Learning Stations/Classroom Management

When working with large classes of students, many teachers develop "Learning Stations" with different learning activities in each area. This way a teacher can break the large class into smaller groups who will work independently at one station, then after a certain amount of time, groups move on to another station.

EXAMPLE:
A middle school teacher is going to have his/her class start studying BRIDGES and STRUCTURES
and has decided to split his/her class into 4 groups of 7 students in a group.

GROUP A - (if enough computers) .... logs onto the Internet and opens up the programs "Building Big." The Building Big program has a few different sections in it that the teacher can make note for the students to read or perform the various activities. When completed with that they can move on to the "West Point Bridge Design" program which is relatively self-explanatory. The students should be able to move along in program at their own pace, or with some help from others in their group.

GROUP B - is assigned the chapter in the textbook or a xeroxed copy or reading material that is on the topic of "Bridges and Structures." They are to read this chapter and answer questions that are at the end of it to help them understand the information  better. They can also write down important vocabulary that is highlighted in the chapter, so they will become more familiar with it.

GROUP C - is presented with some pictures or models of various bridge types. This group is also given either graph or blank paper and diagrams with a short paragraph of information each of the bridge types. Their assignment is to draw a good diagram of each bridge type and list three to four important characteristics about each bridge. They can also show the representative vocabulary and/or forces that are at work in the different areas of a bridge - tension and compression; span; torsion; shear; etc.

GROUP D - stays with the teacher as she/he gives a lesson on the different bridge types; the forces that are at work in building structures; and with a give-and-take discussion with the small group of students is able to spend more time with some of their stories or questions.

The teacher can determine how long the groups are to stay at their stations. Students could stay in each area easily the whole class period or half (20-30 minutes). Students can rotate to a new station for the second half of the class, or the next class day. Eventually all students will be exposed to each learning station and the teacher can then move on to a bigger hands-on project or computer based project that is based on their learnings.

Project Based Learning

Project-Based learning allows students to become invested in their own learning. Research shows that students have different learning styles and that those who are engaged and provided a varied approach to their learning, aside from just using textbooks, are often eager and ready to learn more, ask important questions, and develop some critical thinking skills! If educators are able to provide a learning environment where students can more actively participate in their own interests and learning in an engaging, challenging and stimulating manner, we can see some exciting results!

Over the years many different terms have been used to explain this active and creative learning style - Experiential  Learning, Hands-on Learning, Problem-Based Learning, or Inquiry Learning. This video shares with you some examples of students and teachers involved in active project based learning activities.

Think about one lesson that you do with your students and think of how you could open it up to a more project-based learning activity! More tangible, hands-on LEARNING and more FUN for everyone!!

Vocabulary Labeling

A simple, yet effective way to help your students learn the VOCABULARY of your classroom and curriculum is to put labels onto the various tools, storage areas, and equipment that you use. This way the words are constantly present in your classroom environment and after you introduce these terms to your students they can continually have a reference as they look and work around your room. This labelling technique can be helpful for those students who are learning a new language, as well as for those students who are more visual learners.

Some teachers will create a board of the vocabulary words...sometimes they call it a "Word Splash" board. Others will label specific items e.g. - in the woodshop tool cabinet a small sign that reads - "Hammers" is located in the area where all of the hammers are hanging; a sign that reads -  "Screwdrivers" does the same for where those tools are stored.

Just look around your whole room and label everything that you feel is of importance to your classroom, as well as the vocabulary that you use for your lessons.

I have been pleasantly surprised at how observent the students are about this signage. They can and do observe and memorize it...and, will miss it when it is removed from where they are used to seeing it!

PTC-ProDesktop CAD Program

PTC ProDesktop is an introductory CAD program. CAD stand for Computer Aided Design.

All types of engineers, designers and architects use CAD programs to help them with their design work these days. You don't need to be a great artist any more to work in these fields, although it is helpful if you can "think visually" - or, picture your ideas in 3-D.
Even jewelry and cake designers use CAD programs for their work...have you ever seen that TV show - "Ace of Cakes?" They definitely use a CAD program for all of those fancy designs that they create!
Spend some time with this program and learn some of the basic tools of how it works.

Google Translator

If you're having some difficulties with understanding some of the text, please copy and paste your document into Google Translator. For the most part it is quite accurate translating from one language to another.

Design Squad - Collective Collaboration

In this episode of Design Squad the teams are presented with a challenge to create a better peanut butter making machine for a community in the poverty stricken country of Haiti. When they first learn about the challenge the teams are shown a short video of how peanut butter is made in Haiti. You will see that these Haitians live in very primitive and limited conditions. The teams are then given certain criteria that they must understand for creating their final project - their device must use only manual power - no electricity, and be made with parts that can easily be replaced and repaired in Haiti.

As you watch the video you'll see the challenges and difficulties that each team has in their process. You should start to recognize the steps of the Engineering Design Process as you follow along. Keep that in mind because after watching this video you will being completing a short project using the video and the Engineering Design Process!

Design Squad Engineer

The field of engineering can be many things.
Designing new products, coming up with new materials for these products, and testing things out....to name just one aspect in the many fields of engineering.

This video shows us the work of a design engineer, Connie Yang, an MIT graduate who loves being outdoors and doing different outdoor sports. Connie is currently working on designing new style tents for the NEMO Company.

I'm sure her work is quite difficult, but it actually looks kind of fun in this video. Makes you think that being an engineer could be quite stimulating, creative, challenging and fun!!

Check it out!