4 C’s

Two of the most successful ways to engage students in their learning are technology and thinking routines.  If you read this blog, you already know that’s how I feel 🙂  If not, see my previous posts!!

My favourite scenario is when I can combine the two.  I blogged about using Toondoo for the Colour, Symbol, Image thinking routine.  Tomorrow I intend to use Edmodo,  for kids to respond to a video, using the 4 C’s thinking routine.  I have adapted the routine a little to suit the particular unit of inquiry, but this is the original version:

The 4 C’s:

Connections: How does this text (video, other stimulus) connect to what you already know?

Concepts: What concepts or big ideas are important in this text?

Changes: What changes in attitude, thinking or action are suggested by the text?

Challenges: What ideas in the text would you like to challenge or argue with?

It’s a powerful thinking routine and will hopefully give the students a structure within which to frame their responses to the video, make connections to other learning, think about big ideas and raise issues.  I think Edmodo will be an appropriate tool to use, as the kids will be able to see and build on each others’ ideas.  I like the fact that every single person will be involved in thinking and expressing their ideas, even the shy ones who might normally participate less.  I think it will be helpful that kids can view the video clip as many times as they like, and pause or rewind as required.  I like the fact that the task is naturally differentiated, where the stronger kids can express more, the weaker ones can get ideas from their peers and everyone can be engaged at their own level.

I feel a little disappointed that, in spite of all these advantages, my team mates are opting to show the video to the whole class and get each child to respond individually on paper.