ImagineIT Project: The Final Report
As the end of the school year is upon us, I find myself reflecting more about lessons and activities I want to change or improve. My ImagineIT Project evolved into more of a teaching experiment, where I tried new ways of teaching concepts to my students. Because the chemistry curriculum covers so many different topics, in which they build from one another, giving students a specific project was hard for me to design. I found myself designing more inquiry-based chemistry labs, but more into the second semester mainly for safety reasons. My students are currently learning about energy, so they are designing an efficient and cost efficient cold pack (as pictured to the right). I am more comfortable allowing them to do this lab, at this time of the year, because they are more comfortable and understand the chemistry lab setting.
Having shared the Video Story Problem with my colleagues, the feedback was genuinely good. One teacher even tried it out in her class! What usually happens in our very large department, one teacher will “pilot” something new one year, then the following year be implemented by others. Overall, the students enjoyed the learning process, and, more often, enjoyed putting themselves on camera. Most students liked being creative, while others had a hard time. All in all, I feel that the ImagineIT Project was part of my learning experience as a teacher. I hope to continue to grow my ideas and try out new things. I find it easier to try out new things without as much anxiety about whether or not it will work out. I find myself embracing new chemistry topics with a new perspective on teaching. |
ImagineIT Project: Spring Update #2
As stated below, my students recently completed their "Video Story Problem" which added on to the concept of Stoichiometry. Students were tasked with creating a video in which they explain how to do the complex calculations of the limiting and excess reactants. The idea is that they are to put it into their own words. While most groups' videos presented their video using the "plug-and-chug" method, there were a few groups who really took up the challenge and were able to explain the concept of the limiting and excess reactant as an interesting and thoughtful learning experience for the viewer. The students in essence were asked to create informative instructional videos. Below is one of the more successful videos. In the future, I will have to make sure students are adding more creativity in order to implement their video, versus putting together only the technical information.
ImagineIT Project: Spring Update #1
A few months back, I asked my students to work in cooperative learning groups and explore something ordinary and create a video explaining how extraordinary their chosen thing is. They spent one day brainstorming, two days researching in the computer lab, and three days of filming and putting together their video. This was a project that I fit in during the odd weeks of the semester, to give them a little breather from science fair. It still did not feel like enough time, but they made it work.
What I discovered is that the students really embraced the project. They may have felt like it was a blow-off assignment, but they all did learn something new. The most successful groups took the time to research and create their content, giving us a very interesting and entertaining video.
I feel that I started my students on the project at the right time. They are now a little more comfortable putting together a 2-3 minute video, all the while I am a little more trusting in their creating a video of substance. I hope to see this grow into a common thing that I do, but first the videos need to be shared with the class.
From there, the next phase will include a “QuickFire” Challenge in which they implement a “Video Story Problem” based on the concept of the limiting reactant. They will use their reactions from their “Stoichiometry Stories” they recently created. From there, we study more chemical reactions, gases, and bonding. Come back and see what they create!
What I discovered is that the students really embraced the project. They may have felt like it was a blow-off assignment, but they all did learn something new. The most successful groups took the time to research and create their content, giving us a very interesting and entertaining video.
I feel that I started my students on the project at the right time. They are now a little more comfortable putting together a 2-3 minute video, all the while I am a little more trusting in their creating a video of substance. I hope to see this grow into a common thing that I do, but first the videos need to be shared with the class.
From there, the next phase will include a “QuickFire” Challenge in which they implement a “Video Story Problem” based on the concept of the limiting reactant. They will use their reactions from their “Stoichiometry Stories” they recently created. From there, we study more chemical reactions, gases, and bonding. Come back and see what they create!