BP7 RILS

In ETC, we were challenged to create a Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario (RILS) to enhance our students' classroom experience. Find my outline and documentary video below:

Brief Overview: In this scenario, AP Biology students are asked to take learning outside the classroom and own their knowledge! A class discussion board is created on wikispaces.com, and students are required to get the ball rolling by asking questions and submitting answers.

Target Audience – High school juniors and seniors attending an all-girls private high school in Los Angeles. All students are enrolled in AP Biology.

Materials –

Internet access

Wikispaces profile

Objectives – At the end of this scenario, the learner will be able to:

• Discuss AP Biology content relating to ecology, biochemistry and cell structure
• Identify relationships between the structures and functions of molecules
• Describe and communicate their ideas about biology clearly to one another
• Differentiate between various classes of biomolecules and cells
• Formulate cogent responses to the questions of their peers

Procedure –

1.     Create a class wiki using www.wikispaces.com/

2.     Approve students as contributing members of the class wiki.

3.     Assign students to make one post to the discussion board of at least 100 words. Require that the post give some background information about a course topic and that it pose an open-ended question regarding that material. Set the due date a few days after the assignment.

4.     Following the first due date, assign students to re-visit the discussion board and require that they post a follow-up to one of their classmates’ first posts. Follow-ups should be at least 100 words.

5.     Throughout, monitor the wiki, but do not participate in discussions. If any issues need to be addressed or corrected, do so in class, and allow the students to make any corrections on the discussion board.

6.     After the second posts are finished, assign the students to complete a survey that asks them to reflect on their experience using the discussion board.

Web 2.0 Tool – Wikispaces (www.wikispaces.com/) is an easy-to-use wiki builder. Users create their own sites, invite members to join, and then enjoy shared access to discussion board and pages.

Social Participation/Social Learning – Collaboration is at the heart of this scenario. Students often struggle with the concepts in AP Biology. Sharing this struggle in a casual, online, asynchronous platform outside the classroom will empower them. Beyond allowing them a chance to review and share their own knowledge, the discussion board will promote confidence and a sense of camaraderie. In addition, it will give students in different sections of the class the opportunity to collaborate.

Making Connections – The learner is required to reflect on old knowledge (from previous AP Biology units) to formulate a question that she poses to her classmates. This is intended to help the learner review for an upcoming exam, and to help her make new connections via the responses she receives. The audience includes not only her classmates, but also students in other sections of AP Biology.

Create/Produce – Learners create discussion board posts, both inquiries and responses.

Assessment – Students are graded on the content and clarity of their discussion board posts according to the following rubric:

Criteria	Superior	Average	Below average
Planning	There is clear evidence the student reviewed material before formulating her post	There is some evidence of review or pre-planning	The post shows little evidence of pre-planning or does not refer clearly to previously learned material
Content	The post contains no factual errors The post is written clearly and cogently Post meets the length expectations of the assignment	The post contains, at most, one or two factual errors The post is fairly clear and cogent The post meets the length expectations of the assignment	The post contains multiple factual errors  The post is so unclearly written that it interferes with the reader’s understanding
Communication (for response posts only)	The response post clearly refers back to the original post, making specific references The responder shows concern that the reader understand the concept	The response post clearly refers back to the original post	The response post shows little evidence of the author’s efforts to refer back to the original post

Reflection – Students complete an online survey created on quia.com. This survey asks them to reflect on their experience with the discussion board and offer feedback on the assignment. The instructor will read the feedback offered by learners and incorporate it into the next cycle of required discussion posts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After implementation...

I'm thrilled with the results of AP Biology's new class discussion page! The student feedback on the experience was very positive, and the content of their posts was excellent.

Check out my video documenting the process: