Integrating Websites into the Classroom

     The site that I have chosen to look into is xtimeline. This is a social science site that offers timelines and a brief outline of numerous events throughout history. For younger children, it can be used when a teacher picks a topic and the students work with the designated timeline; older students can pick their own timeline to work with. The reason I think that the teacher should be picking a topic for younger students is that there are many topics that are not appropriate for an Elementary School (such as a timeline on Philip Morris and the indsutry of tobacco). The most interesting aspect of this website is when you have a topic's timeline, you can click on the the event list. This brings you to a page that shows all the dates with links to more detailed and in-depth information. There are also many timelines on subjects that are often discussed in schools, such as Anne Frank, Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims, the Civil War, and so forth. This can make it easier on the teacher, as well, so they can have one less resource to have to find for the students that is accurate.
     This website can be used in the classroom for students who are studying a particular topic. The students can use the timeline of their topic to get more detailed information of specific dates. They can make a journal in the point of view of someone within the time period they're studying, based on the events that are happening in the timeline. Another way this can be used in class is for older students to pick their own appropriate (approved by the teacher) topic and research it. They can present their information to their class, or use the information they find to make a slideshow.
     Beyond the classroom, this site could be used to extend learning opportunities by creating a portal into many different histories of many different topics. People can use this site to explore the history of something that interest them (famous actors, big corporations, video games, etc).
     All in all, this website is a very good resource for learning detailed information within subjects, down to what happened on specific days. Print Page in IE

Project Based Learning Assessment

     I feel that the "Designing a State-of-the-Art High School" is the most relevant project of the six that were given. I like this project because it not only applies all different aspects of education (math, writing, art, speech), but also brings in the opportunity for the students to learn about the environment, and cost-efficient alternatives to what is traditional in today's world. I like that this requires students to think about what will be necessary in the future, and that they can lay out their plans to a panel of architects who can evaluate what is really efficient and necessary.
     The students are using all of the higher level thinking skills from Blooms taxonomy. They are analzying information to compare and contrast different aspects of the project. The students are then using their data to synthesize and create a draft of the school they wish to present, along with all the special features and costs. And lastly, they are evaluating and assessing their work for any last changes before presenting it to the panel of architects for a final evaluation where they will be critiqued on the plan based on how effective and efficient it will be for future students and the environment surrounding the school.
     I personally cannot think of a single thing I would change about this project in the short amount of time that I had to ready and write about it. I think that if changes need to be made, it would depend on the class that it is being used in. Since every class is different, the same project may not work for a class in the same manner it did for another, meaning it may have to be "tweaked" a little for individual circumstances.

*"Design a State-of-the-Art High School"

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Improving Critical Thinking Skills Using Telecollaborative Projects

     Since most classroom tests are made to evaluate students' understanding at the lower levels of Bloom's Taxonomy Pyramid (Bloom et al.'s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain), we need to look into ways of bringing students to the higher levels where they will have a deeper understanding of the material. These higher levels (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) improve students' critical thinking skills. Using telecollaborative projects can be a key in reaching the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy Pyramid. Not only is more discussion initiated when collaborating, but students are likely to become more interested and engaged when working with others.
     Analyzing a topic requires students to have enough understanding to compare and contrast, and be able to explain it in their own words. Synthesizing is the next step, being able to create something or predict results using the information they have gathered. Lastly, evaluating requires the students to be able to justify or assess their work based on the deep understanding they have aquired.  Now, by using telecollaborative projects, students are able to communicate with each other and have discussions on the topic. This will help students understand their topic, and also bring in different perspectives from other students. Moreso, if the teacher arranges groups of students with different amounts of background knowledge, they're increasing the opportunities for learning (Commonly Asked Questions about Teaching Collaborative Activities). This happens because while students are working collaboratively, they end up sharing (even if it's not intentional) information that another student may not know. Other students may bring a perspective to the table, or to the chatroom since we're talking telecollaboration, that other members in the group may not have thought of.
     As the article "Commonly Asked Questions about Teaching Collaborative Activities" states,

"When students learn through discussion and exploration, they establish ownership of the material."

I think that this statement clearly identifies one of the most important reasons of using telecollaboration - students will have a better understanding of the material that they are looking into when they are able to explain, propose, and assess their ideas with peers. Print Page in IE