Virtual+Class-School+Board+Reaction+Paper

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School Board Response and Group Paper
Bonk and Zhang (2008) suggest that a reaction paper would be beneficial to reflective learners. A reaction paper forces a student to take a stand on a controversial topic (in this instance, virtual schooling). Students are to look at the evidence provided and decide what is appropriate for their schools. Regarding reaction papers, “the instructor is looking for an honest personal response here, not what the student thinks the instructor wants to hear. A reaction/response paper needs to include not only a student’s immediate reaction to the reading, video, presentation, or event, but also a brief explanation of reasons for that reaction” (Vermilion Community College, 2011).

This change gets students involved as both the promoter of Virtual Classrooms and the School Board, learning about the approach. Everyone has a chance to voice their own opinion and to show all sides when decisions need to be made. It also shows how the presentation can affect the outcome.

The class is broken down into groups to act as a team and make decisions as a school board from different points of view. The individual paper is written by each student from their point of view as the school board member, including what their opinion was in the end.