Extreme Learning: Wikispaces
Project Overview
Learning Areas
Levels
Objectives
Description
Software
Keywords
Authors
ICT, Maths, Problem-Solving, Language, Personal and Social Development.
Ages 10-14 yrs (final two years of primary school and first two years of
secondary school)
The project aims to tap into children's passions and interests to build a
very strong foundation for future learning. It will enable learning to be of
real relevance to each child, building on their personal experiences, and
most importantly enthusiasms and passions.. Children will be supported
and encouraged to develop research, literacy, numeracy and technological
skills.
The children used the digital equipment and ICT resources individually in
an adult-led class situation, and at home too. The children completed a
variety of pre-planned tasks, but developed their own projects according
to their own levels of expertise, and different curricular areas as the
projects developed. Beyond this initial support from adults, collaborative
working meant peer teaching on technical aspects was employed, peers
evaluated each others’ pages and provided positive feedback.
IE Explorer browser (to access and edit documents on
www.wikispaces.com ). Digital cameras and video cameras along with the
software to download images from the cameras and turn them into
usable images for the wiki.
A Curriculum for Excellence, Problem-Solving, Collaborative Group Work,
Formative assessment.
Jennifer Walker, Ormiston Primary School, East Lothian, Scotland
Emma Griffiths, Extreme Learning Coordinator, East Lothian, Scotland
Extreme Learning: Wikispaces
Teacher Planning and Management
Background & Planning (Overview):
Extreme Learning – what is it?
Students are actively learning when they are intensely engaged, mentally
or physically. Active Learning is vigorous, lively and effective. Active
learning takes place when the students are caught up in their experiences.
This project aims to get the children interested in a subject to the
extent that they can call themselves: EXPERTS.
Each pupil will select an area of personal interest and investigate it with
reference to an aspect of their subject curriculum (as set out in
curriculum guidelines). Each pupil will be allocated an account on
www.wikispaces.com to record their project development and conclusions
online. Teachers will use formative assessment to support the learning
process.
Each pupil will aim to complete one Extreme Learning Project in each of
their final two years at primary school (P6 & P7) and in the first two years
of their secondary school (S1 & S2).
Doc 1: Background – extreme learning : An outline of the origin and
objectives of the learning project
Doc 2: Approval Form: Form completed by parents or guardians
Documents
Extreme Learning: Wikispaces
Teaching Resources
Each pupil made a formal proposal for their project using the Pupil Proposal
Form and then recorded their weekly progress using the Pupil Record
Document.
To assist teachers and pupils in selecting a project that was appropriate
and relevant a Pupil Worksheet document was given to all teachers and
pupils engaged in this project. The school management had previously
agreed that for the duration of the project, normal homework would be
suspended, and the children could concentrate purely on their Extreme
Learning pojects.
The main resource was the class interactive whiteboard, which was used to
display examples of pupil work; a particular student’s wikispace. The school,
like all primary and secondary schools in East Lothian, has wireless internet
access in all classrooms. Pupils used laptops in class to research, to write
and record their own progress. Pupils used their personal space on
www.wikispaces.com to record their findings, and develop different
presentation methods, use of graphics, images and so on. Peer teaching was
employed: if one pupil developed some learning in a particular area, such as
animating lettering, then this was shared in class. The publishing aspect of
the projects was an ongoing, dynamic and motivating teaching resorce.
Documents
Extreme Learning: Wikispaces
Assessment and Standards
The Project was planned to enable children to develop research, literacy,
numeracy and technological skills. It also aimed to enable children to work
initially at their own level and then extend themselves. It provided children
with the opportunity to make a link between their experiences in their own
community and the learning process
In line with the principles of A Curriculum for Excellence (a Scottish
Government initiative to revitalise the curriculum) the project encouraged
teachers to work creatively, with cross curricular emphasis, and with a focus on
education as opposed to certification.
Formative assessment, the process of learning, making decisions and
improvements to work, during the process was key to this project. Summative
assessment, fed back to pupils on completion of work, by which time it is too
late to change things, and the learning outcome may or may not have been
achieved, was largely avoided. Peer teaching, teacher feedback, engaging with
the wider education community of parents and carers, as well as the school
staff, all helped the pupils to create work in which they felt genuine pride, and
in which they had achieved clear learning objectives, and moved forward at their
own levels.
The embedded PowerPoint below provides an indication of the success of this
project. The extracts from the teacher’s blog records aspects of the project
that were deemed to be successful. The word document below includes the
learner voice from this project, with pupils commenting on their experiences, as
well as comment from the Authority project leader.
Documents
Extreme Learning: Wikispaces
Teacher and School Information
Jennifer Walker is a class teacher at Ormiston Primary School . This is a small
school, in the picturesque village of the same name. It stands on the north bank
of the River Tyne, a rural setting. The school roll is about 157 with an additional
50 children in nursery classes. There are several classes in the school: a Primary
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, a composite 5/6, and a Primary 7.
The school has a committed and creative staff: the school website is indicative
of their dynamism, and the caring, positive ethos in the school.
http://edubuzz.org/blogs/ormiston