A Rubric about "Online Discussion"

Hello everybody,
As we learn this course online and we learn how to make

learning community online, I decided to create my Rubric

online. My Rubric is about "Online Discussion".I

customized a rubric I read and added some rows to suit

my students. I also customized the language used.I created an online rubric on this wonderful site:
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

Best wishes
Ahmed Khattab

Implementing a Technology-based change

Hello everybody,

The issues I mentioned before are about the teachers. They concentrate only on transferring knowledge to students, not skills not attitudes.They don't know how to use technology in teaching. They don not address the national standards. I think they need two things:
1- a training to raise their awareness concerning KSA
2- a training in how to use technology in teaching. They should be shown how important it is in this century and how enjoyable it also is.

Learning Styles

Dear Sandra and all,

We as teachers are interested in getting all the students in the class to be our audience, our fans, not only some of them. According to "Multiple Intelligences" theory, there are individual differences among students. Consequently, some students are auditory learners, others are visual,tactile, kinesthetic, reading/writing-preference learners ...etc.What logically follows is teaching Style, study strategies, and assessment Methods.
Using technology in teaching can vary to address various senses; audio-clips for auditory learners, Video-clips (Virtual drawing, writing, pictures, images, maps...etc)for visual learners, writing -typing- tasks, using search engines for tactile learners. Homework, tests, evaluation forms can be assigned on the computer (through web-sites or blogs and WebQuests). Activities and tasks can vary to cover all the individual, pair and group work and interests.

For Learning Style I recommend the following links:
http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm

http://www.learning-styles-online.com/

http://www.learningstyles.net/

All the best

Ahmed Khattab

Project-based learning and WebQuests

Hello everybody,

I read great PBL examples on:
http://susangaer.com/studentprojects
I drew out a project that may work well with my students.
Target audience: Level 11 students.
Topic: Bird Flu
I think it would work well as it is a global problem that. There is a lot of information about in different media. This would make students feel the topic is familiar; they would be encouraged to work. It relates to a real life problem as well. Students recycle information and learn new knowledge, skills and attitudes.

The project objectives:
By the end of the project student will be able to:
1- Identify the bird flu and its causes with 100% accuracy
2. use the internet to get and exchange data, videos, images, research and reports about bird flu with 80% accuracy
3- show a positive attitude towards protection, hygiene and sanitation

This project is to be carried out in six days (six periods, 50 minutes a period = 300 minutes).
Place: Multi-media room with a learning station, computers connected to the internet, data-show and stationary.

Students will be divided into five heterogeneous groups.

Each group will choose only one idea:
1. What is “bird flu”? What is its cure?
2. How it spreads
3- How to avoid it
4. How to deal with healthy and infected birds (and humans)
5. How can we enhance the mutual cooperation between the school and the society in this respect?

Each group will cover the area chosen in different ways:
1. Chatting and exchanging e-mails over the net
2. Using the search engines to search for reports, images, projects, videos, sayings…etc
3. Writing or summarizing reports
4. Drawing, designing and writing newsletters, brochures, slideshows, PPT Presentations

Each period will start with 5 minute warm up activity. Students work for 35 minutes (they can do tasks at home and get them ready. So, they can help slower ones in class).
The last ten minutes is for the presentations of the groups’ products and assessment/evaluation.

The last period will be for the overall presentation.
There will be a standardized assessment form for individual and group work.
The project(s) will be kept in binder for the upcoming class as examples.

All the best

Ahmed Khattab

Project-based Learning

Dear all,
I created my own WebQuest: http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=52072
I read about Project-based Learning. Project-based learning (including WebQuests) can help my students become more autonomous learners:
1. Students choose the type of project to do
2. They carry out the project following the teacher’s guideline, certain resources and web-sites
3. They assess/evaluate their own work and other students’ work
4. Each student plays a role that completes the group’s work and to compete with the other groups
5. Students use their own preferred learning styles
6. Students develop their skills and get new (academic, practical, social) skills.
7. Learning does not stop at knowledge, but it goes further to skills, attitudes and the experience needed in real life
8. Learning becomes active, cooperative/collaborative.

Project-based learning can change the teacher-student relationship in a class:

1. The teacher is only a facilitator. He helps students to choose the type of project, put the plan, and carry out the project.
2. The teacher functions as a consultant during the different stages of the project
3. As an evaluator, the teacher observes individual and group work in order to keep the class on the track to reach the objectives of the project
4. The teacher helps students to reach the national standards through the projects
5. The class becomes a family encouraging atmosphere

I recommend these web-sites:

http://pbl-online.org/pathway2.html

http://www.rmcdenver.com/useguide/lessons/lindex.htm?

Best Regards

Ahmed Khattab