Follow this link to view the Digital Storytelling final project :)
First Thanksgiving Digital Storytelling Project
I really enjoyed creating this project, and the lesson plan addition has made it easily adaptable in any classroom throughout the nation. Simply copy and paste the lesson plan to a Word document and edit any information desired to customize the activity for your classroom. I was thinking about it, and this project was not a quick creation; it took planning, time, and conscious effort to make this an effective activity. However, if all teachers shared one activity like this a year, it would be a lot simpler for many teachers to make the often resisted transition to a digitally integrated classroom. Enjoy!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Digital Storytelling Rubric
My assignment for class this week was to create an analytic rubric for the First Thanksgiving digital storytelling project I have been creating over the past few weeks. If you need a reminder of just what that project entails, click here to visit the project wiki. While I have seen countless rubrics and heard a great deal about the benefits of utilizing these tools, I must be honest in saying that I have never actually used a rubric to assess student work. This is more than likely a result of the lack of student projects I have incorporated into my class so far this year. It seems like all we do is teach the curriculum “with fidelity” and give the appropriate assessments. These assessments provide responses from which students much simply choose the correct answer, a form of traditional assessment. Rubrics, on the other hand, serve as a form of authentic assessment in which students demonstrate their knowledge through the creation of a project. In authentic assessment, students must take what they have learned and actually apply it, not just regurgitate it.
One thing I really love about rubrics (and a major selling point for me) is the idea of providing students with the rubrics prior to the creation of the project. This is a great way for students to have a tangible outline of my expectations to refer back to throughout the creation process. Hopefully this would not only serve as a constant reminder of what they should be focusing on and keep them on track with their projects, but will eliminate any surprise from the final grade. Finally, while creating my rubric I could not help but reflect on prior grading experiences and all the times I have heard fellow teachers discuss the possible retention of below-level students while comparing their work to that of other students as a means of justification. These students may be meeting grade level requirements, but because their work is not at the same level as others’, they are being recommended for retention. I disagree with this method of student evaluation, and this could be prevented by utilizing a rubric on student work and using that rubric as the means of evaluation.
To create my rubric, I used RubiStar. I have seen the website before, but this was my first time actually creating a rubric with it. RubiStar is easy to use and has numerous pre-created rubrics for viewing and editing. The first thing I did on the site was research the different types of rubrics and the different criteria within each one. I decided to use a storytelling rubric as the basis of mine and then combine different aspects from the digital project rubric (such as appearance and time management). One thing I really liked about this site, also, is that you are able to choose which criteria to include within a rubric and are then able to edit the information within each box of the chosen criteria. You can keep the rubric as standard as it comes or as specific and customized as you like. I enjoyed this activity and definitely foresee many RubiStar rubrics in my future!
Click here to view my rubric on the RubiStar website.
One thing I really love about rubrics (and a major selling point for me) is the idea of providing students with the rubrics prior to the creation of the project. This is a great way for students to have a tangible outline of my expectations to refer back to throughout the creation process. Hopefully this would not only serve as a constant reminder of what they should be focusing on and keep them on track with their projects, but will eliminate any surprise from the final grade. Finally, while creating my rubric I could not help but reflect on prior grading experiences and all the times I have heard fellow teachers discuss the possible retention of below-level students while comparing their work to that of other students as a means of justification. These students may be meeting grade level requirements, but because their work is not at the same level as others’, they are being recommended for retention. I disagree with this method of student evaluation, and this could be prevented by utilizing a rubric on student work and using that rubric as the means of evaluation.
To create my rubric, I used RubiStar. I have seen the website before, but this was my first time actually creating a rubric with it. RubiStar is easy to use and has numerous pre-created rubrics for viewing and editing. The first thing I did on the site was research the different types of rubrics and the different criteria within each one. I decided to use a storytelling rubric as the basis of mine and then combine different aspects from the digital project rubric (such as appearance and time management). One thing I really liked about this site, also, is that you are able to choose which criteria to include within a rubric and are then able to edit the information within each box of the chosen criteria. You can keep the rubric as standard as it comes or as specific and customized as you like. I enjoyed this activity and definitely foresee many RubiStar rubrics in my future!
Click here to view my rubric on the RubiStar website.
Friday, November 12, 2010
First Thanksgiving Sample Project
This week for my assignment, I had to create a sample project to post on my curriculum page for students to view. My curriculum page, which was created last week on the topic of the First Thanksgiving, will soon be complete not only with the task and pre-evaluated resources, but a sample project and rubric for assessment of student knowledge. Through creating this sample project, I have not only been able to put my expectations in a tangible format, but I have also been able to determine any possible difficulties students might have when creating their First Thanksgiving project. You can view my sample project below.
Now, when I originally planned this project for my 2nd grade students, I imagined that they would create a Thanksgiving story from the point of view of Native Americans or Pilgrims, but as I created the sample project I noticed myself going in a slightly different direction. I found it worked better to research my chosen side (Pilgrims in this case) and present the facts in the different topic areas in more of an outline format. I also think this would be easier for my 2nd graders as this would be the first time they have used Prezi to create a digital story. I was thinking that once students have created their story in this format, they can then take it a step further and turn it into more of a narrative if they would like. This will help my struggling students by providing a bit more structure while still giving the option of a challenge to my more advanced students.
My only concern is that my 2nd graders will view the sample project and use my information as their own, as they sometimes struggle with putting things in their own words. Maybe if I use less detail in the example it would allow for more creative range when they are making their own projects. However, if I use fewer details they will inevitably model their own projects after the example and use minimal details, as well. If anyone has any suggestions on ways to moderate student work while still providing a quality example, please share!!
Now, when I originally planned this project for my 2nd grade students, I imagined that they would create a Thanksgiving story from the point of view of Native Americans or Pilgrims, but as I created the sample project I noticed myself going in a slightly different direction. I found it worked better to research my chosen side (Pilgrims in this case) and present the facts in the different topic areas in more of an outline format. I also think this would be easier for my 2nd graders as this would be the first time they have used Prezi to create a digital story. I was thinking that once students have created their story in this format, they can then take it a step further and turn it into more of a narrative if they would like. This will help my struggling students by providing a bit more structure while still giving the option of a challenge to my more advanced students.
My only concern is that my 2nd graders will view the sample project and use my information as their own, as they sometimes struggle with putting things in their own words. Maybe if I use less detail in the example it would allow for more creative range when they are making their own projects. However, if I use fewer details they will inevitably model their own projects after the example and use minimal details, as well. If anyone has any suggestions on ways to moderate student work while still providing a quality example, please share!!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
First Thanksgiving Curriculum Page
I have heard quite a bit about curriculum pages in my other classes, but I have never created one of my own so I was excited when I learned we would be creating a curriculum page for class this week. The tool used for the curriculum page was a wiki, and the wiki will be developed over the next few weeks. Luckily, last semester I took a course in which I completed an extensive group research paper using a wiki. That was my first experience with a wiki, and I learned a lot about how to navigate it. I decided to use Wikispaces for my curriculum page, as that was the wiki site I used in my last experience.
Last week, I brainstormed an idea for a digital storytelling project and planned each area of the project for my second grade students. I decided to run with that idea, as I had already “storyboarded” it out. “Why reinvent the wheel?” as is the common theme in education. Therefore, my curriculum page was designed around the idea of my second graders creating their own digital stories about the First Thanksgiving. Students have to choose a side to take: Native Americans or Pilgrims. Stories must be told from the chosen point of view. Not only do I think these stories would be fun for students to create, but they would be fun to grade as well! While we do not have to have the rubric created for our curriculum page quite yet, I am thinking of creating a teacher and student rubric so the students have a part in evaluating, also. Students could evaluate each others’ projects with a peer-evaluation rubric. That would be a great way to get students looking for important qualities of digital projects and keep them involved in every presentation.
Before I began creating the actual curriculum page, I took some time to research some quality kid-friendly web resources on the First Thanksgiving. I wanted to make sure the provided sites included images and videos, as well as text, so this was not as easy a task as this might sound. Once I found a few sites I liked, I wrote a brief description for each site in Microsoft Word and saved it. (I am a saving-addict ever since the time my computer randomly restarted and I lost a project I had been working on for three hours.) Once I had my sites, I began building the rest of the curriculum page in Microsoft Word, too. I am extremely familiar with Microsoft Word and its formatting, so I did most of the planning and creating there. When I had all the material for the project planned out, it was time to put it in the wiki.
While I have experience using a wiki, boy did I struggle with the formatting aspect of Wikispaces. I copied the entire Word document and pasted it into Wikispaces. However, when I wanted to center and bold the headings, it would not simply do what I was commanding it to do. Instead of just bolding the two-word heading, it would bold the heading and the following two lines of regular text. Then, when I tried to correct it the actual heading would not center or stay bold, but the regular body text would not become unbold! This was extremely frustrating, and I think I spent an hour just trying to center and bold specific text. This was the most frustrating part of process for me. However, I soon found a solution! If I formatted everything, and I mean everything from line spacing to text bolding, in Microsoft Word, I could paste it into the Wiki and it would keep its formatting. This was very helpful to learn because in the beginning, I was pasting the information from Word with basic formatting, but I was then attempting to format more in the actual Wikispaces domain. I did not enjoy formatting in Wikispaces at all, and I would not recommend it.
I would recommend using a wiki for curriculum pages, though, as it is able to be modified and added to easily. I am looking forward to adding the final pieces to the project, such as a rubric and sample project. As I continue to create my curriculum page and add to my wiki, it is important that I keep in mind my audience, second graders, and I don’t make the project too complicated. I could definitely see how it would be easy to overwhelm students with too much going on within a curriculum web page. While I do not have a bunch of flashy stuff on my curriculum page for my second graders, I must admit that I was quite proud of myself when I got the picture on the page as it really seems to bring the page to life J.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Digital Storytelling_Thanksgiving Theme_RR5
This week in class, we have been charged with the task of designing a digital storytelling project for the students in our class. With Thanksgiving approaching in less than a month, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to have a little fun while exploring the history of Native Americans in North America and the impact of European immigrants (Pilgrims) on their way of life. An activity addressing this topic would meet multiple 2nd grade Florida Social Studies standards. In addition to meeting several Social Studies standards, a digital storytelling project on this topic would also attend to numerous Reading and Language Arts standards continuously covered throughout the year. As discussed in the textbook, the existing curriculum must lead any and all technology integration, and not the other way around (Gunter 2010). This is vital for teachers to ensure all core subject standards are being met throughout the academic year while continuing to build 21st century skills through digital applications.
The objective of this digital storytelling project would be for my students to correctly tell about the immigration of the European settlers through either the eyes of the Native Americans or the Pilgrims. The first thing they must do is storyboard their idea. This will provide students the opportunity to plan their story so that it is told in the most effective means possible, and this will also help students to identify any additional tools they will need to complete their project successfully. Just as with any writing or conventional storytelling activity, students must plan in order to have a well-written piece. These expectations must be carried over when utilizing digital media as a means of production, as well (Gunter 2010). Once students have chosen the eyes through which they will be telling their story, they will then access the curriculum resource page that will be set up for them. On this page, students will find links to information, videos, images, and audio in reference to the targeted time and people. While it would make it easier to make every resource a quality one, I would throw in a couple irrelevant or poorly constructed resources so students can practice sorting through and evaluating quality web resources. If I have students with advanced technological skills, they may also choose to create their own resources for use in their digital storytelling project. These students would need access to digital cameras for images, flip video cameras for video, and microphones to record audio. Once students capture their own digital media, they then have the ability to create their own resource pages for other students to access, as well.
In addition to content resources, links to “how-to’s” for digital storytelling will also be provided to students in the case that they need extra assistance or just want to take their digital storytelling to the next level. It is important to not only provide students with beginning technology skills the resources to complete the activity adequately, but also that I provide technologically competent students with the opportunity to excel and enrich their digital experience. By students creating their own resources and content resource pages, they will have the ability to share their digital knowledge with others while working to complete the assigned activity. These student created resources will be in addition to the provided websites and resources for students to research all aspects of the targeted time period, such as food, clothing, social conventions, gender roles, key people, geographic regions, Native American-Pilgrim interactions, and much more. In the case students wish to explore an alternative aspect of Native American or Pilgrim life in that time, a student-friendly search engine, such as Ask for Kids, will be provided as well.
In order to not simply leave students’ learning experience in the time of the Mayflower, I would finally have students compare what they’ve learned through their digital stories to their lives today. This would take their learning to the next level by creating an authentic learning experience and providing a connection to what students know best – their own world (Gunter 2010). This will give students that extra ownership of their final products, and when presenting their digital stories they can draw on their own experiences and relate to what they have learned more easily. I definitely see the information sticking with them much longer if the material is learned and the knowledge is expressed in this fashion. In the provided pacing guides for each subject area, additional technology resources are provided to teachers, such as supplemental videos or interactive activities revolving around the subject matter. If you ask me, it is only a matter of time until learning experiences such as digital storytellings are a required part of the curriculum, as well. I anticipate this day.
The following is a link to a plethora of Thanksgiving resources for teaching, and suggestions for classroom use: http://www.teachersfirst.com/holiday/thanksgiving.cfm . Many of these resources would be great for students in creating their digital storytelling, also!
Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010). Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning
The objective of this digital storytelling project would be for my students to correctly tell about the immigration of the European settlers through either the eyes of the Native Americans or the Pilgrims. The first thing they must do is storyboard their idea. This will provide students the opportunity to plan their story so that it is told in the most effective means possible, and this will also help students to identify any additional tools they will need to complete their project successfully. Just as with any writing or conventional storytelling activity, students must plan in order to have a well-written piece. These expectations must be carried over when utilizing digital media as a means of production, as well (Gunter 2010). Once students have chosen the eyes through which they will be telling their story, they will then access the curriculum resource page that will be set up for them. On this page, students will find links to information, videos, images, and audio in reference to the targeted time and people. While it would make it easier to make every resource a quality one, I would throw in a couple irrelevant or poorly constructed resources so students can practice sorting through and evaluating quality web resources. If I have students with advanced technological skills, they may also choose to create their own resources for use in their digital storytelling project. These students would need access to digital cameras for images, flip video cameras for video, and microphones to record audio. Once students capture their own digital media, they then have the ability to create their own resource pages for other students to access, as well.
In addition to content resources, links to “how-to’s” for digital storytelling will also be provided to students in the case that they need extra assistance or just want to take their digital storytelling to the next level. It is important to not only provide students with beginning technology skills the resources to complete the activity adequately, but also that I provide technologically competent students with the opportunity to excel and enrich their digital experience. By students creating their own resources and content resource pages, they will have the ability to share their digital knowledge with others while working to complete the assigned activity. These student created resources will be in addition to the provided websites and resources for students to research all aspects of the targeted time period, such as food, clothing, social conventions, gender roles, key people, geographic regions, Native American-Pilgrim interactions, and much more. In the case students wish to explore an alternative aspect of Native American or Pilgrim life in that time, a student-friendly search engine, such as Ask for Kids, will be provided as well.
In order to not simply leave students’ learning experience in the time of the Mayflower, I would finally have students compare what they’ve learned through their digital stories to their lives today. This would take their learning to the next level by creating an authentic learning experience and providing a connection to what students know best – their own world (Gunter 2010). This will give students that extra ownership of their final products, and when presenting their digital stories they can draw on their own experiences and relate to what they have learned more easily. I definitely see the information sticking with them much longer if the material is learned and the knowledge is expressed in this fashion. In the provided pacing guides for each subject area, additional technology resources are provided to teachers, such as supplemental videos or interactive activities revolving around the subject matter. If you ask me, it is only a matter of time until learning experiences such as digital storytellings are a required part of the curriculum, as well. I anticipate this day.
The following is a link to a plethora of Thanksgiving resources for teaching, and suggestions for classroom use: http://www.teachersfirst.com/holiday/thanksgiving.cfm . Many of these resources would be great for students in creating their digital storytelling, also!
Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010). Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Activity Reflection 4
Let me start off by saying that I absolutely loved this week’s assignment of creating a digital presentation on the benefits of digital storytelling in the classroom. We were given the option of creating a relatively basic presentation using PowerPoint in SlideShare or challenging ourselves and creating a “prezi” using the Prezi program (they get offended if their products are referred to as presentations). I chose to attempt using Prezi, as I had heard of the program before but had never actually explored it in detail myself. While I ended up spending four hours creating the short presentation rather than two, it was well worth it as I am completely fascinated by Prezi’s capabilities and final product.
I began my digital storytelling prezi by exploring the links provided in the course module and researching some ways digital storytelling can be integrated in different areas of the curriculum. Once I had a more detailed understanding, I went ahead and signed up for the educator license of Prezi. I was given the opportunity to watch a short tutorial or complete three lessons before beginning use of the program, and I opted for the video. I recommend this to any Prezi beginners out there, as this short three minute video did a great job prepping me on the tools I would need for a successful Prezi experience.
Once I was in Prezi and ready to begin designing my prezi, I started by simply click on the screen and typing my desired information. Once the meat of the prezi was prepared, then came the fun (and more time consuming) part. I was able to change the design, layout, font, and text direction of each text object in my Prezi. My experience with Microsoft Word and ActivInspire software helped make these initial steps run smoothly, as they share some similar editing and layout functions. In Prezi, you are able to group objects in frames and create a path in which the viewer will see the information as they progress through the prezi. This aspect of the program was completely new to me, and it took me a while to get a decent grasp on how to most effectively utilize these features. This could also be attributed to the fact that every time I thought I was finished, I discovered something else I wanted to learn to do with my Prezi, such as zoom in and straighten out the sideways text while the prezi path is carried out. (This is done by not creating a frame around the text, which I had done, and selecting the text directly as a point on the path, which I then corrected… In case you were curious).
I must say that as the activity progressed, I began to feel like a more perspicacious Prezi user. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy using Prezi to create this activity, I learned a lot and plan to use Prezi for all types of tasks in the future. I know if I enjoyed using Prezi this much, my students would really benefit from utilizing it for classroom projects. I would still like to research more uses of digital storytelling in the classroom before I have my students begin using Prezi to create their digital stories. Prezi is a great tool that could be used in all areas of education, business, medicine, etc. to engage viewers and effectively train/teach them beyond the everyday PowerPoint. I am looking forward to using Prezi to spruce up any assignment that calls for a basic presentation or PowerPoint to present knowledge of a known or novel topic. What a fun instructional tool allowing for freedom to be creative while still effectively getting across a message. I will definitely be spreading the word about Prezi!!
The blog prior to this has my Prezi into it. Check it out!
I began my digital storytelling prezi by exploring the links provided in the course module and researching some ways digital storytelling can be integrated in different areas of the curriculum. Once I had a more detailed understanding, I went ahead and signed up for the educator license of Prezi. I was given the opportunity to watch a short tutorial or complete three lessons before beginning use of the program, and I opted for the video. I recommend this to any Prezi beginners out there, as this short three minute video did a great job prepping me on the tools I would need for a successful Prezi experience.
Once I was in Prezi and ready to begin designing my prezi, I started by simply click on the screen and typing my desired information. Once the meat of the prezi was prepared, then came the fun (and more time consuming) part. I was able to change the design, layout, font, and text direction of each text object in my Prezi. My experience with Microsoft Word and ActivInspire software helped make these initial steps run smoothly, as they share some similar editing and layout functions. In Prezi, you are able to group objects in frames and create a path in which the viewer will see the information as they progress through the prezi. This aspect of the program was completely new to me, and it took me a while to get a decent grasp on how to most effectively utilize these features. This could also be attributed to the fact that every time I thought I was finished, I discovered something else I wanted to learn to do with my Prezi, such as zoom in and straighten out the sideways text while the prezi path is carried out. (This is done by not creating a frame around the text, which I had done, and selecting the text directly as a point on the path, which I then corrected… In case you were curious).
I must say that as the activity progressed, I began to feel like a more perspicacious Prezi user. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy using Prezi to create this activity, I learned a lot and plan to use Prezi for all types of tasks in the future. I know if I enjoyed using Prezi this much, my students would really benefit from utilizing it for classroom projects. I would still like to research more uses of digital storytelling in the classroom before I have my students begin using Prezi to create their digital stories. Prezi is a great tool that could be used in all areas of education, business, medicine, etc. to engage viewers and effectively train/teach them beyond the everyday PowerPoint. I am looking forward to using Prezi to spruce up any assignment that calls for a basic presentation or PowerPoint to present knowledge of a known or novel topic. What a fun instructional tool allowing for freedom to be creative while still effectively getting across a message. I will definitely be spreading the word about Prezi!!
The blog prior to this has my Prezi into it. Check it out!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Online Identity Activity
The last time I “Googled” myself was about a year ago, and the top responses highlighted flipcharts I’ve created and published to PrometheanPlanet.com. I was proud of these creations and satisfied with my “online identity.” Therefore, I figured I would find equally satisfying results when I Googled my name for this week’s assignment. This was not the case. Now, my top three results are as follows: Facebook (not exactly the most useful first result), Pipl (on which every address I’ve lived at since I was five is listed…creepy), and TeacherTube (finally a site showcasing digital resources I’ve created). My flipcharts are not even on the first or even second page of the results anymore. If only we could choose how our own results are sorted for searchers.
As I delve deeper into the Educational Technology master’s program and progress in my educational career, I know it is increasingly imperative to have a positive online identity. This includes not only the amount of results returned, but the quality and relevance of each result. Not that I have a personal vendetta against Pipl.com, but I’m not quite sure a parent or employer is interested in where I lived in 1989 or my mother’s address. While these results may be numerous, they are by no means relevant to how I want to be perceived by others. The internet offers a new means of informal job interviews and first impressions, and often we do not even know these interviews are taking place. We must always be putting our best foot forward, face-to-face and online.
One way to establish a strong positive online identity is by creating an online profile, which I recently did for this week’s assignment using Google Profiles. There are numerous well-done Educator Profiles and How-To’s available to make the process of creating an online profile easy and effective. In the past, I had never taken the time to fill out the profile information on any digital resources I’ve subscribed to or created, such as blogs, wikis, or educator forums. The profile section always just seemed like an extra thing to do – a waste of time, and who was going to look at those things anyways, right? Now that I know that every program I enter my name into, subscribe to, or express interest in online shows up when my name is entered in a search engine, I recognize a need for a professional profile accompanying each associated program and electronic resource.
As I completed the profile activities, I began to view the About Me sections of the blog site or Google Profiles as a sort of informal resume. Only this resume is readily available to anyone who completes a virtual search of your name. From now on, I will be taking those extra fifteen minutes to enter a brief description of myself and what I have to offer the world. This may be my chance to connect with a possible employer or create a bond with a classroom parent or peer. I’ve learned that in such a networked world, I am always selling myself. Let’s make sure that what people are looking to buy is the same thing we are intending to sell.
As I delve deeper into the Educational Technology master’s program and progress in my educational career, I know it is increasingly imperative to have a positive online identity. This includes not only the amount of results returned, but the quality and relevance of each result. Not that I have a personal vendetta against Pipl.com, but I’m not quite sure a parent or employer is interested in where I lived in 1989 or my mother’s address. While these results may be numerous, they are by no means relevant to how I want to be perceived by others. The internet offers a new means of informal job interviews and first impressions, and often we do not even know these interviews are taking place. We must always be putting our best foot forward, face-to-face and online.
One way to establish a strong positive online identity is by creating an online profile, which I recently did for this week’s assignment using Google Profiles. There are numerous well-done Educator Profiles and How-To’s available to make the process of creating an online profile easy and effective. In the past, I had never taken the time to fill out the profile information on any digital resources I’ve subscribed to or created, such as blogs, wikis, or educator forums. The profile section always just seemed like an extra thing to do – a waste of time, and who was going to look at those things anyways, right? Now that I know that every program I enter my name into, subscribe to, or express interest in online shows up when my name is entered in a search engine, I recognize a need for a professional profile accompanying each associated program and electronic resource.
As I completed the profile activities, I began to view the About Me sections of the blog site or Google Profiles as a sort of informal resume. Only this resume is readily available to anyone who completes a virtual search of your name. From now on, I will be taking those extra fifteen minutes to enter a brief description of myself and what I have to offer the world. This may be my chance to connect with a possible employer or create a bond with a classroom parent or peer. I’ve learned that in such a networked world, I am always selling myself. Let’s make sure that what people are looking to buy is the same thing we are intending to sell.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
An Excel Experience
I was excited to see that this week in class we would be completing a hands-on activity utilizing Microsoft Excel. While I find our weekly quizzes and reflections constructive, I am definitely more of a project/activity person. After reading this week’s chapter and exploring the resources in the course module, I opened the instructions for the Excel activity. For this assignment we were required to edit and add to a pre-created sample grade spreadsheet. This assignment was not too overwhelming for me, but a few of the later steps definitely required some online research to complete successfully.
The steps encompassing text/cell formatting and insertion of columns were “easy, peasy, lemon squeezy” (as my oh-so-goofy 2nd graders would say). Entering the Excel formulas for the Homework and Test averages was a bit more challenging, but I learned that Excel has a handy Formulas tab under which the formulas are organized by type and purpose. Once I discovered where these formula shortcuts were located, these steps went pretty smoothly. This was much easier than spending twenty minutes trying to guess what the formula should be, as I used to do (and by used to do, I mean as of a week ago…).
I learned how to perform two completely new tasks in Excel through this assignment: sorting data according to values and linking four workbooks dynamically. Sorting the data seemed easy enough, but I honestly had just never attempted it in Excel before. A simple Google search of how to sort data in Microsoft Excel 2007 gave me just the guidance I was looking for. Once again, there was a convenient Data tab under which the option to Sort was suitably located. Now, to the final step of the assignment: dynamic linking of spreadsheet data. Easy peasy lemon squeezy? Not so much this time. I spent quite a while looking through the program before I did yet another Google search. On top of the Microsoft tutorial, I found many helpful how-to posts by general users, and a step-by-step YouTube video. I was glad to know I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t mastered that skill yet! And people say Excel is old and outdated… hmph. I’ll bet they (A) never taught and (B) never tried to dynamically link workbooks together.
I really enjoyed this activity, and I am looking forward to more hands-on activities in the future. I could definitely use some improvement of my Excel skills, especially after my newfound discovery of the resources available to manipulate and organize the inputted data. My school district requires all teachers to use an online gradebook called ProgressBook. Not only does ProgressBook hold student grades, but teachers also input lesson plans, post assignments and homework, and do Progress Reports and Report Cards through this portal. I currently use Excel to track student homework completion, but after this assignment I feel like Excel allows the user to do so much more with the data than the online grade book does, and it is definitely more user friendly. I am currently organizing student reading data and response to interventions, and I think Excel and I will be great friends in this process :).
Alyssa
The steps encompassing text/cell formatting and insertion of columns were “easy, peasy, lemon squeezy” (as my oh-so-goofy 2nd graders would say). Entering the Excel formulas for the Homework and Test averages was a bit more challenging, but I learned that Excel has a handy Formulas tab under which the formulas are organized by type and purpose. Once I discovered where these formula shortcuts were located, these steps went pretty smoothly. This was much easier than spending twenty minutes trying to guess what the formula should be, as I used to do (and by used to do, I mean as of a week ago…).
I learned how to perform two completely new tasks in Excel through this assignment: sorting data according to values and linking four workbooks dynamically. Sorting the data seemed easy enough, but I honestly had just never attempted it in Excel before. A simple Google search of how to sort data in Microsoft Excel 2007 gave me just the guidance I was looking for. Once again, there was a convenient Data tab under which the option to Sort was suitably located. Now, to the final step of the assignment: dynamic linking of spreadsheet data. Easy peasy lemon squeezy? Not so much this time. I spent quite a while looking through the program before I did yet another Google search. On top of the Microsoft tutorial, I found many helpful how-to posts by general users, and a step-by-step YouTube video. I was glad to know I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t mastered that skill yet! And people say Excel is old and outdated… hmph. I’ll bet they (A) never taught and (B) never tried to dynamically link workbooks together.
I really enjoyed this activity, and I am looking forward to more hands-on activities in the future. I could definitely use some improvement of my Excel skills, especially after my newfound discovery of the resources available to manipulate and organize the inputted data. My school district requires all teachers to use an online gradebook called ProgressBook. Not only does ProgressBook hold student grades, but teachers also input lesson plans, post assignments and homework, and do Progress Reports and Report Cards through this portal. I currently use Excel to track student homework completion, but after this assignment I feel like Excel allows the user to do so much more with the data than the online grade book does, and it is definitely more user friendly. I am currently organizing student reading data and response to interventions, and I think Excel and I will be great friends in this process :).
Alyssa
Friday, September 24, 2010
Censorship: The Lesser of Two Evils
Henry Steele Commager put it perfectly, “The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion.” This was true in Commager’s early 20th century lifetime, and it remains true today; however, nothing in life is ever that cut and dry. Censorship definitely has a dark side, as do most necessary evils, but I must say I can see both sides of the spectrum in terms of educational censorship. On one hand, in K-12 classrooms you are responsible for what students view, read, and interact with in every subject. When a student goes home and says they heard the F-word in a YouTube video they watched while researching a history assignment in class that responsibility falls back on the teacher and administration. On the other hand, if we do not teach students how to choose appropriate sites and research effectively, they will not be prepared to sort through the immense mounds of objectionable material catapulted at them each time they access the internet. Students will not learn to find the educational jewels if they never have to use caution and discretion to wade through the irrelevant (and often inappropriate) materials. But when do we start expecting students to self-censor materials? Certainly not in Kindergarten, and probably not even in 2nd grade… What about 5th grade? Must we wait until middle or high school? Do we eliminate all censorship in education or just that of the secondary students? Drawing a line for censorship can be even trickier than eliminating it all together.
One issue that must be addressed in regards to having no censorship in education is one that student safety. The limitation of student access to only trustworthy resources protects schools and districts not only from lawsuits but also from unwanted viruses and hackers. A student simply attempting to download a document from a seemingly valid resource can result in a file virus or even a worm, which can then affect other computers within the district’s network (Gunter 2010). Ideally, anti-virus software will protect schools from this danger, but I have personally gotten a virus while having this protective software, so a young student in the classroom is equally susceptible. Also, the text discusses several ways in which the Federal Government, school districts, and even a single classroom teacher can (and do) monitor student interaction with virtual content. These methods ranged from nation-wide filtering software geared around the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) to curriculum pages with prepared links to reviewed sites for student use to teacher observation of all student computer activity (Gunter 2010). While these methods appear to simply be providing students with effective sites and means of research, they are still censoring materials available to our youth. While some may make the argument that teachers are able to find suitable materials for their students, once the teacher limits students to those chosen suitable resources, it becomes just as much censorship as the government telling us YouTube is not safe for school use.
Now, we must cross over to the other side, the side taken by writers such as Joseph Janes in his journal article Censorship Gets Smart (2009). Janes regards the implementation of the CIPA as being “forced down our throats.” Something that must be dealt with rather than appreciated. While Janes paints an entertaining and pretty convincing picture of the misguided attempts to maintain the oh-so-pure character of our nation’s (and world’s) citizens through censorship, I cannot help but wonder if he has ever actually set foot into an elementary classroom as a teacher or felt the weight of being responsible for everything that goes into the eyes, ears, and minds of twenty children from 8 am until that bell rings at 3 o’clock. My guess is probably not. Beyond the fact that censorship is yet another means of controlling our thoughts and viewpoints, today’s students must be prepared to not only interact with people in a face to face manner, but also to network with children and adults around the globe through the internet. In order for these students to effectively communicate, learn, and conduct business in this flat world (Gunter 2010), these students must be exposed to the virtual world as it really is. We will not be helping them as educators to simply provide them with the silver lining on a pre constructed curriculum page and not teach them how to search for and find it through appropriate research and self-filtering of materials.
I think we are capable and creative enough as educators to teach our students how to effectively search and filter through materials to find relevant and thought-provoking resources without exposing them to every website out there. Even with the already established censorship in today’s schools, there are still inappropriate and un-educational websites that students must be taught to avoid or recognize as incredible. They will be exposed to the crap at one time or another, of that I am sure, but it does not have to be at school. We barely have enough time to teach and expand upon the required curriculum, let alone explain to little Johnny why Pretty Lady 1 was blowing a kiss to Handsome Gentleman 1 while holding hands with Pretty Lady 2… all while wearing barely any clothing and saying naughty words. That is something I do not have a strong desire to willingly expose my students to every time they type the word three in a search engine. I will however explain to them how the Three Stooges are not relevant to the three stages of a plant’s life cycle they are supposed to be researching. In that respect, I suppose I ultimately find myself in favor of censorship. After all, if we cannot say it is best to eliminate all censorship in each area of education, then we are all, in some way or another, in favor of a form of censorship.
Janes, J. (2009). Censorship Gets Smart. American Libraries, 40(11), 32. Retrieved from Professional Development Collection database. Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010).
Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning
One issue that must be addressed in regards to having no censorship in education is one that student safety. The limitation of student access to only trustworthy resources protects schools and districts not only from lawsuits but also from unwanted viruses and hackers. A student simply attempting to download a document from a seemingly valid resource can result in a file virus or even a worm, which can then affect other computers within the district’s network (Gunter 2010). Ideally, anti-virus software will protect schools from this danger, but I have personally gotten a virus while having this protective software, so a young student in the classroom is equally susceptible. Also, the text discusses several ways in which the Federal Government, school districts, and even a single classroom teacher can (and do) monitor student interaction with virtual content. These methods ranged from nation-wide filtering software geared around the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) to curriculum pages with prepared links to reviewed sites for student use to teacher observation of all student computer activity (Gunter 2010). While these methods appear to simply be providing students with effective sites and means of research, they are still censoring materials available to our youth. While some may make the argument that teachers are able to find suitable materials for their students, once the teacher limits students to those chosen suitable resources, it becomes just as much censorship as the government telling us YouTube is not safe for school use.
Now, we must cross over to the other side, the side taken by writers such as Joseph Janes in his journal article Censorship Gets Smart (2009). Janes regards the implementation of the CIPA as being “forced down our throats.” Something that must be dealt with rather than appreciated. While Janes paints an entertaining and pretty convincing picture of the misguided attempts to maintain the oh-so-pure character of our nation’s (and world’s) citizens through censorship, I cannot help but wonder if he has ever actually set foot into an elementary classroom as a teacher or felt the weight of being responsible for everything that goes into the eyes, ears, and minds of twenty children from 8 am until that bell rings at 3 o’clock. My guess is probably not. Beyond the fact that censorship is yet another means of controlling our thoughts and viewpoints, today’s students must be prepared to not only interact with people in a face to face manner, but also to network with children and adults around the globe through the internet. In order for these students to effectively communicate, learn, and conduct business in this flat world (Gunter 2010), these students must be exposed to the virtual world as it really is. We will not be helping them as educators to simply provide them with the silver lining on a pre constructed curriculum page and not teach them how to search for and find it through appropriate research and self-filtering of materials.
I think we are capable and creative enough as educators to teach our students how to effectively search and filter through materials to find relevant and thought-provoking resources without exposing them to every website out there. Even with the already established censorship in today’s schools, there are still inappropriate and un-educational websites that students must be taught to avoid or recognize as incredible. They will be exposed to the crap at one time or another, of that I am sure, but it does not have to be at school. We barely have enough time to teach and expand upon the required curriculum, let alone explain to little Johnny why Pretty Lady 1 was blowing a kiss to Handsome Gentleman 1 while holding hands with Pretty Lady 2… all while wearing barely any clothing and saying naughty words. That is something I do not have a strong desire to willingly expose my students to every time they type the word three in a search engine. I will however explain to them how the Three Stooges are not relevant to the three stages of a plant’s life cycle they are supposed to be researching. In that respect, I suppose I ultimately find myself in favor of censorship. After all, if we cannot say it is best to eliminate all censorship in each area of education, then we are all, in some way or another, in favor of a form of censorship.
Janes, J. (2009). Censorship Gets Smart. American Libraries, 40(11), 32. Retrieved from Professional Development Collection database. Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010).
Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Networked Student_Oh, the possibilities
While it is not always easy or convenient to effectively integrate technology into the classroom, it is a necessary task to prepare 21st century students of all ages for today’s globally networked society. Wendy Drexler’s portrayal of the “networked student” provided a window into the possibilities of teaching through “connectivism.” Drexler defines connectivism as a “theory stating that learning occurs as part of a social network of many diverse connections and ties.” Though I am familiar with many different electronic portals through which learning may be facilitated, such as blogs, wikis, and podcasts, the coined term, connectivism, was still new to me. The reading provided an abundance of information on the resources available to through the internet, and this video clearly displayed not only how these resources can be utilized for education but how the virtual educational process can contribute to these resources (Gunter 2010).
I found the characteristics of how the networked student learns and communicates intriguing, but I also felt slightly overwhelmed. Every task seemed so seamlessly connected in the students’ learning experience, and every activity or post done with a specific purpose. As a teacher, my mind wandered to how I could ensure that each student is provided the same framework and starting tools going into this vast sea of valuable (and not so valuable) information without being there to actually teach them. How could I ensure that my students not only know how to type correctly and efficiently, but also that they are aware that a participatory website in which viewers may make modifications, such as Wikipedia, may not be deemed as credible though it may appear so (Gunter 2010)? It is no easy task, but with the proper training and practice, we can create 21st century virtual Jedi’s… and thus, successful citizens and leaders of the future.
Happily, as I watched the video a second time, the importance of the teacher’s role in connectivist teaching became clearer. Not only must the teacher instruct students how to search, but how to sift through the information for content that is credible and serves a purpose to the students. While student responsibility appears to be higher in this form of learning, it is not without scaffolding and support. It is just like with anything else in education, you must start by building a foundation of basic technology and internet skills, and then move to the networking and collaboration. This is where students delve deeper into discovery learning (Gunter 2010), not only by searching for their own material to add to their ever-growing virtual textbook, but also by exploring deeper into the topic at hand by visiting connected websites and blogs through site contained hyperlinks. Students must be taught that once they find a valuable information source, their exploring must not stop there. I feel learning has the most lasting impact when students initiate the search for knowledge themselves. Also, when the information is found out of genuine curiosity and interest, rather than forced retrieval of information, the students will take ownership of the resulting product. They can even go a step further in posting the resulting product for other students, or professionals, to view, comment on, or add to their own works in progress. Students are able to publish their own work and collaborate through the vast networks available online (Gunter 2010).
The many benefits of student driven virtual learning are apparent to me, but I still see one issue that must be addressed. What happens when students start giving the excuse, “My computer crashed last night, and my mom was working? I can’t complete my assignment.” I have already heard numerous accounts of students not completing typed work or assignments requiring internet due to computer malfunctions, and alternate assignments had to be given to satisfy student needs. Now, imagine if all assignments were not only on the computer, but each student’s assignment built on that of another student. They may require students to network with one another through a class blog or wiki, such as those available at ePals, or emailing pen pals in other states or countries, also available at ePals, which require full internet access (Gunter 2010). What would the alternate assignment be in this case; would there be one at all? Students could submit a written paper, I suppose, but then is the playing field still the same for each student? Perhaps, the day will come in which students are provided with the computers to take part in this virtual learning, and ideally we will have the technology support staff to accompany the disbursed technology ;) After all, technology is amazing, but it is not without flaws. We need to be sure as virtual education becomes less of a supplement and more of a requirement in today’s world that students are provided with consistent resources to partake in and succeed in the virtual classroom. I know one thing for certain, I would love the opportunity to teach in a paper-free environment and iron out all the kinks, especially in elementary school. We think students are creative and hard-working now? Imagine if they had the resources of the world wide web at their fingertips and assessment could be obtained through guided creative expression. The possibilities are endless, I know. Now just for the actual opportunity.
Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010). Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning
I found the characteristics of how the networked student learns and communicates intriguing, but I also felt slightly overwhelmed. Every task seemed so seamlessly connected in the students’ learning experience, and every activity or post done with a specific purpose. As a teacher, my mind wandered to how I could ensure that each student is provided the same framework and starting tools going into this vast sea of valuable (and not so valuable) information without being there to actually teach them. How could I ensure that my students not only know how to type correctly and efficiently, but also that they are aware that a participatory website in which viewers may make modifications, such as Wikipedia, may not be deemed as credible though it may appear so (Gunter 2010)? It is no easy task, but with the proper training and practice, we can create 21st century virtual Jedi’s… and thus, successful citizens and leaders of the future.
Happily, as I watched the video a second time, the importance of the teacher’s role in connectivist teaching became clearer. Not only must the teacher instruct students how to search, but how to sift through the information for content that is credible and serves a purpose to the students. While student responsibility appears to be higher in this form of learning, it is not without scaffolding and support. It is just like with anything else in education, you must start by building a foundation of basic technology and internet skills, and then move to the networking and collaboration. This is where students delve deeper into discovery learning (Gunter 2010), not only by searching for their own material to add to their ever-growing virtual textbook, but also by exploring deeper into the topic at hand by visiting connected websites and blogs through site contained hyperlinks. Students must be taught that once they find a valuable information source, their exploring must not stop there. I feel learning has the most lasting impact when students initiate the search for knowledge themselves. Also, when the information is found out of genuine curiosity and interest, rather than forced retrieval of information, the students will take ownership of the resulting product. They can even go a step further in posting the resulting product for other students, or professionals, to view, comment on, or add to their own works in progress. Students are able to publish their own work and collaborate through the vast networks available online (Gunter 2010).
The many benefits of student driven virtual learning are apparent to me, but I still see one issue that must be addressed. What happens when students start giving the excuse, “My computer crashed last night, and my mom was working? I can’t complete my assignment.” I have already heard numerous accounts of students not completing typed work or assignments requiring internet due to computer malfunctions, and alternate assignments had to be given to satisfy student needs. Now, imagine if all assignments were not only on the computer, but each student’s assignment built on that of another student. They may require students to network with one another through a class blog or wiki, such as those available at ePals, or emailing pen pals in other states or countries, also available at ePals, which require full internet access (Gunter 2010). What would the alternate assignment be in this case; would there be one at all? Students could submit a written paper, I suppose, but then is the playing field still the same for each student? Perhaps, the day will come in which students are provided with the computers to take part in this virtual learning, and ideally we will have the technology support staff to accompany the disbursed technology ;) After all, technology is amazing, but it is not without flaws. We need to be sure as virtual education becomes less of a supplement and more of a requirement in today’s world that students are provided with consistent resources to partake in and succeed in the virtual classroom. I know one thing for certain, I would love the opportunity to teach in a paper-free environment and iron out all the kinks, especially in elementary school. We think students are creative and hard-working now? Imagine if they had the resources of the world wide web at their fingertips and assessment could be obtained through guided creative expression. The possibilities are endless, I know. Now just for the actual opportunity.
Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010). Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning
Friday, September 10, 2010
Activity Reflection 1_Searching with a Purpose
Googol: noun. A cardinal number represented as 1 followed by 100 zeros (ten raised to the power of a hundred) (http://www.definitions.net/definition/googol).
That is A LOT of zeroes, and an equally overwhelming amount of search results to wade through. While I am an avid Google user on an everyday basis, when it comes to finding a reading lesson focusing on main idea, I dread the mounds of virtual “crap” I undoubtedly must sort through to find a single quality educational resource I can use in my classroom. I would visit the returned sites and weed them out one by one, until finally I would be able to find a reputable teacher’s web page or a site created by experts in the field. But then another search begins! I must then search through the site to find the most relevant and applicable lesson or activity for my classroom purposes. After all, just because the activity had the words “main idea” peppered within its description does not mean it is age appropriate or meeting the intended standards. We spend more time as educators sifting through the irrelevant information than actually delving deeper into a truly well-crafted and useful resource.
As a new teacher, researching more effective educational search tools and resource pages is a helpful and time-saving task (ironic in that it takes quite a bit of time to do thoroughly). While I found several applicable resources, a few that really stuck out to me were Education World (www.education-world.com), FirstGov for Kids (kids.gov), and Learning Page (learningpage.com). Each of these sites offers an efficient means of searching for ready to use classroom resources readily organized into a variety of subject areas. While Education World offers student activity and lesson ideas, it also has a section dedicated to Technology Integration, School Issues, and Professional Development. This site is geared toward the teacher building her own lesson, whereas FirstGov offers resources for building lessons, but also provides ready to use activities. At FirstGov, teachers, students, and parents are able to search by subject area for interactive educational activities. Many of the activities on this site are online, so students can extend their learning beyond the school day, a continuous goal for many teachers. FirstGov also has a page linking to each state’s website, which I found spectacular, partly because geography is an easily ignored topic nowadays, and partly because I secretly love well-organized and visually pleasing educational information. What teacher doesn’t dream of a list of educator-reviewed resources with a to-the-point summary of each one’s academic value and a listed source for the activity… in alphabetical order OR sorted by subject? I can’t think of a single one.
Clearly, FirstGov is extremely well-organized, as is my final favorite site, Learning Page. This site is not geared toward students, but educators, in that it offers resources to accompany your lesson plans such as work sheets and ready-made educational packs. Many schools do team lesson plans, in which each teacher on the grade level shares the same lesson plan. While it is convenient, it is unrealistic to believe that the students in every class have the same needs and learning interests. This is where sites such as Learning Page come in to play. Teachers are able to search by the topic of their lesson, and they can then choose any supplemental pages they would like to add to their lesson in order to differentiate for their students. The fantastic thing is that this is also a free site, and registered members are able to download mini books and vocabulary books for use in their classroom. You can never get enough books, and this is a great way to choose books based on your students’ levels and send them home for students to utilize. I know many of my students do not have access to books at home, so these books would be a great weekly giveaway in my classroom.
Another great resource is Renzulli Learning, and while it is not free, I thought it was worth mentioning. Renzulli is not only an educational search engine, but a differentiated search engine. Each student must complete a learning profile when they first log in, but then when students search for a topic, it returns results geared toward their learning interests. Teachers are also able to go in, search for activities by topic or standard, and assign activities to specific students or groups of students based on their interests. With differentiation being such a hot word in education right now, this has been a necessary resource for attempting to integrate more individualized technology into the classroom. There are numerous quality resources available to educators, but we must put in the time to search through them intitially. Once we bookmark the sites offering the most consistent and well-organized educational resources, we can simply return to those proven sites for a much more directed and less time-consuming search. I can officially say that my Favorites list has grown by at least five these past couple days, and I'm a better person (at least a better educator/resource searcher) for it. Happy searching!
That is A LOT of zeroes, and an equally overwhelming amount of search results to wade through. While I am an avid Google user on an everyday basis, when it comes to finding a reading lesson focusing on main idea, I dread the mounds of virtual “crap” I undoubtedly must sort through to find a single quality educational resource I can use in my classroom. I would visit the returned sites and weed them out one by one, until finally I would be able to find a reputable teacher’s web page or a site created by experts in the field. But then another search begins! I must then search through the site to find the most relevant and applicable lesson or activity for my classroom purposes. After all, just because the activity had the words “main idea” peppered within its description does not mean it is age appropriate or meeting the intended standards. We spend more time as educators sifting through the irrelevant information than actually delving deeper into a truly well-crafted and useful resource.
As a new teacher, researching more effective educational search tools and resource pages is a helpful and time-saving task (ironic in that it takes quite a bit of time to do thoroughly). While I found several applicable resources, a few that really stuck out to me were Education World (www.education-world.com), FirstGov for Kids (kids.gov), and Learning Page (learningpage.com). Each of these sites offers an efficient means of searching for ready to use classroom resources readily organized into a variety of subject areas. While Education World offers student activity and lesson ideas, it also has a section dedicated to Technology Integration, School Issues, and Professional Development. This site is geared toward the teacher building her own lesson, whereas FirstGov offers resources for building lessons, but also provides ready to use activities. At FirstGov, teachers, students, and parents are able to search by subject area for interactive educational activities. Many of the activities on this site are online, so students can extend their learning beyond the school day, a continuous goal for many teachers. FirstGov also has a page linking to each state’s website, which I found spectacular, partly because geography is an easily ignored topic nowadays, and partly because I secretly love well-organized and visually pleasing educational information. What teacher doesn’t dream of a list of educator-reviewed resources with a to-the-point summary of each one’s academic value and a listed source for the activity… in alphabetical order OR sorted by subject? I can’t think of a single one.
Clearly, FirstGov is extremely well-organized, as is my final favorite site, Learning Page. This site is not geared toward students, but educators, in that it offers resources to accompany your lesson plans such as work sheets and ready-made educational packs. Many schools do team lesson plans, in which each teacher on the grade level shares the same lesson plan. While it is convenient, it is unrealistic to believe that the students in every class have the same needs and learning interests. This is where sites such as Learning Page come in to play. Teachers are able to search by the topic of their lesson, and they can then choose any supplemental pages they would like to add to their lesson in order to differentiate for their students. The fantastic thing is that this is also a free site, and registered members are able to download mini books and vocabulary books for use in their classroom. You can never get enough books, and this is a great way to choose books based on your students’ levels and send them home for students to utilize. I know many of my students do not have access to books at home, so these books would be a great weekly giveaway in my classroom.
Another great resource is Renzulli Learning, and while it is not free, I thought it was worth mentioning. Renzulli is not only an educational search engine, but a differentiated search engine. Each student must complete a learning profile when they first log in, but then when students search for a topic, it returns results geared toward their learning interests. Teachers are also able to go in, search for activities by topic or standard, and assign activities to specific students or groups of students based on their interests. With differentiation being such a hot word in education right now, this has been a necessary resource for attempting to integrate more individualized technology into the classroom. There are numerous quality resources available to educators, but we must put in the time to search through them intitially. Once we bookmark the sites offering the most consistent and well-organized educational resources, we can simply return to those proven sites for a much more directed and less time-consuming search. I can officially say that my Favorites list has grown by at least five these past couple days, and I'm a better person (at least a better educator/resource searcher) for it. Happy searching!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Quality or Convenience?
Just as the Sunshine State Standards do not remain an unwavering set of expectations students must meet, nor do the needs and learning preferences of students remain a constant in education. Just this past year, the Sunshine State Standards for both Math and Science were updated, and the curriculum teachers delivered followed suit. After all, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) would be assessing the students on these very standards, and here in Florida, we teach to this test, whether you like it or not. The FCAT determines every public school grade throughout the state of Florida, not only representing school quality, but clearly indicating each student’s mastery of necessary skills and preparedness for future success. Right? I disagree. This may have rung true 20, even 15, years ago, but in today’s world, we house a different type of student, the digital student. The annual paper-pencil test is no longer enough to evaluate a student’s ability to succeed in the 21st century.
Not only do digital students require a different skill set to succeed in today’s world, but they come in with a different skill set and areas of interest. Digital students often come in the classroom having been predisposed to personal computers, electronic handheld devices, and video game consoles (Gunter 2010). Fifteen years ago, these technologies were not nearly as commonplace as they are today, and they certainly did not play a major role in the molding of children. Today, we as educators cannot expect students to walk in the classroom and simply “turn off” every interest and mode of entertainment they are engulfed in daily. Yet, in our 90 minute Reading block and 60 minute Math block, the curriculum is expected to be followed with fidelity. Often times this does not include an area of technological integration. We may not veer from that curriculum because our children are “high need” and from a low income school, and we must ensure they are successful… or at least make them pass the FCAT. But what will happen once the FCAT is over, once they are out of school, once they must compete with other more privileged students in the real world? At most low-income schools, the students will not stand a chance. While they will be skilled test takers and able to bubble in answers on a scantron, will they be able to effectively navigate the internet and locate credible resources? Will they be able to communicate in this “flat world” with others across the globe through email, blogs, and wikis (Gunter 2010)? They will not be prepared to succeed if we do not get them ready.
“Integration” is a hot word in education, and it is a necessary element for teachers to successfully prepare today’s digital students for success in an even more elaborate and ever changing digital society. For example, not all public schools have a Technology Committee working side by side with them to evaluate their technology usage in the schools and how well their students are prepared for today’s digital world (Gunter 2010). The technology committee at my school consisted of me and about five other teachers, none of which had extensive experience with educational technology integration or the National Educational Technology Standards. Our job was to determine what should be on the school website, not what the most effective means of technology integration were for the insured success of our students. The example provided in the reading was the polar opposite. The technology committee in the reading seems ideal, in that educational professionals, parents, and students comprise it, and there is a set goal and detailed technology plan (Gunter 2010). This would seem the most effective collection for a successful technology committee.
Utilizing educational technology to appeal to digital students in a high-need, high-structure school can be a bit more of a challenge. Rather than putting a data question in front of students during the Math block, and expecting them to work it out with paper and pencil (because that is what they will do on the FCAT), teachers could ideally help students increase their data literacy through digital media. Simply having students interact with the data through an online game would be a simple method of technology integration, but not even the requirement of digital supplements seems to be made a requirement. Unfortunately, if something is not made a requirement in the school setting, it often gets dismissed as unimportant and arbitrary. There are so many websites and software programs available to supplement the necessary curriculum, but there simply is not the time or freedom to implement these relevant and engaging resources. Unfortunately, no matter how determined a teacher is to appeal to her students through technology and digital media, administration and the school district must share this same commitment and set of priorities for the initiative to be successful. On the same note, adequate support must be provided to make this integration not only successful, but meaningful.
Finally, while many students may bring cell phones, PDAs, and even lap tops to school daily, what about those students who do not have the means to do so? How are we able to level the playing field? These same students are the ones who are receiving the limited curriculum, and while providing class materials and activities through online portals or mobile devices is a phenomenal advancement, what do teachers do about those students who do not have the hardware to participate? They cannot just be left behind to drown in the mediocrity of yesterday, and then held to the same standard as the students flooded with digital tools and technology enriched educational experiences. I believe the first step to truly preparing our digital kids for the “flat world” is making sure each student receives the same tools to succeed. Whether this means media literacy, data literacy, and an understanding of digital media as a whole must be added to the FCAT in order for it to be consistently taught, I am not sure. But one thing is certain: our priorities must change (Gunter 2010).
Not only do digital students require a different skill set to succeed in today’s world, but they come in with a different skill set and areas of interest. Digital students often come in the classroom having been predisposed to personal computers, electronic handheld devices, and video game consoles (Gunter 2010). Fifteen years ago, these technologies were not nearly as commonplace as they are today, and they certainly did not play a major role in the molding of children. Today, we as educators cannot expect students to walk in the classroom and simply “turn off” every interest and mode of entertainment they are engulfed in daily. Yet, in our 90 minute Reading block and 60 minute Math block, the curriculum is expected to be followed with fidelity. Often times this does not include an area of technological integration. We may not veer from that curriculum because our children are “high need” and from a low income school, and we must ensure they are successful… or at least make them pass the FCAT. But what will happen once the FCAT is over, once they are out of school, once they must compete with other more privileged students in the real world? At most low-income schools, the students will not stand a chance. While they will be skilled test takers and able to bubble in answers on a scantron, will they be able to effectively navigate the internet and locate credible resources? Will they be able to communicate in this “flat world” with others across the globe through email, blogs, and wikis (Gunter 2010)? They will not be prepared to succeed if we do not get them ready.
“Integration” is a hot word in education, and it is a necessary element for teachers to successfully prepare today’s digital students for success in an even more elaborate and ever changing digital society. For example, not all public schools have a Technology Committee working side by side with them to evaluate their technology usage in the schools and how well their students are prepared for today’s digital world (Gunter 2010). The technology committee at my school consisted of me and about five other teachers, none of which had extensive experience with educational technology integration or the National Educational Technology Standards. Our job was to determine what should be on the school website, not what the most effective means of technology integration were for the insured success of our students. The example provided in the reading was the polar opposite. The technology committee in the reading seems ideal, in that educational professionals, parents, and students comprise it, and there is a set goal and detailed technology plan (Gunter 2010). This would seem the most effective collection for a successful technology committee.
Utilizing educational technology to appeal to digital students in a high-need, high-structure school can be a bit more of a challenge. Rather than putting a data question in front of students during the Math block, and expecting them to work it out with paper and pencil (because that is what they will do on the FCAT), teachers could ideally help students increase their data literacy through digital media. Simply having students interact with the data through an online game would be a simple method of technology integration, but not even the requirement of digital supplements seems to be made a requirement. Unfortunately, if something is not made a requirement in the school setting, it often gets dismissed as unimportant and arbitrary. There are so many websites and software programs available to supplement the necessary curriculum, but there simply is not the time or freedom to implement these relevant and engaging resources. Unfortunately, no matter how determined a teacher is to appeal to her students through technology and digital media, administration and the school district must share this same commitment and set of priorities for the initiative to be successful. On the same note, adequate support must be provided to make this integration not only successful, but meaningful.
Finally, while many students may bring cell phones, PDAs, and even lap tops to school daily, what about those students who do not have the means to do so? How are we able to level the playing field? These same students are the ones who are receiving the limited curriculum, and while providing class materials and activities through online portals or mobile devices is a phenomenal advancement, what do teachers do about those students who do not have the hardware to participate? They cannot just be left behind to drown in the mediocrity of yesterday, and then held to the same standard as the students flooded with digital tools and technology enriched educational experiences. I believe the first step to truly preparing our digital kids for the “flat world” is making sure each student receives the same tools to succeed. Whether this means media literacy, data literacy, and an understanding of digital media as a whole must be added to the FCAT in order for it to be consistently taught, I am not sure. But one thing is certain: our priorities must change (Gunter 2010).
Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010). Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning
Friday, August 27, 2010
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