Welcome to ED 270

I'd just like to welcome you all to the Winter 2013 Edition of ED 270:  Incorporating Technology in Education.

Throughout the next ten weeks, you will use a variety of different programs and platforms to explore the various means by which computers and the web have become an integral part of an effective K-12 teacher's bag of tricks.   Everything that you will explore and create is already in practice in classrooms across the country to meet state and federal teaching standards.  Taking full advantage of internet and mobile platforms, creative and innovative educators are already proving that technology does not have to be a distraction or a gimmicky add-on to traditional teaching practices.

You'll examine your own content area standards and begin to reflect upon ways that technology can open new doors to them.  You'll explore the collaborative possibilities of the read/write web.  You'll discover ways to more effectively manage your classroom.  You'll investigate the constructivist possibilities of images and multimedia construction.  You'll look to the future and predict the classroom of the next decade.   You'll create your own lessons incorporating what you've learned in here.    You're going to be busy in here, and that's a good thing.

Along the way, you may occasionally run into what teachers like to call "technical difficulties."  It is best if you select a happy place and always remember to go there in case of computer stress.  Go to your happy place...no worries....go to your happy place...  The intent of this class is to take the fear out of technology integration, as well as refine your reflective and problem-solving skills that inevitability accompany high-tech in the classroom.

No worries.

Putting It All Together

Today in class we are going to get our hands on our cell phones and break out the iPads, evaluating their various uses today in the classroom.

We'll also take a look at the growing acceptance of social media for educational purposes, and let you decide what you may or may not use with your own future students.

Lastly, we'll take a look at 21st century learning styles and answer any questions you may have regarding your final projects.  You'll present them to the class next Thursday, June 14 from 2-4 pm.

Leaving on a jet plane

Class has been cancelled for this afternoon, Wednesday, May 30, so that I can catch a plane back to the great state of Indiana.  We will combine the lesson for today (mobile learning) with next week's topic (social media) so that we do not fall behind on the syllabus.

I apologize for any inconvenience and hope that you enjoy the afternoon break.

I'll see you next Wednesday.

Digital Literacy

Employers are looking for candidates who can navigate, critically evaluate, and make sense of the wealth of information available through digital media.  These are the skills that we as educators must be focusing on in our classrooms.

Today’s students need to be able to think critically and effectively solve problems while using technology, going beyond simply searching for information. They also must evaluate the legitimacy of the information, put it in context, and then apply problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Final Project Ideas

It's almost final project time.  Here are two samples that you can use for inspiration.

Here's another model format for your final project. Notice that it contains all of the necessary elements, but is presented in a different fashion than the first sample.

Grade Level: Secondary/High School


Content Area: English, Social Studies


Title of Unit: Totario- Propaganda Campaign


Learning Goal: The students will examine types of propaganda and synthesize their knowledge into a 3-5 minute propaganda video that demonstrates their application of at least five different types of propaganda


Technology Standards:
1. Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
2. Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources
3. Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Technologies Integrated: Video cameras, Moviemaker software, Rubistar, Powerpoint, Youtube, SlideRocket, Google Docs


Resources:

Unit Outline: 
Day 1- Students will examine and discuss propaganda techniques using Powerpoint presentation on SlideRocket
Day 2- Students will access Totario packet via GoogleDocs and read and complete background information
Day 3- Students will be divided into groups for planning and video strategy sessions
Days 4/5- Students will film propaganda segments
Days 6/7- Students will edit propaganda film, posting to Youtube when finished.
Day 7- Student presentations; students will post comments to Youtube for each of the videos

The final format is up to you, as long as you incorporate the following elements:

Grade Level  

Content Area  

Title of Unit

Learning Goal What will students learn as a result of this unit? This should be your overall content learning goal (not your technology learning goal)

Technology Standards What NETS-S standards are addressed by this unit?

Technologies Integrated List the technologies used in this unit.

Resources To the extent possible, list websites, videos, etc. that will be used in this unit.

Unit Outline

Create an outline for your unit that briefly describes each activity, including how technology will be integrated. For each activity, identify approximately how much time will be allotted.

Note: It is not necessary that you use technology to support each activity, but technology must be integrated into the unit as a whole. At least 5 activities must incorporate technology.

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Movie Time

Today we go "Hollywood" and examine the role that multi-media creation can have in your classroom.  Vygotsky says that learning is an active, social endeavor- movie making in the classroom is an incredible way of creating that experience for your students, young and old alike. From the research and planning phases to the final editing and publishing, multimedia creation is an incredibly collaborative and interactive process.  Today we'll examine practical lessons for creating movies in your classroom, plus examine the various ways that student created films can be shared on the Web.  We'll look at the technology involved, and give you a chance to create your own 30 second commercial for WOU using iMovie.

Images

A picture is worth a thousand words, right?  Just what does that old saying really mean, anyway?

The uses for images in the classroom are as varied and diverse as the people occupying those classrooms.  Images make great objects to illustrate copyright laws.  The ease at which images can be adjusted and altered by using programs like Photoshop and Fotoflexer brings up issues of media literacy

However, with the growth of Web 2.0 applications like Flickr and Pinterest that make it easier to upload and share those images, the potential for using images in the classroom has grown exponentially.  Students tired of creating PowerPoints?  They could create a virtual posterboard instead using Glogster instead.  Don't think your students are ready yet to create their own videos?  Have them create an awesome slideshow using Animoto.

Today you'll use cameras and the internet to produce three copyright-free images.  You'll manipulate them to create original images, then share them with your classmates.  You'll comment and evaluate  each others' creations.  Finally, you'll read and reflect on the various ways that image software could be used in your future classroom.

Hot Topics in Tech Paper

It's also getting close to research paper time.  Don't forget to look at the rubric for your Tech Ed in the News Paper due next Wednesday, May 2 by midnight.  You'll email me your finished paper and I'll add my comments via track changes.  Need some ideas?  Think about the weekly class topics or use the internet to search and find great sites like Edutopia, Classroom 2.0., or Edudemic.

Tools for Classroom Management

Veteran educators face a dazzling variety of challenges everyday.  However, as new teachers, you'll be faced with the enormous additional task of creating an organizational system to manage your classroom.  This takes on many facets:  student work collection, grading systems and assessment, behavior challenges, parent communication, professional development, etc.  The list of jobs that you will be expected to successfully juggle from Day One is daunting.

Fortunately, your more veteran colleagues will have plenty of tips for you.  Today's lesson will introduce, discuss, and apply technology to those practical considerations that you'll have to address in your future classroom.

We're going to cover a lot of ground in class today, and you'll probably need to spend a bit of time on your own this week to more fully explore the concepts introduced to you.  This week we're going to look at the evolution of direct instruction in the classroom for the 21st Century.  The widespread availability of technology that allows multimedia streaming, anytime access for students, and almost unlimited resources for teachers has given rise to new twists on old issues (like copyright laws) and radical approaches to teacher driven instruction. You'll examine the implications of these new strategies, explore the educational applications of lots of software, and create your own teacher lesson using the newest of presentation platforms.

Week 2 Assignment

Week 2

Welcome, everyone.  I'm glad to see that we're all back for Week 2.

Last week we created our blogs and added some useful links to them.  We'll take some time at the start of class and let you revisit them, as well as providing some feedback for your peers.

This week we will continue to utilize our blogs, exploring an index of useful Web 2.0 tools, picking three useful applications and discussing their uses in the classroom.   Additionally, we'll add Wikis and RSS feeds into the mix and give you some time to explore the potential of both of these in school settings.

Enjoy the day.

Hello, everyone

I'd just like to welcome you all to the Spring Edition of Ed 270 Integrating Technology in Education!

Throughout the next ten weeks, you will use a variety of different programs and platforms to explore the various means by which computers and the web have already become an integral part of an effective K-12 teacher's bag of tricks.   Everything that you will explore and create is already in practice in classrooms across the country to meet state and federal teaching standards.  Taking full advantage of internet and mobile platforms, creative and innovative teachers are already proving that technology does not have to be a distraction or a gimmicky add-on to traditional teaching practices.

You'll examine your content area standards and begin to reflect upon ways that technology can open new doors to them.  You'll explore the collaborative possibilities of the read/write web.  You'll discover ways to more effectively manage your classroom.  You'll investigate the constructivist possibilities of images and multimedia construction.  You'll look to the future and predict the classroom of the next decade.   You'll create your own lessons incorporating what you've learned in here.    You're going to be busy in here, and that's a good thing.

Along the way, you may occasionally run into what teachers like to call "technical difficulties."  It is best if you select a happy place and always remember how to go there in case of computer stress.  Go to your happy place...no worries....go to your happy place...  The intent of this class is to take the fear out of technology integration, as well as refine your reflective and problem-solving skills that inevitability accompany high-tech in the classroom.

No worries.

Final Projects

Here's another model format for your final project. Notice that it contains all of the necessary elements, but is presented in a different fashion than the first sample.

Grade Level: Secondary/High School


Content Area: English, Social Studies


Title of Unit: Totario- Propaganda Campaign


Learning Goal: The students will examine types of propaganda and synthesize their knowledge into a 3-5 minute propaganda video that demonstrates their application of at least five different types of propaganda


Technology Standards:
1. Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
2. Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources
3. Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Technologies Integrated: Video cameras, Moviemaker software, Rubistar, Powerpoint, Youtube, SlideRocket, Google Docs


Resources:

Unit Outline: 
Day 1- Students will examine and discuss propaganda techniques using Powerpoint presentation on SlideRocket
Day 2- Students will access Totario packet via GoogleDocs and read and complete background information
Day 3- Students will be divided into groups for planning and video strategy sessions
Days 4/5- Students will film propaganda segments
Days 6/7- Students will edit propaganda film, posting to Youtube when finished.
Day 7- Student presentations; students will post comments to Youtube for each of the videos

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Podcasting and Mobile Technologies

In my old high school, student use of cell phones was strictly forbidden during the school day.  Teachers and administrators saw them as a distraction, not as an educational tool.  Today, however, growing numbers of innovative teachers are using such mobile technology as cell phones, iPods and Ipads, and podcasting to enhance and transform their traditional classroom lessons.

Back in the Saddle

After cancelling class last week due to an unexpected bout of Oregon sickness, we're back in class today with a look at video and multimedia production.  We'll also take a look at podcasting, but not create anything with that this week.  We'll save podcasting for next week.

Images as Learning

I found an interesting blog of Photos that Changed the World that will tie nicely in with our class on Images.

Introduction to Prezi

Messing around with Prezi today, I realized that I could kill two birds with one stone and create a sample Prezi publication AND introduce copyright law for teachers!  Check it out at Prezi Fair Use Policies.

Direct Instruction

This week we'll be taking a look at how technology can enhance our direct instructional techniques by incorporating basic principles of graphic design and new theories of  21st century learning.  We'll discuss fair rights policies and learn how to weave multimedia into your presentations.  Lastly, we will take a look at some specific Web 2.0 multimedia sites that are handy to have in your classroom resources.

Posting to a Blog

Looks like everyone braved the weather to come out and play with their blogs.  Funny thing, but using blogs in the classroom could free students/teachers from the intermittent nature of snow days.

Yucky Weather Today

For those brave enough to take on the slush and wintery mix, we will be continuing to refine and improve our blogs today.  We'll also take a quick look at Wikis and RSS feeds before evaluating some Web 2.0 applications using the web page at http://www.go2web20.net/    Remember to use the WOU Moodle site as your starting point; all homework should be posted to your individual classroom blog.

First Week

Well, we've been through the first week of class and most students have successfully set up their classroom blogs.  Like mine, their blogs will continually evolve over the term, adding posts, links, and gadgets to showcase their growing awareness of practical classroom technology integration.  It's a mouthful, isn't it?