Thing 3

Thing 3 - Going Deeper - RPC & Dribbling Lessons
I have gone over the Research Project Calculator previously in depth and should have blogged about it at that time. I can see how using the RPC which I will do next year, can and will make projects more manageable. Yes, there is an overwhelming anount of information to go through and work with. I think that's why I "skipped" over this "Thing" previously. I have looked at Fact Monster, Google for Educators, CIA World FactBook and have made rubrics using Rubistar. I have worked with other educators in my Hamline classes making a presentation on using Moodle in the classroom. In the past 5 years I have used graphic organizers to help students organize their information and try to keep it straight. What used to be easy about teaching research was that I could teach each reference book in context; you know, ency., dictionary, almanac, include copyright and citations. Now looking back, that was easy. What's difficult now, of course, is that there is just so incredibly much information out there, how to organize it and use it to meet one's purpose and needs. The RPC gives structure, form and deadlines to a project. By following the 5 step model students should be able to be successful in their research process. What is hard for me now is that my students are new to America & find these sort of assignments more difficult to process. The students who have further advanced English skills translate for me so all students can be successful. The RPC will help me be better organized as an instructor. Once my students learn an online skill, they can really move with it to produce outstanding projects. I have found that technology is a universal language. My students even without English skills are much farther advanced technologically than students I have worked with in other buildings. I can explore the additional sites listed under "Do" in this "Thing". I will definitely use Google docs to make managing research projects easier for me as a teacher. In the past I have purchased Dr. David Walsh's Media Literacy materials & have used them to teach Media Literacy. Our district also purchased a unit for Media Specialists to use a number of years ago that I still use parts of. Every school in the district received these materials, which of course are stored at school now & I don't remember the name of.