Teaching Practice Human Transport Systems: An Electronic Collection of Student Work THE LESSON
Lesson: How to use a PLP
1. Lesson Title:
Using the PLP
2. Objectives:
Students will be able to appropriately assign standards to assignments as well as use the PLP to document work and access feedback and rubrics.
3. Standards for students:
a. Use graphic presentations of information provided in spoken or written form in order to enhance communication.
b. Interpret and execute directions, instructions, plans, models, and diagrams presented in a variety of forms including written, oral, graphic, or symbolic.
c. Communicate data through an electronic medium, e.g. camera, tape recorder, computer modem.
4. Assessment:
a. Students will import created artifacts using rubrics assigned to specific assignments.
b. Students will communicate online within the PLP between advisors and other PLP users.
c. Students will use standards on the PLP to appropriately address assingments and feedback relating to their content.
5. Prior Knowledge:
Students will use their existing knowledge of the standards to align assignments with benchmarks. Students also know what requirements are needed for each assignment in order to be considered a "quality" piece of work.
6. Introduction to the lesson:
At the onset of the lesson, rubrics were passed out to the students for each assignment. They previewed the rubric, and discussions were held in class, as to what makes a solid rubric that covers all the required aspects of a paper. A discussion is also held on how other documents are assessed, specifically state testing.
7. Lesson structure
a. Begin class by asking students if they know what a portfolio is. Once this has been discussed, ask if students have one, or have used one online before.
b. Using a projector, access the PLP online. View other documented lessons online, as well as the PLP website, being sure to fully examine all areas.
c. As students are watching the presentation and exploration of the PLP website, students will take notes on various aspects of the website, to better ensure their use of it later on.
d. Once students have explored the website, choose two volunteers to try it out in front of the class, with the projector still on. Let students do it entirely on their own, with students from the class offering assistance when errors are made.
e. Using the classroom scanner, have the students scan a sample piece of writing into their PLP. Once this is done, have the two student volunteers sit down, and have two different students come up and use the PLP to respond with comments to the work that was scanned in.
f. All the while students are using the PLP website and scanner, be circulating the room, talking with students in small groups as to what is being done, reinforcing the lesson and how to use the PLP website and scanner.
8. Differenciated instruction/modifications:
Some students are given a hard copy of everything being done online as to reinforce the notes they took during the lesson. They are also provided a copy of sample rubrics to use as a template for their own.
9. Closure:
At the end of class, once several groups of students have had the opportunity to use the PLP and set up their own, I will ask for questions. I will reinforce the importance of using the online PLP, and stress that with technology constantly improving, the better equiped they become with tools such as the PLP, the more invested they will be in their own education.
10. Materials used:
a. whiteboard
b. computer with internet access
c. computer projector
d. rubric handouts
e. notebooks
11. Extentions:
During the lesson, I will show students my end of the PLP and the role that I have with this site. By doing this, students will see that the online PLP is simply a new and better way of assessing their work and communicating between each other.
12. Assets to be collected or developed:
a. created rubric online
b. writing sample to be scanned and posted
c. benchmarks addressed by their writing sample
13. Reflection questions for teacher:
Any time students are asked to use the computer their excitement grows. They already know so much about computers and programs, that the opportunity to learn a new one, especially one that explains the reason why we teach certain things, they are invested. When I told my class that I will only accept papers online, they were apprehensive. Some expressed concerns about access at home and the uncertainty of doing it on their own. These concerns were genuine and reasonable, and I addressed them by reminding them about the availability of access at school as well as the support they will have from classmates and myself.
I am still apprehensive about using rubrics exclusiviely. I feel that there are certain aspects of essays that, when using a rubric, are not measured and I feel some students would be penalized or confined when using a rubric. Some creativity, expression, and risk-taking would be curbed, as students would be unwilling to take a chance for fear that the rubric wouldn't address their expression.
I do, however, feel that rubrics work well, especially in the context of the PLP. I anticipate the full classroom use of this, and am excited about the possibilities and facility at which this site can be used.
14. Reflection questions for students:
a. Why is your rubric set up as it is?
b. What reasoning do you have behind your selection of benchmarks?
c. What is your reaction to the PLP?
Author:Derek Geddes
and Sara Montalbano School:A Collaborative Project with Weare Middle School and New England College Organization:Weare Middle School and New England College Credits:Debra Nitschke-Shaw, Director of Teacher Education
Emily Perkins, pre-service teacher New England College
