Study Skills – leveraging the use of technology to become a better student

The Learning Log – Students can often tell you what they did in class, but are not always sure what they learned. For instance, in science a grade six student may weigh two balloons on a balance scale – one filled with air and one not. When asked, “What did you learn?” Some will likely say, “We learned how to weigh balloons.” This means that the student’s focus was on the activity and not the learning inherent to the activity, which should be stated as, “We learned that air has mass.” The learning log is a training document that helps students reflect on what they learn, not what they did. After they have demonstrated a proficiency of reflecting on their learning, they no longer use the log. They only construct mind maps.

Mind Maps – A basic principle in thinking is this: people think in pictures, not words. When you think of a cat, you don’t visualize the word “C A T”. You think of a furry animal with whiskers and a tail. The same principle can be applied to how students reflect on their learning. They can create pictures of their learning. Not only that, but by the time students have created a mind map they have visited their learning three times: 1) in the classroom, 2) in the learning log, and 3) in the mind map. And it should make sense; the more you visit a concept, the more likely you will remember it… and perhaps understand it.

Social Issue / Writing Log - An educated person is one that can thoughtfully communicate about intellectually significant ideas. But before students start having those conversations, they have to develop an understanding of relevant issues that inspire one to become interested. Oftentimes the use of controversial viewpoints is used to motivate students. After all, what middle-school child doesn’t like to argue?

Constructing arguments to support and sustain points of view in not only a state standard, repeated in most grade levels and content areas, it’s just a darn good skill for academic success.

Typing Skills – When possible, students use a teacher hosted chat server to learn typing, Within the context of a prevalent technological tool, students engage in games that facilitate the development of critical thinking skills like murder mystery, I-Spy, or let's say talking to Mission Control to create a CO2 scrubber to save their lives. During play they are typing as fast as they can – all the while, reinforcing the “home keys” on the keyboard. Typing in the framework of a fun activity imbued with analysis, reasoning, evaluation, application and the list goes on… is the best possible circumstance to learn all the above, while learning how to type. (Mavis Beacon is sooooo boring and limited in what it offers students, compared to the compacted the learning of a thoughtfully constructed chat game.) And it's how I learned how to type.

Self-Directed Learning Modules

Lego Simple Machines – This is a prerequisite for robotics. Students need to have a working knowledge of simple machines (pulley, lever, wedge, wheel, axle, inclined plane, screw) before attempting to build a robot. And because students are constructing three-dimensional objects from two-dimensional pictures (where some parts are not visible), they are forced to develop their inferential thinking skills.

Robotics/ Computer Aided Design (CAD) – Students are presented with problems to solve. The problem could be as simple as moving a ball across the room. Or it could be as complex as building a camera-carrying gondola that moves back and forth, suspended from the ceiling of the classroom. Students must draw upon skills in math, science, and critical thinking to solve these problems. For instance, when students are simply rotating their robot, they are calculating proportions, converting fractions and decimals, angles, arcs, etc.

Video Production / DVD Yearbook Project – Students work collaboratively to produce videos. A list of projects can be found here. Students learn how to work together, managing time and distributing jobs among their team. The team leader (the producer) will organize the team’s storyboard and help others manage their roles: lighting, camera, directing talent, editing (using Sony Vegas), organizing and collecting content. We hope to post these projects on Wolfie TV .

Web Development – Students are encouraged to follow their interests when they use Macromedia Studio to build their websites. And within the process of construction, they learn about graphic design, animation, game development, web-based video/ audio, and a limited amount of programming.