It has been almost three years since my Fulbright journey concluded. Upon my return to Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Petropavl, Kazakhstan, I was eager to incorporate the knowledge I had gained during my master's program at Lehigh University. I cannot express enough gratitude to Dr. Farah Vallera for sharing her expertise and inspiring me to integrate project-based learning into my classroom.
In the previous year, my eleventh graders explored the concept of "Conflict" as part of their ESL course. Instead of the typical end-of-term exam, they created interactive scenarios and story-based narratives. This innovative approach proved to be an incredibly rewarding experience for all of us. Despite time constraints, they got acquainted with various learning development models such as backward design, ADDIE, and iterative design. They chose topics close to their hearts – internal conflicts faced by peers ("The story of Kate"), struggles with exams ("The story of Fiona") and career choices ("The Song is not Over"), and the pressure from families regarding their educational paths ("The Story of Arman"). One team developed a scenario to teach their peers the importance of academic honesty, a pertinent issue in the age of tools like ChatGPT (Academic Integrity Scenario). These examples showcase the grammar and vocabulary used by students during the last peer feedback session.
Given that this was an ESL project, we established specific criteria guiding us through the entire process. From planning their scenarios and creating paper-based prototypes to developing interactive stories in Twine. The students also participated in continuous feedback sessions, capturing insights from their peers. Their primary focus was on creating scenarios that imparted meaningful lessons and prepared users for real-life situations, allowing them to try different paths and face consequences in a stress-free environment. The final assessment also included the scores received from peers and their reflections on the process.
As an advocate for women in STEM, I was delighted to witness my students enthusiastically embracing technology. They learned to use HTML and CSS to style their stories. However, some of them wanted to go further by adding sounds and generating voiceovers using AI. They also utilized AI tools to create custom-made images. The final team presentations were particularly rewarding. Here, the students reflected on their achievements, the challenges they encountered, the iterations they would have made with more time, and, most importantly, the lessons they learned, and the impact of the feedback received from their peers. The experience was transformative for them. It nurtured empathy, enhanced teamwork and coding skills, and taught them the importance of perseverance in the face of challenges. The engagement and positive responses of their peers inspired them to explore further solutions. Many NIS students strive for positive changes. They got inspired by this experience of user-centric ideation, and are now equipped with a deep understanding of the impact their choices can have on their goals. One standout team took their knowledge a step further and created a scenario to assist international students in navigating Petropavl, helping them to learn some essential Kazakh phrases ("Welcome to North Kazakhstan" Scenario). Their choice was influenced by the increasing number of foreign visitors to the region, including international students and participants of various programs fostering diplomatic cooperation with Kazakhstan.
In the final presentations, the students engaged in thoughtful reflection, answering key questions:
What is your story about?
Why did you choose this type of conflict for your scenario?
What is the aim of your scenario?
How did you style your story, and what influenced your choice?
What did you learn about the technical aspects of building a scenario in Twine?
How did you manage teamwork?
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
What improvements would you suggest?
What would you have done differently?
What did you learn from the feedback provided by your peers?
What have you learned from this experience?
The final presentation of Sevda, Dariga, and Sophia (11F)
The final presentation of Adeliya, Sabina, and Dias (11F)
Most students unanimously agreed on the value of feedback as a tool for personal and professional growth, building confidence, enhancing communication skills, and contributing significantly to overall improvement and success.
I would like to thank the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, Edmund S. Muskie Internship Program, Lehigh University, the network of Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, Dr. Farah Vallera, and Tara Cicero for being able to continue to share the knowledge I’ve gained during my studies in the United States of America.
Comments