My Work
This section of my portfolio provides examples of my work as a Humanities and Language Arts teacher as well as an Instructional Technologist specialist working as a partner with students and teachers to facilitate learning. Common themes for these artifacts are inquiry and project-based learning through constructivist instructional and assessment strategies.
This Web site service does not provide for hyperlinks to automatically be opened in a new window. Thus, you will need to use your browser back button to return to my portfolio after clicking any links to Web sites or you can right-click the links to either open in a new window or tab.
WebQuests
I use WebQuests as the vehicle to structure the units of study for my classes. These learning journeys provide differentiation in learning groups as well as speed and depth of study depending on each student's English ability and learning background. They are also open-ended to provide the freedom to pursue personal learning questions. Select the links below to access the WebQuests and online Web pursuit activities.
AfricaQuest ChinaQuest DesignQuest ESPRAT+G Five Themes of Geography
Greece & Rome LearningQuest MiddleEastQuest MiddleAgesQuest Renaissance & Reformation Research Pursuit Rise of Dictators
Teaching Critical Thinking & Research Skills
In teaching Middle School Humanities, my courses center on inquiry and project-based learning usually delivered through WebQuests. All our 8th grade students prepare for Exhibition evening where they present their learning to an audience of students, faculty, and parents. One portion of Kevin's presentation dealt with his learning and using critical thinking and research skills in the "Why Dictatorship?" WebQuest that I designed for the class. Select the link below to view a video of one portion of Kevin's presentation.
Webmaster
I was the webmaster at HKIS for the Upper Primary DragonNet community site, the myDragonNet curriculum mapping tool, the Upper Primary Moodle virtual school, the Teacher Toolkit and the Tai Tam baseball league. I currently manage my Lessons Learned blog to share instructional strategies from student-centered classrooms. Select the link below to view a video from the baseball site.
Student Multimedia Assessments
When we create common assessments, we look for ways that technology can support learning styles and empower student creativity. Working through the curriculum review process, I partner with teachers to infuse technology and information literacy into upcoming units. I cannot directly share student assessments here but can give an example of student and teacher multimedia work produced to promote reading. Check out the video below to see technology supporting language arts learning.
Celebration
A great deal gets accomplished by students and teachers. It is important to celebrate our community whenever possible. Select the links below to see examples of video celebrations.
Videography in Learning
Video production is a powerful generative tool when placed in the hands of students. Student teams managing a video product use multiple intelligences, habits of mind and language arts skills to share their learning and understanding. Watch a DragonNews morning show produced by Mrs. Brings' Grade 3 students. Select the link below to view the video.
Resources for Learning
Whether it is a visual and audio rich Web page to introduce terms for a social studies unit or a WebQuest to teach design skills or a video to kick off a math or science unit, I create media resources requested by teachers to support student learning. I also stay on top of the educational blogosphere as well as subscribe to several journals and podcasts that provide ideas and resources to support my work to provide resources to teachers. Select the links below to see resources created to support student learning.
Documenting Project-based Learning
Our teachers do incredible work with their students especially when they use project and inquiry-based learning. I work to document, share and celebrate instructional strategies and assessments that model our efforts to help our students learn 21st century skills. This effort to cross-pollinate ideas supports our learning community and leads to further innovations. Take a look below at a video documenting Mr. Lambert's project-based economics unit completed with an actual market where students sell their goods.