(8) Interactivity #4

Lesson Plan Analysis Map

I chose this lesson plan because I have become to value lesson plans and pedagogical practices that are cross-curricular.  I felt this lesson plan would be a perfect fit for a fifth grade classroom that was also studying the New World Exploration in their Social Studies classrooms.  By creating links between educators and disciplines, I believe students will be motivated and appreciate the real life links between content areas that they will begin to understand during a lesson like this.  I also am interested in incorporating the aspect of a research project into earlier grades so students are better prepared for the coming years and high school.  This lesson plan is the perfect introduction to dissecting material to reveal the relevant and important information. 

          I thought that lesson plan was fairly comprehensive but lacked in teaching strategy variety.  The original author was successful in creating a cohesive and smooth transition through the process of research but I felt there was not enough emphasis placed on gaining the knowledge and group work. The lesson plan was designed in a way that allowed students to get away with just copy and pasting the information instead of synthesizing the information into a research project.  I also thought that the lesson relied too much on individual work and I wanted to incorporate some type of group work into the assessment methods.  I also thought that with student access to their individual computers, there are probably more inventive and exciting modes of assessment rather than an individual summary.  I chose to incorporate the Glogster because the interactive web based creativity is often very exciting for students.  This program is just another way teachers are able to relate to their students interest while teaching necessary content.  

(7) Student Safety & The Internet

Students Safety in the Age of Facebook

I thought this article was really interesting as it took a very different approach to young people using websites like Facebook and YouTube.  Too often, we are smothered with the perception that children and teenagers will without out a doubt create a wild and troubled Internet identity.  As there is truth to this statement, often times these resources serve as just the opposite to children.  The belief of the many is that these tools can serve as a lifeline and safety tool to save lives.  The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) originally restricted use based upon the assumptions that offensive material would corrupt our youth.  However, outlets like Facebook and Twitter are unavoidable.   Keith R. Krueger suggests that the way to truly protect students is not by restricting their social media usage and that by restricting the use of these medias in schools we may face, “unintended consequences that can undermine educational goals.”  

Instead of creating rules around the usage of Internet, students need to be taught how to properly use social media sites.  We are in an age where these websites are free and easily accessed.  By denying the right to use them or restricting them in schools, children will find a way to reach them and use them as an uneducated user.  Jim Bosco says, "we are responsible to see that young people know how to use the tools of their culture in a responsible, safe, intelligent way”

The article uses banning books as an example of an extreme and ineffective way to “protect” students from the wild world of words.  Instead, a high school instituted a rating system available to parents so they could be aware of level of appropriateness for their reader.  The guidelines allow readers to choose books that they are comfortable with reading.  This type of system could be used as a model for Internet restrictions in schools.   

Students should not and cannot be left uneducated with the Internet.  However, at the same time, students cannot be eliminated from the digital world.  When we look at cases like Tyler Clementi, the use of Facebook could have been crucial in saving his life.  Within the same case, his suicide could have been avoided if students like Dharun Ravi were educated on the proper use of these Internet sources.  With the proper use of the Internet, students are able to find resources like suicide help lines, homework help, and even friends.  It is our responsibility as educators to teach students how to be mature and knowledgeable users of the Internet.  It has become too large a part of their lives to deny access.  My cooperating school’s principal has shared his efforts to always keep up to date on the technology that affects his students lives because it is the most important way to relate to their interests.  He goes as far to say it is not an issue if his students are texting in the hallway.  Texting, Facebook, YouTube and others define our student population and it is impossible to take these pieces away from them.    

(6) iPad Testing

iPad Testing

I found this very interesting article about using iPads as a way to assess students in the classroom.  I thought this method would be great for every classroom to adopt because it opens up many oppurtunities for the students, teachers, and parents.  The benefit is twofold because it connects with the student's interests but also allows the teachers to collect a different type of data quickly.  Also, it allows the teachers and students internet mobility because computer devices are not only located in the computer room.  The article mentions being able to monitor how the student answers question after they have finished the assessment.  This is an amazing tool to have as a teacher because you are able to watch the thinking process of the students and see where issues may arise during the testing.  Students will probably more active in their learning because using the iPad breaks away from the usual pencil and paper approach to assessment.  Students can express themselves and their answers with ease and can use their knowledge in a different approach.

I would assume that many students would succeed because of the departure from the usual assessment modes.  Students can interact with the material rather than regurgitate information.  With the endless options offered through the App Store, teachers are able to use their authority to choose what apps work for their content.  Some teachers have even begun using the devices to interact with the real world.  For example, Christopher Dede suggests using the devices on "... school grounds and use them to identify plants or trees, or students in a history class could use the GPS capabilities on their mobile devices to lead them to sites of historical importance".  The opportunity for learning are endless and it is really exciting for us as future teachers to be able to come into an environment that truly values technology and the incorporation in the classroom.  

Take a look at this REALLY cool project embracing technology, iPads, and the traditional research project.  I will dream of having this project in my curriculum!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnWAhFcDPrY&feature=related