But I have declared today a "Cloud Day" for the 5th graders. We've been talkin about cloud computing since September, back when it took 20 minutes for them to log into the network.
Yes, they still forget to bring their planners, and yes, without them they don't always remember their Moodle passwords. But this occurs less and less, and who doesn't forget a password nowadays. But today is "Cloud Day". The objectives and an activity list are posted on the board. "You really don't need me today. I am off to a virtual beach somewhere. Everything you need to complete the lesson is in the Moodle."
It is important to me that students recognize and take ownership in the shift that occurs in my classroom. We discuss the benefits of cloud computing all year. They create movies in GoAnimate to let me know that they understand these advantages. Think of how cloud computing could help to alleviate the panic of "too many snow days"". Today's lesson is about search terms and search engines, and they are on their own. They are free to help each other.
The magic starts to happen, students take ownership of the learning, and not just individual ownership, but jointly. A few students straggle in late....other students assist them, because I .......am still at that virtual beach. My vacation in virtual paradise is short-lived. Students who have finished the module realize that they didn't get credit for their work they submitted. The tick-mark in the completion box of Moodle clearly shows that they completed the lesson, but their is no grade in the grade book. Not only have they completed the sessions, but they're checking the grade book to see how they did. You've got to love it. It is just a glitch. When you step out with technology, glitches happen. Thankfully a student diagnoses the problem for me. Now a fifth grader students gives ME the homework assignment of fixing my Moodle course. Is this what they meant by a flipped classroom...students assigning homework to the teacher?
I am excited. Students are taking ownership of the learning, monitoring their own learning and asking for more. One student points out a grammatical error in a question on the quizzes in the lesson. I allow her to use my computer to edit the Moodle lesson for me. I grin ear to ear and appreciate the magic of our "Cloud Day".
Perhaps they are not the most self-directed learners I've ever worked with. At the start of the year, I may not have ranked them high in that regard.