Professional Learning Community: Versatile Classroom
The Versatile Classroom video sessions will allow teachers to observe and discuss video content at the same time, thus promoting a more meaningful online experience than is possible with other online technology. After participants implement their nano lesson, we will use the Versatile Classroom to allow teachers to observe and code the extent to which a nanoscience and technology was integrated into the lesson and how the content storyline was developed during a sample video of a nanoscience lesson. This will allow participants time to reflect on their practice and share challenges and successes with others in real time.
Using videos that can be played synchronously for group interactions, teachers can receive extended (45+ minutes) high quality video via their player and connection to the Internet. This technology allows the facilitator to run sessions in a virtual environment that resembles face-to-face interaction. For example, the facilitator can pause the video to ask questions or take them from participants and to facilitate discussions. The facilitator can also “rewind” the video so that all participants can view part of the clip again—at the same time. Each of the synchronous video sessions will be archived, so that participants can go back to view a particular discussion.
NanoTeach will adapt a video coding technique being developed by Kathy Roth and the TWIST project:
Tying Words to Images of Science Teaching (TWIST) project engages a diverse group of science education researchers in developing a consensus image-based language for developing five key aspects of science teaching. This language (accompanied by video images) will be described in a Guide for Video Analysis of Science Teaching. The effectiveness of the guide in helping diverse science educators to code video examples reliably will be pilot and field tested.
 |
|
| An example of technology that uses videos on DVD to be played synchronously for group interactions. |
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation, Division of Research on Learning in
Formal and Informal Settings (DRL), #DRL-0822128.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those
of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.