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Kathy Hocker Scientific Illustrations by Room 220

First Tech Lesson EVER!

It was the first time for my host classroom to visit the computer lab this school year (aside from the MAPS testing done three weeks ago). The students were really excited to spend time on the computers. I did a brief group meeting in the classroom and we went over how to ask for help and the objectives of learning Voice Thread.

We walked down to the lab and students turned on the computers. I had written the log in and password, [student: student] on the board. A few students did not know how to turn on the Mac desktops. The hard part was signing on to Voice Thread. The log in was jess_smith@hotmail.com and none of the students knew how to make an @ or _ symbol. Kathy and I had to help every kid sign in and it took almost 10 minutes!

The kids weren’t able to edit and add their comments on the Kathy Hocker voice thread but they did listen to my tutorial on how to make the comments. They looked at the Kathy Hocker voice thread and picked out their images that they will be making a comment on. They will be making those comments tomorrow, 10-28 (Friday during Reading). In hindsight, I would have presented this lesson as a mini lesson in small groups of 3-6 students. It would have been easier to differentiate the lesson for small groups and answer their questions as they came up.

Problem solving was mostly worked out when kids asked a teacher how to solve an issue with the program. There needs to be more scaffolding and I should have done this in small groups. I wrote the directions on the white board and used all the spelling for the different log ins and passwords. Next time I will ask IT how to sign in on all the computers from one desktop and save the Voice Thread on each computer. It will take more time but would eliminate the time of signing on. The students can work on signing onto the computer with their personal log ins before learning how to sign in to Voice Thread.

The kids were not able to record their comments but working with the program made them excited to use Voice Thread. It was good to see how the motivation of technology can get the students excited to work on literacy and art projects. I will add more reflection on how tomorrow goes with the individual students using voice thread during Reading.

STEP 1 DESIRED RESULTS

GLE(s)/Standards:

·      JSD Tech Standard A: Use technological tools for learning, communications, and productivity;

·      JSD Tech Standard D: Use communications technology to exchange ideas and information;

Objectives:

·      Turn on computer and log on using (student: student)

·      Introduction to Voice Thread:

o   What is it, how does it work, what will the students be using it for?

Students will know and be able to:

·      Open Voice Thread and log on to class site

·      Listen to class tutorial and learn how to record their comments on the microphone.

STEP 2 ASSESSMENTS

Evidence:

·      Students will record a short 10-30 second voice comment on their scientific illustrations (from Kathy Hocker sketchbooks)

Assessments:

·      Check for student’s understanding of computer use

o   Turning on

o   Logging on with (student: student)

o   Keyboard/Mouse use

STEP 3 LEARNING PLAN

Learning Opportunities and Differentiations:

·      *  Computer Lab – Turn computers on and sign in to student-student ·     *   Introduce Voice Thread and objectives of lesson      ·      * Objective: Learn how to record their voice onto an image of their sketchbook ·      [5-8 minutes] ·      * Sign onto ‘Room 220’ ·      * Password 123 ·      [4-5 minutes] ·      * Using SmartBoard ·      1. Open Voice Thread ·      2. Click on MyVoice ·      3. Click on ‘Room 220 Adventures’ ·      [7-9 minutes] ·      4. Listen with headphones ·      Ask for questions/comments?? ·      [If time…show kids the DIPAC voicethread] ·      Open DIPAC voicethread for an example of what they will be doing on the Kathy Hocker voicethread ·      Ask for questions/comments ·      Open Room 220 Scientific Illustration voicethread. ·      Kids practice with headphones recording their voice/comments on their image. ·      Show students how to save their comment. ·      Close Voice Thread ·      Log out and turn off computers

·      * Write student-student on whiteboard        * Use SmartBoard to model for students where to click – use this throughout the lesson plan.         * Student objective: Learn to use a Voice Thread and practice using a microphone to record your explanation for your scientific illustration.          * Practice hand sign for taking headphones on and off. [Teacher sign is miming head phones on/off ears]         * If the Voice Thread does not allow more than one user to make comments at the same time, kids are explore the 5 voice threads I added to ‘MyVoice’ while they wait for their turn to record.

Boolean Search - 2nd grade and Math games

Search Keys	Purpose	What did you find?
AND	2,170,000	I was surprised that ‘and’ found less than ‘not/or’. I don’t understand why that is true? However the first three sites were all free and two I had seen at Gastineau School as game sites that the RALLY staff let kids play.
OR	2,270,00	There are countless websites for math and educational programs for 2nd graders. Many are free and assessable. They are marketed for parents. According to their brief write up under the website address.
NOT	WINNER 6,260,000 – SO MANY SITES!!!	Interesting but standards came up on the first page of available links. Mostly state standards; for example Virginia.
“                    “	417,000	By far the least amount of sites!
*	3,340,000	More games – almost the same 12 or more that popped up for the ‘and’ search.
- (minus)	6,050,000	I put a minus in front of the 2nd grade part and the search engine still returned over 6million sites. I think more of the sites were math related and not grade level specific.
+ (plus)	2,030,000 hits	The same selection as the ‘and’ search
Others I used
Link  www.abcya.com/fourth_grade_computers.htm	4,480	A lot of teacher classroom websites came up…I think that the site is used in their classroom as a link for kids to play.
Title	1,350,000	Much the same.
Notes	www.abcya.com/fourth_grade_computers.htm	This site came up for all of the searches…not always in the first page but at some point it was an available link.
		There are a lot of ways to increase the odds of success on internet searches. This was a very helpful exercise because I have never been introduce to Boolean searchers before – despite all the times I have used the internet!

Voice Thread - and how cool it is!

I really enjoyed using Voice Thread. I found it to be user friendly and the quick tutorials broke down the procedure into a manageable sequence. When I uploaded pictures, I thought that I needed to have the pictures in order when they were in IPhoto. I wasted a lot of time putting those pictures in order because the Voice Thread software was much easier to drag and move the pictures around in. Right now I am wondering if more than one person can be working on the same voice thread, at the same time. I plan on exploring this aspect of the software with the help of Rosie, Elisabeth and Bonnie. This question needs to be answered before I teach my first tech lesson.

I am going to teach Voice Thread to my 2nd graders this Thursday. I have uploaded 22 pictures that I took of their Kathy Hocker sketchbooks(she is the October Artist in Residence). The plan is to have them explore with Voice Thread using the classroom account I created. I will be showing them to use the software by having them watch on the Smart Board (I will be modeling and having them follow along on their computers). Once they are on the program, I will have them watch two different examples that I created. One of them explains what Voice Thread is and the second on is an example voice thread that I put together of the kids. I will show them how I clicked on the microphone and recorded my words for the images.

Once they have explored on Voice Thread and have watched the images from Kathy Hocker, they are going to record their own voices for each of their own images. If they can do it at the same time, that would be awesome. However I am going to explore that this Wednesday and if they can not, kids can do it one at a time. Those students who are waiting can click on a list of voice threads that I will have loaded on ‘My Voice’. They are grade appropriate and should give them ideas for how to use the program.

Collaboration

The YouTube video that featured the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School discussed the use of Google Apps in their collaboration of curriculum, teacher-teacher communication and student-student interactions. Using an online format that allows the participants to work in real time situations can eliminate the problem of teachers not having the materials they need in order to work on the same project, at the same time. Another benefit was teachers planning curriculum for the school year and integrating subject areas and scope so that students are able to apply what they are learning in all the content areas. The middle school teachers were impressed with the use of Google Apps to ease their transition into planning a whole school year. Gmail, chat, and Google docs made communication easier and they were able to keep each other update on new develops with students and their curriculum. In the MAT program, I am beginning to use the Google calendar, email, and docs for managing a busy and demanding workload. Using them as a collaboration tool seems to be an excellent idea for a PLC and as a school wide program.

Last Thursday when our technology class met on Illuminate, I was impressed with the user-friendly design of the software. Being able to communicate over long distances is critical for the success of team collaboration and having the ability to discuss ideas with a large group of people. A teacher can reach out to educators throughout the state or beyond with this technology. Even within a school, software like Illuminate can allow grade level teachers to meet from the comfort of their classrooms and have brief meetings to discuss ideas and concepts for classroom curriculum. I have heard the 2nd grade teachers at HBV mention how finding the time and place to meet on a regular basis is difficult. With Illuminate the staff can meet without having to struggle with being at a certain location. Instead they can log on from their classroom or home to work in their PLC. It would be interesting to see if this kind of software could give them more time to work together. On a side note, having a discussion on Illuminate makes me more aware of time and the importance of communicating concisely and effectively. The main feature that needs to be agreed upon is how to share the mic for talking. It worked well to use the hands up symbol during our discussion.

Google docs has developed aspects of their formatting that is conducive to educators. However there are programs like http://www.planbookedu.com/ that give a teacher the option of making their lessons portable. Teachers can write lesson plans that are easy to share with their co-workers, including substitutes and principals. When coming together in a PLC, teachers can open up their lesson planbooks to their fellow team members. This gives a teacher an opportunity for professional growth as their peers evaluate and assess their lessons. Classrooms are no longer closed off from the outside world. With technology like online planbooks, teachers can easily collaborate with one another and learn from each other how to make their curriculum better. There are amazing teachers working every day who can contribute to their profession by sharing the different strategies and curriculum that are successful in their classrooms.

Joy of Education

Technology in elementary education...

The International Society for Technology in Education states how ‘technology standards promote classroom transformation by ensuring that digital-age students are empowered to learn, live, and work successfully today and tomorrow’ (ISTE). Standards are set in every content area to ensure that every child is receiving fair access to an education that is preparing them for the future. Technology standards in the Juneau School District adopted standards in 2011 that clearly state that all students will ‘possess the ability to collaborate and adapt, and use the skills and tools necessary for the 21st century’s world or work’ (JSD).

The standards are in place from the federal to local level but the next hurdle is implementing technology into classrooms. In Classroom Strategies that Works, the authors grouped ‘technology into five genres – word processing programs, organizing and brainstorming software, multimedia, data collection tools, and Web resources’ (p 11). As a student teacher I was able to begin organizing the different kinds of technology in my mind and can now begin to imagine how these five groups can be integrated into the curriculum. The book supplies examples of useful, research driven applications of technology in the classroom. One aspect that was made clear to me from the reading was that simple is better than none. Teachers who expose students to basic programs and computer technology are creating a stronger foundation for continued experience with all forms of technology. Rather than feeling as if elementary aged students are too young, it is important for teachers to have access to research and lessons that can be successful to all age groups.

Interactive technology has the potential to play a huge role in everyday classroom instruction. I was impressed by the information available on Promethean Planet and the amount of collaboration that is happening international between teachers. Once teachers have the hardware in their classrooms, they can connect globally and share ideas and strategies around the world. Standards will keep teachers moving towards integrating technology into the classrooms and this will provide students have a better understanding of the global world.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2011). Retrieved from

http://www.iste.org

Promethean Planet. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.prometheanplanet.com

Juneau School District. (2011). Elementary Technology CORE/GLD:k-5. Retrieved from

http://www.juneauschools.org/district/instructional_services/curriculum

Guru Interview with Mr. McKenna

Tom McKenna – 4th grade It was incredible listening to Tom talk about his technology integration throughout his career and in his classroom. He was able to explain in detail the various programs he has in place that allow his 4th grade students to be more independent in their learning through the use of technology. He views technology as a tool for communicating student work and ideas into the world outside their class. It can broaden their audience base and enable friends and family to be included in their education. Motivation to do their best work is seen by Tom and Rosie as students are shown how their work can be shared with many, not just the teachers. I was surprised at the options for integrating technology. Class websites include parents, caregivers and far away family in the day-to-day process of student is learning. His Iphone can record the teaching strategies being used in the classroom and when loaded online, family can have access to how learning at school can be continued at home. When Tom began teaching in 1990, he connected his students from Unalaska to students living on a Navajo reservation. Kids could compare and contrast their lifestyles and build a strong connection to another community and broaden their sense of the world. If we do live in a flat world, then we need to expose students to how their lives are affected by the decisions and lives of other people. Currently 4th graders are publishing book reviews, recordings of their ‘golden line’ from writing and are able to communicate online with their peers. It teaches them a form of communicating that is increasingly being used throughout the United States and the world. I found the idea of voice threads to be useful when teaching fluency in reading. Recording students as they gain mastery over books and through oral reading, they can listen to their own ability and analyze strategies for how to be a stronger reader. Student demonstrate their comprehension through expression and with experience, they can become more confidant public speakers. He recognizes the downside of technology. Students are more concerned with the formatting tools and design than the quality of their work. They are distracted from the content they are learning however we are teaching students to live in the future. And they will need to learn the skills to be self regulated in their work, whether its writing in their science notebooks or designing a blog. As a teacher, my primary goal is to assist students in becoming autonomous learners. Every form of technology is a tool and in order for our children to be successful, they need and deserve access to these tools as they are developed. With guided instruction, we can scaffold their learning as they begin their early education and provide them with the platform for continued exposure to new technologies waiting to be developed. Approximate Technology Inventory at Harborview: Building level purchases: - 32 G4 Apple desktops in computer lab - 8 G4 Apple desktops in library - 2 laptop carts with 20 Apple laptops (roving) - 4-3 Apple desktops or laptops in each classroom (teacher’s choice) - Software—Study Island (available on internet), Reading Eggs, Pages, Mavis Beacon, Inspiration, Safari - Wireless Internet - Elmo/Document Camera/Projector—In every classroom - Front Row Microphone—Available to every teacher - Interactive Smart Board—Available to every classroom (not in use due to lack of tech support) - Smart board—In computer lab (donation for teacher of the year) - TV—In half of the classrooms (available on demand) - Printers—one B&W in each class, one color printer in staff lounge, office printers (wireless printing) - Copy Machines—Two in school Individual Classroom’s Technology: - 4 I-Pads (Steve Byers mini-grant) - 6 I-Touches (Tom McKenna mini-grant) - 30 Alphasmarts (technology grant dollars) in classrooms - Projector, Large screen, Stereo with surround sound (gym)