3.1 Classroom Management & Collaborative Learning
Candidates model and facilitate effective classroom management and collaborative learning strategies to maximize teacher and student use of digital tools and resources. (PSC 3.1/ISTE 3a)
Artifact:
Collaborative Word Work Options
Reflection:
With implementation of itsLearning, an online learning management system in the school, and the Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) initiative, teachers expressed a need for resources and instructional ideas to support the principles of collaborative learning while establishing strong classroom management strategies. To address the need, many instructional examples were created, modeled, and facilitated in different classrooms. The Collaborative Word Work Options artifact was one example of many professional resources designed and developed for teachers at Shiloh Point Elementary. This artifact was a list of instructional ideas and strategies for Word Work, a component of the Daily 5 program used in second grade.
The lesson ideas included multiple strategies for classroom management. For instance, specific examples of learning outcomes were provided in each Word Work activity to support independence of second graders. Every step of the process was precise and written in a clear language to help students with lower reading levels understand the task and complete it successfully. Each of the tasks was modeled to the second grade team teachers to develop an understanding of its structure, expectations, and learning outcomes. The team also brainstormed different classroom strategies to introduce each task to students and discussed ways to set and organize activities within itsLearning courses. Some classroom teachers chose to invite the instructional technology specialist to facilitate the tasks in their classrooms before implementing them independently. The cards with different activities were gradually introduced to students, and the learning process was monitored before being released for independent use.
The instructional ideas in the artifact supported collaborative learning. Students were provided with multiple opportunities to build on each other’s ideas and participate in collaborative writing activities. The exposure to all levels of learning outcomes allowed students with lower academic abilities to see exemplars and mock their elements in own work. On the other hand, students with higher academic abilities were able to lead learning and provide support to their peers as needed. Collaborative learning opportunities were designed as online activities and exposed students to elements of digital collaboration. It also allowed the teachers to be active collaborators and co-learners by posting own ideas for Word Work, comment on students’ thoughts, and promote best examples of learning outcomes.
During classroom observations, it was evident that students were highly engaged with the Word Work activities and had no difficulties to collaborate online. Conversations with the classroom teachers encouraged me to develop and design a variety of instructional ideas that would implement different technology tools and resources and promote collaborative learning in the classroom. It would be important to model and facilitate student learning when introducing new strategies in order to avoid misunderstanding or misleading interpretations of listed activities by teachers. Students in some classrooms did not show engagement and/or high quality learning outcomes because the teachers skipped steps of modeling and monitoring learning before allowing students to work independently.
With implementation of itsLearning, an online learning management system in the school, and the Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) initiative, teachers expressed a need for resources and instructional ideas to support the principles of collaborative learning while establishing strong classroom management strategies. To address the need, many instructional examples were created, modeled, and facilitated in different classrooms. The Collaborative Word Work Options artifact was one example of many professional resources designed and developed for teachers at Shiloh Point Elementary. This artifact was a list of instructional ideas and strategies for Word Work, a component of the Daily 5 program used in second grade.
The lesson ideas included multiple strategies for classroom management. For instance, specific examples of learning outcomes were provided in each Word Work activity to support independence of second graders. Every step of the process was precise and written in a clear language to help students with lower reading levels understand the task and complete it successfully. Each of the tasks was modeled to the second grade team teachers to develop an understanding of its structure, expectations, and learning outcomes. The team also brainstormed different classroom strategies to introduce each task to students and discussed ways to set and organize activities within itsLearning courses. Some classroom teachers chose to invite the instructional technology specialist to facilitate the tasks in their classrooms before implementing them independently. The cards with different activities were gradually introduced to students, and the learning process was monitored before being released for independent use.
The instructional ideas in the artifact supported collaborative learning. Students were provided with multiple opportunities to build on each other’s ideas and participate in collaborative writing activities. The exposure to all levels of learning outcomes allowed students with lower academic abilities to see exemplars and mock their elements in own work. On the other hand, students with higher academic abilities were able to lead learning and provide support to their peers as needed. Collaborative learning opportunities were designed as online activities and exposed students to elements of digital collaboration. It also allowed the teachers to be active collaborators and co-learners by posting own ideas for Word Work, comment on students’ thoughts, and promote best examples of learning outcomes.
During classroom observations, it was evident that students were highly engaged with the Word Work activities and had no difficulties to collaborate online. Conversations with the classroom teachers encouraged me to develop and design a variety of instructional ideas that would implement different technology tools and resources and promote collaborative learning in the classroom. It would be important to model and facilitate student learning when introducing new strategies in order to avoid misunderstanding or misleading interpretations of listed activities by teachers. Students in some classrooms did not show engagement and/or high quality learning outcomes because the teachers skipped steps of modeling and monitoring learning before allowing students to work independently.