http://voicethread.com/share/2081948/
This voicethread discusses online learning environments for the K-12 classroom. I have highlighted two websites that already have content specific learning modules created. These sites, WebLessons.com and CyberSmartCurriculum.org, are great ways to incorporate web-enhanced instruction, fill instructional gaps, and support meaningful, authentic student learning.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Reaching and Engaging All Learners Through Technology Reflection
Over the last several weeks, we have explored Universal Design for Learning, Differentiated Instruction, and ways to use technology in order to reach and support every learner in the classroom. I have gathered a tremendous amount of resources to incorporate into lessons that will support students with different interests, affect, and levels of readiness. My goal is to integrate more differentiation in terms of content, process, and product as well.
During week 6 of this course, I constructed a math lesson differentiated by readiness. The lesson was an exploration of division with and without remainders. After leading a discussion reviewing how fact families are interrelated, I showed the concept of equal shares on the Smart Board using word problems and pictures that students could move around. Then we wrote the number sentences related to the story problem on the board and reviewed the vocabulary (factor, product, addend, sum, dividend, divisor, and quotient).
My intention was to practice several examples and then split the students into groups for differentiated practice over a two day lesson. The students enjoyed using the Smart Board and practicing whole group, so I introduced an equal shares problem a day as part of our math meeting/warm up time. We did this for several days before I introduced remainders to the whole class (rather than having grade level students explore that concept on their own). All groups understood the concept of remainders when using pictures but I was very surprised that the advanced learners were able to make the leap to number sentences so quickly. Basic division sentences with or without remainders were no problem. I was glad to have researched and found a couple of resources on long division to share with these advanced learners to extend their learning. They were very excited for the challenge and enjoyed creating problems to share with the class. Some of these learners were eager to teach their friends how to do long division and harder problems.
I strayed from the originally designed lesson which was intended to provide different levels of practice for three tiers of learners. However, the introductory lesson was so well received that there was not much difference between the basic and grade level learners in terms of understanding. I do wish I had given the grade level learners the opportunity to work with partners to explore division with remainders on their own just to see what they would do. I think it would have been powerful for the students to have figured out remainders and bring it to the whole group. In the end, all groups were successful and seemed to enjoy showcasing their new knowledge of division through designing their own problems to share with the class.
Over the course of this program I have been revamping units of study to add more technology, inquiry, and project-based learning. My next goal is to revisit those units to make sure the lessons are differentiated to provide multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression (Rose, 2009). I also plan to share the units, lessons, and resources with colleagues to support our professional learning community as well as our students.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Reaching and engaging all learners through technology: Brain Research and Universal Design for Learning. Baltimore: Dr. David Rose.
During week 6 of this course, I constructed a math lesson differentiated by readiness. The lesson was an exploration of division with and without remainders. After leading a discussion reviewing how fact families are interrelated, I showed the concept of equal shares on the Smart Board using word problems and pictures that students could move around. Then we wrote the number sentences related to the story problem on the board and reviewed the vocabulary (factor, product, addend, sum, dividend, divisor, and quotient).
My intention was to practice several examples and then split the students into groups for differentiated practice over a two day lesson. The students enjoyed using the Smart Board and practicing whole group, so I introduced an equal shares problem a day as part of our math meeting/warm up time. We did this for several days before I introduced remainders to the whole class (rather than having grade level students explore that concept on their own). All groups understood the concept of remainders when using pictures but I was very surprised that the advanced learners were able to make the leap to number sentences so quickly. Basic division sentences with or without remainders were no problem. I was glad to have researched and found a couple of resources on long division to share with these advanced learners to extend their learning. They were very excited for the challenge and enjoyed creating problems to share with the class. Some of these learners were eager to teach their friends how to do long division and harder problems.
I strayed from the originally designed lesson which was intended to provide different levels of practice for three tiers of learners. However, the introductory lesson was so well received that there was not much difference between the basic and grade level learners in terms of understanding. I do wish I had given the grade level learners the opportunity to work with partners to explore division with remainders on their own just to see what they would do. I think it would have been powerful for the students to have figured out remainders and bring it to the whole group. In the end, all groups were successful and seemed to enjoy showcasing their new knowledge of division through designing their own problems to share with the class.
Over the course of this program I have been revamping units of study to add more technology, inquiry, and project-based learning. My next goal is to revisit those units to make sure the lessons are differentiated to provide multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression (Rose, 2009). I also plan to share the units, lessons, and resources with colleagues to support our professional learning community as well as our students.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Reaching and engaging all learners through technology: Brain Research and Universal Design for Learning. Baltimore: Dr. David Rose.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Reflecting on Integrating Technology
Throughout this course, I have used the GAME plan process to stay focused during a journey of self-directed learning. Selecting two standards and creating an action plan were the first steps. The weekly monitoring and blogging on the GAME plan kept me on track to achieve greater proficiency in the two standards initially selected. Over the past eight weeks, I have discovered many great resources and ideas for engaging students in real-world, authentic problems using digital tools. Beginning with lessons I have already taught, I have been able to confidently add technology, collaboration, and excitement to existing units of study. It was not necessary to reinvent the wheel, just tweak it. Students have been very engaged with these updated lessons.
Looking ahead, I plan to continue working on my initial goals but set new goals as well. The new goals really extend or broaden the current ones to greater learning communities. I hope to connect with other school systems, not just other classrooms in my building and district, and to exhibit more leadership in the area of technology by showcasing the work being done in my room and elsewhere.
The immediate adjustments that I am making include adding more collaboration with digital tools such as wikis and Google Docs. Another immediate adjustment is to highlight the NETS-S standard(s) of focus in each new project or unit. Posting a standard as part of the essential question introduces the language to the students and keeps the class focused on both the process and the content. I am also incorporating digital storytelling throughout all content areas. There are so many tools to use and ways for students to demonstrate learning through digital storytelling.
Students love to use technology, and they are comfortable with it. Technology supports students' individual needs, facilitates creative problem solving, and enriches the learning experiences. Introducing tools that build powerful connections to information and to peers, we are preparing our students with 21st century skills.
Looking ahead, I plan to continue working on my initial goals but set new goals as well. The new goals really extend or broaden the current ones to greater learning communities. I hope to connect with other school systems, not just other classrooms in my building and district, and to exhibit more leadership in the area of technology by showcasing the work being done in my room and elsewhere.
The immediate adjustments that I am making include adding more collaboration with digital tools such as wikis and Google Docs. Another immediate adjustment is to highlight the NETS-S standard(s) of focus in each new project or unit. Posting a standard as part of the essential question introduces the language to the students and keeps the class focused on both the process and the content. I am also incorporating digital storytelling throughout all content areas. There are so many tools to use and ways for students to demonstrate learning through digital storytelling.
Students love to use technology, and they are comfortable with it. Technology supports students' individual needs, facilitates creative problem solving, and enriches the learning experiences. Introducing tools that build powerful connections to information and to peers, we are preparing our students with 21st century skills.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Using the GAME Plan Process with Students
For years I have helped students set goals and create plans to meet those goals. Working with colleagues in PLC (professional learning communities) meetings, we also create plans but generally to address areas of weakness in student performance.
When I review the NETS-S, I think using GAME plans with students will be very positive. Students already have aptitude and motivation using technology. They are working from a position of strength, not weakness. Setting goals will help them stay focused on the benefits and importance of using technology. To start the process with my students, I think I will select an area, such as research and information fluency, to work on as a whole class. When we begin a new unit, I will post the standard as part of the essential question. As we develop a rubric, we will include the standard as an area of evaluation. For example, focusing on standard 3c. (Research and Information Fluency, evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks), the students and I will determine action steps needed to meet this goal.
I envision doing this with students in a whole group manner, touching on at least one standard from each of the six main categories (creativity & innovation, communication & collaboration, research & information fluency, critical thinking, problem solving & decision making, digital citizenship, and technology operations & concepts) before the end of the year. In the last couple of months of school, I hope to have students select one goal for themselves and work out a plan of action to meet that goal.
As I go through the GAME plan process, the regular monitoring and blogging with peers keeps me accountable. I think setting up a class blog for student reflection and peer feedback is a strategy I'd like to try. My class has the laptop cart two periods a week. Setting aside fifteen minutes at the beginning of our Wednesday computer block will keep the GAME plan in the forefront. I look forward to implementing this process with students.
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx
When I review the NETS-S, I think using GAME plans with students will be very positive. Students already have aptitude and motivation using technology. They are working from a position of strength, not weakness. Setting goals will help them stay focused on the benefits and importance of using technology. To start the process with my students, I think I will select an area, such as research and information fluency, to work on as a whole class. When we begin a new unit, I will post the standard as part of the essential question. As we develop a rubric, we will include the standard as an area of evaluation. For example, focusing on standard 3c. (Research and Information Fluency, evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks), the students and I will determine action steps needed to meet this goal.
I envision doing this with students in a whole group manner, touching on at least one standard from each of the six main categories (creativity & innovation, communication & collaboration, research & information fluency, critical thinking, problem solving & decision making, digital citizenship, and technology operations & concepts) before the end of the year. In the last couple of months of school, I hope to have students select one goal for themselves and work out a plan of action to meet that goal.
As I go through the GAME plan process, the regular monitoring and blogging with peers keeps me accountable. I think setting up a class blog for student reflection and peer feedback is a strategy I'd like to try. My class has the laptop cart two periods a week. Setting aside fifteen minutes at the beginning of our Wednesday computer block will keep the GAME plan in the forefront. I look forward to implementing this process with students.
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Reflection and revision..
My original GAME plan goals:
Standard 1b-"engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources."
Standard 4a-"advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources."
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
So far I have learned a great deal that can be applied in my instructional practice. Throughout the last few courses I have been tweaking existing units of study in order to integrate more technology and collaboration. I have applied many of the tools we have used in this program.
What goals are you still working toward?
I am still working on my current goals. They are ongoing and intended to become a natural course of business.
Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
I do have new goals for myself. I would love to work on:
standard 1.d.-"model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments."
standard 4.d.-"develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools."
standard 5.b.-"exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others.
If you are not ready to set new learning goals, how will you extend what you have learned so far?
I still plan to extend my current goals by broadening the scope of real-world issues. I started small by addressing issues within our building and now feel ready to address larger issues. I also plan to work on developing a school-wide approach to digital learning skills and issues over the summer. In the beginning of the next school year, I'd like to lead the way in implementing a CyberSmartCurriculum. This would extend my current goal and encompass my new goal of exhibiting leadership (std 5b).
What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?
The next time I try to improve my learning, I hope to bring some building colleagues on the journey of exploration. It is fun to work with others who are excited and motivated to try new things. I recently started a wiki at work and invited some teachers to participate in showcasing student work and encouraging response to the projects. I also posted a glog on my page to showcase that tool. Modeling "collaborative knowledge construction" is very important. As Vicki Davis pointed out in this week's resources, teaching students to write collaboratively is a challenge but that is how new knowledge is created quickly (Laureate, 2009). My colleagues and I are looking forward to sharing our experiences and knowledge with others.
References:
CyberSmartCurriculum.org
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). 6713: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [DVD]. Spotlight on technology: Social networking and online collaboration, part 1. Baltimore, MD: Vicki Davis.
Standard 1b-"engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources."
Standard 4a-"advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources."
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
So far I have learned a great deal that can be applied in my instructional practice. Throughout the last few courses I have been tweaking existing units of study in order to integrate more technology and collaboration. I have applied many of the tools we have used in this program.
What goals are you still working toward?
I am still working on my current goals. They are ongoing and intended to become a natural course of business.
Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
I do have new goals for myself. I would love to work on:
standard 1.d.-"model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments."
standard 4.d.-"develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools."
standard 5.b.-"exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others.
If you are not ready to set new learning goals, how will you extend what you have learned so far?
I still plan to extend my current goals by broadening the scope of real-world issues. I started small by addressing issues within our building and now feel ready to address larger issues. I also plan to work on developing a school-wide approach to digital learning skills and issues over the summer. In the beginning of the next school year, I'd like to lead the way in implementing a CyberSmartCurriculum. This would extend my current goal and encompass my new goal of exhibiting leadership (std 5b).
What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?
The next time I try to improve my learning, I hope to bring some building colleagues on the journey of exploration. It is fun to work with others who are excited and motivated to try new things. I recently started a wiki at work and invited some teachers to participate in showcasing student work and encouraging response to the projects. I also posted a glog on my page to showcase that tool. Modeling "collaborative knowledge construction" is very important. As Vicki Davis pointed out in this week's resources, teaching students to write collaboratively is a challenge but that is how new knowledge is created quickly (Laureate, 2009). My colleagues and I are looking forward to sharing our experiences and knowledge with others.
References:
CyberSmartCurriculum.org
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). 6713: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [DVD]. Spotlight on technology: Social networking and online collaboration, part 1. Baltimore, MD: Vicki Davis.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Evaluating My GAME Plan Progress
I would like to be more proficient in the following areas:
standard 1b-"engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources."
standard 4a-"advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources."
So, how am I doing? I have made great progress in both of these areas. The hardest part of addressing the first goal was coming up with real-world, authentic problems because I was over-thinking this. Much of the work we do in school can be tweaked to be more student directed and meaningful to the students. There are many issues in our classroom and school community that students can address in collaborative ways. As Dr. Ertmer pointed out in this week's resources, a good source for selecting a problem-based learning unit is previous lessons. She suggests taking something with which you are familiar and adding something new to it (Laureate Education Inc., 2009).
The second goal was easier to jump into because I had created some forms and lessons to use with students as part of the last course. My students are currently using two-column web journals in new social studies and science units, and they are also familiar with the "Get REAL" acronym for evaluating websites. I have also begun discussions with several staff members about teaching a broader tech curriculum that encompasses safe and ethical use of digital sources.
These goals are ongoing but I do feel more confident in both of these areas. As more classroom projects become problem-based and more tools of technology are introduced, I will continue to develop competency in both standards.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009a). 6713: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [DVD]. Spotlight on technology: Problem-based learning, part 1. Baltimore, MD: Peggy Ertmer.
standard 1b-"engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources."
standard 4a-"advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources."
So, how am I doing? I have made great progress in both of these areas. The hardest part of addressing the first goal was coming up with real-world, authentic problems because I was over-thinking this. Much of the work we do in school can be tweaked to be more student directed and meaningful to the students. There are many issues in our classroom and school community that students can address in collaborative ways. As Dr. Ertmer pointed out in this week's resources, a good source for selecting a problem-based learning unit is previous lessons. She suggests taking something with which you are familiar and adding something new to it (Laureate Education Inc., 2009).
The second goal was easier to jump into because I had created some forms and lessons to use with students as part of the last course. My students are currently using two-column web journals in new social studies and science units, and they are also familiar with the "Get REAL" acronym for evaluating websites. I have also begun discussions with several staff members about teaching a broader tech curriculum that encompasses safe and ethical use of digital sources.
These goals are ongoing but I do feel more confident in both of these areas. As more classroom projects become problem-based and more tools of technology are introduced, I will continue to develop competency in both standards.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009a). 6713: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [DVD]. Spotlight on technology: Problem-based learning, part 1. Baltimore, MD: Peggy Ertmer.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Progressing...
In reviewing my GAME plan, some progress has been made. My first goal is to engage students in real world issues. My plan is to find an on line collaborative project for my students. This week I settled on digital storytelling as part of our folklore unit. I found a great site to get me started (http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/index.html) but would still like to find another class that might be interested in participating in a project with us. In the meantime, my class just completed a project based on a real issue in our school. Our school counselor teaches classes and works with individual students on problems such as work habits and friendship issues. Recently there has been a spike in the number of guidance requests due to problems between friends. Third graders recently completed a language arts unit on friendship, so students broke into groups to review the books we read and identify the theme of each. We created a jigsaw lesson on the SMART board to share and record all of the themes. Then students typed letters to the guidance counselor sharing what they learned about making/keeping friends and the books that support their ideas. The counselor has access to each student’s hard drive so she can read the letters in digital form and respond to them in their digital folder. This isn’t exactly the collaborative project I was hoping to start, but it did address a real issue in the life of a third grader and provide students with an authentic audience.
For my second goal, advocating, modeling, and teaching the safe and ethical use of digital information, I have not worked on the actions laid out last week. However, I am meeting with four teachers on Friday who recently had SMART boards installed in their rooms. They have asked me to show them some ways I use that technology with my students. I plan to walk them through my day and share the recent lessons I did with my class on note-taking, evaluating web sites, and concept mapping. Hopefully this discussion will lead to a “technology support group” of sorts.
The plan has had to be revised a little but by reviewing it each week, I stay focused on my goals. I can definitely see the benefit of creating written GAME plans with students but the key is to regularly monitor the plans.
For my second goal, advocating, modeling, and teaching the safe and ethical use of digital information, I have not worked on the actions laid out last week. However, I am meeting with four teachers on Friday who recently had SMART boards installed in their rooms. They have asked me to show them some ways I use that technology with my students. I plan to walk them through my day and share the recent lessons I did with my class on note-taking, evaluating web sites, and concept mapping. Hopefully this discussion will lead to a “technology support group” of sorts.
The plan has had to be revised a little but by reviewing it each week, I stay focused on my goals. I can definitely see the benefit of creating written GAME plans with students but the key is to regularly monitor the plans.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Carrying Out My GAME Plan
My personal game plan focuses on two indicators: 1b) engage students in real-world issues and 4a) ethical use of digital information.
To carry out the first part of this plan, I need to gather information. I plan to investigate collaborative projects on-line using the resources from our last course as a starting point. I also plan to send an email out to district colleagues asking if anyone is/has participated in such projects. The media specialist in my building is very interested in developing technology-rich projects with me. She has many contacts and resources, in addition to a global view of what all the grade levels in our building are working on. Together we can find or develop authentic problems for our students to explore. Working on such a project will require devoted class time and more computer access than the two student computers I currently have in my classroom. Currently I have the lap top cart for two periods a week but there is more room in the schedule to sign it for project use. In addition, we have a mini computer lab in the library. Before I can go forward with the rest of this objective, I need to settle on a project.
As for my second goal, I am already working to model and teach the safe and ethical use of digital of digital information. We are just getting into a new social studies unit so I am showing the students some of the tools we will be using. I have introduced my students to the Get REAL acronym (Almasi, 2009) to evaluate websites and to the two-column journal (Eagleton and Dobler, 2007. p.224). Because we have not gotten into real inquiry phase, I am modeling note taking on the journal with books about agriculture and a couple of websites linked to our school website (the journal page has been scanned into the computer and I model on the SMART Board). I have not yet met with the media specialist or administration about implementing a "SMART" curriculum as found on the CyberSmartCurriculum.org site. However, I still plan to do that as an extension of this goal. I think time to meet and plan is the next step. Developing a unified school-wide approach to digital learning skills and issues may need to be a summer project.
I feel better about my progress on the second goal although this is an on-going goal. How to safely, legally, and ethically use digital information and technology changes with the technology itself.
Almasi, J. (2009). Critical evaluation. Laureate Education, DVD.
Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.
To carry out the first part of this plan, I need to gather information. I plan to investigate collaborative projects on-line using the resources from our last course as a starting point. I also plan to send an email out to district colleagues asking if anyone is/has participated in such projects. The media specialist in my building is very interested in developing technology-rich projects with me. She has many contacts and resources, in addition to a global view of what all the grade levels in our building are working on. Together we can find or develop authentic problems for our students to explore. Working on such a project will require devoted class time and more computer access than the two student computers I currently have in my classroom. Currently I have the lap top cart for two periods a week but there is more room in the schedule to sign it for project use. In addition, we have a mini computer lab in the library. Before I can go forward with the rest of this objective, I need to settle on a project.
As for my second goal, I am already working to model and teach the safe and ethical use of digital of digital information. We are just getting into a new social studies unit so I am showing the students some of the tools we will be using. I have introduced my students to the Get REAL acronym (Almasi, 2009) to evaluate websites and to the two-column journal (Eagleton and Dobler, 2007. p.224). Because we have not gotten into real inquiry phase, I am modeling note taking on the journal with books about agriculture and a couple of websites linked to our school website (the journal page has been scanned into the computer and I model on the SMART Board). I have not yet met with the media specialist or administration about implementing a "SMART" curriculum as found on the CyberSmartCurriculum.org site. However, I still plan to do that as an extension of this goal. I think time to meet and plan is the next step. Developing a unified school-wide approach to digital learning skills and issues may need to be a summer project.
I feel better about my progress on the second goal although this is an on-going goal. How to safely, legally, and ethically use digital information and technology changes with the technology itself.
Almasi, J. (2009). Critical evaluation. Laureate Education, DVD.
Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
GAME Plan
In reviewing the NETS-T (standards for teachers), there are two areas in which I would like to become more proficient.
The first area is standard 1b-"engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources." To address this goal, I plan to research collaborative student projects. During the last course I found many great ideas such as epals, digital storytelling, participating in a science data collection project, and a folklore project. These types of projects promote global citizenship and prepare students for real world work experiences. Once I find a project that seems like a good fit for my class I will plan activities to provide prequisite knowledge, establish rules and procedures, and build in regular class time to devote to the project. I will monitor the engagement and progress of my students, and provide support as needed. After the project is completed I will evaluate the effectiveness of the activity and share results with colleagues. My hope is to encourage colleagues to branch out and try collaborative projects as well.
The second area I would like to improve is standard 4a-"advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources." During the last course I realized that there is so much more to using technology with students than introducing them to new programs. As more technology is being used in the classroom, teachers are responsible for teaching a much broader tech curriculum. While carefully citing sources in my own school work, I have not required my students to do this yet. To address this goal I am spending much more time incorporating tools to help students keep track of sites they visit and using a two-column journal adapted from Eagleton and Dobler (Reading the Web, 2007), in which students record sites (or texts) visited, key facts, and their personal response to the facts. By introducing third graders to this type of note taking, I hope to establish the ethical use of resources. To monitor progress in meeting this goal, I plan to have students complete a two-column journal for each unit in social studies this year. To extend this goal I will demonstrate how to properly cite sources used and encourage students to include a reference page with each project. I also hope to work with the media specialist to encourage safe, legal, and ethical use to all staff and students.
Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
The first area is standard 1b-"engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources." To address this goal, I plan to research collaborative student projects. During the last course I found many great ideas such as epals, digital storytelling, participating in a science data collection project, and a folklore project. These types of projects promote global citizenship and prepare students for real world work experiences. Once I find a project that seems like a good fit for my class I will plan activities to provide prequisite knowledge, establish rules and procedures, and build in regular class time to devote to the project. I will monitor the engagement and progress of my students, and provide support as needed. After the project is completed I will evaluate the effectiveness of the activity and share results with colleagues. My hope is to encourage colleagues to branch out and try collaborative projects as well.
The second area I would like to improve is standard 4a-"advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources." During the last course I realized that there is so much more to using technology with students than introducing them to new programs. As more technology is being used in the classroom, teachers are responsible for teaching a much broader tech curriculum. While carefully citing sources in my own school work, I have not required my students to do this yet. To address this goal I am spending much more time incorporating tools to help students keep track of sites they visit and using a two-column journal adapted from Eagleton and Dobler (Reading the Web, 2007), in which students record sites (or texts) visited, key facts, and their personal response to the facts. By introducing third graders to this type of note taking, I hope to establish the ethical use of resources. To monitor progress in meeting this goal, I plan to have students complete a two-column journal for each unit in social studies this year. To extend this goal I will demonstrate how to properly cite sources used and encourage students to include a reference page with each project. I also hope to work with the media specialist to encourage safe, legal, and ethical use to all staff and students.
Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom
Transitioning from Knowledge to Synthesis-Reflection
As a result of this course, I realize that there is a great deal more to incorporating technology in the classroom than just introducing new tools. The literacy skills needed to search, evaluate, and synthesize information on the internet are similar yet different than those needed for traditional research.
Students must be taught how to effectively use search engines and utilize key words to find information. Then they must be taught to evaluate the sites for validity and reliability. Students can use the "Get REAL" acronym by Dr. Almasi to read the URL, evaluate the content, ask about the author and owner, and look at the links within a website. But the most important skill our students need to learn is how to synthesize and transform information into new knowledge. To support my students in this area, I plan to use the two-column web journal form (Eagleton and Dobler, 2007). The sentence starters/prompts that are provided on this form help students personally respond to new information and turn it into their own words. By using this form to take notes from different websites, students can learn to link or synthesize information from multiple sources. When creating artifacts, using personal responses encourages intellectual honesty.
As educators we need to teach and model both technology literacy and responsibility. As the technology coordinator in my building, I feel it is my responsibility to encourage and lead others in these areas. To that end, I hope to work in conjunction with our media specialist and administrators to initiate conversations addressing the SMART acronym on the CyberSmartCurriculum.org site.
Safety and Security online
Manners, bullying, and ethics
Authentic learning and creativity
Research and information fluency
Twenty-first century challenges.
Hopefully through staff discussions and monthly technology related e-letters, we will develop a unified approach to these important literacy skills and issues.
Almasi, J. (2009). Critical evaluation. Laureate Education, DVD.
Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.
As a result of this course, I realize that there is a great deal more to incorporating technology in the classroom than just introducing new tools. The literacy skills needed to search, evaluate, and synthesize information on the internet are similar yet different than those needed for traditional research.
Students must be taught how to effectively use search engines and utilize key words to find information. Then they must be taught to evaluate the sites for validity and reliability. Students can use the "Get REAL" acronym by Dr. Almasi to read the URL, evaluate the content, ask about the author and owner, and look at the links within a website. But the most important skill our students need to learn is how to synthesize and transform information into new knowledge. To support my students in this area, I plan to use the two-column web journal form (Eagleton and Dobler, 2007). The sentence starters/prompts that are provided on this form help students personally respond to new information and turn it into their own words. By using this form to take notes from different websites, students can learn to link or synthesize information from multiple sources. When creating artifacts, using personal responses encourages intellectual honesty.
As educators we need to teach and model both technology literacy and responsibility. As the technology coordinator in my building, I feel it is my responsibility to encourage and lead others in these areas. To that end, I hope to work in conjunction with our media specialist and administrators to initiate conversations addressing the SMART acronym on the CyberSmartCurriculum.org site.
Safety and Security online
Manners, bullying, and ethics
Authentic learning and creativity
Research and information fluency
Twenty-first century challenges.
Hopefully through staff discussions and monthly technology related e-letters, we will develop a unified approach to these important literacy skills and issues.
Almasi, J. (2009). Critical evaluation. Laureate Education, DVD.
Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Reflection
At the beginning of this course I described my personal learning theory as an "eclectic" mix that is mostly social constructionist. I still feel that this is a good descriptor. I agree with cognitive theorists that when students develop an awareness about how they think, they improve their understanding. The cognitive tools we explored such as concept mapping and virtual field trips work to develop connections in the brain to new learning. I believe in using these tools and others to create connections and pathways. Many of the routines in my room are aligned with behaviorist theory such as behavior management and skill practice activities. However, I believe true, meaningful learning occurs when students are creating artifacts and learning with or from others whether peers or "more knowledgeable others" (Laureate, 2009). We had an excellent debate in week 5 of our course about whether or not social learning is the primary way in which people learn. When "more knowledgeable other" is defined as a peer, teacher, or computer, that opens the door for many definitions of social interaction. I normally wouldn't think of a computer tutorial as social learning but I do learn from the computer when I see someone model a task and hear them describe what is happening. The fact that I can replay the tutorial and use a chat feature for additional help assists in my learning. While I am capable of learning information on my own, my understanding of a topic is deepened when given the opportunity to discuss it, teach it, or create an artifact about it.
The immediate adjustments I plan to make to my instructional practices this year are to focus on the strategy clusters that are proven to make an impact on student learning, particularly identifying similarities and differences. This strategy can be implemented immediately regardless of the technology available in the classroom and when students are proficient in this strategy, they have shown a 45 percentile gain in achievement (Laureate, 2009). Another adjustment I plan to make is to design my current projects to be more collaborative using the tools to which we have been introduced. Voice Thread is a very easy tool for students to use. The other tools I plan to use are Kidspiration for concept maps and virtual field trips.
The long term goals I have are to work with grade level colleagues to revamp the curriculum units with a focus on integrating technology tools and to take a leadership role in the professional development of colleagues in my building. Many teachers continue to think of technology as an "add on" to our curriculum. I hope to share my knowledge and enthusiasm to show that technology incorporated into what we already do will create more engaging and meaningful learning experiences, and increased student achievement. I have accepted the position of tech coordinator for my building for this school year and will use this position to work on these long term goals.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Instructional Strategies, Part One. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
The immediate adjustments I plan to make to my instructional practices this year are to focus on the strategy clusters that are proven to make an impact on student learning, particularly identifying similarities and differences. This strategy can be implemented immediately regardless of the technology available in the classroom and when students are proficient in this strategy, they have shown a 45 percentile gain in achievement (Laureate, 2009). Another adjustment I plan to make is to design my current projects to be more collaborative using the tools to which we have been introduced. Voice Thread is a very easy tool for students to use. The other tools I plan to use are Kidspiration for concept maps and virtual field trips.
The long term goals I have are to work with grade level colleagues to revamp the curriculum units with a focus on integrating technology tools and to take a leadership role in the professional development of colleagues in my building. Many teachers continue to think of technology as an "add on" to our curriculum. I hope to share my knowledge and enthusiasm to show that technology incorporated into what we already do will create more engaging and meaningful learning experiences, and increased student achievement. I have accepted the position of tech coordinator for my building for this school year and will use this position to work on these long term goals.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Instructional Strategies, Part One. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice
Cooperative learning has been around for a long time. This instructional strategy gets a 21st century facelift with the introduction of technological tools for collaboration and presentation. Students today can find information easily. Using the web, they can do searches or ask experts questions directly (Pitler etal, 2007). The hard work they must do is apply that information to problem-solving situations. A wide variety of sites allow students to "meet" no matter where they are or time of day such as wikis, blogs, and "keypal" sites. Students can share documents and see changes made by group members on sites such as Google Docs or by emailing Word docs and utilizing the "track changes" feature in Microsoft. Online calendars can be used to monitor progress of group members.
One tool I was introduced to this week that I really liked was VoiceThread. This is such a simple yet effective way to share ideas with others. In one of the tutorials, a child posted an illustration on VoiceThread with a brief story about his creature. Several people commented on his picture and his creativity. I think this is such an easy way to start sharing content on the web because the privacy settings allow you to limit the people that can view or comment on the artifact. There is also a way to moderate the comments. Another feature I really like about this tool is the variety of options for commenting. People can use a microphone, webcam, type, or call a phone number to add a comment.
Another tool I was introduced to this week that was very foreign to me was "Second Life" and virtual world simulations. I had never heard of these avatar environments for business or education purposes. I have long used Kathy Schrock's website for ideas and I see that she is involved in training teachers to create educational experiences in "Teen Second Life." I will have to check that out more. Because so many of today's video games are simulation type games, I think students would enjoy and respond well to such applications. However, since I am just beginning to use Read/Write Web 2.0 tools, I think virtual worlds are still a long way off for me.
People today are very connected. Younger and younger kids are carrying cell phones with texting capability and are on social network sites. The younger children start off on WebKinz or Club Penguin and quickly graduate up to Facebook. Many of the video game systems such as XBox and Playstation have online versions of their games. Adults are constantly hooked into the internet through smart phones. There must be value in all this connectivity. Are we being more productive? Are we learning from each other? Or is it up to educators to guide this connectivity toward learning purposes?
Resources:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social learning theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Dembo, S. (2008, October). Virtual worlds for educators. District Administration, 44(11), 48–52.
One tool I was introduced to this week that I really liked was VoiceThread. This is such a simple yet effective way to share ideas with others. In one of the tutorials, a child posted an illustration on VoiceThread with a brief story about his creature. Several people commented on his picture and his creativity. I think this is such an easy way to start sharing content on the web because the privacy settings allow you to limit the people that can view or comment on the artifact. There is also a way to moderate the comments. Another feature I really like about this tool is the variety of options for commenting. People can use a microphone, webcam, type, or call a phone number to add a comment.
Another tool I was introduced to this week that was very foreign to me was "Second Life" and virtual world simulations. I had never heard of these avatar environments for business or education purposes. I have long used Kathy Schrock's website for ideas and I see that she is involved in training teachers to create educational experiences in "Teen Second Life." I will have to check that out more. Because so many of today's video games are simulation type games, I think students would enjoy and respond well to such applications. However, since I am just beginning to use Read/Write Web 2.0 tools, I think virtual worlds are still a long way off for me.
People today are very connected. Younger and younger kids are carrying cell phones with texting capability and are on social network sites. The younger children start off on WebKinz or Club Penguin and quickly graduate up to Facebook. Many of the video game systems such as XBox and Playstation have online versions of their games. Adults are constantly hooked into the internet through smart phones. There must be value in all this connectivity. Are we being more productive? Are we learning from each other? Or is it up to educators to guide this connectivity toward learning purposes?
Resources:
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Social learning theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Dembo, S. (2008, October). Virtual worlds for educators. District Administration, 44(11), 48–52.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Voicethread Project-Recess Debate
Here is the link to voicethread assignment. It is embedded into my blog so you just need to click on the title of the post but if you experience any trouble, the url is http://voicethread.com/share/1251804/
Constructivist/Constructionist Learning Theories
This week we focused on the constructionist and constructivist theories of learning. The constructivist theory states that all people use their own experiences and backgrounds to assimilate new information into their individual schemas. The constructionist theory states that students learn best with first hand experience and when they build an artifact that can be shared with others.
I do believe students learn best when creating projects. In all of the curriculum areas, my students create projects and utilize tools of technology. However,I am amazed by the potential that technology offers. Even within the common applications such as word processing and excel, I have not explored the many ways students can use these tools.
The resources this week also differentiated between LBD (Learning by Design) and PBL (Project Based Learning). The difference seems to be that LBD focuses on the building of an artifact for a pre-selected audience and PBL is working on real-world problems but not necessarily creating a project. I would love to incorporate more PBL style projects into my curriculum, as well as more inquiry based learning. These types of projects really put the teacher in the role of a facilitator and coach as kids take charge of their learning.
The quote that really struck me in the resources this week was Papert's quote that "learners don't get ideas, they create ideas (Online book)." Is that true? I get many ideas from other sources but the ones I own and feel passionate about are the ones I create. I believe this can be true of our students' learning process as well. The knowledge they create is what sticks with them the most and that in which they take the most pride.
I do believe students learn best when creating projects. In all of the curriculum areas, my students create projects and utilize tools of technology. However,I am amazed by the potential that technology offers. Even within the common applications such as word processing and excel, I have not explored the many ways students can use these tools.
The resources this week also differentiated between LBD (Learning by Design) and PBL (Project Based Learning). The difference seems to be that LBD focuses on the building of an artifact for a pre-selected audience and PBL is working on real-world problems but not necessarily creating a project. I would love to incorporate more PBL style projects into my curriculum, as well as more inquiry based learning. These types of projects really put the teacher in the role of a facilitator and coach as kids take charge of their learning.
The quote that really struck me in the resources this week was Papert's quote that "learners don't get ideas, they create ideas (Online book)." Is that true? I get many ideas from other sources but the ones I own and feel passionate about are the ones I create. I believe this can be true of our students' learning process as well. The knowledge they create is what sticks with them the most and that in which they take the most pride.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Cognitivism in Practice
This week we reviewed cognitive learning theories. The four components of these theories are: 1) students have limited short term/working memory, 2) elaboration is the primary mechanism for storing information into long term memory, 3) dual code hypothesis says people remember images much more than text, and 4) network model of memory says that we need to build numerous connections to stored information (Laureate, 2009). Keeping these components in mind, we reviewed the instructional strategies of "cues, questions, and advance organizers" and "summarizing and note taking" as well as concept maps and virtual field trips (Pitler etal, 2007).
I tend to use many different software applications with my students across the curriculum. However, when reading about the tools available, I was struck by how inefficiently I use the word processing applications and Kidspiration/Inspiration. Currently my third graders use the word processor to type stories but I never utilized the AutoSummarize tool which can help teach students to summarize text or help students by checking to see if they conveyed the main ideas in their own writing (Pitler, 2007). I have only used Kidspiration to create brainstorming webs for story writing. This concept mapping tool can be applied to new concepts across the curriculum. Students can create concept maps to link information, terms, etc. By including instructional images on the webs, the students will better remember the information and develop more connections to recall it later.
Exploring virtual field trips was very interesting. I have used these types of sites but in viewing the resources, I realized that to effectively take a virtual trip, teachers must really research and plan the site(s) to use. Many of the websites I visited were either no longer available or a little boring. On some, the text was hard to read or the students could easily hyper link themselves away from the focus of the trip. The most interesting sites incorporated video clips and an interactive section. YouTube has many great video clips to support instruction but again the teacher must check those out in advance. This year I used several video clips to demonstrate how canal locks work prior to a field trip to a woodworking museum where students built their own canal boats and then sailed them through a lock system made out of gutters. This was only a part of our study of waterway communitiesbut it was the most memorable part of the unit because of the many images and the hands on experience with locks.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Cognitive Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
I tend to use many different software applications with my students across the curriculum. However, when reading about the tools available, I was struck by how inefficiently I use the word processing applications and Kidspiration/Inspiration. Currently my third graders use the word processor to type stories but I never utilized the AutoSummarize tool which can help teach students to summarize text or help students by checking to see if they conveyed the main ideas in their own writing (Pitler, 2007). I have only used Kidspiration to create brainstorming webs for story writing. This concept mapping tool can be applied to new concepts across the curriculum. Students can create concept maps to link information, terms, etc. By including instructional images on the webs, the students will better remember the information and develop more connections to recall it later.
Exploring virtual field trips was very interesting. I have used these types of sites but in viewing the resources, I realized that to effectively take a virtual trip, teachers must really research and plan the site(s) to use. Many of the websites I visited were either no longer available or a little boring. On some, the text was hard to read or the students could easily hyper link themselves away from the focus of the trip. The most interesting sites incorporated video clips and an interactive section. YouTube has many great video clips to support instruction but again the teacher must check those out in advance. This year I used several video clips to demonstrate how canal locks work prior to a field trip to a woodworking museum where students built their own canal boats and then sailed them through a lock system made out of gutters. This was only a part of our study of waterway communitiesbut it was the most memorable part of the unit because of the many images and the hands on experience with locks.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Cognitive Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Behaviorism in Practice
This week we read about behaviorist learning theory as it relates to reinforcing effort and homework and practice. In my district, effort and behavior represent more than half of the elementary report card. The first half of the report card assesses behaviors such as listens effectively, works in an organized manner, follows school rules, and completes work in a timely fashion. Each of these behaviors as well as each academic area are then graded for effort.
Teaching and reinforcing effort are highly important at the elementary level. I try to help students see the value of their effort through individual graphing of weekly assessments. Each week a student's score improves over the previous week, they earn a sticker on their graph.
I also try to shape student behavior through positive reinforcement. When I observe students demonstrating good thinking, use of strategies that have been taught, or even good communication skills with peers, then I reward them with "brain tickets" which are token slips of paper with a picture of a brain on them. Students write their names on the slips of paper and put them in a box for a drawing on Friday, and a chance to choose a pass for extra computer time, no homework, etc. I use this system to shape many different behaviors.
Homework is important for practicing skills. My current system is to check for completion each morning and if a student does the homework, he/she earns a stamp on the homework calendar kept in his/her binder. Each student that misses two or less homework assignments a month gets to participate in "game day," which means they get to each lunch with me in the classroom and play games during recess. Each day I try to correct the homework in the morning and pull students over one on one to discuss errors and make corrections because I think it is important to correct errors quickly and provide feedback. After lunch we have a math meeting and I usually address common problems from the homework at that time. While valuable, it is very time consuming to correct during prep or lunch and then pull students one on one, and this is particularly difficult when students don't put effort into the homework in the first place. I also provide optional challenge homework which I count as extra credit and everyone gets credit for solidly attempting the work.
I think assigning homework to be done on the computer at the elementary level has pros and cons. In a previous course, I interviewed my students about their use of technology and a very small percentage reported using the school website or its links at home. Many students used game systems but not necessarily the computer. The students would likely prefer to complete math practice and earn points or certificates as they go but I am not sure about the availability or comfort level with the parents. Certainly as my own children have gotten older, more and more of their homework has been computer driven. I think the advantage to homework through websites as suggested by Pitler, etal in chapter 10, is the immediate feedback and reinforcement given. On line tutorials are also very good for helping students learn new skills because most show how to do something step by step and the tutorial can be replayed as often as needed.
I am excited by the idea of using technology more for both reinforcing effort and for homework. I think the individual graphs that I currently use can be easily adapted to excel spreadsheets. By creating an effort rubric as suggested by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (p.157), the students can be more reflective on the specific behaviors that lead to higher achievement.
Interestingly, I came across the April 19, 2010 issue of Time magazine today and the cover story was "Should Schools Bribe Kids?" A Harvard economist paid 18,000 kids a total of $6.3 million dollars for different things such as good test scores and not fighting with each other. The results differed but the basic conclusion was "if incentives are designed wisely, it appears, payments can indeed boost kids' performance as much or more than many other reforms you've heard about before--and for a fraction of the cost (Ripley, p.42)." It is a fascinating article that seems to relate to this week's discussion on behaviorism.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Ripley, A., (2010, April 19). Is cash the answer? Time, 41-47.
Teaching and reinforcing effort are highly important at the elementary level. I try to help students see the value of their effort through individual graphing of weekly assessments. Each week a student's score improves over the previous week, they earn a sticker on their graph.
I also try to shape student behavior through positive reinforcement. When I observe students demonstrating good thinking, use of strategies that have been taught, or even good communication skills with peers, then I reward them with "brain tickets" which are token slips of paper with a picture of a brain on them. Students write their names on the slips of paper and put them in a box for a drawing on Friday, and a chance to choose a pass for extra computer time, no homework, etc. I use this system to shape many different behaviors.
Homework is important for practicing skills. My current system is to check for completion each morning and if a student does the homework, he/she earns a stamp on the homework calendar kept in his/her binder. Each student that misses two or less homework assignments a month gets to participate in "game day," which means they get to each lunch with me in the classroom and play games during recess. Each day I try to correct the homework in the morning and pull students over one on one to discuss errors and make corrections because I think it is important to correct errors quickly and provide feedback. After lunch we have a math meeting and I usually address common problems from the homework at that time. While valuable, it is very time consuming to correct during prep or lunch and then pull students one on one, and this is particularly difficult when students don't put effort into the homework in the first place. I also provide optional challenge homework which I count as extra credit and everyone gets credit for solidly attempting the work.
I think assigning homework to be done on the computer at the elementary level has pros and cons. In a previous course, I interviewed my students about their use of technology and a very small percentage reported using the school website or its links at home. Many students used game systems but not necessarily the computer. The students would likely prefer to complete math practice and earn points or certificates as they go but I am not sure about the availability or comfort level with the parents. Certainly as my own children have gotten older, more and more of their homework has been computer driven. I think the advantage to homework through websites as suggested by Pitler, etal in chapter 10, is the immediate feedback and reinforcement given. On line tutorials are also very good for helping students learn new skills because most show how to do something step by step and the tutorial can be replayed as often as needed.
I am excited by the idea of using technology more for both reinforcing effort and for homework. I think the individual graphs that I currently use can be easily adapted to excel spreadsheets. By creating an effort rubric as suggested by Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski (p.157), the students can be more reflective on the specific behaviors that lead to higher achievement.
Interestingly, I came across the April 19, 2010 issue of Time magazine today and the cover story was "Should Schools Bribe Kids?" A Harvard economist paid 18,000 kids a total of $6.3 million dollars for different things such as good test scores and not fighting with each other. The results differed but the basic conclusion was "if incentives are designed wisely, it appears, payments can indeed boost kids' performance as much or more than many other reforms you've heard about before--and for a fraction of the cost (Ripley, p.42)." It is a fascinating article that seems to relate to this week's discussion on behaviorism.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Ripley, A., (2010, April 19). Is cash the answer? Time, 41-47.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Reflection
Reflecting on the past eight weeks, I have developed many new skills. Until this course, "Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society," I had never created a wiki or a podcast. I had created a blog for a previous class but not an aggregator account or RSS feeds. These were relatively easy to figure out yet eye opening time savers. The wiki assignment was a great exercise in collaborative work using web 2.0 tools. The podcast presented many challenges but through help sites and much trial and error, I was able to successfully create and share a podcast. These projects gave me a lot of confidence in my abilities to figure out and use new technologies.
To continue expanding my knowledge of technology integration, I plan to continuously visit the blogs I have bookmarked and the sites listed on the wikis created by the three groups during this course. There are so many great ideas being shared by educators around the world. I also plan to attend technology inservice courses when offered.
One goal for increasing technology is to create one project per trimester that incorporates the new tools learned in this course. I already have my students creating a podcast for a culminating social studies project this spring. Next year, I hope to create a book club blog site, and a science wiki project.
Another goal for increasing the integration of technology in the classroom is to become an instructional leader for technology in my building. Currently we do not have any elementary technology teachers (those positions were eliminated last year) and the classroom teachers are expected to teach the tech curriculum in addition to the core curriculum. I hope to share ideas with staff that demonstrates technology is not an additional piece, rather something that can be easily integrated into the core curriculum to enhance teaching and learning. By sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm for using technology, I hope to help make other teachers more comfortable using technology with their students. I feel it is part of my professional responsibility to be a resource for others in the building and help them become more interested/comfortable with new tools and ideas.
To continue expanding my knowledge of technology integration, I plan to continuously visit the blogs I have bookmarked and the sites listed on the wikis created by the three groups during this course. There are so many great ideas being shared by educators around the world. I also plan to attend technology inservice courses when offered.
One goal for increasing technology is to create one project per trimester that incorporates the new tools learned in this course. I already have my students creating a podcast for a culminating social studies project this spring. Next year, I hope to create a book club blog site, and a science wiki project.
Another goal for increasing the integration of technology in the classroom is to become an instructional leader for technology in my building. Currently we do not have any elementary technology teachers (those positions were eliminated last year) and the classroom teachers are expected to teach the tech curriculum in addition to the core curriculum. I hope to share ideas with staff that demonstrates technology is not an additional piece, rather something that can be easily integrated into the core curriculum to enhance teaching and learning. By sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm for using technology, I hope to help make other teachers more comfortable using technology with their students. I feel it is part of my professional responsibility to be a resource for others in the building and help them become more interested/comfortable with new tools and ideas.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Profiling the Students of Today--Week 5 Assignment
To access my podcast, please visit the links below.
http://www.box.net/shared/ezmqhsmmub
http://www.box.net/shared/8gcd41dm7l
This was my first experience with podcasting. While I learned a great deal through this experience, I felt extremely inefficient. I spent a great deal of time figuring out how to record audio on my computer. I ended up recording my students using an iTouch, then I emailed the audio file to myself but had to convert the m4a file to a WAV file. Once the file was saved in WAV format, I learned how to edit audio files using audacity. The edited audio then had to be saved in WAV, not as an audacity file in order to share it.
Once I figured out the technical aspect of the assignment, I focused on the content. I was very suprised to learn how much technology my students actually do have access to at home. My students average three computers per household, and eighteen of twenty two students say they go on-line at home. Not too surprising, boys are more interested in video games and girls are into cell phones and email. I would say that my students are indeed digital natives based on exposure but there are wide ranges in terms of use. All of us, myself and my students, are definitely digital learners.
http://www.box.net/shared/ezmqhsmmub
http://www.box.net/shared/8gcd41dm7l
This was my first experience with podcasting. While I learned a great deal through this experience, I felt extremely inefficient. I spent a great deal of time figuring out how to record audio on my computer. I ended up recording my students using an iTouch, then I emailed the audio file to myself but had to convert the m4a file to a WAV file. Once the file was saved in WAV format, I learned how to edit audio files using audacity. The edited audio then had to be saved in WAV, not as an audacity file in order to share it.
Once I figured out the technical aspect of the assignment, I focused on the content. I was very suprised to learn how much technology my students actually do have access to at home. My students average three computers per household, and eighteen of twenty two students say they go on-line at home. Not too surprising, boys are more interested in video games and girls are into cell phones and email. I would say that my students are indeed digital natives based on exposure but there are wide ranges in terms of use. All of us, myself and my students, are definitely digital learners.
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