Example: biology

Reflection Activities - Landmarks for Schools

Reflection ActivitiesReflection Activities play an important role in helping us to analyze,understand, and gain meaning from instructional technology training. Thefollowing list of Reflection Activities is divided into Activities to be used at thebeginning, middle, and end of a learning experience. There are manygeneral Activities that could be used throughout the training as well. Ice Breakers and IntroductionsPre-exposure: Create original ice-breaker Activities that exposeparticipants to content that will belearned later. Post it during thelearning phase, and then review it atthe conclusion of the training. Ourneural pathways become moreefficient with repetition becausemyelination occurs, a process whichadds a fatty coating to the : Tell a fascinating storyor give a true-life example to createa strong emotional connection from the start.

Reflection Activities Reflection activities play an important role in helping us to analyze, understand, and gain meaning from instructional technology training. The ... Transitions, Bridge-Builders, State Changers Around the Room and Back Again: Have each participant write

Tags:

  Bridge, Reflections

Information

Domain:

Source:

Link to this page:

Please notify us if you found a problem with this document:

Other abuse

Transcription of Reflection Activities - Landmarks for Schools

1 Reflection ActivitiesReflection Activities play an important role in helping us to analyze,understand, and gain meaning from instructional technology training. Thefollowing list of Reflection Activities is divided into Activities to be used at thebeginning, middle, and end of a learning experience. There are manygeneral Activities that could be used throughout the training as well. Ice Breakers and IntroductionsPre-exposure: Create original ice-breaker Activities that exposeparticipants to content that will belearned later. Post it during thelearning phase, and then review it atthe conclusion of the training. Ourneural pathways become moreefficient with repetition becausemyelination occurs, a process whichadds a fatty coating to the : Tell a fascinating storyor give a true-life example to createa strong emotional connection from the start.

2 Affecting theemotional side of our brains alerts and prepares the cognitive partsof the brain to store new : Start the training experience with some type of funphysical movement or stretching, with music playing in thebackground. (Physical activity triggers the release of BDNF, anatural substance that boosts learning by helping neurons tocommunicate faster. Also, motor memory appears to haveunlimited storage, requires minimal review, and needs little intrinsicmotivation.)Horror & Success Stories: In partners, trios, or small groups,participants share horror and/or success stories related to coursecontent. Ask them to generate amusing titles and record a fewbullets of information for the story.

3 As the day s agenda isreviewed, ask participants to note the topic(s) for which each storyis relevant. The stories can be interjected throughout the duration Though we know howcritical meaning is to thelearning process, mostlearners are drowning ininformation and starved formeaning. (Eric Jensen,1998) Reflection Activities provideproductive processing time,which is essential if weexpect learners to makemeaning out of the course during transitions, after breaks, or for Tag Switch: Ask everyone to write up to five self-descriptivephrases on a nametag, like sleepy head, hunter, workout queen,shopaholic along with one big learning goal for the day. Collect andredistribute at random.

4 Give the group time to locate the owner ofthe mysterious Questions: As participants arrive, form small groups and askeach group to identify one or more tough questions they wantanswered before the end of the training. Ask the groups to writeonly one question per index card or post-it note. Invite participantsto review the cards throughout the day and ensure that allquestions have been answered to their satisfaction before Sounds: Write the same name of an animal on two differentindex cards. For example, write dog on two different index until you have enough cards for everyone in the the deck and distribute the cards, asking participants tokeep the animal name hidden from view.

5 At the appointed time,direct everyone to travel around the room imitating the sound oftheir animal until they can locate someone else making the samesound. When they find their animal partner, they should be up, Stand Up for Chocolate! Get the group up and moving byannouncing, All those who love chocolate (or can t live withoutpizza or like rock & roll), please stand in front of the marker board. Once you have established about 4 or 5 groups, let participantsmeet each other and share interests. Informal Learning Style & Personality Assessments(Participants use this handout, The Learner Profile, to record theirresponses to the Activities listed below.) and Multiple Intelligences: Each participant receives orviews a set of 8 trading cards, with each card representing one ofeight multiple intelligences (Howard Gardner).

6 Participants selectthe trading card with an Alien description that best describes theway they work, play, and interact with Your Learning Code: Participants use the online activity, Crack Your Learning Code, to promote discussion of the differentpersonality types (as defined by Myers and Briggs, and morerecently by Keirsey and Bates and others) and how they impact theteaching and learning Your Mode: Participants can use this checklist of behaviorsto heighten awareness of the variety of ways students learn Group Assumptions, Learning Goals, and Prior KnowledgeOops and Wows: Participants create 3 columns to state what theyhope will be the outcome of the 1: OOPS (What outcome would they be disappointedwith?)

7 Column 2: OK (What outcome would be okay?Column 3: WOW (What outcome would they be very happywith?)Props and Promises: Set out a box full of toys, everyday objects,quotes, children s books, and other items. Ask participants toselect an item that helps them visualize what they hope toaccomplish as a result of the and Share: The facilitator picks a topic and divides participantsinto groups to discuss it. The topic should allow participants todraw from their experiences and Challenge: The goal of this activity is to surface groupassumptions about a topic(s). Participants list assumptions on 3x5index cards anonymously. Small groups gather to consider thefollowing 2 questions for each assumption: What informs theassumption ( data, values, beliefs?))

8 , and can the assumption begeneralized to other things? At the end of the training, return tothe list to see if assumptions have been changed. Team BuildingAffirmations: On note cards, write something nice about aloud at the end of the training session. Put names on cardsand everyone takes ONE card or rotate the cards so everyone canmake a comment on every individual s Knot (Jensen, 1998): Teams of six or more stand in acircle, approximately two feet apart. One participant reaches outwith one hand and grabs the hand of a person directly across fromthem. Continue until everyone is holding hands to form a gianthuman knot. At this point, the group must untie themselveswithout releasing Development Wheel: Participants place a mark on thecircumference of the Team Development Wheel to represent theirassessment of the present status of the and Sayings: Provide a variety of sayings.

9 Participants pickone or more that seem to reflect where they are now and what theyare experiencing as part of their group or team. Wanted Posters: Participants create a wanted poster, withouthis or her name on it, that describes likes, dislikes, hobbies, height,eye color, and more. Hang on the wall and let everyone guesswho s who. Transitions, bridge -Builders, State ChangersAround the Room and Back Again: Have each participant writedown one example or one new application of a topic or teachingstrategy identified by the facilitator. Individuals move around theroom and share their example with others. As you move, collect asmany items as possible to add to your list. Group discussions canthen be used to build the lists further and generate Change: Make transitions an easy proposition by providinga simple, fast, first Journal: keep an artistic journal throughout the learningexperience to draw what they are : Synectics provide an opportunity for creative thinkingand help to build analogies around any number of possible is a freeing activity for many in that it allows us to processinformation differently and collectively.

10 It can serve as a learningscaffold in a variety of situations, particularly with new groups. Prepare a list of visual clues. These can be postcards,toys, everyday objects, or index cards with photosglued to them. Let participants choose cards themselves, or distributerandomly. Participants compare and contrast their itemto the topic you have chosen. For example: How is_____ like a GPS?Energizers: If the body is tired, the mind is too. Use energizersthat are directly linked to workshop content. Keep the energizer brief, make sure the activity is not threatening, and allowparticipants to pass or rotate the game to the next Examples: Use musical chairs as a review game; docross laterals (see next item); create sound effects with musicalinstruments; toss a ball or beanbag; try on silly hats; mime; leavethe room for a 5 minute stroll; drink water; create a chant or jingle;do deep breathing Laterals: Use cross laterals to stimulate both sides of thebrain.


Related search queries