Readers, I need your help, advice or let me know if this happens elsewhere. I recently wrote about my dilemma with either talking too much or letting students work independently to the point where they struggle.
I have this preliminary assignment to get my students blogging. Students can access the assignment with written directions using their 3D GameLab accounts. I also show them how to use their blog as a whole class instruction. Many students get it and successfully complete the assignment but many do not.
My question is how can I get more, or all, of my students to complete this assignment correctly? If I already show them myself, give then written directions in case they missed or forgot what I showed them, and include a video of me showing them what I already showed them, then what else can I do and why aren’t all students getting it??
Here’s an old video of me showing them how to set up and customize their blog plus start their first blog assignment called 7 Random Facts. On the video I start from our class Moodle and now they use 3D GameLab but it’s still pretty much the same directions.
Here are the written directions on their 3D GameLab accounts:
When you are done watching the video log in to your Class Blogmeister account. Choose your colors to make it your own then complete your 7 Random Facts blog assignment.
Choose complete when you finish this quest and put the link to your 7 Random Facts blog to show that you did it.
And here’s a shorter video (I know, my videos and instructions tend to be too long) showing students how to copy and paste the correct link on 3D GameLab to successfully complete the quest and get the XP.
So maybe I need to redo my videos so they’re more up to date. I also struggle with giving maybe too many directions at once? So how should I scaffold this? Should I give shorter instructions, let them do, then give another set of shorter instructions?
I’ve experienced this with other assignments and part of me is wondering if kids are both missing parts of the directly taught instructions and not reading the written instructions carefully. I keep reminding kids to read written instructions carefully and ask me questions if they are still confused. I don’t get many questions so I think my written directions are clear.
Someday I just might figure this out.
