Activity 5.2

Step 2: Considering How the Visual Ranking Tool Can be Integrated into a Classroom Project

The Visual Ranking Tool is open-ended and content free, which means it can be integrated into a variety of existing unit and project plans.

Strategies to consider:

• The Visual Ranking Tool can be used at any stage of a learning project. As a pre-activity or pre-assessment, it helps learners discuss their prior knowledge and identify the areas they need to research or study further. As a mid-project activity, it helps put learning in a new context that will be more useful in the next phase of the project. At the end of the project, the Visual Ranking Tool may be used to assess or reflect on learning.

• Projects that require comparisons with earlier lists can lead to reflection on learning. Together learners and their teacher can examine how opinions change over time.

• Student Teams can sort a list from different perspectives. For example, in a literature activity, Student Teams can take on the role of different characters, and then sort according to those characters' points of view. After Student Teams have sorted their list, they can discuss how and why their rankings differ.

• The Visual Ranking Tool provides opportunity to extend the learning community. You can add outside experts, learners in other classrooms or schools, parents, and others as team members in your project. Including people from outside the classroom adds opportunities for deeper discussions about the concepts being studied. Because the tool is web-based, team members—even those outside of your classroom—can contribute their rankings and join the discussion from anywhere.

• To promote collaboration, active negotiation, and communication, learners should work in teams to rank their lists.

Next: Proceed to Step 3 of Activity 5.2