Learnist - A Place for Student Created Content

I was first introduced to Learnist through an app on the iPad.  At first I thought it seemed similar to a Pinterest on steroids!  After I took the time to dive much deeper into all the content that was presented though this interactive platform, then I tried to think of a way to use it in my PreCalculus classroom.  Then it hit me!  Why don't I make a project for my students by having them create their own content on Learnist and then share it with their peers!  Woohoo!  I'm such a genius!

After much deliberation of how to tackle this assignment, this is what I came up with.

Learnist Project Guidelines

I let the students choose their own groups of 3-4 students.  By allowing them to be in this size of a group, it allowed each student to be responsible for at least one "learning" for their group's board.  It also shared the responsibilities throughout the group so that each individual was not "overloaded" with having to create their own learning board.

As with anything new, the students groaned when they had to do something extra outside of their normal homework assignments.  After going through this process once, I'm hoping that the students will be a little bit more understanding of the reason behind creating their own content.  I created a couple of boards of my own.  One of the boards included videos of how to create the items that were required for their group's boards.  This board included videos on creating an account, adding a learning, creating a Google Presentation slide, creating and adding an Educreations example, and sharing their board.  My other board was an "example" board for the students to use as a template.

Below are a couple of examples of my students' work.  Please feel free to comment on their boards, or to comment on my boards as to give some constructive criticism for either of us.  Thanks in advance!

Student Example 1
Student Example 2
Student Example 3

Math Notes are Borrrriiinng!...Or Are They?

Last week I read an article that was sent to me from my brother-in-law, who is an assistant principal at a different high school.  It was titled, "Navigating the Bumpy Road to Student-Centered Instruction".  The most influential passage from that article is:  

"On a broader note, much of what happens in most classes is a waste of everyone's time. It is neither teaching nor learning. It is stenography. Instructors recite their course notes and transcribe them onto the board, the students do their best to transcribe as much as they can into their notebooks, and the information flowing from one set of notes to the other does not pass through anyone's brain."

After reading these couple of lines I immediately thought about my Algebra 2 lesson for the next day.  It was 11:30 at night when I read these sentences, but it made complete sense.  Is what I am doing with direct-instruction being received and consumed by my students brains?  Or will they just be transcribing my thoughts? When in my lesson was I going to give the students time to question or to think about what they were writing down?  (Hmm...good questions, Kyle.  Now you are starting to think yourself!)

My original lesson called for me to cover seven different examples on the whiteboard in front of the classroom.  Granted, I was going to go over half of these problems, and then have the students do the other half in "Try It" mode.  It was basically just seeing if they could solve a very similar problem to the one I just showed them.  (Great idea!  Let's just see if they can reproduce the exact same type of problem you showed without them having to think and search for a solution on their own.  Rote memorization = NO individual thinking.)  So I scrapped that idea and decided to go with different stations where students could work with partners instead.  Here is a list of the different stations and their descriptions of the activity each group of 2-3 students had to complete.  (These are separated according to the examples they already had copied off for them on their blank notes.)

Station 1:  Write down the steps written out on the board.  Then complete the last 2 steps with your own work.  Once you have arrived at your answer, you need to check it with me.

Station 2:  Solve the given example.  You may use your book or partner to solve the problem.  Your last resort is to ask me for hints.  After you solve the problem, log in to Edmodo and answer the 1 question quiz that is posted.  (Only one member of your group needs to answer the question.)

Station 3:  Use your smartphone or my iPad to record your partner explaining how to solve the problem.  If you use your smartphone, upload the video to Edmodo and send it to me.

Station 4:  Record the steps to solve the problem from the board.  After recording the work, explain to your partner the steps to solving the problem.

Station 5:  Lay out all the blue cards.  (These contain the different steps to solve the example problem.)  Place them in the correct order.  Once your group thinks the steps are correct, call me over to double-check your work.  When they are in the correct order, record the steps into your notes.

Station 6:  View the example that was created on the iPad.  Once you are finished, discuss with your partner the steps that were taken to solve the problem.  What patterns were there?  What properties were used?

Station 7:  Solve the problem.  Once your group has agreed on an answer, login to www.socrative.com and answer the question that is presented.

Station 8:  View the example shown on the Promethean Board.  Once you have viewed the example, finish the last step.  Use the ActivExpression remotes to submit your answer.  Did you get it correct?

These were the different stations I had set up for the students.  While they were working in their groups, I was walking around answering different questions and interacting with the different groups.  It also enabled me to speak with individuals more person-to-person than usual.  It took about 15 minutes longer than usual, but the students were up and active learners on this day.  I called today, "Kline's Krazy Klassroom".  I loved this day!  However, some of the students were not big fans.  I truly believe it was because I made them "think" today.  They are used to getting the information spoon-fed to them.  On a typical day, they just sit and write down the notes I provide on the whiteboard.  They are typically "transcribers", and not "thinkers". 

I plan on posting a poll on Edmodo so I can get some feedback from the students.  I can guess their answers, but I am looking forward to seeing their responses.  Feel free to add any comments at the bottom as to how you could make this activity better and/or how it could be enriched.