PROF-ED, EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

FINAL EXAMINATION

NAME _____________________________________________________________

Directions: Read this story of a social studies class then answer the questions given below:

A. Teacher Nachielle teaches social studies. Her students, as part of their studies of
medieval history, created multimedia presentation about the Black Plague. She teamed
with a teacher in the science department for the unit. In science, students created
animations that simulated how the plague virus attacks the body. In social studies, they
created computer-based presentations looking at the plague from various perspectives
that included the 14th century farmers and 21st century scientists. Their presentations
used primary historical resources, as well as literature and current events. The
presentation compared the plague to the AIDS epidemic of today.

B. Below is a description of Teacher Nicolle’s class.

Entering Teacher Nicolle’s class, you first notice that every child is completely
engrossed. Second, you notice mixed voices, rising and falling in intense and animated
discussions among small group of third graders.
You look for the teacher-she isn’t conveniently located at the front of the room.
Finally, you see her down among a group of students. You wait for her to notice you as
she shows the group how to use the index of a book to find confirmation about shelter
for a tribe of Aetas.
As you wait, your eyes move from group to group. At the computers, three boys
are typing some text they have composed for their presentations. A group of girls paints
a colorful scene of a tribe of Aetas’ village to be scanned into the presentation software
later. Another group of boys uses a Venn diagram to show foods in their own diet, foods
in “their” tribe’s diet and foods they have in common. You want to ask them about their
work but can’t bear to break their concentration.
Teacher Nicolle notices you and starts moving towards you, but each group of
students she passes stops her to proudly show off their work or ask her to check
something. She finally reaches you and starts to explain the various activities the
children are working on to prepare their multimedia presentations-content research,
art, language arts, math and technology activities she has designed for the project, You
talk for almost 10 minutes before you notice the most amazing thing of all- the children
are still working still engrossed, still animated and focused.

Questions:
1. What adjectives or adverbs can describe the two classes?
2. Would you like to be in such classes? Why?
3. Why were the classes so alive, Which could have contributed to the creation of a highly
animated class?
Analysis:
What do you think of the following? Support your stand.

 Did the class have clear goals?

 Was the students’ work in school connected to the real world in which the students
live?
 Was the class project a one-shot lesson or did it extend over a significant period of
time?
 Was the teacher clearly in charge of the class?
 Did the teacher give leeway to the students to make decisions within reasonable limit?
 Dis the students work collaboratively?