After completing one year in Grad school and having read variety
of articles on education, I find they all are an attempt to answer this
question- What is the best way to teach children of today to prepare
them for the World of tomorrow? Everyone seems to agree that old ways of
teaching are not going to lead us on right path. Digital Natives cannot
have an authentic learning experience if you ask them to sit quietly
and listen to a teacher lecturing on a topic.
All this reminds me of a person born in India around 150 years ago, who
also disliked the conventional methods of schooling, got educated by
private tutors at his home (being a rich landlord’s son) started his own
school and later a university where learners were not confined in the
four walls of a classroom but were allowed to sit on tree branches and
read, touch the flowers and leaves, chase butterflies….in order to learn
science, literature, social sciences. Find it incredible?
Well, I am talking about Rabindranath Tagore
(1861-1941), Asia’s first Nobel Laureate (1913). As a young student he
found formal schooling very boring because of its dull curriculum. He
observed- We sit inert like dead specimens of some museum, while lessons are pelted on us from on high, like hail stones on flowers [1].
It’s not that he disliked learning; in fact he enjoyed learning at his
own pace at his home which was a meeting place of intellectuals and
artists from India as well as Western world. Dynamic learning
environment of his home permitted him to experience an open model of
education. He composed his first poem at the age of eight. By the end of
his life he had written 25 volumes of poetry, 15 plays, 90 short
stories, 11 novels, 13 volumes of essay, composed more than 2000 songs
and that’s not all; after the age of seventy he created more than 2000
pictures and sketches.
As an alternative to the existing forms of education, he started small
school at Santiniketan in 1901 that later developed into a University.
Here he tried to develop an alternative model of education based on his
own learning experiences. His concern with education got reflected in
his writings, speeches, debates, and in his establishment of
Santiniketan University.
Today I would like to share with you all a short story written by him- ‘The Parrot’s training’,
which provides an incisive look at education. Let me know your thoughts
on it and if you wish to read more about his thoughts on education then
this is an interesting article to read!
Present day world appreciates the extroverts who have the ability to charm the crowd. As an educator, I feel we tend to pay more attention to the students who are vocal and love the group activities in our classrooms. So is being an introvert a matter of shame? Do they have no place in today's fast-paced world? Susan Cain holds a different opinion about them. I loved watching this video!
Technology’s role in augmenting the learning process of students of different cultural background in K-12 classrooms of USA
Image source:Brand New World
Scenario:
Students of Ms. R’s classroom are from different cultural background. They have to write a different story version with same theme of 'Cinderella' (a folk tale). These students have to prepare a presentation on Solar System for their Science class also. They are expected to understand, write and read English in order to do well in both classes, even though they still have a problem with language in their classroom. Science has a complex vocabulary that is difficult even for native English speakers to learn. Some English Language Learners (ELLs) are trying their best to catch up, but others are frustrated and don’t want to concentrate in the class. The teacher has a Smart Board and other latest technologies in her class but she hardly incorporates them in her lessons.
Instructional Challenge
Your instructional challenge as a lead teacher is to find ways to promote academic support for the students who come from diverse cultural, linguistic and racial background as it is no longer the issue of only ESL program. Your solution must have a research foundation, must include models of practice, and must demonstrate how these models could be modified for use in your own learning environment.
Solution: Introduction
Since its origin, USA's public education system has faced many challenges. One of the most important challenge has been how to teach the learners from diverse background. There are over a billion English as a foreign or second language learners worldwide. In America alone, it is estimated that over 25% of the population will speak a mother tongue other than English at home within next 10 years and be in need of acquiring English language for success in school, community and future job market. Diversity brings richness to a class, but along with it comes the challenge on part of educators: to teach their students effectively in order to prepare them to succeed in life. Please watch this short video in whichDr. Jim Cummins talks about ways to motivate and engage the English Language Learners.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 clearly set a goal for all students, including ELLs to reach high standards by demonstrating proficiency in ELA and Mathematics by 2014.The teachers apply various strategies to support the learning of diverse learners in their 21st century classrooms and they have access to a powerful tool: TECHNOLOGY! Literature is full of claims that technology has great potential in supporting second language learning and teaching. Hence, usage of technology to aid English Language Learners’ learning is not a novel idea.
Educational technology as a learning tool can increase learning opportunities for these students. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)(2000) defined curriculum integration as:
“Curriculum integration with the use of technology involves the infusion of technology as a tool to enhance the learning in a content area or multidisciplinary setting. Technology enables students to learn in ways not previously possible. Effective integration of technology is achieved when students are able to select technology tools to help them obtain information in a timely manner, analyze and synthesize the information, and present it professionally. The technology should become an integral part of how the classroom functions-as accessible as all other classroom tools”.
Efficient use of technology allows the learners to have the control over the direction of their learning by controlling their speed of learning and choice of topics. Apart from this, the technology has the ability to meet the specific student needs, encourage them to collaborate and make decisions. ELLs can learn in a rich linguistic environment, can feel safe because of privacy given to them by the tech tool and extend their language skills by taking risks since technology will not make them feel embarrassed for failing to give correct answers. Technology also provides multiple strategies for language learners to communicate their learning and comprehension of content.
Thus web and web 2.0 tools compliment the pedagogical needs as following:
Affective domain: Learners get positive feedback on accomplishing the tasks done online. Apart from this the privacy is also maintained.
Comprehensible input and repeatability: Technology provides control to the learner as well as feedback in terms of new vocabulary, mastery, speed of speech and comprehension etc.
Testing and assessment: Learners need to be constantly challenged and they should be able to gauge their progress. Web tools accomplish this task well.
Content and curriculum: The content should allow for much user choice and this is what internet offers as well as encourages.
The theoretical foundation-
1. Lev Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development
According to Vygotsky, when children have helpers (skilled-children in the peer group) who are able to assist them and skilled person such as teacher who can provide good guidance then these children who has supportive guidance and a nurturing social environment can forge ahead and build strong social competences. They can extend their social skill with others, and are interested in their subject.
Technology helps in employing the instructional scaffolding techniques throughout the lessons such as modeling, sentence starters, graphic organizers, vocabulary building which provide a great help to the learners with diverse background.(Scaffolding in child guidance is a teacher’s changing support during a discipline encounter or series of interactions).
2. Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition (SLA):
Krashen's Theory of SLA consists of five main hypotheses. They are:
a. the Acquisition-Learning hypothesis
b. the Monitor hypothesis
c. the Natural hypothesis
d. the Input hypothesis
e. the Affective filter hypothesis
This is the combined model of acquisition and production
According to Stephen Krashen there are several variables that influence the affective filter. They are motivation, self-confidence and anxiety. In terms of 'monitoring' usually extroverts are under users while introverts and the perfectionists are over users. Lack of self-confidence amongst ELLs is frequently related to the overuse of 'monitors'.
So, it would be very helpful for ELLs to utilize diverse and popular technological tools to reduce the affective filter and to optimally use the monitoring process. This will lead to increase in their 'output'.
Various ways in which technology can augment learning experience of English Language Learners are:
1. Web resources: ‘ESL reading smart’ is an online intervention that is very successful in various schools where it has been tested in. Its advantage is being an online intervention, it keeps on getting updated automatically. Apart from this, Pearson Education and Rosetta Stone are the one time software purchases which are very helpful in teaching ELLs.
2: Games and simulations: Games are structured materials in which learning can occur in small increments. They have the potential of engaging the learners to a high level of immersion and are very popular way to teach the ELLs. There are various websites where the students can go and create games by using text and voice chat.
3. Safe text/voice chat experiences: The mylanguageexchange.com is an online resource that provides an opportunity to ELLs to practice. This method provides them the privacy as well as safe environment along with rich experience in learning the language.
4. Cameras and Videos: These can be used to take digital pictures of the content they are learning and then they can make “click word books” , labels, flash cards for the classroom or they can make video presentations (interviews and skits) to use conversational English.
5. Use of Publishing software: Students can be encouraged to publish their work; such as making brochures or publishing class newsletter and stories authored by them by using software already available on school websites.
6. Twitter/Edmodo: It is said ‘Edmodo is Twitter in education”. In reality though, it’s basically a private micro-blogging service for schools with built-in security features that give teachers privacy controls over their virtual classroom. Many schools use it to engage their digital learners.
7. Digital Storytelling: Digital storytelling is a great way of teaching vocabulary to the learners. In addition to helping with the vocabulary and grammar, it can also be a source of information between teacher and the student. The visual images are used to learn and share the story, this will lead to breaking of communication barrier between students. By creating and narrating the projects, the students’ self-confidence and expression skills will also build up. They will become more organized, communicative and will improve their fluency. Example:http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/esl.html
8. Blogging: It somewhat resembles an online journal and it is easy to create and update. Blogs are great way of stimulating out of class discussions and they are really helpful in encouraging participation from shy students. They have the capability to provide extra reading practice to the students and it guides the students to the online resources which are appropriate for their level.
There are three types of blogs that can be used in language teaching:
a.Educator blog: It is run by the teacher of a class. The content can be limited to syllabus, course information, homework assignments, projects and class activity announcements.
b.Class blog: It is a shared collaborative space, with both teacher and students being able to write to the main area. Learners have more freedom and involvement.
c.Learner blog: This blog is set and moderated by the teacher. It provides the personal online space to each student.
9. Podcasting: Time is a big constraint for teachers as well as students. The numbers of school days are not sufficient to do justice to the new language learning process. Podcasting can be used to increase the student’s time allocated to language learning. They provide the meaningful experience to the students in learning English. Podcasting in education is more than extending the classroom; it enhances the potential outcomes of a course for today’s students who are tech-savvy. Learners of English can learn the language in an authentic context through the podcasts.
10. Google Docs: is an online document editor that can replace the Microsoft Word, if teacher and students don't want fancy text. A teacher can create the Google Docs for each student with his/her name on it and share it with them via email. They can work on it and the teacher can open it at her own convenience to check and assess it. There is an option of highlighting the portions of text and commenting in the margin. Apart from this the Google Docs can also be used for document storage and folder sharing.
Different Web 2.0 tools can be used to scaffold for ELL. Web tools create authentic opportunities to apply English language skills. Some of these web 2.0 tools are
a.Reading and writing: Free dictionary.com, Hyperwords.net, VozMe.com, Blogger.com, ePals.com, PBWorks.com, WikiSpaces.com,Ning.com, SlideShare.com,SchoolTube.com,Glogster.com,Flickr.com, Lit2go.com (a free online collection of stories and poems in MP3(audiobook)format).
b.For listening and speaking: Audacity, Gcast.com,VoiceThread.com,Skype.com,Vocaroo.com
Please watch this video to find out how teachers can use Web 2.0 to teach English Language Learners.
Strategies for teaching Science/Math to ELLs
Apart from using above mentioned technologies there are various strategies that can be used for teaching Science to ELLs. They are:
1. Turn on Closed Captioning on Videos so that the students can see what narrator or actors are saying. Thus they can correlate the written and spoken English.
2. Emphasize visual literacy (ability to evaluate, apply or create visual representation) which is relatively independent of language, by using scientific diagrams, Venn diagrams and pictures.
3. Use Graphic organizers, charts and graphs to communicate ,integrate and assess the scientific and mathematical concepts because they require minimal use of written and spoken English.
4. Hands-on activities provide excellent learning environment for ELLs.
5. Use Pictorial guide to provide visual reference to glassware in a science class and demonstrations for labsso that students can see and understand the process.
Models of practice
Teaching ELLs with Technology in Irving ISD, Texas
Teaching Science to ELLs with technology in Ochoa Elementary School, Texas:
Learning how to Integrate Technology in the classroom
The teachers can use these resources to learn how to integrate the technology in classroom and design the curriculum to suit the needs of diverse learners :
It is a free online course, separated into two modules, on implementing Universal Design for Learning in your classroom. UDL is a framework for designing curriculum that addresses the diverse needs, strengths, backgrounds, and interests of students in today’s classrooms.
2.WestEd A collection of tech tips presented byWestEd help educators learn how to use software and other technology devices to meet the needs of diverse learners, included students with disabilities and English learners. This website, produced byWestEd, (http://www.wested.org/cs/tdl/print/docs/tdl/home.htm) contains links to a slide show, handouts, and related materials for professional developers (technology coordinators and inclusion teachers) that are helping teachers integrate technology into the curriculum to support diverse learners.
Integrating the solution in our learning environment
Our school has three computer labs which are fully equipped with the gadgets required to teach ELLs. Apart from this each classroom has two computers, a smart board and variety of other tech tools. Various techniques, strategies and suggestions mentioned above to integrate technology to teach ELLs can be implemented in all core content classes and across all grade levels with ease. The teachers have access to all the resources to do so and there are various online resources that are available for free. Teachers can also check with their school district and find out if there are any funds available for English Language Learners. They can use these funds to buy specific devices required in their classrooms. If that is not so then writing Grants is another option that can be followed. Thus, a judicious combination of above mentioned strategies and the technologies can be done to enrich the learning environment of the students who come from diverse background.
References:
Ban,R.,Jin,L.,Summers,R.,Eisenhower,K.(2005) Integrating Technology Best Use Practices for English Language Learners in Content Based Classrooms. Retrieved Feb,29,2012 from http://www.appstate.edu/~jinl/esltech.pdf
Children diversity (Image). Diversity and Children Series. Retrieved Feb.28,2012 from http://technorati.com/lifestyle/article/diversity-and-children-series-part-2/
Combined Model of Acquisition and Production (Image). Krahsen's Comprehension Hypothesis Model of L2 Learning. Retrieved March 9,2012 from http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SLA/Krashen.htm
Cummins,J.,Brown,K.,Sayers,D.(2007)Literacy, Technology and Diversity: Teaching for Success in Changing Times. Retrieved March 3,2012 from http://www.chihtu.org/bb/etc545/lesson6/Cummins_-_Technology_PDF.pdf
Herr,N.(?) Strategies for teaching Science to English Language Learners. Retrieved March 3,2012 from http://www.csun.edu/science/ref/language/teaching-ell.html
Ipokij 82 (2009) Every Teacher- A teacher of English language learners.[Video] March 1,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFKSM-V9Uck
Krashen,S.D. (1989) Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition.Retrieved March 7,2012 from http://www.sdkrashen.com/Principles_and_Practice/Principles_and_Practice.pdf
Peachey,N.(2008). Web 2.0 for EFL/ESL Teachers [Video]. Retrieved March 2, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfpkVYXpvyE
Pearson Education (2010). Empowering English Learners [Video]. Retrieved March 13,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu-6V3N5RHI&feature=related
Power On Texas (2010). Power on Texas: Irving ISD's commitment to technology helps serve challenging population [Video].Retrieved March 2,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRwusEf61Wc
Schutz,R.(2007). Stephen Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition. Retrieved March 6,2012 from http://www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html
Smart,M.(2008) The Word and the World: Technology Aids English Language Learners.Retrieved March 6,2012 from http://www.edutopia.org/technology-software-english-language-learners
Svedkauskaite,A. (2003). Critical Issue: Using Technology to Support Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) Students' Learning Experiences.Retrieved March 4,2012 from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te900.htm
Verdugo,R.R. (2007). English Language Learners. Retrieved March,13,2012 from http://eus.sagepub.com/content/39/2/167.short
Ybarra,R.(2003). Using Technology to help ESL/EFL Students Develop Language Skills. Retrieved March 2,2012 from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Ybarra-Technology.html
You have been identified as an innovative and creative educator. Your supervisor would like to take advantage of your ability to look at traditional practices from a new perspective. Your supervisor is unclear as to how online learning can fit into the learning landscape.
The instructional challenge
Your instructional challenge is to develop one brief lesson or professional development training module that shows how online learning can fit into your workplace's model of practice. Your solution must have a research foundation, must include models of practice, and must demonstrate how these models could be modified for use in your own learning environment.
Solution:
As an innovative and creative educator I prepared a professional development training module for my colleagues and it will be presented to them on Staff Development Day in the Media Center of the School.
Agenda:
1. Welcome 2. Online Learning a. Its significance in 21st century classroom b. Its incorporation in Blended learning 3. Collaborize Classroom a. What is it? b. How to register for it? c. How to register students? d. How to start posting discussions,checking assignments and posting grades? 4. Collaborize Classroom in schools: Some models and testimonials. 5. Incorporation of Collaborize Classroom in our learning environment. 6. Questions
Online learning and its significance:
Source: www.onlinedegreezone.com
After welcome and introductions, I'll present the topic of Online Learning and its significance as following:
In the 21st century classrooms, teachers are moving away from old factory version education towards more applied, experiential and individualized learning. Their classrooms are equipped with new technologies so that they can utilize them to enhance the learning experience of their students. Effective teachers try to address the specific needs of their learners; that is why they differentiate their instructions. They try to make learning to be engaging and fun for the learners. Online activities aid them to differentiate instructions. Online activities have the capability of engaging and motivating the digital learners in the classes. The K-12 Edition of Horizon Report (2009) outlined the importance and relevance of online learning by stating:
The best moment to teach a student something is the moment they are curious about it — but what about when that moment happens outside of classroom hours? Online communication tools create opportunities for “the teachable moment” even if students are at home, at the mall, on a field trip, or anywhere else.
Anytime communication also helps make students available to teachers when needed. Teachers can manage classroom activities even outside of classroom hours through synchronous, two-way online communication that can provide time-sensitive information about projects and assignments and reach multiple students at once.
There are many advantages of online learning. US Department of Education identified nine applications of online learning that are seen as possible pathways to improved productivity:
i. Broadening access
ii. Engaging students in active learning
iii. Individualizing and differentiating instruction
iv. Personalizing learning
v. Making better use of teacher and students time
vi. Increase the rate of student learning
vii. Reducing school-based facilities cost
viii. Reducing salary cost
ix. Realizing opportunities for economies of scale through reuse of materials
While researching for 'Online Learning', I came across this interesting image on Edublogs; it is sort of a mind map of advantages of online learning and I would like to share it with you.
Source: madlearning.edublogs.org
As many schools are facing economic challenges, online learning can be utilized in creating blended learning environment in the school. By utilizing the blended learning practices, the teachers can maximize their limited instructional time. A recent study conducted by the U.S.Department of Education found that students involved in blended learningprograms generallyperformed better than students who participated in face-to-face instruction. According to the study, “The difference between student outcomes for online and face-to-face classes was larger in those studies contrasting conditions that blended elements of online and face-to-face instruction with conditions taught entirely face-to-face.”
Please take some time to watch this video to understand how to incorporate the online learning into a classroom.
Introducing Collaborize Classroom:
1. What is Collaborize Classroom?
Watch this video to get an answer!
2. Teacher Registration process for Collaborize Classroom:
3. Student registration process:
There are two ways to do so. Watch this video to find out how:
4. Starting a Discussion/Instruction online, checking student work and posting results:
Watch this video to learn different ways of posting your instructions online for your students and how to find resources, free lesson plans, tutorials and much more :
Take a look at these videos where two high school teachers of different content areas incorporated Collaborize Classroom in their learning environment with positive results.
Models of practice:
1. English Teacher at Windsor High School talks about her experience of using Collaborize Classroom.
2.High school history teacher talks about his Collaborize Classroom experience:
Incorporation of Collaborize Classroom in our learning environment:
Collaborize Classroom is an easy-to-use online learning platform. It engages learners in online activities, discussions and assignments within and beyond the four walls of classroom. It provides safe, password-protected learning community to teachers and learners. Besides this, it is FREE and easy to set up! Unlike other online education platforms that offer an overwhelming amount of features, Collaborize Classroom is straightforward and easy to implement. There is a 'topic library' which contains lesson plans, assignments and activities created for the teachers by the teachers.
Every teacher can use it to enhance the learning experience of students in their respective content areas. They can continue online discussions with their students and facilitate online collaborative learning even after school hours.
This online platform can be used by administrators to create their own site dedicated to collaborative decision-making process on school policies, activities and goals of its members.
Their website is http://www.collaborizeclassroom.com/
It has resources, Professional Development courses, Live PD Webinars etc.
Our school has three computer labs that can be fully utilized by Science, ELA and Social Studies teachers to blend online learning in their classes. Math teachers have a set of laptops for their own classes. All core content teachers and foreign language teachers can utilize Collaborize Classroom to make learning interactive and capable of promoting higher order thinking in their learners. They can motivate their learners to construct their own knowledge and collaborate with their peers all the time!
References:
Anderson,T.(2008). The theory and practice of online learning. Retrieved Feb.29,2012 from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=RifNwzU3HR4C&oi=fnd&pg=PA45&dq=online+learning+in+classrooms&ots=Se8iLiK_tv&sig=zwY6ha5aJLZx_-xX1rc01Ujkpao#v=onepage&q=online%20learning%20in%20classrooms&f=false
Alice, Danielle (2009). Why ONLINE Learning for Children?[Image] Retrieved Feb.29,2012 from http://madlearning.edublogs.org/2009/03/28/why-online-learning-for-children/
Collaborize(Dec.2010). Collaborize Classroom, An Online Learning Platform(short version)[Video]. Retrieved March 1,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP1gqxV8qMw&feature=related
Collaborize (2011) Webinar: Getting started with collaborize classroom part I. [Video]Retrieved March 1,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0_Q0s4NV6U
Collaborize (May 2011) Collaborize Classroom for online education and development.[Video] Retrieved March 1,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUbIvTkryIg
Collaborize.(Nov.2010) Using Collaborize Classroom to bring stories to life [Video] Retrieved March 1,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K40sFyD8xjE
eLearnerEngaged (Aug.2011)Blended Learning: How to incorporate E-learning into a blended classroom model [Video]. Retrieved March 1,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GErvLTovHQE
Horizon Report: The K-12 Edition (2009).One Year or Less: Online Communication Tools. Retrieved Feb.29,2012 from http://wp.nmc.org/horizon-k12-2009/chapters/online-communication-tools/
Salmon,G. (2002). E-tivities: the key to active online learning. Retrieved Feb.29,2012 from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NYCVAAXRG2gC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=importance+and+requirement+of+online+learning+in+classrooms&ots=7siPqwnqLo&sig=HgLldfJtu4LY21Y3w6_VoBSokoE#v=onepage&q=importance%20and%20requirement%20of%20online%20learning%20in%20classrooms&f=false
Understanding the Implications of Online Learning for Educational Productivity. Retrieved Feb.29,2012 from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/implications-online-learning.pdf
Wheeler,S. (Feb.2011). The Future of Learning.Retrieved Feb.29,2012 from http://www.slideshare.net/timbuckteeth/the-future-of-learning-6809148
your school has just been notified that you have $150,000 to spend on creating a classroom of tomorrow in which teachers in your school will rotate through this space so that everyone has the opportunity to experience teaching in this environment. you are the lead educator responsibility for creating the "blueprint" of what this classroom would look like and how you would spend the money. the money may be used for equipment, professional development, furniture -- anything that you believe will make this the best learning environment for your students. your learning space has to reflect both high and low end technological resources, keeping in mind that the teachers who rotate through this space will need to be able to replicate some of what they do in this learning space into their own classroom.
the instructional challenge
your instructional challenge is to draft a plan in which you describe what this environment will look like, how you would spend the money, and how you will create a space that includes both high and low end technological solutions, keeping in mind that this classroom will be a model for other learning spaces in which the schools may not have the money or resources to go completely high end.
Resolution:
“Learners in supportive environments have high levels of self-efficacy and self-motivation and use learning as a primary transformative force.”
— Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1989
In today’s world the abundance and fleeting nature of knowledge has made it necessary that we need to teach our students something beyond the acquisition of knowledge. They must be taught how to become problem solver, how to think, operate and create with or without ample resources. In order to teach the students in new ways, teachers have to pay attention not only to what they teach and how they teach but also creating the conducive environment to teach all these skills. To understand the importance of the ‘space’ in the process of learning please take some time to watch this video of a case study of Stanford d.school:
In order to design a classroom of tomorrow, as a lead teacher I would consider this fact that the classrooms of tomorrow should provide opportunities for enhanced collaboration amongst learners, should have appropriate furniture and technological gadgets because future classrooms will revolve around one concept – Student Engagement. A growing body of research on collaborative or cooperative learning has demonstrated the benefits of children working with other children in collective learning efforts (Johnson, Maruyama, Johnson, Nelson & Skon,1981; Rysavy & Sales,1991). As collective intelligence will be harnessed in the future classrooms for problem-solving and project based learning, therefore learning space must have the following:
1. Technologies:
a. Smart Board: Interactive white board is a must for future classroom. It can be used for simulations, online textbooks, interactive websites, virtual labs etc. Approximate cost of a 64 inches Smart Board, projector and its mobile floor stand would be around $ 5500
b. SMART response system: This is a great device for assessing the understanding level of students. The remotes are used by the students to answer the questions displayed on the Smart Board and the result is obtained in a second. This data can be transported to electronic Grade book in a jiffy. It is also a great way to review the content with the students because the result of assessment is very explicit. Approximate cost of one Smart response system with receiver and 32 remotes is $3000
c. Airliner Wireless Tablet by Smart Technologies: To provide flexibility and mobility to the teacher while instructing the class, this is an amazing gadget. Cost of one airliner is $ 439
d. SMART Table 230i interactive learning center: This is a multitouch, multiuser interactive learning center. It is very useful for young students working collaboratively in the class. Cost of one learning center is $ 8000.
e. Amplifiers: SMART Classroom Amplification system (with four ceiling speakers) will be required for watching videos. Cost $ 1,399
f. iPads: 25 Apple 'iPad 2' (32 GB, black color, with Wi-Fi) would cost around $ 20,000.
g. Video camera: To shoot a movie or to record the interesting experiments conducted in the classroom , a camera would be necessary. Approximate cost $500.
h. iPods: 25 Apple iPod touch will cost around $ 5,000.
i. LCD projector: One projector will cost around $700
j. Printer and scanner : Approximate cost for both of them would be around $ 600
All of these technologies help in creating an engaging learning experience. However regular inflexible furniture will reduce their impact, therefore the next thing to take into consideration is the furniture.
2.Mobile furniture: The layout of the classroom is very critical in deciding the attention span of a learner. If the hard desks or chair and tables are removed to give way to bean bags, stability balls, fabric cubes; it will aid in the concentration of the students by providing them required flexibility. Furniture and accessories should also enable the learners to power up their devices. Apart from this, there should be some tables for small-group work.
Approximate Cost of tables, chairs/bean bags: 25 'Node chairs' by IDEO for $15000+ 10 bean bags for $ 1000+5 stability balls for $ 100+5 soft fabric cubes for $ 60 + 5 folding tables for doing project work $ 750. Total approximate cost: $16,910
3.Movable partitions: These will help not only in creating partitions to provide the privacy but also a surface to write and share the ideas.
Approximate Cost of three reversible rolling portable dry erase maker boards $1,950.
4.Lighting: Due to abundance of technological devices, the need for lighting to be dimmed or enhanced is very important. Lights need to be dimmed and the application of shades and blinds will be a good idea to eliminate the glare on computer screens. Approximate cost for change of lights and windows' treatment $ 2,000.
5.Wall Color: The wall color also plays an important role in creating vibrant atmosphere in the classroom. Approximate cost of painting the walls and ceiling would be $ 250.
6.Flooring: VCT (Vinyl composition tile) flooring will be a good idea for this classroom because of its low cost, durability and ease of maintenance in high traffic areas. Approximate cost would be around $1200.
7. Apps for iPads and subscriptions of Brainpop, Ignite Learning and unitedstreaming (by Discovery Education). Approximate cost $ 12,000
8. Common supplies: Index cards, post-it notes, white printing paper, construction paper, white poster sheets, markers, pens, dry erase markers etc. Approximate cost $ 400
9. Mobile storage cabinets: Four big storage cabinets (one for each department: Science, Math, ELA and Social Sciences) would cost around $ 3,500
10. Indoor plants: In addition to their aesthetic beauty, they help in cleaning the air of the classroom. Though it is yet to be proved scientifically, some people claim indoor plants have positive psychological effect on learners. Approximate cost $ 250.
11. Money for different departments: Science department will get $ 12,000 to buy the glassware, chemicals, balances, models, safety goggles etc. Similarly Math, Social Science and English department would get $30,000 ($10,000 each) on any purchases they need.
12.Professional Development of teachers for integrating all these technologies: For successful integration of technology in the classroom, there is strong need for professional development of the teachers. They must be trained how to integrate technologies with their pedagogical style. They need sufficient training and time to incorporate various technologies in their own classrooms because appropriate use of technology is necessary for true learning to happen in a classroom. Approximate cost $ 15,000.
Remaining $ 9,402 is kept aside for incidentals.
Models of future classrooms:
All of the above mentioned supplies will help in creating a 'classroom of tomorrow' just like the following schools. Observe the exuberant nature of students as well as educators in these learning spaces!
1.The Denver School of Science and Technology:
2.Eden Prairie Schools Using Technology In Class
I've tried to create a classroom of future that can be used by all the content-area teachers of the school. Variety of technologies will make this model flexible enough to be adopted at any grade level and for teaching any core content. Mobile furniture will provide lot of options to the teachers to use it according to their requirement. To create a nice reading zone; the use of bean bags, stability balls, soft fabric cubes and partitions with the help of white movable boards will be a good idea. These reversible mobile white boards are also very apt for writing down the ideas if the teacher and learners want to hold brain-storming sessions. For conducting hands-on activities, small projects and labs the mobile folding tables will be very suitable and to teach young students, there will be an interactive learning center. High school and middle school learners will find the 'node chairs' very comfortable. These chairs have a rolling base to let the users to shift around quickly and adapt their posture to the activities going on in the classroom as well as enough storage space underneath to place backpacks and books. Their desktop is broad enough to place the required learning materials.
In the end I would like to say that school can provide the perfect learning environment and knowledgeable educators to its students, but ultimately it's the passion of the learners which is the deciding factor for true learning to take place.
References:
Archfoundation.(2006). AAF:Schools Designed for Learning-DSST. Retrieved Feb. 16,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLvoNrjryeg
Innovation enters the classroom (2012). Retrieved Feb. 16,2012 from http://360.steelcase.com/articles/innovation-enters-the-classroom-2/
McCrea, B. (Jan.2012). Designing the 21st century K-12 Classroom. Retrieved Feb.15,2012 from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2012/01/18/Designing-the-21st-Century-K12-Classroom.aspx?admgarea=pro.development&Page=1
Node chairs [Image]. Node chairs boost up learning in contemporary schools. Retrieved Feb.17,2012 from http://design.fr/news/node-chair-boosts-up-learning-in-contemporary-schools/
Ochsner, K. (Feb. 2012). Building the 'Classroom of the Future'. Retrieved Feb.16,2012 from http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/?cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS1
Six Cost-Effective Trends for Educational Facilities (2011). Retrieved Feb. 15,2012 from http://www.buildings.com/Default.aspx?TabId=3334&ArticleID=12370#top
Some schools giving desks the boots (Jan.,2011). Retrieved Feb. 16,2012 from http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/114430984.html
Steelcasetv (2010). Stanford d. school-case study. Retrieved Feb. 16,2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSjezj7_6mc
Storytellermn (2011). Eden prairie Schools Using Technology in Class. Retrieved Feb. 16, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fwZEMbBCbU
Strommen, E.F.,Lincoln,B (1992). Constructivism, Technology, and the Future of Classroom Learning. Retrieved Feb.16,2012 from http://alicechristie.com/classes/530/constructivism.pdf
