Collaboration, Critique, and Classroom Culture

Annotation by Melissa Han

Ruff, Juli. (2010). Collaboration, Critique, and Classroom Culture. Unboxed: A Journal of Adult Learning in Schools,4(1),49-57 .

Summary/Analysis

Juli Ruff discusses how she approaches critique to improve the quality of her students’ feedback, student work, and create a culture of collaboration. Students create their own criteria for quality work as they analyze exemplary models. They then would often go back to this criteria to self-assess their own work and their peers’. Ruff then goes on to state that critique “is part of the product, not just something we do to make a product.” (51) Critique needs to be the culture where students are convinced that they can be resources to one another and value mistakes as part of the learning process.

Ruff discovered that student models for exemplar critiques worked better than professional models. When students saw each other’s work, it made it possible for them to believe that they could create this kind of quality work. Originality was still maintained despite arguments that students may copy one another’s work. Ruff also placed three columns on the board and labeled each column with a specific quality that the students should focus on in the models as they critiqued it. This strategy helps the teacher guide the students toward what is important without merely telling them.

Ruff’s study and analysis of critique and collaboration among students gave me insight into how the process in creating a beautiful product enables students to be proud of their own work and take full ownership of it. What message do I send to my students when I am the only one looking at their writing and telling them what to fix? Is it a mere assignment just to get over with? I have at times been too focused on the product outcome that I end up controlling it. As a result, the product’s life takes an abrupt halt. But when my students are invited into each other’s work and enable one another to create quality work, the life of the product actually continues to breathe into other products that follow.

Relevant Quotes/Concepts

~”For collaboration to grow, students must be convinced of three things. First, they must believe that they are true living resources for each other. Second, collaboration must be ingrained in the classroom culture. Lastly, students must learn to see mistakes as natural.” (50-51)

~”Generating their own standards really helped students to internalize them.” (53)

~”…they begin to see learning as a process itself, transforming what they once saw as isolated activities into communal endeavors.” (54)

~”…the perfect product should be a reflection of the students’ thinking process, not just a fine product in itself.” (54)

Context or Con: How might we better represent real-world in the classroom?

Ward-Penny, R. (2010). Context or con: how might we better represent real-world in the classroom. Mathematics in School, 29(1), 10-12.

SUMMARY

First, this article makes an important distinction about the strength of a real-world connection. There are many problems disguising themselves as real-world that, in fact, are rather useless in our everyday lives. Take, for example, the following problem:

"A piece of wood measures 40cm by 104m. Work out the area of the wood in square metres."

"This question is a pseudo-context - the real-world elements have no bearing on or relevance to the problem. The wood could quite happily have been replaced by a piece of card, or a strip of turf; furthermore, the answer itself has no use that is made obvious to or could be imagined by the pupil. In terms of the pupils' understanding and development, there is no difference between this question and a simple 'work out the area of this rectangle' question." (10)

Second, the author identifies the importance of meaningful context and offers the reader a framework for identifying it. Context, he argues, must fit in one of the following categories: consolidation, motivation, or exploration. " A context consolidates if it gets the pupil to practice a previously learnt skill or technique. It motivates if it encourages the pupil to see the relevance and usefulness of the topic. If it requires pupils to problem solve or link a skill to other areas of maths, it can be said to involve exploration. These three areas are not mutually exclusive. In fact, we can say that a context is 'weak' if it only invokes one of these three headings, whereas a 'strong' context involves two or more areas." (11)

Lastly, the author gives examples of how to increase the 'strength' of a context through the use of various problems. Mostly, this seems to involve investing students in the problem by including them in its formation (i.e. pick an item from a catalogue and calculate the manufacturer's purchase price) or by using a more realistic context (i.e. using actual items and sales tax figures versus made up ones).

EVALUATION

There were no citations in this article and no mention of research done in the field. The tone would indicate that the author has personal experience and success in working with this model but there is no data or explicit mention of that.

CONNECTION TO MY TEACHING

I was really intrigued by the main ideas in the first half of this article. I have heard of the term 'pseudo-context' before and I love that people are exploring the authenticity of real-world connection in mathematics. I was also intrigued by his trio of context strengths: consolidation, motivation, and exploration. He included all three in a sort of venn diagram. I would be interested in exploring this idea more. It seems to me that motivation does not belong here. I suspect that the strength of the context is what increases motivation and not the other way around, as the author suggests. I am also curious if consolidation and exploration are exclusively beneficial in increasing the strength of a context or if it is their overlap (imagine venn diagram) that increases the strength of the context and, therefore, the motivation of the student.

Cornered by the Real World: A Defense of Mathematics

Otten, S. (2011). Cornered by the real world: a defense of mathematics. Mathematics Teacher, 105(1), 20-25.

SUMMARY

This article is an interesting look at the reasons why students so often ask "When will I ever use this?" in their math class. It mostly outlines possible responses with the benefits and consequences of using each response. I discuss each major section below with a quote to highlight the main idea of that section of the article:

1. Citing a real-world example - "even if the example very much resembles real life, people may be unlikely to solve the problem in 'school mathematics' fashion." (21)

2. Citing a profession - Imagine that you tell your students that this piece of mathematics is particularly useful in nursing and engineering. "Now, further imagine that you are headed toward a career in…anything other than nursing and engineering - the teacher's response has essentially given you a reason to be disengaged." (22)

3. Citing a future math class - "a student who is not engaged in the current mathematical activity is unlikely to change his or her outlook as a result of an appeal to further unexciting mathematics down the road." (23)

The author goes on to offer his own solutions about how to address the question, "When will I ever use this." Even though he acknowledges that there is no 'right' answer to this question, he suggests emphasizing "the mathematical processes that are occurring rather than the immediate content. The thought processes that characterize mathematics—problem solving, reasoning, justifying, representing, working in deductive systems, to name a few—are unavoidably useful in many aspects of life."

EVALUATION

The article makes some good points, most of which are not new to anyone who has thought about the purpose of teaching and learning mathematics. Overall, the article felt more like an editorial piece than a research article. I would have been curious to learn about student perceptions in regards to the various responses discussed. I also would have been curious to know under which circumstances this question was most asked by students. There was little research to back up any statements being made. Mostly opinions.

CONNECTION TO MY TEACHING

I am really fascinated by how students perceive the meaning and value of the activities and topics in their math class. "When will I ever use this" is a question that math teachers have been getting for ages. Something about the subject or the way that it is taught must be causing them to view mathematics as pointless. I have seen students completely engaged in a task that has nothing to do with any real world connection. I have also seen students completely disengaged in tasks that are strongly connected to the real world. So, if it isn't the real world applicability, then what is it? We need to find this and use it to redesign our activities, our schools, our standards, and our approach.

Student Voice in School Reform: Building Youth-Adult Partnerships That Strengthen Schools and Empower Youth

Mitra, D.L. (2008). Student voice in school reform: building youth-adult partnerships that strengthen schools and empower youth. Albany, New York: State University Of New York Press.

Mitra chronicles the development of the Student Forum at “Whitman High School” in an urban part of the Bay Area. She notes how collegiality between students and teachers increased as students were invited into more conversations about school reform.

Let Seniors Lead

Dreis, J., & Rehage, L. (2006). Let Seniors Lead. Educational Leadership, 63(8), 38-42.

Students were invited to become “instructional assistants” and contribute to the development of curriculum in various classroom at New Trier High School in Winetka, Illinois. This program began in 1998 and has been noted as successful way of increasing collegial relationships between students and staff.

Student-Sustained Discussion: When Students Talk and the Teachers Listens

Allen, Sara. (1992). Student-Sustained Discussion: When Students Talk and the Teacher Listens. In N.A. Branscombe, D, Goswami, & J. Schwartz (Eds.), Students Teaching, Teachers Learning (pp. 81-92). Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers, Inc.



Summary:
Allen details the evolution of her efforts to convert teacher-initiated discussion concerning poetry into a student-sustained discussion. The author collected data from her twelfth-grade students with support from an NCTE grant. Her school was private and classes were small, though she doesn’t specify size.  Data included audio and video tapes and transcripts of student-led conversations.  She shared these transcripts with a small study group of fellow researchers connected to the Prospect Center and school in Bennington, Vermont and later shared video clips to her students.  While she states that she had no difficulty gathering data, it was difficult to determine how to effectively utilize it for change.  The most effective feedback she noted was collected in course evaluations, student journals, and oral feedback.



Students were excited by the prospect of being part of a research adventure, but were sometimes frustrated with the feeling that they wouldn’t receive the affirmation from the teacher that they had reached the “right” answer to the poem and could move on. Initially, Allen abruptly removed herself from the conversation , but would provide feedback on the students’ conversation. Some students felt liberated, while others felt they were sitting in a room having a conversation about nothing. If there is no right answer, what’s the point? One student insisted that it was more important to seek truth than to construct a meaning as a group (p.87).  Her first challenge was that students had difficulty in recognizing the validity of how the meaning the were able to collectively construct.



Her second challenge was that the conversations did not always represent the  class’s understanding. Sometimes a few students would dominate the conversation, while others would retreat to journal in order to avoid confrontation. Allen recognized that they needed more guidance and that the most effective means of providing that came in two major contributions: a) listening to the students to ask the questions they want to ask, but are afraid to voice, and b) showing students the videotape of their own conversation and stating their observations. Once students were aware of their own behaviors within the conversations, she was able provide quick, coach-like feedback to them on how they participated in the conversation. This seemed to be the most effective “switch” in student ownership of the conversation.  As students became aware of their interactions during conversations, they also seemed to further understand how they constructed meaning from a text, from themselves, and from one another.



Final course evaluations included comments such as, “At first I felt shaky about accepting my classmates’ idea and I always needed the  ‘OK’ from the teacher. Now I accept ideas more willingly at my own discretion which has also helped me become more confident about my thoughts” (p.89). Another student noted, “This course in not about English, it’s about improving one’s ability to speak his or her mind.” Allen concluded with apparent pleasure at the students’ ownership of their learning, but does remark that she would have liked to scaffold the process of students relinquishing themselves from the traditional model of literary discussion more effectively (p.91).




Evaluation:
I appreciated that she mentioned her failures, as well as her successes. The frustration her students experienced felt genuine.  I understood their frustration through the detailed experience of the discussions that occurred in the classroom, but I would also have liked to see some of the journal writing the did to hear more of their voices. The process she shared felt genuinely murky and more like the kind of research that I can envision undertaking. Rather than offering a neat and tidy path, she shared what she tried that worked and what didn’t.



I found her conclusions to be very interesting. She noted that she wanted to scaffold the relinquishment of power to the students better, and I would have enjoyed hearing more of the students’, as well as her own, thoughts about that.  I wanted to know more about what worked.  Additionally, I wold have like to know a bit more about her students’ backgrounds. She noted that the boys were AP-familiar and that the girls were less academically inclined, which created an imbalance in the classroom, but it would be helpful to have a richer understanding of who these students were.




Reflection:
I was immediately drawn to this article because of her opening line: “Second semester seniors are impossible to teach!” (p. 81) I know that it’s natural for seniors to feel the need to leave the next when their college acceptance letters arrive, but my hope is that  if they are still engaged in self-directed and meaningful learning, they will still attain valuable skills, knowledge, and habits before graduation. Because I am hoping to make the senior year a more meaningful experience in which students feel empowered to take charge of their learning, I connected immediately with Allen’s desire to put her students in charge of unearthing meaning in poetry.



This piece made me feel a little bit better about taking risks and being okay with what worked and what doesn’t when moving through the research process. She reminded me that students do need scaffolding and the tools to move forward when I invite them into the design of the course. I would love for my students to direct discussions and to feel that they are in charge of what they will learn, but I was reminded that this can’t be too startling for them. When Allen discussed how removing herself from the conversation was not immediately effective, I could relate to the discomfort of watching students squirm uncomfortably because I had invited them to do something they weren’t prepared to do.  I enjoyed learning that students did leave the course feeling more confident about their ability to negotiate an understanding of a text and would love to follow up on how she decided to scaffold the process further in the years that followed her research.

The Winds of Change: Thomas Kuhn and the Revolution in the Teaching of Writing

Annotation was provided by Allegra Molineaux

Hairston, Maxine (1982). The Winds of Change: Thomas Kuhn and the Revolution in the Teaching of Writing. College Composition and Communication, 33 (1), 76-88.

Summary:

This article is an attempt to capture and summarize a shift from a product-oriented to a process-oriented teaching of writing that was occurring at this time, using Thomas Khun's concept of "paradigm shift" to explain the challenges of this transformation. The author, Maxine Hairston, homes in on several aspects of Khun's theory that she believes are reflected in the changing approach to writing instruction, including the ideas that: 1) paradigms are difficult to "see" because they permeate the beliefs and assumptions of an entire discipline, 2) paradigm shifts occur as a crisis when a feeling that "unresolved problems" with the current model have reached a critical mass, and 3) current practitioners are intellectually, economically and emotionally attached to the accepted paradigm (reflected in methods and textbooks) and are resistant to change. Hairston goes on to summarize the original paradigm, discuss the crisis that is bringing about the change, and describe the new paradigm that is in development.

The original paradigm for teaching writing, according to Hairston, put an overwhelming emphasis on the finished product. Teachers would grade primarily on style and usage, teach students skills that were closer to editing skills than writing ones, suggest that the writing process was linear and straightforward, ignore the place of invention in writing, and focus almost entirely on bland expository forms. This model was not based on research or experimentation, but rather propagated from generation to generation as the accepted method. Furthermore, the "practitioners" she describes are mostly college English professors, who have little incentive to follow up on current research in this field, since their expertise and interest is primarily in literary criticism and not the teaching of writing. She points out, however, that they do work hard (marking every mistake on a paper, for example) and are constantly frustrated by the poor improvement they see.

Hairston sees the origin of the paradigm shift in Noam Chomsky's work on transformational grammar, in that it helped people to see language as a process rather than a finished work. The crisis that she believes is precipitating the shift is the growth in college admissions (especially of older, returning students who tend to question accepted standards more freely) that is putting strain on an already fragile system. Furthermore, the national attention on dropping verbal scores on standardized tests as put writing education under increased scrutiny.

The new model of process-oriented writing instruction, according to Hairston, seeks to break away from the emphasis on style and exposition, instead focusing on "writing as an act of discovery" that is nonlinear and creative. Teachers are now invested in intervening while students are in the act of writing, teaching strategies of invention and discovery (rather than "proofreading"), encouraging a mix of expressive and expository forms, and actively engaging in writing themselves. Perhaps most importantly, this paradigm is based on active research and takes professional writers as the model for finding an effective process. Hairston is hopeful that this paradigm is beginning to take hold, particularly with new textbooks and training for university professors.

Evaluation:

The purpose of this article is to engage in a broad historical overview of a changing situation, so the research is an interesting combination of generalities of "types" that are clearly based on personal experience (for example, professors that brag about the hours they spend grading each essay) and a textual analysis of changes in current research and textbooks. While this approach is not particularly concrete or methodical, it provides an interesting analysis of situation from the perspective of someone who is clearly engaged in the day-to-day struggles within the discipline. The re-purposing of Khun's approach for a social science milieu engages the reader and the field in an informative dialogue about resistance and change.

Reflection:

Reading an article from 1982 about a paradigm shift that was supposed to have occurred is an interesting exercise in time-travel. In some ways, she is right that a process-oriented approach has become the new dominant narrative, but her anecdotes about the "old" model are still surprisingly fresh and visible in writing education at every turn. It is almost as if the new paradigm was adopted but failed to fully out-compete the old, and they now live uncomfortably side-by-side. My favorite quotation from Khun that she uses seems particularly poignant: "Novelty ordinarily emerges only for the man who, knowing with precision what he should expect, is able to recognize that something has gone wrong." I cannot help but think that the current overwhelming focus on standardized testing is a particular danger when looked at from this perspective: we are actively engaged in measuring students' writing abilities through a lens that has nothing to do with good writing -- we are thus missing the "precision" necessary to tell us when something is wrong.

Teaching the Digital Generation

S. Kelly, Frank, McCain, Ted, Jukes, Ian (2009). Teaching the Digital Generation. Corwin Press

Summary/Analysis

The section of this book that I was drawn to for this submission was the second chapter of Part 1, titled Changing the Process of Designing Schools. What strikes me about this chapter is that there are clear conclusions about how schools should be designed to accommodate today’s students. Many of the conclusions are assumptions derived from the concept that as we realize technological and societal progress, the expectations and behaviors of students within a classroom are influenced and altered. As such, it is reasonable to meet these expectations through an understanding of how the dynamics of our current state are expressed in a school, as well as how we can utilize advancements to better connect with and educate students.

The section details specific shortcomings that are evident to our current or traditional approach, and project a logical direction for establishing the educational constructs of tomorrow. There are many strong points made, and most of which conflict or differ from what is commonly accepted practice. In reading through each excerpt, I could not help but wonder about the connection between advancement and practice, and how it can be maintained. If a large educational facility is built, then how may it be able to adapt to the changes that surely will come? What teaching practices are timeless, and need only to be supported by new technology, rather than be discarded? I am anxious to continue reading and wondering.

Quotes/excerpts:

1. 1. “ Learning must reflect the new digital reality. Instructional approaches must incorporate the latest technological tools to maximize the learning experience for students. In the very near future, online technology coupled with artificially intelligent software will transform the learning environment with powerful tools for discovery learning. Teachers must use the latest digital tools for engaging students in the task of learning.”

2. 2. “Learning must engage 21^st-centure digital kids. Digital kids learn differently and have different learning preferences and styles than young people from previous generations. Traditional approaches to instruction are tolerable for digital kids, at best. At worst, they are tedious, boring, and counterproductive. New schools must look at the digital learning preferences of modern students and develop instructional approaches that incorporate digital, online, multimedia experiences into learning activities and resources.”

3. 3. “The configuration of spaces within the school building must be highly flexible. …new instructional technology will change the when, where, and how students access educational services. Given the accelerating pace of change in virtually every aspect of our society, it is probable that any high school built today will need to be modified substantially multiple times over its life to support evolving learning needs.”

New Perspectives on Learning Through (Game) Design

New Perspectives on Learning Through (Game) Design
Annotation provided by Kali Frederick

Hayes, Elisabeth, et. al. “New Perspectives on Learning Through (Game) Design.” International Conference for the Learning Sciences. Volume: 3, Publisher: International Society of the Learning Sciences, pps: 253-257.

Summary
Six different articles in one! After a symposium that focused on computer game design in the classroom, the presenter’s works were put into one article that addresses the many dimensions game design can offer in a classroom. These authors explore the world of game design and it’s relevance to a classroom. All authors take different approaches when discussing the skill building that game design can offer in a classroom setting. Kylie Peppler and Yasmin Kafai analyze the role of videogame design in literacy training and collaboration. While Elisabeth Hayes, James Paul Gee, Ivan Games, and Robert Torres, stress the importance of graphic design and visual aesthetics in game design. Nichole Pinkard suggests that game design can be used to engage girls and support female leadership in a classroom. And Maryanna Rogers, Karin Forssell, Caitlin Kennedy Martin, Brigid Barron, Wanda Eugene, Shaundra Daily, Ugochi Acholonu, Lori Takeuchi, Sarah Walter, Kristen Briggs emphasize the collaboration that is required and fostered when introducing students to computer game programming.

Quotes, Connections, and Reflection
This document is a combination of summaries for each presentation held at this symposium. The articles provided insight into numerous studies that involve using game design in the classroom. The summary of the sympoisium stressed the results that using game design helps studetns “engage in iterative problem-solving, and integrate skills and knowledge from across disciplines.” As a teacher that understands the bare minimum of classroom technology, I find that introducing new technology and programs into class activities fosters engagement, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Sometimes it is scary to have students using programs I know absolutely nothing about, but the results are always impressive. The students are more articulate, mature, and professional when teaching each other how to use new technologies. Students that would never work with each other, are drawn by the lure of learning a new program.

Kylie Peppler and Yasmin B. Kafai study suggests that literacy and learning can greatly improve when using game design in the classroom. Peppler and Kafai argue that “many of these new forms of media an dculture involve more sophisticated language, tools, and thinking skills, such as simulation and modeling, than what young people encounter in school.” Many of our students are participating in conversations and activities of a much higher order than schools demand. They are often multi-tasking at ridiculous rates and communicating with people from around the world through computer games and online searches. They have access to the world at their fingertips. We need to consider how we, as teachers, can incorporate these skills and passions into projects. Celebrate their strengths in these areas and help them build on these skills while addressing the skills necessary for state and school standards.

One surprising aspect of game design that Peppler and Kafai note, is that “individuals worked together in groups with increased frequency, with some youth specializing in aspects of game design akin to more professional settings.” Students need to learn how to collaborate successfully with a group of individuals. Especially in a rapidly changing world, new technologies will need the creativity and skills of a large number of talented individuals. Collaboration will be even more vital to our future.

My biggest question was, after reading Nichole Pinkard’s summary about engaging girls in game design, why the difference in engagement between boys and girls in game design? How can we engage our female students in exploring new technologies and mastering this field?

Additional Resources
Ching, C.C. and Kafai, Y.B. Peer Pedagogy: Student Collaboration and Reflection in a Learning Through Design Project. New York: Teachers College Press.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2007). National Educational Technology Standrads for Studetns: The Next Generation. Retrived November 5, 2007 from http://cnets.iste.org/.

Resnick, M., Kafai, Y., Maeda J., et al. (2003). A Networked, Media-Rich Programming Environment to Enhance Technologcal Fluency at After-School Centers in Economically-Disadvantaged Communities. Proposal to the National Science Foudnation (funded 2003 - 2007). Available: http://media.mit.edu/mres/papers/scratch.pdf.

Out on a Limb on Our Own: Uncertainty and Doubt Moving from Subject-Centered to Interdisciplinary Teaching

Meister, D. and Nolan, J (2001). Out on a Limb on Our Own: Uncertainty and Doubt Moving from Subject-Centered to Interdisciplinary Teaching Teachers. College Record Volume 103 Number 4, 2001, p. 608-633

Summary/Analysis:

"This paper describes and interprets how five teachers of high school freshmen defined and made meaning of a change process in which they were involved. The restructuring initiative, which was administratively imposed, involved teaming, interdisciplinary teaching, and block scheduling. The study took place during the 1st year of implementation, 6 months after the team had received the mandate and prepared for the restructuring. The tools of inquiry included the following methods: (a) analysis of three in-depth phenomenological interviews, (b) participation observation, and (c) analyses of documents such as minutes from team meetings and curriculum planning sessions."

Reinventing Ourselves: Interdisciplinary Education, Collaborative Learning, and Experimentation in Higher Education

Smith, B., McCann, J. (2001). Reinventing Ourselves: Interdisciplinary Education, Collaborative Learning, and Experimentation in Higher Education. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Company, Inc.

Summary/Analysis:

"This collection examines the experiences of and lessons learned from a variety of institutions that pioneered new approaches for more effective teaching and learning." This text contains twenty-six selections beginning the 1920s that include a wide array of disciplines.

Reforms, Visions, and Standards: A Cross-Curricular View from an Elementary School Perspective

Ford, C and Others (1997). Reforms, Visions, and Standards: A Cross-Curricular View from an Elementary School Perspective. (Mar 1997) Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching. 70th, Oak Brook, IL, March 21, 1997

Summary/Analysis:

"During the 1990s discipline-specific associations have attempted to reform education with a variety of visions and standards. Most of these efforts have been independent of one another with minimal cross-curricular input on one another's steering committees and working groups." This paper analyzes the results of the reform from a cross-curricular elementary school perspective.

Facilitating an inquiry-based science classroom

Facilitating an inquiry-based science classroom


Jackson, D. & Babec, M. (2008). Facilitating and inquiry-based science classroom.Science Scope, 31(5), 64-67.


This article appeared in the National Science Teacher Association publication, Science Scope in 2008. It addresses common obstacles to implementing inquiry based activities in the science classroom, and suggests ideas on how to minimize them. 


Common obstacles are:

• The time required to plan and conduct the inquiry
• The materials and facilities needed for the inquiry
• Safety issues
• Student focus and motivation

Tips for overcoming such obstacles included:

• Using plastic storage boxes for materials related to a given activity
• Setting up norms for both classroom conduct, safety precautions and expectations of time usage
• Large digital timer that all students can see to help them self monitor their time
• Maximize student access to materials
• Assign roles during group activities
• Optimize the physical arrangement of the classroom furniture for the particular activity
• Classroom meetings to deal with issues as they arise
• Allow for student choice 
• Emphasize connections between student knowledge and what they will be able to demonstrate conceptually and experientially at the end of the lesson

While the article was a general recap of some basic norms of inquiry based teaching, it was  obviously for a general audience of science teachers and it fell short of satisfactorily addressing the more complex aspects of an inquiry based classroom. For example, it would have been useful to identify some strategies to aid and track student progress in classrooms where students are pursuing their own questions, resulting in multiple threads of inquiry at one time.

Constructive Activity and Learning in Collaborative Small Groups

Webb, N. M., Troper, J. D., & Fall, R. (1995). Constructive activity and learning in collaborative small groups. Journal of Educational Psychology, 87(3), 406-423. doi: 10.1037//0022-0663.87.3.406


I am interested in reading more about how to ensure students are working productively in collaborative groups.  

Achieving Coordination in Collaborative Problem-Solving Groups

Barron, B. (2000). Achieving Coordination in Collaborative Problem-Solving Groups.Journal of the Learning Sciences, 9(4), 403-436. doi: 10.1207/S15327809JLS0904_2


I selected this article after reading Teaching for "Meaningful Learning: A Review of Research on Inquiry-Based and Cooperative Learning".  I am hopeful it will contain valuable information to help me choose a question for my Action Research Project.

School Support and Teacher Motivation to Implement Project-Based Learning

Lam, S., Cheng, R. W., & Choy, H. C. (2009). School support and teacher motivation to implement project-based learning. Learning and Instruction. doi: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2009.07.003


As the title suggests, this article discusses how teachers reacted to implementing PBL according to wether or not they felt supported as professionals.

Bringing Science and Mathematics to Life for All Learners

Adams, D., Hamm M. (2008). Bringing Science and Mathematics to Life for All Learners. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific Publishing Co.

Summary/Analysis:

"Developing positive attitudes toward science and math goes hand-in-hand with developing competency." This book contains research and standards based activities that uses collaborative inquiry and active problem solving. The activities were designed to engage a diverse student group. Stressing active group engagement and continuity in the math and science experience the activities are designed to motivate and engage students from diverse backgrounds.

I was draw to this book as it examines the elements of inquiry, differentiated instruction, collaborative inquiry, active involvement and project based learning in math and science learning environment. These are elements of our classroom that we feel are the cornerstones of our daily activities. The book provides sample methods and learning activities that demonstrate how they could look in an innovative environment.

- "Collaborative inquiry is a form of reasoning and peer cooperation that begins with a problem and ends with a solution. In generally involves asking questions, observing, examining information, investigating, arriving at answers, and communicating the results." (10)

- "Students who complete their science and math lessons with little understand quickly forget or confuse the procedures (Miller & Mercer, 2001)" (21)

-"Personal growth and individual success matter. And every effort is made to introduce subject matter concepts in a way that each student finds meaningful and interesting." (30)

-"Inquiry often raises new questions and suggests ways of expressing science and math content more clearly (Liewellyn, 2005)" (31)

- "Collaborative learning builds on what we know about how students construct knowledge. It does this by promoting active learning in a way not possible with competitive or individualized learning models" (63)

- "In a classroom that values teamwork, teachers provide time for students to grapple with problems, try out new strategies, discuss, experiment, explore, and evaluate." (83)

- "Science can be the most interesting experience for all students and teachers if it is taught as an hands-on subject where students learn through doing." (123)

Who's Invited to Share?

Henkin, R. (1998). Who's invited to share?: using literacy to teach equity and social justice. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

This book is written with a focus on K-6 classrooms. The author describes strategies for inquiry based learning, classroom discussions, literature circles and writing workshop to promote equity and voice amongst all students.

Discussion as a Way of Teaching

Brookfield, S., & Preskill, S. (2005). Discussion as a way of teaching: tools and techniques for democratic classrooms. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

This book explores different techniques and strategies to support more meaningful discussions in your classroom.

Promoting Active Involvement in Today's Classroom

Conderman, G., Bresnahan, V., & Hedin, L. (2011). Promoting active involvement in today's classroom. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47 no 4, 174-180.

Annotation by Christine Ingmanson

This is a great article to support the enhancement of engagement within your classroom. We all fall victim to over talking within our class, and this article begins with a scary statistic that, "In a study of 13 high schools across the nation, researchers discovered that students spent one third of their time passively attending to information such as listening to lectures or viewing videos, which leaves little room for active engagement." (174) In a time that our classrooms are filled with extremely diverse children who vary in their academics, motivation, and attention it is vital that we provide as much active participation as possible.

This article offers concrete examples of engaging large, small and partner groupings. Many are classics that we have all participated in or have used in our classrooms, but something that should be highlighted is that "of 13 grouping and 62 instructional strategies identified as effective for struggling students, middle-school teachers reported using less than one-third of them with any regularity. " (175) I found that of all the models I use the unison response and think pair share the most often within my classroom.

This topic is interesting to me as I move forward with my current research question: How can I support all students in becoming active participants in peer discussions? I've been really challenging my kids to be active listeners with their peers, and have felt frustrated with the small minority of students that can remain engaged in a large group discussion or when students are presenting various writing or projects. I need to step back and reflect on my ultimate goal. If my goal is to give students a platform to share, why does it need to be with only 1 person or 1 group speaking at a time? I'm drawn back to our Chitty Chitty Bang Bang activity we had last class. Why not have small groups presenting to rotating groups for allocated amounts of time? This would take nerves away from students that are shy, and would actually allow more students opportunity to learn from their peers and in opposition, present to more peers. This would also solve my issue with my students tiny attention spans!

Quotes:

"Learning occurs as students integrate new knowledge with background knowledge and construct new or revised understanding based on external sources of information." (175)

"Active engagement occurs when students process information through talking, moving, writing,

manipulating, interacting, reading, discussing, and exploring their values and attitudes rather than just

watching and listening." (175)

Pre-K Continuum Gets Sharper Focus

Garland, S. (2011, June 15). Pre-k-grade 3 continuum gets sharper focus. Education Week, 30, 7-7.

This short article explores how a district filled with many second language children is working across grade levels to bridge the gap of their learners. This movement is beginning with close communication between Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers.

Collaborative Inquiry in Science, Math, and Technology

Adams, D., Hamm M. (1998). Collaborative Inquiry in Science, Math, and Technology. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Summary/Analysis:

I was drawn to this book initially because in its description the author writes that students should be encouraged to be critical and creative thinkers through making meaningful connections to the natural world.

This summary pertains to a chapter entitled “Teaching Mathematics: Engaging Students in Mathematical Inquiry.” What I found interesting about this chapter is its overview of the evolution of teaching and learning especially in mathematics. I have always felt that there seems to be so many conflicting perspectives on math instruction and by reviewing this chapter I was able to identify the origins of some of these beliefs. Additionally identifying the cycles of change provided me with an insight to how cyclical education philosophies have been.

Relevant Quotes/Concepts:

- “At the beginning of the twentieth century, E. L. Thorndike introduced the stimulus-response theory called connectionism. This approach viewed learning as building strong connections, so rote learning was emphasized." (71).

- “Until about 1920 it was thought children learned best by training the mind much like athletes build up the strength of their muscles” (71).

- As a reaction to the Soviet Union's advances in space exploration United States began to question its competency in math and science. New math was launched in the late 1950s. "This new math dealt with content, such as the structure of mathematics, set theory, and number operations and their inverses. Scientists and mathematicians became the primary contributors to the developing mathematics programs for the elementary school." Lack of teacher training combined with misconceptions that the public as well as many teachers had about the program resulted in many of established goals of the program not being met (72).

- As the flaws in the new math program became apparent there was another swing in the curriculum in the 1970s. "Rather then build on what had worked in the past while eliminating what hadn't, as other professionals do, renewed emphasis was placed on the skills needed for everyday survival." (72)

- "In the 1980s, educators realized that the developmental level of children was a determining factor in teaching and deciding the sequence of the curriculum. Attention was focused on the evidence that students construct their own understanding based on their experiences." This movement is based on the educational theory of constructivism. Although standards were established it didn't require standardization but rather gave teachers the ability to become pedagogical decision makers. (72)

Text Sources:

Adams, D., Hamm M. (1989). Media and Literacy. Springfield IL, NH: Charles Thomas.

Adams, D., H. Carlson, and Hamm A. (1990). Cooperative Learning and Educational Media. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education

Hetland, L., Winner, E., Veenema, S., & Sheridan, K. (2007). Studio thinking: the real benefits of visual arts education. (1 ed., p. 128). Teachers College Press.

This books aims to share how the visual arts benefits student education and academics.

Drive: The Surprising truth about what motivates us

Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: the surprising truth about what motivates us. (1 ed., p. 256). Riverhead Hardcover.

A teacher and scientific look at what motivates and engages humans.