Monday, February 10, 2014

Starting the School Year

Orientation
I was thinking about how I could best start an e-Learning class at the beginning of the year. I want my students to become independent learners as soon as possible so the best way to introduce them to this is the 'Orientation Contract'
This would include
  • the 'Getting to know me' form
    • great way of finding out how your students like to learn
    • find some things out about them that you don't know
  • the Wonder Wall
    • get them thinking existentially
    • great starters for discussion and independent investigations 
  • Tasks in the spaces with small independent investigation
    • individual, peer and group tasks
  • Management Chart
    • students start to manage their time and track their learning
  • Digital citizenship tasks
    • ongoing tasks for the year
  • Device care contract
    • how to look after equipment
  • Setting up of books standards
    • ensure that high expectations are set for book work i.e use of rulers etc
  • Getting to know apps and trouble shooting
  • How to work in a work station
    • how to mirror
    • how to turn on TVs/Projectors/Apple TVs, troubleshooting
  • Using class wiki and resources
There are a lot of tasks here, but what you can do is start off with a small number of them and once completed they would open up more tasks.
If you make your wiki or site the place to go to get the tasks then students will get used to the wiki.