This blog post will evaluate how I would expect a technology-based lesson plan to have gone, and what I would change to deal with any expected problems. Because I did not teach this lesson before the end of the class, this is purely hypothetical, and largely consists of my worst-case scenarios.
The Lesson: The lesson itself is straightforward - students will conduct research to write a paper about an assigned emerging nation, explaining that nation's process of emergence.
The Problems:
There are several problems I could imagine cropping up. First and foremost is a computer shortage due to some of the computers not working. To compensate for this, I would pair students who have the same topic for their papers, and allow them to research together, so that fewer computers are needed. I would then contact the school's tech support staff member, to have the computer issue fixed.
The next possible fail point is language issues with English language learners. To compensate for language issues, I would pair the ELL student with another student who is either fluent in the ELL student's native language (as well as English), or with a student who has a knack for helping others, so that the two can work together on one topic, so that the ELL student has the support they need from a peer.
Third, are computer-illiterate students who can barely figure out how to log on, let alone run a competent search in Google. My solution here is similar to that used for ELL students - pair them up with kids who can teach them the skills they need. As with ELL students, I only have so much time to devote to helping them - I could spend all class helping one kid, but I have 30 students in each class - I can't justify spending that much time with just one kid. In order to be fair to as many of my students as possible, that means I have to get the kids to help themselves and each other.
Fourth, something could go wrong with the search engines and databases themselves. That, I can't do anything about. However, it's extremely unlikely that all the search engines and databases would be down all at once. What's more likely is that one or two search engines or databases won't be accessible when they should be, and I'll just direct students to use other engines/databases, while I write a report/complaint email to the customer support for the database or search engine to get the problem resolved.
Monday, March 13, 2017
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Content Methods End of Quarter Post
Standard Four:
Content Knowledge: The teacher uses content area knowledge, learning standards, appropriate pedagogy and resources to design and deliver curricula and instruction to impact student learning.
Content Knowledge: The teacher uses content area knowledge, learning standards, appropriate pedagogy and resources to design and deliver curricula and instruction to impact student learning.
To me, this standard describes aspects of lesson
planning that relate how one will effectively communicate content to students
so that they actually learn. Content area knowledge is, simply, information about
the topic you’re teaching. Learning standards are what you’re required to teach
students in a given unit or lesson. Appropriate pedagogy and resources means using
an relevant and proper method to teach, and relevant and proper resources to
teach with that method. For example, if you’re teaching students how to do an
online research project, you would use laptops or a computer lab – not a
regular classroom with no computers.
The standard is broad, so I will narrow my focus for
this blog post. I will discuss my increased understanding of academic language.
Academic language is the language needed to discuss academic content. It can be
particularly challenging to English language learner (ELL) students, who have
varying levels of proficiency with English and therefore might struggle not
only with content-relevant vocabulary, but also with specific academic terms used
to describe content (and some
content-relevant vocabulary). Native English speakers will also sometimes need a
refresher with such terms, as they usually are not accustomed to speaking with
formal language. ELL students are particularly likely to struggle where
academic language terms have different formal and conversational meanings, as
noted in the Coleman and Goldenberg reading for this course (2010). The same
reading also notes that it is important to “include not only the vocabulary of the content subjects, but also
the syntax and text structures” (2010). One must go beyond simply words, and
must also describe and teach how and when to correctly use those words.
My emerging competence on academic language has
increased significantly. I went into this class thinking academic language was
simply a fancy term for vocabulary words – I now know how very wrong I was, and
how much more there is to the idea of academic language. Academic language can
include everything from simple vocabulary like “tank, bomber, bunker” to “read,
write, listen, analyze, critique, describe.” It must also necessarily include
instruction on how to the terms – one cannot allow sloppy term usage like “The
Germans bombered that target,” or that a student has “analyze Winston Churchill’s
speech.”
It is part and parcel of academic language to be able
to use it correctly, not just to know the words exist. Students must be taught
this, especially ELL students, so that they can develop competency of their own
both in my classroom and in their other classes – I’m realizing that all
opportunities to practice language use must be capitalized on, so that they can
become proficient in both conversational and formal English.
In summary, I’ve learned a lot from this class, as
well as from my own personal experience, regarding academic language. There are
several ELL students in the classes I’m currently student teaching, and I’ve
realized I need to focus in with them specifically on how to correctly use the
terms I’m mentioning as I teach, and the vocabulary words as well. They need as
much support as I can give them, so that they can be successful in history
class and also elsewhere.
Some changes I can make to increase effectiveness of
my academic language instruction would be to provide more examples of proper
usage, both in my teaching and also in worksheets for the students to complete.
I could additionally provide worksheets just for ELL students and students who
struggle with using academic language, so that they can get extra practice with
this specific verbiage. I can also deliberately seat struggling students next
to students who easily grasp academic language, in the hopes that the students
who “get it” can help the students who don’t. All these changes might increase
students’ understanding and absorption of academic language.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Learning with Technology - ISTE 5 Post
ISTE 5: Digital Citizenship
Relevant question: What is cyberbullying, and how can I talk to my students about it?
To be perfectly frank, this isn't a topic that lends itself easily to the anachronistic, technophobic atmosphere present in most history classrooms. But it is a very important topic to discuss with students, particularly as they reach an age where their parents allow them to have a Facebook account, and to become less supervised in their digital explorations. What I'm trying to say is that I think it's important to sit kids down and explain both what cyberbullying is, and how it can be hurtful, when they're in middle school or are starting high school.
Let's start by defining cyberbullying. According to the government website stopbullying.gov, "bullying that takes place using electronic technology." That technology can be physical, or it can exist as part of the internet - whether it's by cellphone or by Facebook or Twitter, if it is bullying and involves technology, it's cyberbullying.
How to talk to kids about cyberbullying is a little trickier. Because the internet offers kids a degree of safety in their bullying because of the physical distance and, sometimes, anonymity it provides, cyberbullying can get more vicious, and can be scarier to kids, than other more conventional forms of bullying. Add in the fact that cyberbullying can be done by adults, and is often not within the purview of a school to punish, and cyberbullies can get very scary and very out of control, very fast. All this makes it harder to talk to kids about, because the scarier a thing is, sometimes the less likely, and less willing, kids are to discuss it with a grown-up. Also kids entering their teens tend to want to handle problems on their own, and so are doubly less likely to consult or alert an adult to a problem like cyberbullying.
Which brings us to, how do you talk about cyberbullying with students? And how do you get them to tell you, if there is a cyberbullying problem?
Admittedly, I've never had this conversation with a student. But I have talked with students about other bullying problems, so I don't feel totally clueless. At any rate, here's my two cents. I think there are two important things a teacher can do, to talk to kids about cyberbullying.
First and foremost: Get to know your kids. The more you know them, the more they'll get to know you - and the more comfortable they will be with telling you things that are going on in their lives. That'll range from who they're crushing on to how annoying your fellow teacher is, but it will also include social conundrums like bullying and cyberbullying. Make it clear to kids from the beginning that if there is a problem (of any kind, but of the cyberbullying variety too), you are a person they can trust and can come talk to. Flat-out say it, at the beginning of the school year.
Second: Make a point of setting aside some time in your class to discuss what bullying and cyberbullying are. Sometimes kids find themselves in situations and don't know what's going on, or how wrong it is. Get the kids to talk about it - chances are they've heard of cases where it happened or have themselves experienced it. Use the examples to point out when a kid should bring an adult in on the situation, and be sure to give examples of what you could do, as an adult, to help.
**Note: While it's important to teach what cyberbullying is, and to encourage students to report it, it's just as important to teach students how to interact on social media and using technology in a way that is *not* cyberbullying. In other words, students need to learn proper nettiquete. I feel that this is an important topic, which deserves its own blog post, which is why it's not discussed here.
Relevant question: What is cyberbullying, and how can I talk to my students about it?
To be perfectly frank, this isn't a topic that lends itself easily to the anachronistic, technophobic atmosphere present in most history classrooms. But it is a very important topic to discuss with students, particularly as they reach an age where their parents allow them to have a Facebook account, and to become less supervised in their digital explorations. What I'm trying to say is that I think it's important to sit kids down and explain both what cyberbullying is, and how it can be hurtful, when they're in middle school or are starting high school.
Let's start by defining cyberbullying. According to the government website stopbullying.gov, "bullying that takes place using electronic technology." That technology can be physical, or it can exist as part of the internet - whether it's by cellphone or by Facebook or Twitter, if it is bullying and involves technology, it's cyberbullying.
How to talk to kids about cyberbullying is a little trickier. Because the internet offers kids a degree of safety in their bullying because of the physical distance and, sometimes, anonymity it provides, cyberbullying can get more vicious, and can be scarier to kids, than other more conventional forms of bullying. Add in the fact that cyberbullying can be done by adults, and is often not within the purview of a school to punish, and cyberbullies can get very scary and very out of control, very fast. All this makes it harder to talk to kids about, because the scarier a thing is, sometimes the less likely, and less willing, kids are to discuss it with a grown-up. Also kids entering their teens tend to want to handle problems on their own, and so are doubly less likely to consult or alert an adult to a problem like cyberbullying.
Which brings us to, how do you talk about cyberbullying with students? And how do you get them to tell you, if there is a cyberbullying problem?
Admittedly, I've never had this conversation with a student. But I have talked with students about other bullying problems, so I don't feel totally clueless. At any rate, here's my two cents. I think there are two important things a teacher can do, to talk to kids about cyberbullying.
First and foremost: Get to know your kids. The more you know them, the more they'll get to know you - and the more comfortable they will be with telling you things that are going on in their lives. That'll range from who they're crushing on to how annoying your fellow teacher is, but it will also include social conundrums like bullying and cyberbullying. Make it clear to kids from the beginning that if there is a problem (of any kind, but of the cyberbullying variety too), you are a person they can trust and can come talk to. Flat-out say it, at the beginning of the school year.
Second: Make a point of setting aside some time in your class to discuss what bullying and cyberbullying are. Sometimes kids find themselves in situations and don't know what's going on, or how wrong it is. Get the kids to talk about it - chances are they've heard of cases where it happened or have themselves experienced it. Use the examples to point out when a kid should bring an adult in on the situation, and be sure to give examples of what you could do, as an adult, to help.
**Note: While it's important to teach what cyberbullying is, and to encourage students to report it, it's just as important to teach students how to interact on social media and using technology in a way that is *not* cyberbullying. In other words, students need to learn proper nettiquete. I feel that this is an important topic, which deserves its own blog post, which is why it's not discussed here.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Learning with Technology: Module 4 Post
ISTE Standard 4: Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making
Relevant question: How can computational thinking be applied to the history classroom?
It seems this question is not a common one, as at first glance I only found one useful resource that addressed it. Unfortunately for me, that resource is another teacher's blog post - not exactly scholarly or peer-reviewed. Further, I suspect the blog post is similar to this blog post - written as part of a school assignment.
Upon further research, I found this article which addresses specific ways computational thinking was adapted and used in a history classroom. It notes that computational thinking was used for such things as developing proper note-taking skills, improving active listening skills, improving recall skills, and recognizing the difference between studying and homework. It lays out a method for teaching proper note-taking by utilizing pop-culture phenomena, specifically hashtags, to help students catalog information they take notes on during class time. It suggests that similar methodology can be applied to teach the other three things the article claims computational thinking can be applied to in a history classroom.
Personally I feel that history only has limited use for computational thinking. Computational thinking is not useful as a historical analysis tool, but rather only as a method for teaching useful student skills like note-taking. As a classmate pointed out earlier this week in online discussions, history is not a subject known for frequent use of logical linear decision-making. On the contrary, history is a nearly continuous stream of illogical, irrational, emotional decisions, made by men dealing with complex problems to which reason never applied. The decision to blame Germany for the entirety of the first world war, for example, is not logical or rational, is deeply emotional, and does not obey any laws of computational thinking. Since this example is not unique to history, I would argue that computational thinking cannot be used to analyze most historical decisions or events.
Computational thinking is, however, useful for teaching student skills that are often learned (or at least reinforced) in the history classroom. Such skills include note-taking, active listening, recall, and noting the difference between homework and studying. These are all skills that require training in a logical thought process in order to be done correctly. That lends itself nicely to computational thinking - and this is how I feel computational thinking can be most effectively applied in the history classroom.
Relevant question: How can computational thinking be applied to the history classroom?
It seems this question is not a common one, as at first glance I only found one useful resource that addressed it. Unfortunately for me, that resource is another teacher's blog post - not exactly scholarly or peer-reviewed. Further, I suspect the blog post is similar to this blog post - written as part of a school assignment.
Upon further research, I found this article which addresses specific ways computational thinking was adapted and used in a history classroom. It notes that computational thinking was used for such things as developing proper note-taking skills, improving active listening skills, improving recall skills, and recognizing the difference between studying and homework. It lays out a method for teaching proper note-taking by utilizing pop-culture phenomena, specifically hashtags, to help students catalog information they take notes on during class time. It suggests that similar methodology can be applied to teach the other three things the article claims computational thinking can be applied to in a history classroom.
Personally I feel that history only has limited use for computational thinking. Computational thinking is not useful as a historical analysis tool, but rather only as a method for teaching useful student skills like note-taking. As a classmate pointed out earlier this week in online discussions, history is not a subject known for frequent use of logical linear decision-making. On the contrary, history is a nearly continuous stream of illogical, irrational, emotional decisions, made by men dealing with complex problems to which reason never applied. The decision to blame Germany for the entirety of the first world war, for example, is not logical or rational, is deeply emotional, and does not obey any laws of computational thinking. Since this example is not unique to history, I would argue that computational thinking cannot be used to analyze most historical decisions or events.
Computational thinking is, however, useful for teaching student skills that are often learned (or at least reinforced) in the history classroom. Such skills include note-taking, active listening, recall, and noting the difference between homework and studying. These are all skills that require training in a logical thought process in order to be done correctly. That lends itself nicely to computational thinking - and this is how I feel computational thinking can be most effectively applied in the history classroom.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Learning with Technology Module 3 Post
Relevant ISTE Standard: ISTE 3: Research and Information Fluency: Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
Triggering Event for this module: What are ways in which students can apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information?
My related question: How can I work a Skype in the Classroom project into a history curriculum? How do you accommodate time differences, with such a project?
In my search for ways to integrate Skype into a research project, I found an actual lesson plan for using Skype for a history project. In the lesson plan, the teacher has students talk to a professional archaeologist in Africa, in order to learn about archaeology, the archaeologist him/herself, and the work he/she is currently doing.
I think this could be expanded to include doing research for a project by conducting interviews over Skype. I once, during my observations of other history teachers, saw a teacher run an oral history project that encouraged his students to interview people they knew who had lived through major historical events. Some of these students used skype to conduct interviews with grandparents or family friends about experiences in everything from major protests to World War II. This is closer to what I imagine for my students' use of Skype.
I envision at least some of my students being able to get first-hand accounts of the topics they choose for their research projects, and being able to use school computers (few of them have home computers) to Skype with people they might interview about their experiences.
However.
I also have to recognize that the likelihood of this is small. I do not believe Skype is installed on the school computers, and I foresee other issues as well - my students do not know how to conduct an interview, and will need significant guidance in their attempts. I also have to prioritize that they learn to use databases, rather than Skype, for their learning, since database inquiries are a more transferrable skill that they will use later in other future classes.
Triggering Event for this module: What are ways in which students can apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information?
My related question: How can I work a Skype in the Classroom project into a history curriculum? How do you accommodate time differences, with such a project?
In my search for ways to integrate Skype into a research project, I found an actual lesson plan for using Skype for a history project. In the lesson plan, the teacher has students talk to a professional archaeologist in Africa, in order to learn about archaeology, the archaeologist him/herself, and the work he/she is currently doing.
I think this could be expanded to include doing research for a project by conducting interviews over Skype. I once, during my observations of other history teachers, saw a teacher run an oral history project that encouraged his students to interview people they knew who had lived through major historical events. Some of these students used skype to conduct interviews with grandparents or family friends about experiences in everything from major protests to World War II. This is closer to what I imagine for my students' use of Skype.
I envision at least some of my students being able to get first-hand accounts of the topics they choose for their research projects, and being able to use school computers (few of them have home computers) to Skype with people they might interview about their experiences.
However.
I also have to recognize that the likelihood of this is small. I do not believe Skype is installed on the school computers, and I foresee other issues as well - my students do not know how to conduct an interview, and will need significant guidance in their attempts. I also have to prioritize that they learn to use databases, rather than Skype, for their learning, since database inquiries are a more transferrable skill that they will use later in other future classes.
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Learning with Technology - Communication & Collaboration - Post 2
“How can I integrate technology into a project, with
students who are living at or below the poverty line and have limited or no
technology access?”
I work in a school with limited technology access, and what
we do have doesn’t work half the time. When it does work, the kids are
unfamiliar with it, can’t log in, or have other issues navigating the
technology. They struggle to find a specific Youtube video, or the class web
page. So for me, this is a regular struggle – the kids practically psych
themselves out every time they have to use a computer.
I’d love to introduce them to technology on a more complex
level than they currently interact with it. I think a good way of doing that
might be to book a computer lab, and have them start blogging about their
learning. Partly because the computer labs are one of the few technology
resources available that reliably work in my building. I got the idea from an
assigned reading from my Learning with Technology class, an article titled “Blogging
in the 21st-century classroom” (Lampinen, 2013).
But because my students interact with technology in such a
limited sense, I worry that they may become overwhelmed – so I went looking for
ways to prevent that panicky overwhelmed feeling. What I came up with was an
article from The Technology Source archives at UNC titled “Combining Technology
and Group Learning” (Kapinus, 2001) It suggested the simple, elegant solution
that had escaped me – have the kids work together in groups on the project.
There’s no reason a blog can have only one author. Why not allow them to
collaborate? That way they can tackle the technology with the support of a peer
or three. Perhaps their next quiz will be in the form of a partner-blog entry
about what they have learned…
Outside Resource I used: http://www.technologysource.org/article/combining_technology_and_group_learning/
Monday, January 16, 2017
Learning With Technology Course: Module 1 - ISTE Standard 1: Creativity and innovation
Relevant aspect of ISTE Standard 1: Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
Question: Does the use of models and simulations in a game help students engage more to explore complex systems and issues?
Since I teach history, most of my fellow professionals are by nature somewhat technophobic, and therefore don't realize the enormous benefit we could reap from including technology, especially video games, in our teaching. One reading from this week's material opened my eyes to the potential of using games to help students "buy in" to learning, and explore more readily. The article referenced the use of Minecraft as an educational tool (Tromba 2013). The author manages to convince administrators to let him create an entire class based around Minecraft, and he then uses it to teach important skills like persuasive writing. He also worked with other teachers to include subject matter from various classes. He cites an instance where Minecraft was used to allow students to explore the concept of pyramids, for history class (Tromba 2013).
Minecraft Pyramid Example Image
Clearly there are a multitude of educational applications for this game alone. And there are other games in existence that use historical bases as well, which could be leveraged for learning. Europa Universalis, for example, is a historically accurate (to a point) turn-based combat game which students could play through and learn geography, the progression of Empires, etc. The ever-popular Assassin's Creed is loosely based around historical events, and could at least be used to help keep student attention.
Tromba also notes that the use of something kids find fun on their own time - video games - leads to higher engagement levels, and therefore more academically successful students (2013). I think that this is most applicable in a graphics design course, but that it clearly has uses in all classes. I feel that the use of digital gaming should be embraced in education, because it has so much potential to teach and to pull in students who might otherwise disengage.
Question: Does the use of models and simulations in a game help students engage more to explore complex systems and issues?
Since I teach history, most of my fellow professionals are by nature somewhat technophobic, and therefore don't realize the enormous benefit we could reap from including technology, especially video games, in our teaching. One reading from this week's material opened my eyes to the potential of using games to help students "buy in" to learning, and explore more readily. The article referenced the use of Minecraft as an educational tool (Tromba 2013). The author manages to convince administrators to let him create an entire class based around Minecraft, and he then uses it to teach important skills like persuasive writing. He also worked with other teachers to include subject matter from various classes. He cites an instance where Minecraft was used to allow students to explore the concept of pyramids, for history class (Tromba 2013).
Minecraft Pyramid Example Image
Clearly there are a multitude of educational applications for this game alone. And there are other games in existence that use historical bases as well, which could be leveraged for learning. Europa Universalis, for example, is a historically accurate (to a point) turn-based combat game which students could play through and learn geography, the progression of Empires, etc. The ever-popular Assassin's Creed is loosely based around historical events, and could at least be used to help keep student attention.
Tromba also notes that the use of something kids find fun on their own time - video games - leads to higher engagement levels, and therefore more academically successful students (2013). I think that this is most applicable in a graphics design course, but that it clearly has uses in all classes. I feel that the use of digital gaming should be embraced in education, because it has so much potential to teach and to pull in students who might otherwise disengage.
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