RSA #3 Resource-Based Learning and Augmented Reality

RSA #3 Resource-Based Learning and Augmented Reality

Online Resources

http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Resource-Based_Learning

http://www.teachthought.com/technology/augmented-reality-in-education-here-are-20-examples/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9LelXa3U_I

   When Sir Ken Robinson said, “What we need is not evolution but a revolution in education,” during his TED talk, he was talking about the changes needed in the educational system that would allow students to compete in the world outside of the school environment (2010).  Students need to be innovative and creative.  One way educators can begin allowing students to become more innovative and creative, is through resource-based learning (RBL) and augmented reality (AR).  In RBL students are actively engaged in their learning and use multiple resources to gain knowledge about a topic.  Classroom teachers and the library media teacher collaborate to identify goals, create timelines, and select resources, according to Campbell, Flageolle, Griffith, Wojcik (2014).  In RBL “instruction is teacher-planned, but student-directed” (Campbell, et al, 2014).   Students become more motivated to learn when they are in control and are engaged in their learning.  They learn problem-solving skills, and gain knowledge about a topic when they chose the proper resources.  Some of the resources chosen for RBL could be an augmented reality (AR) experience.

   What is Augmented Reality? Augmented reality (AR) is where the “world fuses with current technology to create a uniquely blended interactive experience” (Teachthought Staff, 2012).  Through AR teachers can create engaging and interactive experiences for their students. The infographic from Augmented Reality in Education?, figure 1, shows some of the AR experiences students can participate in (Teachthought Staff, 2012).  The article also lists 20 different resources and examples of interactive experiences that can be created or enjoyed by students.  Some resources are available through the use of technology, like using the virtual world of Second Life to engage students and participating and interacting with media through a WebQuest or AR museum.

Figure 1.  Augmented Reality Resources

   AR can also include virtual reality (VR) experiences. According to the article, What Teachers Need to Know about Augmented Reality Enhanced Learning Environments, students take the place of avatars in a real world experience rather than control and avatar in a VR experience (Wasko, 2013). Using an AR experience in school can help students to feel like they have become part of the experiences.  An AR learning experience requires students to use the same skills used in RBL. “Critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration are key characteristics of all of the recent AR enhanced learning environments” (Wasko, 2013).  Just like in RBL, in an AR experience “students must work together to identify the problem, access digital content, and use the information to solve a problem while instructors provide necessary support and monitor student learning” (Wasko, 2013).

   After reading about RBL and AR learning I can see the benefits of both in the classroom. I can also see using AR learning experiences in a RBL experience. I think including AR would add to an authentic real world learning experience. An example would be while studying the solar system students can use an app called Star Walk to explore space in real time. Students can hold their device up to the sky and view celestial images as if they were looking at them up close. This would add to RBL by providing students with an experience they couldn’t get from a book or a website, yet give students information they may need. RBL and AR learning experiences both require students to use critical thinking and problem solving skills. Teachers and library media teachers can also collaborate to provide AR experiences along with all the other resources they provide for students. I am looking forward to using both of them in my classroom.

References

Campbell, L., Flageolle, P., Griffith, S., Wojcik, C. (2014). Resource-based learning. Retireved from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Resource-Based_Learning

Robinson, K.,(2010). Bring on the learning revolution! Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9LelXa3U_I

Teachthought Staff (2012). Augmented Reality In Education? Here Are 20 Examples. Teach Thought. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/technology/augmented-reality-in-education-here-are-20-examples/

Thornton, T., Ernst, J. V., & Clark, A. C. (2012). Augmented Reality as a Visual and Spatial Learning Tool in Technology Education. Technology And Engineering Teacher, 71(8), 18-21.

Wasko, C. (2013). What Teachers Need to Know about Augmented Reality Enhanced Learning Environments. Techtrends: Linking Research And Practice To Improve Learning, 57(4), 17-21.

RSA #2 Project-Based Learning

Project-Based Learning

Online Resource:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-role-shift-to-ccss-sara-hallermann

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/PBL-aligned-to-common-core-eric-isslehardt

http://bie.org/object/document/main_course_not_dessert

http://www.teachthought.com/learning/project-based-learning/13-timeless-project-based-learning-resources/

What would it be like to walk into a Project-Based Learning classroom? A project –based learning (PBL) classroom will have students trying to answer driving questions, collaborating, and researching.  Students learn as “they build collaboration, problem-solving, communication and technological skills” (Larmer, J & Mergendoller,J.R., 2010).

According to The Main Course…Not Dessert, students need to do more than remember information (2010). By using PBL in the classroom students will learn at a deeper level. Students will have to learn to ask questions, and use a process of inquiry to find answers to their questions. Opportunities for students to revise and reflect upon their learning are also part of PBL. Using a PBL model will help students learn real life skills to enable them to achieve their goals in life. Students can be presented with a real life project to solve. The students learn from doing a project, not from listening to lectures. According to Project-Based Learning Research Review, “students learn best by experiencing and solving real-world problems” (Vega, 2012). The PBL model in Project-Based Learning Research Review article, states that it “helps students perform as well as or better than traditional learners in high-stakes tests, improves problem-solving and collaboration skills, and improves students' attitudes towards learning” (Vega, 2012).  In a PBL environment teachers serve as facilitators or coaches “of inquiry and reflection” (Vega, 2012). The video, Project-Based Learning:Explained was great for summing up PBL.

Trying to use PBL in your classroom may feel overwhelming when thinking about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The article, The Role of PBL in Making The Shift to Common Core, gives great examples about how PBL will fit into the CCSS classroom. One “Big Idea,” is about teaching students to persevere. In PBL students are to analyze, solve problems, and think critically ( Hallermann, 2013).  “PBL teachers to provide students with regular, structured opportunities to give and receive feedback about the quality of their work-in-progress, demonstrate perseverance, and polish their products until they successfully meet the established criteria for success” (Hallermann, 2013).  At one school implementing PBL, Green Street Academy Fountation, Isselhardt says, “Rather than acting as directive teachers, our faculty members were more like coaches in a student-led inquiry environment” (2013). PBL can provide an authentic learning experience for students in the classroom.  Moving from a traditional classroom model may be difficult for teachers who have a hard time giving up control, but after they see the results in student achievement they may change their minds.

           

References

Problem-Base Learning:Explained. (2010). Buck Institute for Education. Retrieved February 6, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8

Hallermann, Sara  (2013). The Role of PBL in Making the Shift to Common Core. Edutopia, , . 

   Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/pbl-role-shift-to-ccss-sara-hallermann

Isselhardt,Eric Ph.D. (2013). Creating Schoolwide PBL Aligned to Common Core. Edutopia, , .    Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/PBL-aligned-to-common-core-eric-isslehardt

Larmer,John, & Mergendoller, John R. (2010). The Main Course, Not Dessert. Buck Institute for Education 2010, , . Retrieved from http://bie.org/object/document/main_course_not_dessert

Staff (2013). 12 Timeless Project-Based Learning Resources. TeachThought, , . 

  Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/learning/project-based-learning/13-timeless-project-based-learning-resources/

RSA 1: Inquiry-Based Learning

RSA 1: Inquiry-Based Learning

Online resources:

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/

http://www.teachthought.com/learning/20-questions-guide-inquiry-based-learning/

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/03/creating-classrooms-we-need-8-ways-into-inquiry-learning/

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/09/reinventing-school-new-learning-environment-ecosystems-for-inquiry-learning/

http://youtu.be/q5RM8ZiCw3s

For this blog post I chose to focus on inquiry-based learning in the classroom. I have been using an inquiry model in my classroom and I wanted to learn more about inquiry-based learning. I wanted to compare strategies my district is implementing with the information I have been reading.

Inquiry-Based Learning is best described in Workshop: Inquiry-Based Learning (2004), “a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge—seeking information by questioning.” I learned new information about inquiry and how it can be implemented. I was particularly interested in section about involving parents and communities. I am often trying “new” methods in my classroom, and sometimes it is difficult knowing where or how to involve parents and the community. “To function well as the child's educational support and supporter of quality education, the community must be informed and actively involved” (Workshop: Inquiry-Based Learning, 2004). In this section it mentions that awareness is important. It is important to share what is happening in the classroom and what inquiry is. By doing this, more resources can become available. In my classroom we tweet and students write blog posts. They can use these resources to ask questions and possibly connect with an expert in their field of study.

Another area I wanted to look at was the process of inquiry. The graphic from 20 Questions to guide inquiry-Based Learning is a great visual to sum up what the inquiry process is. This would be something I could share with my students to help guide them through the process. I think it would help my students to understand what each step of the process of inquiry. When trying inquiry in class, students are often not sure of what they should do next and this visual is clear enough for my third graders to understand.

Figure 1. The Inquiry Process

We need to “create more enriching life-long experiences” (Chumrau, 2012).  With the Common Core State Standards and PARCC testing, we do need to provide experiences that require students to find deeper meaning. Inquiry-based learning will help students to practice those skills. The article Reinventing School From the Ground Up For Inquiry learning, discusses how schools need to change.  “Spurred by the Common Core and the urgency to teach 21^st century competencies, a huge wave of settlers is now trying to emulate the pioneers by becoming “inquiry-based” schools” (Markham, 2013). Changing the paradigm from a traditional classroom to one filled with inquiry is also a process that requires “imagination and bravery” ( 2013). As I have embarked on trying to create inquiry experiences for my students I feel I have had to be brave and just jump in. I have also tried to get my students to be brave. I have asked them to think about things differently as they research. I have asked them to question and think about what they really want to learn. Markham states that teachers need to create professional learning networks (PLN) and that collaboration should be deep and meaningful (2013). Since inquiry has started as a district initiative I have become part of a district PLN. This has helped me to brainstorm ideas and share lessons with other teachers who are brave enough to change their classrooms.

Another article I read was Creating Classrooms We Need: 8 Ways into Inquiry Learning. In this article the author discuses eight practical ways to create an inquiry-based classroom. This article was helpful because it is based upon an interview with Diana Laufenberg a history teacher. Laufenberg discussed eight key ideas necessary for a good collaborative classroom. The first key idea covered flexibility. Teachers must be flexible and give up some control to students in order for inquiry to happen. According to Laufenberg, to foster inquiry a teacher should “get them curious enough in the subject to do research on their own” (Barseghian, 2013). One important idea I agree with in the article is about failure. There are different kinds of failure. One kid is failure because a student doesn’t do anything and the other is failure because the students took a risk. Laufenberg calls them “blameworthy” and “praiseworthy” failures (Barseghian, 2013). In my classroom I tell students it is okay to fail. They just have to rethink their question and try it again. The steps Diane Laufenberg uses in her classroom align with the ones described in The Inquiry Process (Teach staff, 2013)

References
Barsenghian, Tina. "Creating Classrooms We Need: 8 Ways Into Inquiry Learning." MindShift. N.p., 11 Mar. 2013. Retrieved on 31 Jan. 2015. From http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/03/creating-classrooms-we-need-8-ways-into-inquiry-learning/

Chumrau, Brad. (2012, August 1). Finding Inspiration and Liberation through Inquiry Based Education:Brad Chumrau at TEDxMCPSTeachers. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/q5RM8ZiCw3s

Markham, Thom. "Reinventing School From the Ground Up For Inquiry Learning." MindShift. N.p., 11 Sept. 2013. Web. 28 Jan. 2015.

Ed online. (2004). Workshop: Inquiry-Based Learning.  Concept to classroom. Retrieved from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/

Teach Thought Staff. (2013). 20 Questions To Guide Inquiry-Based Learning. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/learning/20-questions-guide-inquiry-based-learning/