The creation of the first internet protocol in the early 1960s and the introduction of personal computers as mass-market consumer electronic devices in 1977 are two relatively early events that changed how we learn and access information. However, in less than four decades new technologies have made their way into the world and have changed human lifestyle at dizzying speed.
A month ago I was talking with two friends in their thirties about the use of laptops, interactive whiteboards (IWB) and tablets in schools. Strangers to the educational reality, these two friends listened to this information as if it was a series of science fiction novels. They were shocked to hear that textbooks and classic school chalkboards are very often replaced by laptops and IWB.
"The rapid and constant pace of change in technology is creating both opportunities and challenges for schools."(Education Week, 2015) I strongly believe that IWB are a powerful tool when use properly, which add interactivity, collaboration and motivation to daily classes. Therefore, I am happy to have the opportunity to learn how to use them to their full potential.
To explore the possibilities of IWB as pedagogical tools, I have created three different activities. These activities are designed around Bloom's Revised Taxonomy classification for different learning objectives.
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| Bloom's Revised Taxonomy |
1. Create your own character
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Age/ Level
This activity has been created to work with primary education students. However, depending on the level of the class this activity could be used with all ages.
This activity aims:
- To review content vocabulary.
- To use the content vocabulary in a sentence.
- To create children's literature characters who break stereotypes.
Competences:
- Communication in a foreign language.
- Digital competence.
- Social and civic competences.
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy
This activity offers an opportunity to enhance both lower- and higher-order thinking skills.
Lower order thinking skills.
- Level III: Applying (using the knowledge in a variety of ways): This activity provides an opportunity to apply, use and practice the content vocabulary in a sentence (context-meaningful use).
- Level VI: Creating (create new products or points of view): This activity gives an opportunity to randomly combine the names of different characters in children’s literature, with adjectives and places.
Suitable Topic
This activity has been created within a project called "Alternative endings". This project's aim is to: encourage children to think about the stereotypes perpetuated by Children’s Literature, to awaken their critical thinking and creative imagination, to teach them break down stereotypes, and to produce a modernized versions of children’s literature stories.
How to play
Children will roll the dice and complete the sentences with the given words. At the same time, a list of characters can be created with the new characters provided by these random combinations. Later, a series of activities can be done with this list. For instance, the creation of a new story can be done.
2. Parts of a flower.
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Age/ Level
This activity has been created to work with primary education students. However, depending on the level of the class this activity could be used with all ages.
This activity aims:
- To introduce the content vocabulary: Flower, stem, leaves and roots.
- To provide information about a flower and its different parts.
- To help review and study the content vocabulary: Flower, stem, leaves and roots.
Competences:
- Communication in a foreign language.
- Digital competence.
- Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology.
- Learning to learn.
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy.
This activity offers an opportunity to enhance lower order thinking skills.
Lower order thinking skills.
- Level II: Understanding (Explain idea or concept): This activity gives the opportunity to explain and recognize the different parts of the flower.
- Level I Remembering (Remember or recall information): This activity gives the opportunity to recall the different parts of the flower and help students check if they remember them.
This activity has been created within a science project. This project's aim is to learn about pollination of flowers and the importance of pollination in agriculture.
How to play/ use
In future classes, this same activity can be use to help review, study and evaluate content and vocabulary.
3. Back from holiday.
Please click here to download this activity
Age/ Level
This activity has been created to work with primary education. However, depending on the level of the class this activity could be used with all ages.
This activity aims:
- To encourage written production.
- To prompt oral production.
- To contextualize vocabulary like:
- Beach, mountain, village, city and country names.
- Family, friend, best friend, mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, aunt, auntie, dog.
- Swimming, playing, sunbathing, eating, sightseeing.
* Alternative and spontaneous vocabulary which suits the topic.
- To provide a space for sharing personal experiences.
Competences:
- Communication in a foreign language.
- Digital competence.
- Social and civic competences.
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy
This activity offers an opportunity to enhance both lower- and higher-order thinking skills.
Lower order thinking skills.
- Level III: Applying (using the knowledge in a variety of ways): The activity gives the opportunity to apply, use and practice the vocabulary learned during previous school years
- Level I: Remembering (Remember or recall information): The activity gives the opportunity to remember and review vocabulary from previous school years.
- Level II: Understanding (Explain idea or concept): The activity gives the opportunity to understand new vocabulary and concepts.
- Level VI: Creating (create new products or points of view). The activity gives the students the opportunity to create a piece of text to talk about their holidays.
Suitable Topic
This activity is included in a package of activities which has been created to start the school year. These activities provide a space to share personal experiences in English and to start the school year in a meaningful way.
How to play
With the included help tool, guidance from the teacher and peer assistance each student will fill in the spaces including a chosen holiday picture and mark the destination in the map provided. Then, the student will talk about their holidays in front of their classmates and teacher.
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