Advance organizers help students focus their learning. Teachers and students can use a variety of technology tools to create welll-organized, visually appealing organizers, (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007).
Some types of advance organizers that can be useful are expository, narrative, and graphic. These organizers can be used to help students focus on the essential question for the lesson they are about to learn. They help them to organize their thoughts around the essential information and gets them thinking about what they know about the topic even before the teacher begins the lesson. In my 8th grade language arts classroom these types of organizers would be helpful before beginning an integrated unit. The US History teacher and I work together to integrate our units throughout the year. Together we could have students create an advance organizer to be used in both classes as we begin our units. For example, if students have created an advance organizer on immigration, then they can continue to fill in the information they acquire in both classes. Since we teach at a technology magnet school, where every student has their own laptop, the obvious way for our students to create an advance organizer would be to use a multimedia tool such as a PowerPoint advance organizer. Studies show that students who use multimedia to create advance organizers retained more information than those who dod not use this type of multimedia advance organzier, Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenosdi, 2007).
Notetaking and summarizing are strategies that have been used in the classroom for many years. I think teachers assume that students come to their class already knowing how to summarize and take notes. As stated in chapter six in Using Technology With Classroom Instruction That Works, teachers rarely teach notetaking as a skill in itself. They recommend that we give them teacher-prepared notes, and that we teach students a variety of notetaking formats.
Instructional strategies such as concept mapping, help students organize their ideas and make connections. Dr. Orey also states, “People can remember images easier than just text, therefore, images are powerful tools to use in the classroom.” Another strategy that is a valuable learning tool is virtual field trips. This web based tool can create rich learning experiences for students. It gives them an opportunity to witness history and engage in critical thinking activities.
I always find it interesting to look at how and what students take notes on. My school now requires that all 6th Graders participate in a study skills class for the first 9 weeks of school. This class actually teaches the students how to take notes, and how to take notes in different formats. I notice a change in the type of notetaking skills immediately as that lesson is taught. I used to get worried if I saw a student drawing pictures or diagrams in their science notebook. I now know that these visual images are helping to further cement the knowledge acquired into their long-term memory.
ReplyDeleteMy students are very visual. Any time images are incorporated into their work, their work improves. However, asking them to draw a quick sketch of something to help them remember a concept is impossible! So many of them are such natural artists that they cannot understand the concept of "sketch." They want to draw, flesh it out, create a piece of art. Any ideas on how to get them to just sketch?
ReplyDeleteTodd,
ReplyDeleteIn my 8th grade language arts class the students write a research paper. We begin by putting together a file folder with 50 colored note cards. They have five different colors with ten cards of each color. Each colored section is used to record information for one of the essential questions on their outline. This works beautifully and helps them to keep their information organized as they research. When they are finished with their research their information is organized, which makes it easy for them to begin their paper. We've had students come back to visit when they are in high school and tell us how much this helped them when they had to write a paper in high school. They already knew a good way to get their information organized.
Virginia,
ReplyDeleteSketching is not something I am good at either. If students were working on the computer they could sketch using a drawing program, or they could easily put images into their notes. I do think the images help them to remember things better.
When I attend conferences and workshops, I prefer to take notes on my laptop. I simply cannot write as quickly as I can type. Do your students take notes on their laptops or on paper? I have had several students ask if they could bring their own laptop to school, but our current administration does not allow it.
ReplyDeleteI do know that our reading teachers teach notetaking skills with highlighters and sticky notes. This is a skill they start in elementary school and is primarily used with a program called Junior Great Books. But I have seen students transfer this skill to other areas as well. Sadly though, it is usually just the higher learners who transfer the technique, but it is happening for some. I agree that more teachers need to make sure their students have notetaking skills, technology or not.
ReplyDeleteSussanna,
ReplyDeleteI also prefer to take notes on my laptop. Since all of our students are provided with a laptop, they are allowed to use them for note-taking in class. It is definitely easier and saves time.
Kerry,
ReplyDeleteWe use sticky notes and highlighters as well. There is even a sticky note feature on the students' laptops that they can use to mark important passages in their online textbook, which is pretty cool. Either way, teaching notetaking skills is important and something that will benefit students for the rest of their life. After all, I'm 44 years old and still taking notes!