TIE 512 post #5 Reflecting

complex model

Complex Problem:
framed as an essential question

WHY DO WE HAVE WAR?

model: database

Elements of War

Database created using Microsoft Access


I'm not really any closer to answering the essential question, which I'm sure is the point of using a database as a mindtool and model. I'm sure it has more to do with being a novice at using Access, which I have not found too helpful when running queries. The process of gathering information and organizing it into a table provided some insight as to why we have war. It's not really anything different than what I would have guessed at before doing this though. Learning about the cost in terms of financial and human life basically made me even more repulsed. The basic pattern in the wars depicted in this table show that, as you might guess, war is extremely costly across the board. I guess I was wondering if we were better off before or after each war and that is a query I couldn't run. Maybe it's possible, but I couldn't figure out how to do it no matter how many tutorials I listened to. I could figure out the basic queries without running them, like which war was longest, shortest, bloodiest, highest or lowest cost in dollars. It's obvious that as technology advanced so did the price, but interestingly the number of casualties decreased, but that ultimately depended on where the war was fought and how many troops were deployed. I could have added a field for civilian deaths and noncombat or disease-related deaths, since there was a great deal of information on this and it was a huge factor during the 18th century wars. I would have also like to ask which war was the most widespread, but again, this was not an option, or at least I couldn't figure it out. Based on the countries involved and it's name I can tell that it's WWII without running a query. I ended up creating several tables and databases and queries. The screenshot above is the final version.

I have included screenshots of two queries to help explain why I didn't think they were all that enlightening. The first is one where I compared location and government which demonstrates what types of governments often engage in war.

The second shows the connection between outcome and cost. Was winning/losing worth it? That's hard to say and depends on how winning and losing are defined. Personally I think everyone loses in a war. The question is obviously more complex than that, but this would get students to discuss how or if the gains outway the costs.
While the queries did not help to inform me to a great extent during this exercise, I do think generating a database helped me to understand why we would want students to engage in a similar experience. I know a hell of a lot more about the details of certain wars, much of which isn't even included in the database, than I did prior to doing this and I enjoyed reading and learning about all the history involved. For example, I didn't even know there was a Haitian revolt in 1791. I think students would be extremely engaged and feel a sense of ownership when creating a model. This is a great deal more interesting than reading a table in a text and worth the extra time and effort it takes to make. Generating a learning tool/complex model such as a database deepens understanding. Like Jonassen states, "Building such models is hard work. Because learners own the models they construct, they are more willing to engage in that hard work." It doesn't necessarily provide a straight-forward simple answer (such is the nature of essential questions), but definitely helps to organize thoughts about a specific topic. I think if students were tasked with this they would have learned more because they don't necessarily know as much about history and wars.

sources:

1. War defined
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War
2. War on Terror articles
   http://www.globalissues.org/article/358/war-on-terror-articles
3. Department of Veterans Affairs - American Wars
   http://www1.va.gov/opa/fact/amwars.asp
4. PBS - Psychology of war
   http://www.pbs.org/perilousfight/psychology/
5. WW I
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I
6. WWII
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II
7. American Revolution
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution
8. French Revolution
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution
9. Haitian Revolution
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Revolution
10. Korean War
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War
11. Vietnam War
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War
12. American Civil War
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War
13. Financial cost of WWI
    http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWcosts.htm
14. NPR interview - Cost of War in Iraq
    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5151090

TIE 512 Post #4 Reflecting

Problem-Based Lesson Planning and Implementing

I found Barell's 10 steps for organizing lesson concepts and ideas extremely helpful for the purpose of teaching and planning, particularly with regard to collaborating with another teacher. Since designing and writing a unit for the main purpose of teaching using problem-based learning and models, in an effort to employ problem solving as the authentic strategy and method for teaching concepts to students, is relatively new, I thought the practical information Barell provided quite useful. These steps ensured that problems were provided, student would be guided through an inquiry process, and consistently engaged. The various steps were easily amended as needed, which isn't always the case with some lesson formats. While I understand the importance of teaching inquiry, I found using the examples provided by both Barell and Jonassen to be helpful with choosing appropriate essential questions and mindtools. Students were not being spoon fed information or simply looking for information on a topic and copying it. I found the step involving creating a web particularly helpful for narrowing down and pinpointing exactly what topics the unit would include. I used this for moving from step 2 to step 3. I would not change the introduction activities, which included creating a knowledge chart, reading Just a Dream and viewing an ecological DVD on natural resources. Nor would I amend the objectives, essential questions, long-term strategies, learning experiences, assessment, reflection, and transfer and application components of the unit. I liked the way this unit flowed and how the components were divided between two teachers. Students are more excited than usual because they are learning about a system from two teachers and making connections regularly. They are constantly sharing what they learned in each class. This helped to emphasize the importance of collaboration. The essential questions provided guidance for the task and mindtool activity, which we have yet to complete since we are still creating the survey. Hopefully the database will be completed by the end of next week. While this tool is quite simple to create it will provide quite useful information that should be easily understood so students can take the next step and use what they learn to acquire conceptual change. Because students will be building this model they will be constructing their own knowledge, one of the primary goals of PBL. They are looking forward to creating the database and their plan for making our school more “eco-friendly”. We’re calling it the greening of Reilly.

I would, however, provide additional practice with creating a database prior to this lesson because creating a survey, and gathering the information needed to create the database in addition to inputting all of the survey responses into it is quite a monumental task. One that had to be divided up into several lessons due to the fact that I was teaching this part of the unit and only see students once per week for 40 minutes, at which time they also circulate books. Especially when students have not engaged in this type of learning experience and we're completing this lesson bit by bit due to scheduling. I would like to see this class at least 3 times per week for 2 weeks in order to complete the lesson adequately. As it stands, we are in the 4th week of the lesson, but I have only worked with this group twice due to illness and ISAT testing. The classroom teacher has contributed to much of the introductory components of this mini unit. In the future I would plan it so that the unit has been completed prior to ISAT testing or begin it just after testing has ended, which might be better actually because then we can focus on it in April during national poetry month and Earth day. Furthermore, I would also spend more time on the Environmental Heroes book, or at least acquire another copy or two.

Ultimately, this mini-unit provided an opportunity for students to engage in meaningful learning in conjunction with the inquiry process because they are asking questions, analyzing, investigating, collaborating and sharing information about a problematic situation, which will lead to conceptual change and enduring understanding. A bonus just happens to be that they will also be making a difference in our school community. I personally think this unit scores high in the transfer category.

SOURCES:

1. Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction
   Problem-Based Learning
   http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/pbl/info.html
2. Davidson County Schools
   Project Based Learning
   http://davidson.k12.nc.us/pbl/pbl.htm
3. Saskatchewan Schools
   Best Practices
   http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/bestpractice/index.html
   BP map - http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/bestpractice/sitemap.html
   
4. New Horizons for Learning - Thinking Skills
   http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/thinking/front_thinking.htm
5. Central iSchool
   http://www.centralischool.ca/
6. Baltimore County Public Schools
   Elementary School Research Models
   http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/elem.html
7. P16 Science Education - Akron Global Polymer Academy (AGPA)
   Best Teaching Practices
   http://agpa.uakron.edu/p16/best-teaching-practices.php