Cyber Workshp Program Background

The Cyber Workshop Clinical Project grew out of an ongoing partnership between Saint Xavier University and Rich Central High School. The project is funded by a grant from the Associated Colleges of Illinois (the Center for Success in High Need Schools). Funds enabled the purchase of a class set of computers, which thus enabled the implementation of a Cyber Workshop, as modeled by national leaders in technology-enhanced teaching and learning, in particular, Dawn Hogue and Ted Nellen. The principal grant writers were Dr. Angelo Bonadonna, the English Education Coordinator at Saint Xavier University, and Carol Medrano, English and reading teacher at Rich Central High School. The grant narrative may be read here.

About the Webfolio Project Theme
The impetus behind the selection of the Webfolio theme of "challenges, failures, and successes" came to Angelo Bonadonna in the parking lot of Gwendolyn Brook College Preparatory Academy on March 7, 2006. Having arrived early for a student teacher observation, Dr. Bonadonna sat in his car and listened to the WBEZ program Eight-Forty-Eight. The program included an interview with Haki Madhubuti, a Chicago poet and educational leader, and instant hero of Dr. Bonadonna. Dr. Madhubuti told stories from his memoir, YellowBlack, the First Twenty-one Years of a Poet's Life. These autobiographical stories addressed concepts of "challenge, failure, and success"—and other concepts as well, including notions of "eldership" and personal and social responsibility. As one of his examples, Madhubuti commented on how Gwendolyn Brooks became a "cultural mother" to him in the late sixties in a time of great personal struggle. Dr. Madhubuti's interview may be heard here.

About the Workshop Routine
Each workshop begins with SSR. After reading, students retrieve their assigned laptops and begin working on their group and individual projects. The workshop routine allows groups and individuals the freedom to choose when to schedule mandatory and optional conferences with the instructor and SXU mentors. During workshop, students may work on any of the following tasks:

• I-Search Essay on a Challenge or Failure or Success
• Self-Chosen Project
• Write-up of interviews conducted outside of class
• Odyssey Project
• Pantheon Gods Project
• Development of the "First Web Page" (only during Week 1 of the project)
• Meeting with group to brainstorm on any of the required group assignments
• Completion of time sheet and work plan schedule
• Teacher-assigned tasks in the daily announcement at the blog site

About the Group Role
Each student's project is completed individually, but with collabortative support and feedback from a work group. The group will be assigned several tasks that must be completed for full credit on the project. These tasks include the following:

• Interview Exercise
• I-Search Conference with Instructor
• Self-Chosen Project Exercise
• Peer editing
• Sharing of Learning Logs
• Research Brainstorm Exercise
• Required Group Discussions (at blog site)
• Quote Sharing
• Link Sharing

About the Learning Logs
The Learning Logs are lists that are kept tthroughout this project. Students earn points for each listed in their Learning Logs. Students are required to keep three learning logs:

1. Word List (Five new words a week)
2. Skills List
3. Readings List

About the Peer Edits
Peer edits should follow the guidelines distributed in class. The following four projects must each have documentation of peer edits:

• I-Search
• Self-Chosen
• Odyssey
• Pantheon Gods

Students are encouraged to engage in as much peer editing as time allows. Each project requires the posting of at least two peer edits: one peer edit of the student's project by another student, and one peer edit that the student performs for a classmate's project. See the Peer Edit Project Page for details.

About the Sponsoring Institution
As quoted from its Web site, the "Associated Colleges of Illinois Center for Success in High-Need Schools addresses one of society most pressing problems": closing the achievement gap between students at high- and low-performing schools. ACI provides funds for innovative and best practice programs that help close what some have termed the "instructional gap" (as opposed to the "achievement gap") that often besets high-need students and schools. ACI programs support partnerships among universities and schools to help foster a practical and grounded approach to reformed teacher education, curricular design, and pedagogical methodologies.

About the Laptop Computers
The twenty Team-Up laptops and mobile cart were purchased from Dell Computer via a special education pricing arrangement facilitated by Sales Consultant Douglas Wilkinson. The setup, configuration, and networking of the computers were organized and performed by Rich Central's Information Systems Department, with some assistance from Saint Xavier University technicians, all collaborating to ensure the timely start-up of the project in mid-March.

About Team-Up
Team-Up is a new program founded on researched-based best practices, which creates a smaller community of learners within the larger school community.  Using Dewey’s theories on collaborative learning, Vygotsky’s theories regarding social learning, and the key concepts of Piaget’s schema theory, Team-up will create authentic learning-centered classrooms that benefit both the learning community as well as the individual student. Students, teachers, and parents will work collaboratively to ensure the academic and personal success of every Team-Up member.

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