Blended Learning
my pilot project
Background to the pilot project
Curriculum Focus
I have decided to use English as the curriculum focus for my project. This
term our writing focus in on transactional writing, with particular focus on
written arguments. The current curriculum level my Year 7s should be
working at is Level 3; write instructions, explanations, and factual
accounts, and express personal viewpoints, in a range of authentic
contexts, sequencing ideas logically. They should be working towards
Level 4 (which is also the level my Year 8 students should be working on)
write instructions, explanations, and factual accounts, and express and
explain a point of view, in a range of authentic contexts, organising and
linking ideas logically and making language choices appropriate to the
audience.
Part way through my pilot I decided to add in a second aspect which was
to incorporate Social Studies into the plan. This term we are looking at
Level 4 of the Social Studies curriculum, understand how people pass on
and sustain culture and heritage for different reasons.
Vanessa Burton
Part 2
The Adapted Plan
Part 3
Throughout the Adapted Plan
The first step was identifying what my students needed to learn about
when completing a written argument. I did this by giving students an
argument topic for students to write about (on paper).
Part 4
Extensions to the Adapted Plan
The third extension to my pilot project has been the introduction of the
Spell Rite programme. This is to aid the students in my class who are
behind in spelling. They are currently filling in their gaps on the essential
spelling list and as part of this work on the Spell Rite computer programme
to reinforce the learning of their words.
Vanessa Burton
Conclusions
Things that I would change
- Writing detailed instructions on the Wiki site rather than giving detailed
instructions verbally to the class, this would allow for students to refer
back to the homepage when/ if they forget what is needed to do.
- Using a Social Studies focus rather than an English focus. When I got
students to complete World Heritage Research and create a Wiki page, I
realised the scope for using multi media in online learning e.g. Video and
giving students the room to design how they wanted their learning to look.
Whereas for English it did seem limited in how appealing it could be made
to students and to give them the freedom to explore.
Vanessa Burton
All students indicated that they enjoyed the use of laptops in the
classroom.
All but one of the students said they enjoyed using wiki spaces for
argument writing. One student said it was okay, but gave no reason for this
answer.
3) Did you find using wiki spaces made learning more interesting
- okay, because if you do it as a class there is sometimes more information
- Yes, it is exciting and more faster than writing it up on the board
- Yes, it was easy to see what you had to do
- Yes, it was a surprise to see what we were doing in the period/s
- Yes, the instructions are in front of you
All but one of the students said they found wiki spaces made learning
more interesting with most stating it was easier, fun and different.
Most students were stumped on this question and couldn’t really think of
any suggestions of how to use the computers in the classroom.
-Wiki spaces (editing your profile, looking at other peoples one, how to
make a page_
-Word (change page size, orientation, fade pictures, putting pictures
behind/ infront of words, move pictures)
- Type faster
- How to turn off the computer
Every student in the class were able to give one skill that they learnt,
with most coming from Wiki Space and the Use of Microsoft Word.