Student Teaching
My student teaching placement was done at Westwood High School in Round Rock, Texas where I taught two pre-AP biology classes. Pre-AP Biology is incredibly fast paced and the agendas for each unit had been made before the start of the school year. In addition, the school culture at my placement was pretty traditional with many teachers using guided notes and an abundance of worksheets. Some teachers in the school are beginning to include a variety of different teaching methods like flipped classrooms, but after speaking with these teachers I realized they also face some resistance. This made it challenging for me to find a place where I could add a Maker experience for my students. Finally, due to a change in the order of the unit calendar there would be a few extra days where students would just be watching a documentary over predator/prey relationships. I created a project where students could explore the effects of human impact on ecosystems that would be the learning activity prior to the notes for the topic.
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In this project students get to work in groups and educate others on a ecological issue that they care about. Their job is to make a website that they can then share with others to let them know why this is an issue people should know about and how they can help. This is a project I may one day use in my own classroom, but with some modifications. One big change I would make is to give students more options for the final product that are still interactive. Since I had to keep my classes consistent with my cooperating teacher's students I had to limit the product to just one to keep it simple. Although students couldn't pick their own final product, they still have a lot of places where they have agency. There are certain information requirements that students have to include, but the way they show it is up to them. The ecological issue they pick is also completely up to them. This is to make sure that they are researching something that they care about.
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This project incorporate Maker elements of collaboration, solving real problems, creating a unique artifact, and using technology. Students will be working in groups and then get to share their websites with others to help share their cause. The layout and design of the website are up to the students so they get to practice designing and creating something. There is a lot of room for redesign and improvement because the project is done electronically and allows for editing.