Mapping Student Minds

Ariel Owens took her 6th grade science class to a level I have never been in any of my Science classes. Being the epitome of hands-on learning, students actually spent time observing and monitoring the creek by their school, rather taking one field trip and developing a very brief write-up afterwards (something I was used to doing). More importantly, though, was Ariel's post-trip activities. The causal mapping software she incorporated worked very well with what the class was studying. The idea of grouping and creating relationships is a terrific learning tool that teachers, especially in science, should use. Ariel also learned about her own students abilities and thought process as they interacted with other classmates and the computer.
This project obviously required a hefty amount planning and resources, yet it proved that technology can not only present information more efficiently, but their is in fact learning occuring beyond the actual subject matter as children work with technology. Manipulating through different programs is not an easy task to learn, but by incorporating this learning into the classroom on a regular basis makes it so much easier for these students to apply technology in the future. The idea of lengthy projects seems daunting to many students, but from my experiences and this article, students take more pride in their work, making it easier for them to take risks, such as presenting in front of the class. Ariel understood this very well and made use of her resources by creating an exceptional learning experience for her students and herself.