Fieldwork Experience & Conclusion

My Fieldwork Experience was very educational. I had the opportunity to go back to the same fifth grade classroom I observed last year. The teacher and of course the students have changed which was made my observation even more interesting. Last year's teacher was a teacher with many years of experience and this years teacher was a young new teacher. The teaching styles and methods were very different. I won't compare, as I don't think that would be fair to either of them, but I will say, there is definitely something to be said in terms of experience. Not in the quality of teaching, but in the area of classroom management. I can only hope that in my own teaching career, I will be able to obtain good classroom management skill quickly. It makes for a much smoother process and it truly is something that I believe is mastered over time.

Overall, I basically observed the class, but finally got a chance to some hands on, by assisting in the Tech Class when we had the opportunity to try out my Webquest.... The pace in the classroom was very fast. I notice the teacher using mostly the Information Processing Model as his/her means of instruction. I'm not sure if that was because the material had already been taught using the Direct Instruction Model before my observation began, or if that was her teaching preference.

As I said above, I observed for the first couple of days in the classroom. The teacher moved at a very vigorous pace. When we moved to the tech room to introduce my webquest to the fifth grade class I was able to be more involved. This turned out to be an interesting observation. At first, I didn't want to use the quest. This was the first webquest I have ever created and I was nervous. It was a whole new concept for me. I was worried how it would work out. I finally decided to go for it, all or nothing. The tech teacher and I introduced the quest to the fifth grade class and they really enjoyed it! It was very easy for them to navigate through. We found some ways to improve and make the navigation easier for this grade level. When I created the quest originally, I had the links in a separate word attachment. The students had to jump back and forth between the quest, word, and Internet explorer. It was time consuming and difficult for some students. I modified the page and included the link directly on the page, rather than in separate document. It greatly improved the flow of the quest for this grade level. The students enjoyed it! The questions were perfectly aligned with what they were currently learning and it was a fun and exciting way for them to learn. The teacher asked if she could post it on the school website to use it again. This was a great feeling and sense of accomplishment.

Winding down from this semester and reflecting on what I have learned, I have to say this semester was a semester of "firsts" for me. I have grown in the area of technology more than I would have imagined in a semester. I created my first Blog which you are a witnessing first hand. I learned what a PBWIKI is! I created my first Webquest, and my first Treasure Hunt. I completed a SmartBoard class, which has encouraged me to continue to practice, so I can us it in my own classroom. It's definitely the way of the future. Beside the technological knowledge I acquired, academically, I wrote my first lesson plan, and then three more followed.

When I list what I have learned it seems like a lot of work. Actually it was a lot of work, but it was learning that was enjoyable, intriguing, and interesting. Those feelings for me, only enforce the fact that students will feel the same way when this type of technology are used in the classroom. I have observed over the past couple of years during my field work, how the energy in the classroom increases when technology is being used. Even if it just them creating power point presentations. The learning is elevated.

I always envisioned a teacher, even myself, teaching using the direct instruction method. I didn't realize there were other methods of teaching. I have learned that a teacher needs to be able to use all three methods of teaching. Personally, I still believe direct instruction is first and foremost especially when introducing new material. But, I have come to understand, during this semester, the importance of incorporating the Information Processing Model and the Social Interactive Model in my curriculum and how they enhance and encourages student higher level thinking and social skills.

This was a fulfilling semester of knowledge and learning and many firsts........

SIM Lesson Plans & Jigsaw

Social Interactive Model (Indirect/Inductive), this was the third model of lesson plan we wrote and it was on where the student had the most independence.

PIGS-

Positive Interdependence

Individual Accountability

Group Processing

Social Skills

We used the jigsaw to learn about this method. We broke out into five groups for the five basic elements (the four listed about and the Cooperative Learning Lesson Plan). Each group prepared information on one of the elements. We then went into five different groups where each one of us had information on one of the elements. I was in a group with CarolAnn, Tasha, Mike, and Vincent. We each taught one another the information from our element. It was a great learning experience for me. Each one of my teammates was well prepared on their element. This was a great way to demonstrate how the cooperative learning lesson plan works in a classroom.

IPM Lesson Plans

What is the foundation used for Information Process Model Lesson Plans?
IPM was a new method of teaching to me. For some reason I never really knew there were other methods of teaching other than Direct Instruction. Maybe that's the one that really stood out in my mind when I was a student, or maybe I just didn't realize the IPM lessons were teaching. Maybe I thought they were fun activities like the fifth grade students when the participated in my webquest.


What did I learn and what is the Information Processing Model?
The IPM model is a method of teaching where the teacher presents the students with a problem/situation and gets them to investigate and find the solution on their own.

As well discussed in class in our Job Interview session, derived from Katyln's question. What fruit or vegetable would you use to describe the IPM method? It's like an onion or artichoke. You keep peeling the outside to discover the solution in the inside. Teaching is done by asking instead of telling. This method of teaching allows the students to become independent, autonomous learners capable of figuring things out for themselves.

This is the theoretical foundations behind IPM?
The theoretical foundation of IPM is the Socratic Method, named after the Greek
philosopher, Socrates. It is a form of philosophical inquiry in which the questioner
explores the implications of others’ positions, to stimulate rational thinking and to
illuminate ideas. The term Socratic Questioning is used to describe a kind of questioning in which an original question is responded to as though it were an answer. This in turn forces the first questioner to reformulate a new question in light of the progress of the discourse.

IPM is a learning environment which is open, allows active student involvement, and an atmosphere of intellectual freedom.
The IPM method consists of five phases, which are:
• Orient students to the problem
• Organize students for study
• Assist with independent and group investigations
• Develop and present artifacts and exhibits
• Analyze and evaluate work

The IPM lesson plan was the second lesson plan we wrote this semester.
We created our webquest and built the lesson plan around it. It proved that a webquest is a great method to apply to IPM. We presented a problem at the beginning of our quest and the students had to investigate to solve it. When using my quest with the fifth grade during my field work, I couldn't help but notice the students enjoying the activity and not really realizing they were learning at the same time, similiar to my own observation as a child.

Here is the good and the bad when using IPM....
The good:
Some benefits of IPM would be that it helps the students develop investigative skills and problem solving skills. It allows students to gain confidence in their own ability to think, access, process and reflect on information.
The bad:

Some demerits of IPM is it requires major planning, clearly communicated goals, designing interesting and appropriate problem situations and logistical preparation.

What I thought about IPM vs DI......
IPM and DI are very different teaching styles, but I think they can compliment each other and if used together can create a very productive learning environment. DI is necessary to teach a new skill, it obvious you could not use IPM to teach a new skill, but you can build on the skill taught with DI using IPM to further encourage the students thinking and promote higher leveling thinking.

Please take a look at the Treasure Hunt posting to see more of what I learned....

Treasure Hunt

The Treasure Hunt....For this assignment each student picked a method from a list of fourteen methods, to create a treasure hunt to share with the class demonstrating the Information Processing Model. Here are a few questions presented in my Treasure Hunt to stimulate learning and encourage higher level thinking.

The Learning Cycle method will enhance and encourage students through a different method of teaching. Learn how to teach your students how by giving them experiences to explore and evaluate.
Do you want to help them reflect and build internal models?
Do you want to use creativity to unlock the learning potential of your students?
Do you want to establish learning to learn in your classroom and improve your students ability to make decisions?

A favorite motto I came across in my reading. I think it explains the IPM Model perfectly.

You will become the "guide on the side" rather than the "sage on the stage".

The Five E's..........

• Engagement -Object,event or question used to engage students. Connections facilitated between what students know and can do.


• Exploration -Objects and phenomena are explored.
  Hands-on activities, with guidance.


• Explanation -Students explain their understanding of concepts and processes.
  New concepts and skills are introduced as conceptual clarity and cohesion are


• Elaboration -Activities allow students to apply concepts in contexts, and build on or extend understanding and skill.


• Evaluation -Students assess their knowledge, skills and abilities. Activities permit evaluation of student development and lesson effectiveness.

Please take a look at my Treasure Hunt and enjoy......http://joystreasurehuntwiki.pbwiki.com/