Presentation of 25/02/2014

Today Gizem has presented us her proyect about cooperative learning. She couldn't be able to work with her group so she did this presentation alone. When she explained us how had she felt, she told that it is more difficult to work individually than in groups because you can't know others' ideas; that is why cooperative learning is important.

She started her presentation with the index about her work. Then she explained us her personal plan including her objectives and personal commitments, but she forgot to include microtasks table and the timing. Then she talked about her didactic sequence focusing on historic subject of fifth grade of Primary Education. She divided it in 3 sessions. In the first session she will explain children theoretical aspects and then they will watch a video to have a better idea about the topic. I find useful to use audiovisual material in class because this attract the attention of students and they will put more emphasis on the learning process. On the second session, first she divided the class in base teams giving each one a topic and then they made expert groups to explain each other what they have learned. She used Jigsaw technique for children to learn and cooperate and I think it is a good idea. Most of us have used this technique and these groups because are useful and easy to work with in a class. In this second session, students will also make a museum tour. There they will have to analyse the scultures and take pictures of them so that then, they can do another activity. In the museum they had to work in big groups but I think is easiest for them to work in pairs better than in groups. With this,they will pay more attention to the activity and they will involve on it more. On the last session, students will have to make again base teams to collect all the photos they have taken, discuss about the tour and make a poster about it.

After all of this, there will be some prizes divided in different categories (most creative poster, most collaborative group...) so that almost everyone can win one of them. I think is correct to give them different prizes but we should be very careful with them. We first should decide with them what they would like to win, because for example Gizem said that one prize will be to present the work to the rest of the class. For example, in my opinion I don't think this should be a prize to some students, many of them hate to present their proyects in front of the class so this can be a punishment.

Finally she included a self-evaluation with a very good criteria and the bibliography. In the self-evaluation, shee put good, very good and excellent because if they have done the effort to make the activities, the mark can not be bad; at least good. 
In general, she read a lot the power point but she also include some comments. I think she made a very good job because she has done an extra effort by doing the work alone, nevertheless I think that we learn more by working in groups.

PRESENTACIÓN 25/02/2014

Hoy, 25 de febrero ha sido la última presentación de trabajo cooperativo y ha sido expuesta por Gizen.

En su trabajo, ha hecho referencia al índice y la bibliografía así como a sus objetivos de trabajo y de los alumnos con la realización de esta secuencia didáctica y las finales autoevaluaciones; sin embargo, le han faltado las micro tareas, es decir, no ha hecho una especulación del tiempo que ha tardado en realizar las diferentes tareas de su trabajo comparándolo con el tiempo real. Yo y mi grupo lo hemos echado en falta ya que no sabes si se han cumplido o no sus previsiones.

En cuanto a su secuencia didáctica es bastante completa, son tres sesiones en las que se desarrollan los diferentes grupos de aprendizaje cooperativo. Además utiliza actividades y materiales extra como es la excursión y los ordenadores que hacen motivar a los alumnos, pues estos dos complementos no se utilizan porque sí si no que tienen una finalidad que es conjunta al objetivo de la secuencia; esta finalidad es la creación de un póster junto con su exposición.

En cuanto a los premios, todos los grupos reciben uno, es decir, se valoran los posters en función del más creativo, el que más información de manera sintetizada y práctica tenga, el más organizado,..y el mejor de todos expondría delante de todo el colegio. Sin embargo, mi grupo hemos pensado que el hecho de exponer y delante de tanta gente no es algo agradable para nadie; la profesora nos sugiere una posible alternativa que es preguntarles sobre lo que ellos entiende por premio y nosotros intentar motivarles para llegar a la presentación final.

A pesar de ser un trabajo sobre grupo cooperativo, Gizen lo ha realizado sola y nos cuenta que su experiencia no ha sido muy “agradable” ya que no puedes comparar con los demás lo que sabes, es decir, que se aprende más en grupo.

Presentation of 18/02/2014

This day exposed their project the group composed by Elisa, Mónica, Laura Sanz y Javi, they are  'Encendiendo Bombillas'. This groups was one of my favourites, I think that their work was very complete and appropiate.

They started presenting the group and the project with the index. Then they showed us the commiments of each member of group, their objectives and, something that I think is very interesting what they have learnt and the objetives of the students. I think that is a great way to demostrate the learning. For this, they choose the topic about herbage for children from 3º and 4º of primary, second  cycle.

The first session is based in a theorical class where the pupils will  know the theroy and then they will do exercise in the computer. I think that is a good way to introduced them but is bored, maybe this session could be more funny.
In second session the activited programed I think is appropriate and relevant for practice the cooperative learning. This class is divided in fourg base groups in which each member specialize in one topic, then in experts group prepare the visit to botanical garden. Using the jigsaw technique. This visit wll be in third session in which the experts groups will work together. This is ver interesting.
The last session is focused in demostrate the learning, they have to do a notebook where they write all what they have learnt. Also they have to do a self-evaluation. I think that is good to check what they have learnt but I think that to do  the notebook can be something without sense, They must give it a sense, for example to do a mural with all notebooks, or change the notebook between groups, or show it to their parents... missing something, a goal. A great point is give a certificade to each one to recognize their efforts.

Presentation of 20/02/2014

LASH team composed by Laura Borné, Héctor, Andrea and Sara Sánchez; has presented today his work about the different types of diet. They started with the index of their work explaining all the parts it had, then they showed us their team plan in which they put their objecitves. As many groups, some of these objectives were improve talking in public and expressing ourselves in English; I know that for us is difficult to speak in public but talking in English make it even more difficult so we have to make an extra effort.
After that, they presented their didactic sequence about the types of diet for 1st grade of Primary. They divided it in 5 sessions. In the first session they made base teams to divide the information about the different types of diet so that each one had a part of the general topic; so they used the Jigsaw technique. In the second session they took children to the computer class, so that they can look for more information. I find interesting this activity because children will learn the best pages to search information, they will do it better and they will develop their critical skills. Due to the digital society we have nowadays, it is important to include technological tools at school. In the third session they made a mural with children about all they have learned so they have the opportunity to be creative, participate in a group and integrate with the rest of the children. In the forth session they made again base teams and students had to explain each other what they have learned and feel like if they were teachers. In the last session they made a game using TGT technique (team games tournaments). Although they didn't want to make this game a competition, at the end they did because they gave points to the children who answer the questions so at the end there will be one winner and the rest will be loosers. A good idea to improve this game, is try to make different prizes so that everyone can receive one (to the most creative answer, to the team in which all the members answer at least one question, etc.)
They include a self-evaluation and a coevaluation after the third session. These ideas are great but they made some mistakes. They used difficult vocabulary and expressions so children won't understand them; if they did easy questions instead of complicated affirmations, children would understand them better. However, there is one thing I liked because in the assessments instead of putting bad, regular, good and very good; they put good and very good and I think this is a motivating thing for children.With this, teachers expect that everybody will do at least good. Nobody will do their work bad because everyone will try it, some will do better and others less; but everyone will try and make an effort. To finish the work they included the bibliography.
I like this presentation because they have made a big effort and have checked their past mistakes. They didn't use audiovisual material like for example videos, so this makes the presentation a little bit boring, but at the end I found it interesting and a good content for children to learn. They made many acitivities in which children have to work in a cooperative way, being active and respecting each other.

PRESENTACIÓN DEL 20/02/2014

Hoy, jueves 20 de febrero, ha expuesto el grupo de “LASH”. Este grupo está compuesto por Sara Sánchez, Laura Borné, Héctor y Andrea.

Para la realización del trabajo este grupo, en general, ha necesitado menos tiempo del que han previsto, cosa que es llamativa pues todos los demás grupos han necesitado bastante más. 

En cuanto a la hora de exponer, e igual que el grupo anterior, muchos de ellos exponían únicamente a la profesora e incluso solo leyendo del power-point, además no tenían muy preparado lo que tenían que decir en inglés y han estado hablando un poco por “lo bajini”; bajo mi opinión, estos son rasgos que restan puntos al trabajo, pues todos somos la clase, todos evaluamos y es mejor hacerlo ameno. En cuanto a sus objetivos tanto en la realización del trabajo como sus objetivos propios se han cumplido; respecto a sus objetivos de la unidad didáctica se centran en el aprendizaje cooperativo.

Su secuencia didáctica estaba orientada a una clase de 24 alumnos de 1º de Primaria. Ésta era sobre la alimentación animal y sus diferentes tipos; esta secuencia también me ha llamado mucho la atención pues como alumna me parece bastante interesante.

Se han centrado en las técnicas de Jitsaw y TGT y han utilizado nuevas tecnologías lo que motiva la implicación de los niños. Otro de los contenidos que han tratado ha sido la competición de manera indirecta, pues no lo han planteado como competición pero si que lo era, pues en una de sus sesiones era un juego en el cual había ganadores y perdedores. Según nos ha explicado la profesora, esto no se puede dar, pues todos los niños son ganadores por el hecho de participar en el juego e intentar mejorar. Por lo tanto , yo he aprendido que nunca hay que calificar un juego con puntos, en los que unos reciben más y otros reciben menos; si no usar, en el mismo juego, diferentes criterios. Estos criterios para valorar el juego pueden ser: puntos a los más creativos, puntos a los más rápidos,…

En cuanto a las evaluaciones, he aprendido que son muy positivas; pero cuando van destinadas a niños las evaluaciones deben de ser sencillas, es decir, hemos de plantearlas de la manera más clara posible.

PRESENTACIÓN DEL 18/02/2014

El martes 18 de febrero fue nuestro segundo día de exposiciones. El primer grupo que expuso fue el de “Encendiendo bombillas”. Este grupo está compuesto por Elisa, Laura Sanz, Javier y Mónica.

Para la realización del trabajo, este grupo ha necesitado mucho más tiempo del previsto y sus propios retos, así como objetivos, han sido conseguidos. En cuanto a la hora de exponer, había algunos de ellos que lo hacían hacia la profesora, algo que queda “feo” pues no solo evalúa ella, lo hacemos toda la clase; sin embargo, también entiendo que es algo causado por los nervios.

Su secuencia didáctica es sobre el medio ambiente. Los objetivos como secuencia didáctica que tienen hacia sus estudiantes son la comunicación y cooperación evitando la competición, pues tratar dichos aspectos produce una mayor eficiencia en el trabajo final. Esta secuencia me parece bastante completa y si yo fuese un alumno me parecería bastante interesante, pues utiliza numerosos recursos como son las tecnologías, la excursión, el trabajo grupal,…que son cosas que motivan al alumno para que participen y se diviertan aprendiendo.

En cuanto a las técnicas usadas son el Jitsaw y el grupo de expertos, estas dos técnicas son las que han utilizado gran parte de mis compañeros, incluida yo, a mi me parecen técnicas muy interesantes y participativas, así como efectivas; pues todo el mundo aprende contenido, aprende a escuchar, aprende a colaborar, aprende a cooperar, etc. Además de todo esto, todos los niños reciben su certificado o su diploma por haber realizado o adquirido estos conocimientos. 

Presentation of 18/02/2014

Today “Encendiendo bombillas” team composed by Elisa, Mónica, Laura Sanz and Javier, has exposed their work about environment. First they presented the index of all the contents, then the plan team in which each one explained their role in the team and the objectives they had. Then they started with their didactic sequence of science's classes.

They divided the sequence into 4 sessions. In the first one they divided the class in base teams using Jigsaw technique. Most of the groups (including mine) have worked with this technique because in my opinion is a good technique to improve the cooperative learning among students. They have to cooperate, respect each others and share their ideas so each one has an important role on the team. In the second session they made experts teams to share the information and organize a trip to the botanical garden. Then in the third session all the students go to the botanical garden where they have to look for some information and characteristics of some plants. I think this is an interesting idea because instead of having children sitting on their chairs and listening to the teacher, they can go there and see all the theory with their eyes, real plants and they will learn more (visual learning). At the end, in the forth session each base team has to design a notebook including photos and characteristics of the plants. This activity wasn't clear to my group; when we had to evaluate them and discuss about their presentation, we didn't know exactly what children have to do in this activity (I mean if they have to write about all the plants, only the plants that each group had been working on, etc.). The problem I find here is that if they do a notebook in groups, then which person will keep it? From my point of view, is better if every student make a notebook so that then each one can keep one and show it to their parents. After doing these activities the teacher will give a certificate to each student what I think is good because like that everyone receives a prize for the effort and the interest. They also mentioned that they will give 5 prizes to the prettiest notebook, more information, understand better the topic, most cooperative group and the one that have used the materials better. I agree with this but I don't agree with some of the prizes. For example they mentioned that one prize was a positive point on the subject but this (as it may be very important for them) should be for all the students not only for one of them and another prize is to present the lesson what I think that children won't like this. 

At the end of the work they included a self-evaluation for students to reflect about their work and think what things can be improve, this is important and good for them. They also included the bibliography with all the pages they have accessed.

To sum up I like this project because they have had interesting and dynamic ideas so children will learn a lot. The activity I liked the most was the trip to the botanical garden because it will be entertaining and I am sure that children will enjoy it and learn a lot. 

Cooperative learning: Second day

The second day was our group the one who presented the project:

http://prezi.com/pwd4_jg1ikrf/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

Cooperative learning: First day

11 of February of 2014. We did our first presentations for this subject. The special and different thing these presentations had was that we had to explain our team plan, new for us. We have to learn how to teach to work in group using different techniques by the time we teach a specific content. That’s the cooperative learning.

The first group was KIA (Kids in action). It was a good presentation, about the Solar system. Firstly was structured the planification, then the didactic unit and the references or sources or information. They had clear ideas and aims. Their techniques were Jigsaw and TGT.

One important aspect in this group is that they adapted to a new situation: A member less.

And what had I learn in that exposition? Well, I thing I would highlight the importance of sharing the team plan (in order to learn from the mistakes); that if we work together despite the level of English or getting nervous of the members, the work will be, at least, good. The project had well technical stuff. And they worked handicraft with children, that it was really good, because they develop creativity and it is not the typical magisterial class.

 KIA team may add to their project some songs, videos or pictures, something more graphic, in order to make children focus better and, so they learn more. And I think the games can be better if it doesn´t exist a clearly winner or someone up from the rest, all the pupils have to feel useful for the class and for their teams.

By the way, it was a complete project, so children would work group abilities and the solar system by enjoying the lessons.

The second group was The Minions. The project consisted on music and instruments. The work was structured in personal commitments, the didactic unit, highlighting the day a day notebook; bibliographic references and the team plan to finish it. But they started without a clear introduction. I would say they had a kind of “technical disaster”. And they didn’t explain anything if theory.  It wasn’t too entertaining.

 By the way I really liked the idea of the diary notebook despite I may miss a specific focus to the content of the subject to have a clear idea of how they know or how they are dealing with all the information.

In solving problems, they use a seedy way to doing it. The play a song with a mobile phone instead of searching the method of playing well, so they use the speed way but not the best or the smartest one to do it in my opinion.

Elisabet was very nervous, but avoiding that, it was good at speaking time. The general fluency of English was almost good, but there are going to improve it little a little.

The ideas were very clear. The project was very good at this aspect.

As our group, they used the Jigsaw technique, because is obvious it importance at the time of working in groups, making experts teams. The sessions were dynamic, so children would learn more or in a better form. Their activities make children feel useful for the class and their partners, and not being one better than other.

A special thing to mention is the work like a team. All the members do the entire project, I really liked that. Congratulations in that sense to The Minions.

To conclude my reflection I will say that it seems to be a good project for the future, correcting these little things, the children will enjoy the classes and the will learn, the main objective.

Reflection about presentations of 11/02/2014

The day 11 of february was a first day of presentations in our class. We have divided our class in groups, base groups as it is composed for 4 or in some cases 5 persons, is groups for a long time and heterogeneus groups, at least my group.  The project is about cooperative learning so not only we have a presentation, we have apply this theory in our owns groups to do the project, for example the distribution of team roles, each member have a different task, we must have a team plan for the organization, and carry out a self-assesment and co-assesment of other groups.

The first group that presented was KIA (kids in action) composed by Ana González, Ana Escribano y Pablo Magallares. Their project is about the planets in the solar system  and for teach it they use the jigsaw technique. The first that they showed us was the plane tables, their personal commitments, that's a interesting  fact because the rest of the class we can see how they try to improve this deficiencies. Also they showed us what responsabilities had each one and their objectives. My prefer session is which the children have to construct a model of  the solar sistem because i think that it's a good way to learn of fun way the planets, understand in which consist the solar sistem, and also they develop their creativity skill. I couldn't say something bad although I suposed that everything can be improve. Also it's a point for they that they solved a big problem with the walkout of Sara.

The second group was The Minions composed by Ainara, Elisabeth, Raúl, Irene and Isabel they work with the music subject and their sessions was divided in 3 sessions. They used the jigsaw technique as the previous team. Once stablished the base groups, they create experts groups so that each group is experts in the different kind of instrument ((air, string and percussion). One thing that i didn't like is that they didn't an introduction to their work, the index don't exist so until the end you don't have a complete idea about the structure of the work. In general I think it's a good project because is original and dynamic and at the end of the sequence they do a diary when the students reflect about what they have learned and at the same time practice other skills like writing.

Presentations of 11/02/2014

In this class two groups presented the proyects in which they had been working during the past weeks. These proyects were about cooperative learning, how we can integrate it in activities in a class and which are the best methods.

The first group to present their work was KIA (Kids in action) composed by Pablo Magallares, Ana Escribano and Ana Gónzalez. Their didactic sequence was about the solar system using Jigsaw and TGT techniques. First they showed us their plan tables, then their sessions and the materials they will use and finally the bibliography. I liked this proyect because they had good objectives and plans, they solved very well the problems (for example when one member of the group left the work they change things and continue with the work without her), they explain it very well and the didactic session was interesting. The thing I liked the most was the session in which children had to construct by themselves the solar system with all the planets, it is a good way for children to learn when they have to do things by their own not only listening to the teacher. Some aspects that I think they can improve are: include some visual material (for example videos) because children will learn more, and not use competitive games in which there is one winner and the rest will be losers, because this can affect to children self-confidence and if some always lose, they will lose their self-esteem. 

In conclussion, I liked this proyect and it is well-posed so children will learn a lot at the same time they are working in teams, improving their cooperative abilities and having fun.

The other group was The Minions composed by Isabel, Irene, Raúl, Elisabet and Ainara. Their didactic session was about music subject and the instruments world. They first introduced their personal commitments, then their sessions including a personal diary, the bibliography and finally the team plans. First of all, this group didn't have an introduction to their work or an index, so they start talking without structuring their work. The other aspect I didn't like to much was the diary, I think it is a good tool for children to learn but not in the way they used it. They used it as a reflection of children learning and the feelings they had but I think they should had included a reflection about the content they will be working on so that they can understand better the topic. Finally they had some problems in the preparation of the presentation because they had a piece of music they wanted to show us in their mobile phone so we couldn't hear it very well. Some aspects I liked were:  they used Jigsaw technique which is a very good tool to use in cooperative learning. They also wanted to make classes more active and in my opinion this is a good method better than if children are passive and don't involve in their own learning. Other aspect I liked was the activities they used because unlike the other group, there weren't winners or losers so children can feel more comfortable. Finally I likde the preparation of the proyect because as in my group, they prepared all the activities together so everyone knew all the parts of the work, it is better to work in groups rather than individually because there are more ideas and the work will be more creative. 

In conclussion, I also liked this proyect and I find interesting to work with it in a class. Children will have fun at the same time they are learning. 

PRESENTACIÓN 11-02-2014:

El martes fue nuestro primer día de exposiciones, tanto de la asignatura, como del cuatrimestre. En la clase se respiraba nervios, tanto por mis compañeros, como por mí.

No me importa hacer exposiciones, pero me da vergüenza hacerlas en inglés.

El primer grupo que empezó a exponer fue el grupo KIA, compuesto por Ana Escribano, Ana González y Pablo. Ellos utilizaron el Jitsaw y su exposición fue bastante bonita y amena.

El grupo KIA trato la importancia del aprendizaje cooperativo en clase, pues todos los niños aprenden de todos, van corrigiendo errores y mejorando. Sin embargo, en su secuencia didáctica trataron el tema de la competición; esta técnica no es muy correcta, ya que no pueden ganar unos y perder otros, es decir, hay que motivar a los niños para realizar los ejercicios pero no identificarlos como perdedores o ganadores.

El segundo grupo que expuso en esta clase fueron los Minions, compuesto por Ainara, Isabel, Raúl, Irene y Elisabeth. Ellos en su secuencia didáctica trabajaron sobre la música, pues querían hacerla más dinámica y menos práctica.

Lo que me gusto de este grupo fue el hecho de poner al final una evaluación grupal, individual y del profesor ya que intentas evaluar tu trabajo; otras de las cosas que me gustó es el hecho de marcar los objetivos porque de esta manera eres capaz de cumplirlos, motivar a los niños y tratar el respeto como valor fundamental en la clase ya que todos somos un equipo.

En su trabajo integraron la idea del diario, esta idea me gusta ya que va reflexionando y pensando sobre lo que has hecho bien y lo que has hecho mal, así como las mejoras…

Creo que para ser las primeras presentaciones han estado bastante bien, sin embargo el segundo grupo se me llegó a hacer lenta su exposición