http://flickr.com/photos/jdawg/484678361/

 

"There is no escape from the need for dialogue, no room for mere telling, nor for practice without description,

nor for experimentation without reflection, nor for student action without feedback." 

Laurillard, D, 2002. Rethinking University Teaching: A Conversational Framework for the Effective Use of Learning Technologies, 2nd edition. London: RoutledgeFalmer

 

Examples of Student Dialogue

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To visit: 

 

Vacines Save Lives but Be Careful  High School Science

 

President-Elect Obama’s Holiday Present to Science High School Science

 

Determining a Horse's Age by Teeth   High School Science

 

What Political System for China   Honor World Civilizations

 

Reflections on Symphony  Honors English

 

This is our Education Act    Honors English

 

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Chronicled on this space:

 

Example 1:

Joe said...

I believe the two friends, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz will side with Hamlet. True friends stick with each other no matter the conditions, and if Guildenstern and Rosencrantz want to prove they are true friends of Hamlet then they will join him. I agree with Sam and Michael and the idea that the two have admitted they worked for the Queen and King and feel obligated to side with Hamlet. I have continuously predicted that Hamlet will seek revenge with the help of others. Once Guildenstern and Rosencrantz join Hamlet I predict the plot to seek revenge on the king will begin. Hamlet knows he needs support to successfully overthrow the king and that is why I believe Guidenstern and Rosencrantz will join Hamlet.

 

 

Brookst said...

Joe, how have they proven to be true friends? You say that true friends stick by one another, but they just went behind Hamlet's back and obeyed the words of the King and Queen to secretly spy on him....Don't forget that Hamlet is a "tragic hero" story....

 

http://smithewl0708.blogspot.com/2007/11/blog-question-from-fishbowl-2.html

 

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Example 2:

Cynthia,

Thanks for comenting to me. That is cool because we know the same thing and i was only in sience for a month. I always wanted to learn about cells thats why i wrote about it. I want to ask you one question do you know if a dog or cat is right or left handed?

 

 

T.K.,

I don't know if a cat or dog is right or left handed! If they each have two front paws (hands) maybe they can't favor one. There is a name for that--ambidextrous.

I have two cats so I will start to watch them closely. If I make any discoveries, I will let you know.

Cynthia

 

http://itc.blogs.com/mind5/2006/10/learning_sience.html#comments

 

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Example 3:

Hi Anni,

It sounds like you are learning lots about parts of speech in Language Arts. You asked if I had difficulty with some part of speech; I think I have difficulty sometimes with adverbs and adjectives, when to use good and well. Have you studied them yet?

You said you were having difficulty with prepositions at school when you asked: "Do you have problems with some part of speech?" Can you tell me which words are prepositions in this paragraph or in the paragraph above this one?

Lani

 

Lani, You are really helping me by making me find the preposition. I think finding the preposition will be lots of fun.The prepositions are in.I will return to this comment later. I have to do something else.

 

http://itc.blogs.com/mind1/2006/10/my_class_work.html#comments

 

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Example 4: 

Hi Grey-M,

Great strategy, IMHO, picking up on a passion and assisting in making the connection to what's been read!! Bravo!!

I find myself reflecting upon my own strategies and all the ways I might improve in commenting as you forge ahead; thanks for pushing me to those reflections and teaching me.

Might I have your permission to use your in comments in an upcoming presentation I'll be giving in February at the eTech Ohio Conference? They are exemplary examples of dialogue that pushes students to think more deeply. I'm going to request MrSiWy's permission also.

In a graduate course about facilitating online learning, it was suggested that posing numerous questions could be confusing to students and fail to sharpen focus or deepen learning. They called it "the question mill". Now that you can speak from the perspective of both mentor and student, what might be your reaction to this suggestion?

Best, Lani  November 25, 2007 5:39 PM

 

 

Hello Lani,

You most definitely have my consent to use my comments!

When it comes to multiple questions in general I'd say that for a person who wants to learn one is enough. They will answer it in full, thoughtfully and probably cover questions you would ask after. A rare breed of students. For most I can see many questions being good as long as they lead along a path (scaffolded). Each one progressively probing further guiding thought processes. Too many questions going in too many different directions would certainly dull the effectiveness. It would be like working out your upper body then switching to your lower body really quickly. Your arms are pumped but your working your legs... get my drift? Answer your question well enough? November 25, 2007 10:05 PM

 

 

 Hi Grey-M,

A terrific answer, thank you! Articulate and insightful! I believe I’ve got the drift, despite my unfamiliarity with working out. :-) a great failing on my part--

I concur with your thoughts that a series of questions that scaffold the construction of meaning toward a specific focus can be of great value. I am thinking that a maximum of 3 or 4 questions might be most effective, particularly in an online venue.

I am surprised that you differentiated strategies for students who are intrinsically motivated to learn from other students and am wondering if that is a reflection of your life’s experiences?

Best wishes,  Lani  November 26, 2007 1:49 PM

 

http://advicethroughetherealwalls.blogspot.com/2007/11/brandon.html

 

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Example 5:

Hi there Graeme!

You truly are to be commended for your commitment to this project and for the quality of the mentoring you are providing to these grade 8 students!!

I wonder do you think there is a difference in this comment to Vanessa from your comments to Brianna, Katie, and Brandon?

Another favorite quote of mine:

"Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind."

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

What do you think? Best, Lani  December 12, 2007 5:53 PM

 

 

Graeme;

Just wanted to let you know that your comments are coming through. These students are all moderating their comments and some of them may not be checking them that often but they are showing up once the kids find them. Keep the excellent thoughts coming! December 12, 2007 7:53 PM

 

Hello Lani and Clarence,

To first Lani,

Just the sheer length of the comment that I gave Vanessa is intimidating to any student I think especially when the questions contained within are rather hard. That's not saying that the questions to the others were easy, but this may have been a bit overkill.

That is a good quote, this may not have been a gentle sprinkling for the mind, a bit more in common with a avalanche I think...

To Clarence,

Thank you for the reassurance. I'll be sure to keep the quality coming.

December 17, 2007 7:25 PM

 

http://advicethroughetherealwalls.blogspot.com/2007/12/vanessa.html

 

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Example 6:

 

 

Hi Grey-M,

The podcasts really help to contribute to understanding the content. Your voice, tone, and easy speak were a very good listen!

I am very interested in your reflection especially when you say:

"When I did the problems I knew exactly what I was doing but when explaining them the words escaped me. I almost think that it would have been worth doing journeyman level questions for the boost in the mark of annotation because I don't know if my answers are going to get through to everyone. I know what I mean but others may not. With an easier question that you have a stronger foundation in you'll be able to explain it much better."

This first question may be unfair-- Do you think you would have learned as much had you chosen journeyman level questions? Is this really all about the marks?

Do you think, now that you have experienced difficulty in explaining what you feel you really know (that has happened to me alot!) that perhaps you didn't know it as well as you thought? And that in composing an explanation you've really extended your understanding?

Best,

Lani  April 12, 2007 11:19 AM

 

Hi Lani,

I must say that doing the harder level questions did by far extend my understanding but as the project description says it is not just our understanding, it is everyone who wants to learn the materials understanding that counts as the point of this is to assume the role of the teacher while teaching ourselves. Doing the expert questions taught me more but in doing so may have given the other people less in comparison to a journeyman question that would have given me less but with their explanations given others more. Then again if people get my explanations completely then the expert questions are the way to go because they'd be teaching yourself as much as the other person.

As for your other question the marks are important to me but it is merely a byproduct of the hard work invested into the teaching of ourselves and others in this case as that is the main goal. If you don't achieve that goal you won't get the marks as it is based on how well you teach and apply concepts. (and a high mark in Mr.K's class is a badge of honor as he has the most wicked hard tests you can imagine as most questions aren't routine and truly test your understanding. A mark of say 70 in Mr.K's class is probably and 80 or 85 in other math teachers classes.). But I must say that marks do unfortunately matter. A University is going to choose the person with the higher marks if all the rest is equal (even though certain teachers are easier to pass then others so I don't see it as a fair process). In the end though I think that understanding trumps marks. I failed an identities test but I understand that concept completely, foolish errors caused by going to fast and the stress of the test. In the end that will get me farther than if I had fluked the questions and got a high mark without understanding what I did completely.

Explaining the work in words and diagrams so that others can understand it made my understanding of it become rock solid. I may have known methods to merely complete them before but to be able to explain them is to be able to fully grasp problem and see the nuances and intricacies that you may not have seen before leading to a better way. Like the last slide on the velodrome question. I never saw that until I had explained everything.

As Mr.K would say... cheers!

Grey-M  April 12, 2007 11:22 PM

 

Grey-m,

Outstanding! Not only are your problems and solutions tough, they are presented very eloquently, and I agree your podcasts were very helpful. I had to go back and work through problem one twice before I was able to solve it, correctly. Thanks for the challenge (Yes, I'm a math nerd and enjoyed working through the problem).

Like Lani, I'm interested in your reflections. In your response to her you said, "But I must say that marks do unfortunately matter. A University is going to choose the person with the higher marks if all the rest is equal..."

Do universities just look at marks?

I know in the states that there are other factors involved and I imagine that your level of expertise will show through in other quantifiers (like standardized test scores).

Do you think that everything else will be equal after Mr. K's class? Or is there a chance that you might have a 'little' more understanding than some other students?

Thanks for sharing your insights on the assignment.  April 13, 2007 8:27 AM

 

Hello Roland,

In your response to my comment about Universities I don't think you completely caught my drift. I meant that if all the other factors that effect acceptance into the University are the same between two people but one has higher marks, that would be the person they would choose. (I do not know the whole ball of wax behind how Universities choose people but I imagine that if all qualifiers were the same my previous point is true.)

As to things being equal after high school, I don't think they will be math-wise with the genius of Mr.K pumping information into our brains (that's not sucking up, he's a good teacher).

Glad you enjoyed my questions, my personal fav. is the last one.

Cheers ;-),  Grey-|\/| April 13, 2007 5:43 PM

 

Hi Grey-M,

I really appreciate your exceptionally thorough, thoughtful and mature response! You mention that "the marks are important to me but it is merely a byproduct of the hard work invested into the teaching of ourselves and others in this case as that is the main goal." Eloquently and realistically stated!!

With the risk you took in selecting higher level questions you've discovered that "to be able to explain them is to be able to fully grasp problem and see the nuances and intricacies that you may not have seen before leading to a better way." Absolutely!! It seems to me that any university should be happy to welcome you as a student--

Two last questions:

Mr. K indicates in your assignment: "Experts always look back at where they have been to improve in the future." Knowing what you know now, in what ways would you change your project or would you if you were to complete it again?

Did you and your classmates consider including your reflection/summary in the rubric of for your project? Did that writing add any dimension to your learning?

It is unquestionably evident that you invested more than significant time and effort in your project!!

Best, Lani  April 16, 2007 12:20 PM

 

Thanks for your response. I think again you make a very eloquent argument. I was, not as eloquently, trying to say what Lani said. I think any university would be privileged to have a student of your caliber. (Not sucking up, you showed a lot of understanding in your project.) Again, very nice job.  April 16, 2007 12:47 PM

 

Sorry about the late response you two but I've just been busier than ever.

To Lani's first question, if I was to do this project again I probably would have beefed up the presentation a bit. But after seeing how much I learned of doing the expert questions I would keep the content as is if not harder and more complex. (wait for Chris' DEV, from what I've heard his questions are going to be complete insanity, only hope he can make sense of the craziness).

We didn't even think about adding the reflection as part of the mark. It was just a requirement. Though I must say that the development of the rubric really only occurred in the last few days of the alotted time. So many things that probably could have come into consideration or ideas that could have grown didn't. (Which is a shame)

Writing a response to the project and responding to your comments have made me realize the amount I learned. I probably wouldn't have had a good view of this assignment if I hadn't have looked back on it because at the end of it I was ready to just see it as a long hard, ordinary, time-consuming, at times very annoying project. The benefit was only realized when the work was looked back upon, appreciated, published and commented upon. Which makes doing this digitally the only way to receive all this project has to offer.

So I thank both of you for taking the time to give me your feedback.

~Grrr....HEY!....Ahem...  April 19, 2007 10:56 PM

 

http://expertvoices.blogspot.com/2007/03/grey-ms-dev-project.html