The following link provides the "storyboard" from which our project will be created. This includes the titles, images, links, and script. We have a solid layout, now I just have to put it all together with narration! Enjoy a sneak peek at our Professional Development Topic: Using www.starfall.com, a technology resource in order to enhance literacy in students. I absolutely love this site and have witnessed what this wonderful resource can do for student's reading AND writing skills, both in and out of the classroom.
Our group chose to create our Storyboard on Google Presentation so that we could all contribute equally and fairly to the design of our "flipped presentation." We chose to use Jing in order to gather screenshots to incorporate into the Google Presentation. The Jing shots came from the site www.starfall.com in order to show viewers how to access it and what the different features are, such as phonics, reading stories, and watching video clips. We also incorporated text at the bottom of each slide in order to show what the narration might be (we can tweak things as we go). I am pleased with the way the Google Presentation came together as a way to represent our storyboard. It is like a "draft" of our final product being the flipped presentation. We have agreed that the following technology tools will be used for our presentation and have divided up responsibilites as follows:
Cynthia: Slides using Jing
Kim: Slides using Jing
Melissa: Narration using an audio tool
Lindsay: Editing (putting everything together; slides with narration and organizing information and timing so that it all flows and makes sense). I will be putting the entire presentation together using iMovie. Wish me luck!
It makes perfect sense to use a storyboard format for this project in order to plan accordingly. I also am thankful that we agreed on Google Presentation to put our ideas together and add to one another's slides. I am comfortable with this program and recommended it to our group so that all can contribute. I especially like the fact that you can use the "comment" feature on the right hand side and have a conversation and ask questions, make suggestions, address any concerns, etc. I would definitely use this Google Presentation format in the classroom in order for my students to "draft" images/scripts in a group setting and collaborate with one another before beginning the actual project. It is a great way to share and also revise your thinking before doing the real thing! We all know that practice makes perfect...
I look forward sharing the "flipped presentation" with my colleagues and teaching them about Starfall in a creative and interactive way.
www.starfall.com-a Google Presentation
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Group Collaboration
It's always an interesting experience when meeting with a group for the first time, especially when it is done all online. Often times I feel it doesn't always go the way you think it will. Google Hangout with all of its great features included, such as the ability to record the session, take screen shots, comment on other's thoughts, etc. seemed like a great option. However, our session came with its obstacles and for me, it became quite frustrating. When all was said and done, we did figure out what technology resource we are going to focus on for our Professional Development topic and what tool we will use to demonstrate. We also assigned roles and guidelines of who will be doing what within our group project. All in all, it was a successful collaborative meeting.
There were some frustrating moments for me within our meeting due to the fact I tested my microphone before the session to make sure it was working, and then when it came time for Google Hangout, none of my group members could hear me. Fortunately, I was able to communicate with each of the members by commenting/messaging on the right hand side of the screen. I did feel as though my thoughts were being "heard." I did like this feature and was able to communicate back and forth this way throughout the session (luckily I'm a fast typer)! We went with Google Hangout for its convenience and ability to record (but that didn't work for our group). I liked being able to capture screen shots and look back at information and what was said during the meeting. I am able to look back at the notes of who is in charge of what for our presentation and any other information to help guide this project. We will use Google Hangout again, I just need to figure out my microphone situation and then should be good to go.
Screenshot of Text
I do feel this collaboration tool would be helpful during after school meetings or parent-teacher conferences if there are parents who are not able to make it. I would love to use this Google Hangout for occasions like these, rather than a phone conference. That way you can have a recording and documentation of what was discussed. It would also be helpful to have for IEP situations if not all members can be present at the school, or again to have the session recorded and documented due to all of the data that is constantly needing to be collected for students.
There were some frustrating moments for me within our meeting due to the fact I tested my microphone before the session to make sure it was working, and then when it came time for Google Hangout, none of my group members could hear me. Fortunately, I was able to communicate with each of the members by commenting/messaging on the right hand side of the screen. I did feel as though my thoughts were being "heard." I did like this feature and was able to communicate back and forth this way throughout the session (luckily I'm a fast typer)! We went with Google Hangout for its convenience and ability to record (but that didn't work for our group). I liked being able to capture screen shots and look back at information and what was said during the meeting. I am able to look back at the notes of who is in charge of what for our presentation and any other information to help guide this project. We will use Google Hangout again, I just need to figure out my microphone situation and then should be good to go.
Screenshot of Text
I do feel this collaboration tool would be helpful during after school meetings or parent-teacher conferences if there are parents who are not able to make it. I would love to use this Google Hangout for occasions like these, rather than a phone conference. That way you can have a recording and documentation of what was discussed. It would also be helpful to have for IEP situations if not all members can be present at the school, or again to have the session recorded and documented due to all of the data that is constantly needing to be collected for students.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Wicked Problem Part B
Do you ever wonder how to make teaching reading more interesting and motivating for students? This is a wicked problem for all teachers, especially those teaching Language Arts and focusing on reading comprehension. My podcast addresses some of these concerns and hopefully how implementing a technology resource, such as PowerPoint or Google Prezi will help solve this wicked problem. When addressing the TPACK model, students will need to have technological knowledge of how to research using the Internet and also use PowerPoint presentation. The content knowledge addressed are in the areas of Reading and Science. I will use these resources to support my teaching and help my students be successful with this project. The PowerPoint or Google presentations would then be a way for students to present their information in a motivating way and would be used as a form of authentic assessment.
The TPACK Solution using TECHNOLOGY, as shown in the Podcast below.
"Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a framework that identifies the knowledge teachers need to teach effectively with technology." (www.tpack.org)
The Content Knowledge to be covered in this lesson covers multiple curricular areas. It includes the heart of the matter, which is Language Arts and more specifically nonfiction reading and writing. It is expected the students are able to identify nonfiction text features in their own reading and writing before creating their own text. Science and the study of the solar system is also covered within this lesson and this unit immediately grabs the attention of the students because of the innate curiosity that comes along with learning about the solar system and beyond.
The Pedagogical Knowledge in this lesson comes along with the management of technology within the classroom and making sure students are engaged, on task, and using the research tools appropriately and respectfully. We have compared and contrasted nonfiction and informational texts and the students are very familiar with book report formats and guidelines, but the fact they will be incorporating technology in order to share the information, will be that much more exciting. As the teacher, I will model how to research online and provide the students with recommended research sites and tools for taking notes. The research and creation of the PowerPoint presentation will take place in the classroom and it is important for teachers to model, model, model, in order to set students up for success.
The Technological Knowledge is evident through the PowerPoint presentation. However, it is important for the success of this project, for students and teachers to know how to use technology efficiently and effectively. I said it previously and I will say it again...as a teacher, you must model, model, model. I am fortunate to have a projector in my classroom and am able to display what I am doing on the computer to the kids. I will take them step by step through the creation of a PowerPoint, focusing on creating the text first and then incorporating images, transitions, sound, etc. Additional effects can be added, such as narration and videos. When students are participating in hands-on learning, especially when integrating technology, they are much more likely to be engaged and enjoying what they are doing.
Each of these areas need to be in place in order for this project to be effective and for students to feel successful with these nonfiction presentations.
The TPACK Solution using TECHNOLOGY, as shown in the Podcast below.
"Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a framework that identifies the knowledge teachers need to teach effectively with technology." (www.tpack.org)
The Content Knowledge to be covered in this lesson covers multiple curricular areas. It includes the heart of the matter, which is Language Arts and more specifically nonfiction reading and writing. It is expected the students are able to identify nonfiction text features in their own reading and writing before creating their own text. Science and the study of the solar system is also covered within this lesson and this unit immediately grabs the attention of the students because of the innate curiosity that comes along with learning about the solar system and beyond.
The Pedagogical Knowledge in this lesson comes along with the management of technology within the classroom and making sure students are engaged, on task, and using the research tools appropriately and respectfully. We have compared and contrasted nonfiction and informational texts and the students are very familiar with book report formats and guidelines, but the fact they will be incorporating technology in order to share the information, will be that much more exciting. As the teacher, I will model how to research online and provide the students with recommended research sites and tools for taking notes. The research and creation of the PowerPoint presentation will take place in the classroom and it is important for teachers to model, model, model, in order to set students up for success.
The Technological Knowledge is evident through the PowerPoint presentation. However, it is important for the success of this project, for students and teachers to know how to use technology efficiently and effectively. I said it previously and I will say it again...as a teacher, you must model, model, model. I am fortunate to have a projector in my classroom and am able to display what I am doing on the computer to the kids. I will take them step by step through the creation of a PowerPoint, focusing on creating the text first and then incorporating images, transitions, sound, etc. Additional effects can be added, such as narration and videos. When students are participating in hands-on learning, especially when integrating technology, they are much more likely to be engaged and enjoying what they are doing.
Each of these areas need to be in place in order for this project to be effective and for students to feel successful with these nonfiction presentations.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Wicked Problem- Part A
As I thought of a Wicked Problem, I kept on coming back to the area of READING and in particular our NONFICTION unit. This tends to be a unit where kids are not as engaged in their reading and it is considered more "boring" than others.
The educational need here is to make the fifth grade nonfiction unit more motivating for my students and to get them more involved in their learning through use of technology.
Book reports can be a bit boring and tedious for students, so why not use technology to inform the audience about a nonfiction topic. My plan is to have my fifth graders create PowerPoint presentations using the narration feature in order to share the information with others and make it more of a hands-on, interactive unit. I would then love for them to be able to share these PowerPoint presentations with family members or online.
There is such a push for the nonfiction genre and incorporating informational texts at this age, I know that students would be much more motivated to create a PowerPoint presentation on a topic, rather than writing a book report. It is also more interesting for their classmates to listen and learn and gather information. I will have PowerPoint guidelines to set my students up for success and so they are fully aware of my expectations throughout the project.
Through research, I found the following information on www.investintech.com; "Have the students create their own presentations. This is a great way to teach them how to use visual aids for speeches they give to the rest of the class. It provides an opportunity for a lot of creativity while becoming comfortable with computers and a popular software program. The site PowerPoint in the Classroom has a wonderful free tutorial that can guide students through learning how to use PowerPoint. It's set up in a very fun way to hold kids' attention, and it goes over everything from adding images to rehearsing for a presentation." The students would also be using technology features, such as adding images, embedding videos, supporting their facts with resources, etc.
My plan to implement this instructional strategy using PowerPoints is for my students to create PowerPoint presenations on our Solar System unit. I will have the kids research using textbook resources, as well as online resources, in order to find facts about the different planets and objects in our solar system. They will then use this research and information to create a PowerPoint with a partner.
I will have concrete guidelines in order to scaffold student learning and make sure each of my students is able to access the information they need to do their best. A rubric will ensure they know the expectations beforehand and how these PowerPoints will be graded. I will not only assess the success on their own engagement in their learning throughout the process, but also the creativity of the PowerPoint presentations, and of course the final product at the end of the unit. I will know by the amount of student engagement and motivating throughout this project if using PowerPoint presentations can make a difference in learning and teaching informational text. I am looking forward to viewing these presentations, and I know the students will be thrilled to share using this wonderful technology resource!
Resources below:
http://www.proteacher.org/c/423_Powerpoint_Ideas.html
www.investintech.com
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/motivating-students-technology
The educational need here is to make the fifth grade nonfiction unit more motivating for my students and to get them more involved in their learning through use of technology.
Book reports can be a bit boring and tedious for students, so why not use technology to inform the audience about a nonfiction topic. My plan is to have my fifth graders create PowerPoint presentations using the narration feature in order to share the information with others and make it more of a hands-on, interactive unit. I would then love for them to be able to share these PowerPoint presentations with family members or online.
There is such a push for the nonfiction genre and incorporating informational texts at this age, I know that students would be much more motivated to create a PowerPoint presentation on a topic, rather than writing a book report. It is also more interesting for their classmates to listen and learn and gather information. I will have PowerPoint guidelines to set my students up for success and so they are fully aware of my expectations throughout the project.
Through research, I found the following information on www.investintech.com; "Have the students create their own presentations. This is a great way to teach them how to use visual aids for speeches they give to the rest of the class. It provides an opportunity for a lot of creativity while becoming comfortable with computers and a popular software program. The site PowerPoint in the Classroom has a wonderful free tutorial that can guide students through learning how to use PowerPoint. It's set up in a very fun way to hold kids' attention, and it goes over everything from adding images to rehearsing for a presentation." The students would also be using technology features, such as adding images, embedding videos, supporting their facts with resources, etc.
My plan to implement this instructional strategy using PowerPoints is for my students to create PowerPoint presenations on our Solar System unit. I will have the kids research using textbook resources, as well as online resources, in order to find facts about the different planets and objects in our solar system. They will then use this research and information to create a PowerPoint with a partner.
I will have concrete guidelines in order to scaffold student learning and make sure each of my students is able to access the information they need to do their best. A rubric will ensure they know the expectations beforehand and how these PowerPoints will be graded. I will not only assess the success on their own engagement in their learning throughout the process, but also the creativity of the PowerPoint presentations, and of course the final product at the end of the unit. I will know by the amount of student engagement and motivating throughout this project if using PowerPoint presentations can make a difference in learning and teaching informational text. I am looking forward to viewing these presentations, and I know the students will be thrilled to share using this wonderful technology resource!
Resources below:
http://www.proteacher.org/c/423_Powerpoint_Ideas.html
www.investintech.com
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/motivating-students-technology
Matthew J. Koehler, Punya Mishra, "Tracing the development of teacher knowledge in a design seminar: Integrating content, pedagogy and technology" November 2005
Slideshow Introduction
Please click on the link below to view my introduction. I apologize but there is no sound...I will work on that!
http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/17296401 Here is my bio:
Hello my name is Lindsay Annelin. I live in Traverse City Michigan with my husband and our sixteen month old daughter. We feel fortunate to live in such a beautiful area.
I am a fifth grade teacher at Central Grade Elementary school. Our fifth graders switch classes for math, science, and social studies. I teach three sections of science and reading and writing.
I am passionate about integrating technology into my classroom on a daily basis where students can be more interactive in the learning process. I feel lucky to have a set of netbooks in my classroom that the students can access.
Through the use of VoiceThread, PowerPoint presentations, Skype, and technology resources for reading and writing, I can make learning more interactive and increase motivation. This will help prepare my students for 21st century learning.
Thanks for taking time to listen, I look forward to learning from each of you throughout this course.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Final Reflection
1. I have learned many valuable lessons throughout this course, including how to make integrating technology in my classroom a meaningful experience for all. The more I am able to integrate technology and make learning interactive and hands-on, the much more likely I am to have fifth graders who are engaged and motivated to do the task at hand. I found two assignments from this course to be especially effective when trying to integrate technology. The StAIR design kept my kids engaged and excited about learning new information about nonfiction text structures. The WebQuest I created was especially helpful in launching our solar system unit in science, and provoked a sense of excitement in the kids I hadn't seen before when they realized they would be able to create a PowerPoint presentation on an object in space for a performance-based assessment. Both the StAIR and WebQuest incorporate technology and are effective ways for me to teach specific parts of these units. I will definitely use these strategies next year as well. It is a great way to keep learning interesting and fresh!
2. There are more techology resources out there than anyone realizes, however, not all are up to date or reliable and as a teacher, I have to be careful about what my students are researching and how they are getting their information. I enjoyed evaluating other web-based technologies, especially the WebQuests because it also gave me the opportunity to see what other WebQuests are out there for use that would apply to the curriculum I teach.
3. I am proud of what I have learned in this course and already been able to apply within my own classroom. My fifth graders are currently creating PowerPoint presentations on planets and other objects in our universe and are thrilled to have this opportunity. We have spent a great deal of time researching, collecting notes on Google Docs to share with partners, and they can't wait to show off their presentations for their family members next in two weeks. I have been able to share much of what I have learned not only with my students, but also with colleagues and administration, which was a goal of mine.
4. I always am setting goals for myself and when it comes to technology, I am hoping to continue to share information regarding ways to integrate technology into the classroom with my students and colleagues. I am planning on teaching others at a staff meeting how to use Google Docs and other Google resources, as well as VoiceThread. My goal is to continue to use PowerPoint as a way to teach new information with the Kiosk form, and also to create and use new WebQuests for other areas in the curriculum.
2. There are more techology resources out there than anyone realizes, however, not all are up to date or reliable and as a teacher, I have to be careful about what my students are researching and how they are getting their information. I enjoyed evaluating other web-based technologies, especially the WebQuests because it also gave me the opportunity to see what other WebQuests are out there for use that would apply to the curriculum I teach.
3. I am proud of what I have learned in this course and already been able to apply within my own classroom. My fifth graders are currently creating PowerPoint presentations on planets and other objects in our universe and are thrilled to have this opportunity. We have spent a great deal of time researching, collecting notes on Google Docs to share with partners, and they can't wait to show off their presentations for their family members next in two weeks. I have been able to share much of what I have learned not only with my students, but also with colleagues and administration, which was a goal of mine.
4. I always am setting goals for myself and when it comes to technology, I am hoping to continue to share information regarding ways to integrate technology into the classroom with my students and colleagues. I am planning on teaching others at a staff meeting how to use Google Docs and other Google resources, as well as VoiceThread. My goal is to continue to use PowerPoint as a way to teach new information with the Kiosk form, and also to create and use new WebQuests for other areas in the curriculum.
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