Another issue that comes up is in-class research for projects. Since there is such a digital divide in schools, most teachers will need to have in-class computer time for students to do research and work on products. How do you bolster efficiency there? When I went to Park Center yesterday, the students were researching poets, but they were doing it somewhat aimlessly. Some were on Facebook. Some were on YouTube, but I don't believe blocking these websites will help. I don't know if every second of every classroom needs to be spent working, but wasted class time hurts my teacher soul a bit.
LINK: http://www.chompchomp.com - I've been struggling with how to make grammar instruction slightly interesting, because there's not much you can do other than direct instruction and practices. Here's at least a humorous approach to grammar exercises.
Hey Brittany,
ReplyDeleteI think your concerns are quite realistic. I certainly have them as well. I mean, how do we grade movie productions in an English class? This could really involve access to higher technology and skills that have nothing to do with what we are trying to assess. I think that it is important to look at the point of an assignment and make sure that the grade is reflecting that point. However, can you really give an amazing movie production complete with clean edits and graphics the same as something thrown together on a video camera? I think that effort has to be shown in everything. Even if students do not have much to work with, they have to show that they put care into their presentation. I'm not sure, but I don't think I would emphasize the presentation quite as much as the content getting through unless I took the time in the class to teach how to use the equipment I was assigning.
Also, about work time in class, I cannot believe how much I have seen this. Teachers are giving students copious amounts of classtime to read the texts and write their essays in the computer lab. I'm on the fence on this one as well. I think that sometimes this provides a great way for teachers to conference with students. However, if the teacher is not using the time to his or her advantage, then it seems like a waste of time. I don't think that students really make use of the time, and honestly, I think there are better activities that could be made that still would free up teachers to conference with their students, then having students sit and read or write on a computer.
sorry i posted late! i just remembered today that i'd missed this...
ReplyDeletemy thoughts:
IMO assessing something like a video project or something is no different than assessing an essay, something we all already know how to do. with or without a rubric, the same principles/concepts apply in terms of what to look for. it depends on the kid...where did he/she start, where did he/she end up, and most importantly, what did he/she learn.
the most important thing, though, is what the project is. if it's a big term final then sure, assess overall quality. but for smaller projects and for drafts...we KNOW a first draft is going to suck. it doesn't matter how good/bad the writer is, the first draft is never anywhere near the "final" draft. in that case sure the quality matters for assessment, but between conferencing w/you and conferencing w/peers, there are plenty of opportunities to raise those aesthetic qualities and refine the thought behind them.
i dunno if i'd ever really assign solo projects though. i like putting them in groups for this kind of thing. although it could certainly work to give them a solo but expect each kid to work as a crew/aid on others' projects.
as for in-class research: i heard dat. i'm at a school (and i know, i've said it 100 times, but it still confuses me!) where all students are expected to have it and we're expected to operate on that assumption...yet the school has very little capability. even sites are blocked in odd ways. youtube is not blocked. but the honor's class can't access the UMN library page despite having been assigned usernames/passwords. so something as simple as in-class research on the U's library or OED becomes impossible.
one possible way around it that i can imagine would be, oddly enough, more tech interwoven. having them post on the class webpage or wiki or via e-mail whenever they hit any kind of snag, and let those snags direct where the next day's discussion goes?
that's all just my two cents. REALLY nice post brittany!