Facebook for Research Projects!

            The article titled “What if Abraham Lincoln Had a Facebook Page?” discusses the use of Facebook as a learning device. The author describes how current ways of assigning students research projects and reports is very uninteresting to students. The idea of integrating Facebook as a supplement to a research project is then introduced as a means of digital storytelling. Some of the examples that were given was to make a page about Abraham Lincoln, and then another about the relationship between the United States, Cuba, and the Soviet Union during the cold war. The article explains how integrating this social tool can keep the interests of the students and be a powerful means of storytelling.

            As a future teacher I think that the idea of using Facebook as a means of digital storytelling will be very powerful in my classroom. I think that because my students will be very familiar with Facebook, it will be very exciting for them and something that they will feel comfortable doing. The fact that my students will be so experienced with this type of site also makes me wonder if they will become very creative and come up with their own ideas? I would personally like to use this idea if I did research projects with my students on different countries of the world. I think this will be a fun and unique way for students to come up with different ways to use Facebook and enjoy this type of project I plan to do.

            This article represents ISTE standards for student’s number one, which is creativity and innovation. The students are required to “develop innovative products and processes using technology”, which is done by the students creating a Facebook page on the internet.  Another standard that is met is number two, and this is on communication and collaboration. The standard states that “students use digital media to communicate”, which is met by the students using the Facebook page to tell a digital story. Standard number five is also met, and is about digital citizenship. This states that students “practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.” Since they are creating a page that will be on the internet for others to see, they have to practice being responsible with what they create.

Glover, Bryant. (2013). What if Abraham Lincoln had a facebook page?. Learning & Leading with Technology, 8(40), 38-39.

Meeting Diverse Student Needs

            In the video titled “UDL at a Glance”, it discusses how teachers all have diverse groups of students with different learning needs with Universal . It then goes on to explain how teachers can meet the needs of all of their students. The phrase “universal design for learning” is then explained and how it helps diverse learners. The video then gave three different steps for teachers on how to demonstrate universal design for learning in the classroom. Then in the article titled “Build an Assistive Technology Toolkit”, explains assistive technology in the classroom and how to get it started. There are different free assistive technology tools that are mentioned such as “Bookshare”. Some tips are then given on working with your IT department to get the assistive technology.

            I think that a universal design for learning is important for any classroom, and I plan to implement those tips into my own classroom. When I have my own classroom I will be facing the issue of having a variety of different student learning needs. I will implement the steps given by creating a variety of teaching models, giving my students opportunities to express themselves, and providing my students with different choices of learning activities in my classroom. I think that integrating assistive technology into the classroom is also very important and I can use it in my own classroom for my students with special needs and their varied learning styles. One example would be that if I had a student that had vision problems, I could use Google Books to find books for the visually impaired. I will work with my IT department by consulting with them and understanding IT terminology.

            In the “Build an Assistive Technology Toolkit” article, I did not find anything that met any of the ISTE standards for students. For the “UDL at a Glance” video, I also did not find any evidence of any of the ISTE standards for students being met.

Gravel, Jenna. David Rose (producer). (2011). UDL at a glance [internet]. Available from http://www.udlcenter.org

Ahrens, Kelly. (2011). Build an assistive technology toolkit. Learning & Leading with Technology, 3(39), 22-24.

Student Created Websites

                        The article titled “Students Strike Gold with Bowling Alley Webpage”, describes how high school students create a website for a local bowling alley. A high school business teacher for a web design class puts her students in pairs to design a website for a local bowling alley. Each pair then comes up with a website design to present and hopefully get chosen to be used for the bowling alley.

                        As an elementary school teacher, I think I could use a web design project like this with upper elementary aged school students. I would conduct the lesson as a classroom project that is done with me under my supervision at all times. This would be a nice way to introduce students to web design for future classes and other aspects of technology. As a class I would allow students to contribute ideas together as we created a website and I taught the class different aspects of creating a website. I would also create small groups to be assigned small tasks such as coming up with ideas for wording or graphic design.

                        The article fits under many of the ISTE standards for students. It clearly fits under standard number one, which states students “generate new ideas, products, or processes”. The students in the article each generated their own ideas for the website project. The article also fits standard number two which states students “interact, collaborate, and publish with peers”. The students in the article worked in pairs with each other to construct and come up with ideas. Standard number three is also represented by this article which states students “gather, evaluate, and use information”. The students were close to the bowling alley to be able to gather data needed for the website and any photos. Standard number four is met which states that students “use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions”. The students had a rubric with guidelines to follow and also encountered problems such as meeting the customer needs.  The article fits standard number five which states students “practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology”. The project also included the students discussing matters such as social, ethical, and legal issues. They also practiced writing proper citation pages and writing their own text and taking their own pictures. Standard number six was also met which states students “understand and use technology systems”. Students demonstrated their understanding of technology through manual coding, Adobe Photoshop, and maintaining a blog.

Candela, Tasha. (2012). Students strike gold with bowling alley webpage. Learning & Leading with Technology, 5(39), 40-42.

Virtual Field Trips

    

                        The article titled “Yes, You Can Take a Field Trip to India!” shows how using technology, a classroom can now take field trips to places all around the world. The article talks about how one teacher uses blogs and pictures on a trip to India, to keep in touch with a third grade classroom while on the trip. The teacher also brought back souvenirs, answered classroom questions through email, and attempted to skype. The classroom is able to experience a virtual field trip by the information provided through the traveling teacher. After the trip, the teacher went to visit the classroom and discuss the field trip further in person. The article explained how through all the different activities, the students were able to experience a virtual field trip to India.

                        I feel that this is a great way for students to take “field trips” and to learn about the world in general. When I become an elementary school teacher I would love to do this with my own class. Children would find this very fun and exciting I am sure. I think it would be an added benefit if my students kept a journal along with reading the blogs. As an added bonus I think it would be good for my students to blog back and forth with the traveler in addition to emailing. Another idea I had was for students to make videos with questions and requests for the traveler. I think it is also a great way for my students to also learn more about the use of technology with education.

                        This is an example of ISTE standards for students number two. Standard number two is about communication and collaboration and requires students to “use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance”. The students clearly learn information across many countries in this example with the teacher in the story. Standard two also requires students to “develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures”, which is also shown in this article. The students learn about another culture by taking a virtual field trip by blogging with the traveling teacher.

Casolaro, Nancy. (2013). Yes, you can take a field trip to India!. Learning & Leading with Technology, 1(41), 30-32.