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! 

 

 

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!

“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

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.

 

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.

 

 

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 21^st 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.

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.

-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.

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!