Ok, so this summer I am trying to create dynamic mastery quizzes. I have access to ExamView 7.5, Moodle and a Weebly site under construction. I have a few very small test banks, but none for my course texts that my computer can open and need to figure this whole thing out soon. There is so much information out there, but not really all in one place. Ideally, my vision is that the various lesson pages on my Weebly site would each link to a dynamic (ie. different for each student) Moodle test. I would like my chapter tests to be online via Moodle as well and also be dynamic. I would like to figure out how to create my own questions so that when we go to common assessments, my tests are common with the rest of my department.
This is a big chore and I am trying to at least figure out the basics in the next week or so. I have figured out how to import test banks into ExamView, but still have a long way to go with even doing anything in Moodle. Why can't this all be seamless and easy to do. Thankfully I am not put off with all the coding necessary, but it is time-consuming. Does anyone have any brilliant ideas out there?
Friday, May 24, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
My First Year of Flipping
I am nearly done with my first year of flipping the classroom. What a ride! I have learned so much about myself as a teacher and my students. I am so excited to sit down, reflect and make things even better next year.
To recap: reflecting after the first semester left me with lots of questions about the method. Even though I had plenty of students enjoying the flipped experience, I also had students not watching videos, not learning, frustrated, trying to leave my classes. Something had to change. So, I decided more personal accountability might help. I also let go of a lot of control...we went asynchronous (with boundaries). Since I was flipping for the first year, I hadn't made all the videos yet, so students could only go as fast as I could make videos/unit learning guides. But, my more advanced students loved being able to go at their own speed and the students who struggle still got my attention and didn't feel pressured to learn so fast. We had a test date still, but no grades were final until that day. However, I tried desperately to enter grades (thanks to my iPad) as they finished lessons.
I made unit learning guides for each unit in both Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. It worked like a charm. Each lesson had a set of guided notes with example problems that corresponded to each video. When students watch the video, they get a "CZECHOWSKI" stamp on the front checklist. When they complete their practice, another stamp. They LOVED filling up their checklist with stamps and seeing the gradebook fill up with good grades. I am seeing students take much more responsibility for their own learning as they realize that even if they get behind, all is not lost. It is truly up to them to earn their grade. That's right...I did away with deadlines and late work. I always hated the accounting of late work anyway and I hate to see my students stressed about math. Learning it is nearly always so stressful anyway for them.
I still flipped my Stats class, at their request, but fell off that wagon for the last two units, as I hit the proverbial wall for burnout in mid-April. Keep in mind, I was finishing my MAT during that time as well.
Where do I go from here? Current issues...now students copy each others' notes instead of watching the videos. Do I mind? I am not sure. Students do this whenever they lose their unit learning guide, which I definitely don't mind. However, I want them to mentally process things. After listening to Ramsay Musallem's latest TED video, I realized I need more excitement in my class. Since we are asynchronous and nearly mastery-based, I would also like to take it to complete mastery-based (with time limits). The Algebro's in Germany inspired me towards that. However, I want more projects so kids can see how we actually use this math. I am thinking of using projects as a way to show mastery, if students are ahead of schedule, instead of tests. I would also like to test out having students either explain topics to me, a "hot seat" approach, courtesy of Graham Johnson, or even make their own videos of themselves explaining things that we can add to the website for the class. I want them to get excited about learning and showing off what they know to others. I want to see them exhibit pride in their work.
Another thing I want to see from my students is more higher level thinking. It is better than last year, but they could do so much more of this. I think that as they gain confidence in their math skills this will happen, but I want to prod them towards this more intentionally as well.
I have to work within boundaries, though. My school wants common assessments soon. That may hamper my project ideas. They also want us to end each semester on the same exact lesson. This is not such a big deal for my more advanced students, but it is for my struggling students. We shall see where we can take this next year.
This summer? I will let these ideas "gel" for a while and then sit down to make the nuts and bolts of the magic happen...I will keep you posted!
To recap: reflecting after the first semester left me with lots of questions about the method. Even though I had plenty of students enjoying the flipped experience, I also had students not watching videos, not learning, frustrated, trying to leave my classes. Something had to change. So, I decided more personal accountability might help. I also let go of a lot of control...we went asynchronous (with boundaries). Since I was flipping for the first year, I hadn't made all the videos yet, so students could only go as fast as I could make videos/unit learning guides. But, my more advanced students loved being able to go at their own speed and the students who struggle still got my attention and didn't feel pressured to learn so fast. We had a test date still, but no grades were final until that day. However, I tried desperately to enter grades (thanks to my iPad) as they finished lessons.
I made unit learning guides for each unit in both Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. It worked like a charm. Each lesson had a set of guided notes with example problems that corresponded to each video. When students watch the video, they get a "CZECHOWSKI" stamp on the front checklist. When they complete their practice, another stamp. They LOVED filling up their checklist with stamps and seeing the gradebook fill up with good grades. I am seeing students take much more responsibility for their own learning as they realize that even if they get behind, all is not lost. It is truly up to them to earn their grade. That's right...I did away with deadlines and late work. I always hated the accounting of late work anyway and I hate to see my students stressed about math. Learning it is nearly always so stressful anyway for them.
I still flipped my Stats class, at their request, but fell off that wagon for the last two units, as I hit the proverbial wall for burnout in mid-April. Keep in mind, I was finishing my MAT during that time as well.
Where do I go from here? Current issues...now students copy each others' notes instead of watching the videos. Do I mind? I am not sure. Students do this whenever they lose their unit learning guide, which I definitely don't mind. However, I want them to mentally process things. After listening to Ramsay Musallem's latest TED video, I realized I need more excitement in my class. Since we are asynchronous and nearly mastery-based, I would also like to take it to complete mastery-based (with time limits). The Algebro's in Germany inspired me towards that. However, I want more projects so kids can see how we actually use this math. I am thinking of using projects as a way to show mastery, if students are ahead of schedule, instead of tests. I would also like to test out having students either explain topics to me, a "hot seat" approach, courtesy of Graham Johnson, or even make their own videos of themselves explaining things that we can add to the website for the class. I want them to get excited about learning and showing off what they know to others. I want to see them exhibit pride in their work.
Another thing I want to see from my students is more higher level thinking. It is better than last year, but they could do so much more of this. I think that as they gain confidence in their math skills this will happen, but I want to prod them towards this more intentionally as well.
I have to work within boundaries, though. My school wants common assessments soon. That may hamper my project ideas. They also want us to end each semester on the same exact lesson. This is not such a big deal for my more advanced students, but it is for my struggling students. We shall see where we can take this next year.
This summer? I will let these ideas "gel" for a while and then sit down to make the nuts and bolts of the magic happen...I will keep you posted!
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