When I first saw what we had to read about and work on in Week 5, I felt like screaming....I thought it was too much to understand and too little time. However, after having done most of my reading, I already started feeling a bit "wiser", a step ahead of the other colleagues of mine who are not doing this course. Soon, I started feeling much better and much more optimistic about the work I had to do...
I must admit I've never used rubrics so far... I've come to realize now, though, their importance as to the students' understanding of what they have to do in order to get the highest mark possible, and to my assessing them in a clearer, more objective way. So, it goes without saying that I consider Rubistar a great helper!! I can't wait to create my first rubric... Very helpful information can be found at: http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/eta/Rubric_Tutorial/default.htm. It may take me some time but I will, eventually, make it!
Alternative assessment: I have definitely understood the way the alternative assessment works... I must admit that I like it a lot! Still...I am not sure if I am trained and experienced enough to use it properly... To what extent should I use it and starting from which grade at school? Portfolios are a good way to prove to students themselves, to their parents and to us, teachers, that we have managed to help them acquire a piece of knowledge... But how much training do our students need (and we, as well) in order to start and efficiently use the alternative ways of assessment?
PBL/ WebQuests: I LOVED the original WebQuest page (http://www.webquest.org/index.php) as it contains valuable information for WebQuest beginners! Simple questions such as: "What is a WebQuest"? "How do I create one"? etc. are answered in a straightforward and clear way! I may be feeling a bit stressed, though, as to what kind of a WebQuest I will create but...only time will tell! I, also, had a look at Vicky's WebQuest made on http://www.zunal.com/ and I realised that it is a great tool which allows you to create neat and tidy WebQuests! Needless to say the importance and the benefits of project-based learning (part of which is a WebQuest). In Greece, interest towards projects started 3-4 years ago and a lot of events and online seminars have been organized with the view to training more and more teachers.
Our work is getting harder and more demanding week after week... But, at the same time, it's becoming more challenging and interesting!!
"It's darkest before dawn"!!! Heads up, faces lit up by a smile!!
I must admit I've never used rubrics so far... I've come to realize now, though, their importance as to the students' understanding of what they have to do in order to get the highest mark possible, and to my assessing them in a clearer, more objective way. So, it goes without saying that I consider Rubistar a great helper!! I can't wait to create my first rubric... Very helpful information can be found at: http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/eta/Rubric_Tutorial/default.htm. It may take me some time but I will, eventually, make it!
Alternative assessment: I have definitely understood the way the alternative assessment works... I must admit that I like it a lot! Still...I am not sure if I am trained and experienced enough to use it properly... To what extent should I use it and starting from which grade at school? Portfolios are a good way to prove to students themselves, to their parents and to us, teachers, that we have managed to help them acquire a piece of knowledge... But how much training do our students need (and we, as well) in order to start and efficiently use the alternative ways of assessment?
PBL/ WebQuests: I LOVED the original WebQuest page (http://www.webquest.org/index.php) as it contains valuable information for WebQuest beginners! Simple questions such as: "What is a WebQuest"? "How do I create one"? etc. are answered in a straightforward and clear way! I may be feeling a bit stressed, though, as to what kind of a WebQuest I will create but...only time will tell! I, also, had a look at Vicky's WebQuest made on http://www.zunal.com/ and I realised that it is a great tool which allows you to create neat and tidy WebQuests! Needless to say the importance and the benefits of project-based learning (part of which is a WebQuest). In Greece, interest towards projects started 3-4 years ago and a lot of events and online seminars have been organized with the view to training more and more teachers.
Our work is getting harder and more demanding week after week... But, at the same time, it's becoming more challenging and interesting!!
"It's darkest before dawn"!!! Heads up, faces lit up by a smile!!
Hello, Georgia
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice fear we feel each week :-)! Just like you, on Monday I checked the assignments and thought how many unfamiliar things there are. I wondered if I could understand all that. I started reading and followed the links the classmates shared and I got it. I didn't use Rubrics before and it's a good companion to PBL. Students are aware of tasks and they get feedback and opportunity to improve their knowledge. PBL will help students to think beyond the frames of traditional studies. At the school I work at, there are certain limitations to modern way of teaching. We got one laptop and projector but we don't have access to Internet all the time so it would be difficult at times. I haven't get familiar with WebQuest and I'll copy your link and start exploring.
Yes, our work is getting harder and demanding but we've done a lot so far.
I like your smile :-) Enjoy the weekend!
Bojana
Hi, Georgia!
ReplyDeleteI admire Rubrics, PBL, WebQuests as you do.
I teach my learners to evaluate themselves from the 2nd grade.Their evaluations are simple. I can..., I know..... As for Rubrics I think they are excellent to use for older and higher students.I begin to practice Rubrics, of course and do it with great importance and pleasure.
I would like to use WebQuest in my project because Web Quest is a new form of submitting the lesson for me and for my students. Using Wequest as a web lesson students learn by doing and talking about what they did. It is a web lesson in which students explore and evaluate most or all of the information from the World Wide Web. It is a modern tool with the help of which I can observe more me as a teacher- and my student interaction than ever before. The Web Quest provides student collaboration with each other, they learn to work in team, besides they learn to be able to grapple with ambiguity tomorrow.
I hope we will share the ideas about WebQuests while we are working on it.
Have a good time!