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Forging New Pathways Toward Student Independence Using Wikis and Planners

Forging New Pathways Toward Student Independence Using Wikis and Planners. Presenter: Juli Lamb. Typical Classroom Exchanges. “Juli! What’s the homework for tomorrow?” “It’s on the board. Read pages 25-28.” Two minutes later “Juli! Is there any homework?”

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Forging New Pathways Toward Student Independence Using Wikis and Planners

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  1. Forging New Pathways Toward Student Independence Using Wikis and Planners Presenter: Juli Lamb

  2. Typical Classroom Exchanges “Juli! What’s the homework for tomorrow?” “It’s on the board. Read pages 25-28.” Two minutes later “Juli! Is there any homework?” “Yes. I just said it’s to read pages 25-28. And, it’s on the board.” Two minutes later “Juli! I was absent yesterday!! I didn’t know there was a quiz today!!! Can I take it tomorrow????” Etc. etc.

  3. Why this is problematic • Takes up valuable class time • Enables dependence on instructor • Annoying to the students who are paying attention

  4. The solution • Web-based Wiki • Student planner

  5. What’s a Wiki? • Pages stored on the web • www.pbwiki.com and many others • Easy to use • Interface similar to email or word processor • No IT professional needed to manage or maintain • Accessible everywhere with Internet access

  6. How I introduced students to Wiki • Created the page • Posted all assignments and due dates for the upcoming week • Took students into computer lab • Showed where to find the Wiki page • Showed how to enter id and password • Emailed to each student the page address

  7. Introducing students to the planner • Created on Excel, Xeroxed, distributed to students • Showed students how to write assignments from Wiki onto planners • Told students that • assignments would no longer be available in class • assignments would be available only on the Wiki

  8. Results • Not one complaint about this new system • Students learned: • time-management skills • independence • self-confidence • responsibility • awareness of missed assignments • took own responsibility for making them up

  9. More results • Instant elimination of: • all “I didn’t know about the assignment!” protests • all “What’s the homework?” questions • all negotiations about due dates • Confirmation of instructor direction • Less time spent on lesson planning • Peace and quiet in the classroom (priceless)

  10. Why this happened • Instructor updated Wiki every Friday for the coming week • Instructor modeled: • good work habits • self-discipline • time management skills • pro-action, preparation • Instructor included a “head’s up” section • included longer-term assignments • Students aware of what’s coming

  11. Challenges for instructor • the instructor breaking own habits • No more hand-holding and enabling • No more responding to questions about assignments • significant self-control • Instructor taking a “tough love” approach • practice

  12. More challenges for instructor • Updates made routinely and consistently • Postings very clear • Postings difficult to change after the fact • Required good planning habits • Students can always be contacted via email • Required collecting student emails at the beginning of the session • Instructor had already developed that practice several years ago

  13. More challenges for instructor • Change responses to student questions from “The assignment is to read pages 25-28” to “The assignment is on the Wiki. Go get it and add it to your planner.” • Required significant re-training of self

  14. Other effective responses • “You know I don’t answer those questions.” • “Hey, class! He wants to know about the homework! Where can he find it?” • quickly turned into a running joke • Silence + “the look” • Allows students to answer own questions

  15. Responses to protests Student: “But I didn’t know about the assignment!” Me: “It has been posted on the Wiki since last week.” Student: pause. “I guess I should have checked the Wiki and added the assignment to my planner.” Me: “Yes, I think that would have been a good idea.”

  16. Responses to negotiations Student: “I was sick yesterday. I couldn’t get my essay written. Can I turn it in tomorrow?” Me: “The assignment and due date have been posted on the Wiki since last week.” Student: pause. “I guess I should have checked the Wiki and added the due date to my planner.” Me: “Yes, I think that would have been a good idea.”

  17. Final results • I’ll never go back to what I did before!

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