How to Legally Conduct a Student Search | eHow.com

How to Legally Conduct a Student Search | eHow.com

BUS COMM I: Teamwork Activity

BUS COMM I: Teamwork Activity

Opinion Paper 1

ED 529 Opinion Paper One

In the article How to thrive--not just survive--in a one-computer classroom, Chaika provides numerous strategies to manage a one-computer classroom. Several issues presented in the article left me with a negative opinion of the article.

In reading this article, I quickly came to the conclusion that the article is geared towards an elementary classroom. No direct mention is made to that affect, but none of the “experts” who are quoted taught in middle or high schools. As a middle school teacher, I find it helpful to have strategies and examples provided by other teachers who face the same issues in the classroom that I face. I did not find any suggestions that were geared toward a middle school or high school classroom.

Many of the suggestions given by Chaika would not work in the middle school or high school setting due to the difference in time available due to scheduling as well as the number of students taught by the teacher. Elementary teachers have a fixed number of students the entire day so the scheduling suggestions might work in that setting but they were not appropriate for 50 minute periods with 25 students per class.

The age of the article was also a drawback in my opinion. Much has changed in the way of technology in the last 10 years. I need to use my computer to present multimedia lessons and use resources like student response systems so the computer would not be available for student use during the class on most days.

In conclusion, the article did not provide me with any real useful information due to the audience for which it was written and the lack of relevance to my grade level.

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Dennis L. Engle ED 529 February 3, 2010

Reference Page

Chaika, G. (2005, December 20). How to thrive--not just survive--in a one-computer classroom. EducationWorld.com. Retrieved Friday, January 29, 2010, from http:// www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech092.shtml.

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Opinion Paper 2

ED 529 Opinion Paper Two for Engle

In the article How to Teach with Technology: Science and Math, Bernard (2009) provides a listing of technology strategies, taken from both teachers and students, that can be used to teach science and math. Reading through the list, I was impressed to see the variety of technology tools and methods recommended by the teachers and students. The age of the article was also a positive note since it is less than a year old and technology changes at such a fast pace.

I definitely appreciated the fact that ideas came from teachers and students instead of just teacher. I think many times we as teachers get focused on one way of doing things and do not look “outside the box.” Using student suggestions is one way of helping teachers find new ways to present content. Today’s students are typically more adept with technology than their teachers so I believe we should give them as many opportunities as possible to use the knowledge they have regarding technology. I have to ask my students how to different things on my cellphone many times because they are more familiar with the device than I am.

I definitely could relate to the math idea of using interactive whiteboards. Although I do not have an interactive whiteboard, I do have a classroom set of student responders. My students ask almost daily if we are going to use the “remotes.” They enjoy using the student responders even though they may be reviewing for a test because it is presented in a game format. They definitely do not get excited about worksheets and pencils.

In conclusion, this article seems to be a good resource for using technology in the classroom. I consider myself a technology person but the article was current enough to include several technologies that I had never heard of so I will definitely be checking on those ideas.

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Dennis L. Engle ED 529 February 23, 2010

Reference Page

Bernard, S. (2009, May 27). How to teach with technology: science and math. Edutopia.org. Retrieved February 22, 2010 from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-science-math- lessons.

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Opinion Paper 3

ED 529 Opinion Paper Three for Engle

The article Learning with Blogs and Wikis provides a very interesting perspective concerning professional development for teachers in today’s schools. The perspective presented is one that I had never really considered on my own but I was very intrigued by what Ferriter stated in the article. I agree with the idea that we often forget about adult learning at school because we are concentrating on student learning. I also believe that we must use technology as a resource to improve ourselves as classroom teachers and the ability to share ideas and information across the country and world on a daily basis is like nothing we have had access to before.

I agree that we as teachers often only get to share information in passing. More times than I can count, I have attended workshops and trainings and the best information I left with came not from the presenter or speaker, but from networking and sharing with other classroom teachers. The most valuable information I bring back is the information that makes me a better teacher.

I also concur with the idea that technology is not only a way that students can learn in the future but that it may be the next great tool that we as educators can use to improve our teaching. I worry each day that I am getting left behind in today’s technological world. I feel this way even though I consider myself pretty savvy with technology. I believe we must become more comfortable using technology so that we can take full advantage of all the opportunities it offers. After reading the article, I am amazed at the way blogs and wikis can be used to influence education today. I want to share this information with my principal and see if we can get our school on board with this new wave of learning.

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Dennis L. Engle ED 529 April 13, 2010

Reference Page

Ferriter, B. (2009). Learning with blogs and wikis. Educational Leadership, 66(5), Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/ educational_leadership/feb09/vol66/num05Learning_with_Blogs_and _Wikis.aspx.

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ED 529 Assignments

http://alex.state.al.us/lesson_view.php?id=29241

Online Exercise 15- Communication Tools

How could you use these technologies to help yourself create better learning opportunities for your students?

I could create and use a blog to provide information about classroom assignments to my students on a daily basis. I could use a wiki for class discussions on various topics. A classroom response system could be used to make my classroom more interactive.

How could you use them to help yourself continue to develop as a teacher throughout your career?

I could use the multitude of blogs that are available to stay abreast of current trends in education and technology that is available to enhance the classroom. I think using technology can help a teacher motivate and engage students which in turn may lead to higher student achievement.

What are the benefits of using the communications tools?

I think using communication tools provides a variety of options for teachers and students. The instant and continuous access to students and teachers around the nation and world opens up numerous opportunities for exchanging ideas and information.

What are the dangers?

Some dangers of using communication tools might be that comments could be misinterpreted or taken out of context. Also, people are not afraid of posting things that might be damaging personally or professionally that they might not say directly to another person face to face.

How can technology help you better reach out to all of your students regardless of their race, gender or economic status?

Using technology can help equalize your students regardless of race, gender, or economic status. Unless they identify themselves, one cannot tell gender or race when reading a blog or wiki. Using computers can help us avoid stereotypes that we might have based on seeing people.

Online Exercise 14- Development Tools

How can development tools help you to develop students’ higher order skills and creativity? (Development tools: Imaging/Editing Software, drawing tools, web page development tools, multimedia tools, etc.) How can these tools help students to be more productive? What makes these tools suitable for your classroom?

Development tools such as imaging/editing software, multimedia tools, web page development tools, etc. can help you to develop students' higher order skills and creativity in several ways. The assignment given to the student could provide a choice on how to meet the criteria for the assignment. For example, the assignment could be satisfied with some type of visual component, a song, drama or a multimedia presentation. This would allow the student to choose something that fit their learning style. Another way they can develop those skills is by giving an open-ended assignment. Students have to complete the assignment and use higher order skills to decide how to proceed with the requirements of the assignment.

These tools help students become more productive because some of the tedious pen and paper activities can be replaced or shortened using these tools. Editing software can save lots of time by preventing rewrites when mistakes are made.

These tools are suitable for the classroom because they engage students. They are suitable because they help students learn skills they will need for the future. Lastly, they are suitable because they can help the teacher be more effective while at the same time give students an opportunity to showcase their knowledge of technology in a relevant manner.

Online Exercise 12- Productivity Tools

Think of the productivity tools discussed in class and ways you have used them. (Word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentation software, concept mapping tools, free productivity tools) How have productivity tools helped you be more creative? More organized? More productive? How can you incorporate the learner-centered principles into your approaches for using these tools?

I have used word processors, spreadsheets and presentation software for many years for basic classroom activities. They have definitely helped me be more organized and more productive. Using word processors, I can create documents for tests, quizzes, notes and lab activities and modify them as needed. I am much more organized using electronic files than I would be with the more traditional manila folder and filing cabinet. I need to do a better job of incorporating the learner-centered principles into my use of these tools. Today's students can do many things with technology and I want to allow them to do so. I can incorporate the learner-centered principles for using these tools by requiring students to create documents and files using these tools for assignments and projects.

EBSCOhost: Result List: IB achievement scores

EBSCOhost: Result List: IB achievement scores

Online Exercise 10- Planning an Initiating/Introduction Activity

A teacher you work with has asked for your help in designing technology-related activities capitalizing on the wide variety of technology resources available in the room (assume the kind of technology you choose will be in the room).

How would you design the initiating activity(s)? How many would there be? How would you choose to integrate technology into your teaching, students’ learning, and the assessments? What technology would you choose?

How would you assist the teacher in understanding how the technology you use in the initiating activities could be used again in the guided learning and culminating performance – for instruction, learning, and assessment? What resources would you direct him/her towards?

I would use the initiating activity as an attention grabber to get students interested and excited about the activity. I have used video clips in the past to accomplish this so I would use a clip from YouTube and project it for the class. I would probably only use one initiating activity.

I would incorporate technology into my teaching by using powerpoint presentations to present new content. Another great technology tool is the webquest. I have my students complete some type of webquest or internet scavenger hunt. Material presented to the class can be saved from the whiteboard to be given to students who are absent. The document camera is a great tool for reviewing as a class or having students provide answers to the class. Clickers could be used while teaching to provide formative feedback and then again as a summative tool at the end of the unit.

I would definitely recommend a ceiling-mounted projector with some type of whiteboard capture device along with a set of clickers and a document camera. I have able to obtain all these devices with grant money for my classroom and they have proven to be invaluable tools that I use on a daily basis.

Online Exercise 7: Standards

Locate a state standard(s) for the grade you are teaching. Identify a standard that can be addressed through a short unit (one to five days).

Alabama Science Course of Study--Seventh Grade8.) 10.) Identify differences between deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).

Examples:
- DNA-double helix, contains thymine;
- RNA-single stranded, contains uracil
• Identifying Watson and Crick as scientists who discovered the shape of the DNA molecule

Now visit the ISTE NETS standards to see whether one or more of those is appropriate for helping you meet the content standard(s) you have selected.

National Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Students

3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.

If so, identify the tools, such as software or websites that you will be using or have used in a past lesson. Now that you have the standards in mind and have selected your technology, think about how you might assess or did assess whether your students have met the standard(s).

Tools:

http://www.dnaftb.org
http://www.dnalc.org/websites/
http://www.dnai.org/
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/dna/allabout_12.asp

Will you use quizzes? Tests?

I will probably use a quiz or test to assess student learning at the end of the unit.

A performance-based task?

I will have students create some type of model comparing the structure of DNA and RNA after using the sites to do research. I will also have students complete a web-based scavenger hunt using the four sites listed.

Next, think about the learning activities.

How will each activity address the standard(s) you have selected?

Students will apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information when they do the research for creating their model. Students will locate, organize, analyze, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media in completing the scavenger hunt.

How will the activities help your students succeed on the assessment?

The model will require students to apply the knowledge they gathered during research and that information will be presented on the assessment. Also, the scavenger hunt will be used as a study guide for the assessment.

Online Exercise 5: Technology in the Classroom

Think about your classroom. In your mind, where do you see the technology in that room? (Think of all the possible technologies—computers, LCD projectors, handhelds, laptop carts, and more.) How will you set up the classroom to support students in working both with technology and with each other? Ask yourself the following questions:

Will the kinds of technologies you have envisioned support all of your students regardless of their learning strengths and weaknesses?
I believe the kinds of technologies I have envisioned will definitely support all of my students regardless of their learning strengths and weaknesses. I feel technology is a great equalizer when it comes to the classroom. It allows students who may not be comfortable in a typical classroom to be involved. A perfect example is my clicker system--students can anonymously ask questions so the other students don't know who is asking but the teacher does.

Will these technologies support your students in working together?
I think the technologies that I envision also support student collaboration. Students are already collaborating via text messaging on a daily basis so they enjoy it and are comfortable with it.

Will students have enough access to technologies to meet their learning needs?
In my classroom, they would have enough access to technologies to meet their learning needs. Unfortunately, my classroom doesn't exist in the real world...:(
It would be great if we had the kind of access in our classrooms that the business world has in their offices and places of business.

Now think about teaching in that classroom:

How will you know students are learning what you intend them to learn?
I will know students are learning by their products and by assessments. Another way of identifying learning is when you can see students peer-teaching. You know they have grasped the concepts when they are comfortable teaching their peers.

How will you identify their preferred learning style and differentiate instruction in the classroom for them?
I will identify preferred learning styles by using online learning style surveys like the one used in ED 529 and/or written inventories students have completed previously in advisory class or other grades. Informal surveys can be helpful too in finding out what the students are enjoying. Instruction can then be varied to meet the needs of the various types of students.


If they are not learning what you intend, how will you address that?
If students are not learning what is intended, then different strategies can be introduced and the lesson retaught using the new strategies and different types of technology.