M.3+Collaboration


 * Collaboration **

Students will post their notes on Kidblog.org. They will also use this site to create their attribute tables, post links for videos and pictures, and to post the final product (video, powerpoint, or online book). To facilitate finding content on the internet, I will provide links for video sites, links for space photos, and links for the content involved.
 * How will you facilitate an authentic collaborative learning experience to promote deeper student engagement with content skills and concepts? **

Students will be expected to post their notes daily. I will be checking their work during this two week unit every one to two days so that posts and comments can be approved. Kidblog provides a space for private comments to the students. I will be able to give guidance and make suggestions in these comment boxes.
 * As members of collaborative groups, how will you support students’ efforts to identify solutions to the problem you are using as the framework for your PBL instructional unit? **

Collaborative groups, in my experience, are optimal at 3 to 4 students. Larger groups become a little unmanageable. Two people in a group is a problem if someone is sick or not able or willing to participate fully. Generally, a collaborative group should contain at least one student with good reading skills and leadership skills. When using four students, I prefer to use two boys and two girls whenever possible. There shouldn’t be more than one student with a lot of behavior problems.
 * What criteria will you use to assign learners to collaborative groups, including a rationale? What will be the size of the collaborative groups you will include in your unit? **

I looked at Cool Tools for Schools and went to the collaboration tab. I’ve already used wikis and blogs which are blocked at my school by the internet filtering system. So, I watched a lot of YouTube tutorials about some of the collaboration tools located on this website. I finally decided on [|Kidblog] since it’s designed for elementary and middle schools. Teachers approve comments and posts before they are displayed. Also, students do not need an email account to participate. Since Kidblog is free and seems easy to use, I chose this site over some of the others. I’ve already signed up each person in this class (Technology Integration and Curriculum) in case someone would like to visit after I’ve started the unit.
 * Which digital tools and websites are you considering for collaboration in your unit? **

Go to the following link to login: []

** Username: ** first name, last initial **Password:** walden  //(I just changed the password for each person to //walden //. Hope this helps make it easier to log in.)﻿﻿ // //10-31-2010 // I was sorely tempted to use [|Dropbox]. It appears easy to use and you can share files, collaborate, edit, and then share again. The site is also multiplatform so it can be used and shared easily between Macs and PCS, as well as mobile devices. Perhaps, I’ll try that site another time.

Students will be expected to post daily on their Kidblog sites. I’ll be approving posts and comments every one to two days.
 * How will you assess participation of the students in their collaborative groups? ** //(In Module 4, you will create assessment rubrics in which you will include this element.)//