Action Effectiveness:
I definitely feel as though I am still spinning my wheels at this point because I am still unable to pin down administration as to when I can begin moving into and setting up my classroom; so everything seems a bit redundant. I have been unable to gain access to the computer lab to see what is actually available. It is very frustrating because in order to overcome the challenges of problem-based learning and create a “culture of collaboration and interdependence” (Ertmer & Simons, 2006, p. 40), I need to begin working on the technology integration aspects of my newsletter unit plan so that I completely understand the equipment, software, and process so that I am confident in my own use before I attempt to teach it to my students.
Over that last few weeks, I have been emailing back and forth with my new vice principal and did manage to set up an informal meeting and tour with her which allowed me to discuss my plans with her and get her to consider placing a digital projector that plugs into the computer in my room. This made me feel more supported in my efforts and encouraged me to continue searching for resources.
What I have learned so far:
One good resource that I have discovered so far is the Verizon Thinkfinity website http://www.thinkfinity.org/home which has tons of ideas and lessons on technology integration; however, there is so much information that it will take me some time to navigate through it all. Additionally, Read Write Think http://interactives.mped.org/view_interactive.aspx?id=110&title=:
has an interactive graphic organizer that helps students with the writing process associated with news articles. Although the organizer is intended for students in grades 3-5, I think it will be helpful to my students as well, especially in the beginning of the learning process.
New Questions / Learning:
I am still unsure of what technology other than computers in the lab that I will be working with. I am also still looking for publishing software that will be easy and effective for students. I will also need to figure out whether or not we will publish our newsletter digitally or on paper. Once school starts, students will be helpful in making this decision as well as brainstorming what kinds of stories they would like to write. At this point, I just have to wait for school to start to begin getting students involved in the process. I would also like to survey my colleagues to see if they would be interested in participating and in what capacity. There are many different programs on campus and making each a feature story throughout the school year could be an interesting prospect. I will also need their permission to allow my students into their classrooms.
Adjustments:
For now, I will have to push my timeline back again. Other than continuing to plan, there is not much I can do until school starts.
Ertmer, P., & Simons, K. (Spring 2006). Jumping the PBL implementation hurdle: Supporting the efforts of K-12 teachers. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 1(1), 40-54. Retrieved from http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=ijpbl.
Hi Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of brainstorming publishing ideas with your students. My students loved creating wikis, and this would be a fabulous way to use wikis. From our class, James was thinking about a compilation project, and I suggested wikis. I offered this suggestion to him, as I will to you also. I wrote, "You could have one classroom wiki that is a resource for parents to find information that your class is learning. That wiki could also have various web resources that the students could access options in one location. Each child could have a page on that wiki, so their webpage is connected to the class page that parents visit. As the year goes on, parents and students can view knowledge attained by each individual student and see the diversity in how knowledge is showed by the individual students" (Ritzman, 2010). This would be a great way to publish an ongoing newsletter. This is a real world skill, as "wikis are being used by project teams as a way to keep track of their work, by businesses who want their employees to share information and collaborate in an easy way, and teachers who want to collaboratively build resourc sites for their classes" (Richardson, 2009, p. 58). Students would gain 21st century skills as well as have constant communication with an audience outside of the classroom.
Resource:
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wiks, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tianna,
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the class wikis, but I don't know if I would be able to maintain one wiki, let alone two... I am working on a classroom website that will be accessible by both students and parents, but I am at a bit of a standstill with that until I can get some assistance from IT.
I wholly agree about encouraging 21st century skills in all our students; however, we need to acquire the technology we need in order to teach it and the more I think about it, I realize it is going to take our school at least 5 yrs. to get caught up...
Thanks for responding,
Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tianna that letting the students brainstorm how to manage their limited resources might give them a great problem solving experience and an appreciation for what you are doing for them. I liked the sites you mentioned... you are resourceful in finding free software. My folder is full of sites I have collected from the beginning of our coursework! It sounds like you are making the most of what are learning from this course.
Jim
8th SS