Transcript Leveraging new features of Bb Learn for innovative teaching

LEVERAGING NEW FEATURES OF
BB LEARN FOR INNOVATIVE
TEACHING
Using Journaling to Encourage Reading, Critical Thinking
& Application of Core Concepts Beyond the Classroom
Bianca Bersani
Department of Sociology
WHY JOURNAL?
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Classroom challenge
Getting students to READ!....and THINK about the
reading material
 Previous experimental strategies used
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Unannounced quizzes
 2-minute papers
 Frequency, announced quizzes
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Journaling as a “new” strategy to engage and initiate
the learning process
Requires the immediate processing of information
 Read and react
 Allows students flexibility in what they react to
 What resonated with them the most
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RESULTS
What I hoped for:

Interaction with (some
of) the text before
class
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This would free up
time to apply and
“debate” ideas rather
than review concepts
Begin to foster
independent learning
What I ended up with:
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These and more…
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Less time spent on
personal accounts
Catch “errors” in
learning
More active class
participation
Integration of ideas
across classes
More intimate
familiarity with my
students
THE ASSIGNMENT (FROM MY SYLLABUS)

Response Journals: Students will keep a response journal located
on the class blackboard page and are expected to write one entry
prior to each class period (two each week). Each journal entry
should include 2 things: 1) the selection of one direct quote (with
page number) from the reading material that they found
particularly engaging, and 2) their reaction or thoughts regarding
each quote. Some days do not require a journal entry – these are
noted on the syllabus and typically correspond with the days writing
assignments are due or exam dates. Students must post their
responses to the class blackboard page BEFORE class each day; late
entries will not be graded. Please mark specific entries with a note
stating “Please Do Not Share” if you would not like your ideas
shared with the class. Ideas for responses include, but are not limited
to:
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make a connection between a personal experience and something you have
read in the text
make a connection between something in the assigned reading and another
text
make a connection between something in the assigned reading and the real
world
EXAMPLE
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"As noted, in a rejection of offender based explanations of crime, labeling
theorists argued that reacting to people as 'criminals' initiated processes that
had the self-fulfilling prophecy of making a person become a criminal-someone
more deeply entrenched in a criminal career." (pg 241 Cullen and Agnew)
Labeling someone as a criminal, tags them with a stigma. Labeling theory
suggests that someone becomes a criminal because society made them that way
by giving them that "self-fulfilling prophecy." Even in criminology we have a
typical criminal profile already set up; young, black male and between the ages
of 18-24. Therefor anyone who fits that profile, which many do, are already set
up for failure. For example, I am reading a book right now called "Punished" by
Victor Rios, and he shows how black and Latino boys, at a young age are
labeled as criminals, which could tie into why they would commit crime. It
takes place in Oakland, California and is a socially disorganized neighborhood.
Police are put into the schools, and when kids get in trouble, they are sent to
the police. The problem here, is teachers did not what to handle any situation,
so no matter what, a child was unfairly sent to deal with police every day. This
sets children up for failure, it treats school like an actual prison, and every act
they do is labeled as delinquent, so naturally further in their life, they will
become delinquent. Society knows who their criminals are, and who the people
"worth saving" are. Once thrown into the prison system, there is almost no
hope for those individuals. With about a 67% recidivism rate, that just proves
that the majority of people - once a criminal, stay a criminal. They figure, I'm
already a criminal, might as well just live up to the stigma.
SOME KEYS TO SUCCESS
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Frequent journaling
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Every class / every week
Integration of student ideas into class discussion
Let’s them know you are listening
 Let’s them know their ideas are interesting
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Keep it simple!
Easy grading (0-2 points)
 Great Use of TA time
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LOGISTICS OF JOURNALING IN
BLACKBOARD LEARN
FINDING THE JOURNALING FEATURE IN
BLACKBOARD
INSIDE THE JOURNALS FEATURE
CREATING A NEW JOURNAL ENTRY
CREATING A NEW JOURNAL ENTRY
CREATING A NEW JOURNAL ENTRY
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH THE GRADE
CENTER
BENEFITS AND UNANTICIPATED
CHALLENGES
Benefits
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Ease of use
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Challenges
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Standard feature
Integration with
grade center
 Personal
communication with
students regarding
ideas expressed in
their journals
(Re)Ordering of
entries
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Prioritized by
numerical value
Locking assess =
locking student view
of entry and grading
comments
QUESTIONS?
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[email protected]