“Help me 7th Grade Scientists, my college lab report is due tomorrow!”

TIPC Ratings

Approaching – Students had flexibility and choice in determining how they would obtain information regarding Christopher Newport University. Many students in the class utilized meta-search engines when locating applicable information. They also used advanced search strategies in google in order to fine-tune their queries. Information was double checked and sources cited in order to validate a website’s credibility. Students constructed questions they wanted to know about CNU and assembled and organized that information into Google Earth. Google Earth proved a powerful tool that allowed students to display and interact with the acquired information.

Ideal/Target – Students worked in cooperative as well as collaborative groups in order to perform a live, real time experiment in a college lab setting. This lesson allowed for the class to collaborate with experts regardless of physical distances (approx. 75 miles). Digital tools such as Skype, Google Docs, allowed for multiple editors to simultaneously edit a single document. Backchanneling provided the means for the students to use their computers to maintain a real-time online conversation alongside live spoken remarks. The students were also able to reflect on their learning by answering and posing essential questions via. a school space discussion forum.

Approaching – During the live Skype session students were continuously generating and responding to purposeful questions. They were able to justify their hypothesis’ and respond appropriately to questions asked by the facilitators. The use of digital tools throughout this lesson allowed for open communication and real time decision making. Their ideas generated in the discussion forum allowed for them to reflect on their roles as critical thinkers, and allowed for them to ponder what they would have done differently if given the opportunity to do this again in the future.

Ideal/Target – The kids were all given a real-world authentic task – “College students at CNU are counting on your problem solving skills in order to help prepare them for a lab that is due to their professor the following day” Many of the children immediately bought into this notion and were eagerly ready to assist in any way possible. Engagement levels were high throughout the entire lesson, and many students wanted to take on leadership roles to help the undergraduates become successful in the lab. The class was able to analyze trends and make predictions through the use of google docs and perform final reflections through the school space discussion forum.