Submitted by: Alissa Straus
School: Colonial Trail Elementary School
Summary
Students created a flipchart using ActivInspire and presented information on a state they chose to research.
Once a student chose his/her state, research was done using library books, online databases, and teacher-approved websites. A handout, with examples of types of research, was provided to students. Research was done at home and at school. (Students previously had a library lesson on research and citing of sources.)
Students learned how to use ActivInspire by teacher-modeling and using Promethean’s ActivTips. They downloaded the tips (short video tutorials) to their home computers, loaded them on their iPods, and brought the iPods to school. Students were able to utilize these short clips to help them create and design their flipcharts. Scott Caufield, Promethean’s ActivTip creator, flew to Virginia to meet the students, when he learned about how they were using the ActivTips in class. Mr. Caufield was impressed by the skill level of the students and was blown away by their presentations. He asked them questions throughout their presentations about their states and about how they made certain aspects of their flipcharts. Class discussion included how to design an interactive presentation and how to engage their peers during in the lesson. Students were encouraged to add audio and video clips if they chose to. Each flipchart included nine sections. Students created an assessment, using ActivEngage, and ran voting for their peers. Their assessment could have included multiple-choice, short answer, fill-in-the blank, and likert scale questions. Students asked questions and interpreted answer data. They were then able to ask their peers for clarification on a specific answer and find out why another student answered a question the way they did. Copies of the finished project files were added to our class website for students to download. They all received a copy of ActivInspire for home use as well.
TIPC Ratings
This project allows students to gather information they deem interesting about their state. They chose which sources they use, with teacher assistance. Students organize, prioritize, and evaluate their information. Students utilized books, websites, clipart, databases, encyclopedias, and online sources to find information. They used many different types of sources and selected unique information for their state.
Students found Promethean ActivTips on iTunes, downloaded them, loaded them to their iPods, and used them as tutorials for flipchart creation. Students became experts at certain tasks and peers collaborated to assist each other technical tasks of the project.
Students create their product independently, using ActivInspire. They then collaborated with their peers to present and evaluate their presentations. Students also used Photo Booth, iPhoto, Garage Band, and Pixie to import images, audio, and video into their projects. Assignment parameters said to work individually, but students collaborated on technical aspects and helped teach each other ways to design flipcharts. Students also helped each other create audio and video clips. Many audio clips include multiple students talking.
Students collobarted with their peers, the librarian, and the teacher to complete this project. They also were able to get in touch with the creator of ActivTips via email. He was so impressed with the students and their knowledge of ActivInpire that he flew in from Indiana to meet the students, see some presentations, and show them a few neat features of the program.
Students are creating questions on all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. They are analyzing responses, thinking critically, and addressing misconceptions after each question asked. Students decided what types of questions they were asking (recall, infer, evaluate) and used different types of questioning techniques. Many students
After presentations, students critiqued their peers’ projects. Each wrote a sticky note (paper) stating two items they liked and one suggestion for change. Each student reviewed the feedback they received from their peers and reflected on what they would change next time. Students wrote a reflection summary about their project, its strengths and weaknesses, what they would change, and what should be changed about the assignment. (This coming school year, students will be using the blog to post their reflections and give each other feedback.)
Students have the freedom to use audio, video, graphics, and text when creating their projects. The students were allowed to choose from various applications, as digital tools, to use when creating their flipcharts. Students can find appropriate clips or design their own. They are being creative and innovative in how they chose to showcase the information they find. They were allowed to go beyond the assignment parameters.
Students became advanced Promethean users and their ability to manipulate items in the Promethean software is beyond what many teachers know how to do.
Students included what they would change about the assignment and the way they completed it as part of their reflection summary. Many students mentioned changes in digital tools, graphic sets, and features of ActivInspire that they would change next time.
Student Artifact
