Teaching with Technology

Five Rules for Writing a Great WebQuest by, Bernie Dodge.

Description

A WebQuest is an inquiry based activity with most information being used from the web so that students can focus on thinking about the information rather than finding it. WebQuests are designed by teachers to give structure and guidance and promote higher-level thinking skills. They consist of an introduction the stage is set and learner interest is peaked. The task describes what the learner will accomplish by the end of the lesson. The process is where each step is explained. Next there are the resources or information to be used by the learner. Last there is an evaluation and conclusion.

Findings

Bernie Dodge gives five ?bits of advice? for creating WebQuests.

Find great sites

Orchestrate your learners and resources

Challenge your learners to think

Use the medium

Scaffold high expectations

In order to find great sites you must master a search engine by learning the advanced search techniques to get the information you want faster. Do not stop at search engines, search archives of newspaper and magazine articles, databases of images and documents, directories, etc. It is also important not to loose what you find. Keep track of information using a web-based bookmark server such as Backflip where you can set up categories and subcategories to organize your information.

Orchestrating learners and resources involves organization. The number of computers you have access to will determine how you organize your resources. If there is only one computer with internet access then this can be used to drive whole-class discussion and exploration with the teacher. If there are a couple of computers with internet access then learning stations can be set up for students to take turns while the rest of the class works offline. Organizing people involves having teams and roles for students which in turn leads to group work.

Challenging learners involves adults analyzing and synthesizing information and coming up with a great task that asks learners to ?do? something with the information. Using the medium consists of using multiple types of resources available such as audio, video and images but only when it adds to learning and does not distract.

Finally, Bernie Dodge suggests scaffolding high expectations. By this, he means giving students a temporary structure where students can ?act more skilled than they really are.? Teachers can do this by providing resources they may not have seen before, helping students compare information and find patterns, and provide templates, prompts and multimedia elements to guide production.

Reflection

I believe WebQuests can be used with just about any grade level or objective. If I teach second grade again I plan on using WebQuests during centers weekly. There are so many great WebQuests that are already out there that address several standards. I believe with modeling the process at the beginning of the year with the whole class, students can try these projects with partners during independent time. It would be really beneficial to have a parent volunteer or my assistant available for questions during this time. Last year, my assistant was in my room during centers and able to help with questions.

Constructing Digital Stories by, Sara Kajder, Glen Bull, and Susan Albaugh

Description

A digital story is a narrated soundtrack that is combined with still images to produce a story. It begins with a short script that is less than 1 page double space typed.  Next a storyboard is planned for the images to show such as sketches, still images, or short video clips. These can be found by searching the web, taking pictures or drawings. A discussion and revision occurs after the script and storyboard. This can be done through a story circle where small groups share and give feedback then revise based on comments. Once the revision is complete, it is time to use the digital video editor such as iMovie or Movie Maker. It may be necessary to scale the images in a photoshop before importing them. Next the narrative track can be added. It is suggested to save recordings one sentence at a time and label 1,2, 3 in order. Last is to add special effects such as fades and music. It is noted that minimal special effects make the best stories.

Findings

There are several instructional strategies that can maximize the time on task and learning from creating digital stories. One is for teachers to give specific tasks and track individual progress. Another is to require the storyboards and scripts before the computers can be used. It is suggested to save every five minutes and each time significant changes have been made due to time and software constraints. It is also wise to have a backup copy on a server folder or computer hard drive. Do not forget copyright. Students should be encouraged to use their own original images and free domain music. Creative Commons is an example of a place to get legal content. Most importantly keep the goal in mind- which is story telling. Essential elements are images, motion, narration and student voice.

Reflection

In a K-2 environment it is important to have quality volunteers to help with the technical components of digital storytelling. Inviting tech-savvy parents to help or involving the technology facilitator at my school would be key to making a project like this work. I would probably begin this project by sharing examples of digital storytelling. I would show them some of the stories on BookPALS website featuring stories read aloud by members of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. We would talk about ways that the actors made the story interesting such as expression on their face or in their voice. After this I would have the students write a short story in groups of 3 or 4 involving character with a problem and how they would solve the problem. Then they would make a script and storyboard. Depending on the number of volunteers I could find, I would either have a volunteer pull a small group at a time or have enough volunteers to work with each group at once. The volunteers would help the students turn their script and storyboard into a digital story. Last I would have all the groups share their creations!

Exploring Tablet PCs by, Lyndon Godsall, Linda Crescimano, and Risa Blair

Description

A Tablet PC is similar to a laptop with more functions. It has a stylus pen that can be used along with specialized software that allows you to write on the screen. The Tablet PC is structured so that it has only one hinge instead of the two on a laptop. This allows the screen to swivel and be used flat like a piece of paper on a clipboard. The stylus pen acts as a mouse does on a traditional laptop computer. The Tablet PC is also lighter weight and has a longer battery life than a traditional laptop. However, it is more expensive and the screen can sometimes be harder to see since the screen has to be thick enough to handle the pressure from writing.

Findings

The Godsall, et. al article describes common Tablet PC programs and applications as well as findings from a Tablet Trial. One program used in the younger grades allows students to practice handwriting by tracing letters. Once the tracings are complete, a picture of the word appears. Windows Journal is a program that makes all traditional Microsoft applications ink-enabled so teachers can write and highlight directly on documents. Another useful program that includes handwriting recognition is One Note. Teachers can use this to organize, and reuse notes on their Tablet PC?s.

There were several interesting findings from the Tablet Trial. A tablet users group was formed for Tablet PC teachers to share useful tips and tricks.  A director of technology reported less computer repairs for the Tablet users. One middle school teacher who teaches multiple classes liked the Tablet?s ability to edit and alter her notes and then return them to the original material without erasing and rewriting. Another teacher requires his students to post their assignments on a blackboard where he uses the ink enabled applications to correct their work and return it electronically.

Reflection

I would really like to have a Tablet PC to enhance my teaching. I would like to be a small group K-2 reading teacher in the near future. I believe that a Tablet PC can allow me to have interactive mini lessons in a small group. Sitting at a kidney shaped table, I could use the Tablet like a Smartboard. The smarttech.com resource shared in session 6 has several activities that could be used to teach skills and provide interaction. I would also like to have 6 more tablets for the students. This way they can practice the same skills modeled in a whole group. Also with a tablet they could draw and write. I like to have students respond to what they have read. Wake County uses a shape-go-map to help with retelling a story. Each shape reminds students to retell a certain part of the story. For example, the triangle reminds students to tell the three things at the beginning of the story; character, setting and problem. Students could draw a triangle on their tablet and write the three things beside each point in the triangle. Doing this on a tablet would be much more engaging than using a piece of paper and a pencil.