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Becoming the Next Big Thing

8/24/2016

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Image compilation from varied sources
“The notion that you could brand a product that no one had ever seen
and that no one understood what it did was brilliant”
​- David Yoffie
Lesson: "Becoming the Next Big Thing"
Inquiry: "What influences and factors are central to the success of a person or product?" 
Learning Target: I will create a concept map of a person/product of inspiration to identify influences and factors that contributed to their success.

Timeframe: Three (3)- 60 minute classes
Materials:
  • Visible Thinking routine "Generate-Sort-Connect-Elaborate"
  • Writing utensils
  • Sticky notes
  • Scratch paper
  • Concept map (template) 
    one per student

INTRODUCTION:
​I shared an image of an ISTE Expo Hall (slide 2) for students to visualize the vast amount of amazing products available to educators. I then prompted them to think about how a product could stand out in the midst of intense competition.
YOUR INSPIRATION:
Students were asked to write down people/ products of inspiration.
​They would select one that would become the focus of their investigation.
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GENERATE-SORT-CONNECT-ELABORATE (GSCE):
We read our learning target as a class and then I introduced the thinking routine (GSCE) we would be using to structure our concept map.
1. GENERATE (6 minutes)
I handed out scratch paper to the students and shared with them the "GENERATE" prompt:
"Generate a list of influences and factors that come to mind when you think about what could have made this particular person/product successful."

Note: I like to project a countdown timer with music playing in the background as they brainstorm their ideas.
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Once the lists were developed, I gave each student a concept map template.  
We spent time discussing the "SORT" and "CONNECT" prompts.

2. SORT (6 minutes)
  • Some ideas are more central to their success, while others are more tangential.
  • Sort your ideas according to how central or tangential they are.  
  • Place central ideas near the center and more tangential ideas toward the outside of the page.

3. CONNECT (6 minutes)
  • Some ideas may lead to others.
  • Connect your ideas by drawing connecting lines between ideas that have something in common.  
  • On the connecting line, explain in a word or phrase how the ideas are connected.
WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY?
With the initially developed concept maps, I asked students to divide themselves into two groups:
  1. one group who had chosen a "person" as their focus;
  2. and the other whose focus was a "product"

Once in groups, students were asked to "Pair-Share" (​4 minutes) their developing concept maps.
They were encouraged to add new information to their concept maps they learned from their peers.

4. ELABORATE
At each group table, there was an article for discussion:
  • Person: The 5 Strategy Rules of Bill Gates, Andy Grove, and Steve Jobs
  • Product: How Uber, Airbnb, and Etsy Attracted Their First 1,000 Customers

Students were asked to read the article and underline key words/phrases relevant to their investigation.

With growing knowledge and information from the articles/research, we read the "ELABORATE" prompt (20 minutes): 
  • Elaborate on any of the ideas/thoughts you have written so far by adding new ideas that expand, extend, or add to your initial ideas.
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5. SYNTHESIS (25 minutes)
I added this component to our learning because my ultimate goal was for students to identify patterns/trends and common factors in their investigation of people/products of success.
Students were asked to synthesize their learning into a final concept map as a group. ​
PEOPLE
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PRODUCT
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Personal Reflections

This process of learning has been inspired by:
  • Dr. Ron Ritchhart and his books "Creating Cultures of Thinking" and "Making Thinking Visible"
  • Dr. Elena Zapico- colleague and PZ coordinator at our school who enthusiastically shares her own learning
  • Ilse Ortega- my colleague who consistently models and shares her learning strategies
  • Julie Rains- my online colleague who gave powerful feedback on the Generate-Sort-Connect-Elaborate routine so I would have the resources to conduct this session with success

I felt this was a perfect introduction to our Computer Science course this year.
The number one expectation most students had of CS was focused on programming (as I had predicted.)
However, my goal is for students to understand that Computer Science is about creating/improving user experiences.


Share Your Thoughts

​I hope these ideas and tips were meaningful to you .
Please comment and share your own experiences of exploring Computer Science.
I would love to hear your ideas so I can improve upon this process!
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    I love to learn and teach in an innovative way through the integration of technology.

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