MIT Tool - Reflecting

What research/evidence are you using to back up what you are doing? 

I am using the research from Auckland University, with their developing in digital worlds- The project started in 2014 and will be completed by September 2018. 

The research aims to answer three questions about cognitive and social development in digital environments:

How does participation in the digital world influence children’s cognitive and social development?

What skills, knowledge, and capabilities do children need to manage, engage and benefit from participating in the digital world?

How can family, educators and society effectively support children’s involvement in the digital world?

https://developingindigitalworlds.blogs.auckland.ac.nz/ 

Are the students engaging differently using the tool? 

My students are not engaging with the tool as such. As the tool is designed for teachers and parents. The students are engaging in the Argumentation boards- It is helping them to gain more critical thinking skills. I find that students of all abilities can enter into the learning and are able to take the learning to their own level. The teacher is then able to 'push' those who can be extended. 

What hypotheses have you formed about likely barriers or your teaching actions to accelerate learning? 

The tool breaks down the barriers that teachers have thinking they don’t know how to do it, or where to start. The board examples and videos give teachers basic tools to just have a go. 

Have you noticed any anomalies in how it is/not working? Is it the same for everyone - or some? Why might that be? 

My whole senior school have been using argumentation boards as a way to teach students to think critically, develop skills around self reasoning and take part in critical literacy. Across our classes we have all seen the benefits of using the argumentation boards. We took part in the developing digital worlds research project in both 2014 and in 2018- so it will be interesting to see the comparable data when it is released.

What do you hope to achieve with this tool?

I hope to give teachers a resource that will enable them to have a go at this way of teaching. After modeling to my BT last week how to run an argumentation session she was able to clearly see how to do it, and reflected on some strategies that she would be able to implement in her classroom. 

What KCs will this tool foster?

Thinking- Students are given many opportunities to think critically and deeply about a range of topics. 

Relating to others- Students are required to understand others opinions and relate to them

Using language, symbols, and texts- Students are required to explore a range of texts in order to draw conclusions. 

Managing self - Students have to manage themselves in order to take part in the critical reading and literacy required.  

Participating and contributing- Students are required to participate and contribute within the argumentation boards. 

The tool incorporates all KC.