ImagineIT Phase 5
It’s a good thing I teach science and understand evolution, or my ImagineIT might go extinct as its environment continues to change. Conferring with my colleagues allowed me to talk about my plan out loud. What started as a year-long project which wove the study of genetically modified organisms, through the curriculum I am expected to teach in 7th grade has evolve into this tech driven, dynamic learning environment. What began as an effort to front-load some tech skills has started to take on a life of its own. Google Docs, Forms, and Slides have expanded my classroom boundaries, and class times into areas I never dreamed possible.
With my evolving ImagineIT in mind, and keenly aware of the dilemmas I was facing, I met with several teachers to seek advice, clarity, and ways to move forward with my project. In particular to solve problems with my lack of available technology. After laying out my plight, I discovered other teachers are willing to share Chromebooks they were not using in exchange for some help in bringing more technology into their curriculum. In particular the Health teacher reminded me we have Google Classroom available to us, and he was willing to help me if I needed help. Turns out I didn’t. Like a wave of fresh air blowing through my classroom, I was able to solve the minor dilemma, no names on student work, and the major dilemma, lack of technology, fairly quick.
Armed with my basic notion that I can “make science better”, I approached several current and former students to discuss my ideas, and to share their ideas of what their expectations for the year were, along with my plan, and the problems I/we faced. When we met, I explained how my ImagineIT project had changed, and was still changing. I told them, it was like a hypothesis that I keep proving wrong, so I have to adjust it. What I learned was interesting. My idea of a 20% project was interesting to them, but many of them felt they were not literate enough in science to use the time well. Or it would be more work for them. Of course my fear was they would not be purposeful with their time, and not achieve their goals for the year.
Next I shared an assignment I had created in google classroom, and asked for feedback. I wanted to know if a group of four students could work on a lab or an assignment using one Chromebook, and sharing the lab with their partners to work on in and out of school. I received good feedback, most students agreed this would be a good way to work, and since I don’t often assign formal homework, they did not mind working at home. A side note: my former students wanted to know why I was so different this year. Last year we rarely used technology in the classroom, and this year it’s a daily event. I blamed the good folks at Michigan State for lighting a fire under me.
So now with my focus group behind me, and having talked to a wide range of teachers and students, I think for at least the next week or so, I have some clarity. I know it won’t last. As I move forward, I really do think I can launch this juggernaut of a tech-saturated classroom, and then get my students into a 20% project, with the extra time tech-use and Google Classroom will allow us...
With my evolving ImagineIT in mind, and keenly aware of the dilemmas I was facing, I met with several teachers to seek advice, clarity, and ways to move forward with my project. In particular to solve problems with my lack of available technology. After laying out my plight, I discovered other teachers are willing to share Chromebooks they were not using in exchange for some help in bringing more technology into their curriculum. In particular the Health teacher reminded me we have Google Classroom available to us, and he was willing to help me if I needed help. Turns out I didn’t. Like a wave of fresh air blowing through my classroom, I was able to solve the minor dilemma, no names on student work, and the major dilemma, lack of technology, fairly quick.
Armed with my basic notion that I can “make science better”, I approached several current and former students to discuss my ideas, and to share their ideas of what their expectations for the year were, along with my plan, and the problems I/we faced. When we met, I explained how my ImagineIT project had changed, and was still changing. I told them, it was like a hypothesis that I keep proving wrong, so I have to adjust it. What I learned was interesting. My idea of a 20% project was interesting to them, but many of them felt they were not literate enough in science to use the time well. Or it would be more work for them. Of course my fear was they would not be purposeful with their time, and not achieve their goals for the year.
Next I shared an assignment I had created in google classroom, and asked for feedback. I wanted to know if a group of four students could work on a lab or an assignment using one Chromebook, and sharing the lab with their partners to work on in and out of school. I received good feedback, most students agreed this would be a good way to work, and since I don’t often assign formal homework, they did not mind working at home. A side note: my former students wanted to know why I was so different this year. Last year we rarely used technology in the classroom, and this year it’s a daily event. I blamed the good folks at Michigan State for lighting a fire under me.
So now with my focus group behind me, and having talked to a wide range of teachers and students, I think for at least the next week or so, I have some clarity. I know it won’t last. As I move forward, I really do think I can launch this juggernaut of a tech-saturated classroom, and then get my students into a 20% project, with the extra time tech-use and Google Classroom will allow us...