Design of our collaborative activity

We were asked to prepare a collaborative activity in order to explain our classmates the topic "Special Education Needs provision within Mainstream Education (Students with specific need of ed. support)". After reading some information about different types of activities, finally we developed ours. This is our design:

1st Activity: ‘At a Glance’

1. Timing: 20 minutes.

* 2 minutes for the first approach.

* 15 minutes for looking for answers.

* 3 minutes for agreement within each group.

2. Material needed:

* Information structured in four parts.

* Sellotape to paste the information in the walls.

* 6 papers with the 8 questions written.

3. Initial organization:

* We have divided the whole information into 4 parts and paste them in the walls.

* The class is organized in groups (the fixed ones for this subject).

* We allow two minutes for one member of each group to have a glance at the 4 parts.

* There will be one member of the group in charge of writing.

* We provide each group a paper with 8 questions (2 for each part of the text). Each group will have them ordered in a different way so there won’t be many people looking for the same information at the same time.

4. Rules of the activity:

* The time starts and one member (the runner) has to run and look for the answers of the given questions. Go back to the group and tell the writer. The rest of members have to listen carefully.

5. Evaluation:

* All answers will be gathered and evaluated later.

* Also rapidity will be taken into account. 

                                 

2nd Activity: ‘Group of Experts’ – (modified ‘Pictured Card Album’)

1. Timing: 25 minutes.

* 5 minutes for first reading.

* 15 minutes for explanations.

* 5 minutes for making the questions.

2. Material needed:

* Information structured in four parts five times (to provide with one copy to each member of each group).

* Information structured in five parts (to provide information to the one 5 member group).

3. Initial organization:

* The class is organized in groups (the fixed ones for this subject).

* We divided the information into 4 parts (and 5 parts for one group).

* Provide each member of each group with one part.

4. Rules of the activity:

* Each member has to read its part.

* Once the information is understood, each member has to explain it to the rest of the members of the group.

* The group has to elaborate 4 (5) questions regarding the whole text.

* Each member has to think a question from other’s texts.

5. Evaluation:

* Assessment on quality of the questions will be done. 

                            

3rd Activity: ‘The Number’ 

1. Timing: 15 minutes.

* 5 minutes for answering

* 10 minutes to comment and improve answers.

2. Material needed:

* Questions from the previous activity.

3. Initial organization:

* Every student will be associated with a number.

* Questions from the previous activity will be exchanged between groups.

4. Rules of the Activity:

* Once the questions are exchanged between groups, a number will be chosen randomly.

* The student with that number will be the one that would have to answer to the questions of its group.

* Once questions are answered the rest of the class will assess the answers and provide ideas for improving the answer (if improvement is needed).

5. Evaluation:

* Individual knowledge will be assessed as well as mates’ contributions.