Probing Questions

Teacher: Carol Forristall

Interview

Overview

Principles of Learning

Information Processing

Content Standards

Tenets of Democracy

Questions

Interview: Previewing Questions

1. How would tolerance be part of an international project? Give examples of behaviors students display while working together. What might, according to you, be in the way of good communication?

2. Describe interactive learning in your own words. Is it more effective than lecturing? Why or why not?

3. Reflect on your school experiences. Have you ever taken part in an international project? If so, briefly describe it and state in what ways this cultural experience enhanced your learning.

Interview: Post-viewing Questions

1. Forristall states that all her students are part of a committee, just like they would be if they were a real opera company. What skills do all these assignments require students to have? 
   
   
2. What is one of the main objectives of this project as stated in the clip?
   
   
3. What are the various types of assessment Forristall uses, according to her lesson plan?

Overview: Previewing Questions

1. Have you ever been involved in a video conferencing project? How did this project impact your learning?

2. What technology tools did your teacher involve in this project? In what ways were these tools facilitators of quality education?

3. How does teamwork affect communication and cooperative skills? Think about your own experience as a student. Did teamwork enhance or deter your learning?

Overview: Post-viewing Questions

1. In what ways does video conferencing enhance collaboration and performance?
   
2. How many student committees are involved in this project? What specific tasks does each of the committees have?
   
3. Explain the role of technology in this project.

Principles of  Learning: Previewing Questions

1. How may a Compelling Situation enhance learning?

2. Give some examples of compelling situations your music students were recently faced with and describe the ways they managed these situations.

3. How might the addition or absence of Active Involvement affect the various stages of Information Processing? 

Principles of  Learning: Post-viewing Questions

1. In what ways were the students in both classes actively involved in this project? What were some of the advantages/disadvantages of video conferencing?
   
2. What Compelling Situation are the students faced with during this project and what are some of the solutions they come up with to solve the problems?
   
3. Discuss the ways in which the Direct Experience of creating and performing an opera provides the students with the opportunity to acquire musical skills and knowledge.

Information Processing: Previewing Questions

1. Pappas and Tepe (1997) state “it is through this continuous evaluation and revision process that searchers develop the ability to become independent searchers”. What is, in your opinion, the importance of Evaluation for student learning?

2. Do you think the Appreciation Stage of Information Processing improves student learning of material? Explain.

3. Name five specific ways that you as a teacher could use to encourage students to carry out the Communication Stage of Information Processing.

Information Processing: Post-viewing Questions

1. How do the American and Swedish students demonstrate the Communication stage of Information Processing?
   
2. In what ways are the students engaged in the Evaluation of their end product? What parts of the performance do they feel need improvement?
   
3. What are some of the stages of Information Processing that were not implemented in this project? How would you have incorporated them?

Content  Standards: Previewing Questions

1. What other standards, besides music standards, would you integrate in a music lesson?

2. How would you help your students understand the relationships between these standards?

3. Review the Music Standards from the National Center for Arts Education. Are there any aspects of the standards you would add to or delete? Why or why not? Explain.

Content  Standards: Post-viewing Questions

1. What activities did Forristall use to integrate Theatre Standard Number 1 for Grades 5-8? What does this standard address?
   
2. This project specifically addresses the national Music Standard # 9: “The relationship between music and other curriculum areas.” How could a musical form such as opera be used to teach other curriculum areas? 
   
3. This project, as a whole, demonstrates Technology Performance Indicator For Grades 6-8. What does this indicator require?

Tenets of Democracy: Previewing Questions

1. Revise the checklist of observable behaviors for Tolerance. Choose three negative behaviors students may display while working cooperatively and give examples of how you could prevent these behaviors from occurring.

2. To what extent do you empower your students in the class? 

3. Do you feel that the inclusion of each of the Tenets of Democracy into a lesson improves student learning? Explain.

Tenets of Democracy: Post-viewing Questions

1. Explain the important role Tolerance plays in this international project.
   
2. How did the students involved in this project display Civil Involvement with Others? 
   
3. In what ways did Forristall implement Empowerment and Power Sharing in this lesson?

Technology: Previewing Questions

1. While in middle school, have you ever been involved in video conferencing activities? What impact did these activities have on your learning?

2. How often do you use technology while teaching? What types of technology do you use more often?

3. What technologies do you think a middle school music teacher should be familiar with? For each, explain why.

Technology: Post-viewing Questions

1. How does the activity Forristall designed demonstrate teacher Technology Competency Number 12, Video Conferencing?
   
2. What technology tools ensured the success of this lesson? Explain their contribution.
   
3. How does Forristall demonstrate Technology Competency Number 11? What does this competency address? 

Teacher Knowledge : Previewing Questions

1. What Knowledge of Student Characteristics must teachers have in order to address the different learning styles of their students?

2. Have you ever conducted your teaching in a nontraditional classroom setting? Describe this setting and state how it affected student learning.

3. Review Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences.  Do you think one is more important than the other? Justify your answer.

Teacher Knowledge : Post-viewing Questions

1. What is Interpersonal Intelligence? How do both the Swedish teachers and the American teacher address it?
   
2. This opera project addresses many different learning styles: learning alone, in pairs, in small groups, or as part of a team. What type of activities allow for these different learning styles?
   
3. Forristall treats her students like responsible individuals during the videoconference. Give specific examples of how she does this and describe the impact this method of instruction has on student learning.

Teacher Behavior: Previewing Questions

1. Define Content Management and state why you think this is an important element of classroom instruction.

2. Discuss the role of the environment in the learning process.

3. Describe two ways in which a music teacher could facilitate music learning in a nontraditional classroom setting.

Teacher Behavior: Post-viewing Questions

1. Forristall demonstrates an element of Pedagogy by providing her students with instructional resources that enhance learning opportunities. Describe these resources and states how they enhance learning.
   
2. How is Forristall’s Content Management obvious in this lesson?
   
3. In what way does the learning environment in this project foster creativity and encourage active participation from the part of the students?