Since I have already integrated many web-based technologies into my classroom, I think I had a fairly strong knowledge of how to use and manipulate the tools for my desired outcomes. However, I believe that the process by which I apply and implement the tools has improved greatly, which will hopefully allow me to evaluate the overall change enacted by the tool in a more systematic way as well. One of the main goals I had for the certificate courses was to develop a more systematic approach for seeking out new technology tools, meeting curriculum standards, and improving and extending the learning experience in authentic ways. I also really hoped to gain a better understanding of how to use research to drive technology integration, as well as my own ability to assess how learning was actually improved by using the technology tool. I have made substantial progress towards these goals.
One of the most important things I learned during this course was how to focus my own approach towards technology in order to work towards real change. While I was always a strong believer in using technology to re-create the learning experience (not merely for its own sake), I believe that I have developed a much more straight forward method for applying new technology tools in my classroom. Part of this method is identifying and evaluating the issue first, using research to guide my choice of tool and implementation process, determining how I will assess the change in learning via the tool, and reflecting on future improvements and adjustments. Another key element of effective teaching that I reconsidered during this course is to apply what I already know about effective teaching strategies to technology integration. For example, students learn better when they are engaged in the material, which often times in language arts means having the power to choose reading material of interest. This is often limited when working with traditional textbooks, and I can see how teachers could easily incorporate the same limitations into a technology based lesson where students respond to the same electronic article. However, I believe I have really learned to focus on overcoming traditional limitations. If technology tools allow for more effective teaching strategies to be incorporated into the classroom, it is important for me to be aware of creative opportunities to adjust my own curriculum.
My current goals are focused on actually implementing many of the projects I have created over the course of these classes, as well as additional project ideas I have brainstormed. One of the greatest limitations of taking these courses over the summer was the inability to actually implement the work into my classroom. This required me to make guesses and predictions instead of actually analyzing authentic results. Unfortunately, assessing and analyzing the outcomes of using the tools was one of my main goals, so it will be important that I continue to focus on this goal in the coming months when I am actually able to see the technology projects in action. I hope to carefully evaluate and reflect on each of the new technology components I have created (from StAIR’s to WebQuests) in order to better guide future instruction and my own effectiveness as an educator. While I have many more ambitious goals to follow up with (as outlined in my technology plan), of more immediate concern is to stay focused on assessing real change, no matter how busy or frustrating the upcoming year may prove to be.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Project Evaluation
Approaching Future Projects
One of the most important things I learned was how to develop a purpose for creating new projects. Previously, I always focused attention on using technology to enhance and improve relevant, content based learning that was already taking place in my classroom. However, my approach was that when I found an interesting tool, I would think creatively about how I could apply it. While I think this worked well and the majority of the projects I created were beneficial, this didn’t always mean I was improving the areas of my instruction that were most important or that most needed revision. Instead, I have learned to really evaluate my content and identify a problem or pattern of student work that clearly needs to be targeted and improved. Then, spending time researching and developing a project using a new technology tool is completely worth the time investment because I will know I am aiming to make a serious and important improvement in education, moreso than just improving a unit where students are already finding success.
Lessons Learned
It is important to apply the same methods and strategies of effective teaching when using technology, both in teaching students how to use the tool and in guiding students to use the tool to develop skills. I think revisiting the 7th grade research unit from the beginning helped me to realize where all of the holes were. Specifically, we were assuming far too much on the student’s part, expecting them to use skills and strategies that require far more practice than one or two class periods. This realization allowed me to utilize task analysis—really break down every skill required, how to explicitly teach that skill, and then create opportunities for students to practice and receive feedback on their ability to use each skill. It seemed like this requirement would take far too much time to tackle, especially when there are so many other benchmarks to meet as well. However, that is how this project helped me because I also realized that just as teaching too many tools would be overwhelming it is also irrational to throw too many skills at students and expect them to use them all at once. Therefore, I realized that by spending a small amount of classroom time over a longer period of weeks would allow students to build and develop their skills through the use of the technology tools. Then, by the time we fully dove into the research project the required skills would be honed and students would also have developed strategies to engage with research and informational reading online.
This understanding really forced me to rethink the way I think about lesson planning. Many teachers feel the pressure of having to teach far more content standards than there is ever time to teach. But my two greatest lessons here are first to sort the standards and choose the most important ones to focus on. It is far more beneficial for students to leave a course with a deeper understanding of the most important standards, than to leave with a brief overview of one hundred standards, especially because the skills and strategies required throughout the course of the year (the ability to summarize, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, create, differentiate, conclude etc) can only be truly utilized when an individual has deeply engaged with content matter. My second point is that when approaching genre-based learning, we tend to teach one genre in its entirety before moving on to the next. Instead of viewing our instruction as complete, consecutive, and concise, by allotting small increments of instruction over a longer period of time, students can actually start to build on their skills and are far more likely to transfer and retrieve these skills when necessary. I had never thought of teaching a unit in this way before, but after creating this project I realize that sometimes it is the only way to fully prepare students for what you expect them to do.
Project Revisions for Future Use
I will definitely be using this project again next year, but the biggest thing I will change is the incorporation of blogs. As mentioned previously, I was concerned that overwhelming students with too many tools at once would be counterproductive, so instead I used the commenting tool on the social bookmarking site for students to post their assignments. Looking back, I think this was the best decision to not overwhelm myself as well. The techquest project was implemented over the course of 24 weeks, with the goal of leading students into a 12 week research unit that included a WebQuest based mini-research paper, training in MEL, and an extended and in-depth final research paper. All of these elements are completely new to my classroom, so that alone can be both exciting and horrifying. In addition, I was asked to support implementation of this same project development in two other classrooms. So needless to say, even the incorporation of one more unknown element (blogging) could only add to the uncertainty and necessary training required. Instead, I feel that now I have had the chance to see the projects and units in action and analyze student work, I feel far more confident in implementing this project again next year. As a result, I also feel more comfortable revising the project to include the use of blogging. While I knew from the start that it would be the best way to achieve my desired outcome, I also realize that change takes time, even for ourselves, and scaffolding our own learning is just as useful for us as it is for our students.
One of the most important things I learned was how to develop a purpose for creating new projects. Previously, I always focused attention on using technology to enhance and improve relevant, content based learning that was already taking place in my classroom. However, my approach was that when I found an interesting tool, I would think creatively about how I could apply it. While I think this worked well and the majority of the projects I created were beneficial, this didn’t always mean I was improving the areas of my instruction that were most important or that most needed revision. Instead, I have learned to really evaluate my content and identify a problem or pattern of student work that clearly needs to be targeted and improved. Then, spending time researching and developing a project using a new technology tool is completely worth the time investment because I will know I am aiming to make a serious and important improvement in education, moreso than just improving a unit where students are already finding success.
Lessons Learned
It is important to apply the same methods and strategies of effective teaching when using technology, both in teaching students how to use the tool and in guiding students to use the tool to develop skills. I think revisiting the 7th grade research unit from the beginning helped me to realize where all of the holes were. Specifically, we were assuming far too much on the student’s part, expecting them to use skills and strategies that require far more practice than one or two class periods. This realization allowed me to utilize task analysis—really break down every skill required, how to explicitly teach that skill, and then create opportunities for students to practice and receive feedback on their ability to use each skill. It seemed like this requirement would take far too much time to tackle, especially when there are so many other benchmarks to meet as well. However, that is how this project helped me because I also realized that just as teaching too many tools would be overwhelming it is also irrational to throw too many skills at students and expect them to use them all at once. Therefore, I realized that by spending a small amount of classroom time over a longer period of weeks would allow students to build and develop their skills through the use of the technology tools. Then, by the time we fully dove into the research project the required skills would be honed and students would also have developed strategies to engage with research and informational reading online.
This understanding really forced me to rethink the way I think about lesson planning. Many teachers feel the pressure of having to teach far more content standards than there is ever time to teach. But my two greatest lessons here are first to sort the standards and choose the most important ones to focus on. It is far more beneficial for students to leave a course with a deeper understanding of the most important standards, than to leave with a brief overview of one hundred standards, especially because the skills and strategies required throughout the course of the year (the ability to summarize, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, create, differentiate, conclude etc) can only be truly utilized when an individual has deeply engaged with content matter. My second point is that when approaching genre-based learning, we tend to teach one genre in its entirety before moving on to the next. Instead of viewing our instruction as complete, consecutive, and concise, by allotting small increments of instruction over a longer period of time, students can actually start to build on their skills and are far more likely to transfer and retrieve these skills when necessary. I had never thought of teaching a unit in this way before, but after creating this project I realize that sometimes it is the only way to fully prepare students for what you expect them to do.
Project Revisions for Future Use
I will definitely be using this project again next year, but the biggest thing I will change is the incorporation of blogs. As mentioned previously, I was concerned that overwhelming students with too many tools at once would be counterproductive, so instead I used the commenting tool on the social bookmarking site for students to post their assignments. Looking back, I think this was the best decision to not overwhelm myself as well. The techquest project was implemented over the course of 24 weeks, with the goal of leading students into a 12 week research unit that included a WebQuest based mini-research paper, training in MEL, and an extended and in-depth final research paper. All of these elements are completely new to my classroom, so that alone can be both exciting and horrifying. In addition, I was asked to support implementation of this same project development in two other classrooms. So needless to say, even the incorporation of one more unknown element (blogging) could only add to the uncertainty and necessary training required. Instead, I feel that now I have had the chance to see the projects and units in action and analyze student work, I feel far more confident in implementing this project again next year. As a result, I also feel more comfortable revising the project to include the use of blogging. While I knew from the start that it would be the best way to achieve my desired outcome, I also realize that change takes time, even for ourselves, and scaffolding our own learning is just as useful for us as it is for our students.
Online Teaching Experiences
I was very excited when I read through the list of suggested tools to create online experiences. I realized that students leaving my 7th grade language arts class will already have accumulated the required 20 hours of online learning based on the projects and tools they will be using in my class alone. Some of the tools and projects I have already had success using in my classroom and will continue to implement this year, while others are new projects I have been creating over the course of the summer. One example is the use of WebQuests. My students will be using a WebQuest about the research process to help develop their skills at researching and organizing a thesis based paper. Some of the strategies used in this project include scaffolding, opportunities for feedback, and the use and evaluation of rubrics. Another technology tool I will be using is the RSS feed in collaboration with online researching skills. Students will be creating and following their feed reader over the course of the school year, practicing informational reading skills for assignments based on the articles they find. Then, the final 12 weeks of the school year are dedicated to the research process, including the WebQuest and an extended research project that will require students to use both their RSS feed and a social bookmarking account. One last tool to discuss is podcasting, which though it is not labeled as collaborative, will be used collaboratively for a book talk project. Students will partner up to write, record, and mix a podcast “book talk” promoting an independent reading book of their choice. This project integrates content from general genre study and the drama unit (script writing). The heart of this project relies on cooperative learning, and many students naturally take the role of “expert” in the lab, supporting other classmates in troubleshooting and brainstorming.
While I would be very comfortable leading an online course as opposed to simply an online learning experience, I think this type of learning is most appropriate for high school juniors and seniors who have the initiative and dedication to manage their learning independently. I also think that online simulations and conversations with experts might be harder to incorporate into the language arts classroom. One reason is the difficulty of integrating content standards, though I do think somehow communicating with a published author would be a very engaging and encouraging experience for students. But this leads to another difficulty: the challenge of setting up this type of experience. I think it could be done, but outside funds and cooperative planning might be required.
While I would be very comfortable leading an online course as opposed to simply an online learning experience, I think this type of learning is most appropriate for high school juniors and seniors who have the initiative and dedication to manage their learning independently. I also think that online simulations and conversations with experts might be harder to incorporate into the language arts classroom. One reason is the difficulty of integrating content standards, though I do think somehow communicating with a published author would be a very engaging and encouraging experience for students. But this leads to another difficulty: the challenge of setting up this type of experience. I think it could be done, but outside funds and cooperative planning might be required.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
TechQuest Implementation
The following podcast outlines the highlights and difficulties of implementing my TechQuest project in my classroom.
Analysis of Google Presenter
Overview:
For this project, I explored the Google Presenter application. In the fall, I will be teaching a few professional development classes on setting up a SchoolWires page for our district website. So, I thought I would explore this tool as if I were creating a presentation for these classes.
Advantages of Using the Application:
Google Presenter is set up very similar to Microsoft Powerpoint, where you can choose from new slides with different layouts, add text, and import media onto the slides. This application also allowed me to import slides from Powerpoint presentations saved on my computer. This could allow me to either import a few slides as need be, or even to create all of my slides in Powerpoint, taking advantage of more advanced features like slide design, and then import my slides into a collaborative project on Google Presenter.
Downsides to Using Google Presenter:
To begin with, this application is very basic. Sometimes people overdo it with the transitions, animations, colored designs, etc. that Powerpoint offers. However, it is nice to have that option and to use those tools effectively, whereas Google Presenter is not sophisticated enough for you to do so. Another downside has to do with the screen view itself. This is going to sound crazy, but using this application made me nauseous! For whatever reason, every time you pause when typing, the text box somehow slightly re-adjusts. It’s a slight movement to the text, not very noticeable, but when you keep watching it over and over, it can definitely produce a headache.
While you can import media into the presentation, the video feature only allowed me to insert Google videos, and it wouldn’t even let me search. It used the title of my presentation as the search words, which was “Customizing your SchoolWires Webpage.” Unfortunately, the only videos that came up were for customizing your car. Overall, this application serves its purpose and could work great for collaborative projects. However, it has far less potential for creating polished, interesting presentations as opposed to Powerpoint.
Student Knowledge/Skills Required:
In order to use this application in the classroom, students need to have practice creating basic presentations. Anyone who has used Powerpoint (which most students have learned by 5th grade) is more than capable of easily and quickly learning this tool. Another skill that would be helpful is teaching students how to import materials from their current documents into a new presentation. This is a skill students struggle a bit more with, and importing slides from Powerpoint into Google Presenter could be a great opportunity to teach them how to browse and locate their files. The only other knowledge required is really general Web application background: digital citizenship, collaborative working skills, and responsible behavior.
Sharing Products:
When you are finished with your presentation, you can watch it in slideshow mode and present to an audience. There is also an option to share your finished presentation from your Google account.
Teaching Subject Matter:
I think you could use this application in any classroom for any content material that you want students to present. Creating the presentation allows students to practice group-working skills, develop knowledge and use of a new Web 2.0 tool, share their work electronically, demonstrate understanding of content material, and creatively organize and present this material. I think this application also could work well as a scaffolding tool. Instead of collaboration between students, there could also be collaboration between the students and the teacher. The teach could begin a presentation, share it with the class, and then they could finish the presentation. The collaboration could be organized to help students become comfortable with using the new tool (so the information already in the presentation could guide students through the steps of using the tool). Or, the collaboration could exist where the teacher has shared ideas within the presentation and the students have to revise, respond to, or extend upon the argument she has already started.
Collaboration with Google Presenter:
This tool works very well for collaboration, but the teacher will definitely want to model and teach students how they should collaborate. General group-work skills in general, from compromising, delegating, and sharing ideas should be modeled and taught. Other issues to take into consideration include whether students can be modifying the presentation at the same time from different locations, the need to set and follow deadlines when communication is taking place over the internet (as opposed to face to face), and the ability to incorporate everyone’s individual ideas and pieces into one unified presentation at the end.
Organization and Managerial Issues:
Students will need Google Accounts to use this application, however, they can continue to re-use their login information for the rest of the Google applications. It is always a good idea for the teacher to create a list of this information because students will forget. The teacher should also be sure to discuss the acceptable use policy and issues of digital citizenship before beginning work with this tool. In addition, the teacher will probably want to walk students through getting started with the tool as a class. Additional alternatives could be creating a StAIR that allows students to practice using the application, or creating tutorials (screencasts) that students can watch and follow along with. A final idea that I have found success with is teaching a few students with high technology competency how to use the new tool ahead of time, and then asking these students to float and help other students as we all learn it together. This allows the myriad of problems and questions to be answered much more quickly, as implementation is always a slow process. Once students get started, the teacher really takes on the role of “guide on the side,” with the advantage that at the end of the day, she can always chart the progress of group work and see which groups need more support the following day.
For this project, I explored the Google Presenter application. In the fall, I will be teaching a few professional development classes on setting up a SchoolWires page for our district website. So, I thought I would explore this tool as if I were creating a presentation for these classes.
Advantages of Using the Application:
Google Presenter is set up very similar to Microsoft Powerpoint, where you can choose from new slides with different layouts, add text, and import media onto the slides. This application also allowed me to import slides from Powerpoint presentations saved on my computer. This could allow me to either import a few slides as need be, or even to create all of my slides in Powerpoint, taking advantage of more advanced features like slide design, and then import my slides into a collaborative project on Google Presenter.
Downsides to Using Google Presenter:
To begin with, this application is very basic. Sometimes people overdo it with the transitions, animations, colored designs, etc. that Powerpoint offers. However, it is nice to have that option and to use those tools effectively, whereas Google Presenter is not sophisticated enough for you to do so. Another downside has to do with the screen view itself. This is going to sound crazy, but using this application made me nauseous! For whatever reason, every time you pause when typing, the text box somehow slightly re-adjusts. It’s a slight movement to the text, not very noticeable, but when you keep watching it over and over, it can definitely produce a headache.
While you can import media into the presentation, the video feature only allowed me to insert Google videos, and it wouldn’t even let me search. It used the title of my presentation as the search words, which was “Customizing your SchoolWires Webpage.” Unfortunately, the only videos that came up were for customizing your car. Overall, this application serves its purpose and could work great for collaborative projects. However, it has far less potential for creating polished, interesting presentations as opposed to Powerpoint.
Student Knowledge/Skills Required:
In order to use this application in the classroom, students need to have practice creating basic presentations. Anyone who has used Powerpoint (which most students have learned by 5th grade) is more than capable of easily and quickly learning this tool. Another skill that would be helpful is teaching students how to import materials from their current documents into a new presentation. This is a skill students struggle a bit more with, and importing slides from Powerpoint into Google Presenter could be a great opportunity to teach them how to browse and locate their files. The only other knowledge required is really general Web application background: digital citizenship, collaborative working skills, and responsible behavior.
Sharing Products:
When you are finished with your presentation, you can watch it in slideshow mode and present to an audience. There is also an option to share your finished presentation from your Google account.
Teaching Subject Matter:
I think you could use this application in any classroom for any content material that you want students to present. Creating the presentation allows students to practice group-working skills, develop knowledge and use of a new Web 2.0 tool, share their work electronically, demonstrate understanding of content material, and creatively organize and present this material. I think this application also could work well as a scaffolding tool. Instead of collaboration between students, there could also be collaboration between the students and the teacher. The teach could begin a presentation, share it with the class, and then they could finish the presentation. The collaboration could be organized to help students become comfortable with using the new tool (so the information already in the presentation could guide students through the steps of using the tool). Or, the collaboration could exist where the teacher has shared ideas within the presentation and the students have to revise, respond to, or extend upon the argument she has already started.
Collaboration with Google Presenter:
This tool works very well for collaboration, but the teacher will definitely want to model and teach students how they should collaborate. General group-work skills in general, from compromising, delegating, and sharing ideas should be modeled and taught. Other issues to take into consideration include whether students can be modifying the presentation at the same time from different locations, the need to set and follow deadlines when communication is taking place over the internet (as opposed to face to face), and the ability to incorporate everyone’s individual ideas and pieces into one unified presentation at the end.
Organization and Managerial Issues:
Students will need Google Accounts to use this application, however, they can continue to re-use their login information for the rest of the Google applications. It is always a good idea for the teacher to create a list of this information because students will forget. The teacher should also be sure to discuss the acceptable use policy and issues of digital citizenship before beginning work with this tool. In addition, the teacher will probably want to walk students through getting started with the tool as a class. Additional alternatives could be creating a StAIR that allows students to practice using the application, or creating tutorials (screencasts) that students can watch and follow along with. A final idea that I have found success with is teaching a few students with high technology competency how to use the new tool ahead of time, and then asking these students to float and help other students as we all learn it together. This allows the myriad of problems and questions to be answered much more quickly, as implementation is always a slow process. Once students get started, the teacher really takes on the role of “guide on the side,” with the advantage that at the end of the day, she can always chart the progress of group work and see which groups need more support the following day.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Internet Research for TechQuest Project
The following resources were useful in defining my problem, finding potential solutions, and planning for implementation in the classroom.
Resources focused on similar projects:
o Luo, Lili. (2010, January). Web 2.0 in Integration in Information Literacy Instruction: An Overview. Journal of Academic Librarianship, v36 n1, p32-40. Retrieved from ERIC.
o Hicks, Troy. The Digital Writing Workshop. Heinemann: 2009.
Resources that may help guide my project:
o Chen, H..Online reading comprehension strategies among general and special education elementary and middle school students. Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, United States -- Michigan. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from Dissertations & Theses @ CIC Institutions.(Publication No. AAT 3381123).
o Lawrence Erickson. (1998). Informational literacy in the middle grades. The Clearing House, 71(3), 165-168. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from Education Module. (Document ID: 27007210).
o Dow, M.. (2007, December). Assessing Information and Technology Literacy: How Do We Know Our Students Learn? School Library Media Activities Monthly, 24(4), 56-58. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from Education Module. (Document ID: 1381407201).
o Silvernail, David, Dorothy Small, Leanne Walker, and et al. (2008, February). Using Technology in Helping Students Achieve 21st Century Skills: A Pilot Study. Center for Education Policy, Applied Research, and Evaluation, 1-44. Retrieved July 15, 2010, from ERIC.
o Eisenberg, Michael B. and Robert E. Berkowitz. (1987). The Big 6.
Resources that may help in the implementation of my project
o Marlene Asselin. (2004). Guiding the Inclusion of Information Literacy. Teacher Librarian, 31(4), 63-64. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from Research Library Core. (Document ID: 624197801).
o Netvibes: RSS reader page
o Google Reader: RSS reader page
o Diigo: social bookmarking page
The Research Process: Strategies and Findings
I mainly searched through MSU’s library, in particular using Proquest and Eric. I searched by using key words, alternating phrasing including “information literacy, technology literacy, language arts, middle school, informational reading comprehension, technology tools.” I usually browse through articles avoiding those that seem to just propose uses for Web 2.0 tools, looking more for research based articles reporting findings on studies. Also, I think that date of publication is especially important because these tools and contexts are really changing so quickly. So I avoided any articles published before 2004.
Research is becoming more and more popular about using technology tools, but is still limited compared to other educational topics. However, finding research about particular tools with study based reports can be challenging to find, especially for social bookmarking, which was one of the tools I focused on. It is easy to find excerpts suggesting when and how to use the tool, but much harder to find material on implementation and actual results. Next time, I would probably search in much the same way, however, I might try searching through blogs and postings on the educational ning site in order to find more examples of actual projects teachers have implemented and the results they found.
Resources focused on similar projects:
o Luo, Lili. (2010, January). Web 2.0 in Integration in Information Literacy Instruction: An Overview. Journal of Academic Librarianship, v36 n1, p32-40. Retrieved from ERIC.
This resource provides examples of Web 2.0 integration to promote information literacy. In particular, this source outlines the use of blogs, and social bookmarking sites to support the social construction of knowledge.
o Hicks, Troy. The Digital Writing Workshop. Heinemann: 2009.
Hicks outlines why it is important to use web 2.0 tools in the writing classroom and how to do so effectively. Specifically, he addresses how to use RSS feed readers and social bookmarking sites in a collaborative setting to increase information literacy skills.
Resources that may help guide my project:
o Chen, H..Online reading comprehension strategies among general and special education elementary and middle school students. Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, United States -- Michigan. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from Dissertations & Theses @ CIC Institutions.(Publication No. AAT 3381123).
This resource provides details for online reading strategies, while bringing a research based focus to a skill set that has been often overlooked at the middle school level. I have used this resource to solidify the importance of teaching this skill set at the middle school level.
o Lawrence Erickson. (1998). Informational literacy in the middle grades. The Clearing House, 71(3), 165-168. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from Education Module. (Document ID: 27007210).
This resource provides activities for supporting information literacy skills using best practice. It focuses on incorporating cooperative grouping, mini-lessons for targeted literacy skills, and assessing student growth with the use of rubrics and checklists.
o Dow, M.. (2007, December). Assessing Information and Technology Literacy: How Do We Know Our Students Learn? School Library Media Activities Monthly, 24(4), 56-58. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from Education Module. (Document ID: 1381407201).
This resource provides ideas to consider for assessing information literacy skills, such as using e-portfolios and project based assessment. It also substantiates the importance of developing these literacy skills as relevant and necessary for life-long learning.
o Silvernail, David, Dorothy Small, Leanne Walker, and et al. (2008, February). Using Technology in Helping Students Achieve 21st Century Skills: A Pilot Study. Center for Education Policy, Applied Research, and Evaluation, 1-44. Retrieved July 15, 2010, from ERIC.
This source includes research based findings of what information literacy skills students struggled with the most during this pilot study. Some of these skills included differentiating between primary and secondary sources and the ability to explain the reasoning behind their decisions. Students apparently are somewhat successful at identifying the purpose for a website or establishing credibility of a site, however, they are not able to provide evidence or reasoning to explain and support their claims.
o Eisenberg, Michael B. and Robert E. Berkowitz. (1987). The Big 6.
This source provides ideas and resources for developing information literacy skills, both online and in a traditional way. It includes a blog of ideas and resources, however, many of the links are broken.
Resources that may help in the implementation of my project
o Marlene Asselin. (2004). Guiding the Inclusion of Information Literacy. Teacher Librarian, 31(4), 63-64. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from Research Library Core. (Document ID: 624197801).
This resource provides ideas for helping educate staff and getting them on board with the importance of developing technology literacy skills. This might prove to be a useful source in working to integrate my project into the other 7th grade classrooms, which we have decided is necessary as a result of our district technology meeting’s alignment of middle school technology standards.
o Netvibes: RSS reader page
This resource could be a potential tool to use for the RSS reader portion of my project. Students would be able to add pages and organize them by tabs from their dashboard.
o Google Reader: RSS reader page
This is another potential tool for using an RSS reader for the project. This site organizes information slightly differently, as there are folders along the side of the screen that show updated sites.
o Diigo: social bookmarking page
This tool could be very useful as the bookmarking page for my classroom. There is a feature which allows teachers to set up classrooms and student accounts. Then, students can bookmark interesting articles they find on the feed reader, highlight and create sticky notes as they read, and post comments for assignments targeted on specific skills.
The Research Process: Strategies and Findings
I mainly searched through MSU’s library, in particular using Proquest and Eric. I searched by using key words, alternating phrasing including “information literacy, technology literacy, language arts, middle school, informational reading comprehension, technology tools.” I usually browse through articles avoiding those that seem to just propose uses for Web 2.0 tools, looking more for research based articles reporting findings on studies. Also, I think that date of publication is especially important because these tools and contexts are really changing so quickly. So I avoided any articles published before 2004.
Research is becoming more and more popular about using technology tools, but is still limited compared to other educational topics. However, finding research about particular tools with study based reports can be challenging to find, especially for social bookmarking, which was one of the tools I focused on. It is easy to find excerpts suggesting when and how to use the tool, but much harder to find material on implementation and actual results. Next time, I would probably search in much the same way, however, I might try searching through blogs and postings on the educational ning site in order to find more examples of actual projects teachers have implemented and the results they found.
Friday, July 23, 2010
4.6 Instructional Strategies Reflection
Instructional Strategies for Blogging
Blogs increase relevancy and meaning making through social construction, giving student voice an authentic audience with which to engage. Blogs work well for cooperative learning groups, both to communicate with peers in your group and to see what other groups are doing/discussing. This works well for the teacher to review and chart the progress of groups as well, based on what students are discussing in their blogs and how they are interacting. Blogs are also a good tool for providing scaffolding for students. For example, I have previously used blogs as a way for students to practice using new writing forms, developing authentic voice, and expressing knowledge about the content. One assignment was to quote a peer’s blog and integrate it into a complete sentence while also fully integrating it into the context of their own writing. Eventually, this skill would build in complexity for the research paper students would be writing. So blogs work nicely to build and support the pieces of small steps that can later grow in complexity and professionalism.
Less Applicable Instructional Strategies for Blogs
While most instructional strategies could be enhanced in some way by using blogs, the only context I can think of that would not work well is a teacher-centered classroom (sage on the stage). One of the greatest advantages of using blogs is the social construction of knowledge, which directly opposes the purpose of this teaching style that relies on the transmission of knowledge from teacher to student. I suppose that this approach to instruction might find blogging to be unnecessary or even undermining the authority with which information is delivered (not created).
Blogs in My Classroom
I have had great experience using blogs in my classroom in the past. My students have used them to discuss literature, share poetry, and practice writing forms. This year I hope to use blogs in three specific ways. First, I am hoping to keep my own blog on our classroom page, updating it on a weekly basis with updates and information of interest to my parents. Secondly, I am going to use the blog site for students to post and comment on peer poetry again, because this has always been very fun for students, while also improving the quality of their poetry. I will slightly alter the comment feature, to insure that more comments on focused on using terminology and discussing more detailed features of the poems, as opposed to some of the more random “great job” comments. Finally, I am considering using blogs as part of my TechQuest project for 812. This project uses an RSS feed and social bookmarking site to develop student informational literacy skills. I am debating between using the commenting feature on Diigo or a blog site for students to post their assignments, which will be short activities focused on informational reading skills.
The Case for Adaptation
I think because I have already manipulated many applications to achieve new goals, I have a very easy time being creative about use. I didn’t include the listed example of understanding math facts as a situation that wouldn’t be benefited by using blogs, because I thought blogs would actually work very well for that. For example, blogs could be used to demonstrate student thinking, as they could explain not only the steps but the reasoning behind the steps required to solve a problem. Or, students could create their own word problems/situations to post on blog entries and then be required to respond to peer problems. Or, students could use a blog for a group review activity (even though a wiki would probably work better), to cover different sections of material to share with group members.
Blogs increase relevancy and meaning making through social construction, giving student voice an authentic audience with which to engage. Blogs work well for cooperative learning groups, both to communicate with peers in your group and to see what other groups are doing/discussing. This works well for the teacher to review and chart the progress of groups as well, based on what students are discussing in their blogs and how they are interacting. Blogs are also a good tool for providing scaffolding for students. For example, I have previously used blogs as a way for students to practice using new writing forms, developing authentic voice, and expressing knowledge about the content. One assignment was to quote a peer’s blog and integrate it into a complete sentence while also fully integrating it into the context of their own writing. Eventually, this skill would build in complexity for the research paper students would be writing. So blogs work nicely to build and support the pieces of small steps that can later grow in complexity and professionalism.
Less Applicable Instructional Strategies for Blogs
While most instructional strategies could be enhanced in some way by using blogs, the only context I can think of that would not work well is a teacher-centered classroom (sage on the stage). One of the greatest advantages of using blogs is the social construction of knowledge, which directly opposes the purpose of this teaching style that relies on the transmission of knowledge from teacher to student. I suppose that this approach to instruction might find blogging to be unnecessary or even undermining the authority with which information is delivered (not created).
Blogs in My Classroom
I have had great experience using blogs in my classroom in the past. My students have used them to discuss literature, share poetry, and practice writing forms. This year I hope to use blogs in three specific ways. First, I am hoping to keep my own blog on our classroom page, updating it on a weekly basis with updates and information of interest to my parents. Secondly, I am going to use the blog site for students to post and comment on peer poetry again, because this has always been very fun for students, while also improving the quality of their poetry. I will slightly alter the comment feature, to insure that more comments on focused on using terminology and discussing more detailed features of the poems, as opposed to some of the more random “great job” comments. Finally, I am considering using blogs as part of my TechQuest project for 812. This project uses an RSS feed and social bookmarking site to develop student informational literacy skills. I am debating between using the commenting feature on Diigo or a blog site for students to post their assignments, which will be short activities focused on informational reading skills.
The Case for Adaptation
I think because I have already manipulated many applications to achieve new goals, I have a very easy time being creative about use. I didn’t include the listed example of understanding math facts as a situation that wouldn’t be benefited by using blogs, because I thought blogs would actually work very well for that. For example, blogs could be used to demonstrate student thinking, as they could explain not only the steps but the reasoning behind the steps required to solve a problem. Or, students could create their own word problems/situations to post on blog entries and then be required to respond to peer problems. Or, students could use a blog for a group review activity (even though a wiki would probably work better), to cover different sections of material to share with group members.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)