Over the course of my study at GCU I have had the opportunity to acquire foundational knowledge about educational technology, including methods of thought such as constructivism, connectivism, and TPACK. I have broadened my familiarity with different learning management systems, improved my lesson writing ability, created quality lesson plans for my classroom, and received countless resources, from articles to websites, to engage my colleagues and students.
I chose to interview several people about our district needs as well as about the needs of teaching professionals in general. My superintendent suggested I do something with our MAP (NWEA) data. However, this was mostly data entry.
Many of my staff members have identified teacher training as our most pressing need. Some of their responses included:
The biggest area of need is the application of the resources that are available online in the classroom.
From an educational profession view point the biggest need is in the area of using technology to replace face to face meetings. We have to make the technology easy enough to use to allow immediate communications with visual contact. We keep seeing the future of such communications but the reality is something else. Early versions required extensive training, schedules set long in avance and the results were less than satisfying. We still have AEA meetings for Superintendents, Principles, and guidance occurring 80 to 100 miles away on a regular basis. The students should leave high school with the ability to coordinate and execute successful business meetings without ever leaving the classroom.
The biggest area of need for educational technology in the classroom is providing more hands on materials for the students to use and training.
I think the biggest area(s) of need for educational technology in the professional setting is technology and computers that work quickly and training for teachers for beneficial educational support/supplements of the curriculum
I also thought about running a needs assessment for elementary social studies and developing a lesson plan database geared toward primary grades, but I'm not sure that's the type of project we're looking for here. This is something that one of my professional councils (Iowa Council for the Social Studies) inspired me to start working on.
Finally, I had some people on Twitter say that they think that training and understanding of how to use social media are essential to our profession. This happens to be my mentor’s area of expertise, and when I sat down to talk with him about my project ideas, he suggested that to a) really focus on the topic at hand, and b) really utilize him as a mentor, I needed to focus on social media and or professional development for my teachers.
Some of the specific areas I thought about focusing on were social studies technology, educational gaming, blended learning, social media, professional development, and student involvement. These are all very important to me and I hope to work small components of many of them into my work.
Instead of doing specifically the NETS standards, I chose to use the Iowa Core Curriculum technology standards. These were built with NETS in mind, but apply more directly to the standards that I, as a teacher in the state of Iowa, must adhere to. The Iowa Core technology standards for the grades I teach are as follows:
1. Demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
2. Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
3. Apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
4. Demonstrate critical thinking skills using appropriate tools and resources to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions.
5. Understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
6. Demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations.
I believe that I could really apply standards one, two, four, and six into any of the lines that my project seems to be following. I believe I am beginning to see a clear picture in my head for the project that will most address the needs and interests that I have identified.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
World History: Making A Difference
While studying significant people who have made a difference in history, I asked my World History class to write about the prompt: Why is it important to make a difference? Why should one person care or try? We also viewed a clip from C-SPAN on Youth Civic Engagement and Social Media. These were some of their responses.
It's important to because you want to help and make things easier for others. KG
I can help people by doing small jobs for them. It is important because it can make a difference in their day or even their life. LS
To motivate other people to join together to make a big difference.
You can make a difference by helping or supporting someone who needs it. You can make a difference by creating something that helps people in some way or by creating something that makes the most difficult of tasks faster to complete. You can make a difference by standing up and holding out your hand to anyone person to assist them. All you need to do to make a difference is to be able to support what you want to do, what difference you want to create, what difference you find important. It is important to try because whether you succeed or not at the difference you try to make, it matters that you tried to make a difference; that you wanted to make a difference. That you are one of the people who care about whom or whatever you tried to make a difference for. ST
Everyone in some way makes a difference. Something little can always lead to something bigger. TO
One person can make a difference and some people will follow. KV
Any help is good, and people that need help will take any help they can get. Helping people is really good, and everyone should join in it. We can make a difference. MM
It might encourage more people to follow. CS
Anyone can make a difference if they try hard enough for something. One person can make a group of people to make a difference. If you want something changed bad enough, you will make an effort to change it. CE
I can volunteer to do small favors for people, like help clean or do some work. It's good because you should "share the love". BB
I can volunteer to help people to get a job done quicker, like cleaning up a place or painting. It's good for someone to try to do something to help because it can make a difference in someone's life. If someone donates money to a charity or other program it can change someone's life, like giving them clothes, food, water, or anything else they need. Or anyone could donated anything, do little jobs for people. JT
Every person makes a little bit of difference. One event leads to bigger events. TW
I can make a difference in my community by helping them & hoping old people. I would want to help because it's good to help people. LW
I can do things in my community, but I could also get together with other people to do it on a bigger scale. I should try because when a lot of people do little things, it makes a difference. YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. KM
It's important to because you want to help and make things easier for others. KG
I can help people by doing small jobs for them. It is important because it can make a difference in their day or even their life. LS
To motivate other people to join together to make a big difference.
You can make a difference by helping or supporting someone who needs it. You can make a difference by creating something that helps people in some way or by creating something that makes the most difficult of tasks faster to complete. You can make a difference by standing up and holding out your hand to anyone person to assist them. All you need to do to make a difference is to be able to support what you want to do, what difference you want to create, what difference you find important. It is important to try because whether you succeed or not at the difference you try to make, it matters that you tried to make a difference; that you wanted to make a difference. That you are one of the people who care about whom or whatever you tried to make a difference for. ST
Everyone in some way makes a difference. Something little can always lead to something bigger. TO
One person can make a difference and some people will follow. KV
Any help is good, and people that need help will take any help they can get. Helping people is really good, and everyone should join in it. We can make a difference. MM
It might encourage more people to follow. CS
Anyone can make a difference if they try hard enough for something. One person can make a group of people to make a difference. If you want something changed bad enough, you will make an effort to change it. CE
I can volunteer to do small favors for people, like help clean or do some work. It's good because you should "share the love". BB
I can volunteer to help people to get a job done quicker, like cleaning up a place or painting. It's good for someone to try to do something to help because it can make a difference in someone's life. If someone donates money to a charity or other program it can change someone's life, like giving them clothes, food, water, or anything else they need. Or anyone could donated anything, do little jobs for people. JT
Every person makes a little bit of difference. One event leads to bigger events. TW
I can make a difference in my community by helping them & hoping old people. I would want to help because it's good to help people. LW
I can do things in my community, but I could also get together with other people to do it on a bigger scale. I should try because when a lot of people do little things, it makes a difference. YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. KM
Wii Grant
I received the money for my Wii grant this weekend, so of course, I went on a shopping spree! My students are looking forward to the new games/activities we will be able to participate in! Thank you to ICSS for enabling us to get:
2 charging docks for remotes
2 adapters
4 remote covers
2 remotes
2 nunchucks
4 nunchuck covers
Mario & Sonic London Olympics
-To be used in Sports History, World History, and Geography
CSI: Fatal Conspiracy
-For Street Law and possibly Government
National Geographic Challenge
-Geography (obviously)
History Channel: Battle for the Pacific
-US History, World History
2 charging docks for remotes
2 adapters
4 remote covers
2 remotes
2 nunchucks
4 nunchuck covers
Mario & Sonic London Olympics
-To be used in Sports History, World History, and Geography
CSI: Fatal Conspiracy
-For Street Law and possibly Government
National Geographic Challenge
-Geography (obviously)
History Channel: Battle for the Pacific
-US History, World History
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Essential Attributes to Being a Successful Teacher
Differentiation and a student-centered classroom
Every student deserves the chance to be successful and to work an environment that not only pushes him to his full potential, but helps him realize how he can push himself to his full potential. My students receive individualized instruction within the parameters of my standards based on their own interests. No one student must complete a task in the same way as another student. It is more important for me to help a student create and learn how to find his own knowledge as it is to pass along knowledge. Students in my classroom are actively engaged in the discovery process. This helps them not only within my content area (social studies), but within the context of being a lifelong learner. It is important to me to help students achieve their highest level of readiness for whatever path they may choose in life.
Flexibility and Creativity
Because students do not all learn the same way, it is important to me to be flexible and creative. Discovering a students’ passion and using that to help teach my skills and content are essential to a successful classroom. In addition to helping a student learn, it is important to understand how the students are learning. Formative assessment plays a key role in my instruction. It’s important to be flexible within assessments and instruction based on results of formative assessment. A low score means I ask “How can I help you understand this better?”, not “Why didn’t you study more?”.
Trying something new and not being afraid to make a mistake (and learn from it) are qualities that I try to model for my students and build into their coursework.
Being Collaborative and Global
Collaboration amongst students is essential to their learning. They can learn as much from each other as they can from me. Interpersonal skills are a key component to future success, and accountability, communication, and responsibility to a group of peers are life lessons that I make sure to include in my curriculum. I follow these same guidelines in my own personal and professional life. I have never stopped learning from my peers and often find my Twitter PLN to be my best resource. My students being actively involved in collaborative work in the classroom and my being actively involved in collaborative work outside the classroom are necessary ingredients to a successful classroom. It is important to remember that in an ever “flattening” world, collaboration should be global, not just local. The term “flattening” is thrown around a lot, but breaking outside the classroom walls is an important part of the learning experience that I try to offer my students as often as possible.
Every student deserves the chance to be successful and to work an environment that not only pushes him to his full potential, but helps him realize how he can push himself to his full potential. My students receive individualized instruction within the parameters of my standards based on their own interests. No one student must complete a task in the same way as another student. It is more important for me to help a student create and learn how to find his own knowledge as it is to pass along knowledge. Students in my classroom are actively engaged in the discovery process. This helps them not only within my content area (social studies), but within the context of being a lifelong learner. It is important to me to help students achieve their highest level of readiness for whatever path they may choose in life.
Flexibility and Creativity
Because students do not all learn the same way, it is important to me to be flexible and creative. Discovering a students’ passion and using that to help teach my skills and content are essential to a successful classroom. In addition to helping a student learn, it is important to understand how the students are learning. Formative assessment plays a key role in my instruction. It’s important to be flexible within assessments and instruction based on results of formative assessment. A low score means I ask “How can I help you understand this better?”, not “Why didn’t you study more?”.
Trying something new and not being afraid to make a mistake (and learn from it) are qualities that I try to model for my students and build into their coursework.
Being Collaborative and Global
Collaboration amongst students is essential to their learning. They can learn as much from each other as they can from me. Interpersonal skills are a key component to future success, and accountability, communication, and responsibility to a group of peers are life lessons that I make sure to include in my curriculum. I follow these same guidelines in my own personal and professional life. I have never stopped learning from my peers and often find my Twitter PLN to be my best resource. My students being actively involved in collaborative work in the classroom and my being actively involved in collaborative work outside the classroom are necessary ingredients to a successful classroom. It is important to remember that in an ever “flattening” world, collaboration should be global, not just local. The term “flattening” is thrown around a lot, but breaking outside the classroom walls is an important part of the learning experience that I try to offer my students as often as possible.
Monday, October 24, 2011
IACoPi: A Force of Change
When I walked into Adventureland Inn last April I was unaware of the life changing events that were about to take place. What I thought was a meeting to begin working on a blended e-curriculum for Social Studies became a journey that is mind-boggling to look back on. It is not an exaggeration to say that IACoPi has changed my teaching, my life, and the lives of my students.
The opportunities made available to me through IACoPi changed the face of my classroom. From blended learning to project-based learning to professional development on e-instruction, IACoPi changed all my classes in some way. My 6th and 10th grade students will each participate in a full year of instruction based in project based learning. All seven of my classes, from 6th grade through 12th grade, are working in a blended learning environment. Although my district is not part of a one-to-one initiative, IACoPi and its members inspired me to give my students the best of one-to-one blended learning and combine it with research-proven instructional strategies.
IACoPi inspired me to become more collaborative and to flatten the walls of my classroom. My students have had the opportunity to work with other Iowa districts, to Skype with professionals as it relates to our course of study, and work with teachers from other states to provide another point of view for our work. They have used Twitter to reach out about new subjects and Today’s Meet to invite other educators and administrators into our discussions. My students are becoming independent thinkers and learners through project based learning. They are mastering life skills through the content as opposed to memorizing facts about the content. They are communicating with peers and adults, creating their own work at new levels, and thinking critically about the world around them in a new way.
IACoPi has also changed my life. I have made friendships, taken on new leadership positions at school and in my community, and made it a priority to become a better member of a global society. I hope to use my IACoPi resources to inspire these ideals in my students. Each of my classes has taken on a community based service project as part of their learning. I created a student technology team to increase student leadership opportunities and encourage students to take ownership of their own learning.
The CoPi is so much more than a collaborative work environment. It is a mind set, a way of learning, and a way of living. We must all work together to help our students achieve their fullest potential. We must all work toward contributing to a meaningful global society. We must all work together to be better.
The opportunities made available to me through IACoPi changed the face of my classroom. From blended learning to project-based learning to professional development on e-instruction, IACoPi changed all my classes in some way. My 6th and 10th grade students will each participate in a full year of instruction based in project based learning. All seven of my classes, from 6th grade through 12th grade, are working in a blended learning environment. Although my district is not part of a one-to-one initiative, IACoPi and its members inspired me to give my students the best of one-to-one blended learning and combine it with research-proven instructional strategies.
IACoPi inspired me to become more collaborative and to flatten the walls of my classroom. My students have had the opportunity to work with other Iowa districts, to Skype with professionals as it relates to our course of study, and work with teachers from other states to provide another point of view for our work. They have used Twitter to reach out about new subjects and Today’s Meet to invite other educators and administrators into our discussions. My students are becoming independent thinkers and learners through project based learning. They are mastering life skills through the content as opposed to memorizing facts about the content. They are communicating with peers and adults, creating their own work at new levels, and thinking critically about the world around them in a new way.
IACoPi has also changed my life. I have made friendships, taken on new leadership positions at school and in my community, and made it a priority to become a better member of a global society. I hope to use my IACoPi resources to inspire these ideals in my students. Each of my classes has taken on a community based service project as part of their learning. I created a student technology team to increase student leadership opportunities and encourage students to take ownership of their own learning.
The CoPi is so much more than a collaborative work environment. It is a mind set, a way of learning, and a way of living. We must all work together to help our students achieve their fullest potential. We must all work toward contributing to a meaningful global society. We must all work together to be better.
Friday, September 23, 2011
World History Update
In World History we are just about to complete our first unit - an intro to time, space, and history. I split the Iowa history and geography standards up over 8 units of World History instruction. I also turned each unit into a Project-Based format. The students have been comparing maps of their town from 50(ish) years ago to present-day maps, analyzing census data and population trends, and the students are not putting together proposals for the city council on what improvements or changes might be made to the town to address/align with current population trends.
Next week we will have a community member, a city council member, and a business person come into the class to hear the proposals and offer feedback and comments. The students will be given a 1-4 rating on the success with which they addressed each standard (there are two for this unit).
I feel like the first unit has gone well so far. I've tried to provide practice opportunities for all the pieces, and multiple opportunities for feedback. The hardest part has been working the structure of the class into the traditional gradebook. I know I could use a free online standards based gradebook, but parents know to check JMC, so that's an issue I've run into. I also have to assign grades to the practice assignments, which I'd prefer not to do. However, I made the "practice" worth a small percentage so the majority still comes from the actual project.
I think standards based grading and project based learning are important to the future of education. Students are creating, evaluating, and analyzing (upper levels of Bloom's). They are also getting practice and feedback, from me and from their peers and from the community on their work. By making it public we've added a level of legitimacy that encourages students to produce their best quality work.
The students are blogging right now as well, and I'm anxious to read their feedback. It has taken some adjusting, and I'm sure all the feedback from the students won't be positive at this point so early on, but I'm hoping that with their feedback I can address concerns and modify to meet their needs and make it better for unit 2!
Next week we will have a community member, a city council member, and a business person come into the class to hear the proposals and offer feedback and comments. The students will be given a 1-4 rating on the success with which they addressed each standard (there are two for this unit).
I feel like the first unit has gone well so far. I've tried to provide practice opportunities for all the pieces, and multiple opportunities for feedback. The hardest part has been working the structure of the class into the traditional gradebook. I know I could use a free online standards based gradebook, but parents know to check JMC, so that's an issue I've run into. I also have to assign grades to the practice assignments, which I'd prefer not to do. However, I made the "practice" worth a small percentage so the majority still comes from the actual project.
I think standards based grading and project based learning are important to the future of education. Students are creating, evaluating, and analyzing (upper levels of Bloom's). They are also getting practice and feedback, from me and from their peers and from the community on their work. By making it public we've added a level of legitimacy that encourages students to produce their best quality work.
The students are blogging right now as well, and I'm anxious to read their feedback. It has taken some adjusting, and I'm sure all the feedback from the students won't be positive at this point so early on, but I'm hoping that with their feedback I can address concerns and modify to meet their needs and make it better for unit 2!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
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