One step backward

Over the weekend I read my students' opinions of this experiment as noted in my previous post. Knowing that some really did not care for it, combined with a hectic Monday morning created conditions favorable to me deciding to go back to regular teaching in third period today.
I am disappointed that I made that decision, but as the students filed in, it seemed like a better idea to make the decision and avoid the confusion and controversy of a class vote. The students didn't seem to mind too much, but I think some did. I felt like I wasn't holding up my end of the bargain.
For the students who prefer the regular way of doing things, I hope that they will continue their own explorations, and I intend to visit them more often to make sure they are finding what they need.

Well, tomorrow is another day.

Student Reflections Summary

The following were culled from student reflections as my third period experiment gets underway:

pros:

• look up what I need/explore concepts I have trouble with
• help with simulating data compared with calculators
• learn at my own pace
• independent learning will be useful skill for college
• plenty of resources available
• promotes true learning over memorization
• forces us to think critically
• no stress, enjoyable, relaxing
• pace will be quicker
• allows us to pick our own path
• make the environment suit ourselves
• opportunity to develop my own methods
• not worry about holding others up
• resources will provide multiple ways of solving the same problems
• will help promote my natural ability to learn and problem-solve
• reduces possible factors that may bother me in the classroom
• lets me learn my own way and find ways to solve problems that work for me
• will help me learn the material a lot better
• During the beginning this process of using the laptops will perhaps not be as effective as possible. However, once I have used them for a few class periods, I will have a good amount of links to visit and applications to use with a good amount of familiarity and ease. And if the laptops do not perform as I had hoped, then I do not have to use them.

cons:

• need some sort of direction
• searching around a lot and not finding much
• does this teach in the way we need for AP exam?
• need to supplement with check-ins to make sure we are on same page
• want to be able to listen to music
• need to balance with more structured work from textbook (nightly homework)
• would be helpful to go over everything we need to learn to make sure we have everything
• typically I learn best when I am directly taught/prefer lecture-style learning from teacher because it is most efficient
• I may have to put more effort into my studies
• might like a mix of independent model and traditional model/alternate days
• lengthy logins may waste time/hope login times will improve significantly
• would like wireless privileges so can use my own laptop
• didn't learn anything online - found only quizzes whereas I wanted to get the concepts clear
• need the function and order of daily lecture and reinforcement of the reading

Class of 23 breaks down as follows:
5 mostly negative, 4 vote for a balance, 13 mostly positive, 1 did not vote due to absence

Experiment Day #2

I am feeling good about this so far. I must admit that I lectured about Type I and Type II Errors today, though. I told them yesterday I would do this. It is truly the hardest thing for students to understand. Just before I started, one student asked me about something he had found yesterday. He was wondering about the p-value approach that we learned versus the critical value approach. It was a wonderful moment because I could answer his question quickly and did not have to involve the other students so much. They had other things to do, so they weren't restless and chatty, as they are in the traditional classroom model.
Logins seemed MUCH faster today. Even the students were surprised. The result was that as I lectured, they were active on their laptops. Honestly, I preferred this audience to the others I had for the same material during other periods. These students were more engaged, and there was a more positive energy in the classroom. When I was done, they did their thing. One student had typed his own version of the chart I presented on the board. When I explained how, he posted it to the classroom wiki. I then mentioned it so that others could see what he had produced. Several of the students pulled that up, I noticed. One student tried a CD I had offered, but was thwarted when the software insisted on an installation process that he wasn't authorized to do. I told him I would look into that and have some resolution for next time. He found a nifty version of statistical tables inside the CD box, though. Smaller version of what he has been using in class. It is funny what students will appreciate.
When he asked a question, I was able to talk to one of my most advanced students about the two statistical camps: frequentists/probabilists versus Bayesians. He had been exposed to Bayesian modeling in math competition training before. He needs this type of exchange with me to help him fit pieces of the puzzle together for complete understanding, but hasn't been getting it because the traditional classroom model doesn't give me the freedom I am getting from this classroom model.
The students had a good amount of time on the laptops today, but we may have to go to the computer lab on Monday. I am still sorting out the computer situation so that others also have access when they need them. Will likely be seeking a grant for classroom sets of laptops for the future.
Students who did not turn in pre-experiment reflections yesterday turned them in today.

Classroom Experiment Day #1

We are creating a 21st century learning environment in my third period classroom. Today, each student had a school laptop, learning objectives, and their choice of websites, statistical analysis software, textbook CDs, and search engines to find their own resources. Some had a lengthy login process, 4 of them waiting 30 minutes before being able to login and work. We will monitor that length of time tomorrow, and perhaps we will move to desktop machines in the computer lab instead of laptops in my classroom if login time does not improve. Two students expressed the desire to be able to use their own personal laptops, but I told them they wouldn't be able to connect to our server for internet service. Each student wrote a short reflection (on paper) to express their hopes and fears about this experiment. Most were positive statements, but a few wish to cling to a teacher-centric model. Once all were logged in, they were exploring different resources. The hush was noticeable, and the energy in the classroom seemed to increase. It was exciting for me. Unfortunately they had time only to explore today, but I am hopeful that they will quickly orient themselves and find their optimal learning paths. Tomorrow, I will give them some information lecture-style while we wait for computer logins, but after that, they will be on their own. 

Our current topic of study: basic workings of statistical inference: hypothesis tests

What do I believe about learning?

I believe that learning must be active. Therefore, I must empower my students to make active decisions about how to pursue their own learning.

If, on the other hand, I were to believe that students were passive receptacles for my content, then I would want to control the environment, and control them more. This seems to me to be the position of many administrators.

In whom do I trust?

I trust students to want to learn. I think that the desire to learn is universal. It is part of being human.

Multitasking 101

Okay, so I'm not in the Net Generation.
But...
I just

• attended an ISTE Eduverse talk in Second Life with Doug (Blue Skunk) Johnson, topic: cloud computing
• checked profile of avatar sitting next to me at above
• still attending the Future of Education conversation with Lisa Gillis, topic: online courses
• grabbed my Kindle to check quote from Disrupting Classroom which was incorporated in chat and actually mentioned by moderator of Lisa Gillis' talk
• graded a few papers, but once both sessions got going, I dropped the hard copy paperwork
• added a quote to my wiki
• started this blogpost

mostly simultaneously. I don't think I was fully engaged in either presentation; I had to keep switching back and forth audio feeds, but I also don't think I missed much. 

My interest has been high because if nothing was going on at one preso, I would simply switch to the other. I feel I got quite a lot of benefit from this first session of Multitasking 101!