Pair up and swap introductions!

febrero 15, 2017

Pair up and swap introductions!

That is the warm up challenge that a group of pre-service CLIL teachers at the URJC Master's Degree for the Use of ICT and Digital Resources for Primary Bilingual Education have started accomplishing this week.

First of all, it is necessary to make the students leave the chairs, stand up and mingle with peers. It surprises, intrigues them and fosters collaboration.

So, let's make a line in such an order that allows pairing up in an easy but unexpected way: shoe sizes!

How? They all make a line and pairs are set according to shoe sizes, big ones pair up with smaller sizes.

Easy, effective, quick, and no arguments arise in class. In a few minutes you get them talking and starting collaboration with digital media!

So, now it is time to provide the pairs with clear, brief and concise instructions and let them mentor each other not only on the digital tools they are going to use in order to design their final outcomes, but also on the way they are going to learn together, document all their process and exchange peer expertise, no matter if this expertise is deep or that of a beginner.

Here is the set of instructions provided for them to come up with their first collaborative digital outcome: flipped introductions.

Follow these steps:

Step 1. Get in pairs. (Remember: shoe sizes!)

Step 2. Interview your peer. Make sure you include in your interview questions on:

3 things we should know about your peer.
2 of his/her favorite activities in the world.
1 dream occupation she/he would have if they weren't in the field of education.
Any other details he/she is willing to provide, such as expectations on this course, future plans on her/his educational career and so forth.

Step 3. Record the interview (audio or video file). You can use your mobile device for that.

Step 4. Take a picture of your peer or create his/her avatar.

Step 5. Publish the recording on an online service: SoundCloud for audios / YouTube for videos.

Step 6. Write a post in your learning diary (previously opened by every student as a means to record progress and track learning evidence) with the introduction of your peer, including all the digital outcomes you have created for this challenge: picture/avatar, embedded audio/video, the step by step process when crafting this flipped introduction and your own self-reflection on the learning you have acquired by doing the activity.

When you are ready, publish the entry. Comment on your peers' learning diaries posts. It is essential to at least comment in order to connect!!!

For further help with online services to craft this challenge, browse the following: