View source for OER4Schools/1.4 Effective use of ICT and collaborative writing v2


= Start of workshop =
{{ednote|text=
* Make sure they have all recorded their audio reflections. (Make sure they can all use the upload script.)
* Make sure they have all come into the lab to practise their ICT skills.
* Make sure they are able to save whatever resources they have found into the “lesson_resources” folder, and then to transfer the contents onto the server.
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= What are the goals? =

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This section reviews two handouts, which were already discssed last time. If they are not printed yet, please print them to give them to the participants.

Both handouts should be briefly reviews [depending on how much was done last time], and you should then progress to the MSC technique.
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== Handout 1: Principles of interactive teaching ==

{{ednote|text=
This section summarises some principles of interactive teaching. They are here for information and reference for the workshop participants. Ask them to look through the list now and see if they have any comments? Print the list and ask them to file it in their folders.
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{{background|text=
What is interactive teaching?
{{oinc|OER4Schools/Principles of interactive teaching}}
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== Handout 2: Overview of the resource topics ==

The present resource intends to cover a number of units. You have now come to the end of Unit 1.

{{oinc|OER4Schools/Unit overview }}

{{ednote|text=
Go through the above text (not spending too much time), making sure that everybody understands.
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== What is the most significant change? ==

{{ednote|text=
In this section, we introduce participants to the “Most Significant Change technique”. We would like participants to formulate their own goals, and to identify what change(s) they might like to make.

Please leave a good amount of time for the brainstorm and group discussion at the end.
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{{background|text=
The most significant change (MSC) technique

MSC is a form of participatory monitoring and evaluation. It is participatory because many project stakeholders are involved both in deciding the sorts of change to be recorded and in analysing the data. It is a form of monitoring because it occurs throughout the program cycle and provides information to help people manage the program. It contributes to evaluation because it provides data on impact and outcomes that can be used to help assess the performance of the program as a whole.

Essentially, the process involves ‘searching’ for project impact through:
*collection of significant change (SC) stories emanating from the field level
*systematic selection of the most significant of these stories by panels of designated stakeholders or staff
*collective reading of the stories aloud and regular and often in-depth discussions about the value of reported changes

When the technique is implemented successfully, whole teams of people begin to focus their attention on programme impact. You can find out more about the MSC technique here: http://www.mande.co.uk/docs/MSCGuide.pdf
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We now consider what the biggest changes might be as a consequence of being involved in this programme - for yourselves, for your teaching, for your students, for the school, or in whatever other area!

{{activity|brainstorm}}  Think about how a newspaper works. A newspaper presents news stories about interesting events. Newspapers are structured into different sections (subject areas, such as foreign news, domestic news, financial news, sport, leisure). The most important stories go on the front page and the most important of these is usually at the top of the front page.

{{activity|whole group discussion}} Now imagine that later on you will be putting together a whole newspaper issue about how this whole programme affects your thinking and classroom practice: What kinds of stories will be the most important? Who and what will the stories be about? Who will be affected by those stories, who would listen, and who will be they of interest to? What different sections would the newspaper have? What kind of change would you like to make? 

{{ednote|text=
Do the participants agree on how things might be different as a result of the programme?
How will we know when these significant changes have happened? What kinds of evidence do our stories need to refer to? They can also be revised as time goes on.

'''Record what participants say in a permanent form''' - in writing or electronically so we can refer to them later on. Make sure it is recorded on video / audio. 
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= An ICT-based collaborative writing activity =

{{ednote|text=
The following activity uses an internet-based application called EtherPad which allows everyone to see - in real time - what others are writing, and to build on that. 
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{{activity|practical activity}} Choose a broad topic that you want your class to write about in a forthcoming lesson – it can be a factual topic (eg healthy foods, diseases, hobbies, weddings or buying food in the market) or a creative story. However this is an '''open-ended''' writing activity so children are free to '''devise their own sentences''' around the topic without feeling there are right and wrong answers. Thus a topic asking them to list short responses won't work well. 

Devise a title to give them, e.g. “The magic stone” for a story. Discuss the choice with a partner if you like. 

{{activity|practical activity}} Now open all the netbooks, take one per workshop participant. Go to EtherPad and try out the collaborative writing task below. 

{{oinc|OER4Schools/Collaborative writing with EtherPad}}

'''To help your students type faster, before or after this lesson:''' play games on typing under “Edubuntu Applications > Education”, such as TuxType.

'''Activities you could do with Etherpad later on when your students can type faster:'''
* Writing a story together (each student in each group writes a sentence that follows on from the previous sentence)
* Students type a question they are curious about, and other students respond. (eg “Why is the moon only out at night?”)

{{activity|whole group discussion}} Discuss the issues and any pitfalls you anticipate. What are the outcomes you would like – what should the students be writing? '''Change the plan a bit if necessary, to suit your own learners.'''

{{ednote=
You may want to make a note of the topics the teachers each choose for use in class with EtherPad, and to include these in your educator reflections.
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= Homework =

=== Teacher lab activity ===

#Come to the teacher lab at least once this week to learn more ICT skills. This week you should
#* Send an email to the oer4schools list
#* Do some typing practice to improve your typing skills.
#* Go to Etherpad and explore options for making text bold and underlined.

Also, in preparation for developing some image-based lesson activities, you should search suitable images.
* If there is internet, you can use the "search images on flickr" link from your school homepage (http://192.168.128.1)
* Alternatively, if connectivity is poor, you can do this by browsing the schools edition of wikipedia, also linked from the school homepage.

=== Classroom activity ===

Do the collaborative writing activity - the classroom activity sheet is available [[OER4Schools/Collaborative writing with EtherPad|here]]. Please print it, and use it during the lesson

=== in your own time ===

* Read the principles of interactive teaching - do you have any questions or comments?
* Read the workshop overview - do you have any questions or comments?
* Reflect on setting goals for the MSC technique!