Collaborative Technology
Working towards creating collaborative lessons provides me
with the time to reflect on what I already do in my classroom, and how I can make it more student-centered and collaborative. Looking at the resources and tools I already have for
my use, I am instantly drawn towards Google Docs. My students are already very well-familiarized with the tool and enjoy using it for learning purposes. However, as of now, most have only utilized it
for the purpose of writing an assignment and turning it in via Canvas. Few have used it in a true collaborative
nature. They’ve already dipped their
toes into the water; why not use this as an opportunity to fully submerge
them in the educational advantages of online collaboration?! My students are assigned a Literary Analysis
Essay three times throughout the year.
They are provided with a list of prompts, select one they want to answer,
and work through the writing process. In
a previous course, I worked collaboratively with a classmate to write a
paper. We periodically received feedback
from our instructor, and often gave feedback to each other. This process led me to wonder…is this
something I can do with my 8th graders. I believe the answer to be yes!
When thinking about implementing a collaborative writing
piece through Google Docs, a part of me has been hesitant. The Literary Analysis Essays have always been
a way to assess students’ understanding of the novels we read, taking them to a
deeper level of understanding, but also how to express that knowledge and
understanding in writing. I’m used to
assigning group projects and assignments, but writing pieces have primarily
been independent. So working
collaboratively, how can I gauge what each student knows? I realized I need to step back and think
about what else can I use the essay to assess?
And can I assess their understanding of the novel in other ways? Again, the answer here is yes! A collaborative writing piece is so much more
than explaining how a character changes, or expressing the theme and how it is
demonstrated throughout the novel. It’s
a way of teaching students how to problem solve and work together. It brings out “confidence, diplomacy, and
social graces.” (Contributor, 2016) All real-world
skills they will use in their future careers.
For me, it’s a way to lighten the work load a
bit. Instead of focusing on 26 individual
writing samples at once, I can look at providing stronger feedback to 13 joint
pieces. For my students, they can work together to focus on a particular writing skill, providing feedback and constructively engaging each other in their learning. I see this as a win-win for us
all!
Aside from using Google Docs for collaborative writing, I am
really drawn to the implementation of Google Hangouts for project work. The video How
to Use Google Hangouts (2014) really helped me see the possibilities of
using Hangouts with my students. Having
the availability to create a circle that connects to Google Drive in order to
allow students the option to communicate and work in real-time is a nice
prospect, yet opens up the need for them to learn how to engage in constructive
conversation that moves the project planning forward. With 8th graders, this would have
to be modeled and practiced, but I think it’s something that is doable.
Pinterest
The Google platform is satisfying, but not the be all end
all when it comes to collaborative technology.
Using Pinterest is a tool I have been utilizing for quite a few
years, both personally and professionally. It started as a way for me to
look up home décor and plan my menu of recipes each week. However, it has since evolved into a teaching
tool for me as well. During the summer
months, I spend time looking at ways to set up and organize my classroom. I have found suggestions on creating a successful
classroom library in order to help prevent books from growing legs and running
off. More than anything, I use it to get
ideas for lessons to incorporate in my classroom. As described in Ways to Use Pinterest (2013), it’s a great resource to stay on top
of new trends, especially related to pedagogy, as well as find educational tutorials.
Social Media
Twitter and Instagram are two forms of social
media I currently use. Instagram is
primarily to keep followers (parents, students, coworkers) updated on what we’re
doing in 8th Grade ELA. It’s very
one-sided. I post a picture with a
caption, people “like” it. Twitter, on
the other hand, is much more interactive.
What started as a way to share photos and short blurbs on what we were
learning about in class or how we were integrating new tech, it became a way
for me to follow others in the education world and learn from them. It’s been eye-opening and inspiring to see
what other teachers in my building and district are doing with their
students. I also follow educators from
around the country, which has allowed me the opportunity to sit in on #educhats
and learn from others in the field.
While posting pictures and updates is enjoyable (I have even received a
few retweets from S.E. Hinton, the author of one of our favorite novels, The Outsiders), I hope to move in the
direction of engaging my students in the world of Tweets and hashtags in order
to captivate their interests and share them with others. A few possibilities include: tracking a
hashtag to spark conversation, connect with the community during our Legacy
Project – discovering ways they can help others, live tweet a book as we read
it in class, or follow current world issues with my social studies students. (Miller)
References:
A. (2014, August 06). How to use Google Hangouts. Retrieved
October 5, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyKsJfXIf5g
Contributor, Q. (2016, July 22). What Are the Advantages of
Collaborative Writing? Retrieved October 5, 2018, from http://www.slate.com/blogs/quora/2016/07/22/what_are_the_advantages_of_collaborative_writing.html?scrlybrkr=ca662173
E. (2013, May 26). 30 Ways Teachers Can Use Pinterest. Retrieved
October 5, 2018, from
https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/05/30-ways-teachers-can-use-pinterest.html
Miller, S. (n.d.). 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom.
Retrieved October 5, 2018, from
http://www.teachhub.com/50-ways-use-twitter-classroom
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI also looked at Google Docs for my collaborative lesson plan. I like that you already use it in your classroom and your students are comfortable with it. I think it is great that you are looking for new ways to make writing in the classroom more collaborative and I think it will really benefit your students with their writing skills. I have used Google Hangouts on a personal level and I really enjoyed using it. It would be interesting to see how that could translate to a classroom setting and how students would use it to collaborate during their writing. I think you are absolutely right in saying you would need to model and practice with them in order for it to be successful in your classroom.
I too first thought of Google Apps to provide opportunity for my students to collaborate. I like that we had to complete a research paper through Google Docs, because now we know first hand what it's like to do so, as well as receive feedback from a teacher while working on the assignment. We can better understand what issues or advantages our students may run into while working in a collaborative group through Google Apps.
ReplyDeleteI too use Pinterest to gain inspiration, although sometimes I spend far too much time scrolling through images. I also use Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (all connected) to share some of my experiences in my classroom. My pages are called Teaching Tales and they all have the same image of a black background and apple that says Teaching Tales. I don't share it with parents right now, just a place where I can check out other teacher posts and share some of my thoughts and ideas. I mainly use it as personal professional development.