Let's explore the social interaction model part two: video review

 Let's explore the social interaction model part two: video review

week three 

 

Browse through the videos to learn about the methods of cooperative learning. Share your ideas of  what you observed, learned on your blogs. Add the videos to your blogs.

Six thinking hats video 

     After watching this video, I was very confused. I did not understand why there were six hats, their roles, or how students can use them in a classroom. My first question was why there are six hats and what was the point of this video. After researching the topic, I realized it is a way to get people to think the same way at the same time. The video explains that the red hat's mains focus is emotion. The red hat is used for thinking strategies that involve hunches, intuition, and gut feelings. The video explains the yellow hat is used for optimistic thinking as well as positive and logical thinking. The video states that the black hat is used for analytical thinking. The green hat is used for new and creative ideas. The white hat is used for objective thinking or thinking involving neutral ideas or facts. The blue hat is used for thinking in which students need to determine the overall main idea and remain organized. After reading the article "Six Thinking Hats in the Classroom." written by Anna Wakefield, I understood how students  can use the six thinking hats in the classroom. The six thinking hats involve six different ways of thinking. As I mentioned before, the red hat uses emotions and intuition. The article explains that when a student is where the red hat, the student should be thinking along the lines of "How does this make us feel." For example, if we were to use the movie Indiana Jones for a history lesson and place the student into the Indiana Jones role. The student would have to think of how Indiana Jones would feel if he was around snakes. The student could think, "I am not a big fan of snakes; how would I get around them?" The black hat is used to help a student think of the negative aspects. They have to think of what could go wrong. The article explains that when students wear a black hat, their thinking should be along the lines of " what are the bad things that happen if we do this. For example, if a student was using a lesson involving Indiana jones. The student would have to think along the lines of what would happen if we took a shiny ruby from the pedestal. Things that could happen include us having to run away from a giant boulder, or we would have to jump down a waterfall, or we could run into snakes or quicksand. The green hat is used for thinking which involves different or alternate ways to find a solution. Let look back at our Indiana Jones example. If a student with a green hat was placed in ,Indiana Jones's role, he would have to think of various solutions. For example, if the teacher posed this question, "How could Indiana Jones take the ruby without setting off any traps." A green hat student could reply, "Indiana Jones could place a big rock where the ruby was. If the ruby was light enough, he could also leave his hat" The white hat is used by students who need to determine facts or available information. The blue hat is used to determine solutions to a problem, and the yellow hat is used to determine benefits or think positively. The article also helped me learn about different situations that would benefit from using the six thinking has in my classroom. As stated in the article, these situations are: 

• Group Project Brainstorming
• Big Group Decisions
• Preparation for Debates
• Controversial Issues
• Challenging Perspectives of Current Events
• Developing Critical Thinking
• Developing Innovative Thinking
• Preparation for Discussions
• Structuring and Facilitating Discussions
• Problem Solving Situations

The article also gives examples of how students can use the six hats in the classroom effectively. One example is shown in the picture below 

deBono Six Thinking Hats in the Classroom

 This video is interesting. I felt that this video helps show teacher candidates how to use de Bono's six hats regardless of grade level. I liked how the teacher replaced hats with stuffed animals for the younger students and gave them names with words the students would understand. The puppy with the white hat was known as the facts puppy, and the puppy with the black hat was known as the problem puppy. I also liked how in one part of the video, instead of the teacher explaining the six hats a student was. He was able to explain how he understood the six hats in his own words. I also liked how a small section of paper described how to use each hat effectively in that classroom. There was one point in the video where the teacher had asked the class, "what are our thinking teddy's for?" to which the class had replied that the students used the yellow bear for thinking about good things, the students used the white one for facts, the students used the black ones for thinking about problems or bad things. When reading a text, the teacher asked her class to put on their yellow hats and think about good things. The teacher then asked the class to put their red hats on and think about feelings. When using the red hat, the teacher asked the class where they would want to live and why. To which one student replied, "I would want to live in our country because it's a lot warmer." I liked this video. It explained how a teacher could use the six hats effectively in a classroom regardless of grade. 

More Examples from the Classrooms

After viewing the videos, brainstorm what methods will be applicable in your unit plan lessons. Be ready to share your ideas and examples. 

Kagan Strategies video 

    Before watching the video, I wasn't entirely sure what the Kagan strategies were. But I could infer that it had something to do with collaborative learning since we focused on it this week. Before watching the video, I wanted to find Kagan Strategies' definition, which I was able to find its definition  using the article "Kagan Structures: A Miracle of Active Engagement." The article defines the Kagan strategies as "instructional strategies designed to promote cooperation and communication in the classroom, boost students' confidence and retain their interest in classroom interaction." This video was fascinating to watch. I liked how the teacher in the video explained how Kagan strategies were " ways to help students work together collaboratively." I also liked how the video explained how each student had a job and was accountable for their work.

    I do believe that this strategy would be very beneficial in a cooperative learning classroom. I also liked how the video explained the "rally coach" technique. The rally coach technique is where students are paired in groups of two with one paper in between them. one student is working while the other encourages them to do well. The video explains the "Stand up, Pair up, Hand up" technique that gets students up out of their chairs and moving around. It is a way to get students to not work with friends and branch out with different people to complete various activities within the time limit. The video also explains the benefits that this strategy has. The video states, "That the benefits include knowing every student is working." The timer is also another benefit the video states," it makes sure they work effectively and overall helps the classroom run better. 

    It also has many benefits for students. The video states," it ensures that they are getting what they need to learn. It does not allow them to hide." The video also advises teachers who want to use this method. The advice the video gives is "just try it." 

    

    This method would be applicable in my unit plan, more specifically for my cooperative learning lesson. With this, students are required to do group work and be responsible for a part of their work. That way, students are each putting in a piece of the work needed to complete a project. This method is also beneficial for shy students. They don't have to worry about not having a group member because they didn't speak up. Students can get group members just by putting their hands out.  

Children Discovering Justice Lesson 2: Turn & Talk - Think, Pair, Share

 I love the think pair share activity and believe it is a fantastic cooperative learning tool. If given the opportunity, I would want to use this in my unit plan. It is a tremendous collaborative learning tool because when students are paired up, they have to discuss their ideas or thoughts with a partner to determine who had the best answer to the teacher's question. After they share their answers, each person is called on to tell their teacher what their partner had said 

Numbered Heads Together

 I don't think I would use this activity for my unit plan for Social Studies Methods. It seems too difficult to do online through google classroom, google meets, or zoom. 

Kagan Structure: Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up

I would love to use this lesson in my unit plan. It puts students in charge of their learning, and it forces them to pair up with every classmate, so no one is left out. It also gives the teacher more availability to focus on and help students who are struggling. With this strategy, they depend less on the teacher and more on their classmates to solve problems. The video states, "They become more comfortable asking each other for help." if you compare it to the traditional learning method, there aren't multiple questions being asked at once. Overall it gives the teacher more opportunities to help the students who need it instead of answering 30 questions at once. 

Inside Outside Circle

 I don't think I would use this in my unit plan for my Social Studies methods class. This technique seems like it would be difficult to do in a virtual setting.