The first interactive activity (Opening Discussion) was very well thought out to ensure that students were able to grasp the basic ideas around the topic for the following activities. I would have liked to have more clarification about the format of this discussion. It says at the start that this happens in one big group; however, do the students split into groups to talk to their peers at some point, or is it all done as a class? I was curious about this because students are also supposed to ask each other questions, respond to each other’s ideas as well as “Think, Pair, Share” is then mentioned for more shy students but group work is not included in the lesson plan. A possible suggestion would be to include in the activity description a sentence stating that small breakout groups would occur.
The structure of the website is very clear and user-friendly. The only error I found in the appearance of the website is that in the “Exploring Your Community” tab there is a header called “Resources for Teachers” with no text underneath. There are two possible solutions, you could either delete the header or list one or more resources.
In the “Your Reflection” section I was looking for clarification on if there was a peer review as well as self? And if the reflection was to be done before or after the teacher gives their input/grade? It could be beneficial to include an allotted amount of time for peer review in the description of the activity as well as clarify when/if the teacher will share their constructive criticism.
Overall I enjoyed going through this project! There was a really good flow to the steps of the project, each step helped with the next. Additionally, all the aspects of the outline were covered. Specifically, the modifications for diverse learners were extensive and inclusive. I also felt that the learning outcomes were very accurate and reflected the activities well. The few suggestions above are regarding clarification of the activities, this is to obtain a better understanding of the process.Â
A natural response when watching the video would be for the viewer to start planning their own game either mentally or by putting down notes throughout the video that are specific to what they want to include in their game. There would be an expected urge to want to try and make a game after viewing someone else do so. After watching the video students could try and create a game using the skills/steps they learned and because they will already be on computers they will have access to go back and reference the video throughout their process of creating their individual game. Students can learn from the video how to build a simplistic jumping game using Scratch’s program but, more specifically, how to customize characters, create their own obstacles and how to incorporate a score counter. The students would need access to a computer with internet connection as Scratch is found by searching it up in a browser. It would have been helpful if the video included time stamps of when each skill was being learned throughout the video, this could be in the description box below the video. This would help students/viewers if they can’t remember a step, it would save them from searching through the entire video. A slightly slower pace could have been beneficial as well, especially because the video is catered to new users. A new user would most likely struggle to keep up with the content creator. The activity would need little work from me other than showing the video and demonstrating how to get onto Scratch. The work would be manageable, most likely the instructor would just have to guide students if they had technical difficulties. This activity has the possibility to be used for large amounts of students, dependent on access to computers. If each student had their own laptop mass amounts of students could be learning at the same time and at their own pace.
Our interactive learning resource is able to be accessed by most if not all people. The article is accessible to anyone with a device because it can be found using a URL and is free to view. The video that demonstrates the skills that need to be learned to complete the assignment has the ability to add captions for deaf learners, this could also be beneficial to English language learners along with the ability to pause the video and go back. The platform where the video is found is YouTube and it is completely free. This learning method is self directed and the video can be accessed outside of the time of class making it versatile to people with all sorts of lifestyles. Scratch is the website that the games are created on and it can be easily accessed through any browser. Scratch is also accessible through apps on tablets or phones, which the average person typically has one of the two devices. The learning activities can easily be moved to an online only learning method with clear instructions. The process would have to be planned out step by step in a way that’s easy for students to understand. It would also be helpful to do check in’s to see the progress of the students along the way. Additionally, to connect students it would be helpful to incorporate a more social aspect where the students could play and review each other’s games. Peer revision in general is a great way to learn but also being online isolates people and this is a way to build connection among peers.There would also have to be some kind of text or video channel for students to ask questions and connect with the instructor and their peers. This learning resource is easily accessible to all and can be altered into online learning with simple adjustments. Â
Experiential learning is a learning process where students can take more ownership over their learning and do it in a more hands-on way, they can also reflect throughout the experience. Kolb’s cycle has four stages to break down the rotation of exponential learning. There is a stage of concrete experience where one is doing or having an experience (Kolb, 1984). After this stage, there is reflection and observation where the individual reviews what they have done in the experience (Kolb, 1984). Next comes the abstract conceptualization, this is when one can learn and create new ideas from their experience (Kolb, 1984). Following abstract conceptualization is active experimentation, in this stage, new ideas can be tested and individuals can they what they have learned so far (Kolb, 1984). The cycle then repeats by going back to engaging directly in an experience, then reflecting, followed by learning, resulting again in an experimentation stage. The cycle just continues to repeat its self as the learner continues growing their knowledge. In experiential learning students are guiding there learning as they are the ones taking initiative, this means they are responsible for the outcome and there is much to learn from both their success and ideas that do not have the predicted outcome.
Experiential learning aligns with my pod’s (#4) method. Our pod is using Scratch, which is a browser-based educational programming environment. It lets anyone learn the basics of programming by snapping blocks together to create games. This is done using hands-on learning that is trial and error based. This relates to Kolb’s cycle in that learners have the experience of trying a possible combination, reflecting on the outcome, learning what may or may not work, creating a plan with the knowledge they just learned, and then they have the ability to try again.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
In my first year of university, I enrolled in a sociology course that changed my view on learning. I was excited reading the syllabus because the topics this class covered were all interesting and I had a little bit of background knowledge on each topic. It brought me comfort knowing that I’d be able to pick up the material quickly. Then I started reading the textbook and felt pretty confident I absorbed the information. I did the textbook quiz because I finished the chapter and was unhappy with the result. I then realized I didn’t know how to properly apply the information I was currently learning, even if the topic of it seemed so easy. This all happened before the first lecture, I then met the professor. This specific professor taught in a very unique way that I’ll never forget. He took the concepts that I couldn’t even begin to grasp properly in the textbook and put them in a real-life scenario, in the form of a story. While teaching he always had a simplistic PowerPoint with only key ideas that were integrated into the story, because of this I was always aware of what course material was being displayed as examples in the story. This way of learning was very engaging and easy to follow. Derek Muller mentioned in his video that students are often overconfident in what they think they know and when “learning” more on a topic they are comfortable with, they seem to lack the ability to differentiate between facts that support or negate their ideas. I fell victim to this while reading the textbook which happened subconsciously, it wasn’t until It was explained to me using real-life examples that I was able to change my mindset. I thoroughly enjoyed this class because I felt as though I truly took in the information being taught on a deeper level than I ever had previous to this course.
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