Group items tagged

Oxnevad suggests, "Students can develop transferrable knowledge and skills as they engage in learning experiences that require them to construct knowledge" (¶1). She argues for "seamless integration of technology" that will enable "students students to have access to the tools and information they need for success" (¶2), and proposes five instructional strategies for teachers to use to achieve those ends, namely: 1. Preparing "complex questions that require students to use higher level thinking skills" (Help students uncover knowledge, ¶2); 2. Facilitating learning from engaging and online resources, rather than delivering content (Eliminate the front of the classroom); 3. Creating opportunities for real world collaboration (Encourage collaboration); 4. Exploiting classroom and online opportunities for "frequent [and] informal assessment to gauge the effectiveness of your instruction and make adjustments to maximize the learning experience for each student" (Informally assess students [and instructional practices]); and 5. Preparing and publishing screencast tutorials for students to peruse whenever necessary, "...[i]Instead of spending valuable instructional time teaching the same tech skills over and over again to individual students" (Provide students with built in tech support). This October 30, 2012, post ends with an illustration comprising focus questions and a ThingLink product of fifth grade students' work. A list of links to related posts follows.

"Even in traditional classes students may do little or no work but get the same grade as their more industrious colleagues, and serious conflicts may arise between teammates with varying levels of ability and senses of responsibility. The problems may be even worse when groups are virtual and don't have the self-regulating capability provided by face-to-face meetings. It is therefore particularly important in distance classes to adhere to the defining principles of cooperative learning, especially positive interdependence (if anyone fails to do his or her part everyone loses in some way), individual accountability (all team members are held accountable for all the material in the assignment), and regular self-assessment of team functioning."