http://www.teacherplaces.com/willd/weblog/90.html

A question came up yesterday concerning the use of the "Filmscript Language" graphic organizer for Monster.  Anne and I brainstormed some ideas:

(Keep in mind that that Janet has designed Plugged-in to Reading to reflect her strongly held belief that "if you present it to them, it is information; if they build it themselves, it is knowledge.")

So, you can use this graphic organizer in many ways to let them "build it themselves":

1.  Use the organizer to assess background knowledge.  The TG suggests that you put the g/o up on the overhead and ask the kids to define as many words as they can.  This could also be done in small groups if the class is disciplined enough to work this way, with each group taking a few of the words to assess.

2.  Use the organizer as an ongoing vocabulary collection tool.  Give each student a copy of  the g/o and have them fill in the definition for words they recognize or predict the definition, and then use the sheet to offer definitions as the words are encountered in the reading.

3.  Use the organizer for a vocabulary scavenger hunt.  This approach gives kids even more independence in ferreting out the specialized vocabulary words and providing definitions. Set aside some time every day or two during the study of the novel for this activity.

As you can see, these options focus on the organizer as a tool for inquiry and discovery rather than as a static exercise to be completed, graded, and put away.  At the Bradenton institute earlier this summer, Janet commented several times that so much of what constitutes real teaching takes place between the traditional teaching activities of planning and grading.

You can view a copy of the organizer in PDF format here.

http://www.teacherplaces.com/willd/weblog/97.html

Over at the TeacherPlacesBookClubs I recently posted a summary of a research article that folks might be interested in here.  How asynchronous discussions impact learning is a very interesting topic, so I am reposting it here for comment. 

 "Asynchronous Discussions and Assessments in Online Learning"
Journal of Research on Technology in Education 39/3, Spring 2007

I recently read an article in the Journal of Research on Technology in Education entitled "Asynchronous Discussions and Assessments in Online Learning" (JRTE, 39/3, Spring 2007). The authors studied the use of online discussions in five graduate level courses at two midwestern universities. The article makes a number of points that are worth touching on here:

• first, the authors note that prior studies demonstrate that online discussions allow "every learner to respond to questions, participate equally, and offer a potential to support the co-construction of knowledge through meaningful discourse" (p. 311)

• one of the findings indicates "that the structure of an online discussion is essential for successful learning" (p. 315)

• one of the study's participants noted that "discussion questions need to be designed and monitored to grow and adapt to the responses from students so that they don't get repetitive and boring" (p. 315)

• other participants noted "that providing optiosn for students to choose among options of interest can diminish redundancy of the responses in the discussions" (p. 315)

• assigning participants roles within the discussion is another technique seen as effective by participants in the study (p. 316)

• others noted that "it is necessary for a sense of community to be built first" for "learners to feel comfortable sharing their opinions with a group they may not know" (p. 317)

• the authors also emphasize the importance of writing for students in the asynchronous environment to "facilitate reflection, metacognitive processes, and articulation of students' own learning" (p. 323)

These findings were particularly interesting to me, as the authors cite Vonderwell's 2004 study to say that online learning "requires the reconstruction of student and instructor roles, relations, and practices" (p. 309). We are truly reconstructing many things when we participate in a virtual discussion, especially one that is asynchronous.

What I appreciate in the authors' findings is the idea that structure is key to making an online discussion successful. My learning on this topic comes from years as a classroom teacher and, more recently, as product developer on a project designed to help struggling older reader learn to comprehend and discuss what they are reading. Radical redefinitions are in order when we remove the participants from the constraints of time and place that have traditionally defined the teaching and learning situation.

So...in the leader's guide to the site we have recommended 1) a start and stop time for the study of the book in question, 2) a model of "reading and doing" rather than "reading and attending" as would be the common approach to a class or book club, and 3) an active, organizing role for the leader, so that the tasks associated with the group do not become "redundant and boring."

I hope that further contributions to this research collection will help us all discover ways to make networked discussions like these rich and satisfying for the participants.