What are you learning? What sorts of learning outcomes could be possible ? In what subject context? What kind of pedagogy can the teacher use to achieve those learning outcomes?
In order to employ Scratch at my school, it is important to use it in a way that is relevant to the curriculum. I think Scratch could definitely be used to assess students’ collaboration skills and ability to follow instructions, which is part of their work habits. Teachers could set a mission for the students, and let them work in partners or groups. Another challenge would be for students to watch video tutorials such as ones on http://info.scratch.mit.edu/Video_Tutorials and see if they could follow directions. The more advanced students could try videos with more difficult steps. Finally, students could reflect on the process in writing.
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Zhu Judy Dan
10/8/2013 09:08:34 pm
This Monday, I tried to use scratch to teach an English class.
Student level: Primary (Grade 3)
Teaching way: Project-oriented
Learning objective:
1. Knowledge: Learning about western festivals, such as Christmas day.
2. Skills: After teacher’s demonstration of how to make a Christmas card with Scratch, students learning about how to make a card and sharing the card by their group with their classmates, teachers, friends, etc.
3. Abilities: Group work; Collaboration; Innovation, etc.
I reflected on this teaching activity and felt there are some implications for the future teaching.
1. Because I want to use scratch in my class, this class was driven by this tool. After I really taught this class, I realized this was a mistake. It is very important that lessons are not driven by tools available but focused on clear teaching and learning objective. ICT should be used as a vehicle or as a powerful tool to solve problems.
2. I hope students to fulfill the after-class assignment: make a card with Scratch and share the card with others. Just because at Halloween people do not send cards to each other, I changed the content to making a Christmas card. Actually Halloween day is more proper. I think I should think more carefully about whether this class is product-oriented or process-oriented.
3. Compared to Peter’s class, I did not do a good job in creating an engaging and collaborative atmosphere. I think I am still having the characteristics of traditional teachers. The activities in Futurelab inspired me a lot. I think practice makes perfect. Good thing is that I am not afraid of failure and willing to try a lot of times.
Even though I felt this was not a very good class, students still had fun and felt excited about Scratch. They are will to do more enquiries. I’d love to see that. It is the most important thing to nurture each child’s inherent passion for life-long learning.
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Janet
10/8/2013 09:21:51 pm
Hey Judy! Actually that was a very interesting class and I really enjoyed it! However I was quite confused about the main learning object of the class. Is it learning about the theme of Christmas in English or is it a scratch workshop? Would love to know your opinions:) Thanks.
-Zhenzhen Xia
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Claudia
10/9/2013 02:19:58 pm
Hi Janet, I think it's great that you attempted to use Scratch in your English class! However, I didn't see it as a total flop. In a way, students are learning to work with each other and solve problems in the English language rather than through worksheet based activities. It is meaningful because they are communicating about something concrete such as a technical issue they have. One thing you could do is possibly to have students write a reflection after the completion of their task. They could list out the steps in creating their Christmas card, and do a short procedural writing piece. As the teacher, you could draw their attention to the use of past tense, computer terminology, as well as transition words such as first, then, next. This way, writing could be integrated in the Scratch post lesson!
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Molly
11/24/2013 10:42:53 am
Hi Judy,
I think the best way to confirm the learning outcomes is practices, so your work was a good example for using Scratch. I agreed with you that create a collaborative and creating atmosphere for students is important when you want to make a innovational pedagogy in class. Maybe you can inform students ahead of the class and give them times for accept new things!
Yours,
Molly
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Janet
10/8/2013 09:18:50 pm
What are you learning?
I have learnt another visual eLearning tool for kids. And by using it, I also have learnt to create and work with my group partners collaboratively.
What sorts of learning outcomes could be possible ?
Identify different commands in Scratch; Conduct simple programming; Work collaboratively with others; Be able to create new visual animations.
In what subject context?
Online visual learning and creating.
What kind of pedagogy can the teacher use to achieve those learning outcomes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPLKltqLANE Here is the link I found on youtube which I think is very interesting and inspiring. I think from there the teacher could encourage the kids in the class to create their own spirits and stories, like their favorite places or to imagine one day of their favorite animals.
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Molly
11/24/2013 10:39:08 am
1. What are you learning?
I think these kind of ICT tools can inspire students especially kids to collaborate with others and enhance the engagements in learning. When I'm working with my assignment, I found that this tool can cultivate students for twenty-first century skills such as technological and media literacy and problem solving.
2. What sorts of learning outcomes could be possible ?
COLLABORATE with peers;
IDENTIFY the common use of Scratch;
CREATE your own products;
SOLVE the problems through and within technology.
3. In what subject context?
I think Scratch combine the technology, creating animation products and physics theory which really interested me, let alone to students younger than me. Students can use Scratch for exploring by their own in spite of space and time. So innovative online courses can use it and courses aims to cultivating operational ability can put Scratch into pedagogy.
4. What kind of pedagogy can the teacher use to achieve those learning outcomes?
Personally, I think it's better not to limit the outcomes in the process of learning and creating. teachers can provide several themes for students to choose from and let them do their own by small group! Teacher can act as consultors for helping students to create. If students have any question about techniques, just ask for help.
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Peter
12/14/2013 09:04:46 pm
Look up the work of Gary Stager who spoke at the 21st Century Learning conference about Maker Groups
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