Las Aventuras de Señora D

Lesson Reflection: Food en español

2011-08-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

Lesson Plan

Student and teacher read through vocabulary. Student then repeated each item and was encouraged to ask questions. Teacher directed student to set on Quizlet.com using a laptop and student’s iPhone. Once Quizlet was accessed, teacher provided a brief tour so that student was aware of the various practice options. Student was then given time to practice with site. Finally, teacher had student take the “Test” option and reviewed results with student. *Compared to the original lesson, this included a shorter vocabulary list due to time constraints and no creation of a plan for further study.

Implementation

The lesson went smoothly. Having only one student—my husband—to work with was vastly different from teaching a full class. He enjoyed working with food vocabulary, as he is a Chef. He behaved the same as my younger students when given a website to review with; he immediately went to the game options and preferred those to the flashcards. I also found him working with iPhone in hand, using an online translator to “help” with words he couldn’t remember. Students do that, too.

Question Set One

The learning goal was to understand Spanish food vocabulary. The underlying assumptions were that vocabulary knowledge can be acquired through basic audio/text association and that games are a reasonable way to practice and demonstrate linguistic knowledge.

The technology used afforded the opportunity to listen to a native speaker and individualized practice. A major constraint was that the technology was only available with Internet access. As we were without Internet for a week, my student could not practice for as long as I would have liked.

Learning took place through direct instruction and independent practice. The website is constructivist in that the user rehearsed Spanish vocabulary to increase memory retention. Also, the site tapped existing schema (the student’s knowledge of similar words in English) to create new knowledge. Behaviorism was seen when correctly answered questions yielded positive reinforcement (green check marks and positive points) and incorrect answers resulted in negative reinforcement (red check marks).

While this lesson could supplement my curriculum, I tailored it to the needs of my “summer student”. This was new territory for this learner, who knows some French, but little Spanish. I chose food words, as they fit his occupation.

In this case, I only had to account for one learner. I considered his preferences (games on iPhone, his job), as well as his beginner level. Knowing that Quizlet provides basic practice, I chose it as his learning tool.

In using Quizlet, teachers need to know the URL and which sections they want students to do. Teachers should also know the process for each activity. Learners will need to be directed to the site and provided with expectations. Only a basic knowledge of computers (click, type) is needed.

My student was assessed via the “Test” feature. To hold him accountable, I had him take the test at various intervals and share his results. At the beginning, he failed the test. However, at the end, he scored 85%, or B. He was elated by his improvement.

Question Set Two

Technology played a major role in my lesson. While I introduced the content, I relied on Quizlet for practice and assessment. An advantage of the technology is its appeal. The student enjoys playing games. Another advantage is the technology keeps track of the student’s progress and gives appropriate feedback.
A disadvantage of this tech is increased chance for distractions and “alternate routes”. For example, I encouraged use of the “flash cards”, but my student preferred learning via the “Scramble” game and quickly shifted to that instead.
Technology was used how I expected. Once I showed my student the site, he did not have any questions, as Quizlet is very easy to use. He maneuvered through the various options easily and settled on the matching game for the majority of his time, enjoying the online practice.

Since the student primarily made sense of the content through a match game, he learned to identify the vocabulary, not how to generate it. Because of this, he did well on matching and multiple-choice portions of the assessment, but less well when he had to type the word on his own. Overall it was a positive experience—my husband gained some Spanish skills and I enjoyed helping with his progress.

Lessons from Violet (Digital Storytelling CEP 800)

2011-07-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

This video project tells the story of our puppy, Violet, and the lessons my husband and I are learning from her. We are compared as learners with different understandings, as my husband grew up with larger dogs whereas my family always had small dogs. Enjoy!

CEP 800 Raw Interview Project

2011-07-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

The following podcast is an interview I conducted to improve my ability to ask open-ended questions to gauge understanding and practice editing audio. The main topic is immigration. My two subjects are a recent high school graduate and a 10th grade student. I chose a train theme to go along with the notion of travel and relocation that comes with immigrating to a new country.

2011-07-12T05:46:00.001-07:00

This is a test post from my Blackberry.

To Sra. T, With Love [A la Sra. T, con Amor]

2011-05-15T01:49:00.000-07:00

Sra. T was my high school Spanish teacher. I started Spanish in 9th grade and because of Sra. T, I fell in LOVE with it instantly. She loved us like we were her own children, she put stickers on our papers when we did well (hadn't seen those since elementary school!), and she made her classroom feel like HOME.

Today, I am a Spanish teacher. I majored in Spanish in college because she turned the language into my passion. I was pre-med at first, but then I realized I loved all things school, loved people, and didn't want to "just see them when they were sick".

When I made the decision to teach and started taking education courses, I realized that most of my ideas of what it meant to teach language all came from my 4 years in Sra. T's classroom. The games, the songs, the videos, the FUN and joy of learning...The way she would give us nicknames, let us choose Spanish names, and would call us "Señor" and "Señorita", her goofy voices and random tunes... I do them too! :) She also would make worksheets that had sentences about EACH of us on them and create fun themed translations based on what was going on in the world-- holidays/Winter Olympics, etc.

To have her class was to love her.

When I realized how much she'd fully impacted my life's course, I sat down and wrote a heartfelt and lengthy letter...

SHE WROTE BACK! And better yet, she did so in the form of an "I Love Lucy" postcard! (She used to reference I <3 Lucy all the time). It was the most exciting piece of mail in my dorm mailbox! :)

I had the honor of observing in her classroom (see below) as well as helping teach her students for a day. Sra. T retired the year before I began my career, so she bequeathed me much of her classroom items.

I literally felt that she passed on the torch to me. To this day I am honored and humbled to have been her student and to carry on her legacy in my own classroom.

Gracias, Sra. T.
Usted es mi inspiración y el centro de mi corazón español.
Ahora y siempre.

Con amor y gratitud sin fin,
"Margarita"

For photos, Click HERE and scroll down.

Walking the Talk: My Professional Learning Plan

2011-03-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

Professional Learning Plan on Prezi

What were some of the online resources that you found that were really helpful? If so what were they and how were they helpful?

-PREZI: I was just thinking that PowerPoint presentations, while useful, have become increasingly "outdated" and fairly stagnant when compared to many of the apps students use on their phones or computers. Prezi increases interest with panning, zooming, and more interesting transitions while also allowing everything to be viewed on one large screen so that viewers can quickly see the connections.

-JING: I had never heard of this before, so I became curious quickly when many of our tasks said "you can Jing it". What a WONDERFUL tool! Not only did I use it for my opening introduction, but I also relied on Jing when I made my Implementation report for Wicked, AND used it to help create our Group Leadership project! I would have truly LOVED to use it in conjunction with my Prezi for the final Wicked presentation, but unfortunately my complete lack of a voice (I can squeak, but that's about it) made that less plausible. When my voice recovers, I may pull my Wicked Prezi back out, as well as my scripted presentation, and Jing it. So far I've only used Jing with PowerPoint, so I'm really looking forward to utilizing it with Prezi.

-WIX: I've been relying on Weebly since I first learned about it, but I've never liked it whole-heartedly. I prefer Google sites, which is far less buggy and easy to "pop into" since I already have a google account and can get there from Gmail. Wix is like a whole new WORLD! Not only does it have a very logical interface (very user friendly, if you click on something, it let's you edit it, etc.), but it also has a wealth of clip art, photos, sound clips, etc. that you can utilize. AND the various templates are OUTSTANDING! They look very professional and include all the components needed for a variety of web-based businesses, etc. Yet, anyone can choose a template and then modify it to suit his/her own needs. I began a site for my husband, who is a chef, and who would like to do some consulting work (on menus, food costing, large event planning, etc.). It's not finished yet, but so far it is much more refined that the Google site page I'd started for him a while back! :) www.wix.com/chefljdavis/chefdavis

Did you find any other online communities that could provide resourceful information? If so what were they and how were they helpful?

YES. I joined Classroom 2.0 and I now receive e-newsletters daily with various tech topics, upcoming events of interest, etc. However, I have to admit that the most useful online community I have learned recently is Twitter. I now follow various professors/administrators from our MAET program, as well as WIRED magazine, Karl Gude (who gave the Data Visualization presentation used in this course), and some TEDx tweets. Speaking of TEDx, I recently was discussing it with Abbie and we both were saying just how stimulating the TEDx talks usually are. I hadn't heard of TEDx until I started taking MAET courses and now I am incredibly eager to attend one of these sessions!! I posted a TEDx link in a different discussion forum (Data Visualization, I think?). The talk was by an Egyptian man who works for Google and was involved in the recent uprising there. He shared how Web 2.0 technologies enabled the citizenry to realize that they weren't alone in their frustrations and then also allowed them to freely communicate and tweak their protest plans on a massive scale. Facebook, Skype, e-mail, Twitter... all of these tools (and others) truly EMPOWERED the people. If only our District could realize just how powerful (and empowering) it can be to put these technologies into students' hands and then to teach them safe & proper use. If only, if only... Perhaps Abbie & I will find an effective way to change the board's mind on this. We will see!

What strategies were helpful for trying to learn a new technology?

-Viewing Online Tutorials: These work well for me because I can watch and re-watch as needed, pause, rewind, etc.

-Looking at Examples: Seeing the way something works (and how someone else has done it) always helps give me ideas and sometimes allows me to realize that a tool has far more options/potential than I ever knew
-Reading a Guide Document: Following step-by-step procedures come in handy, as well. Again, I can go back over things or stop when needed.

-"Blind" Tinkering: When I learn a new tech device, I usually like to play around with it for a little while before I resort to reading the rule book or watching the tutorial. While this is a fun way to just "dive in", it can result in missing out on certain features, etc. It's best for me to do a mix of these things to learn a new technology

How does working with others (versus working alone) support you in your own learning?

Working with others supports my learning immensely! I tend to be very social, so I like to have discussions about topics to reason through things with classmates. Having Abbie in this course with me was WONDERFUL. We would discuss course content at lunch time or meet up to talk during her prep or mine, etc. Being able to share our takes on things and hear someone else's understandings can enhance learning substantially.

How will you use this experience to support your own lifelong learning of technology?

-My experience in CEP 812 has already had a profound impact on me. This has been one of the most difficult semesters of my life (both due to course content and my own various issues), but I feel as though I have come out of this class with an abundance of "arrows" in my educational technology "quiver". One HUGE impactful moment came in watching the Data Visualization presentation (TEDx: Karl Gude). What he said resonated with me greatly, as I am someone who tends to be wordy with everything: e-mails, worksheets, discussion posts... What he said about saying a lot more with a lot less, being "text light", etc. has inspired me to strive for that. My Personal Learning Plan ("More Walk, Less Talk") is an attempt to adhere to this "text lightness" and seek to say more with less words. While it was certainly a challenge to keep my words to a minimum, the end result is much more visually stimulating and less daunting to take in. I hope to continue with this "more walk, less talk" way of presenting things and am already seeking out better ways to use visualization in my classroom (with sites such as Mind42 and Bubbl.us, for example). Another way I will continue to learn is through my Twitter feed. By following more tech specialists, theorists, etc., I am already getting more informative and educational tweets than I was when I was simply following Ashton Kutcher and J-Lo. :) I want to keep finding more intellectuals to follow on Twitter so that I can quickly "feed my brain" just by clicking on my twitter app.

-Our experience with our Wicked Problem Project was a major learning experience. By getting caught up in red tape, we were able to realize just how debilitating district policies and restrictions can be--for teachers and students alike! To continue being a role model for learning and pursuing higher knowledge of tech, I (along with Abbie) want to keep churning out new techy things that pique the interest of students and staff alike (e.g. my Weebly page with Google Calendar embedded).

I also want to assist other staff members (especially technophobes) with becoming more comfortable with educational technology so that they might better serve the "digital natives" that enter their door every day.

Thank you for reading,
w.

The WICKED Problem Project

2011-03-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

"GOOBLY"

A Weebly/Google Calendar Initiative

Wicked Problem Project-W. Davis on Prezi

Wicked Problem Project:

PART D: Findings and Implications

2011-02-27T12:55:00.000-08:00

Wicked Problem Project:
Google Calendar (& Weebly) Initiative

Formative: Did the project get implemented as planned?

NO. After emailing our district tech department to alert them to our plan and the sites (Weebly & Google) that we'd be using, we thought we had support. However, within a few weeks, Weebly suddenly become BLOCKED by our district. The reason being that it "violates district web policy". This was a HUGE stumbling block for us. Since we planned to train our colleagues in school, having the key site for their website creation COMPLETELY INACCESSIBLE made this impossible. Thankfully, we already had helped a few colleagues begin their Weebly work, so they were able to modify it further from home, but this was not our goal. Accessibility from home OR school was one of the key parts of our plan. Having our district flatten that possibility was disheartening, to say the least.

Summative: Evidence of Success in Addressing the Problem of Practice
The Problems of Practice were these: lack of teacher time, hindered communication with those at home (parents/guardians/students) due to outdated "Homework Hotlink" system, and lack of user-friendliness of current system

Were these problems addressed with those teachers who have started our Weebly/Google Calendar shift? Absolutely. Below is feedback provided by one teacher trained in our initiative:

"Pros about Google Calendar:
-easy to maneuver through the steps to create events/ lesson plans
-I like the fact that only a brief descriptions shows, but when you click on it, more info can be edited in
the option to view day/week/month is helpful
-long term viewing (month) works well when planning units
-the fact that we can share calendars is awesome! Essentially, we could have one calendar per subject -area per grade and then the individual teacher could adjust the description as needed.

Cons:
-none at this time"

This same teacher has voiced that she has saved time not only in her own lesson planning and calendar updates, but also in her supervision of the school's Student Activity Council. She created another calendar specific to the SAC which has given her a great way to communicate with the students who are part of this council and parents who want to be more involved. Since the students on SAC are from all grade levels and have highly varied schedules, the Google Calendar has enabled their sponsor to centralize their updates and easily communicate with them about upcoming events.

How would you approach another project of this type differently given what you've learned here?
Pre-approval is huge. Making sure that not only your administrators, but also your District Technology Department are on board is essential to full and effective implementation. While I thought we already had all of these components when we started, next time I will be sure to check (and RE-CHECK) that we have the support of all stakeholders first. I also would like to create some web-based tutorials for any tech that I implement with staff so that they can easily access these from any computer and train at their own pace, on their own time, if needed.

What are the lessons learned that others might benefit from knowing about?

Know your District's tech policy THOROUGHLY before you begin
Communicate VERY CLEARLY with your Technology Director/Department & Administrators about your implementation and its components
If necessary, have DATA READY to support your plan & show how it can positively impact your learning environment/community

In what ways will you endeavor to do the same project again?

I will not let this filter issue keep me from helping make educator's lives more easy and communication improved with stakeholders at home. I plan to continue training those who are interested in Weebly and Google Calendar. My hope is that, once we are able to show how parents/guardians and students feel about the modified class sites, we will be able to get our district on board. This may require extensive data collection, presenting at board meetings, as well as volunteering to help make changes in district policies, but I believe that the overall goal of technological progression is worth the effort.

On Mobile Learning...

2011-02-27T12:21:00.000-08:00

After completing the lab on Mobile Learning (using mobile technologies in the classroom), here is my feedback:

Regarding the "Tools I Tried" and "How I might Integrate Mobile Tech into MY classroom":
I have been part of a class that involved cell phones, specifically a Pollseverywhere.com survey. It was fun and I loved being able to bust out my phone in class as a TOOL rather than as a guilty habit. :) The teacher was able to show us our texted poll results instantaneously and it was a really technologically forward way to get us involved.

I have also been fortunate to work in a classroom that had a class set of student laptops (with wireless Internet), digital camera access, a class set of iPods we could check out, and clickers to go with our Promethean board. All of these items were fantastic to incorporate into our learning process. Students who previously were "checked-out" would gain interest in using the tool and, in turn, embrace the course content. If I had access to tools like these again, I would definitely be tapping into them to help make Spanish not only come "to life" more, but also to increase student motivation.

Challenges:
My current district has incredibly stringent limits on our web access. Since they are so conservative in that area, I do not see how some of these tools (especially cell phones in classes!) could be approved for use by our school board. This shift is one that would have to come very gradually and most likely include extensive beta-testing and showing PROOF that these tools can be more than just digital distractions. I would hope that, in seeing what students can do and the new heights of learning they might achieve by being allowed these tools, some day our district might be INSPIRED to move beyond our current limits and policies.

Data Visualization: Trying Out Prezi & Wix

2011-02-27T11:03:00.000-08:00

Here is are 2 samples of my "test-drives" in our Data Visualization lab.

1) I practiced with Prezi, an online presentation program with some basics from our Wicked Problem Project. It's free, it's fun, and I'm looking forward to using it more in the future! :) After clicking on the image below, move your mouse around the screen to zoom in on different areas and view the blurbs and images I've added. Enjoy! :)

Google Calendar & Weebly for Educators on Prezi

2) I also tried out Wix, which is a free website creator. While I like Weebly, I was eager to try out something new. Being familiar with more free site creators will make me a better resource to my colleagues as they begin exploring new class site options. I chose to create a test version of a site for my husband, who is a talented chef. He would like to start a menu-creating business, so this is a very basic start for that:

http://www.wix.com/chefljdavis/chefdavis

Group Leadership Project: Wordle Tutorial

2011-02-25T19:06:00.000-08:00

Below is our Wordle Tutorial video. Educators can learn the basics of Wordle.net as well as view an assortment of examples and ideas from various content areas to help get them "Wordling" in their classrooms. Enjoy!

My Quick Overview of Project Development:

As a group, we used a variety of tools to create and deliver our tutorial. First of all, we began brainstorming using Google Docs since it allowed for sharing ideas without having to find a common time to "meet". From there, Abbie created the basic PowerPoint of our tutorial and also shared it via Google Docs. We were all able to easily edit and contribute to the PowerPoint this way. We continued utilizing Google Docs as we created our Storyboard & Script for narration.

As the volunteer final editor, I first recorded Abbie using Jing, then (since Jing only allows a 5-minute movie in the free version--eek!) I had to record that version to my computer using GarageBand. This program is also where I recorded my audio on the 2nd part. Since I had to make a "copy of a copy" for Abbie's portion, the audio isn't as clear as mine, but it works! I didn't want to lose her voice on the project since she had done such a great job with her narration.

Lastly, I edited everything together using iMovie, but the project was 13 minutes long which meant the file size was HUGE and YouTube wouldn't accept it, nor could it be easily attached to an email. In order to make our video more succinct and publishable, I spent extra time editing out any unneeded pauses or commentary to cut the time down to just under 10 minutes. Once that was complete, I was able to FINALLY publish the project to "YouTube" from the iMovie Share options. Phew!

If I had to create a similar product again, I would be sure to note any time limitations that might affect publishing from the beginning. Since I'm new to Jing, I didn't think about the 5 minute limit until it was too late and the same applies to YouTube's 10 minute video restriction. Those were the key factors that resulted in TONS of additional editing time and modifications. Other than that, I really enjoyed the tools we chose--from Google Docs to iMovie--and I'm glad that we had a great group of motivated contributors. :)

If the video isn't loading correctly, try this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9uFo_TlteU

PART C: Implementation

2011-02-22T11:58:00.000-08:00

Below is a slidecast regarding our implementation of a Weebly/Google Calendar initiative at our building. This portion of the Wicked Problem Project became one of the more painful parts due to a substantial bump in the road, as you will hear in my presentation. Thank you for listening and I look forward to any suggestions and/or feedback you can offer.

Unable to display content. Adobe Flash is required.

Click this link if above video doesn't load correctly: http://screencast.com/t/TVwkLqh5M

PART B - Storyboard and Script

2011-02-20T15:54:00.000-08:00

For our Group Leadership Project (a Wordle Tutorial for Educators), Team4Tech created a storyboard and script using a shared PowerPoint presentation on Google Docs. Click the following link to view our work: Team4TechWordleScriptandStoryboard

Thus far, Abbie kicked us off by creating a shared PowerPoint to start our project. She gave an example and listed the step-by-step instructions required to create a Wordle. I added to the presentation by creating an Introduction/Attention-getter slide and a few slides titled "Why Wordle?" to explain the logic behind using Wordle in the classroom. I also did some minor editing of the wording on a few of Abbie's slides.

Therefore, as a group, we started the Storyboard and Script AFTER the PowerPoint itself. Because of this, we had to "work backwards" a little bit--describing and scripting the slides that Abbie and I had already created, but then mapping out the other slides that had not yet been generated in the presentation.

The Final Work distribution is as follows:

Everyone: Add any additional examples and details by Monday night, Feb. 21st.
Abbie: Incorporate various examples gathered during Computers class from students and record full voice-over of script
Wheatley: Generate FINAL product (recording, final editing of all slides, etc.) in conjunction with Abbie

I am looking forward to creating our final product. Wordle is a tool that many teachers don't know about yet, and it is simple to use plus a GREAT way to get students to engage with reading and writing in any content area! :)

PART B: Application of TPACK

2011-02-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

First of all, let me clarify:   TPACK = Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge.  Clear as mud, right?  In other words, TPACK is the intersection and interconnected nature of technology, content, and pedagogy, which is the ideal scenario for incorporating technology into educational practice. The idea is that, by considering those three elements when integrating technology, one should be able to ensure that the tech tool easily slides into practice rather than stands out as a separate entity.  Sadly, what often happens, though, is that technology is treated as an independent, stand-alone element rather than something that is fully integrated into practice and a harmonious part of the educational experience.  

For the next portion of the Wicked Problem Project, I will break down the technology initiative that Abbie and I have proposed into its different knowledge components and clarify how those elements intersect to reinforce the reasoning in our plan.

Google Calendar supports the teaching strategy of communicating with parents and students by allowing teachers to easily edit their daily course content and assignments with a few quick keystrokes.  This allows for fast adjustments, requiring less time from teachers as well as leading to more accurate information on the teacher’s homework site (ease of use means they are more likely to make adjustments when things change).    The pedagogical notion of parent/teacher/student communication is fully supported by the incorporation of Google Calendar because it allows an optimal venue for information to travel between school and home.  Information can be shared in a visually pleasing format, can be viewed as soon as the teacher has created or modified it, and access is more seamless with Weebly and Google Calendar (Images 1B and 1C) than with the current Homework Hotlink system (Image 1A).

Image 1A (Homework Hotlink Sample)

Image 1B (Weebly Sample)


Image 1C (Google Calendar Sample)

The technology of Google Calendar increases intellectual accessibility by allowing those at home (parents/guardians/students) to view what is taking place in class easily via a well-organized website.  This access can be gained through a computer, a cell phone, or any other gadget that has an Internet connection.  Also, if parents or students already use Google Calendar on their own, they can easily add the teacher’s updates to their personal calendar—meaning that sharing is increasingly seamless and requires a few clicks--no printing or copying by hand. 

Not only does the content become more easily accessible for those at home, but teachers can now modify their entries from anywhere with an Internet connection—they are no longer limited to editing their sites from school only.  This is ideal for situations where a teacher might not be in his or her classroom (snow days, illnesses, etc.) and needs to change course details.    Additionally, teachers are able to easily add further detail on any given task that the viewer can then read by clicking on that task (see Image 2 below).  In Image 2, also note that  Wednesday, February 2nd was a Snow Day and the teacher was able to easily readjust her calendar by simply changing the date on her tasks, a process that took less than one minute to complete.

Image 2 (Assignment Detail available by Clicking on Task)

When considering the components of: teaching strategy (communication with those at home), content delivery (via the Internet in an appealing manner), and the pedagogical choices (a more user-friendly and time-saving system for viewers & teachers), it is clear that there is a strong "TPACK" intersection present in our initiative.  All elements overlap nicely to justify our choice of technologies (Weebly & Google Calendar) and support our strategy for implementing them to better serve educators, parents/guardians, and students alike.  

I am proud of the work we are doing and its positive repercussions for all stakeholders involved in the learning process.

PART A - Brainstorm Session

2011-02-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

For the kick-off to our Group Leadership Project, we (Team4Tech) chose to meet using Adobe Connect. We chose this tool because:

We were all familiar with it already.
It was free to us (since MSU has an account).
We were able to have our professor set up our meeting, as well as help us get started, making a successful session more likely.
It offered an easy way to record our conversation both via microphone and via chat.

During the development process, I was able to note some additional features of Adobe Connect that I hadn't before. This was in response to difficulties I had at first. I was struggling with a slower Internet connection as well as choppy audio and was limited to TYPING rather than speaking like everyone else. These glitches resulted in feelings of frustration and disappointment. I can honestly say that, for the first portion of our session, it was the WORST Adobe Connect experience I've ever had. One feature that came in handy, though, was the "raise your hand" feature. When my group was busy talking and I wanted to call their attention to a comment I had typed, I was able to "raise my hand". I also noted the "agree/disagree" options, as well as other generic responses, which I hadn't seen before.

My experience helped me realize how frustrating it can be to feel "silenced" when trying to contribute to a group. While I wasn't being marginalized by anyone intentionally, the lack of a fully functioning program made me feel like I was on the "outside looking in", which is a miserable place to be when you long to be involved. This reminds me of when students don't have technology available (or have sub-par tools) at home and are left feeling further disconnected, rather than connected, by technology.

While we were brainstorming, our group also used Google Docs to document our "plan of attack." Thank goodness for Google Docs! This tool was easy for me to access and the chat feature there worked much more efficiently, too. Our plan came together nicely and it was really helpful to have a common, editable-by-all document to log our progress.

If I had to develop a similar product again, I might choose a different forum. While this was our best option with our current circumstances, I found that being limited to a chat feature while everyone else had audio/microphone access left me feeling isolated more often than not. I also found that I prefer having a typed chat so that you can actually READ what someone wrote if you missed what was said. Plus, people can't speak over one another. When I logged on the main decisions had already been made, but by reviewing the chat log all I could see was a few quick "hellos". The full "meat" of the decision-making process had been verbal, so by not being present at that point (or able to hear), I had missed out and would have to wait to watch the replay to feel fully caught-up.

I would prefer using a typing-based tool (perhaps even a group chat on Skype) so that everyone could quickly read key points & re-visit them as the discussion progressed. A typed chat also means an instant "hard-copy" of what was said and eliminates the need to watch a recording to seek out verbal comments.

Thankfully, I have a great group that was able to pull things together effectively, but in terms of tools--while I still love Google Docs, Adobe Connect was less than impressive this time around.

If you'd like to view our recorded Brainstorm session, click below:
http://breeze.msu.edu/p91777893/

PART A: Description of Need or Opportunity

2011-02-06T07:54:00.000-08:00

Wicked Problem Project:  Part A

In my six years as a teacher, I have noticed that the demands of this career have increased steadily over time.  Every year I am expected to complete more paperwork, address an increasing number of student needs, get more hours of training/education, communicate more thoroughly with parents, etc., while still accomplishing my regular daily teaching tasks.  Yet, while the demands on my time rapidly increase, the number of hours in a day remains the same.  
In other words, while the expectations of teachers grow constantly, we still have the same limited amount of time to accomplish these items while simultaneously lesson-planning, grading, learning from student data, and so on.   Thus, a major educational problem is that teachers lack time.  

Increasingly effective communication with parents/guardians and students is another key requirement of teachers.  However, making 200 phone calls daily is impossible and often weekly newsletters are problematic due to the ever-changing nature of lesson plans and the heightened demand on schools to cut back on paper and mailing costs.   

Parents/guardians and students generally want to know what is happening in our classes daily and, specifically, what homework or practice is expected of the student for that day or week.  In our district, “Homework Hotlinks”, or teacher websites that are basically snapshots of Word documents edited on a weekly basis, are the suggested solution to this problem.  

While the “Homework Hotlink” does provide a place for teachers to communicate with those at home about daily tasks, the format leaves much to be desired.  For one, teachers are limited to including only one week’s tasks at a time.  Also, teachers have to create new documents for each separate course that they teach.  When the daily plan is altered due to new developments in class or unexpected changes in the schedule (snow days, for example), this means the teacher has to then find time to edit the documents or leave them as-is, inaccurate and no longer useful.   This is a drain on time, provides limited information, and does not offer much in terms of interactivity/user-friendly format.

As a potential solution to the problems of teacher, parent/guardian, and student communication and the increasingly limited amount of time teachers have available to them, my colleague, Abbie, and I suggest the following:  

Abbie will train teachers on Weebly so that they can create their own websites easily and quickly--including separate pages within their sites for each course they teach.  Meanwhile I will teach them how to use Google Calendar.  Together we will show our colleagues how to embed customized links to their calendars on Weebly for each of their classes.   

Google Calendar will allow teachers to manage multiple courses simultaneously, quickly make adjustments when needed from any computer that has Internet access, show their entire year’s-worth of assignments, and, if they choose, divide the task of posting to Google Calendar among their department to easily collaborate, edit, and unify their lessons.  

We believe that this two-fold training will help save teachers time overall, allow them to easily share common tasks/plans for courses, and provide a more user-friendly, accessible, and interactive method of communicating with students and those at home.

We have already begun to implement this plan with five colleagues in our school.  This represents the beta-testing group of our initiative.  Based on how these teachers react and interact with Weebly and Google Calendar, we will then be able to plan a broader, building-wide training initiative.  It is our hope that those who are currently in training will then be able to assist others with trouble-shooting as they begin this process.   Ideally, by the end of this school year we will be able to train at least half of our staff (roughly 15 people) in these technologies.  Additional training could then take place during our summer/fall 2011 orientation to get everyone up-to-speed in time for the start of the next school year.  This would enable us to start the 2011-2012 school year with a fully renovated “Homework Hotlink” system in place that should prove more effective for all parties involved.

Also, in 2011-2012, students and parents/guardians could then be trained on Google Calendar so that they can easily click on a teacher’s calendar and have those tasks instantly embedded into their own, personal calendars.  If embraced by enough students, this fully integrated personal class/task calendar could essentially replace our current paper-based “Student Agenda” system (saving resources such as paper, printing costs, etc.) and enable students and those at home to see daily/weekly tasks at a glance with minimal extra effort required.  

On an even larger scale, we are hoping that our efforts in our building will prove effective enough that these same tools would be embraced district-wide so that a seamless system of communication would be present from building to building and from the classroom to district-level.  

Regardless of how much this training is able to be spread, we will consider this project successful if we are able to:  decrease the amount of time teachers spend in maintaining their class sites/calendars (Homework Hotlink), improve the communication that teachers have with parents/guardians and students, and alter the perception of our school’s Homework Hotlink system (i.e. users will note that the new system is more user-friendly, more useful overall, a better format in general, etc.).

The following are links to relevant research and resources regarding Google Calendar and its use as a communication tool for teachers specifically or in professional settings in general: 

PRINT SOURCES: 

Adams, D. C. (2008). Gaga for Google in the Twenty-First Century Advanced Placement Language Classroom. The Clearing House, 82(2), 96-100. Heldref Publications. Retrieved from http://heldref.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&id=doi:10.3200/TCHS.82.2.96-100 

Claburn, Thomas. "New York Schools Get Google Apps Option." InformationWeek 1282 (2010): 22. General OneFile. Web. 5 Feb. 2011.  

http://0-find.galegroup.com.elibrary.mel.org/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A239132571&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&version=1.0 

Feddern-Bekcan, Tanya. "Google Calendar." Journal of the Medical Library Association 96.4 (2008): 394+. Academic OneFile. Web. 5 Feb. 2011.

http://0-find.galegroup.com.elibrary.mel.org/gps/infomark.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&docType=IAC&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=IPS&docId=A200410211&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&version=1.0&searchType=BasicSearchForm&source=gale&infoPage=infoMarkPage

Hargadon, Steve. "Mind the time: busy? Online tools can help you manage that schedule." School Library Journal 55.6 (2009): 19. Educator's Reference Complete. Web. 5 Feb. 2011.

http://0-find.galegroup.com.elibrary.mel.org/gtx/infomark.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&docType=IAC&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=PROF&docId=A201711722&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&version=1.0&searchType=BasicSearchForm&source=gale&infoPage=infoMarkPage

WEB RESOURCES:

Online Calendars:  Virtual Schedules Help Busy Educators 

http://www.edutopia.org/online-calendars

Google Calendar/Apps Pros & Cons (Collection of Links on a Wiki)
http://teachweb2.wikispaces.com/Google+Calendar
Gives links to articles that present strengths, weaknesses, challenges, Opportunities, Threats, and some examples of uses in the classroom.

Google Apps Education Training Center (EduTraining)
http://edutraining.googleapps.com/
Specific Module for Calendar
http://edutraining.googleapps.com/Training-Home/module-3-calendar

Intro Take 2: LIVING THE DREAM

2011-01-25T02:59:00.000-08:00

This time around I have described myself by showcasing those who've shaped me most, my family. I also changed my tech interests from those I enjoy in general to that which I most want to learn and eventually implement on a much larger scale.

Please pardon the extra length... I will continue to scale it down over time. Also, I am aware that the word "neighborhood" gets cut off at the end. *sigh* I look forward to your thoughts! Thanks for watching!

http://screencast.com/t/enQxBurqbbc

Me, Myself, & My Current Tech Interests

2011-01-23T18:36:00.000-08:00

To get a little peek into who I am, where I teach, and what my current educational technology passions are, check out this video I created using iMovie:

If the above video doesn't load correctly, use this link to watch on YouTube:
CEP 812 Intro Video

P.S. I will share more details about myself in our Discussion Forum! :)

Why I LOVE my job... Part 1

2011-01-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

1) Students tend to give me new perspectives on life unintentionally.
2) Most of my students are bad at lying. They giggle & get big, revealing grins when they try to lie. It's reassuring to know they're still too innocent to tell a lie with a straight face.
3) A student will make me laugh or smile at least ONE time a day, even on bad days.
4) Students share the greatest stories and tidbits just because: "I got a new hamster!" "I just tripped over my own foot!" "My Dad got married on New Years!" I'm grateful that they like sharing things with me.
5) I get to work with young people every day. Whether we're actively learning or taking a moment to appreciate a classmate's sense of humor or personal story, I am humbled to be in their presence.
6) Teaching involves being a learner more than being a teacher, but both roles are worthwhile.
... to be continued.

Advice to Colleagues on Reliable Research

2010-08-17T18:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Colleagues,

Often we are handed reports regarding some new finding or educational strategy that demands our attention. These sometimes include phrases such as, “research shows” or “studies have proved” along with the new claim. But how can we evaluate these sources and the validity of their assertions?

First of all, any study that claims to have a definitive, absolute answer or touts an approach as the “best” should raise red flags. As you have likely experienced, there is simply no such thing as an absolute or perfect strategy. Our classrooms are as varied as the students that enter them each year and the approaches that work best with one student or one class may be fruitless with others. If you are doubting that something is the definitive solution/approach/etc. you are right in doing so. Also, this may alert you that whoever generated the study may have had an ulterior motive.

The notion of ulterior motives brings us to two crucial questions: 1) who published this research? and 2) who funded this research? Brian L. Carpenter, Executive Director of the National Charter Schools Institute calls these a “skeptics first two questions”. The idea is to consider whether the study was objective and why the study was done (and published) in the first place. For example, research about how interactive whiteboards affect learning outcomes is great, but if it’s funded by the SMART Board company or published by Promethean (who makes ActivBoards), the objectivity comes into question.

While you may feel odd acting as a skeptic and putting material through filters, trust that you are acting as an informed consumer. As Carpenter explains, rather than taking everything at face value, you are placing the burden of proof on the researcher, where it belongs. The following are useful principles to help determine if a work is indeed scientific.

The Six Guiding Principles (Shavelson & Towne, 2002, in Carpenter 2006)
1) Does it pose significant questions that can be investigated empirically?
2) Does it link research to relevant theory?
3) Does it use methods that permit direct investigation of the question?
4) Does it provide a coherent, explicit chain of reasoning?
5) Could results be replicated and generalized across studies?
6) Disclose research to encourage professional scrutiny and critque?

Keeping these questions in mind when reviewing studies or results will not only make you more informed as a consumer, but also better prepared as a beneficiary of solid educational research.

Feel free to come to me with any additional questions or items to discuss.

Yours in Reliable Research,
W. Davis

Research Project CEP 822: Literature Review

2010-07-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

Introduction

The Topic

While technology has become commonplace in our society, digital tools are not as readily integrated into our nation’s classrooms as one might expect. One suggested reason for this phenomenon is that educators harbor fear regarding technology, or technophobia, that inhibits their ability to fully embrace and use digital equipment in their lessons regularly. This might not seem problematic at first, but part of the task of schools is to prepare students to be part of the global economy. Technological skills and awareness are increasingly needed in the modern workplace. If schools are not able to incorporate digital media into classrooms, students can miss out on vital skills necessary for success in today’s economy. Therefore, in order to assist schools in better preparing students digitally, researchers are investigating what interventions might address the issues behind technophobia and in turn, result in easier adoption of technological classroom practices.
General Overview of the Literature

Educator technophobia is not a new phenomenon. Teacher technophobia has been noted since the invention of computers, when even the Internet was not yet commonplace. Researchers observed that educators were resistant to having computers in their classrooms and that this was sometimes due to fear. While this was categorized as fear of technology, upon further review it was found that this technophobia could stem from different causes.

The literature surrounding technophobia and technology integration suggests that in order to fully transition classrooms into the information age, teachers’ hesitations, or fears, regarding digital tools must be addressed. More specifically, interventions must account for the underlying causes of these anti-technology feelings—which often stem from educators’ beliefs and pedagogical convictions. Thus, much of the literature seeks to identify what these root beliefs are and how those beliefs can be systematically altered to pave the way for technology. There is a general agreement among the authors that shifts in belief systems have to be made, but there is not a universally agreed upon technique for this, only suggestions.
Problem-based learning (PBL) is a concept that seems to arise often in the literature that deals with technophobia and use of technology. Training in PBL is suggested as a way to encourage a shift in thinking that may, indirectly, affect how teachers feel about technology. Results suggest this could be a long-term effect, but cannot fully conclude this.

In contrast, one theory that challenges the notion of technophobia is that of institutional technophilia. The suggestion is that teachers are not so much afraid of the technology, as discouraged by the increased push from their schools or districts to use technology at an unreasonably fast pace. Thus, it is also believed that technophilia, or love of technology, is what worries teachers, not their own personal concerns and pedagogies.

My Rationale

As an educator, I have worked in multiple districts and noticed that teachers in each accepted technology to varying degrees. I have always been curious about this phenomenon and observed that many teachers had various concerns and fears regarding implementing digital media in their classrooms. I come to this literature review with a keen interest as to what causes technophobia, how those causes might be addressed by implementing a school-wide strategy such as PBL, and if the transition to more digital classrooms might be improved by these means.

The literature included had to contain information that pertained to technophobia, PBL, and how to implement change when teachers’ beliefs are involved. The majority of the literature includes detailed studies or reports by scholars regarding these concepts. I have grouped these works according to the authors’ conclusions and put them in an order that helps to link the information they provide.

Body

Kinds of Work Reviewed

This first section of research dealt with technophobia: defining it, considering its specific causes, and generally breaking it down so as to better understand it. All sources tended to provide the straightforward definition of technophobia (“fear of technology”). Also, these articles found various, yet similar reasons for teachers’ fears surrounding technology. Some of these reasons included: feelings of incompetence, loss of control, feeling threatened, beliefs about technology, fear of collaborating/cooperating, beliefs about teaching, and lack of support. Of course one study did find that technophobia was not so much the problem as was the technophilia of institutions, who in their drive to update school technology end up overwhelming educators. While this is a convincing argument, it seemed that technophilia could reasonably be considered another “cause” of technophobia. However, in general, while the specific details varied slightly, the research I found suggested that in order to effectively shift teachers away from being technophobic, it is essential to shift their underlying beliefs.

The second section of research considered how to effectively shift or change teacher’s beliefs in general. Observations and theories suggested that taking into account teachers’ pre-existing beliefs is essential before changes can be made. Also, researchers seemed to agree that in order for alterations to occur, the educators would need to have their existing beliefs challenged or modified in some way. This modification might come in the form of a personal experience or via something on a larger scale such as a social or cultural shift. Regardless, a change in beliefs and pedagogy required a substantial shift or experience for the educator in question.

The third category of research dealt specifically with problem-based learning and its effects on technology integration and teachers’ beliefs. In general, these articles looked at the effects of PBL on teachers and/or teacher beliefs specifically. The idea was that since PBL represents a change in classroom practice and perspective, it may help to implement change in teachers’ beliefs, and in turn, their use of technology. The main study that looked at this involved pre-service teachers and sought to determine if their intended teaching practices were altered (and used more technology) if they were trained in PBL. While they underwent a change in their practices (from teacher-centered to student-centered), their beliefs about technology were not significantly changed. One limit of this experiment was that it was conducted with pre-service teachers only. From the literature, it appears that the larger issues of technophobia seem to stem more from teachers who have been in the field for a few years or more, meaning they have more entrenched beliefs about classroom practice and technology.

Description of Selected Important Works

George, G., Sleeth, R.G., & Pearce, C. G. (1996). Technology-assisted instruction and instructor cyberphobia: Recognizing the ways to effect change. Education. 116(4), 604-609.

This article is useful in that it draws on the research of various experts to systematically explain technophobia and categorizes instructors with these fears in order to assist in intervention and facilitate instructional change. While it is an older report, it still has validity, as the typology presented is easily generalized to present-day educators and the causes mentioned are also relevant in technology implementation today.

Lei, J., & Morrow, B. (2009). Teachers’ adoption of technology innovation into pedagogical practices. Education and Information Technologies. 15(3). 143-153.

The findings of this study help to flesh out the components of successful technology integration and relate the interventions to educator’s beliefs. Lei and Morrow summarize the findings of a study that evaluated the effectiveness of a technology incentive project and how it impacted the adoption of technology. More specifically, Lei and Morrow suggest that in order for successful technology integration to take place, the issues of environmental barriers, knowledge and skills, and incentives must be addressed. Also, factors such as strong peer connections, ongoing support from peers and experts, and strong technological leadership need to be taken into account.

Park, S., & Ertmer, P. (2007). Impact of problem-based learning (PBL) on teachers' beliefs regarding technology use. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 40(2), 247-267.

This study considered the problem of digital integration in schools, suggested teachers’ beliefs as a possible barrier, and PBL as a potential agent of change. The researchers sought to determine whether PBL would change pre-service teachers’ beliefs about technology and their intended teaching practices. The results of this study suggested that while PBL did tend to shift teachers’ practices from teacher-centered to student-centered learning, it did not significantly change beliefs regarding technology. However, Park and Ertmer (2007) conclude that facilitating change in a pre-service teacher’s intended teaching practices “may be an important first step in changing teachers’ beliefs regarding technology use and future teaching practices” (Discussion section, para. 14).

Conclusion

How My Work is Informed by the Work of Others

In approaching this project, I had my own idea of what “technophobia” was, where it stemmed from, and what interventions might change it, but I was not fully informed and my ideas lacked substance until I began this research. Now I am able to approach this issue with a much clearer idea of the parts involved—the causes of technophobia, the existing studies that have been done on teacher beliefs and fears, and the initiatives that have already been attempted and measured for the sake of addressing this phobia and assisting in digital integration. By considering the work of others, I enable myself to enter into my own research with a better sense of what has already been investigated and under what conditions, as well as with the suggestions that came from these previous studies. I am better informed, more aware of the body of work surrounding these issues, and much better equipped to eventually make my own observations and findings.

References

Draper, D. (2010, July 15). On empathy, culture, and barriers making technology integral to teaching. (Web log comment). Retrieved from http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/31406
Ertmer, P. A. (2005). Teacher pedagogical beliefs: The final frontier in our quest for technology integration? Educational Technology, Research and Development, 53(4), 25-39.
George, G., Sleeth, R.G., & Pearce, C. G. (1996). Technology-assisted instruction and instructor cyberphobia: Recognizing the ways to effect change. Education. 116(4), 604-609.
Khe Foon Hew, & Thomas Brush. (2007). Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 55(3), 223-252.
Kulm, G. (2007). How much technology is enough- or too much?. School Science and Mathematics, 107(6), 220-1.
Lam, Y. (2000, March). Technophilia vs. technophobia: A preliminary look at why second-language teachers do or do not use technology in their classrooms. Canadian Modern Language Review/La Revue canadienne des langues vivantes, 56 (3), 389-420.
Lei, J., & Morrow, B. (2009). Teachers’ adoption of technology innovation into pedagogical practices. Education and Information Technologies. 15(3). 143-153.
Park, S., & Ertmer, P. (2007). Impact of problem-based learning (PBL) on teachers' beliefs regarding technology use. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 40(2), 247-267.
Peña, C., & Curts, J. (2007). Access to technology: A necessary but not sufficient condition. International Journal of Instructional Media, 34(3), 243-54.
Rosen, L. D. & Weil, M. M. (1995, Spring). Computer availability, computer experience and technophobia among public school teachers. Computers in Human Behavior, 11 (1), 9-31.

Research Project: Annotated Bibliography

2010-07-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

Problem-Based Learning, Educator Technophobia,
and Technology Integration: An Annotated Bibliography

Draper, D. (2010, July 15). On empathy, culture, and barriers making technology integral to teaching. (Web log comment). Retrieved from http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/31406

In this blog posting Draper discusses what seems to be holding back technology from becoming fully integrated in education. Citing a couple specialists on the subject, Draper concludes that generally technology itself is not feared, but that a fear of communicating and collaborating with others is keeping people from embracing technology. Draper suggests that until collaboration is a key element in all educators’ concept of teaching, modern technology will be difficult to integrate. He also describes a project (that he deems to be a great collaborative example) in which students from different countries work together to complete a project; a task that sounds very much like project-based learning. As an educator and a person involved with the International Society for Technology in Education, Draper’s viewpoint is indeed relevant. While his entry is short, his thoughts are recent and clearly tie in to the notion of overcoming technophobia and how that might be achieved.

Ertmer, P. A. (2005). Teacher pedagogical beliefs: The final frontier in our quest for technology integration? Educational Technology, Research and Development, 53(4), 25-39.

This article thoroughly discusses the nature of teacher beliefs and how they affect classroom instruction and practices. Ertmer goes on to explain how these beliefs can inform professional development strategies intended to improve technology integration. Essentially, she suggests that for teachers to adopt technological tools, it will require working with teachers’ preexisting pedagogical beliefs. Specifically she suggests that these teachers will need to shift some of their beliefs, and this might be achieved by personal or vicarious experiences and/or through the establishment of new social and cultural norms.
This article is highly relevant and does a thorough job of exploring what experts believe about teacher pedagogy and pedagogical shifts. In regards to my research, this article lays out how technophobia may be rooted in teacher beliefs as well as how different interventions that call for change in those beliefs (such as problem-based learning) may be effectual in technology integration.

George, G., Sleeth, R.G., & Pearce, C. G. (1996). Technology-assisted instruction and instructor cyberphobia: Recognizing the ways to effect change. Education. 116(4), 604-609.

This report enumerates the challenges that come from the demand for digital multimedia in instructional use. The primary focus is on instructors themselves and the cyberphobia that can inhibit them from embracing this instructional change. Phobic behaviors that signal resistance are classified into five categories: negative symbolism, technological change per se, manifested resistance, failure to recognize stages of change and acceptance, and failures of implementation. From there, change strategies are recommended via a typology of roles that stem from technology use and technology awareness. These roles include: novice, skeptic, agnostic, explorer, optimist, conformist, squatter, dabbler, and expert. Strategies are then suggested for how to effect change with educators that match each typological role.
This article is useful in that it draws on the research of various experts to systematically explain technophobia and categorizes instructors with these fears in order to assist in intervention and facilitate instructional change. While it is an older report, it still has validity, as the typology presented is easily generalized to present-day educators and the causes mentioned are also relevant in technology implementation today.

The George Lucas Educational Foundation. M. Chen & S. Armstrong (Eds.). (2002). Edutopia: Success stories for learning in the digital age. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

This book is a collection of articles written by various contributors regarding the implications of project-based learning (which is another name for problem-based learning, or PBL). Actual stories are shared from classrooms in which projects were completed stemming from a PBL approach. The intention behind this book is to inspire others (parents, policymakers, educators) to consider PBL and take the steps to incorporate these practices into more schools. Articles are categorized under three major themes: innovative classrooms, involved communities, and skillful educators.
For my purposes, I am most interested in the classroom and educator sections, as they discuss PBL, give examples, and look at teacher preparation and development. While this book has a great deal of validity stemming from the numerous expert contributors (including a chair of the National Research Council), there is some concern about bias. Since this book was created by The George Lucas Educational Foundation and is very direct about its pro-technology intentions, it is important to view all stories with this predisposition in mind.

Lei, J., & Morrow, B. (2009). Teachers’ adoption of technology innovation into pedagogical practices. Education and Information Technologies. 15(3). 143-153.

In this article, Lei and Morrow summarize the findings of a study that evaluated the effectiveness of a technology incentive project and how it impacted the adoption of technology. Certain strategies are identified as being essential to the project’s efficacy. More specifically, Lei and Morrow suggest that in order for successful technology integration to take place, the issues of environmental barriers, knowledge and skills, and incentives must be addressed. Also, factors such as strong peer connections, ongoing support from peers and experts, and strong technological leadership need to be taken into account.
This study is highly relevant and valid. The article thoroughly details the procedures and subsequent conclusions, while making suggestions based on what the results imply. The findings of this study help to flesh out the components of successful technology integration and relate the interventions to educator’s beliefs. I also feel this study is a great example of how to do careful and thorough research with educators and technology, which will be useful in formulating my own plan.

Park, S., & Ertmer, P. (2007). Impact of problem-based learning (PBL) on teachers' beliefs regarding technology use. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 40(2), 247-267.

This study considers the problem of digital integration in schools and suggests teachers’ beliefs as a possible barrier. As problem-based learning (PBL) has been suggested as an effective approach for changing beliefs, the researchers seek to determine whether PBL would change pre-service teachers’ beliefs about technology and their intended teaching practices. The results of this study suggest that while PBL does tend to shift teachers’ practices from teacher-centered to student-centered learning, it does not significantly change beliefs regarding technology. However, Park and Ertmer (2007) conclude that facilitating change in a pre-service teacher’s intended teaching practices “may be an important first step in changing teachers’ beliefs regarding technology use and future teaching practices” (Discussion section, para. 14).
This study has great validity, as the contributors to the study are both from universities. However, one potential downfall is that the study was done with pre-service teachers rather than teachers who have already had time in the field. Therefore, the results generated in this study may not accurately reflect how more experienced educators would respond if given the same training.

Research in Action Project (CEP 822)

2010-07-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

TASK: Choose a problem in my professional context, Explore solutions to the problem, Identify an intervention, and Develop a program of evaluation of that intervention

CHOSEN PROBLEM: Educator Technophobia (Fear of Technology) and Classroom Technology Integration

INTRODUCTION:
Digital tools, while becoming increasingly embedded in students’ daily lives, are also steadily working their way into today’s classrooms. However, the kind of reception that these technologies receive once brought into a classroom can vary greatly from one educator to the next. While many teachers are eager to work with new technologies, that acceptance is simply not universal and often the opposite is true. Rather than greeting these new instruments with excitement and curiosity, there is a sense of fear and anxiety towards them. This fear of working with technology, or technophobia, then inhibits not only the teacher’s own digital skills, but also his or her ability to fully integrate the technology into classroom practice, making it more difficult for students to benefit from the devices’ presence, as well. With these issues in mind, the following research questions arise: WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF EDUCATOR TECHNOPHOBIA ON CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION? Also, WHAT STRATEGIES CAN EFFECTIVELY MINIMIZE EDUCATOR TECHNOPHOBIA?

My awareness of this problem began in my first year of teaching. The school where I worked was very proud of the SMART Boards they had begun installing in various classrooms. This was touted on the school website and the goal was made clear to the public that someday soon every class would have a SMART Board. As a traveling teacher, I didn’t have a classroom of my own, but I did use one room that had a coveted SMART Board. The students adored this tool. They were always eager to show me different features of the board and would request that we use it for any given task. What I quickly found out, though, was that while the teachers who had these boards in their room were “trained” on them, that did not guarantee that the boards were integrated into their lessons to the same degree or with the same level of enthusiasm. In fact, in some cases the SMART Board was treated like a standard chalkboard—as if the technological advance had never taken place. At the time I noted the phenomenon, but did not spend much time considering the causes or factors involved.

As my teaching career continued and I switched buildings, I observed varying degrees of technology use and similar variance in how technology was or was not embraced by educators. As I planned lessons using the computer lab or incorporating a digital projector, other teachers would make comments about how they could “never do that” or how they wouldn’t know where to start. In addition to statements about lack of familiarity came mention of concerns because “the students know more about those than I do,” or “I don’t trust those machines,” etc. It was clear that the issue was not just lack of specific training on the technology, but also feelings of inadequacy with technology skills in general and knowing less about the tool than one’s students, or a general anxiety about using something new and different. While these fears were certainly understandable, it was clear that they needed to be addressed and remedied.

Resistance to the very media with which students are accustomed means educators are staying within their own comfort zone, but neglecting that of their students. That may not warrant immediate concern, but what are the larger implications of a teacher’s failure, or inability, to embrace technology? Are students missing out on enriched learning experiences? Are teachers missing a chance to bridge the gap between their learning style and those of their students? What could be gained if educators’ technophobia could be managed? In this study, I hope to not only find some answers to questions like these, but to also deduce which strategies can best address the issue of technophobia in schools and in the educational community in general.

As an educator who has a passion for technology, the problem of technophobia is highly relevant and important to me. I have seen firsthand how technology-integrated lessons can lead to increased student interest, higher motivation, and improved learning. While working with digital tools in my classroom has involved challenges, the benefits tend to far outweigh any difficulties. I want all educators to have the experience of integrating new pieces of technology into their practice without feelings of intimidation hindering the process. I believe helping reduce people’s fears of technology would not only lead to increased technological confidence for those individuals, but also more seamless assimilation of these tools, improved student outcomes, and better return on investment for the schools and districts that have made technology a financial priority.

In general, others recognize the dilemma of technophobia and its negative effects on utilization of technology in the classroom, and this phenomenon is not a new occurrence. As Rosen and Weil (1995) explain:
Since Time named the microcomputer their “Man of the Year” in 1983 there has been a continued drive for public school teachers to become computer literate. A nationwide study concluded that although teachers have increased computer availability in their classrooms, they are not integrating computers into the standard curricula. (p. 9)
The authors go on to describe their study, which examined technophobia as an explanation for low levels of computer utilization. So while the issue of technophobia clearly is not brand new, it is a problem that has not disappeared over time, but rather continues to be a hindering force in the technological advancement of our nation’s classrooms. As the demand for technology in the classroom increases and digital educational tools multiply, it follows that technophobia has also grown, perhaps into more of an epidemic than ever before.

While technophobia is certainly acknowledged by many, there is also a desire to better understand where this “fear” of technology comes from, and if it stems from individuals’ feelings about technology or is a result of institutional pressure, etc. A comprehension of the underlying cause(s) of technophobia is essential to determining an effective intervention. Yvonne Lam (2000) conducted one such study and noted that a teacher’s desire to use technology or not was related to the teacher's personal belief in technology's benefits, or lack thereof, rather than to a resistance to technology. Lam’s findings suggest that “teachers are not really ‘technophobic’ and that institutions are perhaps overly ‘technophilic’ in their rush to obtain the latest innovations without considering the needs of teachers and students” (2000, p. 389). This perspective is important to keep in mind as I pursue my research. If institutional pressure to use the latest technology were indeed one of the main driving forces for the fears experienced by educators, then any intervention that would aspire to minimize technophobia would also need to account for this institutional technophilia.

Therefore, in embarking on this journey of research, I find it necessary to keep in mind a few things. For one, fear of technology is not a new phenomenon. As long as there have been computers, there have been people who were not comfortable utilizing them in class. Thus, taking into account technophobia’s affects over time may prove to be useful in determining the best interventions. Secondly, finding successful interventions will require an understanding of the underlying causes that are at work with this phobia. With these things considered, I look forward to researching technophobia, its perceived effects on technology integration, and possible interventions that may contribute to the resolution of this long-standing educational dilemma.

References
Lam, Y. (2000, March). Technophilia vs. technophobia: A preliminary look at why second-language teachers do or do not use technology in their classrooms. Canadian Modern Language Review/La Revue canadienne des langues vivantes, 56 (3), 389-420.
Rosen, L. D. & Weil, M. M. (1995, Spring). Computer availability, computer experience and technophobia among public school teachers. Computers in Human Behavior, 11 (1), 9-31.

Students on Student Work

2010-05-06T17:22:00.001-07:00

My course this semester (CEP 813) focused on e-portfolios. In addition to developing our own "web presences" further, we were supposed to create a showcase of student work.

One of our assignments was to discuss "best work" with students. As I was on break, I used Facebook to discuss this topic with a few of my former students. These turned out to be fascinating conversations.

Students shared their thoughts on what some of their "best" creations have been throughout their academic careers. From a painting of a Jamaican track hero to an essay defending gay rights, students found meaning in various kinds of work. Their stories revealed what students--and people in general--value most when doing work of any kind. Things such as freedom to choose the medium, work that matters personally, addressing controversy, and being recognized by others were all elements that helped make their work memorable. It was inspiring and thought-provoking to hear each student gush about their work and revel in the opportunity to re-live their experience with their work.

One student who was always rather shy in my class told me about a parody she had written and read to her class. As she described her classmates and teacher reacting with contagious laughter at her humorous piece, I could almost picture this usually reserved young lady "performing" in front of an appreciative audience. What a different role for her! This paper had been presented years before, but she carried that experience with her not only because she was proud of her work, but also because she presented it publicly and got such a great reaction from everyone.

I had been concerned that I wouldn't be able to complete the assignment of discussing "best work", but instead I managed to have wonderfully rich dialogues that provided great insights and allowed me to re-connect with students from years past.

I was grateful for the assignment, for the chance to hear student stories, and for the chance to use Facebook for something far more meaningful than status updates.

CEP 811: My Reflections

2009-12-09T07:28:00.000-08:00

When I started this semester my objectives included: developing my ability to reach out to technophobic educators, better understanding how to implement technology innovations in my content area to optimize student learning, and becoming more tech savvy overall. I can honestly say that my work in this course has helped me to grow in all three of those areas, and I’m looking forward to continued growth as I journey through the rest of the MAET program.

In regards to encouraging technophobic colleagues, although I am not able to share my tech enthusiasm immediately, I have gained some tools and insights that will better prepare me to build those bridges in the future. Learning about the characteristics of adult learners will surely assist me when providing workshops or individual mentoring to my colleagues. Also, in many of the articles we read, there was information about teachers and technology and how best to support new technology users. I also feel that the wide range of software/Web 2.0 uses I have been familiarized with has given me a better assortment of tools to recommend and share with other educators. I am looking forward to my return to the classroom, when I can share this wealth of knowledge and hopefully encourage more teachers to become fully “connected” to the digital age.

Through the various projects, reflections, and articles, I have definitely increased my awareness of how best to implement technology in my own classroom and how to optimize student learning in general. Reading about, seeing samples, and creating my own tech projects or tools have been valuable ways for me to better understand how technology can, and should, be used for learning. This mix of exposure allowed me to see how things can be done well, read about how they were done, and then generate my own samples for use in my content area.

Becoming more tech savvy overall is inevitable when doing this coursework. The only way I would not have gained “savvy” was if I already knew everything, which of course I did not. Prior to this class, I had never really used PowerPoint (!) and wasn’t exactly sure what “Web 2.0” meant. I can now say that not only is PowerPoint far more interesting than I realized, but that Web 2.0 is one of my closest friends (and has been all along without me knowing it!). In addition to learning different programs, I have become more knowledgeable about technology policies and best practices, and have many more ideas in my “teacher tool belt” for how to incorporate technology into my content area, and that of others.

Integrating the Internet helped me to think about how much it can contribute, as well as how problematic it can become if something does not work correctly. This was not a new revelation for me, as I’ve integrated the Internet into lessons fairly often and have seen the issues that arise when the school Internet crashes or when a website doesn’t function properly. I have been encouraged to think more about how certain technologies might hinder learning more than help it or require extensive appropriate use policies, yet I still feel that most of the time the benefits are worth the hassle of planning and outweigh the drawbacks.

At this point, my goals remain essentially the same. I want to continue to find ways to help technophobes overcome their fears of technology in the classroom, but I would like to get started on actually embarking on that mission! My previous district has a new “technology committee” to help them decide which tools to incorporate into the new high school. Although I do not believe I can serve on this committee, I am going to see if I might be able to present them with some ideas or help them come up with some useful examples to share when they’re in front of the school board seeking support for their initiatives.

I will continue to seek further knowledge of technology integration in education and how best to implement it in my own classroom and those of others. This is a goal I feel I can never simply “attain”, but in which I can always achieve further growth. What I mean is that there will always be new ways to integrate technology and new studies regarding how to successfully implement a tool based on content, demographics, etc. While I may find what I believe are ideals in this area, I know that I will forever be able to build on this knowledge and modify implementation for increasing levels of student success. The same goes for becoming more technologically savvy. I will never know every possible program, technology, hardware, software, etc. As soon as I learn one, there are multiple others that pop up on the educational radar. Therefore, I must always continue to learn more about technology and its integration. Whether I’m learning a program in greater depth and with new applications, or finding out about a brand new technology, my “savvy” will always have room to grow.

One new goal I would like to achieve is a better understanding of how districts manage the transition into widespread technology-use. For example, when a district is first introducing interactive whiteboards, what does that look like at the district, school, and classroom level? I have seen these kinds of initiatives at the classroom level, and wonder how it can be done with the greatest success rather than having them used as chalkboards that require a stylus. I believe I will reach this goal either through my future MAET classes or by my own independent investigation, or both.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of this class and am grateful for the foundation of knowledge it has helped me build. I know I will be more successful in my coursework due to this class, and most importantly... a better TEACHER when I get back in the classroom.

"Online Experiences"

2009-12-07T13:06:00.000-08:00

Before reading the Michigan Merit Curriculum "Online Experience Guideline" (Companion document), I did not realize that the State had such a clear set of expectations regarding what qualifies as an "online experience" for our students and what does not. I also did not realize that there is a 20 hour requirement for these "experiences" and can't help but wonder how many students are actually achieving that goal.

One technology that is mentioned that I feel is highly useful for Spanish students is the podcast. Podcasts have so many applications in a language classroom, as they can provide great auditory experiences, visual learning, and can allow students to engage in self-driven learning or add to a lesson guided by the teacher. I often wish my students had additional opportunities to listen to native speakers and other fluent speakers besides myself because I believe that helps them get a better feel for the flow of the language overall. Podcasts would enable students to listen to other speakers as well as conversations in context.

I believe that podcasts can essentially help teach almost any Spanish content. Students can listen/watch a lesson on grammar points, practice vocabulary with listen/repeat formats, and gain cultural awareness through hearing podcasts of hispanic news updates or dialogues on key topics.

In my experience, podcasts are not only useful as modes of content delivery, they also are a fun, different way for students to demonstrate their knowledge or mastery of the subject. A few years ago, I had my students write and record "Spanish raps" in which they were teaching English speakers how to conjugate Spanish verbs in the present tense. They used the Apple program "GarageBand" to put their audio (including drums, bass lines, etc.) together, and simply saved them as "podcasts". I saw students' level of engagement increase substantially as they created projects that they knew could be shared over the Internet and downloaded to their mp3 players. Also, students could then recall and use the class raps to remind them of the conjugations.

Pedagogically, podcasts can provide scaffolding--guiding students through lessons. They also allow for cooperative learning in the case of projects like the one I mentioned. They enable educators to assume the role of a "guide on the side", where students are working with the content through the podcast and the teacher provides supporting structure, questions, etc.

I think blogs, although I love them, would be harder to use with my students. While on one hand students familiarity with web-based profiles, etc. could be useful in blogging, I also feel it could jeopardize their safety. What I mean is that students are used to sharing information through media such as Facebook and generally do not censor themselves much. Students might feel that same amount of "freedom" on a blog and share too much information, inappropriate information, etc. I also feel that blogs would be hard to monitor on a large scale with only one adult to keep track of them. 150 blogs to follow would mean a huge amount of time checking on student posts, monitoring for appropriateness, etc. They might work with a smaller group and may be more easy to use with older students (e.g. 12th graders rather than 9th) who might be less tempted to abuse the privilege.

Zoho Writer: Google Docs and THEN some...

2009-11-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

Likes?
As someone who loves working with word processors, I immediately liked Zoho Writer--a Web 2.0 collaborative document tool. I have been using Google Docs for a little while and although I enjoy the collaborative aspects, I feel that Zoho Writer out does Google in a variety of ways. For one, Zoho Writer (ZW) does a better job of making the layout appeal to users of Microsoft Word. I liked that the functions are clearly labeled on tabs, familiar icons are used as shortcuts, and more options are available in editing than you find in Google Docs. For example, ZW includes roughly 25 fonts, whereas Google Docs includes about 10. Also, ZW has the "ruler" visible immediately for adjusting margins and includes all available documents in a convenient side bar menu. I find that when I create documents I often want to include tables, adjust fonts and margins, and in general "play" with the format. ZW allows this with much more ease and makes it possible to do the bulk of editing in the ZW program rather than having to transfer it back to Word to include the "detailing".

Dislikes?
I honestly have yet to be frustrated by ZW, but have already found myself frustrated with Google Docs. One of my greatest frustrations came from the Google Docs Use Policy--an area where Zoho and Google differ greatly. Google states that they essentially become "owners" of any material that we share in Google Docs. So we can collaborate there, but if Google sees something it likes, the company can not only take it, but can use it for their own purposes. Zoho does not assume ownership of content, which I appreciate. A friend and I have been throwing around ideas since college about a company we might one day create. I originally recommended that we brainstorm on Google Docs to formalize our thoughts, but with the Use Policy in mind, I no longer want to take that risk! Thankfully, Zoho still makes this collaboration possible without worries that our ideas could end up in Google's next business plan.

Student Preparation?
In order to use Zoho Writer, students would need a basic understanding of Microsoft Word or similar word processing programs. Since many of the icons used are somewhat self-explanatory (scissors for "cut", a printer for "print") this will aid in student use of the application.

Sharing?
You are able to share the products you create in this application by sending invitations to specific email addresses and by creating user groups that you can select for sharing certain documents. It is fairly easy and if others are signed in at the same time, there is a chat function(!) so that you can discuss the document through synchronous discussion rather than waiting for feedback later. That is a HUGE plus versus Google Docs, as well.

En la clase de español?
I could see this application being used to teach Spanish (or really any content area) in various ways. I could use it myself to test students vocabulary and grammar skills--sharing an error-filled document with students and allowing them to edit it as a class. They could discuss the document and the grammatical issues to come to agreements on changes that need to be made. I also think this tool is wonderful for solving the problem of group project collaboration. If students do not have schedules that mesh easily, this allows them to "meet" indirectly to discuss progress on a report or project, etc. I also think this tool allows students to share their work with the class in a less intimidating forum. They can share their writings (based on their skill level, this could be basic sentences or extended essays) with classmates and provide feedback to one another about the content, structure, etc. The foreign characters all function in ZW, which allows for Spanish content with correct punctuation and accentuation.

Teacher help?
To help students collaborate, a teacher could provide a thorough tutorial before using this for a classroom assignment. Having students go through the program, test out the functions, and perform a basic introductory task with guidance would help increase familiarity with ZW, creating a sense of comfort with the tool ahead of time. A teacher could also create student collaboration groups ahead of time, complete with student email addresses, so that the sharing process is easier. Making sure that students have a clear understanding of the task and its requirements would also be important.

Additional considerations?
In addition to the tutorial, a teacher will need to get permission from proper school authorities for using this tool and should send a letter home explaining the technology and how it will be used for collaborative work in class. Informing all the right people (administrators, parents, media specialists) will help smooth out the process and bring more help "on board". Also, it may be necessary to reserve time in the school's computer lab and to ask students to register for a free email account and/or a Google or Zoho account. And of course, have a "plan B" ready in case of computer or application failures!

Overall, if carefully planned and prepared, using ZW to allow students to collaborate on documents, brainstorm sessions for projects, etc., will enable them to fuse their ideas in a format they will likely find intriguing, helpful, and easy.

eek! there are blogs in my classroom!!!

2009-11-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

No worries! There's no need to be afraid of blogs in an academic setting. Weblogs ("blogs) are a Web 2.0 technology that can be successfully integrated into a classroom and support learning in familiar yet new manners. What do I mean by that? Some existing instructional strategies that fit well with blog use in a classroom are: writing/journaling, reflecting, discussion, and sharing found resources.

Why? Well, just as I am currently writing a reflection about blogs/Web 2.0, it is easy for students to write reflections in this format. Not only does the technology revolve around posting personal insights/reflections, but it also allows for comments (and subscriptions to others' blogs through RSS feeds), which are an easy way for students to "discuss" the posted content and see what others are "saying". This allows every students "voice" to be "heard" and allows them time to formulate responses without being put "on the spot" in the classroom itself. Also, sharing websites or providing links to different resources is easily accomplished with a blog. Classmates can easily click on links you provide and view the resources you want to share.

Does EVERYTHING fit well with blog use? Wouldn't that be great? Of course that's not the case, though. Cooperative learning does not work well if conducted entirely via blogs. While students could discuss the assignment and share resources, they would not be able to use a blog to construct the entire project, as they could in, say GoogleDocs. Also, the asynchronous nature of blogs does not allow for guided practice or immediate feedback. Students have to post and then wait to hear back from the instructor and/or classmates. In this way, if a student was trying to practice a concept and wanted help right away, the blog would not be able to provide a means for that.

What about using blogs in YOUR Spanish classroom? Great question! I could see blogs being used in my classroom a variety of ways. In a basic Spanish course, blogs could be used to discuss and post reflections on cultural topics, such as bull fighting or the notion of "siesta". Students might also use blogs to create basic sentences and paragraphs in the target language. In higher level courses, students could create their blogs entirely in Spanish, reflecting, discussing, and demonstrating advanced levels of grammatical skill. Again, culture-based discussions would be great in this forum, as students could speak from their own perspective with more comfort than they might have in an in-class discussion. For example, if the topic were the Latino-organized school walkouts in Los Angeles in the late '60s, students could research and investigate more online, then create an informed discussion through their blogs.

In general, blogs can be highly useful in the classroom. Even if the teacher is the only person who creates one and uses it to keep students and parents informed, it will have increased connectivity. The notion that students and teachers alike could tap into this resource to create another, "virtual" classroom/learning space is EXCITING and should not be regarded with fear and resistance. So try one out. Share it with your students. You may find that "blogs in your classroom" can be a GOOD thing!

wiki wiki wiki...

2009-11-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I have officially signed on as a member of the Wikipedia editing masses. To be honest, I never have found Wikipedia to be that appealing--probably due to the fact that people such as myself can sign up and edit whatever they'd like. I understand that there are editors and monitors who adjust entries, but I have seen enough facts that seem poorly supported or lack references entirely to keep me less-than-impressed with the information available. While I understand the appeal of having a collectively created body of knowledge, I also prefer to have my academic sources be professionals and specialists who do not go by screen names like "wikiwawa" or "wikiluv". That said, I signed on to complete this assignment, found out that my former employer's website link was to an outdated website, used my new "contributor" status to adjust the link to the correct site... and ENJOYED doing it. It honestly made me happy to provide information that might have otherwise left users at a "This site No Longer Exists" page. The entry is short as it is, so the inaccurate web links were keeping users from better detailed information on the school. I couldn't help but smile contentedly to myself, and all I did was adjust two website links! So, I guess I can now see where being able to include an entire entry or adjust other facts that I recognize as untrue would be rewarding endeavors. Do I anticipate seeking out solid research from Wikipedia? No. Might I peruse through it again in hopes that I can help fix another error in the beastly thing? Maybe... Just maybe.

In general, though, I think I will stick with my personal wikispace, thank you very much. Not only is it easier to edit, but it's also very useful in a classroom setting, and I can determine the security levels and give access however I would like. Sidenote: The newest content that I added to my wiki is the "Videos & Podcasts" page. Let me know what you think! And no worries, I am not counting on you to do any editing. Although if you want me to refer to you as "wikiwawa", I will. :)

Computer-Based Instructional Objects

2009-10-31T14:28:00.000-07:00

In having students work independently with computer-based instructional objects (such as StAIR projects and WebQuests) teachers must consider many variables. For one, there may be a limited number of computers available for use in the school, meaning that some students may have to partner up or the teacher may have to plan far in advance to have access to a computer lab. Also, there is always the chance that the school servers could go down, keeping students from accessing the information at all. There is always a need for flexibility and open-mindedness when these kinds of issues arise. There may be a need to have a "plan B" ready, as well, to provide instruction until the resources are available.

In considering the students directly, there may be accessibility issues that need to be addressed, such as a hearing-impaired student's inability to listen to an audio portion. The teacher must make sure to include workable options (like text versions) to meet student needs. Also, some students will be more comfortable with the technology than others. This can be helped through introductory tutorials, partnering with a more tech-savvy classmate, or through added guidance built-in to the instructional object itself.

In general, teachers must carefully pre-plan the incorporation of these activities and expect that some issues may arise. A readiness to deal with whatever pops up as well as a solid plan with student needs in mind will help prepare teachers for success in utilizing computer-based instructional objects with their students.

Exemplary WebQuest
http://www.personal.psu.edu/jxz8/Student_Webquests/Bradley_Knudsen/WEBQUEST.HTML

I chose this WebQuest because the introduction catches your attention (you found Antonio Banderas' wallet!) and presents the traditional "trip planning" idea in a fun and thorough way. Also, I like that the team member roles are very clear, with extra details & hints for each person, and the rubrics for each part of the evaluation are linked to their descriptions and provide clear requirements to achieve each possible score.

Another WebQuest of Note
http://www.allenschool.org/spanishfoodwebquest.htm

This website is for elementary students and explores Spanish food, having individual students create their own menus. I like that it has students explore traditional SPANISH foods, as many people think that Spanish food is the same as "Mexican" food--yet they are vastly different! Designwise, I like that the WebQuest is very basic and seems to be easy for elementary-level students to work with and understand. I also think this WebQuest could easily be modifed for use with middle or high school students in their first year of Spanish as a quicker, short term WebQuest.

Web Pages vs. Blogs

2009-10-25T17:50:00.000-07:00

Some general thoughts on this...
Traditional web pages differ from blogs in many ways. For example, traditional web pages may have content that is created by numerous authors or sources who do not return to the article to edit or supplement it. Bloggers, however, may adjust earlier posts or add new ones to comment on previous material. Also, web pages do not always allow comments on every posting. Blogs, on the other hand, typically allow readers to comment on the posts to share their own opinions and/or give feedback. In addition, the people that create traditional web sites are usually licensed to do so by a specific organization, company, etc. and pay to have the content published. Blogs can be created and published by ANYONE for free. In general, blogs are more of a public publishing tool whereas web pages are limited to the creators and may never change the content presented on them.