Although I do not have a class of my own yet, I am certified to teach high school biology. With this in mind, I have been thinking about ways I could incorporate a blog into my (hypothetical) classroom.
One idea I thought might be interesting for the students would be during the ecology unit. Part of the the unit focuses on invasive species. In New York state these include the Gypsy moth and a Purple Loosestrife, among many others. I would like to have my ninth grade biology class set up a blog describing different invasive species, where they are found, what they look like, where they came from, etc... They could even include pictures. They could then post their ideas about how to control some of the pests. Ideally they would get comments both on their ideas and from people in other areas sharing their local invasive species. In this way the students would see that invasive species are a global problem, most often created by us. It would be interesting for them to see if some of our native plants and animals are considered pests in other parts of the world (rabbits in Australia?) and it would also give them a broader sense of the impact we are having on our environment.
I think this blog activity would benefit the students because it gives them the opportunity to use technology to do something different (Laureate,2008) not just something they normally do but in a different format. The opportunity to communicate with students around the world is invaluable and something I believe most students will get excited about. 97% of students feel that the use of technology is important in education (Richardson, 2006) and blogs are a great way to use this technology to benefit the students and to do something different than what they are used to.
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer).(2008). Program Two. Evolution of technology and pedagogy.[Motion Picture]. Understanding the impact of technology on education, work, and society. Baltimore: Author
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
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I am a newly certified teacher, too, in secondary social studies. I'll keep my fingers crossed for both of us to find a classroom to call home SOON!
ReplyDelete-Carrye DeCrane
Alison,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like blogging would fit nicely into your biology lesson you have planned for your hypothetical classroom. I really hope you can find a job (Carrye, too) I know its not easy in my area of Ohio to find teaching jobs right now, hopefully its better where you are!
I agree with you that the students having the opportunity to interact with other students from around the world is extremely exciting. I know I would have loved that when I was a student (a long time ago!) It opens up the walls to our classrooms and our worlds!
Sandy
Sandy,
ReplyDeleteIt's not so great for jobs in New York either.
I also would have loved blogging in school, but it was not around when I was a student either. Although I graduated from high school in 2000, we did very few things with computers even then. It was a big deal to do research for a project online. Looking back, I think my school was slow to jump on the technology wagon, but now that I am back substituting there I think they have gotten much better. However, I still don't know if they would allow a classroom blog, they are still pretty strict. I plan to check into it in the fall, even if I am still just substituting, I would like to know what their stance on it is.
I really like your blogging task. I am an English teacher in Western New York but I taught in Australia for three years. I can attest that they do have an abundant amount of rabbits! Actually, kangaroos are considered pests as well, as are cane toads in Queensland. There is always a national debate about the treatment of cane toads because kids go out with golf clubs and...well, I'm sure you can imagine. In fact, the quarantine restrictions when you travel via plane, specifically internationally, is so rigid. It really would provide you with a great case study or research assignment because the government really takes a proactive approach against invasive species. They assume anything not already native to Australia, if introduced, will become instantly invasive.
ReplyDeleteThere is a great picture book fromk John Marsden and illustrated by Shaun Tan called "The Rabbits" that would lend itself well to bringing some literacy and Aussie history to your biology lesson.
Cheers...Mike Herron
Hello Alison,
ReplyDeleteBiology lends itself to many interesting projects and ideas that engage children immediately! This is a good idea; the scope is great-anything ecological-wise, will make a huge impression on the students and most importantly, you will be getting them to work like scientists. The potential to link to the environmental department (I don't know what you guys call it in the States) is there so that they would not be working in isolation, but that they will have at their fingertips, access to environmentalists who can assist them in their work.
You will have to monitor them closely, though, especially as it relates to identifying features and species of the animals/insects, guiding them through the process of making good observations and recording them accurately and making the best inferences from whatever they have observed. I envision a lot of pre-planning on your side to get the students writing and recording data as faithfully and truthfully as possible.
Great idea, Alison! I hope you will soon be in a position to put it in effect.
Jewel Meikle
English/Science
High School
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Program Six. Spotlight on Technology:Blogging in the Classroom.[Motion Picture]. Understanding the impact of technology on education, work and society. Baltimore:Author
Alison,
ReplyDeleteI think your students will really embrace this assignment. Your invasive species topic meets all the key characteristics of an effective performance task according to Designing Assessment to Promote Learning, Program Four of the the Performance Assessment DVD I viewed in a previous course at Walden University. It calls for students to demonstrate understanding, requires thoughtful application of their knowledge, and uses that knowledge in an authoritative context. (Laureate Education, 2007)I love these kinds of lessons that give kids the verification that what goes on in school really DOES effect the larger outside world. This is a real task with real consequences if it changes how they make choices long after they leave your classroom. Good job!
Reference:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2007). Program Four. Performance Assessment. [Motion picture]. Designing Assessment to Promote Learning. Baltimore: Author.
Thanks Carrye, Jewel, and Mike!
ReplyDeleteYour comments on my lesson were great and gave me some things to think about. As a teacher without a classroom it is nice to hear that others think my ideas will be effective. It's hard not having a class to try them out on. Sometimes things sound great on paper, but don't work out the way you think in reality. It's nice to have the positive feedback!
Hi Allison,
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great idea. Using blogging in this manner gives students an opportunity to see that what they do in the classroom connects to the world. It also demonstrates that learning has a greater purpose and assignments are not given and completed simply for grades. One suggestion I'd like to offer is to have each student or group set up an ongoing dialogue with a member of the scientific community. Hope this helps.