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What are some potential compelling questions your team is considering?

What initial ideas do you have for your PBI?

What is your target age group?

What specific Common Core or Essential Standards learning objectives will your PBI address?

What is your timeline for implementing and completing your PBI?

What materials and resources do you need to be successful?

FROM NEW LITERACIES Chapters

What are the benefits and challenges of marrying traditional formats with the new literacies? How will your PBI address this?

What is transmedia, and how is it influencing the way students learn? How does this help you approach your PBI?

Identify the changes in curriculum, instruction, and assessment that have taken place in your school or classroom to promote new literacies. What technology is available to support your efforts?

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Brittany Regan
Kristin Nance
Denise Sumner

Question 1: How can Lalilio or See-Saw impact Reading Foundations skills ?

Question 2: Plan for different grade levels: Kindergarten, First Grade, Fifth Grade and First Grade Buddies.  Teaching students inputting classroom codes.  Microphone mini lesson and examples.  Teaching them how to bookmark.  Which device works best.

Question 3: K-1 Classrooms with support from Fifth Grade Reading Buddies.

Questions 4:  Reading Foundational Skills to help increase phonics instruction for MClass and Istations.

Question 5: Timeline.  First grade students currently using. Kindergarten becoming familiar with technology usage. Fifth Grade implementation masters. Teacher Model a Lalilio Lesson or See-Saw and video tape before the due date of December 5th. Preteaching technology foundations: Using keyboard, using the iPads, using microphone.

Question 6: ChromeBook devices, iPads, Website, Internet, Microphones when needed, teacher access sign up and registration.

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Jasmine Voss
Antwan Brown
Billie Daughtry
Jessica Kues

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Question 1: To what extent can Nearpod facilitate reading comprehension in the classroom?

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Question 1: To what extent can Nearpod facilitate reading comprehension in the classroom?

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Kimberly Bocciardi
Laura Sloan
Amy Sudol

Question 1:  Potential Questions: How can the use of technology and new literacy increase students’ reading and viewing comprehension of information in science? How can Flipgrid increase students’ active engagement in content area reading? How can PebbleGo help students synthesize information learned through different media?

Question 2: Conduct small group reading instruction with digital and print informational science texts using trade books, Raz-Kids, PebbleGo, and/or BrainPop Jr., have students use a digital platform, Flipgrid, to share knowledge with peers, and have opportunities to respond to each other.

Question 3: 1st Grade

Question 4: 1.E.1 Recognize the features and patterns of the earth/moon/sun system as observed from Earth.
RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
SL.1.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
a. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions.
b. Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges.
c. Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.
1.TT.1 Use technology tools and skills
to reinforce classroom concepts
and activities.

Question 5: We will plan the lesson for around the first week of November. Pre-teach Fipgrid during the 2nd week of october. In the middle of November we will write the paper and finalize the video. We will  submit the paper and video for peer edits on November 20th. We will make any changes that need to be made and submit our PBI the first week of December.

Question 6: We will need iPads/Chromebooks, a Flipgrid account, projector to model for the students, leveled texts on our science topic, new literacies texts (PebbleGo, Raz-Kids, etc.)

New Literacies Questions:
#1: One benefit of using new literacies is excitement which leads to enhanced engagement and motivation to continue learning. When they are married with traditional formats it ensures the learning objective is considered first and whichever format best meets the instructional goal is used. Additionally, it gives students access to previous and current knowledge about a topic. One challenge is students often only want to use the new literacy texts and can miss out on important information that is shared in a traditional format. Using new literacies in the younger grades is also difficult because young children can be easily distracted by the excitement of the new tools. This coupled with them not knowing how to use the tool can lead students to miss the main objective of the lesson. In our PBI, we will address this by pre-teaching the tool and let them "plearn" with it prior to the lesson. Additionally, we will be using traditional learning tools (books) but enhancing learning with PebbleGo/BrainPop Jr. This will help us differentiate and reach students with limited reading skills.

#2: Transmedia is telling a single story or story experience across multiple platforms and formats using current digital technologies. It gives students a bigger and more differentiated picture of the story the teacher is trying to tell. There are multiple ways children can learn the same material and each one adds a little more to the other. Knowing that transmedia can help students experience the same material in different ways, allows us to incorporate different viewpoints into our lesson. When the lesson is taught, the students will experience the information through books, video, and each others’ reactions/comments to what they've learned and how it is applicable in their life/world.

#3: In the classroom where we will be conducting our PBI, there has been a recent shift to Letterland from Fundations and a switch to Eureka math from not having a program. Unfortunately, neither of these programs promote new literacies. We do have MasteryConnect, which is an online assessment tool. However, it does not meet the Triple E Framework, it simply replaces paper assessments. In terms of instruction, our school bought Headsprout this year which does afford students the ability to learn in a game environment and provides them with more immediate feedback as to how they are doing with sounds and learning to read. The school is investing in technology this year through buying tablets for K-1 and Chromebooks for 2-5. Currently, the classroom has 2 desktops, 5 iPads, and 6 Chromebooks. The district also provides a student information management system through Clever.

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Corrie Dobis
Rachael Hayes
Mariah Jackson

#1:
How can students incorporate Voicethread to practice their fluency and/or speaking & listening skills?

How can students use  technology to be further engaged in their fluency and speaking & listening skills?

How can Voicethread be used to help struggling readers bridge the gap in their fluency?

#2:
To incorporate Voicethread into small-group literacy instruction time. We want students to be able to practice their fluency skills independently by using a technology such as Voicethread.

#3:
We will be working with 3rd grade students or Kindergarten students.

#4:
RF.3.5 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.

b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.

c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

RF.K.5 Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding.

K.TT.1 Use technology tools and skills to reinforce classroom concepts and activities.

K.TT.1.2 Use a variety of technology tools to organize data and

information (e.g., word processor, graphic organizer, audio

and visual recording, online collaboration tools, etc.).
SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.

#5:
By the week of October 16th, we will as a group finalize one of our three questions, along with the grade level to use for our project. We would then have three full weeks until November 14th in order to prepare our lesson and video to submit for peer review. We would like to give a full week to video editing and finalizing our written report. Therefore, this lesson will be completed by the first full week of November.

#6:
We will need IPads and/or Chromebooks. If these are not available, a piece of technology for students to record on. Students individual, independent reading books. Last, we will need an account to Voicethread with student account access. Potentially, student headphones and a fluency checklist for self-evaluation.

Application Questions:

1. The traditional format of working with students in small groups focused on a skill or level will be used.  We will marry this traditional format with new literacies by integrating a technology piece to enhance students’ understanding of their fluency and speaking skills.  Our PBI will address this by focusing on the standards of fluency and speaking and listening while introducing a new literacy, the Voicethread.  The new literacy will be used in a way that will allow the students to hear themselves which could give them a better understanding of how they are meeting this standard as opposed to only the teacher hearing and assessing them.

2. Social technologies are bringing major changes to our students’ experiences with reading. In this digital age, transmedia is allowing students to produce and organize multimedia tools under multiple different platforms. Our world is now teaching students how to research information, evaluate that information, and integrate their findings to present to others. This knowledge helps us approach our PBI investigation because it helps us become more aware of how we can meet our students engagement needs and propel them to take control of their own learning.

3. Six classroom chromebooks have been requested for use in the classroom. Instead of standard’s unit test being taken on paper and pencil, assessments have been assessed through programs such as kahoot, quizlet, picklers, and e.t.c. A smart board is also available to help promote student whole class participation. We are still working to get 1 to 1 devices in our classroom!

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Kimberly Harry
Cameron Jonston
Yan Zhou

Questions #1
The EL Block in the afternoon is not efficient. How can technology help engage students in EL Block in the afternoon?

Question #2
In lower graders, how to employ technology to facilitate teaching?

Question #3
In a class with some social emotional disorder kids, how do we show equity to every students and discourage the least disruption by SED students.

The initial ideas for PBI are that we will use Seasaw (Cameron), Google Classroom, Screencast (Kimberly H. Yan)

The target age group will cover 1st Grader, 3rd through 5th Graders.

Common Core Standards
RI 6, RI 7, RI 9 Use Web 2.0 tools (e.g. online discussions, blogs and wikis) to gather and share information

Task for Kimberly H: Set up engaging and collaborative literacy activities that build upon and reinforce the skills taught in the morning module lesson for Unit 1(3 weeks of activities).

Also create digital citizenship lesson plans and create class norms for new ALL block activities, since the previous ALL BLOCK lesson plans have not incorporated technology.

I have 8 chrome books and 8 iPads available to my students daily, I will need to test which activities work best on certain devices.

Task for Cameron:  I will set up Seesaw for my first grade classroom. Seesaw seems to be more age appropriate for first graders compared to Google Classroom. I plan to begin using this with my students in November in order to give students plenty of time to adjust to rotating through reading centers/stations. Students will use Seesaw to share their work with me as well as their peers while completing center activities for ELA. I will provide feedback to students through Seesaw.

Task for Yan: set up unit in the whole school year before the end of October; create current google classroom; Create Google classroom and screencast for whole semester at the end of November.
November 30th, synthesize all three tasks.

Resources to be successful:
Laptops or ipads; earbuds;
Google doc/slide/drawing; screencastify; Seasaw

New Literacy:  Learning First, Technology Second's Chapter 4 about engagement.
Don't Ditch that Tech: chapters about differentiation and personification

Benefits of PBI: Students are more engaged in study and teacher can discourage the interruption by misbehavior.
Challenge of PBI: It is a challenge for teachers to create all the online goolgeclassroom and screencast within the short time.

Technology support: Mat Miller's book and advice!

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3.  The Kindergarten School/Classroom:  We promote student independence and have speaking & listening skills we focus on as well as fluency.  This PBI will allow students to use the skills they have learned to focus on multiple skills/standards while promoting independence and self awareness.  We have 9 student chromebooks for students to use.  Instruction for this must occur.

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3.  The Kindergarten School/Classroom:  We promote student independence and have speaking & listening skills we focus on as well as fluency.  This PBI will allow students to use the skills they have learned to focus on multiple skills/standards while promoting independence and self awareness.  We have 9 student chromebooks for students to use.  Instruction for this must occur.

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What are some potential compelling questions your team is considering?

“How can I facilitate student literacy and engagement through the use of Nearpod in the classroom?”
"How can I increase comprehension and time on task through nearpod?"

How can I facilitate differentiation for students using the same text?

Through the use of nearpod students have multiple ways of communicating understanding of the text.

How can I promote and nurture engagement for all students?

Nearpod is an interactive platform that will allow students to actively engage in the text and manipulate areas for understanding. It allows for communicating their comprehension of the text in a variety of ways (i.e. by drawing a picture, typing answers, etc.) motivation to do so will be increased. Hence, an increase in confidence as students move through the experiences of the text to meet their own needs. The use of nearpod will allow students to both read and be read to omitting the challenge of decoding the words allowing for more attention to comprehension.

What initial ideas do you have for your PBI?

Use Nearpod as a technology tool to present, engage, and differentiate for students using the same grade level text

Scaffold instruction geared to a common goal (project based learning with a creative element)

What is your target age group?

Kindergarten to 2nd grade

What specific Common Core or Essential Standards learning objectives will your PBI address?

RL.K.5 Recognize common types of texts.
RL.K.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding

RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in the story

RL.2.1 Ask and answer questions such as who, what, when, where, why and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text

1.TT.1 Use technology tools and skills

K.TT.1 Use technology tools and skills to reinforce classroom concepts and activities.

What is your timeline for implementing and completing your PBI?

Complete nearpod presentation by the 10-23-19

Implement and video by 10-30-19

Finalize research paper by 11-6-19

What materials and resources do you need to be successful?

Student devices for each student or pair of students

Nearpod account

Mentor text & downloadable clips

Access codes to nearpod lesson, website access

earphones

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The ISTE Educator Standards challenge educators to deepen their practice, empower students and rethink traditional approaches to education.

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SOLID plan. Voicethread ...! Folks are coming ...as we have to teach kids to increase fluency online.

WATCH YOUR QUESTIONS...are they actually answerable??? Fluency...you are gonna FIX all of their fluency...NARROW down to one specific ASPECT(accuracy, WPM etc)

CONSIDER instead of "how" as your question...what about TO WHAT EXTENT.. AND SPECIFICALLY name technology in your question. Cool?

I look forward to what you find.

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SOLID plan. LOVE Flipgrid and your THOUGHTFULNESS to PRE teach

WATCH YOUR QUESTIONS...are they actually answerable??? Informational text ..you are gonna FIX all of their literacy...NARROW down to one specific ASPECT(inferencing, identifying themes etc.

CONSIDER instead of "how" as your question...what about TO WHAT EXTENT.. AND SPECIFICALLY FG in your question. Cool?

I look forward to what you find.

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SOLID plan. I LOVE SeeSAW...as we have to teach kids to CLOSE read online.

WATCH YOUR QUESTIONS...are they actually answerable??? LITERACY...you are gonna FIX all of their foundational literacy...NARROW down to one specific ASPECT(sound symbol, word families, fluency, vocab etc)

FANTASTIC that you SPECIFICALLY name technology in your question. Cool!

I look forward to what you find.

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SOLID plan. I LOVE Google Tour! Folks are coming back to Diigo...as we have to teach kids to CLOSE read online.

WATCH YOUR QUESTIONS...are they actually answerable???

#1 how are you going to MEASURE engagement?

#2 is WAY TOO broad

#3 SEL...you are gonna FIX all of their challenges...NARROW down to one specific ASPECT( asking for help, engage in self regulation strategies etc)

CONSIDER instead of "how" as your question...what about TO WHAT EXTENT.. AND SPECIFICALLY name technology in your question once you decide which question you are going with. Cool?

I look forward to what you find.

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SOLID plan. I LOVE Google Tour! Folks are coming back to Diigo...as we have to teach kids to CLOSE read online.
WATCH YOUR QUESTIONS...are they actually answerable??? HOw can I...is the PBI about the teacher? or students? HMMM????

LITERACY & ENGAGEMENT ...hmm how wiil you measure engagement?...you are gonna FIX all of their literacy...NARROW down to one specific ASPECT(inferencing, identifying themes etc.

CONSIDER instead of "how" as your question...what about TO WHAT EXTENT.. AND LOVE that you already have SPECIFICALLY named the technology in your question. Cool!!!!

I look forward to what you find.

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READ Chapters 7  &  8  in Learning First, Technology Second: The Educator's Guide to Designing Authentic Lessons.

READ  Chapters 8, 9 &  10 (Teaching with Transparency, Teaching Kids How to Reflect & Conclusion) in  DON'T Ditch That Tech: Differentiated Instruction in a Digital World

READ   Chapters 7  &  8 Learning Supercharged: Digital Age Strategies and Insights from the EdTech Frontier

SYNTHESIZE "key" ideas, concepts, findings from Unit 5 required materials.

ANSWER the following questions

1. SELECT one case study (Kolb) that RESONATED with you. Explain why and what new idea did you glean, BE SPECIFIC.

2. Why is Formal, Nonformal and Informal the "new normal" in today's classrooms? Support your assertions.

3. To what degree is "transparency in teaching" achievable in today's education profession? Support your assertions.

ADD a sticky in this column to leave  your response to the questions above.

You can TYPE, MAKE A VIDEO, MAKE AUDIO RECORDING (YOUR CHOICE)

CLICK the 3 dots at the bottom of your sticky to see ALL your options.

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1. One of the case studies that resonated with me is scenario four, which was introduced in chapter six when discussing the extension portion of the Triple E framework. The reason why this case study resonated with me is because I found that at times I would incorporate technology that did not further promote student learning in a way that lead to extension or enhancement. The technology I would use engaged students, such as the teachers use of the interactive whiteboard, but it did not differentiate or incorporate more personalized learning opportunities. The teacher from this scenario had a fun activity by letting students come trace the letters with whiteboard pens, but this did not extend their learning to create new opportunities or enhance their learning of the letters. In other words, the students did not have to incorporate any higher-order thinking skills (Kolb, 2017,p.86).  A new idea I took away from this case study was to be aware of how my technology integration connects with students everyday lives (Kolb, 2017, p.91). I really want to put this idea into action because it’s important to create authentic lessons that connect to students’ current lives, not just ones that focus on future skills (Kolb,2017).

Kolb, L. (2017). Learning first, technology second: the educators guide to designing authentic lessons. Portland, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

2. Formal, Nonformal, and Informal learning is the “new normal” in today’s classrooms due to the integration of technology but also largely due to the understanding that students learn differently in a variety of settings in and out of school. Therefore, educators can use what students are learning outside of the school and blend it with learning in the classroom (Lai,Khaddage,& Knezek,2013,p.415, as cited in Schrum & Sumerfield, 2018, p. 153).  One example of collaborations between formal and nonformal learning is learning in a local science museum. Students may visit a particular exhibit or take part in a designed program that supports different types of learning styles and engages all audiences. In addition to this, technology has allowed teachers to create virtual field trip engagements for students. Virtual field trip experiences allow students to visit places they are interested in learning about without having to physically go! In the spotlight 7.3 case from UNCG, Professor Levin also notes that there are virtual field trips available to teachers online but you can also create your own VFT to fit your own lesson needs in science, the arts, social studies, and so on. By blending these learning techniques, teachers are allowing students to become empowered learners and innovative designers (ISTE standards) which in turn will allow students to gain a greater understanding of the world around them.

Check out the link I've included on the bottom for an example virtual tour from George Washington's home in Mt. Vernon, mentioned in the "Spotlight 7.3" example!

Schrum, L., & Sumerfield, S. (2018). Learning supercharged: digital age strategies and insights from the edtech frontier. Portland, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

3. “Transparency can mean a better world for all of us involved in our students’ lives.” (Miller, Ridgway, & Ridgway, 2019, p. 128) I think that “transparency in teaching” is achievable in today’s education profession because of how much technology creates a bridge between in school and out of school experiences. There are two main threads discussed in three major areas of beginning to teach with transparency and those are : access and visibility  (Miller, Ridgway, & Ridgway, 2019, p. 117). The area I find most achievable in making teaching transparent is “showing off” student work. Technology apps such as Seesaw, Remind, and Class Dojo allow teachers to share student work within the community, school, and with parents/guardians of students (Miller, Ridgway, & Ridgway, 2019. We want students to share their work and be proud of what they have accomplished. “Showing Off” what happens in the classroom opens up communication within the classroom and allows faculty, students, and their parents . Connecting students with an audience for their work ultimately gives their tasks authenticity and allows them to be proud to share what they have learned.

Miller, M., Ridgway, A., & Ridgway, N. (2019). Dont ditch that tech: differentiated instruction in a digital world. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

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Beautiful, Panoramic Images in 360 Degrees

Panorama of the New Room

Panorama of the Upper Garden

At the heart of the Virtual Tour is a set of beautiful 360 degree panoramic images that you can fully control and view.

Tour every major room within the Mount Vernon Mansion, and see the upper garden, kitchen, the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, and George Washington's Gristmill & Distillery.

Many of our panoramas were filmed in locations that are not always open to the public, giving you unparalleled access.

Engaging the Virtual Tour is easy. Just use your mouse, trackpad, or finger to move left or right and up or down. These motions will enable you to see ornate ceilings, original floorboards, and all around you, giving you an exciting, full-immersion experience.

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Beautiful, Panoramic Images in 360 Degrees At the heart of the Virtual Tour is a set of beautiful 360 degree panoramic images that you can fully control and view. Tour every major room within the Mount Vernon Mansion, and see the upper garden, kitchen, the Fred W.

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trying something new here...

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1. The scenario that stuck out to me the most was Scenario 3. The activity itself I think was very necessary for the teacher to do. Se needed to model it in order for the students to be able to achieve the lesson. I sometimes feel like I am this teacher. I find it more important that I show them what is to be done so that I can make sure that they do it right. The problem in this however, which was the teacher in the scenario's problem too, I am not being purposeful when planning the lesson out. Never had I thought about what my students were doing while I modeled. The students needed to be doing something engaging throughout the entire lesson, even during the modeling piece. Another factor that I took away was that set up time matters. Too long of a set up time contributes to the idea of disengagement!

2.  One of the most relatable quotes that I took away from "Don't ditch that tech," was the fact that it stated "Students spend far more time outside or school." i find this to be very true. with the accuracy of this statement it is very important that we use technology to merge formal, non formal. and informal as the new normal. Differentiation is also very important when adapting to the idea that all students learn differently and come to school with different ranges of background knowledge. Since students spend far more time outside of school, the informal and non formal  pieces of each students will be far more regular than the formal pieces. In order to ensure that students are still learning in all environments then we have to make sure the use technology practices to infuse all of them. That is why it has become so normal in the educational realm!

3. To say that transparency is not achievable would be non sense. To say that transparency is not necessary would also be a statement of ignorance. We need transparency in the classroom to keep a clear line of communication between school and non school. I want to focus on the part of the reading that targeted parent involvement with students learning. I have issues sometimes when students are doing homework at home, but are being taught incorrectly by their parents. My parents want to help, but sometimes I find that they do not know how. The chapter talked about how important access and visibility is. I use a tool call Class Dojo to communicate with parents, give them video access to my lessons, and models of my thinking for homework purposes. The chapter outlined how important this was. My parents can access it. Students can access it. My thoughts and modeling are visible on the app as well. Technology would be the major key that links school and non school to create that transparency!

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1. The Flint Water Crisis: A Project Based Unit resonated with me because it is very similar to a 9 week unit I teach in third grade on how people around the word access water. This case study gave me a lot of wonderful ideas on how I can enhance and extend my current curriculum. I think opening the unit by having students consider and learn about universal human rights is a powerful way to engage students.  I also loved that the teacher helped students make connections between the children in Flint, Michigan and their own community. The Piktocharts the students created to inform their pen pals were a great way for students share and display their new learning. I am excited to have my students choose their own technology tool to share their new learning.

2.  Formal, Nonformal, and Informal learning are the new normal because communities and schools are creating opportunities for students to learn outside of school through partnerships with universities, museums, and science centers. Also, many school students use IT outside of school, and learning outside of school is equally important in development. As the book Learning Supercharged stated by quoting Vygotsky, "Ultimately, only life educates, and the deeper that life, the real world, burrows into the school, the more dynamic and the more robust will be the educational process."  I enjoyed learning about how teachers use virtual field trips and Skype to enhance and extend lessons. My students read about places and people all over the world, giving them the opportunity to experience those locations through technology would certainly add authenticity to their learning. "The idea is for students to avoid inquiries that can be answered through search engines."(164, Schrum) This statement explains how the Skype experiences can truly enhance student learning. Blending formal and informal learning is also important for educators as part of teacher training and professional development. By doing this teachers can increase both their content knowledge and their confidence.

3.  Transparency in teaching is extremely achievable in today's education profession. There are so many free technology tools that allow teachers to connect with students and parents at home. These tools have evolved quickly over the years, allowing teachers to provide families and communities a window into their classroom. Using Google Classroom teachers can easily organize student activities that can be worked on at school or at home,  which allows students to work ahead or catch up. Tools such as Flipgrid and Youtube allow teachers to create short videos that model new concepts and learning for families. Students can share their work and reflect on their projects by creating portfolios on Class Dojo, SeeSaw, and Google Classroom. Teachers can share their classroom activities and learn about other teachers' classrooms using Twitter. The great thing is most of these programs can be accessed from a variety of devices, including smartphones.

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Brittany Regan

1.     The case study that resonated with me most was Case Study 2: PLTW Sun, Moon, and Stars. This is an upcoming Unit that we are going to be covering in Science and therefore gave me a plethora of ideas to share with my team.  So many times, when studying this unit, EVERYONE wants to do the Oreo Cookie as the Moon “experiment.” I loved to be able to go back to my team with real examples of ways we can include technology into our old lessons. Since I have started having my students use See Saw, I will have them use it for their learning log for Science.  We have the exact same problem at my school where there is no protection from the sun, and we need a solution too! This is a great opportunity for the “little” kids in our school to show their designs and thoughts that could be used in their everyday life to help others at our school. The way the Case Study is sequenced can be the way that I set up my lessons.  One new idea that I thought was something we could easily include would be SkyMap and Moon Globe.  These two and the other resources mentioned will be enhancing student learning because they aren’t able to see these things up close. Plearning with my team on these different resources will be an experience! One thing that I do think my students would be thrilled about would be to interview an astronaut!

2.     With the growth of technology in schools so many things have needed to adapt. Teachers have had to adapt to the digital gaps.  Students are adapting to the world of social media. Therefore, our ideas of what was normal is incredibly different. The old terms have been replaced due to the branches in technology that we can now explore often without needing to leave the classroom.  Teaching in a Title 1 school often leads to students not being able to afford these expensive field trips that often leave them with a feeling of dissatisfaction.  However, when reading about virtual field trips this nonformal way of experiencing something is exciting for students.  When reading about Google Cardboard, I immediately ordered one to see how realistic these were.  I want my students to have experiences that we can’t do in real life. One struggle that often occurs with many of my Title 1 students is that their informal experiences are not something anyone would brag about.  These families don’t have access to meaningful experiences to increase their background knowledge.   That’s where I hope to create a rich formal education where we can inspire each other to create and use technology to enhance and extend what we want to learn.

3.     I think that transparency is achievable when given the opportunity by administration to seek out other alternative ways to reach students and meet their specific needs and interests. I also think that teachers need access to updated technology to best teach 21st century learners.  I have really stepped outside my comfort zone this year with my students and have tried to be transparent with my knowledge when modeling my expectations for students when using a new tool. That we are all in this together and my students have given me so much grace when I try something new and it doesn’t work out quite right.  I use the term Plearning with my students because even though I model and model how to use an app or site, they will have to be problem solvers and plearn a little like I did with the new tool. Including parents in these discussions have been important so they see their child’s progress at home where they can show off their work.  My parents have felt like they were in the loop due to ClassDojo and See-Saw.

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1. SELECT one case study (Kolb) that RESONATED with you. Explain why and what new idea did you glean, BE SPECIFIC.

The case study  that resonated with me was the 11th grade E-Mentors. I enjoyed this opportunity because the intent of this E-Mentor, which in essence is to give students access and opportunity, to connect with real-world people in their field of interest. I think this is important because like the article stated, some people don’t have access or aspirations to surpass the 12th grade. But through this, the exposure and “mentorship” could be what encourages students to further their education. The practical opportunities were also a gread “perk” because some of the application and communication tools established early on, can only help.

An idea I gleaned would be to have my students begin this process by at least beginning to think about their futures, do some research on a field of interest, and begin to explore what it looks like to achieve their career goals.

2. Why is Formal, Nonformal and Informal the "new normal" in today's classrooms? Support your assertions.

Formal, non-formal, and informal is the “new normal” in today’s classrooms because it’s proven to be most successful on student academic success. As the reading stated, most of our learning occurs informally but, it seems that a well balance of all educational opportunities (formal, non-formal, and informal) all would prove to be most successful because of their approach to teaching and learning. Formal education is still necessary because it prepares/exposes you to more in depth analysis of the informal- non-formal access to learning.

3. To what degree is "transparency in teaching" achievable in today's education profession? Support your assertions.

I believe that “transparency in teaching” is obtainable in some aspects of education but not all. I think it’s important that students understand where they are starting and ending and to have power over their own success. Students understanding a teacher's role and vice versa is the start to a balance of power and ownership as it relates to academic success.

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Rachael Hayes
1. SELECT one case study (Kolb) that RESONATED with you. Explain why and what new idea did you glean, BE SPECIFIC.

-Case study #1, Scavenger Hunting for French Cultural Connections, resonated with me.  In this study the teacher used Google Earth and Cardboard to inspire & allow students to make connections between their everyday lives and that of the Parisian culture.  She introduced this activity by beginning with a read aloud, “A Walk In Paris.”  After reading the book, students go on their own walk in Paris” using Google Earth and they have their own scavenger hunt checklist of items to search for.  The scavenger hunt creates an  opportunity for a shared experience and encourages conversation between her students and their pen pals.  Using Google Earth, students are able to see and experience what their pen-pals do on a daily basis, this is allowing the students an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have.

This resonated with me because it  allows students to see in real-world time what daily life looks like in another country.  While google earth is not a new tool, I have not thought to use it with young students.  This activity was done with K-2 students and is something I could easily do with my kindergarten class.  We want to expose our students to other cultures, especially where I teach, in a rural setting, these students know very little about the world and other places.  Being able to bring it to life by using Google Earth makes it much more engaging for the students.  In kindergarten, we introduce most topics/teaching points with a read aloud and this seems like an activity that I could incorporate to engage my students in learning about other cultures.

2. Why is Formal, Nonformal and Informal the "new normal" in today's classrooms? Support your assertions.

“The idea of blending nonformal and informal learning with learning into formal educational settings has expanded during the last decades, and technology has played a role in the potential and reality” (Shrum, 153.)  Being aware that learning takes place in different types of settings allows educators more flexibility to adapt lessons and learning opportunities.   The collaboration of blending formal and nonformal learning can take place in  museums, libraries and virtual field trips. STEM education are often part of the nonformal experiences offered outside of the traditional classroom.  Exhibits and learning spaces are designed for informal learning that is active and self driven.  These informal learning environments promote different kinds of engagement to support different learning styles.  The blending of formal, nonformal and informal improve student learning opportunities and provide students with even more learning opportunities which are equally as important in students development.

3. To what degree is "transparency in teaching" achievable in today's education profession? Support your assertions.

-Transparency is very achievable in education today.  Thanks to technology we have the ability to provide reliable modeling to both students and parents.  Digital tools such as QR scanners, screencasts, Canvas, Google slides, Twitter and more, give us outlets to open our modeling to students and families.  We are also able to open our content and material up to families as well using tools such as google docs/calendar, twitter, instagram and LiveBinders.  We can also increase communication with apps/tools such as Class DoJo, Remind or Edmodo.

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Kristin Nance

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"New Normal"

Formal, nonformal, and informal learning is the new normal in today's classrooms because "learning can take place across boundaries, and what has been learned out of school can help share what is learned in school" (Lai, Khaddage, and Knezek, 2013. P. 415). Students need a blended learning experience because each student comes with a set of unique abilities and backgrounds. According to Learning Supercharged page 152, "We know that much of what any individual knows is not learned in a formal classroom setting". Teachers need to provide other learning experiences and opportunities for students to learn through virtual field trips, in-person field trips, and partnering with the community to provide exploratory units of study for STEAM instruction. In my 5th grade social studies class, I have rented "History in a Box" kits for our colonial America and American Revolution unit that have artifacts and first hand accounts for various times in history. The students enjoy exploring these and testing out the toys kids played with during these time periods and inferring what each artifact was used for before learning about its use. We also go to Washington DC every year for an in-person field trip and experiencing Mount Vernon in person, having a guided tour of Arlington National Cemetery, and learning about the history of each monument is an invaluable learning experience I could not create for my students through formal learning. Technology is a necessary tool to create a blended learning experience for students. Teachers could use Skype, virtual reality technology (such as Google Cardboard), and Google Earth to explore different biomes, landmarks, or any other location outside the school building. The opportunities for exploration are endless with the help of technology tools and resources.

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Formal, nonformal, and informal learning is the new normal in today's classrooms because "learning can take place across boundaries, and what has been learned out of school can help share what is learned in school" (Lai, Khaddage, and Knezek, 2013. P. 415).

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1. I chose Case Study 8, “All-American Road Trip” because the name caught my attention immediately. I love road trips and when I saw that math and social studies were combined in this lesson, I was interested to see how the teacher was going to present the two to students. Honestly this case study resonated with me because it would have been one of my favorites as a student. I am a planner, and I enjoy planning itineraries and finding the best way to do something for the least cost. Although it is a sixth grade lesson, it can be adjusted for younger grades to plan a day at the zoo, or the state fair using a certain time frame and amount of money. I would love to implement a similar lesson in an elementary classroom at some point.

1. Formal, nonformal, and informal learning have become the new normal in schools because teachers are finally starting to move away from the idea that all students learn the exact same way and that learning outside the classroom is just as important as learning inside the classroom. So much done in the classroom is stressful for students because they believe there is a right and wrong way to learn. Teachers are incorporating more learning opportunities where students have the chance to learn from each other and from their own exploration into a topic. Field trips are a great way to do this, but they are not always feasible. Many places now have virtual field trips, or can even bring their materials to the school to work with students. These methods of learning have definitely become the “new normal” for educators because they are essential to reaching every student in his or her world.

1. Transparent teaching and giving other people, especially parents, inside access to the classroom is crucial to students’ academic and personal success. Parents should be in contact with the teacher regarding behavior, special events, and general happenings in the classroom and school. I found that ClassDojo worked extremely well for communicating with parents and updating them with information. However, there is more to transparency than just letting people know what is going on at school. This chapter mentioned using digital tutorials for students that may need extra help, and ways to find resources for their current topics, whether that was through hashtags or forums. One issue I have seen recently in education is that students are being taught new methods for completing work, most noticeably in math. Parents were not taught the same methods and often do not know how to help their children with work. By providing a tutorial or examples for parents to use, teachers are not only showing what is being learned in class, but they are also helping parents connect with the material and be more present in their child’s learning. However, I do not think it is feasible for teachers to share every detail of lessons and things that go on in the classroom with everyone. If teachers think a lesson is going to be great, then he or she can record it and choose to share it after the fact. While some aspect of transparency is attainable every day, it is not attainable to maintain all aspects of transparency every day.

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Listen in to hear what I learned and synthesized this week!

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1. I chose Case Study #2: PLTW Sun, Moon, and Stars. This case study was perfect for me because it is based on a first grade class, and I teach first grade. The class was focusing on patterns of the sun, moon, and stars. Currently, I am teaching day and night and the phases of the moon during my science block. All I can say is, wow! The first grade class in the case study is so much more advanced with their learning than what I am currently doing with my first graders. The school in the case study is a STEAM school and seems very project based. My school is working to become an IB school, so there are definitely some ideas from this case study that I can pull and apply to this science unit. I love the idea of using Skype to talk with a real astronaut. This may be difficult, however, because I would not know where to begin to contact a real astronaut. I liked how the teachers in the case study used Popplet as a way to tie in ELA and informational text. I’ve used Popplet as a student myself but had forgotten about it over the years. This would be a great way to make sure all students are involved and collaborating. Overall, this case study really got me thinking about my first grade team’s current teaching practices with the sun, moon, and stars. I was able to learn some great new ideas that I plan on taking back to my team.

2. Formal, Nonformal, and Informal seem to be the “new normal” in today’s classrooms because there is such a huge push (in my school at least) for teachers to connect students’ learning to their everyday lives. The traditional method of formal education is no longer the normal avenue for instruction in most classrooms with the teacher lecturing and the students listening. Instead, there is much more nonformal instruction taking place with students collaborating and learning through talking and technology. In addition, it seems that informal instruction is a huge focus as we work to build gaps between students’ background knowledge and what they need to know in school.

3. Transparency in teaching is extremely achievable in today’s education profession, and our reading provided many ideas for how to make this possible. “Don’t Ditch That Tech” stated that “modeling is not exactly a new idea in education” which is absolutely true. As teachers, we are constantly modeling for our students. I feel this to be especially true for my younger students who need a lot of scaffolding and modeling. In order to make our modeling transparent, educators can use technology in order to share modeling with students as well as parents. There are many technology tools that can be used in order to allow students and parents to access modeling from home. Another way to be more transparent is just by being open with students and parents about upcoming activities that will be focused on. This can be done with technology, but my school create a monthly newsletter to share with families. I also like the idea of “showing off” work that is being done in the classroom by sharing it with others through technology. Currently, I share students work through Class Dojo so that parents can see. I can take this a step further and use other platforms to share students’ work with more people.

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1.     The case study that resonated with me most was Case Study 2: PLTW Sun, Moon, and Stars.

This resonated with me for two reasons. The first being that my son is in the first grade and they are actually doing this exact same unit. Everyday, he looks forward to sharing all of the information that he’s learned about the moon. Today, they did the traditional Oreo Cookie Moon activity. He loved it and so did I. I’ve seen it on Pinterest but had never seen anyone actually implement it with their class. He was so excited to share everything about it and of course his favorite part was eating it. However, although he enjoyed it and was able to share what they did, it makes me wonder how much of it actually resonated with him. They uploaded it to Seesaw but other than that no additional technology was used. After reading the chapter, I became certain that if he would have done an activity such as the one the students did in Case study 2, it would have heightened his excitement about the moon and space in general. He would have absolutely loved to skype with an astronaut or use Popplet to put his thoughts somewhere while collaborating with others. His curiosity about outer space is literally, outside of this world! My second reason for this study resonating with me is the kindergarteners at my school and our playground. Every day that we go out to recess, all of the students complain about the sun and how there is no shade. They all literally try to find a piece of shade and stand there. I believe that if I brought this idea to my team they would all think it’d be amazing because not only would we benefit from it, our students would be challenged as well. Currently, our principal is pushing that we step out of the box and utilize technology in meaningful ways. I believe this is the perfect project!  I look forward to bringing this information to our team and hopefully can implement it this year, if not for next year!

2. When comparing the amount of time we spend in formal classrooms versus outside of the classroom, we can conclude that students spend majority of their time outside. The bulk of what students learn is not in the formal classroom. Learning that happens outside of the classroom has been divided into two categories - nonformal and informal. Non Formal learning is planned but can change based on a number of reasons. Whereas informal learning is unintentional but meaningful. Learning can happen in so many forms and what has been learned out of school can help shape what is learned in school. With this being said, Formal, Non Formal and Informal has become the “new normal.” These concepts are now looked at as a new way of thinking and learning. They have been intertwined to help students across a wide range of possible subjects, specifically technology and STEM. In the text, it stated that informal science learning is everywhere around us. There are so many programs that support and focus the informal education of science to encourage lifelong learners. Research has proven that students of low SES status are not actively involved in activities after school or partake in meaningful conversations at home so therefore lack a lot of prior knowledge that could help them on assessments such as standardized tests. Programs, such as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program supports learners, particularly students from high poverty communities and offers an array of enrichment activities that complement their regular academic programs. Additionally, it offers literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children. Programs that expand upon the school day and provide resources like this can help all students in various ways. Virtual field trips is also a way to integrate the different forms of learning and expanding upon the traditional classroom environment. It offers opportunities to reinforce or even expand upon what is taught in the classroom by providing additional perspectives, strike interest, experience and motivation. Science opens the door to so many possibilities. Classrooms use things such as Skype in the Classroom to take virtual field trips, and have guest speakers to allow students to experience a once in a lifetime opportunities!

Educators must understand the criticality of connecting the dots between understanding that students learn differently in school and out of school settings to provide opportunities for all students. Educators who blend the formal, non formal and informal educational experiences will aid in their students becoming empowered learners who can construct knowledge using a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions as explained by the ISTE Student Standards.

3. "Transparency in teaching" is very possible! Not only are we able to share material with students we are also able to share with parents and guardians as well. By being transparent with parents and guardians it makes them an active stakeholder in their student's educational journey.
To effectively open the doors to transparency, modeling what you  want to students and parents by using things such as Screencastify to display all of your steps will make things easier because you never know your audience and you want to reach everyone. To help your class see what you'd like its always best to show your example as well as a student sample.

As an educator, you also have to be transparent with yourself in terms of evolving with the day and time. You have to understand that one shoe does not fit all - you have to think about how students learn outside of the classroom and how you can reach them.

There are several free apps available to help in the process of being transparent, you have to be transparent to be effective!