web quest

WEB QUEST IDEA

http://questgarden.com/129/67/8/110730192856/

Students will take a virtual field trip to learn about how food and exercise can promote a healthy lifestyle. As they explore the online resources, they will collect information to include in a Health Camp brochure. They will collect images and graphs or use clip art to add interest to the brochure.

Double entry #8

Meaningful Learning

Some challenges to inquiry approaches to learning
One of the most significant challenges to the successful implementation of inquiry approaches is the skills and knowledge of the teachers engaging in this alternative form of teaching and learning (Good & Brophy, 1986). If the teachers do not know how to impliment this syle of teaching it can can be very hard to keep up with it.

"When teachers don’t fully understand the complexities of inquiry-based learning, they may simply think of this approach "unstructured," and may, as a result, fail to provide proper scaffolding, assessment, and redirection as projects unfold" ( )
Teachers must also be able to design and support inquiry-based lessons that meet a variety of criteria, such as illuminating key subject matter concepts, balancing direct instruction with inquiry opportunities, scaffolding the learning of individual students through modeling and feedback, facilitating learning among multiple groups, and developing assessments to guide the learning process (Blumenfeld et al., 1991)

On the student side, the might not have the prior knowledge and expierence to learn with this style."With respect to general academic skills, students may have difficulty developing logical arguments and evidence to support their claims (Krajcik et al., 1998).
overall, there are many things that contribute to the diffuclties this style of teaching has. It is much easier for a teacher to watch movies, hand out worksheets, and give students test. As we saw in this reading that doesn't work anymore. We need to be more involved and more educated on how to teach meaningful learning.

2.Make connections between project-based learning and three research based strategies (Choose strategies you have not already been assigned to read about). Give a brief explanation of the connections.

Project Based Learning is an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation. These activities are designed to answer a question or solve a problem and generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom. With working in groups known as cooperative learning, Project Based Learning allows students to reflect upon their own ideas and opinions, exercise voice and choice, and make decisions that affect project outcomes and the learning process in general.

Providing feedback- providing students with the right kind of feedback can help with their achievement in the classroom.Feedback has been shown to be one of the most significant activities a teacher can engage in to improve student achievement (Hattie, 1992). Rather than giving a letter grade in the grade book on a activity and giving it back to the student, active feedback on the students lets the student understand what they did well on and what they could do to make it better next time. Engaging with the student is a grate way to help a student succeed.

Cooperative grouping- Effective cooperative learning occurs when students work together to accomplish shared goals and when positive structures are in place to support that process (Johnson & Johnson, 1999).Students help each other learn and encourage individual team members' success and it also includes Interpersonal and small-group skills, including communication, decision making, conflict resolution, and time management.
This strategy works with project based learning because students get to be more engaged in a activity. They're not just sitting individually in their chair doing a worksheet they are working together to achieve a goal.

Simulations and games- this strategy helps students learn in a different way, since we know that children learn in different ways this stratgy should be used. Providing students the opportunity to visualize and model improves their chances for understanding. Simulations enhance this potential by making modeling dynamic. Games and modeling activities can elicit curiosity, create a demand for knowledge, and enable students to discover knowledge through exploration (Edelson, 1998).

Getting students up and moving around engages themselves into a activity to work with others,be active, have fun, and be more alive in class. Rather than a lecture and a test, getting students up and moving with a game or a simulation will allow for more knowlege gain.





Barron, D. B., & Darling-Hammond, D. L. (2008). Teaching for meaningful learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley imprint. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. (2005). Integrating technology into research-based strategies. Retrieved from http://www.netc.org/focus/

Identifying similarities and differences.

Instructional strategy, it includes various activities that help learners see patterns and make connections. For example, students compare things that are similar and contrast things that express differences

Most of our class has some type of previous knowledge with power point at some point in time in our lives. We are not however used to being pressured into doing something in a short amount of time. Along with the pressure of getting things done in a certain time, we are also not familular with being told exactly what to do. There was no freedom to explore the program therefore I do not think anything was learned.

Double Entry #6

Why is this video helpful for teaching in West Virginia?
Though there are not many African American students in west Virginia, we still have children struggling with writing.
What evidence is presented that supports the credibility of the speaker?
Associate Professor of English of literacy of new port news of Virginia and co author of “code switching” also a literacy consultant for national council of teachers of English

Describe the traditional approach to responding to student writing?
Finding error. Response with correction.

Why does the traditional approach not work in improving student writing?
Correcting vernacular features . its obvious that correction does not work , because we have the same problem popping up 2nd grade- college

Name the three strategies associated with the linguistic approach to writing instruction?
1. Scientific method.
2. Contrastive analysis.
3. Code switching meta cognition



How do you know the cat and Taylor go together?
Informal.. Owner is Taylor and the cat is what she owns.

What is different between the two patterns of possessives for informal and formal English?
Informal paternal the owner + what they own.
Formal- Owner + ‘S plus + what they own.

What strategy is being used for teaching the second grade students the different patterns between informal and formal English?

Describe how the scientific method is used to teach students to code switch. We collect data, similar issues cropping up in student writing. Observing and seak a pattern which is the hypothesis. Check every example to see if it conformed to the hypothesis


What question is being asked to engage students in the comparison and contrast strategy?
What changed between the informal side and the formal side? She led the students to compare and contrast to find the pattern of formal English. Raising the students awareness first is which is what they know and 2nd ,what we are trying to teach them.


How does code switching support meta cognition?
As students think about “ where I am “ or “what is my purposes “ and choosing the language to fit the setting When to use formal English and when to use informal English.
What evidence is presented the code switching approach works? Describe one of the studies?
Taylor: found that her African American students were continuing to struggle and failing, she used two different methods to help linguistics , the traditional approach and the other classroom she used contrast approach.. her results were dramatic, in the traditional approach students produced 8 % more vernacular features in their writing one semester. The contrast approach produced 59 % percent decrease in vernacular features.
Fogel and Erei- basically they looked at traditional techniques and contrast techniques. Basis was they had 30 percent vernacular features in a pre test. Traditional methods showed no change. Contrast group had a 100% improvement.
Second Speaker
How did the students respond when asked how they felt about being corrected when they talked?
Students felt stupid, and angry, confused. The children were not learning.
Give an example of a "fund of knowledge" the teacher drew on to help students learn to code switch? What does it mean to be formal and what does it mean to be informal? Kids already know this. What do you wear when you dress up? Children knew that’s being formal. So she used clothes and different settings on what you wear. Comparing them to English

What are some added benefits aside from raising test scores that stem from using contrastive analysis?
Students use proper and formal English in a serious environment that help them sound more professional. This can go a long way in speeches, higher education school papers, and job selections.





Explain how contrastive analysis for writing instruction is an example of each of these research-based strategies:
Generating and Testing Hypothesis---Across content areas and grade levels, inquiry in the classroom turns native curiosity to the learner's advantage. Through active learning experiences, students deepen their understanding of key concepts” this practice of the scientific method helps students discover what the problem was and fix it. Not just correcting it from the start, but actually getting deep into it and why.


Identifying Difference and Similarities-As an instructional strategy, it includes various activities that help learners see patterns and make connections. For example, students compare things that are similar and contrast things that express differences. They classify when they identify features or characteristics of a group of objects or ideas, and then develop a scheme to organize those objects. This is an example of writing instruction because it explains to the student that helps a student see the difference in the two types of writing.

Entry #5 (late)

What does the research say about the impact of negative teacher attitudes about students ethnicity and language variations on student learning?

Research has shown that many teachers have a negative attitude and are more critical towards dialects other than Standard English, considering it the "correct dialect."
Teachers identified nonstandard pronunciation and vocabulary associated with dialects as “incorrect.” They also expressed the belief that “bad” speech equals bad behavior and speaking a nonstandard language equals lower ability.

What are some assessment pitfalls?
No matter what type of teaching strategy a teacher might use to help with cultural diversity in their class room, one can still stereotype their students. Teachers need to get to know the student and family background before making assumptions about how one might write or speak. This can have a huge effect on a student’s performance in the classroom. How do you know what a student is capable of doing if you automatically think “ if they can’t speak or write correctly, then they can’t do anything”

What three approaches can be used to transform students’ dialectal diversity into an asset (funds of knowledge) rather than a liability (cultural deficit).

The awareness approach- examines history and social climate when dealing with the development of certain dialects. Important in this approach that comparing and contrasting students’ native dialect with standard English is the right way to go instead of the liability and cultural deficit direction. (Compose a movie or a poem in their dialect)
Critical pedagogy- focuses on transforming the social order rather than teaching students to succeed in the current social order. These teachers who practice employ students to have a voice of their own and support language power structure. (roll play scenarios where students use multicultural dialect and standard English)
Critical awareness – students are taught standard English, but are also taught to think critically about their language ideology. (Students may have discussions in their own dialect so they can actually say how they really feel)

Wikidot.com. (2009, September 4). Linguistic diversity in ece. Retrieved from http://ecelinguisticdiversity.wikidot.com/teacher-attitudes

Matts Photo story

WHERE I'M FROM....

I am from the back roads and small towns, from the Tygart River that flows under the covered bridge as fast as people can get to the market.

I am from the door is always open, dinner on the table, and a place where there is always something to do when there isn’t anything to do.

I am from the oak trees over a sparkling campfire, and “remember that time”
I am from the sound of the river and the train going through town in the distance, from mom and dad fixing steaks on the grill with the sound of a basketball bouncing underneath .

I am from the back packing trips and stories of how we grew up.
From drinking the water from the crick, and always wanting to swim when it’s hot. I am from loving one another no matter how they might treat us.

I am from Philippi West Virginia, where the corn on the cob and homemade potato salad always go hand and hand.

From the “matt always wanted to go to the pool, even though we were in Disney world, to Nathan always beating him in everything.

I am from knowing every face in this small place. I am from creeks and streams, and outdoor movie screens. I am from “howdy neighbor,” to “can you do me a favor?” I am from fishing, biking, running and swimming. I am from the outdoors, screen doors and everything in between. I’m from HOME, and that is where I’m from.