Guide: Virtual Study Spaces

Virtual Study Spaces
The various spaces listed below are where you will study and work individually and with the other participants and your facilitator. You will need to link to these actual virtual study spaces through the Classroom. An overview of what you will do in each of these virtual study spaces is included below.

Teacher as Problem Solver Space
You will work in Teacher as Problem Solver Space during Week A (4, 7, 10 and 13). You will individually identify what you believe to be true and the reasons for why you have those beliefs regarding the event. Then, as a team, you will build ESS knowledge about the event described in the scenario and develop a problem statement.

Teacher as Model Builder Space
You will work in Teacher as Model Builder Space during Week B (5, 8, 11 and 14). Using your original or revised problem statement, your team will build an ESS model that includes the ESS relationship statements and evidence that support your conclusions (recommendations or solutions)

Teacher as Designer Space
You will work in Teacher as Designer Space during Week C (6, 9, 12 and 15). Using what you have learned about PBL lessons from the student perspective, you will individually design PBL lessons for your students. Your PBL lessons should be focused on an Earth system science event. Post your lessons for feedback from your critical friend. Then, you will act as a critical friend to at least one teammate to assess his or her PBL lesson and offer suggestions for improvement.

Journal Space
Your journal is a private place where you can post your reflections, comments, and suggestions concerning the course. Your journal will be pass worded so that only you and your facilitator may access it. For this reason, you may use your journal to carry on a private dialog with the facilitator. You may post to your journal during every week of the course. However, you are required to make reflective learner entries in your journal at the end of Weeks 6, 9, 12, and 15. Your reflective learner entries during these weeks will be graded.

Course Space
The facilitator uses Course Space to give instructions, clarify concepts, and answer questions; participants use Course Space to request guidance, reply to the facilitator's queries, and--in Week 1--to meet the other course participants.

Resource Space
Throughout the course, the developers, facilitator, and participants may submit those resources thought to be particularly useful both to participating teachers' professional development and their students' use in the classroom. These resources may be designed by you, or they may simply be compelling activities you have found (e.g., on the Internet, on one of the course's CDs, or in other sources). They may include compelling and/or favorite web sites or activities you have found or used.

Please remember that some materials are copyrighted. Be sure to include a full citation. If they are commercial, the source must be cited.

[ Where to Start ] [ Joining the Community ] [ Knowing Your Facilitator ] [ How to Sit in the Front] [ Virtual Cooperative Learning ] [ Being an Online Learner ] [ Online Environment ] Virtual Study Spaces

[ Home ] [ Intro ] Guide [ Outline ] [ Classroom ]

HTML code by Chris Kreger
Maintained by ESSC Team
Last updated August 07, 2000