Are you finding the information and resources you need?
For my "real world issues," I am having my World Geography students focus on the current issues in Japan dealing with the earthquake, tsunami, and their aftermath. We have been researching all kinds of news stories and articles,
and now have to get to the point of focusing our research and findings to specific areas. We began with an idea of taking everything in, but now have to decide how to actually attack all of the relevant information. Most of the student
research has been Internet-based, and I believe will continue to remain so. That is generally the best tool for the most current information. Students will now have to determine not only the focus of their research but how they will
present their material. Group blogs and wiki pages have been discussed as presentation tools, with the idea that they open up further discussion. I like this concept but these tools and methods will have to be modeled to the students
to ensure that they can achieve their desired results.
Do you need to modify your action plan?
I believe the students' ideas gathered to this point will sustain my original action plan. Their ideas for presenting through blogs and wikis will fulfill the plan of creating an engaging learning environment that involves networking and
and collaboration.
What have you learned so far?
Students have really gravitated towards working with a news event that they can see developing in real time. There is so much video and new information coming out daily from the events in Japan, that the students are never "done" researching.
Each day they continue to want to learn more about the story and that has translated into some very positive work output.
What new questions have arisen?
How can I focus a project and plan that is changing and developing each day?
What are some other methods I can use for networking and collaboration? Beyond our class?
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ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to help students gather and synthesize information. The recent events in Japan are devastating yet they are going to be a great learning experience for so many students. I can see that focusing the project when it is constantly in flux will be difficult. Perhaps assign a certain topic to each group. For example, how possible radiation exposure will affect re-population around the nuclear plants?
ReplyDeleteI think presenting on a wiki will also allow students to stay involved even after the project ends and where the possibilities could lead from there is endless!
I really like how you use the current issues to bring your students together with technology. The students can write from their experience and at the same time finding our through researches new technologies on earthquakes, and other natural disasters. This is very good!
ReplyDeleteHi Ross,
ReplyDeleteExcellent questions--besides blogs and wikis and VoiceThread--I wonder if as a communication strategy Skype might be effective. There are also social networking sites--creating a dedicated page on a social networking site might facilitate collaboration and sharing--even having students explore the Facebook pages of political figures might make an interesting activity.
It sounds like your game plan is coming along nicely.
Susan