What’s the role of teachers while Alien Rescue is being used?
A classroom teacher’s role in Alien Rescue is that of a facilitator. Here are some suggestions for being an effective facilitator: • Allow students to determine what they need to know in order to develop a solution. • Encourage students to use the resources within Alien Rescue to find the information they need. • Ask questions designed to get students to articulate their reasons for needing particular information. • Encourage discussion and debate among students. • Encourage collaboration. • Support students who are having trouble by brainstorming with them in a way they can address their difficulties. • Lead class discussions. (In Alien Rescue, not only “work on computers” but also “class discussion” is considered to be a major component of the project.) It is teachers who lead the class discussion, sharing science facts and concepts with students and having students reflect on information and their learning.
