/114980436 2.6 P2P Learning Designer lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115167616 2016-06-21 16:22:57 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115167616 2.6 P2P Learning Designer  lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115167843 2016-06-21 16:26:40 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115167843 2.2 What is effective collaboration? lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115168315 2016-06-21 16:33:41 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115168315 2.3 Effective Collaboration for PBL inside the Classroom lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115168356 2016-06-21 16:34:31 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115168356 lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115619854 2016-06-28 20:59:48 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115619854 3.5 P2P building PBL learning designer lorenza_masia https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115619872 https://v.gd/ak31aW]]> 2016-06-28 21:00:21 UTC https://padlet.com/lorenza_masia/8kd9s18cussc/wish/115619872