Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and
technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and
innovation in both face‐to‐face and virtual environments. Specifically, teachers promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
REFLECTIONS ON NETS-T-1c:
RATIONALE FOR WIKIS
Using Web 2.0 tools like wikis, blogs, Instant Messaging (!M), social bookmarks, and various group shareware products, students in my courses will be able to clarify their conceptual understanding of “Big Ideas” in mathematics as they are called upon to think about controversial issues in mathematics eduction, plan activities sutiable for pre-K-6 populations of students, and create “mock-ups” of materials that families can use in homes while working with children. Using “collaborative intelligence” to produce documents, projects, and presentations, learners (Individual Intellects) will have ample opporutnities to express their own ideas and to critique the work of others. (See schemata below for a graphic depiction of this pedagogy.) In Wiki groups, students will be able to use their higher order thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation to make judgments about pedagogical practices. The value of collaboration software, is the fact that with collaboration comes a sharing of ideas, a moderating of ideas in the face of other idea sharers, and the reflection on ideas once these ideas are part of the class discourse. The essences of NETS-T-1c is embodied in these collaborative activities. Click here for full size illustration of “Wiki Work with Web 2.0.”
Facilitating reflective and critical thinking is perhaps the most important part of all Wiki-supported WebQuests. To assist in thoughtful consideration of ideas, I have created a “Critical Thinking” schemata by adapting the writings of Steven A. Greenlaw and Stephen B. Deloach (2003) “Teaching Critical Thinking with Electronic Discussion.” The Journal of Economic Education. vol.34 no.1 (Winter 2003) pp 36-52.
Click here to see full size “Critical Thinking Bull’s Eye” target and an explanation for what each ring means.
Click here to see how this taxonomy can be used in peer reviews and/or self-reflections.
A few of the Web 2.0 technologies are as follows (For a complete list see Artifacts and Rationales section of this report):
RATIONALE FOR “OTHER” ACADEMIC SKILLS
To be a contributing “individual intellect” in a “collective intelligence” enterprise like a “WIKI,” students, in addition to being critical thinkers, will need to be persuasive writers, accurate citation recorders, good feedback givers, and seasoned proofreaders. Click on each of the aforementioned skills to find details about how they will be addressed in the online course being proposed.
Click here to find Rationales for Artifacts for this Standard.