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Note: Reflective thoughts are expressed in italics.
This lesson is all about helping students understand the AUP they're required to sign to use computer equipment in school. Our AUP is very poorly written and full of semi-legal jargon that is virtually impossible for children to understand. The goal for the unit is to have students work cooperatively to re-write the AUP in language they understand. I'd also like them to look critically at the document and take a position as to whether all sections are important.
Microsoft Word is the technology tool they'll be using for this assignment, but it's completely tangential to learning. Word processing allows students to easily edit their ideas, look up synonyms for "big" words, and quickly combine each group’s work into one cohesive document. This narrative takes place on day 3 of the 5-day unit.
It’s 8:15AM on a Monday. I've spent the weekend putting students into groups based on their Skills Surveys. Each group should have at least one person who is fairly computer savvy. The daily agenda is on the white board and I’ve got about 5 minutes to sneak into the restroom before the first bell. Whew!
The second bell has just rung and all students are in their seats working on Mavis. Oops, here comes Candace in the door (tardy again). We make eye contact and I hold up my two fingers. She nods to acknowledge her 2nd tardy, and takes her seat. I take role while students tap away at their keyboards. Nat comes up to my desk for no particular reason. I ask her to have a seat and work on keyboarding. Same thing happens with Jared. After a couple of minutes, I ask all students to wrap up and exit Mavis.
I might decide to wait on introducing the kids to Mavis warm-ups until after this unit. Even a few minutes of warm up will cut into their work time and we’ll need every minute.
Students face the back of the room when I give direct instruction. This turns them away from the "click zone." I ask for attention and, once all students are facing me, review the plan for the day which is written on the white board behind me.
"Today is the day each group is to begin drafting a more understandable version of their section of the AUP. That means you have to take the school's grown up words and put them into your own words. Pretend you're trying to write this for a 2nd grader. It needs to be really simple." Hand goes up.
"Yes, Justin."
"My brother is in 2nd grade and once he spilled a juice box all over our computer at home. My Dad was so mad...we couldn't use the computer for a long time...and once my sister was on the Internet and this picture came up..."
"Hang on a second, Justin. That sounds like a story to include in a "free type" session. And it does help us understand why we might need things like Acceptable Use Policies in schools. We can't be spilling juice on the keyboards, can we?"
5th graders love to tell their own personal anecdotes. I wish I had just 10 more minutes with them each day so I wouldn't have to cut them short when they do that.
(me continuing) "Today, you'll use Microsoft Word to write your 'understandable version' of the AUP. We won’t be using paper/pencil. How many of you have used Microsoft Word?" (80% of the hands go up) "How many of you think you're an "expert" at using Microsoft Word? (maybe 2 hands go up, or maybe none).
Since this is the first year of having a computer class at FIS, my estimates for how many students know Word could be way off. I'm counting on at least half of the students having some word processing background. If they don't, this could turn into an 8 day unit. Not the end of the world, in any case.
"The good news is that, Kelly turn around and face me please, you don't have to be good at using Microsoft Word today. In fact, you don't have to know anything about it. Only one of the group members needs to actually type, although if others would like a turn, you should share the computer. Today we will be saving your work to disks which I will be pass out with your notes from yesterday." Hand goes up.
"Yes, Alicia"
"What if our group won't share the computer?"
"Well, there are a couple of ways you could solve that. There will be about 20 minutes of work time, and that's about 5 - 7 minutes apiece at the computer. You could just watch the clock and trade when it's time. Or, you could hand write your information on paper, then take turns typing different sentences. I'll let you attempt to work out those details, and if you need my help just raise your hands. Other questions?"
About 4 hands go up and students ask questions like: Do we have to finish this today? [No] Can we use any font we want? [not this time - just use the one that comes up (the default)] Do we need to save this? [Yes - on disk] Can we change the color of the text? [Not this time] Can we add pictures? [probably won't have time - wait until tomorrow] Can I go to the bathroom? [Do you want to use your restroom coupon?]
At this point, there could be so many questions that they cut into work time. Must be careful to get kids into their groups ASAP. Often they answer their own questions once they get with their peers.
"Good job, class. Now please go to your groups and continue working until you hear the timer ding."
Just remembered that yesterday's lesson allowed students to write their notes in Word. Need to make sure they use the same computer they were on yesterday if they saved notes.
Groups form and I walk around, passing out each groups' notes and feedback together with a floppy disk. At first, they're reading and working fairly intently. Then Cheri comes up to me with her group's teacher feedback and asks, "What's this say"
"Oh, that says 'you left out the part about Internet email' so you need to be sure to include that in your understandable version. I highlighted it in yellow on the AUP handout."
I need to be careful about printing comments rather than handwriting them. Moving from 8th grade to 5th grade is a big difference and I still have some bad habits to break.
"What is Internet email?"
This is a legitimate question and there are likely to be many more like them. Kids might not understand the AUP, even in layman’s terms if they’re not familiar with the technologies being described.
"Have you asked your group?"
"Not yet"
"Off you go..."
By now, at least 5 of the groups have launched Microsoft Word and started typing. Some have put their names at the top. Others won't even think about writing their names. Some will have a title at the top of the page, others won't. Those that have a title will probably have it centered. Most groups will have increased the font size to make it more readable. There are a ton of misspelled words in their typed text. There won’t be long paragraphs, probably just a few sentences by the end of the class period. Someone may ask about the red squiggles that appear with spelling errors.
Getting started may not go as smoothly as I’m hoping. They will have first drafts to work from, so that’s good. But I should be prepared for the possibility that this part may not go so well. I'll know if I see a bunch of blank screens that the lesson needs another direction. If that happens I'll pull them back as a group and give examples. Another possibility is that one or two groups will be working well and others might be foundering. In that case, I'll ask a group to show their work in progress so others can learn by their example.
It’s possible that there could be questions about how to use the program (Word), but I’m counting on not having too many. If there are tons of questions about using Word, I may have to pull the group back together and direct teach some basics.
Hands start to go up now and I make my way from group to group answering questions and troubleshooting problems:
"We can't decide who gets to go first." [I hand them a coin to flip]
"Jordan typed two sentences and I only got to type one.” [maybe you should go first tomorrow]
“What does this word mean?” [show students how to use the thesaurus to look it up]
Now that I think about it, I should have showed them the thesaurus right up front. There will be a lot of words they don’t know and I bet most of the hands that go up will be questions about the meaning of the text. The thesaurus won’t solve all the questions, but it should cut down on the number of questions.
"We don't know where to start." [how about using your notes and my comments, then go sentence by sentence through your section]
This early in the school year, students may not work so well in cooperative groups. I expect my 6th graders will do better than the 5th graders. I can see that this activity might take at least one day longer than I originally anticipated. Twenty minutes of work time may not be enough on an assignment like this.
"We're ready to save."
Possibly need to discuss a naming convention up front.
I continue monitoring and answering questions. Timer goes off and I call students away from their keyboards, then ask,
“How many of you know how to save a file to a floppy disk?”
Half the hands in class go up. “That’s great! And if you don’t know how to save you can watch someone else in your group while they do it and we’ll also cover it in class when we start learning more about Microsoft Word. When you save your work, please call it Group 1 AUP, or Group 2 AUP or whatever your group number is.”
Students save their files; I visit each group and check to make sure it’s not on the hard drive. Some of the groups have named their file Document 1. Some have saved into the My Documents folder. We fix it together and I take their disks and written rough drafts.
I was originally planning to have student bring their disks to me, but it makes more sense for me to collect them while they’re still at the computer in case they save it incorrectly. Need to make sure they exit Word before pulling out their disks.
“I’ll be keeping your disks overnight and you’ll have group time tomorrow to finish your work. Mice upside down, please, and gather your belongings.” I make a sweep of the room checking for missing mouse balls, stray pencils and other materials, then dismiss students by section.
More reflection...
Assessment of this activity will be informal and formative. This early in the class I usually don't have to give incentives to get kids working (i.e., a chunk of points is awarded to the group, and group members determine how to divide them up). So I'll give them feedback as they work and, theoretically, they'll be motivated to do well since the entire class is depending on each group's contribution. No group wants to stand up and say they haven't done their piece. Therefore, the lesson has built-in accountability.
Time is obviously a concern. Fortunately, this unit can go an extra day or even two if needed.