This document outlines a professional development workshop that aims to teach teachers how to use Google Classroom to create inquiry-based science experiments and labs. The workshop will show teachers how to design online assignments, collect student work and data, provide feedback, and organize content on Google Drive. Administrators support shifting from structured "cookbook" labs to true student-led inquiries. Teachers will leave with skills to build their own online learning environments and labs using Google Classroom.
This document outlines a professional development workshop that aims to teach teachers how to use Google Classroom to create inquiry-based science experiments and labs. The workshop will show teachers how to design online assignments, collect student work and data, provide feedback, and organize content on Google Drive. Administrators support shifting from structured "cookbook" labs to true student-led inquiries. Teachers will leave with skills to build their own online learning environments and labs using Google Classroom.
This document outlines a professional development workshop that aims to teach teachers how to use Google Classroom to create inquiry-based science experiments and labs. The workshop will show teachers how to design online assignments, collect student work and data, provide feedback, and organize content on Google Drive. Administrators support shifting from structured "cookbook" labs to true student-led inquiries. Teachers will leave with skills to build their own online learning environments and labs using Google Classroom.
This document outlines a professional development workshop that aims to teach teachers how to use Google Classroom to create inquiry-based science experiments and labs. The workshop will show teachers how to design online assignments, collect student work and data, provide feedback, and organize content on Google Drive. Administrators support shifting from structured "cookbook" labs to true student-led inquiries. Teachers will leave with skills to build their own online learning environments and labs using Google Classroom.
With recent initiatives for teachers to begin integrating google apps into their classrooms along with new standards such as the NGSS which encourage inquiry based learning experiences that integrate technology, this workshop will aim to show teachers how to use the google classroom platform as a tool for creating inquiry based investigations for students of varying skill levels. We aim to shift from cookbook style labs to true inquiry experiments. Administrators would like to see this done in at a science department meeting first, followed by modified versions for other departments based on its success. Agenda: (Department Meeting Setting) 1.) Teachers will work with content partners and will open their google classroom home pages and join the test google classroom page I have created as students. This enable teachers to see what they can create from the students perspective. 2.) I will model the process for which I do inquiry based physics labs with my students. This will cover some important features of the google classroom platform such as: a.) Creating an assignment b.) Attaching documents with different sharing privileges such as view only and make a copy for each student c.) Using google sheets for data collection and real time graph creation d.) How google classroom organizes google drive e.) How to grade assignments and leave feedback. 3.) There will be a screencast created and shared with the participating teachers, showing many of these features and how they are used. 4.) Teachers will then work with their content partners in order to design an inquiry based project or experiment using this framework. School Mission Relevance: Pelham School district has a strategic plan in place that is built on 4 pillars, one of which is 21st century learning. Systematically integrate the principles and content of 21st century learning into academic and co-curricular programs to prepare all students to meet current and future challenges
Planned Outcomes: This professional development workshop will introduce teachers to the google classroom platform and demonstrate its capabilities while also providing a forum for teachers already using the platform to share ideas within their content areas. Teachers should leave this workshop with the necessary skills to create an online learning environment for their students.
Methods of Formative/Summative Assessment:
Lab reports are generally used as a form of summative assessment for certain concepts or ideas. This workshop will focus on upgrading cookbook style lab reports and turning them into technology infused inquiry based labs. This means that formative assessment can occur at any stage of the experiment depending on how the lab is scaffolded. This can be submission of certain pieces of the lab report via google classroom or simply the observation of a lab group in action. It is not the goal of this PD to introduce new methods of assessment, but to simply introduce the teachers to ways to use google classroom to perform those same types of assessments with the added benefits of increased organization and student feedback/communication. Sample Artifacts: Each teacher and/or team will be creating an inquiry based lab using the google classroom platform. Materials: Each teacher will need a computer with internet access. It will be beneficial to have a smartboard in order to demonstrate and display google classroom for the teachers who have not yet used it, but a regular projector would suffice Workshop evaluation instrument: A google form will be distributed asking for feedback as well as questions that were left unanswered. If there are any FAQ i will address them via screencasts for the group at a later date. Evidence of improved teaching and learning: This is not the kind of change or PD that will result in higher scores on standardized tests for our students. We hope to collect data on student lab skill growth over the course of the next couple years. This will be done by creating a rubric for lab reports that will be used department wide (This is beyond the scope of this PD, but is another departmental initiative). This should allow us to look at data of student lab skills as they progress from 9th grade Living Environment to 11th grade physics.Over the course of three years we will be able to see how these changes are affecting student performance. In the short term, we can simply look at student engagement as we shift to this new lab dynamic. Looking at lab completion rates is one way of doing this.
