Rationale

This is the place to add any ideas relating to the rationale of the lesson sequence:

**__Describe how you will use each of these resources to enhance student learning__** The uses of resources in this lesson plan are implemented in order to enhance students’ learning. According to Roblyer and Doering (2006), the learner is continually applying and drawing on critical thinking and problem solving strategies. Tuning in according to Murdoch and Hornsby (2007) relates to prior knowledge and student interest in the topic. Learning is considered more successful when students' are actively involved in gathering and sorting out information, working collaboratively allowing for skills and problem solving strategies to be applied to the inquiry question, and prior knowledge is built upon. When these aspects are present the students' have the opportunity to express their opinions and perceptions in a number of formats catering for the varying learning styles. The students' are empowered because they can reflect on their learning, there is an immediate response and the learning is purposeful. Incorporating the use of the class wiki enhances student learning because students' are able to perform and exercise keyboard skills as well as providing a forum for discussion and collaborative learning. Students' share their ideas and can impart an immediate response, offering alternate suggestions or contributing more information. Opportunities to share in the forum of the class wiki keeps students' interested. The inquiry question places students' in a problem solving environment, according to Roblyer and Doering (2006) which creates increased levels of motivation for students', peaking their interest in the inquiry topic allowing them to collaboratively work in small groups to solve problems such as organisation, decisions such as slecting survey questions, and choosing the type of poster that adequately expresses how to reduce the amount of packaging at school. The class wiki is also a means to display the students' work which follows on to promoting self esteem in individual student's and as a group. The class wiki provides students’ to collaborate and communicate their ideas about reducing packaging around the school. It  enables a range of different opinions and ideas to be shared at any point in time and used for future reference either for discussion or development of presentations. The teacher can guide the student’s ideas and opinions as well as ensuring that all students are making a contribution to the inquiry. It gives those students who may not be as confident as others in contributing to group discussions, a voice. The use of the Interactive whiteboard in lesson 1 assists with tuning in to the topic. The application of visual images relating to reduce, reuse and recycle such as images of waterways, can be presented to the whole class where they can view the images immediately. Student's attention is held and assists with focussing on the inquiry question. Collaborative discussion can result and as implied by Woolfolk and Margetts, ideas co-constructed during shared activities leads to the individual student to internalise the concepts which becomes part of the student's cognitive development (Woofolk & Margetts, 2007, p.50). The Microsoft products, Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Publisher enable students' to practice their typing and navigational skills, provides opportunities to express their understanding of the inquiry topic such as graphing the results of the class/school survey or publishing information in the form of a poster. These products enhance skills such as reading, typing, interpreting and presenting information. The learning resources of 'Ollies world' and 'Why recycle allow students' to explore and tune in to the topic. Gathering information and applying critical thinking skills to ensure that information is relevant to the inquiry topic and discern information that is useful. Laptops allow for students to individually contribute to the inquiry enableing student ownership and autonomy. The use of the laptops provides instantaneous production of information as there are enough laptops for each student in the class. Productivity is increased because students' have instant access to information and can produce their contribution on the class wiki, for example. Presenting information on the school intranet enhances learning because students' can showcase their work to the school community. The intranet is a format for community learning where students' can share their information with peers, parents and teachers.


 * **class wiki** -collaborative learning, keyboard skills, navigational skills ,means to display the students work and promotes self esteem by the students being able to produce information online
 * **I****nteractive Whiteboard**- visual images reinforces the topic being discussed active learning
 * **Microsoft word**- keyboard skills, navigational skills,
 * **Microsoft Excel**- tools such as graphing, and data recording, navigational skills, keyboard skills
 * **Microsoft Powerpoint**- keyboard and navigational skills represent student understanding of the topic
 * **authoring tool-** powerpoint and word
 * **Microsoft Publisher**- authoring tool keyboard skills, formatting skills assists publishing of information student understanding of topic
 * **School Intranet-** community learning sharing of information active learning
 * **laptops**- individual contribution autonomy keyboard ect skills
 * **Ollies World-** information re topic explore reduce reuse and recycle find out what, why and how questions linked to inquiry
 * **Why recycle? learning resource**- information about reduce reuse and recycle assists with tuning in to the topic

**__Reflect on why these are the most appropriate resources to use for this class to explore this question__**

In order for the class to explore this question it is imperative to select resources that are appropriate, ensuring enhanced learning and student engagement in the topic.The forum of the class wiki encourages varied opinions, ideas and discussions to be posted at any point in time. From a constructivist viewpoint, the class wiki encourages ownership of learning, provides opportunities to negotiate as a group and share the responsibility of learning and demonstrates students' multiple perspectives and representations of their understanding, (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2007). The information gathered on the class wiki can be used for future reference and incorporated into a class discussion or into developing the various group presentations. The classroom teacher can view and guide the ideas and opinions, scaffolding (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2007) support and information in order to enhance student learning. The class wiki provides evidence that all students are contributing to the inquiry and working collaboratively as a group. The interactive white board has the potential to engage students' in the learning experience and ensures student involvement as it is a tool that is highly visual. The learning experience is meaningful and is able to hold the student's attention. Teachers can ensure Gardner's multiple intelligences as described in Marsh(2008), are accomodated so that visual learners for example can engage in the learning experience. Students' use classroom laptops so that they can contribute to and use different mediums such as exploring the learning resources, websites, collaborative discussion on the wiki and the collation and presentation of information. The laptops are available to the class which minimises organisation for the class to relocate to the computer lab creating a learning environment that is easily accessible and productive. The applications of Microsoft word, excel, powerpoint and publisher enables students' to access a wide range of formats to express their understandings of the inquiry topic. Students' learn different forms of expression to communicate their ideas implementing various tools available from these applications. They also provide a format to showcase their understandings of the topic. The interactive learning resources, 'Ollies world' and 'Why recycle', relate directly to the inquiry topic and enable students' to build on their prior knowledge by researching and discoverying new information. These resources support authentic learning (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2007) connecting tthe inquiry topic to the lives of the students' and the inquiry shifts from a problem solving inquiry in the classroom to a problem directly related to the student's lives. Ownership is gained as students' acquire information and solutions to the problem. The students' can make a difference and contribute to the solution. Community learning can be achieved when adding the students' work to demonstrate their understanding of the problem and the suggestions for solutions to the inquiry problem. It is a medium to showcase their work to the school community at any given time.

Class wiki - enables a range of different opinions and ideas to be shared at any point in time and used for future reference either for discussion or development of presentations. Enables the teacher to guide these ideas and opinions as well as ensure that all students are making a contribution to the inquiry. It gives those students who may not be as confident as others in contributing to group discussions a voice. Is a more productive and efficient technology program to use because students edits can be viewed instantly hense enabling each student to add and develop ideas that the class can view straight away.

Interactive whiteboard - presents the opportunity to involve and engage all students in the learning experience. It also enables the teacher to ensure that all students are contributing. Holds student attention. Quick, whole class can view the images at once and discuss as a group.

Laptops - are the tool for students to contribute to and utilise the different mediums such as the wiki, exploring websites and presenting and collating information. The students are familiar with and use the laptops regularly. Laptops can be used in the classroom and allow for student use when other computer rooms arent available. Laptops can be used at students desk and doesnt take up much room hense allowing students to work together with minimal fuss.

Microsoft word, excel, powerpoint and publisher provide students with a range of different applications for which to express their understandings of the topic and the inquiry question. They also enable students to see the range ways in which they are able to express themselves. Microsoft applications all hold different tools that allow for students to effectively communicate their ideas.

Ollie's World and Why Recycle relate directly to the topic as well as to the students own lives (could probably use some sort of reference here) and actions.

School intranet provides the students with another medium that is available to them on a daily basis for which to showcase their work.

**__Reflect on the implications of this learning sequence for your teaching practice__** The implications of this learning sequence for teaching practice requires the teacher to have or gain sufficient knowledge regarding the different types of packaging that is available and whether is reuseable, recyclable or rubbish. The teacher will need to have insight into the environmental effects of packaging. Being aware of and understanding the waste disposal and recycling facilities and processes within the school will be necessary so that guidence can be provided when implementing solutions to the inquiry problem. Understanding of the concept reduce, reuse and recycle is paramount in order to relay the information and support student learning. Computer technology skills and know how are necessary in order to support student learning and ensure that students are effectively using the resources. For example knowing how to create a class wiki,and to provide relevant images on the interactive whiteboard. Researching the interactive learning resources, 'Ollies world' and "why recycle' to ensure that the information these resources contain are relevant to the inquiry topic and whether or not the information is accurate and factual. The teacher can access these resources as a learner arming her/himself with informations so that questions from the students' can be easily answered supporting learning and providing guidance when navigating through the sites. Teachers' will need to accomodate varying learning styles and will successfully achieve this by being aware of students' individual needs and learning requirements as well as knowing the class dynamics of which students' work well together. Student groupings and placing of Intellectually disabled student with student A in group 4, providing specific task of creating a poster displaying examples of packaging and solutions to reduce, reuse and recycle. This student will be supported by student A and an Integration Aide. Organisation of class wiki, other teachers' being aware that students' from this class will survey other classes, the IT teacher to assist with loading information on the school intranet and guidence with any other technical problems that arise.

Will need to have sufficient knowledge of
 * the different kinds of packaging and whether it is reusable, recyclable or waste.
 * the environmental effects of packaging.
 * the waste disposal and recycling facilities within the school.
 * the concept reduce, reuse, recycle.
 * recycling processes.
 * how to create a and use a wiki in order to ensure that students are using this effectively.
 * prominant display areas within the school to enable display of posters.
 * situation of rubbish and recycle bins within the school yard and buildings.
 * Ollie's world and Why Recycle web resources. The teacher should use both of these prior to the lesson to ensure that they are aware of the information they contain, the relevance of the information and whether or not it is factual. This would also enable the teacher to answer any questions the students may have and to be able to guide them through the site should they get lost or not know what to do or look for.

Will need to be aware of
 * students abilities.
 * which students work well together and which students clash.

Will need to be familiar with
 * how to use powerpoint, excel, word, publisher to enable and assist students to use them to their full capacity.
 * the way the school intranet works and what can be placed on the intranet.
 * the availablity of the IT teacher in order for them to assist with any general IT problems but more specifically with loading information onto the intranet.
 * with which other class teachers will be willing for students to conduct the survey with students within their class - do not want to cause a great deal of disruption to other classes.