Maryna Nezar

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Investigating Natural Disasters

• Maryna Nezar
• Elkanah House
• Grade 7 Human and Social Sciences
• A collaborative research project
• Email marynan_at_elkanah.co.za
• Tel [phone]

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Project Preparation

• Learners and educators from 4 different Grade 7
  classes
• were involved
• Project Plan and Assessment strategy completed in
  collaboration with educators of each
  participating class
• On-line environment was prepared before project
  started and
• supporting documents were uploaded for each
  group
• Educators were informed about the project process
  and expectations
• A pilot group was used for a test run to ensure
  everything worked

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Lines of communication and collaboration
IT Infrastructure and support
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Assessment Plan

• Learners did collaborative research to gather
  information about natural disasters and their
  effects.
• Each learner created a first draft as feedback on
  his topic on the group blog
• Peers checked the information recorded through
  the following review process
• First review to check originality of written
  text
• Second review to check accuracy against
  another source
• Learners produced final drafts
• Peers proofread and edit for spelling, grammar
  and punctuation errors.
• The final group presentations were published to a
  Wiki site paying attention to presentation and
  basic elements of design.

Assessment standards
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Assessment Standards

• Social Sciences - History LO 2
• Describes and makes links between reasons for and
  results of key events and
• changes cause and effect.
• Geography LO 1
• Reports on the enquiry using evidence from the
  sources including maps,
• diagrams and graphics uses computers in the
  presentation
• Describes and explains how natural hazards occur,
  and their impact on human
• lives and socio-economic activities

• English Home Language - LO 4 Writing
• uses the writing process with assistance and
  collaboratively to generate texts
• plans and develops topic by using information
  from one other source
• organises ideas coherently in simple, logical
  order to produce first drafts
• reflects on drafts, considering purpose,
  audience, language usage and logical
  organisation, and revises appropriately
• reflects on and discusses own and peers writing,
  showing sensitivity to the rights and feelings of
  others
• proofreads and corrects final draft by applying
  knowledge of language in context, focusing on
  grammar,
• punctuation, spelling and vocabulary appropriate
  for the grade
• publishes final product paying attention to
  presentation and basic elements of design.

Back
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Task 1

• Learners visited the IT centre and introduced
  themselves to their group by adding posts to
  their group blog.
• Learners added their names to the
• Group task assignment document.
• Learners started their research and gathered all
  required information from at least two sources.

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Task 2

• Learners wrote their first draft on the group
  blog site.
• They collected some pictures to support their
  information.
• They recorded all websites used on the Group
  Bibliography Template.

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Task 3- Authenticity Check

• Learners consulted the group task assignment
  document to see which topic they selected for
  Task 3
• Learners checked allocated topics against the
  original sources for originality, plagiarism and
  correctness
• Learners added positive comments and suggestions
  to the first draft.

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Task 4 Verification

• Learners consulted the group task assignment
  document .
• Learners verified information against a minimum
  of one other source.
• Learners posted positive comments, corrections
  and extra facts to the first draft.
• They added the source(s) used to the
  Bibliography Template.

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Task 5 Final Draft

• Learners visited the Blog and viewed comments
  made by the reviewers in tasks 2 and 3.
• Learners used the suggestions to update their
  information and complete a final draft.
• Learners checked the bibliography to ensure all
  sources had been cited.
• Learners collected more pictures if needed.

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Task 6 Proofreading

• Learners consulted the group task assignment
  document.
• Learners checked the allocated topic for
  punctuation, spelling and language errors in the
  final draft. They posted their comments or
  suggestions.
• Learners visited Wiki Tasks document and chose a
  specific responsibility in order to complete the
  Wiki

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Task 7

• Learners copied their information from the blog
  to their group Wiki page and added pictures.
• Learners assumed the roles allocated and
  completed the tasks to finalise their Wiki site.
• Learners and educators completed the project
  feedback form.

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Teaching and Learning Strategies

• Learners were encouraged to work collaboratively
  even though they were not together at any time
  during the project.
• Learners learnt from each others contributions
  through interactive tasks without having to
  research the entire topic.
• By assignment of tasks all learners got an equal
  opportunity to participate and cover all
  Assessment Standards.
• Learners were encouraged to access the blog and
  work after school (in the IT centre) and at home
  to improve their projects.
• Learners were encouraged to discuss the topics
  through the blog sites to enhance their
  understanding of the topic.
• Learners were encouraged and supported by their
  peers and teachers throughout the project.

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Relevance of ICT Tools Through the use of
internet collaboration tools classroom boundaries
were erased . The learning environment were
extended to anytime anywhere learning through
the application of ICT tools. Learners were
introduced to the use of Web 2 tools to share
and collaborate with others Learners were
afforded an opportunity to develop communication
and collaboration skills needed to function in a
21st century workplace Parents were able to view
their childrens work and track their progress
and IT skills
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Innovative use of ICT Tools Learners could
collaborate and work together without timetable
issues or time constraints By using Web 2 tools
everyone had instant access to the project
workspace and all supporting documents at all
times from anywhere Learners were given an
opportunity to develop and use ICT skills
throughout the entire project The use of ICT
technologies create enthusiasm and allowed
learners to acquire important 21st century skills
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Changing Education This project has given the
Grade 7 educators an opportunity to work together
as a team and to encourage each other to make use
of ICT. It has also given them an opportunity to
get to know some of the other learners in the
school and to expand teaching beyond their
classroom walls. It has afforded them an
opportunity to work with Web 2 tools and to
discover the endless possibilities to enhance
their teaching. Learners enjoyed the project
and gained both ICT skills, knowledge and
communication skills. The project also
integrated LOs from different learning areas.
Learners covered these skills without even being
aware of it. They were also afforded an
opportunity to develop essential 21st century
skills. This was a pilot project. It can be
extended to partner with learners from other
schools in 2010.
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ITF Category Innovation in Collaboration
The project has been designed for group work
with a strong emphasis on the use of Web 2 tools
to share and collaborate. It was specifically
planned for a mixed group of learners that are
not in the same class / school and relies heavily
on communication and interaction to keep the
project on track.
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Conclusion
One only needs to see the learners transform and
see the excitement and enthusiasm with which they
participated in a project such as this. The buzz
in the IT centre was awesome and learners were
involved and motivated. Ask the learners about
the experience after such a project and their
responses will leave no doubt in your mind that
you have succeeded in not only teaching them more
than what you have set out to do, but that they
have enjoyed every step of the way. And the
bonus.. You know you have contributed to
preparing them for the real world out there..