September 29, October 1, 2

Wow! Some of you are ready to go onto the next task of the Investigation: Task 3. Task 3 is: Formuate a Design Specification.

The IBO defines Design Specification as: A detailed description of the conditions, requirements and restrictions with which a design must comply. This is a precise and accurate list of facts such as conditions, dimensions, materials, process and methods that are important for the designer and for the user. All appropriate solutions will need to comply with the design specification.

To get a 5/6 the student: describes detailed methods for appropraite testing to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification.

Please submit your Develop a Design Brief today;-)

September 29

Year 11 - I came across this great site, Media Awareness Network, that has educational games (much like a teaching aid;-). Check it out, it is very interesting and I think you might get some good ideas about how to create your teaching aid.

Also, Task 2 of the Investigation (Develop A Design Brief) is due today at the end of class.

Attention: Investigate deadline has been postponed - stay tuned for details!

Links that help

http://coe.winthrop.edu/tepc/research/Articles/FALKARTICLE.HTM
TEACHING THE WAY CHILDREN LEARN
Beverly Falk


http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/archive/publications/EducationalPracticesSeriesPdf/prac07e.pdf
How Children Learn by Stella Vosniadou

http://odtl.dcu.ie/.../Session%2001%20-%20Teaching%20Aids.ppt

Effective Use of Teaching Aids


Possible Programs to use to create a teaching aid:

Microsoft Share Point Designer (this product replaces Front Page)
Front Page (this product is a bit outdated)
Macromedia Flash (hard to use)
PowerPoint
Publisher (can make a webpage but this isn't a great option)

You can also explore Web 2.0 tools like wikis (http://pbworks.com) or blogs (http://www.wordpress.com) BUT these would need to be eliminated because the IBO doesn't consider them appropriate tools.

September 22, 23, 24

Year 11, continue working on your Develop A Design Brief. It is due at the end of class.

Develop a Design Brief due at the end of class on Wednesday and Thursday

I see that you are still not finished, let's continue working and hand them in next week;-)

Learning Objective: Develop analytical and problem solving skills.

September 16, 17

Year 11, now on to task 2 of the Investigation: Develop a design brief.

1. Write a sentence or two to introduce this portion of your Investigation.

2. Then follow these learning objectives to success,

• formulate and discuss appropriate questions (at least 5) that guide the investigation - this means that you should create questions and then do research that will help you solve the problem
• identify and acknowledge a range of appropriate sources of information - use in-text referencing and create a bibliography
• collect, analyse, select, organize and evaluate information - this deeper analysis of your research will lead to higher marks
• evaluate the sources of information - who are your sources? are they appropriate? are they experts in the field?

According to the assessment rubric. . .

To get a 1/2: The student investigates the problem, collecting information from sources.

To get a 3/4: The student investigates the problem, selecting and analysing the information from some acknowledged sources.

To get a 5/6: The student critically investigates the problem, evaluating information from a broad range of appropriate acknowledged sources.

September 15

Year 11 - Students identify the problem to be solved.

- evaluate the importance of the problem for life, society and the environment

- outline the design brief

What is a design brief? Click here

According to the assessment rubric . . .

To get a 1/2: The student states the problem.

To get a 3/4: The student describes the problem, mentioning its relevance.

To get a 5/6: The student explains the problem, discussing its relevance.

Now, look at this vocabulary: states, describes, explains. How are they different?

Look at these words: mentioning, discussing. How are they different?

MYP definitions:

Describe: To give a detailed account

Explain: To give a clear account including causes and reasons or mechanisms.

Discuss: To give an account including, where possible, a range of arguments for and against the relative importance of various factors and comparisons of alternative hypotheses.

Please complete Identify the Problem (as a draft) and submit it to me at the end of class. I will then have time to give you feedback;-)

Submit Draft TODAY - Sept 15

9/9/9

Year 11, not only is the Beatles new album being released today, it's the day you start documenting your learning.

The Investigate portion of the Design Cycle has 3 tasks:
1. Identify the problem
2. Develop a design brief
3. Formulate a design specification

Let's look at the Assessment Rubric to see what you need to do to get a 6;-)

The student explains the problem, discussing its relevance. The student critically investigates the problem, evaluating information from a broad range of appropriate acknowledged sources. The student describes detailed methods for appropriate testing to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification.

Please refer to our "example" to gather ideas for a good strategy for addressing the Investigation.

If you have a few minutes to spare, take a look at this interesting article that explains why 09/09/09 is so special;-)http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090908/sc_livescience/why090909issospecial

September 8, 9, 10

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Welcome back Year 11. I hope each of you has had a fantastic summer and you are rested and ready to get back to work.

Let's take a look at the Unit of Work and Assessment Rubric and discuss the best way to approach this task;-)

Let's go!