UNIT

 5  
Collaborative  Science  Learning  Project  
Aletia  Bogoya  
 
Rationale  
 
A   collaborative   learning   project   should   respond   to   the   needs   of   the   teacher’s  
local   context,   those   of   his/her   learners,   and   should   be   framed   within   a   learning  
approach.   Taking   this   into   consideration,   the   project   here   described   has   been  
structured  to  meet  the  school  goal  of  developing  an  environmental  project  aimed  
at  raising  students’  awareness  in  relation  to  a)  how  our  actions  affect  planet  Earth,  
and   b)   how   to   become   a   responsible   and   systemic   citizen   by   knowing   and  
implementing  different  small  scale  projects  that  contribute  to  a  greener  planet.    
 
In  addition,  there  is  an  actual  need  of  becoming  technology  literate.    As  Tapscott  
&   Williams   (2008)   emphasize   we   are   entering   into   an   age   “where   only   the  
connected   will   survive”;   technology   has   pushed   us   to   see   things   from   a   different  
perspective   and   if   our   students   are   not   given   the   necessary   tools   to   fully  
participate   in   this   new   world,   they   will   get   behind   and   end   up   with   fewer  
opportunities.  On  this  regard,  this  collaborative  project  approaches  learning  from  a  
different   perspective   by   using   a   constructivism   view   supported   by   the   use   of  
different   web2.0   tools.   The   project   therefore   aims   at   developing   students’   multi-­‐
literacies,   the   ability   to   work   with   others,   as   well   as   acquiring   new   language   and  
content  items.  
 
Finally,   collaboration   will   be   promoted   so   that   students   are   able   to   construct  
knowledge   together   (Pallof,   2007).   Learners   of   today   need   to   go   beyond   their  
individual  frontiers  and  become  aware  of  the  possibilities  that  working  with  others  
brings.   In   fact,   collaboration   enhances   learners’   thinking   skills,   allows   learners  
analyze  an  issue  from  different  perspectives,  teaches  them  how  to  value  diversity,  
and   pushes   learners   to   establish   a   network   with   others   so   that   individual   efforts  
are  combined  to  achieve  a  greater  goal.  
 
 
 
 
 
 UNIT  5  
Collaborative  Science  Learning  Project  
Aletia  Bogoya  
 
Project  Description    
 
Students   will   develop   different   activities   around   the   concept   of   composting.  
Students   are   expected   to   assume   an   active   role   as   they   share   their   ideas,   discuss  
with   others,   and   produce   different   performance   evidences.   Students’   learning  
process   will   be   scaffolded   in   terms   of   content   and   language   so   that   by   the   end  
students   successfully   design   a   campaign   promoting   the   use   of   composting  
methods.   This   project   is   framed   under   the   CLIL   methodology   (Content   and  
Language   Integrated   Learning)   so   that   content,   language,   cognition,   and   culture  
aims  are  pursued.  
 
Objectives  
By  the  end  students  will  be  able  to  
• debate  about  the  three  Rs  of  the  environment  and  recognize  how  each  one  
of  us  can  help  protect  the  planet  we  live  in,  
• explain  what  composting  is  and  how  it  can  be  carried  out  within  our  school,  
• identify  different  types  of  composting  methods  and  outline  their  benefits,  
• design  a  campaign  promoting  the  use  of  composting  methods  to  re-­‐use  the  
food  waste,  
• get  familiar  with  different  technology  tools  in  order  to  develop  cyber  
literacy,  
• self-­‐evaluate  their  skills  as  members  of  a  group,  
• manage  the  science  vocabulary  related  to  composting,  and  
• express  ideas  in  a  convincing  way  by  using  proper  English,  
 
Duration  
The   project   will   be   developed   during   three   months,   as   it   is   the   fifth   grade  
institutional  environmental  project.  
 
Class  Profile  
The  group  to  whom  this  collaborative  project  will  be  addressed  corresponds  to  
75   fifth   graders   studying   at   Rochester   School,   a   private   bilingual   institution.   The  
majority   of   the   learners   are   between   10   and   12   years   and   have   many   expectations  
 UNIT  5  
Collaborative  Science  Learning  Project  
Aletia  Bogoya  
 
–as   they   are   entering   middle   school-­‐   for   instance,   making   decisions   regarding   how  
to  learn,  having  engaging  classes,  working  in  groups,  and  learning  through  games.      
 
The   group   is   a   mixture   of   visual,   verbal,   and   kinaesthetic   learners.   They  
appreciate  teacher’s  support  as  they  go  through  each  one  of  the  activities  proposed  
during   the   class.   Strengths   of   the   group   include   willingness   to   learn,   fluency,   and  
ability   to   work   with   others.   In   terms   of   language   proficiency,   the   group  
corresponds  to  a  mixed-­‐ability  class  being  writing  the  skill  that  needs  to  be  further  
developed.    
 
In   terms   of   their   learning   skills;   they   reproduce   data,   use   mind-­‐maps   to  
organize   information,   and   give   examples   of   the   concepts   studied   in   class.  
Nevertheless,   they   need   to   work   on   analyzing   texts,   summarizing   main   points,   and  
comparing  and  contrasting  different  ideas.    
 
In   terms   of   their   affective   needs   they   are   willing   to   learn   new   things,   express  
their   opinions,   and   are   able   to   make   improvement   plans   to   solve   behavioral   and  
attitudinal   problems.   The   group   needs   to   work   on   valuing   diversity   and  
prioritizing  time  so  that  school  duties  are  met.  
 
Tools  to  be  used  
The   project   will   use   a   weblog   to   host   the   different   learning   e-­‐tivities.     The  
weblog  will  promote  class  discussion,  interactivity,  and  opportunities  for  learners  
to   develop   language   skills,   critical   thinking   skills,   and   cyber-­‐literacy   skills.   As  
Downes   (2004)   highlights   “the   process   of   reading   online,   engaging   a   community,  
and  reflection  it  on-­‐line  is  a  process  of  bringing  life  into  learning”.  
 
Web2.0  tools  to  be  used  to  promote  collaboration  
• Voice  Thread  http://voicethread.com/  
• WallWisher  wall  http://www.wallwisher.com/  
• Blogger  https://www.blogger.com/start  
• Wikis  http://www.wikispaces.com/  
• ShoutBox  http://www.sbox.ws/user/register  
 UNIT  5  
Collaborative  Science  Learning  Project  
Aletia  Bogoya  
 
Other  web  tools  
• HotPotatoes  http://hotpot.uvic.ca/index.php#downloads  
• Animoto  http://animoto.com/  
• Gifup  http://www.gifup.com/  
 
Other  software  tools  
• I-­‐Movie  
 
Stages  
1) Conceptualization:   Understanding   about   the   3Rs,   Composting,   and   Composting  
Methods  (online  delivered)  
2) Watching,  Learning  and  Doing:  Visiting  a  Composting  Center  and  Implementing  
Composting  at  the  School  (F2F  delivered  and  online  reflection  through  blogs)  
3) Sharing  with  the  community:  Explaining  to  the  community  what  the  process  was  
about,   the   challenges   and   further   implications   at   a   special   event   at   school   called  
Show  and  Tell  Day.  In  addition,  students  will  create  a  video  to  be  uploaded  in  the  
school’s  webpage.  
 
Assessment  
Taking   into   account   that   this   is   as   cross-­‐curricular   project,   the   different   subjects  
(English,   Science,   Life,   Computer   Science,   among   others)   will   assess   the   project  
from   their   discipline   and   considering   particular   learning   expectations   goals.    
Teachers  will  use  rubrics  &  checklists  to  assess  the  quality  of  the  products.  
 
Project  Materials  
Please  click  the  link  below  to  have  access  to  the  first  activity  students  developed  as  
part  of  this  project  called  Composting:  a  Viable  Solution  in  our  School.  
http://rochi-­vrc.blogspot.com/p/lo1.html  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 UNIT  5  
Collaborative  Science  Learning  Project  
Aletia  Bogoya  
 
References  
Downes,  S.  (2004)  Educational  Blogging,  Educause  Review.  Retrieved  October  6th,  
2010  from  http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERM0450.pdf  
 
Palloff,  R.  &  Pratt,  K.  (2007).  Building  Online  Learning  Communities,  Wiley.  
 
Tapscott,  D.  &  Williams,  A.  (2008).  Wikinomics,  Portfolio.