PART D - Findings and Implications

For my project I chose to use Wikispaces in order to track student participation in group projects.  I planned for my students to work in a group to create a board game based on the history of Michigan.  They would use textbooks in the classroom and the Internet for research on this topic.  Group members would be expected to contribute equally to this project.  Since I am not teaching a class of mine own currently, I have been just planning the project.  Therefore, I am not sure exactly how things would work if they were implemented in the classroom. 


There are many things that I have found by researching more and from feedback from others.  One thing I did not think about initially was that students would not know how to use a Wiki.  So, when I am able to use this in a classroom I will have to first teach a series of lessons to get students familiar with Wikis and comfortable using them.  I also would like to let them explore on their own before being graded on their group project.  


Another thing I would change is that I would assign roles to the students.  I think that students at the grade level I have chosen to create this for (4th grade) will have a hard time breaking up the roles themselves.  So, the first thing that would be due would be the rules of the game and how to play.  I would require each student in the group to come up with an equal number of steps to contribute.  The next part that would be due are the questions that are asked in the game.  This is the bulk of the project where they much research the history of Michigan and make up questions based on their research.  I would like each student to come up with at least ten questions that they contribute to their groups questions.  The next part that would be due are the materials required to play the game.  This is a much smaller part of the project that again I would like each member to contribute about the same.  The last part of the project would be due is the final product.  This is the actual game board that is designed together.  One person would be in charge of creating the game board, another would have to put all the rules and materials together to make the instruction booklet or flyer, and another would have to make question cards from the questions their group game up with.  


Along with the different parts of the project that are due I also want them to be giving feedback to their peers.  The problem here is that I do not necessarily want students to see other groups projects and take their ideas.  So, I am thinking that once a group has completed the part of the project they will have one other group that they will be giving feedback to.  I would require each student to make one comment on the others' Wiki telling them things they are doing well and what they can improve on.  I would only allow the group whose project it is to edit the page and the others will just be able to view.  I will have them leave comments after each part of the project.  Lastly, I want to make sure the students understand what quality feedback is and what I expect from them.  So, before the first set of comments they leave I will have a quick lesson showing quality feedback and not quality feedback.  I may have to do this before each time they have to comment.  If I do not do this I could see students being lazy with their comments, so I want to prevent this from happening.


I think this project could be very successful with the changes I have made.  Other changes may have to be made based on the students or because of problems I did not predict.  I also think students will be engaged and excited about this project because it combines working in a group, technology, and games all into one project.  These are all things, in my experience, that students really enjoy and respond well to.  I am very excited to try this out in my future classroom!

PART A - Description of Need or Opportunity

The educational need I have chosen to address is group projects.  A lot of times when students are given a group project to work on, most of the work falls on one person or a few.  This has happened to me in the past and it is not fair!  By using Wikispaces, I will be able to see which students are contributing to the project and what they have contributed.  Also, by using Wikispaces it will be easy for students and myself to make comments to help improve the project.  


Another benefit of using Wikispaces is that it is on the Internet.  This gives me the option of allowing students to work on it at school as well as at home.  At the school I am currently working at, we have both a computer lab and laptop carts that I would be able to check out for my class to use.  


The objective of this project will be to design a board game based on the history of Michigan.  I am planning this project for a fourth grade class because that is when they study the history of Michigan, although it can be adapted to another grade level with a different topic.  I want my students to use the wiki page to design the parts of the game.  I will have assignments throughout the project that are due at designated times.  These assignments will be the different parts of the project like the questions, rules, and materials.  They will get feedback from me and their peers and will be able to improve the parts for the final product.  I will be assessing the students based on what they contribute to the wiki page and then the final product, which is the actual board game.  


Since I am not currently teaching my own class, I am putting together my plan to use in my future classroom.  I may need to make changes to my plan based on the technologies I have available, when I have my own classroom.  


Here are some sites I found useful information on wikispaces:


http://www.slideshare.net/kihitara/wikispaces-in-the-classroom-presentation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjHJXAODbH4

http://mrsroncone.wikispaces.com/Ways+to+use+a+wiki+in+your+classroom