My learning diary by Cristina Dias https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67 Yes, I can! en-us 2019-01-23 16:10:41 UTC 2019-02-12 15:20:54 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Folder.png Introduction... Cristina Dias crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/323578650 Hello everyone! I teach Arts and crafts in a small town, Pinhel. I am responsible for two classes of students without a big interest in learning, so they're a big challenge for each teacher, including me, of course! I think that's the main reason why I got so very interested in this course. I hope to get acquainted with some new strategies to motivate them...]]> 2019-01-23 17:37:32 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/323578650 Student's interests (1) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/323704909 As I teach 2 classes with special difficulties, we all, teachers, were invited from the beginning of the school year, to adapt the contents, to diversify learning strategies and to involve students in their own learning, making them part of the process. They have been responding quite well, exception made for those who would rather be in activities mainly outside school, as the ones who want to be farmers, for instance. Those are very challenging and we are still looking for ways of motivating them. Nevertheless, all of them are atracted to new technologies and to out of school learning experiences. Yet, I think we have to run a path in order to know them better. ]]> 2019-01-23 21:53:29 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/323704909 Examples of types of education (1) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/323709662 Formal - to complete a degree of Master on Education;
Non-formal - to learn how to use the Padlet through a tutorial on internet;
Informal - learning how to cook with the grandmother]]> 2019-01-23 22:16:43 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/323709662 How to link different learning settings (1) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/323718987 For instance, when I teach how to make a project with all the formal steps, I can lead the students to imagine how they make a cake with thir mom, step by step and then they can search a recipe from the internet. After they can understand that there is a method to make things succeed...]]> 2019-01-23 23:10:53 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/323718987 Ideas of how to empower students (1) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/324569985 To empower my students, I sometimes use brainstorming around an idea or a word given. They can all use their own experience or ideas to build a notion or definition and to reach new ideas. It enables the possibility to bring their own opinions and, at the same time, they become the center of the learning process and they feel  more engaged.
 Another idea, when the theme is more theoretical, is to prepare a quiz and lead the students to answer it using Kahoot, for instance or build a "treasure hunt" to be answered through hints  provided by QR codes. Students are attracted to these tools as they are digitally enabled. ]]> 2019-01-26 12:45:56 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/324569985 An example... (1) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/324570128 I have lots of stories, as I already teached professional courses. There was one girl that had already failed twice and she was adviced to subscribe a professional course in the gardening field. She loved the subjects, she turned the best student in class and after completing her sudies she got a good job. Now she's planning everything to open her own business.
This girl just needed to be in an area she liked, with the knowledge acquired, the love for the gardening and the self-confidence we all, teachers, helped her to be a well succeed woman.
]]> 2019-01-26 12:48:18 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/324570128 3 goals (2) - Cristina Dias crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326199971 Back again...
1st goal - to acquire new strategies to motivate students with difficulty to get interested in developing their knowledge;
2nd goal - as I am a tutor, to understand new techniques to help students in subjects such as math, making them more involved in their own learning;
3rd goal - to develop my professional qualities, not only theoretically but also in a practical way, choosing the best strategies to apply in a certain moment and taking into account the students' characteristics and interests]]> 2019-01-31 10:31:33 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326199971 High and low-skilled learners (2.2) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326217735 Having a class of high-skilled and low-skilled learners I would mingle them in groups, lets imagine to build a chair (as I teach crafts), for instance. The tasks would be divided among them, eventually, the high-skilled would make the project with the ideas of all of the group, and the low-skilled learners would direct the construction of the chair, because, most of them have a better spacial intelligence. Because, in my opinion, learning together and exchanging different knowledges is one of the best ways for students to learn and to get all more socially accepted.]]> 2019-01-31 11:37:01 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326217735 Students' interests and assessment (2.3 crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326511546 At school, in the beginning of the year, students fulfil a survey where they mention their preferences and interests which are summarized to characterize the class. Teachers can, then, reach their students' interests and link them to some of subjects' contents. It could also be possible to update the interests as we teach new contents.
My students are assessed by me throughout all the learning /doing process, because as they build things in my class, they are assessed through their projects, questionnaires,  check-lists and the final object.]]> 2019-01-31 22:37:33 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326511546 Personalized learning practises (2.4) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326753100 I've already used most of the personalized learning practises mentioned yet not very frequently. Those I use more often are:
- incorporating self-reflection and goal-setting, which is one of the best ways to involve the students in their own learning and  to keep the pace according to their learning rythme. Nevertheless, this practise doesn't allow the teacher to accomplish all the subject's contents, most of the times;
- using digital content and tools in a purposeful way is always a motivating and successful practise. The cons of this practise is that sometimes we don't have the necessary instruments (computers, tablets and even internet flow...).
Aditionaly it is possible to use a practise incorporating the students' personnal interests and likes to guide their knowledge through a confortable way]]> 2019-02-01 16:13:30 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326753100 Criteria (2.4) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326791835 I think some of the criteria for an effective personalized learning may be:
- a flexible content, which may adapt to the students' interests;
- motivated students;
- frequent formal assessment;
- linking the subject contents to real life; and
- transform learning in a collaborative effort bettween teacher and students.]]> 2019-02-01 17:25:09 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326791835 Learning tools (2.6) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326840024 One of the tools is the mindmeister, which allows teacher and students to create brainstorms around ideas or concepts in a collaborative effort.
The other is Kahoot, that I think is great to assess and for students to have an idea of what they know, what they can achieve and what they still have to learn.
]]> 2019-02-01 19:08:26 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326840024 My classroom... (2.7) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326941665 My school is old and the furniture isn't flexible. Of course, this is a barrier, although we have to adapt and improvise to put things our way. In my class, as I teach arts and crafts, students work in pairs (classical tables of 2 people) to draw and define their own project, so they can have individual help to improve their ideas. After the definition of the project, students go to working tables, at the bottom of the classroom, where they can begin the construction of the object defined (those are big tables, prepared to let students use equipments and tools, which are inside cabinets, to work material such as wood, paper or others. In this area, they can interact, exchanging opinions about their construction and helping each other with the supervision of the teacher. In fact, we all improvise, but so far, it has been productive and ingenious.]]> 2019-02-02 10:44:57 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326941665 Bridge the learning scenario (step1) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326944312 Project: Gender equality
Subject: Citizenship
Students: 7th grade (12-14 years)
Goals:
- be acquainted with "Malala"'s story;
- understand different types of culture and traditions;
- discuss and compare our reality with that presented by Malala;
- make a presentation of the conclusions and with suggestions of how could things improve in certain countries]]> 2019-02-02 11:19:40 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/326944312 Collaborative learning (3.2) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/327692946 · 1- I enjoy group work, because it's possible to exchange ideas, the work can develop in different places (sometimes) like libraries, camp work or others and the final product is always enriched by all the contributions.

2-  I often implement group work with my students in several situations:
 - to make projects of objects to be made in 3D;
 - to search about different topics, that in the end are discussed by all, including the class;
 - to participate in planned school activities;
 - to prepare outdoor activities with students.
 
3- ·       Eventually, I'd like to achieve new group work strategies, to involve students more and more, turning them more motivated and interested in learning.
]]> 2019-02-05 10:49:28 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/327692946 Group project (3.3) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/327699521 As my students work frequently in projects like this one, I'll describe one of these situations. I was teaching "integration area" to students of a professional course, the theme was"diferent cultures", so I divided the class in pairs groups, they choose from different cultures in the world (they couldn't repeat other cultures) and they searched for information about their own theme. They gathered all the information and used a digital tool chosen by them too (prezi, toondoo, canva....). Then they presented the final work to the class and the contents were given in a motivating way. 
The great challenges in this work were to keep students focused, because they found a great amount of information and consequently to make them resume all the information in few sentences to apply in their work]]> 2019-02-05 11:15:02 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/327699521 Students and collaborative learning (3.4) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/328325433 Considering the classes I have this year, the students prefer to work in groups, because they like to exchange ideas and work. The best way to get engaged, though, is to involve them in a project and to let them choose  what kind of activities they want to develop; then they get more interested and  more proactive and they even do tasks they thought they weren't able, all that for the group effort.]]> 2019-02-06 16:04:21 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/328325433 Student's groups crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/328332391 The division of students in groups depend always on the type of work to do, but I usually don't like  big groups; preferably they will have 2 or 3 elements, 4 at the most. When I want them to do investigation or research I try to mix students with different  learning rythms, in order to make all of them cultivate their resiliance and to be more proactive and collaborative.]]> 2019-02-06 16:15:32 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/328332391 Flexible classrooms (3.5) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/328350519 Yes, I think my classrooms are flexible and interactive, of course they aren't the greatest spaces in the world, but  we can always adapt them to the activities we want to develop . And in my opinion the teacher can make the difference - Yes, we can! - it's just to be creative ... I can give an example: one of my classrooms is very little and yet when I want to teach something more theoretical it 's ok and when I want them to research  we go to a ICT classroom or even use the library, another space is, most of the times, a solution that is attractive to us all.
But the video is clear when it shows that we can always make the difference, getting things better and improving all classroom schemes and furniture layout.]]> 2019-02-06 16:42:36 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/328350519 Collaborative and personalised learning (3.6) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/328373267 The video presented in this theme is very clear: working collaboratively in a classroom allows the teacher to entail personalised strategies to improve students' knowledges. And the improvement is not only lead by the teacher, because  the group can help each other and seek for more information. 
In the classroom, and so in groups there is just in time direct instruction, with varied strategies. Students have individual roles when collaborating with each other. The expertise of one is the key for the collaboration in group. So, the co-participation of each one is collaborative effort for the building of a deeper understanding.  It’s how, we, teachers, can empower our students in their own learning.]]> 2019-02-06 17:17:05 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/328373267 Effective collaborative learning (4.1.) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329800691 Yes, I agree with Phil. If there isn't a strong purpose and clear guidelines for students to achieve the best learning results, collaborative work won't  be a positive learning strategy. 
Another possible question would be: will higher and lower skilled students have their own objectives fulfilled? Because the interdependance promoted is very positive when each one's expertise is laid on behalf of the group.]]> 2019-02-11 11:19:33 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329800691 Checklists (4.2) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329808311 I have already used checklists like these presented. I used them to check each step of a project, for instance to assess students. In work groups, I usually give students a checklist for self assessment and for the assessment of peers; these checklists are very useful, because, most of the times, the students are very honest and proactive when suggesting improvements]]> 2019-02-11 11:46:10 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329808311 Assessing informal and non-formal lerarning (4.2.2) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329915116 The kind of projects shown  in the video, in my opinion, are so enriching that can be assessed in many different ways. Non-formal learning is the project itself with all the activities (courses, small reunions under themes, parties with a subject, visits and so on) and it can be assessed in informal talks, expressing opinions, self-reflecting or even simply when building  self-knowledge. 
Informal learning, in this example, is everything that is absorbed: cultures, traditions, jokes, differences between intervenients... and it is simply assessed when students apply their own knowledge in all types of learning and sometimes even in their own behaviour towards different kinds of people, being more tolerant, for instance...]]> 2019-02-11 15:37:19 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329915116 Outside classroom (4.3.1) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329932300 As a librarian teacher, I developed an activity with several classes in the library, where students, in groups, had to search for information about one portuguese writer. Information was in different places and had to be seek with digital apps such as Kahoot and QR codes. These aps gave information such as videos, sites to search, list of titles, the writer's biography... and allowed students to assess themselves with games previously prepared.]]> 2019-02-11 16:00:58 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329932300 Apps (4.3.2) crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329942929 I  like QR codes (https://www.qr-code-generator.com), because the app allows to use videos, text, music, links and so on, in order to give clues about the information on a subject.
Other app I really like is Kahoot  (https://kahoot.com) it allows to learn as if it was a game and the applicant sees howw good he is in the subject and what he needs to improve.

]]> 2019-02-11 16:17:16 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/329942929 Conclusions crisprof7 https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/330371607 And it's all... another course, another way to update types of learning. A teacher always seeks for more, the classes are always different and have new needs (emotional, psychological, educational...) and here we  are (teachers) trying to fulfil all the gaps we can. To my classes, this year, very defying... let's go on folks... Despite everything, I love my job!]]> 2019-02-12 15:15:06 UTC https://padlet.com/crisprof7/m0o41jk3mn67/wish/330371607