Self-Interest Activity

Smartboards and Their Classroom Value

Often, I have observed smartboards in use in classrooms. It was a one way interaction with the teacher reveiwing questions and the students raising their hands to answer the questions. I wondered what all the excitement was about. My goal was to learn what the definition of a smartboard is, and to validate its uses in the classroom.

"Smartboards are presentation tools that teachers can hook up to a computer in the classroom. " http://www.chow.com/ Further investigation unfolded a miriad of interactive uses that motivate students in the learning environment. This website provides specific directions for the use of a smartboard. It is one I would definitely refer to for quidance if a smartboard was available for usage in my classroom.

Smartboards have many benefits in the classroom for engaging students. Here are a few suggestions:

1. It appeals to all learning types;learners show increased motivation and enjoy the interaction.

2. The board is enjoyed by all age groups.

3. The board is a great tool for the constructivist teacher.

4. Tutors can use multimedia, electronic resources, and websites with the whole class.

5. The board allows for flexibility in planning.

6. Pages of the smartboard can be posted to websites.

http://www.waukeshaschools.com/

Another finding with smartboards is the improved attitude in students towards writing. This is specific but not limited to language arts. http://teacher.net/gazette/JAN02/mabell.html

Since many of my classes are an inclusion setting, I was also curious about the uses for special needs students. Findings reflected high motivation in these students to stay on task and interact with the smartboard; ultimately, resulting in increased participation. Students found a need to participate in the modification process; this is of particular interest in the challenges many inclusion students face with writing resistance. http://www.smartkids.org/research/paper12.asp

Overall, I found high value in the information I acquired on my self-interest activity. I would like the opportunity to use a smartboard in my lesson plans. Many of my students are resistant to writing a rough draft and going through the editing process. This interactive board may grab their interest and also provide an avenue for modeling the editing process. Soon they could be on their way to improving their grammar and their writing skills through this process.

Assignment 5 Chapter 9 and Chapter 12

TECHNOLOGY IN ENGLISH

What does TPACK look like in English?

Remember TPACK integrates appropriate technology, in a content area, as part of a pedagogical approach.

A good illustration is writing and storytelling.

i.e. Creative Writing:
1. Use movie or voice thread to tell the story.
2. Extend the story with pictures.
3. Increase audience using digital spaces accessible to others not just one audience.

New technologies create a need for new literacies that students need to learn. An example would be for a teacher to provide appropriate electronic information sources for a research product. Another example would be how to use information stored in a variety of sources such as sound, print, still images, moving images and text.

Adapting Technologies for Special Needs

Electronic texts can be downloaded from the following sites:
Infomotions: http://www.infomotions.com
Bibliomania: http://www.bibliomania.com
Electronic Text Center:http://lib.virginia.edu/digital/collections/finding_digital.html
Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/
The Plays of William Shakespeare: http://www.theplays.org

Once the texts are on your computer, the font and type size can be adjusted.
The text can be copied and pasted into talking word processors or text-to-speech programs.
Another consideration is to use a language translation tool for ESL learners.

Weblogs as journals.

Technology helps create a social learning environment. At times a student's knowledge can assist a teacher which gives the student enjoyment and pride in being their teacher's teacher.
A further review is on Table 9.2.

Technology enhances students' motivation to write but encourages them to assume a greater responsibility for their own learning..this is only one of the benefits of technology integration.

Students can use word processors to reflect and work through correct verb tenses, conjugations, and plurals. Often larger point fonts assist with an easy visual for the teacher.

Network Literacy Projects

Story starters creates an email chain for a person to start a story and forward it on for an addition.

Online literature circles with online mentors.

Digital Storytelling

Students produce a series of digital images to visually communcate meaning and provide a narration for the video. This aids visual learners. http://www.storycenter.org/index1.html

Video Projects

Script writing for the video project is an excellent way to engage students in writing.

The Writing Process

Concept Maps are available under Inspiration Software Inc.http://www.inspiration.com/popups/kidstutorial/index.com
A tool for revising and editting is to place a student's rough draft onto a screen and then model the thinking and decision making that goes into analyzing and revising the text.

Chapter 12 Social Studies Instruction

A social studies teacher is considered a jack of all trades and a master of more than one content. The term social studies more commonly describes k-8 classes than high school.

This curriculum interfaces with English because often history and/or current events relate to the literature being read.

Current Events: Personalized Newspapers (Filters for topics of interest.)
Crayon http://crayon.ed

Problems with reading sections of text use the Reading Bar to read the problem areas.http://www.readplease.com This can be installed on the web browser.

Internet accuracy is a problem. Students need to learn to questions accuracy and become "critical consumers of information."

Some sites that would assist accross the curriculum into English are as follows:

Geothentic (People, places, environments) http://geothentic.umn.edu

Virtual Field Trips that might help connect to literary eras are as follows:

Colonial House a tour of life in the Colonial era.http://www.pbs.org/wnet/colonialhouse/history/index.html

Digital Storytelling allows students to compare the past and the present.
http://www.teacherlink.org/content/social/digresources/

Geospatial Technologies can not be ignored when exploring literature.
Consider Google Earth, Virtual Earth 3D, and Arc Web Explorer.

Classroom Jeopardy is a great way to engage students in a quiz show game for the whole class.
http://www.edin.com

Assignment 4 Chapter 8

INTEGRATING THE INTERNET INTO THE CURRICULUM

Questions to ask for web based activities.
1. What is the curriculum related purpose of the activity?
2. Does the internet enhance the activity?
3. How will students use online resources as opposed to just locating them?
4. Do students have the necessary information analysis or information synthesis skills?
5. Do I have the necessary time and support for the activity?

Types of lessons:
1. Interpersonal exchanges: students communicate via technology with other students.
2. Information collection and analysis: use information collections that provide data and information on request.
Problem solving: coopertive problem solving projects.

Some ideas for web based projects:
ePals to link students to exchange information http://www.epals.com/
Virtual Field Trips: Go North! http://www.polarhusky.com/
Tramline Virtual Field Trips http://www.tramline.com/

These are a couple of sites that would support web based learning and possibly align with the required curriculum and literature in English. Consider Table 8.1 for more information.

Website Support Functions

1. Project overview, announcement, and application
2. Tutorial instruction.
3. Information summaries and exchanges.
4. Communication and support.
5. Displays of past and current student work.
6. Project development centers.

A website that follows under item 3 is KIDLINK Multicultural calendar http://www.kidlink.org/KIDPROJ/MCC/
Another website of interest under item 5 Kid Plus http://www.kidplus.org/

These are a couple of virtual meeting spaces where students can share information.

Strategies for Integrating the Internet into the Curriculum
1. Writing with Writers http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit
Students work to publish their own work after working with authors, editors, and illustrators.
2.Unsung Heroes: An ePals project http://www.epals.com/projects/unsung_heroes
Students around the world exchange information about students, teachers, and others in their communities whose positive actions are making a difference in the quality of life of those around them.
3.Read/Write/Think http://www.readwritethink.org/
This website suppports literacy in K-12 by providing lessons, standards, web resources, and materials.

NINE AREAS FOR EVALUATING WEBQUESTS

1. Overall Visual Appeal
2. Navigation and Flow
3. Mechanical Aspects
4. Motivational Effectiveness of Introduction
5. Cognitive Effectiveness of Introduction
6. Connection of Task to Standards
7. Cognitive Level of Task
8. Clarity of Process
9. Scaffolding of Process

Java applets: make webpage features such as animations and special effects, graphics and buttons, interactive displays and web data collection forms.http://java.sun.com/applets

Be aware of legal issues surrounding images; many are copyrighted. Ask permission.

Assignment 3 Chapter 7

DISTANCE LEARNING TOOLS AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERNET IN EDUCATION

URL: Uniform Resource Locator
WWW: World Wide Web

Common URL Errors:
1. Wrong Domain (choose .org instead of .net)
2. Ommiting punctuation or punctuation errors/misspellings
3. Ommiting part of a URL

Great worksheet on page 216 providing criteria for evaluating website content.

A major area of concern is to make sure the internet is safe for children. Some suggestions for these problems.
1. Firewalls or filtering software so students don't access inappropriate sites.
2. Educate students about avoiding release of their personal information on-line.
3. Students need to be educated about plagiarism issues on the internet. For example if the site is copyrighted you must request permission from the owners. If the site is not copyrighted then you must reference the URL.

Plagiarism prevention websites are as follows:
http://www.turnitin.com/
http://www.mydropbox.com/

NETIQUETTE RULES

These rules not only cover discussion rules but also guidelines reflective of the unique electronic nature of the medium.
*Include a subject line
*Avoid sarcasm
*Respect others' privacy
*Acknowledge and return messages promptly
*Be concise
*Use appropriate language
*Use appropriate emoticons.
*Use appropriate intensifiers to help convey meaning.

CYBER COLLABORATION
MUDS: object oriented also called a multiuser dungeon
MOOS:a MUD whose code is available and is free

Both of these resources allow many users at different sites to interact at the same time

Avatar spaces interact through graphic representations.

DISTANCE LEARNING

USDLA: US Distance Learning Association
This refers not only to the internet but other resources that play key roles in classroom communication. Listed are some types of internet uses.
1. Individual learning plans distributed on-line to enhance the face to face learning.
2. On line lesson enhancement to augment face to face lessons.
3. Completely on line courses and curriculum that supplants face to face courses.
4. All-inclusive online course, curriculum, and learning environment.

Distance learning integrates the internet into the classroom.
Blended Hybrid: online/face to face mix
Web Facilitated: web based technology blends with a face to face setting.

STUDENT RESEARCH REQUIRES SIX IMPORTANT SKILLS

THE BIG SIX

1. Task Definition

2. Information-Seeking Strategies

3. Location and Access

4. Use of Information

5. Synthesis

6. Evaluation

These skills are important to ensure that students make the best use of this form of distance learning. http://www.big6.com/

The hope is that distance learning would open opportunities to more people; however, the digital divide still exists. Those who are underserved have less access to the internet.

Digital media in children should be limited to 1-2 hours per day.

Virtual Schools for k-12 are a political issue.

Distance learning effectiveness is judged under five categories:

1. Effectiveness and impact

2. Course quality

3. Effective distance learners

4. Effective distance instructors

5. Cost effectiveness

WEB COURSE DEVELOPMENT AND SOFTWARE

Site capturing software speeds up the internet download to a site for later use during learning activities. Blue Squirrel's Web Whacker software downloads pages or sites to a computer's hard drive for later use through a browser.

Intranets are an internal network that can speed up the access to information.

In conclusion, there are several characteristics of effective distance courses and programs. The courses should be well-designed and structured to support learning, provide engaging and collaborative activities, create an interactive learning community, and maintain effective assessment strategies for the online program.

Assignment 2 Chapters 5 & 6

CHAPTER 5 TEACHING WITH SOFTWARE
TOOLS BEYOND THE BASIC APPLICATION

Teachers should consider the many benefits of their software tools; don't just use them because they are available.

Software applications for iPhone are being considered by schools as learning tools.

Desktop publishing offers opportunities to increase self-esteem and heighten interest in writing.
The rules for effective desktop publishing are on page 144.

TEST GENERATOR SOFTWARE

There are several advantages over word processing programs.

1. Teachers can make changes and disregard format.
2. Teachers can make randomn selections from an item pool to create different
test versions. Test can be administered on line. Some sites to consider:
http://www.testshop.com/ (Test Generator)
http://www.centronsoftware.com/ (Test Creator)
3.Questions may be selected based on criteria and objectives.
4.Rubric generators are also very popular. Some versions are as follows:
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ (Rubistar)
http://landmark-project.com/ (Rubric Builder)

WORKSHEET AND PUZZLE GENERATORS

Worksheet generators help teachers produce exercises for practice rather than test items.
Worksheet Generator: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/teachingtools/worksheet%20generator/

Puzzle generators format and create puzzles and crosswords.
Centron Crossword Puzzle Maker http://www.centronsoftware.com/
Teach-nology Crossword Puzzle Makerhttp://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/crossword

IEP genrators are also available to remind teachers of the necessary components.

GRAPHIC DOCUMENT MAKERS

These software tools are great for making award certificates and greeting card templates; either of which could be used to recognize student achievement.

Printshop 23 Deluxe http://www.broderbund.com/
Teach-nology Certificate Maker http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/certificates

Form makers are also available in PDF Maker Pilot so that the created documents can be filled in on line and used to collect information. This also makes designing forms less time consuming.

Statistical packages may be used to assist teachers with analyzing collected data. Charting tools are also available to help with graphing data.

Graphic Tools

These types of tools provide illustrations that may motivate writing for visual learners.

Clip art includes drawings, cartoons, animations, and photos. Consider the following programs:
Draw/paint programs : Adobe Illustrator http://www.adobe.com/
Kid Pix http://www.learningcompany.com/
Image editing: Adobe Photoshop (This is found on the seme link above; it enhances and formats
photos for web page products.)
GIMP http://www.gimp.org/
Clip art: Microsoft's Clip Art and Media Collection http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx This is only one of several options available that allow for sound, animation, video, and font collections.

MULTIMEDIA WEBSITES/PRESENTATIONS
Free sites for sound effects and videoclips are available but a teacher may need special software plugins like Quicktime or Adobe Flash.

OUTLINING TOOLS

This a super cross-curriculum tool that prompts writers as they outline. Some samples to visit:
Inspiration http://www.inspiration.com/
Story Weaver http://www.storymind.com/
VisiMap http://www.coco.co.uk/
These websites also assist with formating concept maps for the visual learner.

RESEARCH AND REFERENCE TOOLS

Electronic Dictionaries and Thesauruses are also available:
Merriam-Webster http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary.htm
Thesaurus.com http://thesaurus.reference.com/

READING TOOLS

These are available to assist teachers with considering the reading level of a written work. Some of the CLOZE software provides passages with missing words in a given patter. These are good measures of reading comprehension. Sites are available to support reading instruction.

Readability Calculation Software http://www.readabilityformulas.com/

CHAPTER 6 TEACHING WITH MULTIMEDIA AND HYPERMEDIA

Multimedia: "multiple media"
Hyper media: "linked media" (Internet)
Multimedia will continue to have an increased emphasis in education for several reasons. They are: more flexible learning modes, increased motivation, development of creative and critical thinking skills, and improved writing/process skills.

Ten characteristics to consider when using multimedia and hypermedia:
1. & 2. Instructional and Screen Design
3. Interaction and feedback on the same page
4. Navigation :clear procedures
5. Learning Control:consider age vs. sequencing of instructional tasks
6. Color: consistant color scheme use for cueing.
7. Graphics: mix with text
8. Animation: use sparingly
9. Audio: use for short presentation/chunk on several screens
10. Video: use for broader abstract material with emotional impact.

Interactive Storybook

Free downloadable ebooks are available at teh following link:
http://www.free-ebooks.net/

Listing of on-line books
http://digital.library.upen.edu/books/

New York Times has special education programs for students.

In evaluating commercial hypermedia, consider instructional and pedagogical aspects. This would include instructional design, content, interface design and navigation, and feedback and interactivity.

Great list of "Tips for Effective PowerPoint and Keynote Presentations" that could be used a student hand-out.

Videos can be imported via USB anad converted into digital format.
Quick Time Movies: stored videoclips
iMovie-Apple video editor

GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES

Google Earth and Arc View
QVTR-panoramic view/stitches photos

WEB 2.0

This technology is redefining digital literacy that students use daily into the English curriculum.
This format offers opportunities for less formal writing, allows students to comment on others, and basically give/receive feedback.

Blog: individual journal/ self-reflective
Wiki: community space/collaboration of ideas
Podcasts: MP3 file/radio broadcasting setting
Eportfolio: organize work website