Engaging At-Risk Students using Collaboration Home Resources Standards Inspiration About the Author
Paul Nelson
About the Author:
Paul Nelson teaches Science and STEAM in the Vallejo City Unified School District. While teaching, he noticed two important facts about his classrooms that set him on his current journey discovering the world of 21st century learning: higher engagement levels and higher class scores were achieved when students were working together and were actively communicating.
Teaching is a second career after 19 years in the wine industry. A major element from the wine industry that has application in education is Collaboration, a 21st century skill. Collaboration between winemakers and viticulturists is key to making a great bottle of wine. They collaborate year round to grow the finest grapes that have the perfect balance between acids and sug
visit his blog at http://pntechteach.weebly.com/
Reflections on your Journey
My journey has given me opportunities that I could not even dream of. My current classroom has been updated to include a collection of technology including 1:1 latptops, eight group computers for collaboration, 3D printers, three unique robotic systems, and collaboration tables.
The journey started when I was asked to teach a new class called STEM. That same semester, I was at the district office helping develop and write the curriculum for the class. Sidenote, I was interning as a science teacher at this team as I was still in a credential program. A few years later, the district made STEM a high priority and spent funds on creating STEM labs at each middle school with all new technology. Administration came to me and asked if I wanted one of the new labs as my full time classroom as I would be teaching more STEAM classes than Science. I eagerly accepted and have embraced the new challenge given: teachng computer programming, robotics, and engineering alongside science.
Lasting Learning from the Innovative Learning program
The Innovative Learning Program has shifted what and how what I do in the classroom. When I started, the extent of technology in my classroom included a computer, projector, and a document camera. Showing videos, powerpoints, graphic organizers, learning objectives, and daily agendas were the highlight of technology use. The purpose was to disseminate information to the students. Technology was not integral to my pedagogy. In the first blog for the Innovative program , I wrote the following:
The main theme of a 21st century classroom is based upon four tenets: collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication. The students in the videos are seen actively engaged in each tenet. The tenets to me are analogous the to the legs of a table. Each one is a critical component to the overall structure of the table. If you remove one of the legs the table becomes unstable and will fall over along with everything on it. It creates a mess and requires someone to take the time to clean it up.
That statement led the journey through the program with Collaboration as the focal point and how the other 21st century skills ( communication, critical thinking, creativity), and technology support Collaboration. The second semester I learned about TPACK - Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge and what happens when used correctly and in conjunction with another. This fundamental approach was the second ideological shift. I began to analyze how I could adopt TPACK in my classroom. While I was absorbed in the how of I could change, I was offered a new classroom that would become a STEAM lab that includes a variety of technology including group computers, 1:1 laptops, 3D printers, and additional software. I now had the technology, I had to revamp my pedagogy and content knowledge.
The last major shift in ideology was how to incorporate Inquiry Based Learning. Included within the IBL umbrella is project based learning, which I was familiar with, and Challenge Based Learning - CBL in which the project ties in to the needs of the community. Two projects were created that helps the community and the students found the solution.
Shifting back to the first semester, the action research project I choose to research was about how I could re-engage At-Risk Students in my classroom. Initially it was only using Collaboration. However, with my ideology being tested and changed, and the availability of technology, the overall project has shifted to Engaging At-Risk Students using Collaboration infused with TPACK and Inquiry Based Learning.
Within the time-span of three semesters, my teaching has undergone a complete transformation in everything that i do. All of it is a direct outcome of being part of Cohort 7 in the Innovation Learning program at Touro California.
Has it helped my students? I had 47% At-Risk Students who were not passing in one class period during semester one. I currently have around 6% At Risk students not passing due to all the pedagogical changes that have been made.
The main theme of a 21st century classroom is based upon four tenets: collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication. The students in the videos are seen actively engaged in each tenet. The tenets to me are analogous the to the legs of a table. Each one is a critical component to the overall structure of the table. If you remove one of the legs the table becomes unstable and will fall over along with everything on it. It creates a mess and requires someone to take the time to clean it up.
That statement led the journey through the program with Collaboration as the focal point and how the other 21st century skills ( communication, critical thinking, creativity), and technology support Collaboration. The second semester I learned about TPACK - Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge and what happens when used correctly and in conjunction with another. This fundamental approach was the second ideological shift. I began to analyze how I could adopt TPACK in my classroom. While I was absorbed in the how of I could change, I was offered a new classroom that would become a STEAM lab that includes a variety of technology including group computers, 1:1 laptops, 3D printers, and additional software. I now had the technology, I had to revamp my pedagogy and content knowledge.
The last major shift in ideology was how to incorporate Inquiry Based Learning. Included within the IBL umbrella is project based learning, which I was familiar with, and Challenge Based Learning - CBL in which the project ties in to the needs of the community. Two projects were created that helps the community and the students found the solution.
Shifting back to the first semester, the action research project I choose to research was about how I could re-engage At-Risk Students in my classroom. Initially it was only using Collaboration. However, with my ideology being tested and changed, and the availability of technology, the overall project has shifted to Engaging At-Risk Students using Collaboration infused with TPACK and Inquiry Based Learning.
Within the time-span of three semesters, my teaching has undergone a complete transformation in everything that i do. All of it is a direct outcome of being part of Cohort 7 in the Innovation Learning program at Touro California.
Has it helped my students? I had 47% At-Risk Students who were not passing in one class period during semester one. I currently have around 6% At Risk students not passing due to all the pedagogical changes that have been made.