ITS-Got it! Good.

I’m ready…the next step for the labs and the library is a binder with the variety of lessons to integrate technology within the departments.  What do the students need to know with PowerPoint, Word, Excel, internet searching, images, movie making, etc.  Saba can help put togehter the notebooks as I print the How to’s and guides.

We will have one notebook per lab, plus one in the library.  Additional copies can be made per request.

The goal over the next few weeks is to create the matrix for the math department.  All of the units should be somewhat planned out for the school year so the technology may be integrated.

We are changing the curriculum for technology education: 6th grade-desktop publishing, 7th grade web page design, and 8th grade video production.  I’ll probably be writing the curriculum for these classes.  Much to do…

So now I’m convinced. All you need to do to create a valuable lesson plan is a “tight” rubric that assesses your objectives and a webquest. I use to think, “oh, webquest…they are so long and detailed.” I thought this until I recently read the first article by Bernie Dodge on webquests. I’d never read this article before and I even took an online class about creating webquests.
Dodge defines two different webquests with two instructional goals: a short webquest is for knowledge acquisition and integration; whereas, a long webquest extends and refines knowledge. The supporting resource is Marzano’s Dimension in Thinking Model, which I haven’t read either. Short webquests being Dimension 2 and long webquests are dimension 3.

Lately I’ve learned valuable lessons about being proactive. Is this a new buzzword? Or have I simply been sleeping. It’s probably one of those “been around” practices, but new name for it.

What is it? Well, according to wikipedia.org – To be proactive is to act before a situation becomes a source of confrontation or crisis. It is, however, often criticized, perhaps aptly, as not being proper, as “active” encompasses the concept entirely.

The Merriam Webster definition http://www.webster.com/dictionary/proactive states acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes. Now that’s what I’m talking about. Ask yourself, the next time you find it difficult to hold your emotion about a certain topic.

Have you been reading this? Real stories from people all over the nation. You could put this on TV, but then what? A handful of people own a copy of the recording. We should have our students tap in. A slice of life with a mother and her son with Asberger’s Syndrome. He asks his mom some tough questions.

Now I ask you…don’t you want to have time to sit around and read the latest and greatest information. This is real life. Let’s show it to the students. They need to learn content, but let’s slide in some current issues/awareness articles–so they can practice reading. What a wonderful way to get them writing. These stories are springboards for discussion, maybe encourage them to establish a reflective blog or start documenting their own story.

I know you don’t have much time, but make time!!!StoryCorps

We can deter the boredom, plaguarism, and overall inability to learn by focusing on the actual assignments. Yes, research has shown that if students are interested in the assignment, they will learn more from it. Technology can add that interest. But more than technology, the assignments need to be meaningful and yes– a great deal of work.

How many have heard students complain about “all the work”. If they are complaining, asking questions for clarification, or how to do it– then rest assured, they are learning. If the assignment is meaningful, they will want to do it. Blogging is writing, but if you told your American Lit class that we are going to write today, you would receive a wall of complaint. Instead, “we are going to create a web page of your thoughts on this reading passage today.” Wow, what a difference.

In turn, we shouldn’t be assigning an “essay”, “research paper”, or “presentation”, why not design assignments so “you are the main character”, “you are a zoologist training a new zoo employee”, or “you are the expert of xyz reporting”.

Then you have to model or train the students to use the technology to accomplish their mission. Make the instructions very specific students can learn valuable skills. Take PowerPoint for example. This software is use by teachers to present material, which is great for modeling. Students know how to use it. Even the “bells and whistles” as I call it. But do they really know how use it effectively.

I have found students do not know how to make bullets, an essential skill in writing. While presenting with PowerPoint, students read the slides instead of walking around the room, looking into the eyes of their audience, describing the bulletized points. See… PowerPoint is meant to be a visual. It can be used to present all the pertinent information, but we are really teaching students how to present if we model that this is how PowerPoint should be use.

Define the slides. The first couple of slides should be a review of the topic for prior knowledge. The “meat” of the presentation as I call it is then the “expert” knowledge the student is sharing with the rest of the class. Finally wrap up the presentation with your opinion, your summary, your point driven home. Sound familiar? Isn’t this how we want them to write?

I know many of you keep in mind the way you write to teach your students, but how are we assigning the work. There is nothing wrong with having a specific pattern to follow at least the first time. This can be done with any software. Software that we use everyday. We take for granted sometimes that we are effective with our word processing. Some of our student hunt and peck making word processing very frustrating. Providing students with a diary template, or hey, we are going to make a newsletter or newspaper with articles centered around our setting. The assignment can make or break the learning.

Now I working on a grade level project with iMovies, PPT, Magazines and plays. The difficult in offering a variety of projects is that students cannot really help each other and your instruction has to be deviated. This would be wonderful if the students were use to working with the applications. If we work with the students from the beginning of the year with the technology and make small steps with the technology, informing them a little at a time–then they will be ready for major projects and the sky will be the limit.

*Reflection from working with the 8th graders on a multimedia project in December 2005.

Use this session to set up your web page on the DHS web site.  Learn how to use the online software Delegate to set up and maintain your web page.  Teachers who have had this session before are welcome to come for a refresher.

A world of video clips, images, and lesson ideas available to Georgia teachers and students for FREE. Learn how to set yourself up as an individual user to the site so you can save a playlist of video clips you use every year.  Also we will cover how to save the clips to CD so you can show them without waiting for download or issues of slow network.