Technology In The Classroom : weblog

Monday Dec 11, 2006

Substantive Searching: A Classroom Approach

Class Article

In the initial process of implementing the Internet as a learning tool, a teacher must instruct students how to use the Internet effectively. The article, "Substantive Searching" by Valenza, presents a variety of Internet issues that must be addressed.
In the initial process of implementing the Internet as a learning tool, a teacher must instruct students how to use the Internet effectively. The article, "Substantive Searching" by Valenza, presents a variety of Internet issues that must be addressed.

Problem 1: Due to the abundance of web information, students find it difficult to find and discern the best sources to support their research. Therefore, settling for what they can find easily. Hence, students often have little idea of what is out there to find or how to find information.

Problem 2: Students do not have the knowledge, skills and abilities to evaluate online information for credibility, nor do they know how to identify information that meets their researching needs.

The article presents a list of attitudes and behaviors demonstrated by effective Info-fluent students. The list can be used to guide teachers as they work to improve Internet literacy. As the article describes, it is import for students to understand the process of searching the Internet for information and how it relates to the life long process of learning. The author states, "Good researchers not only have specific skills, but also a set of attitudes and behaviors" including the following:

Knows what they are looking for.
Recognizes searching choices.
Recognizes there are holes in research.
Recognizes that searching the Internet is an interactive process.
Knows about advanced searching screens.
Knows that there are 3 types of searching keyword, subject and field.
Know how to think about a query.
Knows when quality matters.

As a classroom teacher, the author makes several recommendations on how we can help students achieve the knowledge, skills and abilities to be Info-fluent students that display the attitudes and behaviors listed above.

Create Research Challenges
Evaluate Student?s Works-Cited List
Help students to create organizers for data collection
Create On-line Pathfinders
Generate an appropriate Search Tool Page.
Use formative Assessments to Check Student Progress.

Tools and Classroom Applications:

Tool: Research Challenges

Application: As a classroom teacher, I use the following resources to teach students about how to use information effectively to complete a final project. The project addresses a variety of the attitudes and behaviors defined as essential in the article.
As a classroom teacher, I use the following resources to teach students about how to use information effectively to complete a final project. The project addresses a variety of the attitudes and behaviors defined as essential in the article.

I enjoy using the following activity with my 7^th graders. It is very interactive and presents Internet research through the use of Primary Sources in a manner that engages students and introduces primary resources, which are often hard to use and navigate, in a user-friendly environment. This is a true searching challenge.

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/techknowpark/TimeTravel/index.html#

My class really enjoys mission 7. I begin class with the question, "Do you know what the first sporting event was? If you were alive 3,500 years ago, would you be a willing participate of the Ball Game?

After this research challenge the class will have a change of heart!

Tools: Video Streaming

Application: The article "Substantive Searching" provides insight into the importance of being Info-fluent and how it relates to the life long process of learning.
The article "Substantive Searching" provides insight into the importance of being Info-fluent and how it relates to the life long process of learning.

Students stream videos into their computers. Video streaming has become a valuable tool in the classroom and can be used to teach a variety of objectives. For example, in the article, "Video Analysis," from our unit on software, the author describes the availability of video analysis programs currently available. Although the author?s primary focus is on the field of science and mathematics there are videos available online to teach students how to be effective Internet users.

Video Streaming: http://www.kidzonline.org/TechTraining/video.asp?UnitQry=search%20engines
: http://www.kidzonline.org/TechTraining/video.asp?UnitQry=search%20engines

The following videos are great tools for instruction. The videos introduce students to the following concepts:

Utilizing the Internet: Internet Basics [5:52 ]
What is the Internet? What is the World Wide Web? Are they the same thing? A lot of people use these terms interchangeably, but the web is really just one part of the larger entity called the Internet.

Utilizing the Internet: Browser Basics [4:02 ]
Browsers are specifically designed for looking at webpages, so they have a number of unique tools for doing so. In this video, we?ll take a quick look through the interface of Microsoft Internet Explorer, one of the leading options for? exploring the internet.

Utilizing the Internet: search engines [6:01 ]
A search engine is a tool used to locate web sites or files on a specific topic, such as magnetic toys, marine biology, or your favorite movie star.

Utilizing the Internet: Search Power [5:31 ]
In this video we will discuss how you can maximize your searches by utlizing the features of several types of search engines.

Utilizing the Internet: Online Credibility [5:12 ]
How do you know which information you read on a website is actually true? There are a lot of websites out there, and you?ll soon find that they don?t all line up when it comes to the facts.

Tool: Searching Processes

Application: Students review the following terms http://www.rrcc.edu/teachered/sharon/internet.html
: Students review the following terms http://www.rrcc.edu/teachered/sharon/internet.html

Students perform the following activity? http://www.rrcc.edu/teachered/sharon/internet7.html

Needed Worksheet:

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/searching/sevensteps-worksheet.html

Students complete the following activity: http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/techknowpark/Suitcase/index.html

Tool: Evaluating the information you find on-line.

Application: The following activity teaches students to be prepared to evaluate the information they encounter on the Web, as well as, the importance of being prepared to look at all resources with critical and creative thinking skills. This application will teach students to be savvy information gatherers!
The following activity teaches students to be prepared to evaluate the information they encounter on the Web, as well as, the importance of being prepared to look at all resources with critical and creative thinking skills. This application will teach students to be savvy information gatherers!

The following activity is a true classroom hit. The students enjoy using the Web Site Evaluation Form, to evaluate sites they find to be really good, to determine content accuracy, content appropriateness, content scope, technical navigation, technical presentation and the bottom line. The activity then engages students in the process of using the "Evaluation Form" to evaluate the website: The Haggis Hunt is on?" The site is very creative, however, students must use their critical thinking skills and not be fooled.

Students then review advertising tricks used to attract consumers. Once students have a basic understanding of the tricks deployed, they create a cereal box demonstrating their knowledge of advertising tricks.

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/Hovercraft/InfoSkills/KnowFlow/Caution1/KFSM1.htm

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/Hovercraft/InfoSkills/KnowFlow/Caution1/KFSM1.htm
Tool: Guideline for Research Products.

Implications for the Future: I found the first sentence of the article to be true, "I watch students search. Over the past several years, I have grown less satisfied with the results and products of student research."
I found the first sentence of the article to be true, "I watch students search. Over the past several years, I have grown less satisfied with the results and products of student research."

I must agree. Students have extreme difficulty in the process of completing a research bases project. Once students have complete the assignments above, they are aware of search engines and how to use search engines. They understand that the Internet is a resource for gathering and collecting information, as well as, a resource that must be evaluated for credibility. However, students still cannot achieve the HOTS needed to complete a research project. Hence, I am planning to incorporate the following activities to encourage students to take the next step and develop the skills, attitudes and behaviors needed to succeed in all content areas in the information age.

The author presented several approaches teachers can deploy to promote better searching skills. Currently I address most of the recommendations in my teaching practices. However, the article presented several recommendations I believe will greatly contribute to the overall process of Info-fluency.

To be Info-fluent a student must have the knowledge, skills and abilities to be the controlling and guiding factor in the process of Internet Research. The Internet and the availability of information can not be the controlling and guiding factor. This leads to the disappointment described by the author, students settle for what they can find. Therefore, the Internet, rather than the subject area content or the student?s interest, becomes the controlling and guiding factor. Hence, Internet Research becomes a game of luck, not skill!

From the article, I compiled a list of factors that contribute to creating an environment in which Internet research is student centered and content centered. For example, these classroom implications would support an environment in which student do not adopt, modify or change their research content/subject area to correlate with the information readily available on the Internet. Instead students will modifying, changing or altering their Internet searching tools and strategies.

Classroom Application:

I will not begin the unit on "Effective searching" by engaging students in activities that develops their searching skills. Instead, I will introduce the concept of "Effective Searching" by first, providing students the opportunity to devise a need and purpose for conducting research on the Internet. Then, I will introduce online searching strategies and tools, not as an application that exist in isolation on content, but as a tool or application to assist in their quest for knowledge and information.

First, student will create an overall plan for their research project. This will require students to do background reading before settling on a topic and conducting searches. During this Research Phase, Data Collect Phase and Project Creation Phase, students will use the following resources:

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/Hovercraft/InfoSkills/KnowFlow/index.htm

Through the implementation of this activity, the Learner will:

Identify a research topic.

Great resource for the stumped student: http://www.learnnc.org/students/7/

Define essential questions to be answered through the collection of information.

Activities to assist students in this process of creating essentials questions.

(The Starting Block)

Lesson plan: http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/design_resources_start1.cfm

Activity:

http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/startingblock_play.cfm?mode=begin&block_id=2

Activity:

http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/startingblock_play.cfm?mode=begin&block_id=4

Examine the idea of "Internet Toxic Materials."
Develop the skills needed to evaluate information creditability.

(See activity above)

Develop the skills to sort and filter irrelevant information using Boolean expressions

http://kathyschrock.net/rbs3k/boolean/

Develop effective searching strategies.

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/fournets.htm

http://www.rrcc.edu/teachered/sharon/internet7.html

Create a Web Searching Planer:

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/techknowpark/WoodCoaster/Planner.html

http://www.noodletools.com/noodlequest/

Use the Web Searching Planner and the Noodle Tool questionnaire to guide in the selection of relevant Websites using the links in the "Knowledge Construction Kits."

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/Hovercraft/InfoSkills/KnowFlow/Become/index.htm#

Explore the capabilities of uses specialized search engines.

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/specialized.html

Collect information relevant to their topic and demonstrate their understanding of copyright and fair use.

http://www.cyberbee.com/cb_copyright.swf

http://citationmachine.net/ (Best site ever created!)

http://www.landmark-project.com/permission_student.php

Evaluate Websites throughout the process.

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/techknowpark/WaterSlide/Questions.html

Organize the data collected using a graphic organizer or a format presented by the teacher.

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/Hovercraft/Transformer/index.htm#

http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/graphic_organizers.php

http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/skills/thinkmaps.html

Evaluate project ideas, comment to a project idea and create a project to share findings on the selected/assigned topic. Project ideas:

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/Hovercraft/InfoSkills/KnowFlow/Share/No.htm#

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/Hovercraft/InfoSkills/KnowFlow/Share/Yes.htm

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/Hovercraft/OnlineTools/index.htm

http://www.lego.com/eng/create/activities/

http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/crimedetection/index.html

Thinking Guideness:

http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/docs/Magnificent7.htm

Posted at 09:20AM Dec 11, 2006 by SIMMONS, AMBER in Internet | Comments[0]

Thursday Dec 07, 2006

Wow: Wikis

Wikis: Wow! What a great tool for supporting the writing process.

Wikis are new in the field of education and most teachers are not familiar with the concept of wikis. Therefore, I would like to show an activity we did in our discussion group to demonstrate wiki technology.

Class Articles

I enjoyed the article: Collaborative Learning the Wiki Way. The article defines wikis as a collaborative environment by design, which can serve as a base for online collaborative projects. The article also examines the wiki in comparison to a blog. "Wikis are similar to a blog in structure," however, wikis allow anyone to edit, delete or modify. The reading summarizes the value of using wikis: (1) wikis are organized by content, rather than chronology (2) wikis promote collaborative content creation and editing (3) wikis provide an edit trail as part of its structure (4) wikis can allow for limited access by the creators, and editors of the wiki. To demonstrate the uses, functions and benefits of using wikis in the classroom. I invite you to participate in our groups? role-play.

Overview:

We used www.writeboard.com to role-play a group of students creating a story beginning using an on-line wiki.

The activity demonstrated the function and purpose of wikis and how wikis support the writing process.

After Read the blog, I invite you to contribute to our wiki. This is truly a great example of how to implement wikis into the classroom, and will answer a lot of questions regarding the overall process.

Visit our writeboard at http://123.writeboard.com/705327009c43a41a3

Password: ncsu

Generalizations: Using Wikis:

The process of actively engaging in the writing process via a wiki provided a real world introduction to wikis. As we used the wiki for a mock writing project, we reflected on the following features:

1) Wikis are free, online writing spaces. For example, www.writeboard.com is a great wiki site. Teachers can create writeboards, assign passwords and allow students to work, collectively on writing projects.

2) Wikis use simple formatting rules, so you don't need to understand HTML or an HTML authoring tools, such as Microsoft FrontPage or Dreamweaver to contribute.

3) Wikis convey a highly collaborative view of composing and creativity. People who contribute to a wiki need to understand that their words may be deleted and changed by others.

4) Wikis give focus to the last draft, yet wikis provide a history. Each time the text is changed, a new version is saved. Anyone can go back later and see previous versions. This greatly impacts how a teacher can grade group project by holding each student accountable for his/her writing contributions to the overall project.

5) Teachers and students can see the writing process in action. For example, in our writeboard we can track how the beginning of our story was formed. This same concept can be applied to more extensive writing collaborations.

6) Each new reader can suddenly become a writer. www.writeboard.com provides private wikis. However, all group members are able to write to the wiki.

7) The draft that matters is the last draft.

8) Wikis are designed specifically as a writing space. They are neither a presentation space nor a course management system.

9) Wikis make it possible - and necessary - for writers to continually build upon, revise, and edit an emerging text.

Group Reactions to Wikis:

Barbie, a French teacher explained, "I could use the story writing concept with French 2 and higher levels so that we could create and publish a class story (in French of course) over the course of the semester. Students would then each have their own copy of our class book?I could even see collaborating with French teachers at other schools to either add to the same story or possibly to create their own story with questions. By doing this, we could exchange stories online and test our comprehension of both stories by adding to our own story (you have to read all the previous entries so that it makes sense) and by answering questions about the other school's story. Since students know another school will be reading their story, this factor will provide motivation to do a good job. "

Christine explained, "I agree! I found the site to be really fun. I am also excited because I can definitely apply wikis in my classroom. This lends itself perfectly to an ELA classroom. The fact that students can add on to each other?s stories really increases engagement. We currently do a similar assignment in my classroom, but the stories created are generated on poster board. This system would allow for easy edit and students access to the stories! I think I may attempt this before Christmas!"

One classroom application I found on the Internet recommended wikis as a team based management tool. For example, teachers can create a wiki to document a student?s behavior, progress and goals. The wiki can be accessible by all of the student's teachers, as well as, the student?s parents. The wiki will also provide an ongoing log of behavior documentation, modifications and interventions made on the behalf of the teachers, as well as, providing a log that demonstrates on going parent ? teacher contacts.

This feature will be great in meeting the demands of No Child Left Behind.

"I had never heard of wikis before this week's readings so it has been very interesting to me to discuss this new concept. I can definitely see possible applications in my own classroom."

Conclusions

Overall, wiki technology was new to our group. Our team members all expressed "excitement" regarding the implementation of wikis to support the writing process. The role-play integration helped member achieve a clear understanding regarding the classroom uses for integrating wikis. Our group agrees that wikis are usful in the classroom and can be used in the writing process.

Posted at 10:20AM Dec 07, 2006 by SIMMONS, AMBER in Internet | Comments[0]

Tuesday Nov 14, 2006

Telecollaboration, Activity Structures and Lesson Sequences

In creating this blog I used the following web link http://virtual-architecture.wm.edu/Foundation/index.html I was able to access numerous articles on virtual architecture. All articles referenced in this blog can be downloaded from the weblink.

Taking Advantage of Online Tools:

After reviewing the article, "Curriculum-Based Telecollaboration," I ventured on-line to gain a better understanding of the thinking tools, "activity structures" and "action sequences" when integrating telecollaborative activities in the classroom.

First, I wanted a clear definition to describe "What is a telecollaborative activity?" The article, "First Steps in Telecollaboration" defines a telecollaborative activity as "an educational endeavor that involves people in different locations using Internet tools and resources to work together."

Telecollaborative activities use Internet tools, the tools used are directly related to the actions in which students must perform to reach the desired learning outcome. The learning outcomes are achieved by engaging students in learning processes that promotes content understanding.

Each activity structure is reflective of a learning process. Below is a summary of each activity structure and the learning process used to reach content understanding, I found the summary useful when matching learning outcomes to Internet tools. The information was provided in the article, "Structuring Internet Enriched Spaces."

INTERPERSONAL EXCHANGE

Keypals: Longer-term, interest-driven, one-to-one communication-by writing is based upon emergent topics of conversation. Can be used to motivate students to communicate in writing.

Global Classrooms: Longer-term, group-to-group discussion-by-writing of structured or semi-structured topics. Can be used to help students? research and hone their assertions and arguments.

Electronic Appearances: Short-term communication "event" with someone special by virtue of reputation and/or expertise. Good way to pique interest in a particular topic or event.

Telementoring: Longer-term communication-by-writing in a mentor-protégé format. Rich possibilities for long-term professional/personal relationships/modeling.

Question & Answer: Very short-term communication-by writing to clarify or complete understanding of a complex topic.

Impersonations: Variable-term communication-by-writing necessitating deep level, actively applied understanding of an historical period or literary work. Impersonation format is usually quite motivating.

INFORMATION COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Information Exchanges: Variable-term communication in which similar information is compared and contrasted. Especially effective when students are comparing locally generated information that differs across collection sites.

Database Creation: Previously accumulated information is analyzed deeply enough so that it can be classified and organized for others to use to form higher-level understanding.

Electronic Publishing: Fruits of learning efforts are formatted so that others can benefit from perusing them. Good for both learning closure and public relations.

Telefieldtrips: People (and less frequently, animals) are shadowed while they are active so that their experiences can be vicariously received.

Pooled Data Analysis: Similar information is pooled from multiple sites so that overarching patterns can be discerned. Higher-level than information exchanges.

PROBLEM SOLVING

Information Searches Information-searching skills are honed.

Peer Feedback Activities Multiple sources of feedback are provided and received so that successive drafts of students' works can be prepared.

Parallel Problem Solving Different problem-solving strategies applied to the same challenge are compared, contrasted, and appreciated. Good for helping students realize that there are "many right answers" to a problem.

Sequential Creations: Collaboration on a common product that occurs sequentially, rather than simultaneously. Deeper-level understanding of what has been created before is necessary if the work is to continue in a consistent manner.

Telepresent Problem Solving: Real-time brainstorming and problem-solving skills are exercised via text chat and/or videoconferencing. Good vehicle for use of previously researched information and/or -prepared questions.

Simulations: Immersion in a content-rich, individualized or collaborative context for learning produces in-depth, experiential understanding of the problem situation being explored.

Social Action Projects: Authentic commitment to assisting others is coupled with authentic learning about a current, often global problem.

In the article "Wetware?Why Use Activity Structures?" The author present the following question, "Is a particular use of an Internet-based tool or resource, in a particular situation, for a particular group of students, worth the time and effort it will take to use the tool or resource?" The author presents a simple and usable approach for answering "IS IT WORTH IT?"

"I suggest that, keeping in mind a specific, feasible educational use of the Internet, and in terms of both content and processes that students need/want to learn, we consider the honest answers to two questions:

Will this use of the Internet enable students to do something that they COULDN'T do before?

Will this use of the Internet enable students to do something that they COULD do before, but better?

If the answer to these questions is yes, then the use of Internet tools will be worth it. However, "If the honest answer to both of these questions is "no," there is no reason to use Internet tools or resources in the way that we are considering. Our time, effort, and resources would be better used in another way. In any particular instance, if using traditional tools and approaches can allow students to learn just as well or better than using new tools and approaches, it does not make sense to use new tools in traditional ways. It isn't "worth it" to do so, for students or for teachers."

Classroom Application:

My content area is 7^th Grade Business Computer Technology. In the standard course of study Objective 2.04 requires students to demonstrate telecommunication services and functions. Objective 5.00 requires students to explain, create, manipulate and utilize spreadsheet software. For these objectives I would like to incorporate an Internet enriched learning environment. I have identified the following lesson plan beneficial in reaching content-based goals: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=U111

Lesson Plan Descriptions:

This unit plan uses multiple materials including electronic Internet resources. Students collect data using the United States Census Bureau. They organize data in a spreadsheet and interpret the data collected by ordering, comparing, and writing the numbers in multiple ways. These lessons incorporate problem solving, reasoning and proving, communicating, connecting, and representing ideas about data.

This unit plan uses multiple materials including electronic Internet resources. Students collect data using the United States Census Bureau. They organize data in a spreadsheet and interpret the data collected by ordering, comparing, and writing the numbers in multiple ways. These lessons incorporate problem solving, reasoning and proving, communicating, connecting, and representing ideas about data.

Will this use of the Internet enable students to do something that they COULDN'T do before? Yes, students will be able to collect, compile and compare information from a resource that is unavailable without Internet access.
Yes, students will be able to collect, compile and compare information from a resource that is unavailable without Internet access.
Will this use of the Internet enable students to do something that they COULD do before, but better? Yes, the Internet will provide students the tools to collect, compile and compare data with speed, ease and accuracy.
Yes, the Internet will provide students the tools to collect, compile and compare data with speed, ease and accuracy.
The Importance of Lesson Sequence:

These lessons are designed to connect mathematical ideas, develop understand and to demonstrate application. The sequence of the lessons will build skills required for collecting, organizing and displaying data.

Lesson 1: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L331
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L331

Students will be able to:

collect data from a survey

Lesson 2: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L332
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L332

Students will be able to:

gather data from a survey
represent numbers in written form, expanded form, and standard form
compare numbers by ordering them from greatest to least

Lesson 3: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L333
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L333

Students will be able to:

represent data using tables and graphs

Lesson 4: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L334
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L334

Students will be able to:

compare numbers by ordering from greatest to least
find the range, median, and mode

Lesson 5: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L335
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L335

Students will be able to:

organize and display data from surveys
represent data using tables and graphs
analyze data
describe important features of the set of data
Web Resource:

Web Resource:

In the category of Information Collection and Analysis, I found the following website to be useful in the process of creating an Internet Enriched Learning Environment.

http://illuminations.nctm.org/Lessons.aspx

Posted at 06:27PM Nov 14, 2006 by SIMMONS, AMBER in Internet | Comments[0]

Monday Nov 13, 2006

Podcasting: Getting Setup and Sample Activity

Podcasting: Just when I think I know everything!

It is always motivating to learn something new, or just a new twist on an older concept. Podcasting is an example of how, "An old dog can learn new tricks."

Podcasting is the distribution of audio or video files, such as radio programs or music videos, over the Internet. However, there is a new twist. WHAT IS RSS?
is the distribution of audio or video files, such as radio programs or music videos, over the Internet. However, there is a new twist. WHAT IS RSS?
Motivation:

I found the following insight provided by Odvard Egil Dyrli, a professor at UC, quit informative and motivating. "Podcasting is so new that educators and students are essentially writing the book on bringing the technology to teaching and learning. Current applications range from placing audio updates from administrators on district Web sites, recording class presentations for later review, uploading interviews of community leaders and producing online school radio broadcasts. Duke University distributed iPods with school-related information and instructional content to all of its first-year students this year, and similar applications are being discussed at K-12 levels, too. Podcasts are popping up everywhere" I am inspired because we are essentially on the front lines of "Podcasting in Education."

How to get started with Podcasting: Using basic Podcastings

Podcastings are not limited to audio clips. Podcasting include an array of multimedia elements. With this in mind, I selected a (Combined) package that included iTune, which will serve as my aggregator, and Quicktime, which will support the array of multimedia elements used when accessing podcastings. I also selected Quicktime to be my default multimedia program. Furthermore, iTunes is a great program because when you start using RSS subscriptions, the process is simplified through iTunes.

LINK FOR THE DOWNLOAD:

Quicktime with iTune

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html

Once software is installed, and computer has been restarted, open the program iTunes.
Visit your iTunes Library and click on the button "Podcasting" in the left margin.
Minimize the iTunes Program
Open Internet Explorer and visit some Podcasting resources. I really liked PBS resources at http://www.pbs.org/podcasts/ I will be using a podcast from this sight to explain how to assess a podcast?
I selected the follow podcast because it appeared exciting and it also incorporated audio and video into the podcast.
Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Adventures
Jean-Michel and his expedition team explore dangerous and spectacular locales.

Jean-Michel and his expedition team explore dangerous and spectacular locales.
http://www.pbs.org/oceanadventures/rss/podcast.xml
Copy the provided URL
Return to iTunes, on the menu bar select advanced, select Open Stream, and paste the copied URL, Clcik OK and allow time to download.
Once downloaded, there will be an arrow pointing to the right, beside the Title of the Podcast, click the arrow to unthread the episodes.
You have downloaded the episode on "Gray Whales," click on the view icon beside the title to view. OR Click GET to download additional episodes.

The New Trick: RSS Feeds/Subscriptions

The New TRICK is related to what is known as RSS.

What is RSS?

RSS is an acronym for Really Simple Syndication. RSS feeds are an easy and efficient way to receive notification when new information is available in a specific area of interest.

How can I benefit from RSS Feeds?

RSS feeds save time, allowing users to receive notification only when new content is available. Web site visitors choose the information they wish to subscribe to and can un-subscribe from any feed at any point.

How to begin receiving RSS Feeds:

I searched the web for student news and podcastings.
I found the resource CNN Student News very interesting.
Overview: CNN Student News utilizes CNN's worldwide resources to bring each day's top news stories to middle and high school classrooms. The 10-minute, commercial-free program encourages student participation and provides classes with context for understanding current events. Visit the Site: http://edition.cnn.com/services/podcasting/
I click the link subscription POD.
Copied the URL
Open iTunes, Click Advanced, Subscribe to Podcast and pasted the URL.
A direct link to this service has been created and you will receive the updated news casting daily!

Classroom Applications:

Using Podcasting technology has many classroom applications.

Activity:

Have students visit the following site: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rss/media/index.html

Distribute the Worksheets:

Worksheet 1: http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/resources/TECHZONE/podcast_5wh[1].pdf

Worksheet 2: http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/resources/TECHZONE/podcast_findingfacts[1].pdf

Students will complete the Worksheets as they watch the Podcasting.

Posted at 04:59PM Nov 13, 2006 by SIMMONS, AMBER in Internet | Comments[0]

Education Software

The Limitations of Educational Software

Overall, I am not very impressed by the actions of the educational software industry. After reading the article, "Teacher Beliefs about Educational Software: A Delphi Study," I am disenchanted by the intended purpose of educational software. The article states, "Teachers rely on experts to produce quality instructional material for classroom use with the assumption that these commercial products have been properly designed, developed, and evaluated. However, that is not necessarily the case?and commercial educational software publishers are unwilling to talk when asked about their instructional design process and evaluation procedures." Furthermore, the article describes factors that often lead to poor software selection; teachers lack the expertise to select appropriate software because they lack the technical skills and training to evaluate software effectiveness and the understanding of necessary instructional strategies to incorporate software effectively into their teaching.

The Weakest Link:

I believe there is a strong correlation between "Teaching Strategies" and "The manner in which students engage in Critical Thinking." There our two factors contributing to software integration and HOTS, the software and the strategies deployed by the teacher during software integration.

HOTS are characteristic of a learning process that evolves when students are provided the opportunity to experience. Many teachers "are limiting themselves to instrumental and narrowly defined objectives, such as mastery of essay writing. Therefore, I believe the true definition of HOTS is not simple. HOTS emerge when a teacher begins using instructional strategies "enabling them to refocus their concerns less on the content and more on the process of learning."

Types of Education Software:

Education software can be subdivided into categories based on the approach used to promoting learning. However, after reviewing the course reading, I have concluded, "Mindtools are applications that can be used by learners to represent "what they know" about the content they are studying. I see a broad range of classroom uses for these programs. Teachers currently have access to an array of Mindtool applications, but are unable to develop teaching strategies to incorporate these application programs into their classroom.

Classroom integration will be the downfall with Mindtools. They rely on effective teaching practices to encourage HOTS. Therefore, extensive staff development will need to be incorporated into the integration process.

I believe there is a strong correlation between "Teaching Strategies" and "The manner in which students engage in Critical Thinking." One group member stated, ""Much of the software that can be used as Mindtools does not come with instructions or information on how to integrate this technology in the classroom... Teachers want some type of manual or instruction on how to accomplish this task."

A common weak link in software integration is the classroom teaching strategies used, in conjunction, with the software. Reflecting back to the unit on hardware integration and an approach to technology integration found in the article, "Increasing interactively in lectures using an electronic voting system."

"The conclusion was that to apply ICT to education successful, pedagogy had to be put first, technology second. An un-stated implication of this was that we ourselves should look at the teaching practices around us, identify the weakest point, and try to discover how ICT could address these." Replacing ICT with education software will provide a beneficial approach to addressing/identifying our software needs. Therefore, as a classroom teacher, I strongly support the integration of Mindtools to encourage HOTS in the classroom.

Therefore, we have identified the lack of teaching material, instructions and ideas as a down fail of Mindtools. However, some software companies are working to include more teaching materials for the classroom.

Databases are Mindtools for organizing information. However, teachers often do not incorporate the use of databases because of their lack of knowledge and a lack of ready to use activities. Tom Snyder Productions is an educational software company that has excelled in providing teacher friendly software that provides an abundance of ready to use activities.

The Software: Maxdata works with excel to give students an introduction to databases.

Product Overview:

Your students will:

Create databases

Collect and organize data

Display, interpret, and effectively communicate data

Manage information and create reports

PRODUCT FEATURES

	Ready-made, cross-curricular data sets: dinosaurs, presidents, states, weather, and more
	Database wizard guides students through naming the database, adding fields and field types, and saving the database
	Three levels of functionality allow for differentiated instruction
	View records in table and group views
	Create standard reports ? table, column, and graph ? or design your own
	MaxPaint - drawing tool to add pictures to records
	Clip art library with over 800 images

The Internet is a great tool for teaching students how to do research. However, the teaching strategies deployed by the teacher and the assignment created and implemented, often do not result in successful research or HOT. Therefore, I found the following software effective for bridging the gap between education software and HOT.

The Product and Overview:

The 2003 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia provides easy access to 78,000+ articles at three reading levels as well as a complete atlas, dictionary, and thesaurus. The learning experience is enhanced with thousands of videos, illustrations, panoramas, Web links, and more! Perfect for research projects across the curriculum. Developed by educators, the Teacher's Guide is loaded with carefully designed activities that encourage students to explore and expand their research capabilities. It also provides annotated bibliographies and lists of appropriate Web sites as additional reference sources.

In conjuction will education software, there is an array of teacher friendly teaching materials, free online. The following Websites are great resources on how to integrate Mindtools, Internet Resources and classroom instruction to promote HOTS in the classroom. These activities include lesson plans, as well as, all needed materials. The activities use standard application software.

http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/tool_index.cfm

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/

http://www.econedlink.org

http://edsitement.neh.gov/

http://www.readwritethink.org

One activity I plan to use in the classroom is "Information Represented Graphically." http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=U82

In this lesson students participate in activities in which they analyze information represented graphically. Students are asked to discuss, describe, read, and write about the graphs and the information they contain. The emphasis on using components of language is natural for students and helps them clarify the information depicted.

Provided by: http://illuminations.nctm.org/Lessons.aspx

Posted at 01:48PM Nov 13, 2006 by SIMMONS, AMBER in Software | Comments[0]

Friday Oct 20, 2006

GPS Technology--Classroom Intergration

GPS Technology: Classroom Applications

Class Article:

I enjoyed the article, "Hide and Seek." The article presented interesting classroom applications for integrating handheld GPS technology. The articled defined the concept of geocaching, which is new to me, as a high-tech, worldwide treasure hunt where a person hides a cache for others to find.

The author of the article, "Hide and Seek," is very aware of her teacher audience. She foresees teachers having questions regarding the GPS navigation tools themselves as well as the need for ideas on how to implement the knowledge, skills and abilities used in GPS navigation into the classroom. Therefore, she recommends a variety of applications to use in the classroom, as well as, demonstrating how teachers can implement the activities to address a variety of curriculum objectives.

For example, one foreseeable question addressed in the reading, :How do I know where to look for a cache?"

The author explains, a teacher can visit a geocaching site with a database, search the database for a cache of interest and then navigate to the cache by entering longitude and latitude coordinates.

The author recommends several classroom applications for GPS technology: One lesson described involved three different teaching activities and the use of a GPS Unit.

1) First students can integrate GPS technology by examining the mathematical concepts used by GPS Units. Student will create a point of reference, mathematical,, by creating a mathematical link between, what is a degree and how does that relate to my location in relationship to miles.

2) Then students can use GPS units to navigate to physical locations using inputted latitude and longitude points.

3) To conclude the lesson, the author recommended an activity in which students? search for assigned caches located throughout the campus.

Another classroom application that can be used in conjunction with a GPS unit is a concept known as multi-site caching. The author explains the concept of a multi-site cache as an application requiring students to embark on a real life scavenger hunt using a GPS unit, knowledge of latitude and longitude as well as their understanding of how their location is reflected through the latitude and longitude degrees. The process will encompass the cacher to locate the first set or coordinates, do a calculation to determine the next set of coordinates and navigate to the next location. The author recommended using this activity to lead students on a campus based adventure or a historical adventure of their hometown. Teachers have two options in the implementation of this activity, the author explains, the learners can complete a cache created by a teacher or another student, or the learner can create a cache for others.

However, not all classroom teachers have access to handheld GPS units. Therefore the author presented two additional approaches for integrating the use of GPS navigation: Travel Bugs and location-less caching.

1) Locationless Caches is another application presented in the article. In a locationless cache no GPS Handheld Unit is needed. The creator simply describes an object they are in search of and the cachers navigate the globe searching for the cache. The cachers report their finding back to the creator by taking pictures or sending longitude and latitude coordinates.

2) The author also presented the idea of using Travel Bugs. "Travel bugs are an element of geocaching that maybe of particular interest to elementary teachers." Although I am not an elementary teacher, I found this recommendation the most applicable to my classroom. Therefore, based on the information presented in the article, as well as a little addition research, I created a classroom application that I will like to implement.

The Tool: Travel Bugs Can Impact Learning

In public education the sky is not the limit, instead the budget is the limit. Therefore, in today's classrooms, teachers must be creative, thrifty and open to new ideas. When thinking about a GPS Unit and the price tag attached to that device a 1:1 student to GPS unit ratio is not realistic and neither is a 30:1 student to GPS unit ratio, in most schools.

Therefore, my tool of interest and the tool I can afford personally to purchase are "Travel Bugs. "

After reading the article and reflecting on the ideas presented by the author, I did a little research on "Travel Bugs." Below are my findings, the information presented is copied and pasted from: http://www.geocaching.com/track/faq.aspx

What is a Travel Bug? A Groundspeak Travel Bug is a trackable tag that you attach to an item. This allows you to track your item on Geocaching.com. The item becomes a hitchhiker that is carried from cache to cache (or person to person) in the real world and you can follow its progress online.

What does a Travel Bug do? It's really up to the owner of the bug to give it whatever task they desire. Or no task at all. The fun of a travel bug is inventing new goals for the Travel Bug to achieve. One Bug's goal may be to reach a specific country, or travel to 10 countries.

How do Travel Bugs work? Each Travel Bug has its own unique tracking number stamped on it. This tracking number is used as proof by the user that they found the item. It also doubles as a way for the user to locate the personal web page for the travel bug.

Travel Bugs are tracked with the help of users who go online and "grab" them from caches, or receive them from users. The idea is by picking up and dropping off Travel Bugs on the web site you are mirroring the Bug's real world adventures. Each Travel Bug has its own "diary" that follows its movements.

How to get a Travel Bug? Travel Bugs can be found at http://www.geocaching.com/track/order.aspx

Must create an account. In order to get more details I created an account. The process was easy. I also had to provide my home coordinates. I found a great website to use: http://world.maporama.com/idl/maporama/

Once you have an account and you purchase a travel bug, the students can track the travel bug. When a travel bug is found/received, the tag has instructions on how to log the location of the travel bug. The results are present in a log that states location details.

?How Would This Platform Increase Student Learning??

The fundamental skills needed to use GPS Technology can be developed and practiced by exposing students to the ideas and concepts used in the "Travel Bug" project. And, by building the skills the students will understand the advantages of using GPS technology.

The implementation of, ?Travel Bugs? into classroom instructional activities will offer students the opportunity to use their knowledge, skills and abilities when performing calculations using longitude and latitude skills. The overall project offers numerous of opportunities to allow students to use the skills needed to use a handheld GPS, as well as, the skills needed to research a variety of regions in the US.

The positive attributes of, Travel Bugs, for teaching GPS Navigation:

1. Easy to set up and implement into previously created instructional activities; complements our groups selected training model, Bloom?s Taxonomy Tie-In Model.

2. Cheap, no unrealistic expenses! No hardware needed.

3. Students develop and practice the navigation skills needed to use a GPS.

4. Students will have the opportunity to experience how GPS technology works and the benefits of having GPS technology.

5. Students will have the opportunity to use higher level thinking skills to plot movement and calculate travel distances.

6. Students will have a virtual field trip when exploring the locations of the ?Travel Bug.?

7. Students will have exposure to the sport of geocaching.

The negative attributes of, Travel Bugs, for teaching GPS Navigation:

1. Students do not have the opportunity to use a handheld GPS.

2. Computer simulations are not a substitute for ?Real Life? experience.

How I plan to implement Travel Bugs and GPS Technology in the Classroom

I have briefly described how our, 7^th grade, team will integrate Travel Bugs into classroom activities to promote HOTS.

Science: The students will learn basic Latitude and Longitude knowledge and skills. The teacher will present the travel bug to the class and explain the mission, as well as, how the travel bug will be tracked using latitude and longitude coordinates. The teacher will assist students in locating the coordinates for the 10 locations.

Math: Students will use (Latitude and Longitude Coordinates), including the 10 for our travel bug?s mission, to calculate the distance between the different coordinates. For the formulas to calculate distance, see the following website www.meridianworlddata.com

Technology: Students will create a spreadsheet to represent the distance from a variety of Latitude and Longitude Coordinates. From the data collect, the class must determine the shortest path for the travel bug. Students will use spreadsheets to predict, test and evaluate a variety of travel routes. Students will, evaluate, analysis and interrupt, the relationship between the different locations and the distance of the trip.

Social Studies: Students will use the Internet to research the 10 locations selected for the mission. For example, if the mission is to map the adventures of "Lewis & Clark," students will research the importance of each location selected for the travel bugs adventure and create a relationship between the location and the adventure as a whole. Students will create a Thinking Map to demonstrate their understanding of the Adventure.

Using this activity as a multi-site cache can also be fun and educational!

"Adventure Mapping" applies the concept of multi-site caching to a variety of classroom applications. The activity can be applied to any content area. Students create their own adventures by creating a travel plan based on the content area being studied, for example, The Adventures of Christopher Columbus, The Migration to the West for Gold or the Life of Martin Luther King. For each adventure, the student will research and determine the 10 most important/influential milestones of the person, place or event. Students will determine the coordinates of each location, and will map the adventure using their understand of distance and spreadsheets. Students will create a concept map to demonstrate the relationship between the selected locations and the selected topic.

Another classroom application is similar to the concept of mystery or puzzle caches. This form of cache can involve complicated puzzles/problems students will solve to determine the next step in their hunt. This can be applied to a variety of content areas. The teacher can create open-ended questions, problem-solving questions or evaluation questions. I recommend the use of the Internet to represent the hunting grounds. I also recommend the incorporation of spreadsheets and databases. The students are not the creators of the adventure, the students are engaging in the adventure as they discover and solve clues.

I found a great activity online that uses GPS technology and promotes HOTS. http://www.chicos.caltech.edu/classroom/#gps_catch

I also found the website created by National Geographic useful. It integrates Computer Science with a variety of subject areas and provides teacher friendly, ready to use lesson plans.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/g68.html

Posted at 12:42PM Oct 20, 2006 by SIMMONS, AMBER in Hardware | Comments[0]