CEP 800 - Lesson Implementation Reflection

Lesson Implementation Reflection

Lesson Plan           

            For my lesson, I introduced and taught my second grade reading students about the eight parts of speech.  I kept my lesson basic and relatively simple to avoid frustration and confusion.  Originally, I had anticipated spending one thirty-minute session discussing the parts of speech and another thirty-minute session assessing my students’ understanding through our wiki.  However, once I began, I realized that it would take longer to provide sufficient examples so they could translate the terminology into understanding.  Therefore, I spent two sessions explaining and one assessing.

Implementation

            I teach a group of nine students in second grade.  They are all proficient readers and understand the basics of composing sentences.  Since we have already discussed nouns and verbs, I provided them with those words, but asked for their definitions.  They were able to quickly provide accurate definitions and examples.  While adverb, adjective, and pronoun were less known, with an initial example, they were able to give sufficient examples that demonstrated understanding. 

            As I had anticipated, understanding conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections was a little trickier.  However, with minimal prompting, they quickly grasped a preposition’s purpose.  The same was true for interjections.  Conjunctions were the only part of speech where my students tried, but did not quite grasp the concept.  To re-teach this part of speech is on my upcoming agenda.  Other than this minor setback, I am pleased with how well the lesson flowed and the information my students learned and applied with their writing and identifying of the parts of speech.

Reflection

            My students now possess a better understanding of the eight parts of speech.  But only through re-teaching and review will these concepts “stick” and be correctly used.  I appropriately assumed that because we have discussed some of these terms already, my students would have general knowledge upon which I have expanded. 

            By writing out the terminology and allowing the students to question and answer, they were able to gain a deeper perspective of the material.  It will remain to be seen if the information is retained as we revisit these concepts throughout the school year.  Perhaps by not having them immediately write down the terms, they did not store the information, but through the presentation of figuring out the words and asking for examples, they may have retained more than I anticipate.

            Learning takes place through questions and answers, not simply lecturing.  By allowing the students to orally provide their own examples, I could instantly assess whether they understood the concept or not, and I could correct them if they had misconceptions.  I readily witnessed the Information Processing module of the Cognitive Theory of Learning as I introduced new words.  This naturally segued into Cognitive and Social Constructivism as they worked aloud to create meaning for these new words and make connections to their prior knowledge base.  Additionally, with Piaget’s work in mind, they also assimilated these terms into what they already knew and expanded upon the words.

            This knowledge supplemented what we have learned and are currently learning in our reading program.  We have discussed nouns, verbs, and pronouns, so it was not entirely new.  As we continue with our reading, we will re-examine these terms, thus enhancing writing and learning.

            Some of my students are naturally more outspoken than others, but since there are so few of them, it is relatively easy to track who has and had not yet shared, thus ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to share.

            To make this lesson a success, teachers must know and understand the parts of speech to ensure that their students are not being unintentionally misguided.  Also, they need to understand the writing level of their students so that the content has meaning for the learners.

            To assess their learning, I asked students to orally give me examples as we learned.  On the third day, we went to the computer lab where I asked them to compose and post sentences on their wiki page.  They were held accountable by completing the posted tasks on our wiki home page and composing appropriate sentences. 

            Technology played a significant role in assessing the students’ knowledge by giving them the opportunity to contribute their individual thoughts to their wiki page.  A distinct advantage is that not only could I see what they were writing, but also they can access each other’s pages and make comments on their sentences and provide assistance to each other without having to solely rely on me as a source of information.  In facilitating learning, students will have this work saved onto their pages.  They can then add and expand upon what they have learned at a later date.  Additionally, the technology affords them the advantage of being able to monitor their own progress.  I also found that my having the students type their responses, it created less frustration by having them erase misunderstandings.  They were more willing to delete a sentence and try again rather than erase and rewrite as we have done in our notebooks.

            I expected my students to use their wiki page to compose sentences based on the parts of speech.  We have just begun using wikis in October, so they are very excited to learn and contribute to the knowledge base we are creating.  The only major questions I encountered were how to spell words.  It is reassuring to know that they are concerned with correct spellings, especially when I am looking for content and clarity of information.  I responded to their spelling questions by assisting and telling them to break the words into chunks.  This often helped them figure out the words with little help.

            The students made sense of the content within their wiki page by asking questions to me and to each other.  I encourage them to ask their neighbors questions for deeper understanding.  It is very helpful because by having another student explain to them, it not only helps them understand better, but the explaining student develops the vocabulary necessary for conveying the correct explanation.  Also, with the wiki, since they can view and comment on each other’s work, it fosters and enables positive collaboration.

Making It Stick

The 7 Leadership Action Logics

Leadership Action Logics - Making it Stick on Prezi

Digital Storytelling

Welcome to my CEP 800 Digital Storytelling Project.  

CEP 800 Audio Production

For Module 2, I interviewed a student to gain a better understanding of what she understands and created a podcast.  Here is the link to my blog and posted podcast.

CEP 800 Audio Production

Wicked Problem Project

Wicked Problem - How can distance be taught to students ensuring that they understand the concept so it can be used in a real-world setting?

Wicked Problem Solution - For students to successfully grasp the concept of distance, we will teach them geocaching.  Using a mobile device with GPS capabilities, students will learn how to download latitude and longitude coordinates, search within the community, and input this information into a computer mapping application such as Google Maps or Google Earth.

Technological Content Knowledge - Distance will become a tangible variable that can be manipulated for understanding by having students explore with GPS devices and compare with maps on the Internet.

Technological Pedagogical Knowledge - By using either dedicated GPS units or mobile devices in addition to computer mapping applications, these teaching strategies will allow students to have a practical, real-world experience in calculating distance.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge - In order to help our students understand distance, I need to know what they know.  This will be accomplished by discussing physical, topographic, and road maps.  Students will be encouraged to ask questions in order to acquire the same basic understanding of maps.  I will use this information to explain the hemispheres, latitude, and longitude.  This will directly lead to understanding GPS.  By combining these elements, students will have a concrete representation as we go outside and use our GPS devices to find pre-determined locations.  

Group Leadership Project

     For our Group Leadership Project, we decided to create a presentation regarding wikis.  It is a quick overview of what wikis are, benefits of using one, and how to setup an account for an educator to use in a classroom.  

     To deliver the content of our project, we chose several methods.  A PowerPoint presentation was first used.  Within the PowerPoint, a Jing based on how to setup the educator wiki was embedded.  For our narration, an audio program, Audacity, was used to record our script.  Finally, our presentation was uploaded to YouTube in order to share it effectively.  We chose these methods of delivery because the PowerPoint enabled us to present the material and easily embed the wiki Jing.  There are many options we could have used to record the narration, so this was a personal choice made by Julie based on its availability and ease of use.  

     Working within a group for a presentation when we are all located at different places with no chance for us to meet face-to-face is always a daunting challenge.  However, I am constantly amazed how we are able to synchronize our online time in order to collaborate and lay the foundation for a project.  During the development process of the final project, I learned how we could use Google Docs to share files and receive immediate feedback.  This was especially helpful as we had three different areas of technology converging in order to create one flowing, cohesive, final project.  

     If I had to develop a similar project again, instead of waiting for one person to finish and send out their progress, I would want to coordinate a schedule with the group members so that we could receive vital progress reports and updates on given days.  This would ensure that feedback could be provided and changes implemented.  Our group functioned very well, but not having a common time to collaborate after our initial web conference, it sometimes became a matter of "hit or miss."  A definitive schedule that could be shared through Google Docs or even an email program would be beneficial so everyone was constantly aware of what progress was being made and who may need extra support.  This would ultimately relieve unwanted stress and headaches as deadlines would enable all participants to know when to expect a product and provide feedback.  

Professional Learning Plans

     Here are some of my final reflections regarding my Professional Learning Plans for CEP 812.

Professional Learning Plans on Prezi

Part D - Findings and Implications

In implementing my Wicked Problem Project of relating real-world distances to a map either on a computer screen, on a wall, or in a book, I had the opportunity to take my nieces and nephew out to geocache around town. This observation allowed me to gauge whether or not they understood what I was trying to teach. Little did they know, but they were learning the whole time when they thought that they were simply searching for "treasure."
As I prepare to start the 2011 - 2012 school year in less than three weeks, I am able to reflect on what I have done and improvements I can make. After initially teaching the concept of geocaching and how it will enable students to better understand distance, I would create a series of assessments. They would begin as formative, allowing me to guide the students with verbal cues, take notes on problematic issues, and provide instant feedback. Through this approach, students will have the opportunity to experience real-time feedback while they are utilizing a GPS device to locate their goal. Therefore, if they found something to be frustrating, rather than waiting for them to have arguments or meltdowns, I could provide them helpful tips designed to keep them focused and learning before attitudes escalate.
Once they have proven that they understand how to read their device and follow its lead, I will be able to assess them through summative means. By this time, I would understand which students are more independent with the technology and which ones have difficulties. The summative assessments will be designed to take place throughout the school year and not simply once they have demonstrated learning with the GPS device. I foresee this learning experience to be something that is reviewed and utilized throughout the school year, thus tying it into other subjects such as math, reading, social studies, and even art. With the summative assessments, students working in groups would be required to find hidden locations around the school, retrieve an item or take a digital picture from that location, and move onto the next point. Once they have completed this portion of the assessment, they would utilize a computer application such as Google Maps where they could pinpoint and label the locations and upload their picture.
From my own experiences of working with this concept this summer, I know that the solution to my Wicked Problem will work because students will begin to understand the importance of understanding distances and how it can be translated into a real-world setting. Even without a handheld device at their disposal, once they have used this technology, they will be able to accurately estimate the distance to a certain location based on the information they have learned.
For example, this past week, I took my nieces and nephew to a new location this past week. We had an endpoint highlighted on our GPS device, but did not know where it was located. My eldest niece (age 12) had the device and I asked her to keep us posted with the distance to our goal. When we were within 500 feet, I asked my other niece (age 10) and my nephew (age 7) to estimate where they thought we would find our goal. Not surprisingly, they calculated with an acceptable degree of accuracy. It is my hope and anticipation that my future students will be able to understand similar concepts and scenarios and thus gain a better understanding of distance.
I know that my solution to this Wicked Problem is what I intended to address because students will be able to actively participate in their learning through hands-on experience. Their learning will not be confined to a certain space, but it will be encouraged through outdoor trial and error. Also, through thinking with this project, it is important for students to gain an understanding that goes beyond our school campus. I would like to design a check-out system so that students could take a device home, and with the guidance of an adult, they would be able to locate other hidden caches and report their findings (and frustrations) with the class. To understand distance will also give them the skills to accurately convey their knowledge by identifying various distances in other towns and cities on maps. By knowing that it is "three point four miles from our school to the fairgrounds," students will then be able to calculate the same distance between other locations such as the Roman Colosseum and another Roman tourist destination.
Also, I will know that my Wicked Problem is being solved because students will be able to give me a general location based on latitude and longitude. Through using the GPS devices, they will see that every place in the world has its own unique set of coordinates, so by understanding this, they can synthesize this information and make educated guesses as to where other coordinates are located. This, in turn, will also help students understand the eastern, western, northern, and southern hemispheres.

Data Visualization Learning Lab

     I tried out a lot of different programs for this lab and finally came across "Google Gadget Fusion Charts."  I stress literacy with my students, and in the past I have given them challenges on how much they can read.  They turn in a small report and then I fill in the number of pages they read.  It gives them a visual idea of their progress.  

     I am notorious for making lists and keeping track of everything.  My favorite obsession is to keep a running spreadsheet of every book I read.  I log them into my spreadsheet by Title, Author, Number of Pages, and the Date I finish reading the book.  Below you will find the visual representation of the number of pages I have read since 1994.  I did not include this year because 1) the year is not over and 2) I haven't had much time to read for my own enjoyment, so it's kind of embarrassing.  :^)

Mobile Learning Lab

     For this lab, I joined Classroom 2.0 and read a lot of posts about using cell phones in schools.  I work at an elementary school, K - 4, so we do not have a lot of students with mobile devices.  However, after reading posted submitted by other educators, it is interesting to see how they are embracing this technology and using it to create a bridge to their students.
     I also tried the site www.polleverywhere.com.  I have never heard of this site before and found it to be fascinating.  What a great idea: to have instant feedback from all students without the risk of someone not answering because s/he was embarrassed.  I think that this would be incredibly helpful in almost any educational environment because it gives voice to the students without the most boisterous ones taking over, and it enables the teacher to receive immediate feedback, so that s/he knows what material is understood and what needs to be retaught.  What an excellent idea!  I have attached a screen shot of my Classroom 2.0 comment.
     I would like to use polleverywhere with my classes.  Granted, I work with elementary students who do not have cell phones/mobile devices, but since the site gives a web address, I can direct my students to that site and receive the same information as if they were texting.  I am just very impressed with the concept.  This would be helpful when asking students about a particular concept or even if they had finished a writing assignment we were working on.  However, the major challenge for me with this is locating a projector for the students to see the instant results.  Also, I do not have but one computer in my classroom, so this would only be effective when we go to the computer lab twice a week.  But I must admit that my biggest challenge when it comes to using a cell phone (in particular) in the class is that I don't have one.  Yeah, you read that right.  I do not own a cell phone.  Yes, I embrace technology, but when it comes to cell phones, I am a pariah.  I used three different computers in order to try out this poll though.  Here is a link to the poll and the results are pasted below as a screen shot.

Part B - Storyboard and Script

     For our group's storyboard and script, we decided to use Google Documents in order to synchronously edit our work without worrying about emailing incomplete files back and forth and hoping that the final project had all of the elements that we wanted.
     With our script, I worked on the rough draft by writing the Introduction, What is a Wiki?, Benefits of Using a Wiki in the Classroom, Possible Drawbacks, and the Conclusion sections.  After this initial writing section, I received great input from the rest of my group and moved forward, editing and expanding sections that needed work.  The section on How to Create a Wikispace was started upon my return, so I added new content in order to create a step-by-step guide.
     In creating our Google Presentation, it was already setup by another Karen.  Once I had completed the script, I helped with the final aspects of the presentation, including minor cosmetic changes including minimal text formatting and adding some images.
     For our final presentation, Nichole has worked on setting up our wiki with everyone now invited to contribute to it.  Karen is working on the final PowerPoint version of our presentation.  Tai is completing a Jing tutorial about setup of an account on Wikispaces.com.  Julie is doing the narration based on our script.  I will continue to edit and tweak the script for our final presentation and edit the final PowerPoint presentation for Karen.  Our group has worked very cohesively throughout this project without anyone feeling as if they had to carry a majority of the workload.
     Here is a link to our script in Google Documents.
     Here is a link to our storyboard in Google Presentations.

Part C - Implementation

Here are the links to the implementation of my Wicked Problem Project.  I uploaded an .mp3 file that is strictly audio and an .m4a file which is an enhanced podcast with pictures.

Part C - Implementation .mp3

Part C - Implementation .m4a (enhanced)

Part A - Brainstorm Session

            After some last minute glitches, our group managed to get into the Vyew room for our web-conference and brainstorm session.  We used the chat feature because the microphones were not working and the feedback was too much.  Regardless, we managed to accomplish all of our preliminary goals.

            For our Group Leadership Project, we have chosen to create a PowerPoint presentation that will teach educators within our districts about wikis.  We chose this topic because we each have a basic, limited knowledge of wikis and want to learn more.  We feel that by immersing ourselves into this material, we will be able to craft a presentation that will benefit not only our learning experience, but for those with whom we share our knowledge, they too will benefit.  Also, by learning about, creating, and understanding the nature of wikis, we will be able to guide students in their learning, thus enabling them to become contributors to the global content of the Internet. 

            To facilitate the learning about wikis, we debated the pros and cons of several tools.  We like Jing, but since the typical account only allows for up to a five-minute recording, it would not serve our needs because we need ten minutes.  Therefore, we have decided to use PowerPoint. 

            Tai Kimmerly and I will work on the script.  We are collaborating through a document setup in Google Docs, therefore, we anticipate finishing by the 27^th of July in order to edit and receive input from our group before we submit our final product.  This will enable each member of the group to voice their concerns or provide input is a technical detail was missed or misconstrued.  Nichole Humitz will create the wiki using Wikispaces.com.  Not only will she create one, but we, as a group, have decided to each explore the technology in order to become familiar with it and fully understand its capabilities and benefits so we will feel comfortable sharing our knowledge with our colleagues.  Karen Delaney will construct the PowerPoint based on our script before exporting the file to Julie Gill who will narrate our project.  Once it is complete, the file can be exported as a movie file, which can then be distributed and posted among the group.  Additionally, we will all work on the storyboard aspect of this project to ensure that the important criteria for understanding a wiki are present.

            For our Brainstorm Session, we used Vyew.com.  While it seems to have many promises, it was difficult to get the meeting started.  First our room was not open, and then it would not let all of the users enter.  I finally managed to send a link to our group members and we were all successful.  We tried the voice chat, but a microphone was not working and then the feedback we were getting was unbearable.  We finally opted out of sound and typed our questions and answers in the chat window.  This was a suitable solution because we were able to keep a document of what was said.  You can read our chat notes on our Google Doc at this link. 

            Some advantages for using this tool to discuss our project were immediate feedback, voice and text chat options (unfortunately, voice would not cooperate), the ability to download a transcript of what was said, and the fact that it is a web-based application, meaning: we did not have to download any software in order to use this service.  These all helped us to collaborate, especially the transcript because we can easily refer back to that document for guidance as we work through this project.

            Some disadvantages to this tool were difficulties in entering the meeting room, voice chat was less than ideal, and I did not quite get a full transcript of what we discussed.  However, I did get the most important parts, which took place near the last part of our session.  Due to these factors, especially when dealing with deadlines, I doubt I would use Vyew.com again.

            However, due to Tai missing our meeting, I met with her this week on Skype.  I am a new Skype user, but it was very easy to use.  Our video connection was instant.  We could see each other and share our work with ease.  We had not been on each other’s contact lists, but immediately found each other.  This made our meeting go fast and easy.

            I did not have any disadvantages with Skype.  Like I said, it was an easy application to use.  The only thing about it that I do not like, but will go over, is the fact that it is an application that must be downloaded in order to be used.  But that is a minor issue when compared to how difficult it was to use Vyew.

            Here is a link to our meeting, which is posted on YouTube.

Web-Conferencing

            Our group chose the web-conferencing application of “Vyew” for our meeting.  Needless to say, we were not impressed.  The concept of the site is very promising, but we ran into a lot of bumps along the way.  First, no one could initially get into the room.  I set it up a few days ago and everyone was ready at launch time, but we kept getting error messages saying the meeting room could not be opened.  Finally, I found a link that I sent everyone through our emails and they were able to follow it and enter successfully. 

            Our next issue was with sound.  There were four people in our group, but we experienced awful feedback and echoes.  It was very annoying, so we finally simply decided to use the chat box and conduct our meeting in that manner.  Needless to say, it is a good thing we are all proficient typists.  Once we adjusted the chat box to a suitable length, we were able to discuss the class and ask each other what we wanted to study for our upcoming Group Leadership Project.  Ideas flew back and forth very quickly.  I was pleased that Vyew.com did not lag too much when it came to using the chat feature.  Everyone was able to keep up with the conversation and provide their input and make the voices and opinions heard.  In that respect, our meeting was very successful. 

            If we were to meet again via web-conference, I would not use Vyew.  It had too many issues for us to work productively.  I have literally only used Skype about three times before now, so I would probably lean in that direction for a future meeting.  From what I have learned and used with that program, sharing and setup was easy.  It was simply a matter of “calling” someone and having them answer without the need to setup a “meeting room.” 

            I think that web-conferencing has many promises, despite our somewhat negative experience with it tonight.  When we were able to communicate via our microphones, communication went quickly.  However, by typing out our answers, we have a quick visual record of what was being said.  I recorded our session using QuickTime, but seeing that we simply typed our discussion, that did not seem necessary.  Once we were done, I pasted our conversation into our Google document for future reference.

            To use a web-conferencing tool in the classroom would be an amazing benefit for students.  We could easily schedule a live meeting with students in other schools or professionals we would like to interview based on work we are learning.  This tool would enable students to understand that even when we are separated by distance, we are still connected through technology.

Part B - Application of TPACK

            For my Wicked Problem, I want students to understand the concept of distance.  In order to begin their understanding of this issue, I have chosen to incorporate GPS units and/or smartphones, and Google Maps/Google Earth into my solution.  This technology will support my teaching strategies and methods by allowing students to have a real-world experience in calculating distance.  It is one thing to look at a map, whether it is on a wall or computer screen, but to have students go outside and locate a specific, given point based on directions and/or geographical coordinates using their GPS devices as guides, they are gaining tremendous experience that cannot be duplicated through simulations. 

            Distance will become a tangible variable that can be manipulated for understanding by having students explore with GPS devices and compare with maps on the Internet.  To see a visual representation on Google Maps of what we plan to explore and then going out into the field, students will have a distinct opportunity to make the connection between scale and distance.  It may look like a distance is simply a matter of inches on the computer, but in the world, they can experience how far the distance actually is.  This will give them a clear sense of how a map’s scale is calculated.  They will then be able to use this information to translate distances to other locations we may study, thus providing them with a richer understanding of how far something is and the estimated time it would take to travel that distance, either by foot or a mode of transportation.

            The pedagogical content knowledge for the solution of helping students to understand distance is to begin with the basics of understanding what my students know.  We will discuss the different types of maps, focusing on physical, topographic, and road maps.  This overview will allow students to ask questions in order to acquire the same basic knowledge of maps.  From there, we will delve into how latitude and longitude are used to mark exact locations on a map.  With an understanding of these key elements, we will then discuss Global Positional Systems (GPS).  Using GPS and latitude and longitude, it will enable us to utilize online maps, such as Google Maps and Google Earth, and therefore give students a concrete representation of the concepts before we go outside and locate places using our GPS devices.  Also, visual representations will be presented in a variety of manners from globes and wall maps to images on the computer screens.  This will enable all students of various learning styles, to gain the most from the initial presentations.  Also, once we begin to explore maps on the computer, it is my hope that students will work individually so that I can actively monitor their progress and help alleviate any frustrations or difficulties.

Part A - Description of Need or Opportunity

            An educational need that I have come to recognize in our curriculum is that students have difficulties translating distances.  They understand and recognize distance, but to a certain degree, it is an abstract concept that does not translate well for them.  Students need to understand the concept of distance not only because of state standards, but because, regardless of what they choose to do in their lives, distance will always be a factor.  If students are given the tools and opportunities to explore and understand distance through math and social studies, in particular, their understanding will increase, leading them to possess a real-world skill that can (and will) be used throughout their lifetimes.

            My solution to this wicked problem is to provide students with a variety of tools that will enable them to calculate distance as something tangible where they can experience it first-hand.  This will be accomplished through training students to read and use a handheld GPS unit, create and participate in geo-caching activities, and using Internet-based map applications such as Google Maps.  These approaches to guiding the students in understanding distance will give them hands-on experiences that will easily interpret in a real world situation.  My proposed approach is reasonable, however, the greatest cost will be to obtain GPS units for students usage, which start in the low $100 range.  Ideally, it would be great to have one per two students, but from some of the reading I have done, by assigning students different roles, placing students in groups of four or five is workable, thus lowering the cost substantially.  Having extra units available in the event of equipment failure is something that should be considered. 

            The possible alternatives for students would be to simply learn about distance using Internet-based applications, locating familiar locations (their homes and the school), and relating distance in that regard.  In comparison, it is very low-cost, but at the same time, students are not being granted the opportunity to explore distance through a hands-on approach.

            I anticipate using this tool, geocaching and Google Maps in particular, throughout the school year, with the major emphasis being at the beginning of the year.  I believe that the students would benefit in many academic areas if the solution to my wicked problem were integrated into their classes. 

            In order to accomplish this, teachers would need training to understand the need and why this is so important.  Workshops with follow-up training would be offered to assist teachers in feeling comfortable with the purpose and technology.  Due to the proliferation of smart phones, teaching teachers would be relatively easy because most adults have access to such a device.  Not only can they serve the most basic communication functions, but also with downloaded apps, they can be utilized as GPS devices for this problem.  However, due to hectic classroom schedules, I anticipate that the majority of learning would be done in the computer lab. 

            I would like to use this solution throughout the year for third and fourth grade students.  Obviously, the first year would be a transitional year for both grades, but in the following years, the older students would simply need a refresher course to remember the finer points.  They would also be helpful in assisting the younger students to understand and thus become a source for answers.  Additionally, the older students would also be able to delve deeper into measuring, calculating, and understanding distance due to their previous exposure to the problem.  They could spend more time doing and less time learning the concepts.

            Giving students the opportunity to learn through a hands-on approach will provide them with immediate, tangible feedback that will enable them to apply their knowledge with multiple subjects.  Performing a simple search for “geocaching” in Google provides over 23 million hits!  Even though many of them are not relevant, there are certainly some notable exceptions.  Opencaching.com is a site that I would use as a resource because of its easy approach to explaining geocaching.  It also has a comprehensive list of caches you can participate in and add to.  Performing a search for “Geocaching in the classroom” also provides over half a million sites.  These are particularly interesting because they are about the benefits of using geocaching in education!  Moving at the Speed of Creativity has a great article about the basics of geocaching and how it can be used with students.  It is a few years old, but highly relevant.  BrightHub.com also states how this works in a wide array of disciplines such as the obvious of math and science, but also social studies, literature and composition studies, and even Physical Education and Art. 

            I would also use Google Maps and/or Google Earth so students could begin to make a visual connection with where we are located and where we have been.  This will enable them to create an online portfolio of locations.  Understanding the distance between these locations would then give students the basic tools for translating known distances in known locations to unknown locations.

            I plan to start the initial research into implementing this aspect into our current curriculum during this course.  This will give me the time to formulate how I want to incorporate more hands-on experiences for students.  Obviously, giving students the opportunity to work with understanding distance will come once school is in session starting in late August.  As my class assignments are still unknown, I will have to make my plans flexible and be ready for implementation.

            I will know that this project is successful because students will be able to understand distance.  Not only will they be able to identify latitude and longitude, but also they will be able to translate these concepts onto maps and locate various given points.  Additionally, teachers and students being able to demonstrate proficiency and fluency with the various technologies used will provide feedback so that changes can be quickly implemented and improvements made.

CEP 812 Video Introduction

Hello!  Here is a short video introduction about me, where I work, and my current educational passions.  Thanks for watching!

Final Reflections - CEP 811

            When integrating technology, I have learned that since all students enter the school with various levels of technology skills, I need to have my lesson planned with UDL guidelines in order to meet the learning needs.  This is something that needs to be anticipated because I will never have students who all have the same understanding.  It is a fact.  But by being prepared and ready for multiple scenarios, I will have a quality lesson ready for students to learn with outcomes they can use in further studies and projects.  Aside from skills, I also need to anticipate cognitive abilities.  This strategy will enable all students to be engaged learners from day one without hesitation.  Understanding the different learning styles will further enable me to guide my students toward success rather than frustration.

            Integrating web-based technologies helped me think about and evaluate the uses of technology by enabling me to actively participate in using FTP and MERLOT.  I was able to upload my coursework to a remote server and provide a web address for its location.  This was a great tool to learn and understand because I understand how to share my work on a global scale. 

            At the beginning of this course, I wanted to understand how to utilize and integrate technology into my teaching.  The various assignments stretched my mind to think beyond the traditional uses of the computer and the Internet.  In particular, having learned about WebQuests, I was able to have a student work on one near the end of the year.  It was incredibly helpful by enabling me to understand the greater role technology can (and will) play in my future teaching. 

            I want to continue to discover new available resources through WebQuests and MERLOT to enhance my teaching.  These assignments gave me the hope that teaching does not have to be a solitary mission.  As educators, we want our students to succeed, so by contributing useful information and lessons to various sites, we have created this network that will flourish and give our students amazing new learning opportunities.  To reach these goals, I will continue to learn more about the resources available and document my work so others may use it, modify it, and benefit from it.  

Personal Learning Reflection

            Based on the past eight weeks, I have learned a tremendous amount of new, relevant information regarding Web 2.0 technologies.  I am excited over the prospect of what I can do with these tools in my school setting.  Initially, I wanted to focus on learning more about blogs, RSS feeds, and web-based applications.  However, after learning more about the bigger picture of social networking and “the cloud,” I want to work at learning how to integrate these tools into my learning network as well.  Utilizing free applications in our budget-uncertain times will only serve to aide our students in understanding the vast resource of the Internet that will be gained through contributing content and collaborating with our peers, near and far.

            I experienced growth in my learning, particularly in collaborating with others.  This was accomplished through several different avenues, but all equally important.  First, working with my SIG forced me to consider four other people and their thoughts and ideas as we worked together to complete a project.  Not only did we collaborate on our final project, but also we created a proposal in Google Docs, researched in Diigo, and presented in Prezi.  It was a positive experience, and even though I was skeptical, I am glad I had the opportunity to work and learn in this manner.

            One area where I would have liked to learn more is “cloud computing.”  I have a basic understanding of it through the information presented in session 7, but I would have liked to learn more about it.  I have a better understanding now, but at the same time, I want to know more.  The only thing that perhaps sometimes limited my learning and growth was the time factor.  When I learn a new application or register on a new website, I need to know what it’s about and understand how it works before I can fully immerse myself into working with it.  This is not a bad thing it is simply how I work to learn.  Unfortunately, with the time factor, this is something that is beyond our control.  I learned how to better budget my time and work on multiple assignments in order to complete my assigned tasks.

            When integrating technology, I have learned that since all students enter the school with various levels of technology skills, I need to be ready to instantly modify my lesson to meet their learning needs.  This is something that needs to be anticipated because I will never have students who all have the same understanding.  It is a fact.  But by being prepared and ready for multiple scenarios, I will have a quality lesson ready for students to learn with outcomes they can use in further studies and projects.  Aside from skills, I also need to anticipate cognitive abilities.  This strategy will enable all students to be engaged learners from day one without hesitation.  Understanding the different learning styles will further enable me to guide my students toward success rather than frustration.

            Integrating the Internet helped me to actually consider it as a tool.  I have a firmer grasp of what it means to contribute to the Internet rather than simply taking.  I want to instill the idea of becoming a producer to my students so they can see the benefit of belonging to this global society that will only become more intertwined as they progress through school and into higher education.   

            Even though I was reluctant to be a part of a group for our SIG, I found that I liked working in a collaborative environment.  I may never meet my group members face to face, but I know a lot about them already.  They are passionate about what they do and for doing their best work.  This assignment was an outstanding example of good teaching with technology because it required our group of five people, spread throughout the world, to coordinate schedules and produce content.  It never felt like one person was taking over or had to work harder than the others.  There was a tangible, mutual respect for each other and our ideas.  It demonstrated how technology could be used with students to formulate an idea and create meaningful content.

            One of my goals for this course was to gain a better understanding of Web 2.0 technologies so that I would have the confidence to teach my students about these tools.  To reach this goal, research was my main objective.  Inadvertently, through my SIG, other projects, and an additional class, I have gained the confidence and understanding to teach students about these new skills.  Research did play a big role, but it was only part of the picture.  I have increased my knowledge base, but through continued learning and exploring, I will discover new methods to teach students about the potential of these tools.  Through teaching them, I anticipate being taught as well.  My other goal involved finding mentors to assist me as I work toward understanding.  Once again, my SIG, although students as well, they taught me great skills about working with others and sharing information for the greater good.  Our projects never felt like one person was in charge, but as previously stated, we all had the same common goals and a mutual respect.

            I have no new goals per se, but rather an expansion of what I have already stated.  I want to learn more about Web 2.0 technologies, but now I want to begin the integration process.  This will certainly be a challenge and may take me most of the upcoming school year, but as I use these ideas and tools and introduce them to my students, I anticipate a deeper appreciation and understanding that will form.  Winning over the students will not be the true challenge however.  Demonstrating to our staff and administration the value of Web 2.0 technologies and how they can ultimately only benefit our students and their future learning will be the true issue.  It would be nice (and ideal), if I simply stated that I was going to do this.  Unfortunately, since I do not have my own class and must rely on other teachers and their needs, it may be quite difficult to implement any immediate change.  However, to start our staff and students in a Web 2.0 direction, I am considering working with students involved in our Gifted and Talented program.  This will spark an interest among our higher learners, and by doing so, we will gain the (positive) attention of our administration, which, in turn, may lead to a much larger implementation of these tools within our K – 8 district.  It is a long road, but one that we need to travel because many of our students are already running ahead in the distance.

Online Teaching Experiences

                  I work with 3^rd grade students, so WebQuests would be an excellent online experience for my students because they have not quite reached that level where they are ready for independent research or collaboration.  Their online skills are forming, but with the barrier of typing to convey their thoughts and ideas present, utilizing a technology that relied on this skill would simply amount to more frustration than learning for both the students and myself.

                  The content a WebQuest could teach my students is virtually limitless.  Depending on the subject and unit we are currently studying, an appropriate WebQuest could be located and implemented for students.  I would not allow students to choose their own WebQuests, but I would decide ahead of time which ones would be the best for them.  This would help me so that I would know what they were doing and save time later because I would know which WebQuest they chose to do.

                  Podcasts or vodcasts would also help me teach.  I could use them to engage students in public speaking or dramatic readings.  These are skills that they use on a daily basis, whether they are aware of it or not.  Using their speech to simply communicate is a basic skill that takes practice.  Having students work on a podcast would enable them to hear and critique their own work.

                  I would use many direct strategies with the WebQuest.  For starters, I would give a demonstration of a WebQuest.  I would show the students what they were supposed to do so there would not be any questions regarding any vague directions.  Additionally, I would use strategies to create mental links, apply sounds and images, and review.  These would be accomplished with the WebQuests I would compile before the students were set to work on them.  Cognitive strategies, practicing, analyzing, and reasoning would also be used to ensure that students were stretching their minds and learning new material.  A final direct strategy would be to have students learn to guess intelligently when they were completing their WebQuest.  I would not want them to randomly guess, but have the reasoning behind why they chose a specific answer.  Problem solving would be a component of indirect instruction that would follow well with intelligent guessing.  By understanding the difference between random guessing and problem solving, the students would benefit with more difficult challenges later in their work.  Leading up to working on WebQuests, I would introduce an inductive strategy as well.  This would enable me to guide the students, providing them with the necessary background information so they would be successful learners with their chosen WebQuest.  The whole idea of a deductive strategy would be necessary for students as they completed their first WebQuest because they may not have been exposed to learning in such a manner previously, so it would be a new experience.  However, as they became familiar with the modules of learning, they would understand the expectations and move into the inductive strategy.

                  With my students, it would be more difficult to use blogs and wikis with my students because they do not possess the necessary skills required to successfully input information with accuracy at an acceptable pace.  They have the skills to report their findings, but I am afraid that for many of the students, the task of typing would prove too taxing.  They would spend more time making sure that they hit the correct keys rather than what they were actually saying.  It would be a generally frustrating experience for all of us.

Wikis Lab

My school, East Evergreen Elementary School, did not have a wiki on Wikipedia, so I created one.  Unfortunately, it was redirected to a site about our town.  I contacted the individual who moved it and discovered that it was because it focused on one school rather than the district.  So I created a wiki for our school district.  It is relatively rudimentary and states where our school is located and how many classes in the elementary school, but for the time being, until I can gather further information, it is a start.  I also provided a link on the wiki to our school's web page.  Here is a link to see the Evergreen School District No. 50 Wiki page.

     Additionally, here is a link to the wiki I created on the PBWorks website.  I chose the name "school tech heads" in reference to my special interest group in CEP 810.

     Here is a screen shot of the tip I shared on MACUL space.

     And finally, here is another screen shot of an entry I added onto the Idea Exchange for the EduTech Certificate Program.

Learning Styles

     I enjoy learning new things and sharing what I have learned through teaching.  Generally, I am an independent, introverted learner.  I don't mind working in a group, but many times, I would rather work alone.  However, I do like being able to discuss ideas, problems, and solutions with classmates to deepen my understanding of the subject material.  Also, I need and want to see a concept in some context or format in order for it to connect and have meaning in my learning.  Thus, I thrive on structure and rubric.

     Teaching strategies that have been the least effective in my learning experiences are the abstract and uncertain lessons.  I need to know what is expected of me in order to effectively learn.  Like most students, I do not want to participate in a guessing game.  As with most of my undergraduate classes, they were lecture-centered.  This was not impossible, but unless I had something concrete to visualize (text, charts, diagrams, demonstrations, etc.) meaning was sometimes difficult to grasp.  Usually by re-reading the text, I would gain a better understanding of the concepts being presented during the lecture.  

     As we teach, it is impossible to focus on every learning style in our classes.  If we did this, we would be unable to accomplish anything because of the amount of time it would take to present a single idea or concept.  It would be a daunting task that would result in teacher frustration as well as issues with students as their focus waned while waiting for the teacher to present the information in a meaningful manner to them.  Instead, our focus should be to pepper the lesson with various teaching styles that would grab the students' attention by appealing to their personal learning styles.  While this may not be feasible in some instances, in many circumstances, it would work.  With advance planning, a well-rounded lesson would be formulated.  One that would ultimately captivate learners and motivate them on multiple, individual levels.

     Below is a screen shot of my learning style results.  I was not surprised by linguistic being my highest area because I like to write and read.  Both are very solitary activities in which I can easily get lost.  I was surprised that musical is one of my lowest areas.  I constantly have an "earworm" of a song playing through my head and like finding meaning in lyrics.  But maybe I'm just looking too much into that one.  

Creative Commons Lab

     Photos and images are an excellent manner in which to bring new elements into a classroom.  I would use images to launch discussions regarding places of interest, geography, geology, as well as for writing prompts.  Depending on our current focus, the writing could focus on one of the five senses or emotion so students could absorb and interpret specific information without feeling overwhelmed.  Additionally, I would use images at the beginning or end of a unit to emphasize our learning.  Comparing and contrasting is another method that would be helpful for students to understand a certain concept.  With math, students would be able to see a visual representation of a concept.  For example, when teaching students about balancing equations, showing them a picture of a scale with two numbers on one side and another number of the other, they would be able to see what number was missing.  This would enable them to more fully grasp the concept and gain understanding.  With images in education, the possibilities are countless.


Oregon Coast
Link to Flickr image: Justin Wright
Photographer's website: www.lifeofjustin.com
Creative Commons License
     Ah, the power of water and geology!  I originally had a great picture from Yellowstone National Park, but it disappeared.  :^(  So I found a different photo.  This picture of the Oregon coast was taken by Justin Wright.  The captions for his photos were all the same, but very liberal.  Therefore, I have done as he has requested and posted a link to his website.  I like this picture because of everything taking place all at once.  It is chaotic and beautiful.  What a site to visit, I would imagine.


Photo: Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana
Taken by: Duane B. Karlin

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
     I took this picture last summer while in Glacier National Park, about 40 miles from my home.  Unfortunately, I visited the park on a weekend, so there was a lot of traffic and nowhere to park at the summit, so after literally driving in a circle for about 20 minutes, we turned around and drove back down to the valley.  Click on the picture description to see this one and others.

UDL Guidelines

Having worked through the lab for Universal Design for Learning (UDL), I was intrigued by the questions it provoked in my mind.  Where I thought I had created a thoughtful lesson accessible to all learners, there were some areas that required some rethinking and reworking.  However, I also came to understand that many of the ideas I am attempting to teach with my lesson, "The Vicarious Travelers," already have many of the UDL Guidelines built into them.  As I continue with my education, I look forward to applying this knowledge with my classes to enable all students to achieve their best work without compromising standards.

UDL Guidelines – Educator Checklist Version 2
I.    Provide Multiple Means of Representation:	Your notes
1.     Provide options for perception
1.1 Offer ways of customizing the display of information	Feature: enlarge text and pictures
1.2 Offer alternatives for auditory information	Barrier: pictures are visual with no captions
1.3 Offer alternatives for visual information	Barrier: no text descriptions and/or captions available
2.     Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols
2.1 Clarify vocabulary and symbols	Feature: learned about Rome, Italy on our virtual trip
2.2 Clarify syntax and structure
2.3 Support decoding of text, and mathematical notation, and symbols	Barrier: inability to read maps, interpret key symbols, and measure distance
2.4 Promote understanding across language	Barrier: presented in English with little or no Italian background
2.5 Illustrate through multiple media
3.     Provide options for comprehension
3.1 Activate or supply background knowledge	Barrier: little background knowledge
3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships	Feature: math and social studies cross-curricular
3.3 Guide information processing, visualization, and manipulation	Feature: comparing a foreign destination to a local area
3.4 Maximize transfer and generalization
II.   Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression:	Your notes
4.     Provide options for physical action
4.1 Vary the methods for response and navigation	Barrier: not all students are proficient with computer research
4.2 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies
5.     Provide options for expression and communication
5.1 Use multiple media for communication	Barrier: having students present their final presentations in the same format
5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition
5.3 Build fluencies with graduated labels of support for practice and performance
6.     Provide options for executive functions
6.1 Guide appropriate goal setting	Feature: learning about Italy and presenting the information
6.2 Support planning and strategy development	Barrier: need to encourage students to “stop and think” to solve a problem
6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources	Barrier: need to provide a checklist of what students will need to “discover”
6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress	Feature: provides feedback during the course of the lesson
III.  Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:	Your notes
7.     Provide options for recruiting interest
7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy	Barrier: provide students with alternative website they may be more familiar with to locate their information
7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity	Feature: students will understand how to calculate distance based on what they learned and apply it to where they live
7.3 Minimize threats and distractions	Feature: stretch the lesson into several days with goals for each day so students do not feel overwhelmed
8.     Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence
8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives
8.2 Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge
8.3 Foster collaboration and community	Feature: have students collaborate and share their information with another student for suggestions and feedback
8.4 Increase mastery-oriented feedback	Feature: providing feedback
9.     Provide options for self-regulation
9.1 Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation	Barrier: provide a rubric
9.2 Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies
9.3 Develop self-assessment and reflection	Barrier: provide students with a chart so they can see their progress

© CAST 2011