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.