Reflecting on What I Know~ Chapter 5

How can I get my students to ask questions about the research they are conducting?

As teachers, our goal is to help our students develop the ability to read, develop questions, and to answer questions as they strive to gain understanding of the content.  Allowing and promoting self-regulation by the students to explore the answer to a problem is very important and can be done within the NTeQ model.  Self-regulation is a proactive learning activity that students initiate to gain understanding (Zimmerman, 1998,2008).  The students who can self-regulate through a lesson have motivation to conquer the lesson with specific learning behaviors such as reading, listening and asking questions.  My understanding of achieving this outcome is for the teacher to allow the students to be the center of the lesson.  The teacher should be there to guide and to ask questions to make the students think on their own.  Traditionally, the teacher would lecture and give the class memorization skills.  Now teachers are giving problems for the students to solve.  When the student is "forced"to do more of the leg work, they will naturally ask questions to solve the problem.  So I think that allowing the students to have more control of their learning by self-regulations promotes learning by asking questions.

How can I teach my students to solve problems?

To teach students to solve problems you need to walk them through the 10 step NTeQ Model.  This is a students-centered learning process that they can do alone or in groups to find answers to problems,  (Morrison and Lowther, 126).  Within this model we should provide Think Sheets for the students to use.  They help the students understand the content by using appropriate inquiry skills.  Whether it's searching for data or underlining and paraphrasing, they create new ideas and motivation for learning builds. 

I've never used an inquiry-based approach, much less computers-so how is a teacher supposed to do both of these at one time?


My very first instinct was to ask "How on earth did this person get a teaching job?"  Ha!  Seriously though, if you have never used an inquiry-based approach, and much less computers, my first suggestion is that you learn for yourself what you are expecting your students to learn!  Be prepared and research your topic.  Walk through the NTeQ model yourself and explore the way that you can use these two at the same time.  Yes, it's a student-centered approach.  But keep in mind that the students are only as strong as their weakest link!  They WILL ask questions and they WILL need guidance.  If you do not know how to answer their questions and help them reason through the problem, they will not learn all that they can. 

Bloom's Taxonomy according to Andy Griffith

What is TPACK? Reflections

1- Describe a classroom where 'technology integration' takes place. You may find a video on Teacher Tube to provide this answer or you can write a narrative about something you have seen in relation to the information in the article above.

I have very intrigued by the idea of teachers using iPhones in classrooms.  The babysitter that we use for our kids is in high school at Jack Brit in Hope Mills, NC.  I asked her last night about the use of technology in their classrooms and she mentioned that they do in fact use them in 2 "test" classrooms.  These classes have been allowed to test the use of iphones during class time.  The idea really baffles me because I would think that kids would be distracted and not focus on the lesson, but "play" on the web or social media instead.  She said that that does happen, but that there are good things about it as well.  I found this video on youtube that explains positive things to use an iphone for in the classroom.
The iphone has built in features that are good for the classroom lessons.  Photography, videos, recording, and the web are all great features, if used right, that can be used in a lesson.  Beyond that there are a lot of apps that can be downloaded to use for lessons.  If used properly, this device can capture student learning, help students to communicate with each other, and engage students into the lesson.  I think that it would be a fun and exciting way to involve each child.
This elementary teacher from Welcome to Mrs. Terhunes Class (a blog) wrote about how she cleverly created a learning center where children would each have their own iPhone with ear buds to play learning games.  She asked parents to donate their old iphone and created a center that was fun and engaging for students.  She downloaded literacy and math games.  No wifi was needed for any of these games which takes the temptation away for the kids to get distracted.  She made sure that each iPhone had been wiped clean of any photos or other information before use. The children loved it!
http://www.bloglovin.com/frame?post=1638938041&blog=3884361&link=aHR0cDovL21yc3Rlcmh1bmUuYmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29tLzIwMTMvMDkvdXNpbmctb2xkLWlwaG9uZXMtaW4tY2xhc3Nyb29tLmh0bWw&frame_type=fb

In this video, children gave their little testimony about why they love using iphones and ipads in the classroom.  It gave me some idea of how they are using this technology.  The iphone was used in one lesson to record children jump roping in P.E. for a jump rope contest.  Other students used it to take notes for Spelling and other classes.  They commented that it was a great way to save paper and waste, which is a great way to go green!  A number of students mentioned various apps that looked fun and engaging for the students to learn lessons on spelling, math and problem solving.  

2- In your discipline area, what are the essential components in a classroom where "technology integration" is appropriately utilized? Why?

 The essential components are accessible hardware and software.  It's important to have accessible hardware and software so you can meet the needs of all abilities, knowledge and experience of students.  For instance, if I have a child with a learning disability, I need to make sure that he/she has the components he needs to fully participate with the class.  If I have children who are not as experienced with the mouse and the basic functions of the computer, then a touch screen system would be useful.  I would also pair them up with student that have experience so that they could help and learn from each other.

3- What instructional outcomes are possible when embedding technology in classroom instruction?

 http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html

There are many positive outcomes from embedding technology into a lesson plan in the classroom.  First of all the students will have an intimate knowledge of the lesson becasue they are having hands on learning.  Interacting with each other through technology creates an ownership and pride in learning.  Second, by using technology for themselves or in a group they are internilzing what they have learned and not just memorizing the information.  Third, there is an increase in self-esteem that comes from the excitement of using technology.  Knowing how to perform various functions gives them an independence and confidence that they can go into the world knowing this skill.  Technical skills are built on the more teachers introduce new functions and programs.  Social skills is built on as they work with other students.  There is also an increase in public resources that is explored and used.


http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-description

Obama's Tech Push for Schools Without Funding from Congress

Obama went to Buck Lodge Middle School in Adelphi, Maryland, where seventh-grade students were using tablets to work on math problems based on the Rover explorer on Mars.

While there he pledged to do more through executive actions and the bully pulpit -- the pen and the phone -- to modernize classrooms with technology.

"It makes vivid and real math and science, in a way that is more interesting to the students," Obama said in a speech after his tour of the school, which is among only 30 percent of schools in the nation with adequate access to high-speed Internet.  "That's how it should be for everybody, not just some," he said.

 The school in Adelphi, a middle-class suburb of Washington, D.C., bought tablets with money from the $847 billion economic stimulus package Congress passed five years ago.

Cloud Storage Assignment

I am very wet behind the ears when it comes to personal cloud storage.  I'm so new to it that I just heard about Dropbox during this tech class!  This writing assignment is more of a learning adventure for me as I research the trends and comparisons of personal cloud storage.

In my own definition, I think that "cloud storage" is the new and modern way to save data.  Whether it's pictures, music, or documents, cloud storage allows you to save your data in a user friendly way.  No more will you need removable storage.  It is highly convenient in that you can log into your cloud storage from any computer and device.  Most storage companies offer a small amount of room for free and for a fee you can upgrade your space.  Cloud storage makes it easy to share files with friends, classmates and employers.

I have researched 5 major companies that offer cloud storage.  There are a lot more than 5 to choose from, but these seem to be the trendiest. 

1.  Dropbox {thanks to Ms. Fine}  Reviews that I have read have indicated that Dropbox is by far the most trendy and widely used company for storage.  It wasn't the first storage company, but it popularized the concept.  What is nice about Dropbox compared to others is that it is simple!  You can use it just like it was any other network drive, with pretty much any file manager on any operating system.  The price:  It comes with 2GB of free storage.  You can get more storage by bringing new users to Dropbox as a perk!  If you still want more space you can pay $9.99 a month or $99 annually for 100GB.  There are more prices for 500GB.

2.  Apple iCloud.  Need I say more.  I don't like it.  It's hard to you and I have never figured it out.  I feel like everything with Apple gets more and more complicated every time they update it.  It does give you 5GB of free storage and the storage is for music, apps, books, and TV shows you purchase from the iTunes store.  It also has Photo Stream storage.  10 GB is $20 a month, $40 per year for 20GB, and $100 per year for 50GB.

3.  Amazon Cloud Drive.  It  gives you 5GB of free storage.  It used to allow you to store music, but it looks like you can not do that anymore.  I think the cons to Amazon is that you can only use it   from either the web or use a Windows app, Mac, or Android devices.  It also is only for uploading, not sharing. So Dropbox still is more favorable.  And for most of your file work, you'll still be in a web browser.

4.   Google Drive.  Google Drive works with Google Docs.  It's a lot like Dropbox in that Google Drive automatically syncs with the cloud so that everything you save is on all of your devices.   Also, like Dropbox, it integrates with Windows and Mac file systems.  It does not support Linux which might be a con for some people.  But it does support Google's own Chrome OS, Android, and Apple's iOS. Pros: Its comes with 5GB of free storage, which is more than Dropbox!  For the average person that is quiet a bit of storage!  You can pay for additional storage.  You can even rent 16TB for only $800!  {I'm being sarcastic...apparently there are people who would do that.}  Also it allows any kind of file, including documents, music, images, and videos. Cons: it requires a gmail account and their may be storage size limitations.  I added a tutorial here for Google Drive:

5.  Microsoft SkyDrive:  {it is being currently renamed to One Drive}.  My husband uses this one.  With this you can save, share, and access files, but on most operating systems, you must use it through a browser.  It prefers Internet Explorer, but it will work with others.  It works well with Windows 8 and Microsoft Office.  Like Google Drive, it comes with its own cloud-based office software.  A great thing about SkyDrive is that you know it's going to be compatible with all Microsoft software.  It's free up to 7GB which is a real bargain!  They offer more free storage than the others that I researched.  If you want 20 GB it is $10.  And the price goes up from there.

Should schools go to a cloud-based document storage scheme?  I personally think that it would be a good move! I think that eventually removable storage will fade away just like the cassette player or the vcr.  We are constantly evolving in the technology world.  I think that the pros for schools using cloud storage is that students will be able to work together in groups easily.  They can share ideas, documents, photos and even music.  Students will have less excuses about "loosing" or "leaving" homework at home.  It can be accessed anywhere!  I think that is a huge plus!  The downside might be storage sizes.  Also, if there are not enough computers for everyone in the classroom, then it may be a challenge at times.

Security of your information while using cloud storage is a concern for some people. Jonathan Strickland from "How Cloud Storage Works" says, "Clients aren't likely to entrust their data to another company without a guarantee that they'll be able to access their information whenever they want and no one else will be able to get at it."  Strickland, Jonathan.  "How Cloud Storage Works"  30 April 2008.  HowStuffWorks.com. <http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/cloud-storage.htm>  05 February 2014.  Hacking is always a concern when dealing with internet based programs.  This may be a con for the school system. 

Reflecting on What I Know~ Chapter 2

How do I plan an integrated lesson that will work with my students?

From our text Gary R. Morrison and Deborah L. Lowther suggest teachers consider 2 specific factors as you create an integrated lesson plan, (29):

1.  How long can your students pay attention?  Is their attention span mature enough to handle a week long project or are they only able to focus for a class period or just a few hours.  What is that precious window of time that they can absorb the most from your lesson?  It really depends on the age of the kids and the ability they have in each individual class to stay focused.  Younger children may only be able to handle a class period or a day long lesson whereas high school students can handle much longer lessons that could go on for days and even weeks.

  2.  The computer should not be used the entire time or used as the "teacher" of the lesson.  The computer should be used as a tool for the student to research or compile information.  Good ol' fashion research with magazines, books, newspapers, and even the world wide web should be used as well, (29).  Try to remember that the computer is not the teacher.  When students use the computer to solve a problem rather than receive instruction from it, the are more motivated and will learn more because they are actually solving the problem themselves.  When they actually research for themselves and use the computer as a tool to present their information or to compile their findings, it creates "ownership" and they are more eager to learn.

These two factors are the backbone to creating a lesson plan.  However other factors will play into your lesson planning.  A well rounded teacher in my opinion will explore and solve the problem herself before handing it over to the students.  The teacher, as a facilitator, must be educated herself in the process.  Be organized, knowing the technology in your classroom and the functions of each challenge given to the students.  Also, researching ideas and new skills is important so that you can teach and give each student the best training that you can.  The student is only as strong as their weakest link!

I have found a website that I'm interested in researching for our lesson plan project. 

Curriculum Ideas:  How Do I Integrate the Internet into My Classroom?

This website has many examples of how to creatively integrate the web into your classroom for student lessons! The lesson examples that they provide cross disciples which is very helpful.

Why do I need objectives to help with  my planning and lesson development?

 
"A lesson plan is the instructor’s road map of what students need to learn and how it will be done effectively during the class time."  (Milkova). Before you plan your lesson, you will first need to decide what the learning objectives for the lesson are exactly.  What is it that you want the students to learn from your lesson?  After creating these objectives, then you can have fun creating appropriate lesson plans that will help to teach the objectives.  Stiliana Milkova, from the University of Michigan at The Center of Research for Learning and Teaching says that there are three key components to a successful lesson plan, Milkova, S. (2013).  Strategies for Effective Lesson Planning.  CRLT.com, Retrieved February 4, 2014, from http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/p2_5.  :

• Objectives for student learning
• Teaching/learning activities
• Strategies to check student understanding

Creating objectives for student will help you to make a successful lesson plan as well as help you to effectively grade/rate the student on whether or not they met the objectives of the lesson.

Your lesson's are in fact a "road map" for the students as well as for a substitute teacher that may be filling in for you that day.  Having a detailed lesson plan is crucial not only for the students, but for anyone else who may be aiding you in teaching your class.  I was a preschool teacher for The Goddard School where the teachers created the curriculum based on developmental goals set by the state.  I was trained that "the most untrained person should be able to walk into your classroom and teach your class based on your well prepared lesson plan, including objectives."  The objectives should be that clear.

How can I encourage my students to engage in the processing of information?

  Being able to encourage students to engage in the processing of information takes preparation on the teachers part.  You can't just walk into the room and quickly decide that "today we are learning this..."  It takes planning, testing, and preparation.  This aspect of our lesson planning is crucial to think about throughout the process of creating lesson plans.   Teaching that emphasizes active engagement helps students process and retain information. When we make clear objectives and interesting lesson plans then our students are more interested and stay on task.  It makes learning fun and effective!

First, prepare!  

• What is the goal?
• What order does the teaching need to follow?
• What do the students already know?
• What do I want them to learn?

As the teacher, we should fully understand the lesson ourselves.  We should know the objectives and understand them fully.  We should know how the students will gather information.  Will you provide the data to the students?  Will they generate their own data through experiments and observations?  Or will they search for data in a library, CD-ROM or on the Internet?  How will the students use and collect the data?  (Morrison and Lowther, 38,39)    The book talked about how Think Sheets (Morrison and Lowther, 40) should be used as part of the lesson.  "Think Sheets can include probing questions asking the students about implications, interpretations, generalizations and predictions using the data," (Morrison and Lowther, 40).  Think sheets are a great tool that will take the students in to higher thinking of their material.

 

Think Sheets provide guidance to help students organize their thinking.  The purpose of the Think Sheet is to really get the brain working and thinking about the problem that the student is solving.  It guides the student to "determine what to do once they have created and gathered info.  It can help them make generalizations and predictions using the data that they fill in, (Morrison and Lowther, 40).

Lastly we can encourage our students to engage in learning by creating fun and attractive activities that support the objective of our lesson plans.  Hands on activities encourage learning and help the student to retain information.  For example, if our students are learning about North Carolina Ocean Life, the teacher could set up a sensory table full of artifacts that may have been left behind by the Ocean and Ocean currents in North Carolina.  Students can dig through the sand in a group and discover seashells, bones, sea weed, fossils, sand dollars, star fish, sponges, and corrals that can be found by exploring the beaches.  They can work together in a group to chart their findings.  This is a fun activity that engages each student. 

Do I have to use a different lesson plan when I want my students to use computers?

No.  The ten step NTeQ Model is designed so that computer usage is integrated into the lesson plan.  Your lesson plan can be cross disciplinary meaning that you can involve more than one subject for a specific lesson.  You may however need to teach the students a specific computer function if you are requiring them to do a specific program that they are not familiar with.  In that case, you may need a seperate lesson plan.  It boils down to the teacher being prepared and preparing the students for the lesson as well.

Also, our book says that teachers are able to “adapt many of their existing units to an integrated lesson by adding or rethinking the problem and objectives. One of the best sources of ideas for lessons is your old lesson plans and textbooks" (Morrison and Lowther 55).  This is a huge time saver.  By simply "recycling" your previous lesson plans, you can add onto and improve your lessons without making a whole new or separate lesson.

What is the relationship between objectives and computer functions?

Objectives and computer functions are not the same thing.  The objective is what you are expecting the students to learn.  The computer functions are the tools that the students use to meet the objectives.  It is a vehicle to the objective or goal of the lesson.  There are standards set by the school district that should be used when creating your objectives for the lesson.  The “computer functions are tasks that computer software can assist with or perform” (Morrison and Lowther 23).

Can you use a computer for every objective or lesson?

"You should not expect to teach all of your objectives with a computer, (Morrison and Lowther, 29).   The “NTeQ approach views the computer as a tool rather than as a teacher.  The computer or technology should be used by students to solve problems rather than providing the instruction.  The NTeQ model has 10 steps to work through for lesson planning.  It includes "before during computer use", "activities before computer use" and "activities after computer use."  For a well rounded lesson plan it is best to provide students with other means of research.  Teaching them to look through books, newspapers, magazines, CD-ROMS and using the library are also great tools that are encouraged in the book. (Morrison and Lowther, 38).  Also take into consideration that most classrooms will have a limited number of computers.  If this is the case, then it is not in the best interest of every child to make the computer the center of every lesson.  Plan a schedule for the students to work individually or in groups at a specific "computer time."  This will allow for other resources to be manipulated.