Collaboration by Design

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Jennifer Buchman is in her ninth year of teaching Science at Lynhurst 7th and 8th grade center. Ms. Buchman was a 2011 Woodrow Wilson Indiana Teaching Fellow who earned her master's in molecular biology before choosing to become a science teacher. In addition to teaching, she is a small cast leader and volleyball coach.

Technology has helped Ms. Buchman meet the challenges of our new normal by allowing her to incorporate collaboration despite COVID restrictions and formatively assess students in quick, unique, and fun ways. She feels that technology has allowed her to enhance her lessons by providing digital ways for the students to communicate, “As simple as it sounds, students love typing on the same slide as group members. In a recent lesson, students analyzed graphs and maps to see how Earth's temperature and climate have changed over time. Students typed answers on specific slides and added comments to other group members' answers. Students enjoyed the ‘live’ conversation occurring on the slides.”

Something that Ms. Buchman has enjoyed seeing is how students have come together to help each other with technology. “Students are very willing to help each other with technology-related questions! I don't often see students freely offering other students help with content, but it happens OFTEN with technology. When students know how to use the technology themselves, they are proud to provide tips and tricks and training to other students without me asking.”

Ms. Buchman incorporates many tools to enhance student engagement through collaboration, she particularly recommends Jamboard and Padlet. But her biggest advice for her fellow teachers is to seek out what other teachers have created and not reinvent the wheel. “ALL teachers should search for Google slide and Google doc templates. There are SO many great templates available online, many of which are subject-specific. They make the editing process much easier because you don't have to start from scratch and sometimes you get good ideas for activities by looking at the template options.“ By using templates you can spend more time focusing on enhancing the lessons and providing opportunities to increase engagement rather than spending time on design.

Written by Audrey Taylor, Lynhurst iTEC Teacher