CEP 812; CQ & PQ

So for my final assignment we were asked to "make something, using something and to be creative"

At fist I was a little stumped by the task.  I thought about creating an app and through a few websites I realized that the way that I want to use the app could be very costly but I was able to make one that I could add to be weebly website.  I thought this would make me happy, however I think I like the first app I made better.  

I then started to think that this wasn't creative enough.  So while my creative abilities are a little lacking due to time I came up with a concept of what I want to do.  I am passionate about technology in education and communicating with my students in a way that engages them.  I have a twitter that I share with my students and I decided to join Tumblr so that I could share photos that I like or that I have shared in class.  

If time and technology permitted I wanted to design an interactive game for Social Studies.

Ultimately I was inspired to create a digital introduction assignment.  I was trying to figure out what I would do if my classroom became paperless and I had to change my typical introduction assignment.  So I decided that the best thing would be a digital introduction assignment.  Students will have to use Glogster or Wordle to complete the assignment.  In typical teacher fashion I have to make an example and do it first.

So here is my Glog:

Here is my Wordle:

CEP 800: Lesson Plan Reflection

Course Subject: World History                   Student Body: Summer School class of 20 students.

For module 5 I wrote a lesson plan about introducing my students to the religions of the world.  The major religions that we study are: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism.  I chose to present the information using an application called Nearpod.  With Nearpod I can keep track of who is logged in to the program and viewing the presentation.  I can also view and share student responses.  Thanks to a recent update in the system, students can also view the presentation online by entering the PIN code.   I had to make a few changes to my initial plan because I didn't have all of the necessary resources in my summer school classroom and I also had to work within the limits of Nearpod.  For example I found some wonderful videos that I would like to have used but they were longer than 3 minutes and I don’t have the ability to play sound in my classroom.  The only technology equipment I have access to is my personal iPad, a projector and my teacher computer.  

When I began presenting the information many of my students weren't quite ready for the presentation to start, nor were they ready to start discussing the essential questions.  In the future, I need to remember to prime them with journal questions and open dialog.  Or start with something that will grab their attention.   I like to ask students about stereotypes. I like to address the bias heads on.  In the past the students jump at the chance to speak their mind but this group was fairly quiet.  They claim that they were “still asleep” and that it is hard to get the day started.  For the initial instruction, they worked well and few students responded. 

Once we got into the topic, they started to participate more.  I like to present basic facts about each religion and then ask what they all have in common.  While the concept of comparing 5 religions might seem daunting, they handled it well.  Using the graphic at right, the discovered that all religions have a sacred text, believe in at least one god, have a place of worship, and promote nonviolence.   I then asked the students to select two religions that they would like to learn more about or that they could consider adopting as their own faith.  I instructed them to create a pamphlet comparing the two religions.  Their goal is to decide which one is better and why.   Overall by the end of the day the lesson seemed to be going well. 

The main issue I had was dealing with the students who are taking my class to get ahead in the high school credits as well as the students who have fallen behind and failed the class before.  One-third of my class works faster than the other two-thirds and that has made a difficult dynamic to plan for.  As for the technology component, I would love to have had the ability to show them videos about each religion to introduce some more detailed information and provide some support for the essential questions.  I only had a few students with the ability to interpret and answer the questions. 

I have yet to master the timing of lessons and transition in a summer school class.  I’m also having troubles with the limits being placed on our program by the school we are utilizing.   I don’t have access to everything that I need and as much as I ask, I won’t get anything else.   This lesson as planned would have been at least ten times better when utilized during a regular school year with appropriate access to technology.   This lesson really left me with more questions than answers.   I began to wonder if there is an effective way to use technology to help students master content in a limited amount of time.  Is there an effective way to use technology when all you have access to is a computer and a projector?  My students all have an electronic device of some kind however I’m not allowed to let them use it.  Overall I’m not sure how to reflect on this experience because I feel defeated by the circumstances of the classroom. 

This lesson will defiantly have to be revised further in the future.  However I want to try it again before giving in to the notion that it needs to be completely revamped.  I’d like to add components of website links to expose students to more information and have them research each religion.  Take the students on a digital scavenger hunt within the lesson.  

CEP 800: lesson plan

Module 5 Lesson Plan:
Standards: Clark County School District/State of Nevada
X 2.1 - Students will compare and contrast the characteristics of World cultures by utilizing one of the big 11 social studies skills.
H1.[9-12].10 - Compare and contrast the characteristics of dominant world cultures.
X 2.2 - Students will analyze the origin, development, basic beliefs, distribution, and ancient contributions for the five major world religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism by utilizing one of the big 11 social studies skills.
H1.[9-12].11 - Analyze how and why the five major religions gained new adherents in various parts of the world.
H2.[9-12].18 - Explain the development of monarchies and their effects on centralized government, commerce and trade, and religion.
X 2.3 - Students will compare and contrast the social, political, and cultural impact of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism on the world today by utilizing one of the big 11 social studies skills.
H1.[9-12].11 - Analyze how and why the five major religions gained new adherents in various parts of the world.
H3.[9-12].15 - Explain the impact of the five major world religions on the world’s political and social fabric.
H3.[9-12].23 - Explain how literature, music, media, and the visual arts affect social change.
X 2.4 - Students will analyze the dynamics between religions in different regions; e.g., India (Hindu and Islam), Middle East (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), and western Europe (Catholic and Protestant) by utilizing one of the big 11 social studies skills.
H3.[9-12].15 - Explain the impact of the five major world religions on the world’s political and social fabric.
X 2.5 - Students will describe the role of religion and warfare in ancient and modern governments and society by utilizing one of the big 11 social studies skills.
H1.[9-12].11 - Analyze how and why the five major religions gained new adherents in various parts of the world.
H3.[9-12].15 - Explain the impact of the five major world religions on the world’s political and social fabric.


Content: What is the content you are teaching and what are the big ideas? What are the challenging concepts that students struggle with or are difficult to teach? Consider your state standards (GLCEs or HSCEs) as you develop the essential questions you are trying to address.

Subject: World History - Unit 2: Religion
Concepts:  Basic background on Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddaism.  Discussion of religious principles, leaders and founders, sacred texts, and ancient religious practices vs current practices.

Essential Questions:
·         Why does religion impact politics around the world?
·         What role does religion play in society?
·         How do interactions between eastern religions and Western religions impact societies around the world?
·         How does religion influence religion practices?
Why have religious practices changed over time?
What influences shape our view of organized religion?

Pedagogy: What pedagogical strategies are you using and why? What theories of learning inform your strategies? What learner characteristics did you take into consideration?

Strategies: Venn diagrams, flip charts, and charts for visual representations of information.  Handouts and worksheets with summaries about each religion.

Theories and characteristics: I took into account the theories on multiple modalities. Not every student learning in the same way and graphic organizers help student focus on the important details within larger sets of information.  I use text summary handouts because the information on religion is disbursed throughout the textbook and can be difficult to utilize.  I also provide students with handouts so that they can take the essential information with them.  Most of the students that I have worked with have been low level, special education, or ELL.  I teach in ways that allows them to be successful. Once the foundation of the information is established, I can progress to more difficult tasks.

Content & Pedagogy: How do these particular strategies help you teach the content mentioned above? Why choose these strategies over other approaches? Are there any technical or physical constraints that figured significantly into your choices?

The stragies I use help me teacher because I can ask my students to pull out important information and highlight it.  I can have them develop connections between monotheistic religions and polytheistic religions.  Discover more about each by asking questions: what do they have in common? Why might people of these faiths and backgrounds not get along?  Why would they work together?   I chose these methods because they are the only ones I know. These are the methods that I understand and ones that I have seen be successful. Over time I might modify them to increase rigor.  There aren't any constraints that I figured into my choices.  Althought I'm sure I could add more technology stragies.

Technology: What technology will you be using and why? Is the use of this technology absolutely necessary to achieve your objective? That is, would be impossible to teach the lesson without it? Remember that content specific technology (e.g., probes, graphing calculators, Geometer’s Sketchpad, United Streaming videos) are used to teach a content-specific concepts, whereas content-general technologies (e.g., Flash animation, Web 2.0 technologies) may facilitate deeper understanding by allowing students to manipulate information, explore a “network of ideas,” and investigate multiple representations of material.

I typically use PowerPoint for this part of the course.  I could use NearPod to increase student involvement in the instruction. Technology isn't necessary to achieve the objectives associated with the lesson.  However the lesson can be quite boring without a technology component.  This lesson might also be more interesting if students had to explore two or three religions and created a digital "road map" for religious understanding. Do the paths of these religions cross anywhere? We'd have to wait and find out.

Technology & Pedagogy: How does the technology you have chosen fit with your pedagogical strategies and theories about learning? What types of learning strategies are employed by the technology?

The use of technology would create discovery learning,  the students would learn by doing and trying. The teacher would gain responses and interaction throughout the lesson.  Nearpod would allow for question and answers, class poll to check for understanding, website searchers being built in to the presented information.

Technology & Content: How does your choice of technology help you teach the "big ideas" and address the essential questions underlying the concept your lesson addresses?

The technology would help me present several valid sources of information that students can search through to develop responses to the big ideas and essential questions.  Many time I find myself limited to what I have access to when teaching.  Adding technology could change the depth of knowledge level that my students interact with.

Assessment: What do you want your students to know, and how will you know when they know it?  How will you assess what students have learned?  What role does technology play in these assessments?

I want to students to know what makes religions the same and what makes them each unique.  I want them to learn why each religion was foundedand why they are still around today.  Why does society and culture value religion?

I will conduct several formative assessments in the form of questions and discussion. I will also ask students to complete a summative  assessment that will be several Venn Diagrams along with a written portion for students to explain the information that they represented visually.

CEP 812: Teachers and Technology survey

 812 survey conclusions                                  (trends are highlighted)

Based on the survey I conducted this week: 

I can conclude that most of the teachers I surveyed are comfortable or extremely comfortable with the use of technology in their classrooms.  I can conclude that in all 10 classrooms technology is used at least 2 times a week.  All teachers have access to a computer and a projector.  Less than half of the teachers surveyed have access to a smart-board (either SMART brand, e-beam or Promethean)  and/or a document camera (Elmo).  Most teachers plan their lessons online. Less than half use software available on their computers.  Most teachers execute their lessons via presentation software and websites to present information and conduct instruction.  Some teachers also use online instruction tools.  All teachers surveyed said they would like to have a student response system in their classroom.  7 out of 10 teachers said they would like to have iPads for everyone in their classroom.  3 teachers said they would like to have an electronic assignment system (paperless classroom); a computer station with upto 10 computers, dual screens with mounted projectors.  8 out of 10 teachers said they would consider taking a professional development course focused on technology. 

In the written response sections teachers had some common elements about how they would integrate technology into their classrooms.

·         Utilize technology without taking away from the classroom environment

·         Would love for every student to have access

·         Student Response System (SRS) would make assignments simple and immediate

·         (technology) allow all students access

·         Flipped classroom or at least a paperless one

·         Only a class set of iPads (to prevent student abuse of internet and games)

·         I could have all my students working on websites

·         I would use clickers to play review games before match and social studies tests

·         I would make technology more available

·         Student access to the internet and programs selected for them by the teacher

·         I’d have access to everything that could help make my students successful

·         iClickers and iPads = increased student participation and increased level of interest

·         Easier grading

·         Differentiated instruction and more developed projects

The final question on the survey, also a written response question, lacked sufficient data.  The only themes I could infer are online/digital presentation of information and student response systems.  There was some interest into eReaders and iPads as well as paperless classrooms.  Some people didn't seem interested in attending technology professional developments.  

Most teachers, while they support technology use, have some concerns about the availiability of the tools they would like to use as well as how to maintain control over the use of technology.  While is sounds wonderful to many of us to have an iPad for every student, the reality is that not every student in every class will use it as it is intended, nor will every student in every school have access.  

After review that data that I have collected, I curious how this information will change when I switch schools in the fall.  I will be leaving a school where it is difficult to gain access to technology in favor of a Career and Technical Academy that requires all students to have computer user access.  I'm also curious about how this survey would look had I had the ability to get all teachers at either or both schools to take it.  Would the results be the same when 60 teachers participate? What about 80-100? 

CEP 812: My info Diet

Adding to my info diet was a little difficult.  I couldn't think about what else I wanted to know.  My main interest for a while has been educational technology and flipping my classroom.  That being said I decided to focus on some of the "problems" I had while teaching and where education is going besides the technology route.  How did I increase my info diet?  Well I decided to use Twitter and I chose to follow Education Next, We are Teachers  and  Khan Academy.  Khan Academy promotes lifelong learning and it can be used as a classroom research.  Our students can sign up for free, watch video, learn new things and review recommendations based on what you have already complete.  Education Next publishes an quarterly journal that is focused on education reform and the potential for major changes in education.  I chose Education Next because of its editorial view on education.  I didn't want another source that provides the weekly or monthly trends in education.   I decided to follow We are Teachers in the hope that it will inspire me to try something new.  Maybe I can forgo my need for a flipped classroom or maybe I can get ideas on how to improve and make it happen faster.  Overall my goal is to grow as an individual and as a teacher.  I wanted to select pages or Twitter members that I could learn from and that will challenge me to be better.  I looked at several that also addressed some of my classroom problems but they haven been updated in years! The problems and issues I've faced in my classroom include lack of innovation/imagination, social learning, some dysfunctional classroom management with my co-teacher and at times a lack of flow through a lesson.  In my opinion all of these sites have the ability to help me change my problems.

CEP 800 Digital Storytelling

This is my digital story about close reading.  I hope you like it.

How can we use technologies to support students’ special learning needs?

For this assignment I chose to focus on something that is close to my heart.  I conducted some research about students with learning disabilities.  Over the past 20 years that I have been in school I've compared myself to other students.  Approximately fifteen years ago, I was diagnosed with a learning disability.  As a child I didn't know much but as I grew as a student it became more and more aware of how it affected my learning.  With the advancements in technology, accommodations can be made to help all students with learning disabilities.

Based on my research most of the technology used with LD students consists of computers and recordings.  According to Maccini, Gagnon and Hughes, 

"Three practices appear promising for educating students with LD: (a) hypertext and hyper-media software programs; (b) videodisc instruction involving contextualized learning; and (c) multimedia software." 

I will be uses this as a guideline for choice of technology that is available today.  Most of the other research I looked at was outdated and referred to "videodisc instruction" as the preferred application of technology for students with learning disabilities.

  In the 21st century there are tens if not hundreds of methods that can be used.  Depending on the type of disability the student can use anything from Dragon Naturally Speaking, to help them take verbal notes and "write" essays, to screen readers and audio books.  Imagine setting a student up with a laptop that has access to everything they need to be successful in all of their subjects. For the purpose of this assignment I'm going to focus on the MacBook.  All MacBooks have a built in  Voice Over function.  Voice Over has several different uses as it was originally intended to assist people who are blind or have limited vision.  Voice Over will read webpages, emails, word processing documents, calendars, etc.  This will come in hand for LD students like me who have a hard time with lengthy text or who get caught up on words that they don't know.  The use of a laptop would give a student with a learning disability access to everything from digital textbooks to electronic math worksheets. The access would also allow the student to self accommodate in class.  Let's get all students to work with 21st Century skills.  

References:
Maccini, P., Gagnon, J. C., & Hughes, C. A. (2002). Technology-based practices for secondary students with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 25(4), 247-262. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1511356

Bryant, D. P., Erin, J., Lock, R., Resta, P. E., & Allan, J. M. (1998). Infusing a teacher preparation program in learning disabilities with assistive technology. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 31(1), 55-66. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/62555773?accountid=12598

Woodward, J., & Gersten, R. (1992). Innovative technology for secondary students with learning disabilities. Exceptional Children, 58(5), 407-407. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/201212049?accountid=12598

Ellsworth, N. J. (1993). Technology and education: Applications for students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 4(2), 45-51. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/62786475?accountid=12598