Concept maps seem like a great way to provide a "picture" that our words and ideas can connect with. I like the idea of giving students guidance with a concept map to organize and present their understanding. I believe this to be a tool I could easily create as a whole class activity with one of my classroom computers and an LCD projector. (Add the element of student playing teacher and movement within the classroom and it's sure to be a winner with the fifth grade set.) I like the idea that this application can easily be translated into an outline. Many of my students struggle with outlines. They are unsure how to pull the important part of what they hear or see from a given work. This can also reinforce basic note taking. Again, my students seem to struggle every year with, "What did I just read," and, "How can I put that in my own word(s)."
Virtual field trips provide another one of those connections to students that make learning meaningful and effective. I have shied away from virtual field trips because I wasn't sure how effective one would be if we didn't get to "go some place." I like the ideas set forth in our class reading this week about the preliminary activities students can do to give them an organizer to help get the most out of a virtual field trip and all the information it has to offer. Field trips are definitely an experience that students must be able to chunk information in order to get the most out of the experience, other wise all the imagery coming at them could be lost or overwhelming.
More Adventures in Ed Tech with ESL learners
12 years ago
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I too struggle with getting my students to grasp the main ideas and put ideas into their own words. I also was not a huge fan of virtual field trips but now see that giving students a guide such as a concept map will allow them to actively explore ideas and put them in some sort of format that helps then understand relatioships among content.
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteAnother thing my students seem to enjoy is using the SmartBoard to do virtual field trips. There is a really simple way to turn a Wii remote into a remote for the Smart Board. Then students can sit at their seats and be in control of the field trip. Usually when we do this, I also have an Elmo (overhead projector that uses regular paper) with an organizer being projected onto the wall. Then students can take turns writing information into the organizer. Students seem to stay engaged when doing this type of activity.
Ginger
Susan,
ReplyDeleteVirtual field trips can be interesting to the students to be able to see places that I cannot take them. Recently I have been using them to take students to countries many of them will probably never see. They are finding them very interesting. Adding the concept maps would be helpful though so that the students can remember the different facts they are learning. Without the concept map, they seem to see the information but not retain it later.
I love the idea of using a concept map with a virtual field trip so that the students can take notes. Also, the idea of using the SMART Board to show the virtual field trip would give the whole group the information at the same time, giving it more of a "being there together" type feeling. Thanks for a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI am empowered by the ideas that have been shared in regards to the specific uses for the technology that we have available in the classroom. We have brand new mimios (Smartboard like), elmos and virtual field trips are new to most of our staff too. Thank you for sharing ideas so that we may put these tools to work instead of being bogged down with what to do with the technology as well as how does it work.
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