Yes I Can by Margarida Magalhaes https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3 Empowering Student Learning en-us 2019-01-23 21:40:16 UTC 2026-03-21 22:15:13 UTC hello@padlet.com 1.1 Let's get started - Activity 1 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323702452 Hello everyone,

I am a math teacher at a basic school very close to Sintra. It is a challenge to be a teacher these days and it is a greater challenge to be a teacher who can motivate and engage students. I believe that the main solution is to create an empathy relationship with each student, but it is also the innovation of the pedagogical strategies and the ternological resources that we use. That's why I'm here. 
]]> 2019-01-23 21:43:52 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323702452 1.2. Starting from student’s interests - Activity 2 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323702774 My students are between 13 and 18 years old and are distributed for different years and different school paths and for this reason I apply different strategies in different classes.

In my opinion, the involvement of students in the development of activities is more and better when we choose to work in pairs or in small groups. When the activity is proposed by appealing to an autonomous work that respects the time of each student (or group of students) I believe that there is the acquisition of a wider and more realistic knowledge (practical or theoretical).

From the direct feedback and the results achieved by the students, I conclude that the students share my opinion, however I admit that I do not know all the interests and preferences of all my students. I believe it is a time-consuming process that can also be motivated and accelerated by creating moments of sharing and raising students' opinions on how we could engage their realities and preferences in the dynamics of class. 
]]> 2019-01-23 21:45:08 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323702774 1.3. What is formal/non-formal/informal learning? - Activity 2 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323712126 In a formal way I learned, for example, how to solve equations. I learned to solve equations at school in math classes, and the acquisition of this knowledge was tested and evaluated by the teacher from written assessment tests.

I think I learned to swim in a non-formal way. I learned to swim with my father, but it was something I wanted to do, I volunteered. I remember that I wanted so much to learn that I dedicated myself to this until I could do it. It is interesting to note that the same thing is in many places and / or countries taught in a formal way being considered in the programs of the ministry of education, but in other places it falls into the category in non-formal education, because essentially it only happens when someone seeks this theme or this activity.

In an informal way I learned, for example, to talk to people properly. We do not talk the same way to a friend, as we talk to a teacher, or to our parents. My way of talking to people was assimilated within my family, my country, my culture and was assimilated in a permanent and natural way.]]> 2019-01-23 22:30:04 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323712126 1.3. What is formal/non-formal/informal learning? - Article margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323712798 A very interesting article that explores the concepts of formal, non-formal and informal education.

It is written in Portuguese, has the title "Educação formal, não formal e informal: da trilogia aos cruzamentos, dos hibridismos a outros contributos " and can be found at the link: http://mediacoes.ese.ips.pt/index.php/mediacoesonline/article/view/68/0 (01/23/2019)]]> 2019-01-23 22:33:48 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323712798 1.4 Linking non-formal/informal learning & formal learning - My Post margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323878740 Formal education is very focused on results and results evaluation. I believe that in addition to thinking about results, we should think about and value the learning process. And it is in this appreciation of the process that we can and should include strategies that fit into non-formal and informal education.

Approaching subjects to the interests and needs of students and the school community is a good strategy because it demonstrates the importance and usefulness of what they are learning. This can be done through research projects, intervention projects, field trips, can be a one-discipline work, can be a job complemented by various disciplines ...
 Another strategy that also seems interesting is to give students autonomy and responsability. Working alone or in groups, they come into contact with the themes autonomously and at their own pace, even using different resources from their colleagues. With this strategy we bring some informality to the learning process and work on issues as important as autonomy and responsibility.

In the case of my students and in particular this year, I am developing the second idea presented in two classes of the 7th year (with two colleagues). The students work autonomously in groups (groups that change depending on the complementarity and pace of work) and are carrying out the activities that we are proposing. It is a project that is starting and so our participation in the work of the students is still great, but we believe that if we keep it until the 9th year the students will be more and more autonomous and will be able to bring more and more ideas of their inside the class.]]> 2019-01-24 13:11:09 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323878740 1.4 Linking non-formal/informal learning & formal learning - My comments margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323883218 "I like your ideas because they relate what your students learn to their reality and that is extremely helpful and motivating.
What I can suggest (and maybe you already do) is that in a second phase you can discuss with the students what they actually learned. Try to bring some conscious recognition to the students of the learning process through which they have passed."

"I like to say and think that it is projects like Erasmus + that help to avoid wars. The unknown fears, this type of projects shows that the unknown can be a person like us. It would be interesting to discuss with the students participating in the program how much they have learned about dealing with different people, how much they have learned to look at the world through the eyes of others."

]]> 2019-01-24 13:23:02 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/323883218 1.5 Strategies to empower students in their formal & informal learning - Activity 2 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324175112 This year I tutor some students. In one of the classes where we were working on the emotions, one student chose insecurity as one of the emotions with which she identified herself.
We talked about her choice and the student told me that she feels very insecure in most classes and that the fear of making mistakes and faults often means that she does not participate and does not try.
I know she practices gymnastics and then I asked her if she felt insecure when she was in the gym. She replied, "Of course not, everything is fine with gymnastics." So I asked her if she could do everything right the first time she had to do something new in the gym and she said no. I asked again, "So what do you do when you can not at first?" She replied that she would repeat the exercise until she succeeded. So I told her that it was this attitude she had to bring to school: try, repeat, try, until she can.
In this situation I just wanted to show her that she was not insecure that she could change her perspective on herself and for that I tried to use one of the things she liked best.]]> 2019-01-24 22:27:30 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324175112 1.5 Strategies to empower students in their formal & informal learning - Activity 1 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324518167 In the previous activity I have already presented the project in which the students are working autonomously and at their own pace, in pairs or in small groups (this configuration is changing). The great advantage of this strategy is that it avoids apathy on the part of the students. It may seem strange but it is by giving responsibility to the students that they start working by themselves. I feel that the fact that the teachers do not do any work on the board forces (but positively) the students to work. There simply are no students who do not do any work.
Another activity I am developing is the use of the Khan Academy platform by an alternative course course. I note that Khan Academy motivates students in two ways, the first is that the platform has a gamification side, which makes them feel they are playing and then compete with each other. On the other hand, since this class is the last of the week and the students know that they will perform tasks on the platform associated with the content they are studying this week, there is some motivation to learn so that later they can achieve the challenges of the platform as soon as possible and with better classification.]]> 2019-01-25 22:04:22 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324518167 I'm from Portugal... margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324519050 2019-01-25 22:11:16 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324519050 I'm a math teacher!!! margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324519198 2019-01-25 22:12:36 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324519198 I live near Sintra margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324519324 2019-01-25 22:13:50 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324519324 2.6 Tools for personalised learning - Khan Academy margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324519831 "Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. We tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Our math missions guide learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art, adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps. We've also partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content."

www.khanacademy.org

]]> 2019-01-25 22:17:54 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324519831 1.5 Strategies to empower students in their formal & informal learning - my comments margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324521253 "I really like your ideas, I'm passionate about museums and literature and unfortunately the young people of today are a little bit away from it. Another very important thing that you refer to is the ability of people to know how to put their points of view and to defend their ideas with good arguments, you work this out in the debates. But I raise a challenge, you put the students in a debate to defend the side with which they would not agree. Doing this exercise forces them to do more research, you can make them realize the other side by improving empathy and respect for people with different opinions."

"I loved your idea. It's so good to get in touch with books, plunge into a good story. Doing this and then being able to share it is wonderful. The contact between children of different ages is also very important because less and less children play in the street and in schools they are divided by ages, to promote this contact is very positive.]]> 2019-01-25 22:28:51 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/324521253 2.1 What is personalised learning? margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326239350 My favorite definition of personalised learning:
"The term personalised learning does not really make sense, because really all learning is personal. Personalised instruction is trying to imagine the greatest amount of ways that you can customise a curriculum to the abilities and the interests of the individual student." – Randy Bass, GeorgeTown University]]> 2019-01-31 12:57:02 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326239350 2.2 Why personalise learning? Activity 1 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326244598 My favorite video:
Video 3: Different Intelligences
https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMan/videos/10155864292192909/?t=7]]> 2019-01-31 13:13:51 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326244598 2.2 Why personalise learning? Activity 2 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326266638 Thinking in these groups separately and also in a very general way, I consider that for the group of highly qualified students, I would prepare a relatively complex activity that aimed at creating something (an object, a project, solving a problem), in the development of the activity, the contents would appear as needs. The goal would be to allow students to use their creativity and choose their way by connecting content from various areas, using the resources they understood, knowing (us teachers) that the students would run into the knowledge we wanted them to learn.

For the low-qualified students I also consider the project a good idea, obviously it would have to be a fairly simple project. Presenting a challenge that may be connected to the students' daily lives and that may involve different resources makes the contact with the topic that we want to develop much more motivating. It would have to be a more focused activity that eventually needed to review previously taught content and allow the student the time he needed.

If we have a class with these two types of students, we could consider, in specific situations or activities, put the most qualified students to guide low-skilled students. We would, in this situation, promote the development of other skills in students and it is also interesting to see that sometimes students find ways to explain what they have learned, very different from ours.]]> 2019-01-31 14:08:01 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326266638 2.3 Formative assessment – identifying what your students know and need - Activity 2 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326613101 It is very interesting the strategy adopted by many companies that hold meetings with the whole team at the beginning of each week (or fortnight) and plan the work for that time. At the end of the week (or fortnight) they meet again to evaluate what was done or not, what went well or not.
Importing this dynamic into our classes would be very useful and enriching. Students would learn to have a sense of planning, be forced to make compromises, and share how they would like to work. Evaluation in this process is also very rich, because as from the beginning both the student and the teacher know the objectives to be achieved, there may be a constant management or adjustment of the work that is being carried out which is no more than a constant formative evaluation .
In my case, in the classes where I can invest mainly in self-employment, I use an evaluation grid of the work that the students and I have to fill weekly. At the end of each week, each student has to assess the amount and quality of work he has done, as well as his or her attitudes, then I also fill in my "opinion" and if there is a difference in assessment and / or the realization that something should be changed, I have a conversation with the student in order to try to adjust and / or improve the situation.]]> 2019-02-01 09:50:42 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326613101 2.4 Managing diverse learning paths - Video summary margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326893944 7 principles of personalizer learning:
+ Varied Strategies
+ Just-in-time Direct Instruction
+ Choice and Voice
+ Mastery-based Assessment
+ Choice for Demonstrating Learning
+ Flexible Pacing
+ Co-planning Learning

]]> 2019-02-01 22:06:46 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326893944 2.4 Managing diverse learning paths - Activity 1 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326898998 “Just-in-time Direct Instruction”
+The constant assessment with proper feedback and adjustment of what to do next is undoubtedly one of the best learning practices. I think that getting it to apply only has advantages.
- It is very difficult to apply. I believe all teachers would do it if they could. It takes a lot of time to develop and correct evaluation tools, and it takes a lot more time to be able to give complete feedback to each student. With classes with more than twenty students with only one teacher inside the classroom is particularly impossible to add to the fact that teachers have multiple classes.

“Using Digital Content and Tools in a Purposeful Way”
+ I consider as a great advantage of the integration of digital platforms or applications the motivational factor. Students (in general) naturally feel motivated to work on computers or tablets. When the chosen resource has, for example, a gamification or competition strand, it becomes even more motivating for students. As we live in the age of technology, it does not make sense not to integrate this type of resources into teaching practice and to integrate them we are also promoting computer literacy by the students.
- We can only use this strategy if we have access to resources which in reality often does not happen. The use of any digital resource must have, as the practice itself says, a purpose and must be naturally integrated in what is intended to be achieved. On the other hand, I believe that this integration should not be excessive, I believe that in teaching with children and young people the use of digital resources should be a complement to face-to-face teaching. It is also in the school that social skills are developed and for this reason it is very important to continue to have face-to-face contact work.]]> 2019-02-01 22:43:26 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326898998 2.4 Managing diverse learning paths - Activity 2 - My Post margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326903637 In my opinion, personalized learning is promoted when two main criteria are guaranteed:
- Respect for the time each student needs to learn something. Within each class we have students who can perceive everything "at first" and solve all the challenges or proposed activities and students that take more time. The question of speed is not always associated with the quality or depth of acquired learning, and for this reason it is so important to give the student the time he needs.
- The freedom that the student has to choose how to learn. It is inevitable that this freedom is dependent on available resources, whether temporal, technological or human. But we should always show the student that he can try other ways and not stop students when they try.]]> 2019-02-01 23:28:45 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326903637 2.4 Managing diverse learning paths - Activity 2 - My comments margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326904381 "I like your idea about managing the position of the tables in the classroom. It's something we can all do because we have the resources and can have very positive effects. Involvement of parents is also such an important point but in problem areas it is sometimes very frustrating work."

"I agree. If the center is the student everything that is done is personalized."]]> 2019-02-01 23:38:50 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326904381 2.7 Personalised learning & flexible learning spaces margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326947084 My seventh grade class has 20 students and two math teachers. We opted for autonomous work by students who are organized into groups.
The drawing below represents the current disposition of students in one of these classrooms, but the number of groups and the number of students per group is constantly changing. The management of groups is essentially done by us (teachers) based on the pace of work and way of working, but students can also give their opinion.
We (teachers) distribute the tasks that the students have to develop and then during the lesson we move from group to group to ask questions, remember concepts and complement the information made available.
We only have one computer in the room that is used by the students to search and / or for us to show videos or images that we consider relevant.]]> 2019-02-02 12:08:51 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/326947084 3.1 What is collaborative learning margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/328014127 "Collaborative Learning is a teaching strategy that encourages student participation in the
learning process that makes learning an active and effective process. It is a set of educational approaches also called cooperative learning or small group learning. "(Torres, P. L.; Alcantara, P. R.; Irala, E. A., 2004:3) (My translation)
I decided to select this small definition because it alludes to the connection between collaborative learning and the existence of work groups.

"a group learning activity organized in such a way that learning is dependent on the socially structured information exchange between students in groups and in which each student is responsible for their own learning and is motivated to contribute to the learning of others."
( MATTHEWS et al., 1995; OLSEN; KAGAN, 1992 apud Torres, P. L.; Alcantara, P. R.; Irala, E. A., 2004:3) (My translation)
In this definition I highlight the motivation to contribute to the learning of the other. It is a very interesting part in that we feel part of a group and feel useful in that group.
------------------------------
References:
Torres, P. L.; Alcantara, P. R.; Irala, E. A. (2004) Grupos de Consenso: uma proposta de aprendizagem colaborativa para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem;  Revista Diálogo Educacional, Curitiba, v. 4, n.13, p.129-145, set./dez.]]> 2019-02-05 20:28:29 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/328014127 3.2 Why collaborative learning margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/328530136 I like to use the methodology of group work because I consider that the students have more freedom and autonomy in the construction of their knowledge. For me there are two basic but fundamental characteristics that group work almost always respects: the speed of student learning and the different ways of reaching the same place. Working in groups it is much easier to respect the time each student or group needs to reach a goal and on the other hand students can discover different ways to reach the proposed goal, or the teacher can use different strategies (adapted to the students or group of students) to support the work of the groups.

In this school year two of my classes already work in groups in all classes, groups that are constantly adjusting. The type of group work we do is still very much oriented. The groups are getting the tasks they have to do as the previous ones run out. They are tasks exclusively directed to the mathematical contents that are part of the curriculum and the students are doing the tasks with our help and through the collaborative work that exists between them.

I note that even with this work we do, which is not flexible, there is an increase in student motivation. Students feel more involved and more responsible and this is reflected in the work they do. However, I would like to be more audacious, in the sense of not proposing such closed tasks, but rather to be able to bring to the class activities or projects related to their interests that were later to meet the mathematical contents. It would be even more interesting if I could get them to bring these activities and these projects.]]> 2019-02-06 22:55:05 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/328530136 3.3 Collaborative learning through project-based learning - Activity margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329474380 This year, together with the Natural Sciences teacher, in one of the 8th grade classes, I intend to develop a project work that aims to raise awareness of lower meat consumption.
The final result of the project will be a video developed with the Scratch or Python programming language, which will be on the school screens.
At the project implementation level, our idea is to divide the class into small groups with different responsibilities. One group would start working with Scratch or Python to familiarize themselves with these programs, another group would search for relevant statistical data to introduce, another group would be responsible for collecting data from a small survey applied at the school and another group would begin to develop a script for the video.
The area of ​​mathematics to work here is statistics and so it will be essential to provide times when all students are reflecting on the statistical data found and what data could still be calculated or collected.
There will also be meetings where each group shares what it has already done so that members of the other groups learn from their peers, but can also make some suggestions. In these moments the bridges and adjustments between the work of each group will be made and the next steps will be decided.]]> 2019-02-09 10:46:27 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329474380 3.4 Collaborative learning to build deeper understanding - Activity 2 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329477045 I consider it important that the groups be formed taking into account some level of affinity between the members of the group. In my opinion groups should not be formed just because the students are friends, but when forming groups has taken into account the existence of some enmity among the students.
In my experience and thinking about math discipline, the work groups that are organized in the classes where they work by group are essentially formed based on the ease with which the students perceive the contents or not, as well as the speed with which they carry out the activities.]]> 2019-02-09 11:22:13 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329477045 3.4 Collaborative learning to build deeper understanding - Activity 1 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329477796 I think the strategy is to perceive each student.
In general, all students need to realize that they are in a place where they are given value and where their interventions and contributions will be listened and valued, to feel safe and comfortable.
But, every student is a challenge. Some students feel more comfortable talking to the teacher, others with their classmates. Some students are difficult to reach, others are always ready to participate.
It is interesting how many students who are generally unmotivated change their posture when they are asked to explain what they have already learned to other students who have not yet succeeded.]]> 2019-02-09 11:32:41 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329477796 3.5 Collaborative learning in a flexible classroom margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329483670 I confess that what impressed me the most was the courage and the ability to develop this kind of work in a class of 36 students. At this moment I find myself doing this type of work but in a class of 20 students and we are two teachers. I believe that the existence of a "school culture" for this type of organization and work is essential to organize such large groups.
But the truth is that I wanted to try to implement this methodology also in the class where I am alone with 23 students. I have no freedom that this teacher has, my school is overcrowded, the same room is one class in the morning and another in the afternoon and we teachers also do not have our room. Any change you make has to be easily "dismantled" for the next class. However, I liked two strategies that had not yet occurred to me: the teacher's table is in the middle of the room, it's an interesting concept and it can even create interesting dynamics with different groups; the existence of white boards on various walls of the room, a very simple strategy that allows the teacher or even one of the students to explain or exemplify something "closer" to the elements of a group.]]> 2019-02-09 13:00:15 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329483670 3.6 Collaboration for personalised learning margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329514145 In a collaborative approach in which students do autonomous group work I fully agree with what was presented in the video. By grouping the students according to the bases they have in the discipline or according to the "normal speed" with which they can achieve what is intended, the teacher can adapt his approach in each group making it so personalized. On the other hand, the speed of some students will not hurt the speed of others, and this works both ways: students who are easy to understand concepts can go further and solve more complicated challenges (not having to wait at times when the teacher would stop the class to return to explain or take some questions) and the students with more difficulties will have their time to achieve the intended and will not be "abandoned in the way" as often happens.
I believe that in order to empower students whatever it is they must be given responsibility. The creation of "roles for collaborative learning"; or "encouraged to rely on each other for support"; or "students discuss issues with each other before bringing them to the teacher"; are some examples of strategies that are in the article that mix a collaborative and personalized learning and that give responsibility to the student "forcing" him to be part of the process]]> 2019-02-09 18:12:29 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/329514145 4.1 Elements of effective collaborative work margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/330002605 I agree that these questions are pertinent in the decision to apply a task in a collaborative learning approach, but I also consider that questions 2 and 3 can only be a diagnostic for a better organization of the task.
What I mean is that if the answer to the first question is yes, but for the task we have organized, the answer to the second question is no, it is not necessarily a sign that we should abandon the idea of ​​collaborative learning. We can ask other questions:
- What changes or adaptations should I make in the task so that everyone is involved?
- Do not I have to adapt the task to each group, changing, for example, the information made available, or even the objective to be achieved?
The same applies to question three. We should try to see if the problem is the task we are organizing.
I also agree with Phil Spoors on the need for there to be times when students listen to the teacher. There are basic or introductory concepts that can be passed on to students much more quickly through expository moments. By doing this the students will have more time to go further.]]> 2019-02-11 17:53:46 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/330002605 4.2 Assessment of collaborative learning - Activity 1 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/331243113 This school year in the classes in which I am doing collaborative work we are using two documents that may fit into the category of checklists, although they are not aimed at evaluating or balancing collaborative work, but rather for the evaluation of work and results of each student individually.
We have one document per student that has all the math topics to learn this school year and as the student is able to demonstrate that he has mastered some content this information is placed on the table. We consider it fundamental to make a more real evaluation of the student, because looking at this document we can see exactly what he has already achieved or not. On the other hand, as this document is shown to the student and often filled in together with him, gives him a sense of how much has already hit.
We also use a weekly work evaluation grid that I have already mentioned in activity 2.3. It is not a list directed to a single activity in which the execution of a particular task is marked / evaluated, but it is a table that aims to do with which students evaluate themselves, both in terms of posture and in terms of the results achieved.
I confess that I never involved students in building such materials. Maybe I have not done it because I think they are too young or because I do not have the time to do it ... I believe that engaging students in all phases of the learning process is giving them responsibilities and this, in my opinion, is always good and brings always good results. So here is a challenge for me in the future ...]]> 2019-02-14 12:25:28 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/331243113 4.2 Assessment of collaborative learning - Activity 2 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/331277296 When it is possible for us to involve our students in projects offering informal and non-formal learning opportunities we have to be aware that they will be able to learn much more than the content directed towards the discipline or disciplines that will be concerned. There is a possible development of so-called "soft skills" that theoretically and academically may not have much value, but it has a lot of personal development. I believe that this dimension must also be assessed.
Depending on the size, time or daring of the project, formal evaluation of the content acquired and / or tasks performed should be frequent. Building a portfolio, holding team meetings, and using task lists, already mentioned here, are good strategies. I also believe that this whole process of building and completing these materials will be richer if students are receiving feedback from project supervisors.
Regarding the evaluation of soft skills, I believe that the ideal is for the student to perceive his / her own evolution. We teachers, counselors, we can notice that a student already works better in a team, that already accepts opinions different from his or that can already express his opinions and we must keep that evolution. But we must also confront the student with this evolution, providing moments of self-analysis, where students identify what they did not and now do. It is this self-consciousness that is the greatest gain in acquiring new skills.]]> 2019-02-14 13:50:56 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/331277296 4.3 Student collaboration outside the classroom - Activity 1 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/332112703 I do not have many teaching experiences outside the classroom and the ones I have and I will share here have not involved the use of new technologies.
The first experience, which was directed to 1st year students, consisted of taking a walk through the center of the city with the students, so that they could identify geometric shapes around them. It was not a very elaborate activity, it was quite relaxed, the environment was informal and we could consider collaborative since they were the students to discover the geometric forms and to show the rest.
Another experiment, a little more elaborate, was the application of questionnaires to people the students were meeting in the street. The questionnaires were prepared in the classroom by the different groups with my orientation. In a second phase we left the classroom and went to the city streets to collect data. The third phase, again in the classroom, was the organization of the data and finally the presentation to the whole class. The phase outside the classroom was a small part of an entire activity and was not properly decisive in acquiring the scientific contents that were intended. However, I think it was crucial to increase motivation to continue the activity to the end. At the time this activity happened paper surveys were used, it would be interesting in the future in another activity of this kind to use tablets or even mobile phones to collect the data.]]> 2019-02-17 14:43:03 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/332112703 4.3 Student collaboration outside the classroom - Activity 2 margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/332116808 I have never used any application that would be useful in an outside-of-class activity.
But, continuing the reflection I started on the previous activity, I think that for the application of an inquiry and consequent organization of data, to be carried out outside the classroom, the app QuickTapSurvey (https://www.quicktapsurvey.com/) seems Interesting.
In this application we can elaborate our survey, with questions of multiple choice, evaluation in scale, open answer ... (the application offers more than 35 types of questions). We can then use our device (tablet or mobile phone, android or iOS) as an "interactive kiosk" to record responses. You have the possibility, and I consider this a great advantage, of collecting data offline, the data we collect offline are recorded on the device and then updated when we are online. And finally, it offers the download of the data in several formats.
The use of this type of tool in the elaboration of a statistical study suppresses the task of the organization of the data by the students, since the app already offers the data organized. This can be a disadvantage in that the students do not do it, but on the other hand it can be considered an advantage since the students take more time to analyze the data and draw conclusions about them.]]> 2019-02-17 15:16:25 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/332116808 4.5 Outcome of Module 1 student survey margaridabzzz https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/332128070 I confess that the results surprised me a bit in the third question, because mathematics appears in third place with almost the same percentage as the new technologies, which is very good.
Considering the results of question 3 it is evident that it would be a good strategy to relate mathematics to new technologies. It's relatively easy to do - since there are already a lot of apps, some good sites and national or international projects related to math content - if we have access to computers and / or tablets at our school, which is not always the case. On the other hand, it is obvious that this link between mathematics and new technologies, suggested by the results of the questionnaire, would have to be done in a responsible way and always considering the objectives to be achieved, the main advantages and disadvantages and the best way to do it .
Still relating mathematics and new technologies to the results of questions 4 and 5. The advantage of new technologies is that any application we use online will still be available to the home student (the top place where students like to learn ), if the student has a computer and / or tablet at home; and you can do it individually ( the top way in which students like to learn).
Regarding the results of question 5, it is effectively noted that there is no obvious preference for "how to learn" which may mean that students know how they like to learn and that they have different ideas about it. But I think it is important to highlight two aspects:
- the fact that there have been many students who have chosen more than one option, which means that they like to learn in different ways and opinions may not be so divergent among students;
- consider whether students have responded according to what they are accustomed to. It would be strange for a student to respond that he likes to learn from projects if he has never been involved in any.
For these reasons I consider it fundamental to diversify the methodologies, to give opportunity to all students to find what they really like and achieve the proposed objectives.]]> 2019-02-17 16:27:27 UTC https://padlet.com/margaridabzzz/vdirb5so6ze3/wish/332128070