ITC Blog

Final Refection for EDUC 6715

(The Last Stop on the Path to Integrating Technology in Curriculum Program and the Beginning of a New Path)

Our objective in this course was to identify new and emerging technologies and how to influence adoption and implement them in our curriculum.  Digital games was the area that I investigated.  They have completely changed from when I was a student.  They range from skill and drill type games to very advanced problem solving games.  They provide high interest authentic learning where students are actively engaged.  The students enjoy them and the outcome is based on the students’ actions.  They build on the students’ prior computer literacy that they have obtained in the outside world and connect it to school learning.  

Unfortunately some games can be seen as not an educational choice and some will shy away from them, however our principal supports the use of educational games.  One problem is that teachers need more training in the types of games that are out there, and how to implement them.  I would like to see our teachers work at our school to have a technology share time where we share what we have discovered with other teachers and discuss our findings.  Rather than reinventing the wheel each time we are looking for technology it would be better to see if we could collaborate and share technology findings. 

One resource which I believe I will use the most from this course is Second Life. The resources and online collaboration seem to be a wise choice for keeping up with technology.  The availability of the free resources is great.  I like that I continue my professional development opportunities at little or no cost.  

I look forward to continuing my own professional development now that I have completed my Walden courses and I feel that I have the resources to continue to seek out new technology and integrate it into the curriculum.

The benfits of CMS

http://voicethread.com/share/1184168/

Reflection

This last 8 weeks we have been learning about Differentiated Instruction and Universal Design for Learning.  The benefit of this class was that we spent a lot of time looking for resources and then we were given time to work with our group to share resources.  Having the oppurtunity to be exposed to all the available resources from my group members was very beneficial.  I have linked most of the resources from my group to my del.ic.ious. site.   I also found the CAST site to be most beneficial as a resource and I plan to use it from now on.

As I have been researching and planning for UDL and DI, I have begun to implement some of the procedures and aspects of UDL in the classroom.  I have provided leveled text using an online site to change the readability level.  I have started to implement video clips to help activate prior knowledge for my students.  The web has also provided resources to enrich and extend learning, and I have been able to have students crrat voice threads where the articles they uploaded were differentiated.  This class definitely provided a strong background for me to base my knowledge of UDL.

Final Reflection for EDUC 6713I-6

This last eight weeks I created a GAME plan and I feel it was a solid plan.  My goal was to create a unit where my students made digital stories that summarized key events of the Civil War in South Carolina.  The GAME plan turned my endeavor into manageable steps.  I was able to follow through and complete the lessons and ultimately my GAME plan.  The students were really excited to learn about digital storytelling.  I feel that the rich conversation that took place about the Civil War was very valuable.  The students analyzed pictures and determined which pictures they should place in their project.  They also spent time researching and writing their scripts.  I would definitely use this technology again.  I am also a little bit excited because after my plan the school was able to download Photostory to all the computers in the school.  Several other teachers have asked me about the project and are going to try digital storytelling in the classroom as well.

In doing these projects throughout the class I also have really seen the impact of using this technology in the content areas.  I think that the students were authentically engaged and learned quite a bit of content while also increasing their technology skills as well.  I feel that I have way surpassed the state’s technology standards.  I definitely have implemented many of the NETS-S standards for the students.  I think that the GAME plan is a very effective method of planning and I almost think that this course should have been placed earlier in the sequence of instruction.  I know I would have benefited from the knowledge of this plan.

Using the GAME Plan with Students

In the 2007 NETS for Students the standard on Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making are very appropriate for my third grade students. In my classroom we are working on having the students research topics independently and using reflection to synthesize their learning.  The GAME Plan would be very effective for the students to use as they approach this standard.  The plan would help scaffold this standard and provide support for students to make decisions.  To give my students a step by step plan to use when they are trying to use the critical thinking skills in research and technology will be very beneficial. 

The students will be creating a Voicethread describing the effects of the Great Depression in South Carolina soon.  The Voicethread is a neat option because it provides so many different options for downloading artifacts.  The students will be given the topic and key points they will need to decide how they are going to do the project.  With help from the plan they can break this project into manageable steps.  They can set Goals for the project, what they want to create, and how they plan to create the project.  They can describe the Actions it will take, the processes they need to complete.  I think to help them monitor their project a checklist could be created to guide them.  In the evaluation  process I think the students would need to have a self evaluation and reflection of their project.  Their projects would also be graded according to a rubric, so they would know that they would have to meet that level of work as well.  The Game Plan would definitely help my students.

ISTE. (2007). NETS for Students. Retrieved from ISTE website:http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007_Standards.pdf

Revising my Game Plan

I have been working on this plan, right now I think the project is progressing well.  I have had to continually tweak this project.  My students were having problems saving the jpegs, so I had to do a mini lesson on this.  Then I discovered that there was a problem in where the students were saving their work.  I had to set up individual student folders on the schools H drive.  After all software problems were resolved I am now working on obtaining the hardware.  My curriculum coach put out a district wide microphone all call, so that we would have enough microphones for the students to use to record their narratives. 

Now I just need to make sure that the students have mastered the content enough to create a narrative.  I have also done a few sequencing mini lessons, because the students were researching independently they had the key topics they just didn’t know how they fit chronologically in the big picture.   I feel that right now I don’t need to rvise the plan any further or set new goals just yet.  I am excited to finish this project with my students soon.

My Game Plan

My plan for completing digital storytelling is going along well.  The students have been researching the key events and people of the Civil War in South Carolina.   They are very excited about the project.  The essential question I gave them was; “What caused South Carolina to secede?  What happened next?”  The students were so intrigued they chose their own ways to research on what they were interested in studying.  I feel that the multiple methods of research available were influenced by UDL.  It also seems to be a bit problem based with a puzzling questions.

My curriculum coach and the co-curricular technology teacher have been very helpful with this project.  My students were able to search for images and pictures during their technology block.  One problem I have been facing is having the district download photostory to all of the computers in the lab.  They are downloaded in my classroom.  I might have to adapt the timeline and have small groups complete their stories in my room without being able to plan on using the whole class computer lab.  I will have until next Tuesday to figure this part out.  On the most part I think I am good to go.

Monitoring My GAME Plan Progress

This week as I continue to work on my GAME Plan to have my students create a digital storytelling project I feel that things are starting to come together. 

What information and resources have I found, and what have I learned?

After meeting with a colleague and my curriculum coach I feel that I am off to a wonderful start.  With a fellow third grade teacher I further clarified the standards and indicators that would be addressed in this activity.  After narrowing the scope of my project I was able to pull information and resources for the students to research.  Then I met with my curriculum coach for a mini-lesson on story telling. I was introduced to the techniques and some sample projects. I had a choice between two different software programs.  After analyzing the programs we decided that PhotoStory would be the best program for my third graders.  It has an easy format and the option for students to create their own music.  I think this will be a great program to use.

What Modifications do I need?

 So far, things are right on track.  The support of my colleagues and coach have been very beneficial to the success of this plan.

What Questions do I have? 

Now that I have started to pull this project together my main concern is the timeline of this project.  I don’t know how long it will take to complete.  I think I will have to discuss the timeline with other colleagues who have completed this type of project.

I think my GAME Plan has been a helpful way to help me narrow this project into tiny manageable steps.

Resources and Plans for the GAME Plan

My goal is to create a digital story telling lesson with opportunities for formative and summative assessments.   The next step is to determine the resources I need for my GAME plan.  First, I need some help in planning the digital storytelling lesson.  I have arranged to meet with my curriculum coach to help me with this project.  She teaches a class on digital storytelling for enrichment students during the summer.  She will be an excellent resource.  My coach will plan with me as I determine which standards to focus on for instruction. 

When determining what additional information I need, I see that I do not know much about digital storytelling.  I will need to explore the digital storytelling process to become familiar with the steps to create one.  I plan to use my coach and the internet for this information.

I have also arranged to use the school’s cameras as well as a few parent volunteers to assist with this project.  I feel that this project will be a great learning experience for my students as well as an opportunity for me to improve my technology skills.

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Using the GAME Plan to Incorporate NETS-T Standards

The International Society for Technology in Education standards for teachers to use to increase technology in the classroom has several standards and indicators.  The first indicator I plan to focus on is 1C, “promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes” (2008).  This standard is important because it will allow for students to synthesize and evaluate their learning.  The second standard that I will implement is standard 2a, which states that teachers will, “design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity” (2008).  Providing opportunities for students to use digital resources in learning prepares them for the future.

Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer, list a GAME strategy for implementing technology instruction (2009).  To implement these indicators in the classroom the Game strategy will be very effective.

Goal:

• To create a digital storytelling lesson where students will create and illustrate a narrative story, written from the viewpoint of someone living during that time.
• Provide opportunities for formative and summative assessments.

Action:

• Analyze what content the students need to be able to write the narrative.
• Provide opportunities for research.
• Coordinate parent volunteers to help students.
• Provide direct instruction and modeling of the digital storytelling process.

Monitor:

• Observe students’ progress and provide feedback as they create a digital story.
• Modify instruction if needed to scaffold learning.
• Resources will be made available as needed.

Evaluate and Extend:

• Students will have a completed digital story for assessment. 
• Observations of the steps provide for formative assessment. 
• Students will be able to take the content knowledge and apply it to historical concepts. 
• Digital storytelling can be used in other content areas after the students have become familiar with the process. 

The GAME plan will help technology be introduced in the class.  The students will benefit from the opportunity to create a digital story.  Combining content area curriculum, illustrations, and narrative writing with digital resources will offer students the opportunity to synthesize their learning.

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers 
     NETS-T. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
     2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.

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