Grant Proposal, cont.
Part V: Evaluation
Describe how you will measure the impact of your transformative technology integration on student learning. This may include the use of a “control group” (i.e., students in the same class in a previous year or students in a similar class not part of the technology integration environment), surveys, interviews, classroom observations, teacher journals, etc.
I will compare the results of previous students writing (application of grammar and spelling) as well as attitudes toward writing from previous years with little/no technology integration, to this year’s group with the planned integration. In addition, I will compare students in colleague’s classes who are not working with technology, but are functioning under the same basic framework of a lesson: mini-lesson with the teacher, students write on their own, peer edit with writing partner or group utilizing checklists, and then teacher edits before final piece is submitted. Unlike my students, these students will not have input to the grading process. I will make anecdotal records of student engagement in the writing process, as well as conducting an attitude survey about writing at both the beginning and end of the year. In addition, I will use student reflection and portfolios to gauge student growth and learning. It is this piece which may well prove most powerful - when students are able to recognize and record their own growth, understanding, and then set goals accordingly, true learning takes place.
Part VI: Technology and its discontents
There are many aspects to the use of technology for teaching and learning. In this section we would like you to explore the following ideas as relevant to your grant proposal above.
Developing information literacy, technology skills (in students)
Describe if your plan includes (or needs to include) any methods and strategies for teaching information literacy skills to your students, for the successful implementation of your lesson plan? How would you do this?
I would work with my school media specialist to develop a series of lessons (implemented either by me or the specialist) that teach the basics of information literacy and meet state technology standards as they apply to my fifth grade students. Skills 3-11 in the state technology standards would be most applicable to the content being taught. (http://www.michigan.gov/documents/METS_3-5_129585_7.pdf ) These skills would include use of devices such a digital cameras and video cameras, as well as use of technology related to file saving and sharing, as well as grammar and editing functions on the school computers.
Technology (hardware/software) selection and planning for teaching, assessment, and classroom management
What aspects of the technology use in the plan is for classroom management? How much for instruction? This could include productivity tools, information access/telecommunications tools, multimedia/ hypermedia tools, evaluation/portfolio tools, gradebook and computer-based instruction.
While the technology used in this plan was not chosen from a classroom management standpoint, it has the added benefit of providing “built-in” management features. Because each student will have their own keyboard, engagement will be high, and thus behavior issues will be held to a minimum. This technology was chosen for its instructional value - for its ability to allow students to construct their own learning (keyboarding lessons, making writing changes to improve i-Score) and learn cooperatively with minimal teacher input. Other technology that will be utilized - digital cameras, video cameras and creation software will also generate high interest and engagement. In this instance, student roles may need to be assigned to ensure adequate exposure of each step in the process for all learners.
Meeting the diverse needs of your students, assistive technologies, particularly through the idea of Universal Designs for Learning (UDL)
How does your plan seek to meet the needs of diverse learners? Is there any need for assistive technologies? How do you assign different roles/activities to students or groups of students? What aspects of UDL can you apply to your project?
Use of Writer keyboards and student computer programs allows for a variety of learning styles to be met. Students will be free to experiment with fonts, colors, word art, clipart, and imported images to enhance the meaning of their texts, and allow for self-expression. For those who have need of assistive technologies, Writer keyboards are equipped UDL enhancements, such as with word-anticipation software. In addition, there are “reader” software packages that can be utilized for students need verbal prompts. Within the group context, students will all be on “equal footing,” unless issues arise with dominant personalities emerging. In the past I have found that giving students particular roles tends to cause them to narrow their focus and not see the “big picture” in the subject area they are considering. Use of these technologies allows for accommodation of the principles of UDL, including providing options for perception, language and symbols, and comprehension. In addition, it allows for multiple means of language and expression through goal setting, providing tools for composition, and scaffolding.
Social and ethical uses of technology (particularly digital equity, intellectual property, and copyright)
What aspects of the schools policies do your students need to know to work on your project. How would you go about teaching students about legal and ethical practices of using online materials.
Again, I would work with my school media specialist to create lessons to educate my students about legal and ethical practices regarding online materials. I have found that it is extremely important to work with students regarding the importance of citing sources where images are concerned. There are many adults (even educators) who believe that any image on the internet is free to be used. I would work cooperatively with my media specialist teaching students how to properly cite all sources of information and images, including both print and online. These lessons would be most effective taught within the framework of a project that requires students to cite sources.
One of the most effective introductory lessons I have taught regarding this issue is taking a piece of text a student has written, including it in work of my own, and claiming it as my own. The student invariably becomes upset and wants to be given credit for their work, and thus a conversation develops around the issue of copyrights and citing sources. This approach allows students to question, create theories, and draw conclusions about the topic.
Safe and healthy practices in the use of educational technology
What relevance do issues related to safe and healthy practices online have for your lesson plan and project idea. What lessons and/or resources might you use to teach students these topics?
Working in conjunction with the media specialist, I would teach students about safe and concise searching. Safe searching would begin with using the school’s database. Concise searching would include teaching students which databases are best for given topics, as well as how to enter search terms. Students would be given instruction and practice searching using approved websites. In addition to these pre-selected “safe sites,” I believe that students should be taught how to safely and accurately use Google as a search engine. The school’s web filtering software would block objectionable content, and would allow them to experience this tool in a controlled environment. It is important to note that there will always be students who seek inappropriate content, no matter what the forum. It is our responsibility to educate them in a variety of settings (media, health, info lit, literacy) about the dangers of such activity. This can be done most effectively through embedded lessons.
Using Technology to Facilitate/Develop Critical Thinking Skills
How does your plan identify ways to integrate technology that will allow for your students to think more critically? How does it help you assess their critical thinking?
This plan integrates technology through use of Writer keyboards, school computers, projector screens or SMART boards, digital cameras, video cameras, and a variety of software. Using them in the manner outlined in the previous sections will enable students to critically evaluate their own writing as well as that of their peers. In addition, it will enable them to maintain an electronic portfolio that will allow them not only to track their own progress over time, but to reflect and evaluate the changes that they see in their own work. I will be able to assess their critical thinking through reading their reflections, and having conferences with the students about the processes involved in their writing
Part V: Evaluation
Describe how you will measure the impact of your transformative technology integration on student learning. This may include the use of a “control group” (i.e., students in the same class in a previous year or students in a similar class not part of the technology integration environment), surveys, interviews, classroom observations, teacher journals, etc.
I will compare the results of previous students writing (application of grammar and spelling) as well as attitudes toward writing from previous years with little/no technology integration, to this year’s group with the planned integration. In addition, I will compare students in colleague’s classes who are not working with technology, but are functioning under the same basic framework of a lesson: mini-lesson with the teacher, students write on their own, peer edit with writing partner or group utilizing checklists, and then teacher edits before final piece is submitted. Unlike my students, these students will not have input to the grading process. I will make anecdotal records of student engagement in the writing process, as well as conducting an attitude survey about writing at both the beginning and end of the year. In addition, I will use student reflection and portfolios to gauge student growth and learning. It is this piece which may well prove most powerful - when students are able to recognize and record their own growth, understanding, and then set goals accordingly, true learning takes place.
Part VI: Technology and its discontents
There are many aspects to the use of technology for teaching and learning. In this section we would like you to explore the following ideas as relevant to your grant proposal above.
Developing information literacy, technology skills (in students)
Describe if your plan includes (or needs to include) any methods and strategies for teaching information literacy skills to your students, for the successful implementation of your lesson plan? How would you do this?
I would work with my school media specialist to develop a series of lessons (implemented either by me or the specialist) that teach the basics of information literacy and meet state technology standards as they apply to my fifth grade students. Skills 3-11 in the state technology standards would be most applicable to the content being taught. (http://www.michigan.gov/documents/METS_3-5_129585_7.pdf ) These skills would include use of devices such a digital cameras and video cameras, as well as use of technology related to file saving and sharing, as well as grammar and editing functions on the school computers.
Technology (hardware/software) selection and planning for teaching, assessment, and classroom management
What aspects of the technology use in the plan is for classroom management? How much for instruction? This could include productivity tools, information access/telecommunications tools, multimedia/ hypermedia tools, evaluation/portfolio tools, gradebook and computer-based instruction.
While the technology used in this plan was not chosen from a classroom management standpoint, it has the added benefit of providing “built-in” management features. Because each student will have their own keyboard, engagement will be high, and thus behavior issues will be held to a minimum. This technology was chosen for its instructional value - for its ability to allow students to construct their own learning (keyboarding lessons, making writing changes to improve i-Score) and learn cooperatively with minimal teacher input. Other technology that will be utilized - digital cameras, video cameras and creation software will also generate high interest and engagement. In this instance, student roles may need to be assigned to ensure adequate exposure of each step in the process for all learners.
Meeting the diverse needs of your students, assistive technologies, particularly through the idea of Universal Designs for Learning (UDL)
How does your plan seek to meet the needs of diverse learners? Is there any need for assistive technologies? How do you assign different roles/activities to students or groups of students? What aspects of UDL can you apply to your project?
Use of Writer keyboards and student computer programs allows for a variety of learning styles to be met. Students will be free to experiment with fonts, colors, word art, clipart, and imported images to enhance the meaning of their texts, and allow for self-expression. For those who have need of assistive technologies, Writer keyboards are equipped UDL enhancements, such as with word-anticipation software. In addition, there are “reader” software packages that can be utilized for students need verbal prompts. Within the group context, students will all be on “equal footing,” unless issues arise with dominant personalities emerging. In the past I have found that giving students particular roles tends to cause them to narrow their focus and not see the “big picture” in the subject area they are considering. Use of these technologies allows for accommodation of the principles of UDL, including providing options for perception, language and symbols, and comprehension. In addition, it allows for multiple means of language and expression through goal setting, providing tools for composition, and scaffolding.
Social and ethical uses of technology (particularly digital equity, intellectual property, and copyright)
What aspects of the schools policies do your students need to know to work on your project. How would you go about teaching students about legal and ethical practices of using online materials.
Again, I would work with my school media specialist to create lessons to educate my students about legal and ethical practices regarding online materials. I have found that it is extremely important to work with students regarding the importance of citing sources where images are concerned. There are many adults (even educators) who believe that any image on the internet is free to be used. I would work cooperatively with my media specialist teaching students how to properly cite all sources of information and images, including both print and online. These lessons would be most effective taught within the framework of a project that requires students to cite sources.
One of the most effective introductory lessons I have taught regarding this issue is taking a piece of text a student has written, including it in work of my own, and claiming it as my own. The student invariably becomes upset and wants to be given credit for their work, and thus a conversation develops around the issue of copyrights and citing sources. This approach allows students to question, create theories, and draw conclusions about the topic.
Safe and healthy practices in the use of educational technology
What relevance do issues related to safe and healthy practices online have for your lesson plan and project idea. What lessons and/or resources might you use to teach students these topics?
Working in conjunction with the media specialist, I would teach students about safe and concise searching. Safe searching would begin with using the school’s database. Concise searching would include teaching students which databases are best for given topics, as well as how to enter search terms. Students would be given instruction and practice searching using approved websites. In addition to these pre-selected “safe sites,” I believe that students should be taught how to safely and accurately use Google as a search engine. The school’s web filtering software would block objectionable content, and would allow them to experience this tool in a controlled environment. It is important to note that there will always be students who seek inappropriate content, no matter what the forum. It is our responsibility to educate them in a variety of settings (media, health, info lit, literacy) about the dangers of such activity. This can be done most effectively through embedded lessons.
Using Technology to Facilitate/Develop Critical Thinking Skills
How does your plan identify ways to integrate technology that will allow for your students to think more critically? How does it help you assess their critical thinking?
This plan integrates technology through use of Writer keyboards, school computers, projector screens or SMART boards, digital cameras, video cameras, and a variety of software. Using them in the manner outlined in the previous sections will enable students to critically evaluate their own writing as well as that of their peers. In addition, it will enable them to maintain an electronic portfolio that will allow them not only to track their own progress over time, but to reflect and evaluate the changes that they see in their own work. I will be able to assess their critical thinking through reading their reflections, and having conferences with the students about the processes involved in their writing