Success Stories

Week 13

As I read through the different success stories, I found the story What Did You Do In The War, Grandma? the most interesting. This site was set up by some teachers for high school honor students to add to. The purpose of this site was for students to learn through oral history. The assignment the students completed was to interview a woman who had lived during the time of WW II. Each interview was then put into writing and posted on this site.

I really enjoyed looking through all the different interviews. If I were a student who was a part of the class that created this site, I think I would have enjoyed this assignment. As a teacher I can see how this type of project could help every student connect with history in a tangible way. I can also see how using the web to publish their findings would motivate students to do their best, because they would know that their work would be accessible to the world.

Beyond Technology

Week 12

I read the article Beyond Technology: Making a Difference in Student Performance by Jamie McKenzie. This article discusses the importance of planning how technology will be implemented into the classroom before schools spent lots of money in equipment. McKenzie indicates that the planning and the buying of equipment needs to go hand in hand. He lists ten strategies for introducing technology in to the classroom.

Strategy 1: Put learning first not technology. (Technology should enhance the learning process not overtake the learning process.)

Strategy 2: Build Support (Teachers need to feel that their use of technology in the classroom will be supported by the school, district and the community.)

Strategy 3: Invest in Staff Growth (Make sure teachers are train and feel comfortable using the technology and then schools will see the value of technology in the classroom.)

Strategy 4: Slow Down (The technology market wants schools to buy their products, but schools need to think and plan before they buy any product. This way schools will know what they want to accomplish with the technology they have bought.)

Strategy 5: Adequate resources (Teachers and schools need to make sure that there are adequate resources available. If a school trains their teachers in the use a specific type of technology then the school needs to make sure there are resources that support teachers in the use of that technology. If teachers are expected to use computers and they have been trained to use them, then they need to have computers available of use by the students.)

Strategy 6: Use assessment to steer programs (Schools need to make sure they are assessing whether or not the technology being used is effective in the learning and teaching process.)

Strategy 7: Shed the ineffectual (Schools need to make sure their attitude is not one of just wanting to see that computers are being used. They should be looking to see if the use of computers are effective.)

Strategy 8: Remember the lessons from the past (Schools should be looking and researching how other schools or districts have dealt with technology and see if what those schools or districts tried actually worked.)

Strategy 9: Heed Research (If research has been done and it indicates that a certain type of techology use does not work, then do not implement that type of technology.)

Strategy 10: Ask good questions (Ask questions of the vender and of others who have experience using the technology in an educational realm.)

It is evident after reading this article that schools need to plan for how technology will be used, train their teachers through multiple methods, and allow for teachers to use technology in many different ways. If a teacher has been involved in learning about technology and researching the effects of technology in the educational realm, schools and administration should listen to what they have learned.

Strategies and Applications for the One Computer Classrooms

Week 11

I read the article Strategies and Applications for the One Computer Classrooms by Linda J. Burkhart. This article gave ideas for how teachers might utilize one computer in the classroom. The first idea was using the computer as a teacher tool to keep records and to create charts, worksheets, certificates, and much more. The second idea was to use it as a multi-media chalkboard or flip chart. The third idea was to use the classroom computer as a tool for individual input in a group project. The forth idea is to use it as a learning center. The fifth idea is to use the computer as a coopertive learning tool. The last idea in this article is for the computer to be used for individual students to practice and to be assessed.

The first way of using a computer in the classroom is the most common use for a single computer in a classroom. Most teachers use computers to keep record of their grades. Many teachers use computers to create different items for their class, such as a newsletter, worksheets, rubrics, and certificates. The next idea of using a computer to present ideas to the class is interesting. For this to work the computer needs to be connected to a TV so that all the students will be able to see what is being presented. The next three ideas are similar and require the students to use the computer in groups. This can be a great way to integrate the use of one classroom computer into the learning process. The last way of using the computer is for individual practice adn assessment. This idea might be used when students are required to use a program such as Accerated Reader or a typing program.

Authentic Assessment Overview

Week 10

I read the article Authentic Assessment Overview by Pearson Education Development Group. This article defines authentic assessment as assessing students' ability to use and integrate the knowledge they have gained in the classroom. This type of assessment is interested equally in both the learning process and the end product. This article lists five different types of learning activities or "performance samples". 1) Performance assessment - This includes writing papers and essays, long term science experiment, and working with a team in a debate. 2) Short Investigations 3) Open-Response Questions 4) Portfolios 5) Self-assessment

This article was very interesting and a good reminder of what authentic assessment should look like. It reminded me that it is very important for students to be assessed both in the process of their learning and the end product, which shows what they learned. The authors also indicated that students need to know what the teacher expects and this can be accomplished through giving the students a rubric. As a teacher I have used rubrics numerous times. In my experience rubrics help students to stay focused, but they also help the teacher to stay focused when grading papers, projects, oral reports, and an other type of project.

Fishing the Net

Week 9

I read the article Fishing the Net by Gerald D. Bailey and Dan Lumley. This article discusses the rapid growth of information available to the public and the need for teachers to help students sift through and identify information that is relevant to them. The authors present a seven-step model, which is designed to clarify information.

Step 1: Start with the right question (guiding question) - This will help students stay on track when sifting through the information on the internet.

Step 2: Organize your search - Teachers and students need to understand how Internet searches work, along with how to keep track of information they have found (using bookmarks).

Step 3: Selecting appropriate search tools - (knowing what search engines are available and the type of information they will search through)

Step 4: Analyzing online resources - Deciding if a web site is credible or if the information is false. (understanding the domain indicators - .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .net, .org, .us, .uk, etc... and what that idicates about the information)

Step 5: Synthesizing, sorting and sifting - This is a step common in every research project no matter where the information is collected from (Internet, Encyclopedia, books, etc...).

Step 6: Publishing new information - This article puts for the idea of creating web sites. (Other ways of publishing new information is through blogging, writing papers - school newpaper, creating movies - iMovie or MovieMaker)

Step 7: Getting feedback - learning and discovering ways to get feedback from more then the teacher.

I like how this article provides seven steps for looking up information on the Internet, using the information, and then publishing the information. This article could be very useful for teachers as it gives a clear frame for working with information on Internet. These steps could be very useful to help students understand the steps in a research project.

Laptop Lessons

Week 8

I read the article Laptop Lessons by Stephen J. Valentine. This article is a great argument for the integration of laptops into the classroom. Valentine said in this article that when he uses laptops in his classroom the students are all engaged in the learning process. He does not paint a rosie picture of integrating laptops. He also talks about the negative parts of technology in the classroom. Technology does not always work correctly and sometimes it just breaks down all together, which creates a lot of stress not only for the teacher but also for the students.

I liked how Valentine shared how students used technology. I agree with Valentine that technology can break down barriers between social classes and hierarchy. Valentine experienced this when his students started to chat with him on-line after school. I really like this idea, because students start to view teachers in a different way. They start to see teachers as approachable and someone to whom they can ask questions in an informal way.

Understanding By Design (UBD)

Week 7

I read the article Understanding By Design (UBD). This article discussed the different aspects of instructional design. It talked about how a well designed lesson or unit will engage the students. It will help students to reflect on what they are learning. It will also use multiple ways of assessing students. Overall the students will know what they are learning, how they are learning, and most importantly why they are learning the material.

I really liked how this article listed out the expectations for a well designed lesson or unit. I also liked how it listed what the teacher was expected to do when presenting the lesson or unit and what the students were expected to know throughout the lesson or unit. I think it is very important for the teacher to understand what their role is along with the role of the lesson or unit and the role of the students.

Technology in Social Studies

Week 6

I read the article Technology in Social Studies. This article gave ideas for how to integrate technology into the Social Studies curriculum. Technology can enhance students learning through simulations, charting and graphing technology. I really like how this article helped give ideas of how to use technology to improve student learning in the classroom. I think that allowing students to experience history through simulations is a wonderful idea.

As a teacher in an elementary classroom I could definitly see the benefits of using simulation programs in social studies, especially if the simulation program helped students to see and understand other cultures. I would also like to experiment with a mapping program, as geography can be a hard concept for some students to understand.

Virtual Reality Transforms Virtual Museums

Week 5 Readings

I read the article Virtual Reality Transforms Virtual Museums,Online Exhibits and Exploratoriums by Jamie McKenzie. This article not only discussed virtual online exhibits and museums but it gave the read opportunities to visit some virtual online exhibits and museums. These types of virtual online experiences give people the opportunity to interact with objects and places they would otherwise never experience.

These types of virtual online experiences could be very beneficial for students and schools. Many schools and their families do not have the finances to go on lots of field trips and most definitely they do not have the finances to travel to another country to experience a new culture. Going on a virtual field trip can enhance students' understanding of other cultures, ancient civilizations, art, and much more.

Roadmap to Success: A Curriculum Mapping Primer

Week 4 Readings

I read the article Roadmap to Success: A Curriculum Mapping Primer. This article defines what a curriculum map is and its purpose. This article also has links to site with examples of curriculum maps. It also explains who is involved in writing curriculum maps. This article explains that a curriculum map is a work in progress and is always changing as teachers learn new techniques.

I think that curriculum mapping is a great idea for uniting a school both in curriculum and in staff. Creating a curriculum map and then revising year after year will help teachers to understand how they fit into the big picture of the school. It will also help teachers to communicate with each other and over time they may feel comfortable sharing new ideas and techniques.

Week 3 Reading

I read the article Technology-Rich Classroom by Drew Tiene and Pamela Luft. This article discussed a study that was done in Kent, OH. The study focused on how students and teachers use different types of technology in the classroom. Through the study they found that word processing programs, web browsers, and presentation software were the most important types of technology for student learning. There were other types of technology such as computer/TV projectors, digital cameras, and document cameras that were also very useful.

I would have to agree with this article that word processing programs are at the top of the list for being most used. These type of programs can be used for every subject, as writing has been integrated into all subject areas. The web browsers is an important tools for research. In today's world more people go to the Internet to research a topic before they go to a library. Teachers such be using the Internet with their students to help them learn how to use it well. The last piece of technology which the article said teachers valued was presentation software. I agree that this is an important part of technology. Students need to learn multiple ways of presenting information. Today that are many different ways to present information. Students can use PowerPoint. They can use other programs that will help them produce brochures. They now have access to producing web pages. I think that the presentation software will become more valuable over time.

Building Knowledge

As I read 'Building Knowledge: One Teacher's Experience Combining Technology and Constructivism' by Katherine Williams I was impressed with the depth of the project she chose for her students. It sounded like a fun project and one that I would have enjoyed working on as a student. The project not only assessed students on their understanding of their local enviornment, but it also assessed their ability to use technology as a tool and their ability to work cooperatively within a group. This type of project must have taken a lot of time to create and implement, but the outcome sounds like it is well worth the effort.