jkies

Energy and Power Technology Integration Lesson Plan

2011-12-15T17:47:00.003-06:00

Throughout the Selecting and Integrating Technologies class, I focused on one of the four classes I teach every day. Principles of Engineering is the hardest class for both the students and me. For the technology integration plan, I focused on Lesson 1.2, Power and Energy. Click here to see the full plan.

Having redesigned this unit, I believe it would be very successful. Students would enjoy and benefit from fewer lectures and more hands-on constructive learning. The biggest challenge would be the amount of time the redesigned lesson would take. The original lesson is scheduled for nine days. As I have rewritten it, it would probably take at least fifteen days. Project Lead the Way is a national curriculum with a standardized, cumulative test at the end of the year. The curriculum is very thorough and provides the concepts, key terms, essential questions and objectives that are required to be successful on the end of year exam. If I implemented this kind of strategy for each lesson, we would not cover all of the necessary material in a school year.

One of the ways I could implement some of these changes without sacrificing content would be to invert or flip the classroom. If the demonstrations and lectures were provided for students to watch as homework, I would have more time in class to provide the scaffolding and discussion described to support the 21st Century Learning and Universal Design for Learning principles. This would also support those principles by providing students with recordings they could pause and re-watch. My current practices do not always support student learning to the fullest because we have to rush through some of the content, which does not accommodate students who write slower or need more time to process.

I learned a lot about instructional development throughout this class. I found that I am already applying many of the 21st Century Learning and Universal Design for Learning principles, but that I also need to continue being aware of student learning differences and obstacles to learning. Looking back at past final project reflections, there is a theme throughout: content comes first. This particular project was easy in that regard since I was using content that I currently teach. The content is the basis of everything for this lesson and helped me determine what to keep, what to cut, and where I could provide more opportunities for my students to learn, apply and internalize the material.

This will affect my future instructional development as I continue teaching this class. There is so much content, but I feel that as long as I focus on the content and apply the principles we have discussed throughout this term, my students will benefit from increased motivation and higher achievement. Next year, I hope that I can implement the changes described in this lesson plan along with a flipped classroom so that less class time is focused on lecture, and students have more support during the application phases. I will also apply the principles we have learned in the other four classes I teach especially the gradual release of responsibility framework, which will help incorporate 21st Century Learning and Universal Design for Learning.

Universal Design For Learning

2011-12-04T21:13:00.004-06:00

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) incorporates different teaching strategies into curriculum development to provide students equal opportunities to learn. UDL uses research into neuroscience to engage three primary brain networks: recognition, strategic and affective. According to the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), “UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.” I used the CAST UDL lesson builder to analyze and improve the Principles of Engineering Lesson 3.1 Machine Control with a focus on Project 3.1.7, the culmination of the lesson (see lesson plan here).

Recognition Network
Within the Recognition Network area, I found that I am already implementing some of these strategies, which include presenting information in different ways. Throughout Lesson 3.1, Machine Control, I provided my students with materials to supplement the Project Lead the Way curriculum. I know some students find programming languages difficult to learn and implement. It can be like learning a foreign language so I provided some pictorial references that they could use to help them learn the material. I made copies of the power point charts for students to glue into their engineering notebooks. I found flowcharts which correspond with the language and added them to the power point and printed them out for the students as well. Students can also re-read the power point presentations on the class website; in order to provide another means of perception, I am also trying to find a Text-to-Speech tool that I can embed in the class website.

Strategic Network
In the Strategic Network, which is the “how” of learning, I found that I could do better providing options for students for navigating the learning environment and expressing what they know. The design problems in Project 3.1.7 do allow students to choose the level of complexity for their build, which means students with movement impairments can choose less complicated builds. Students also have choices on the level of programming they are comfortable with and the option of designing their programming plan using flowcharts, psuedocode, natural language or code. Students who struggle with writing can type their journal entries and glue them into their engineering notebooks. There are also technologies available for taking pictures and using 3-D modeling software for students who struggle with drawing. In order to help all students, not just those who struggle with organizing their process, I start the project with a group brainstorming session about questions that they will want to answer as they brainstorm solutions to their problem. I found last year that most students didn’t know where to start so this year, I elicited a list of questions during the anticipatory set. I wrote the questions on the board including some quick sketches and a discussion.

Affective Network
In the Affective Network, which focuses on student motivation, Project 3.1.7 provides several different areas for choice. Students choose which problem they are interested in and spend time brainstorming individually. After they have some ideas down, whether it’s drawings, notes, questions, or flowcharts, I have students get together with other people who chose the same problem and share their ideas. Then students have the choice of which group to be a part of or working alone. In this way, there are different options for engagement.

Online Security and Research for Freshmen Seminar

2011-11-16T21:15:00.006-06:00

High school students have a variety of needs in the areas of cybersecurity and web utilization. The students have more freedom than ever before and higher expectations to meet. All freshmen at Jefferson High School take a freshman seminar class, which includes lessons on career paths, study skills and strategies to get the most out of high school. The class is one trimester long.

The freshman seminar class provides an ideal opportunity for instructing students in methods to stay safe while using the Internet. It is also a great time for students to learn how to improve their research skills in order to meet the higher expectations of high school. In order to meet the needs of high school teachers, students and parents, I propose a combination of lessons focused on online safety and research skills.

Parents:
Freshman parents will attend a session during the September Open House. Commonsense Media provides a great presentation to introduce the subject and begin a dialog Digital Life: Our Kids’ Connect Culture. Parents and students will complete the Common Sense media agreement for parents and teens in high school as an artifact. The intended outcome is to raise awareness and improve the dialog between parents, students and teachers. Students will discuss the agreements when they begin the safety lessons during their seminar.
When students begin the research lessons during the seminar, the following resources will also be available to parents.
• Parent Tip Sheet: Smart Search Online
• Parent Tip Sheet: Research and Evaluation
• Parent Tip Sheet: Wikipedia
• Parent Tip Sheet: Managing Multitasking
• Parent Tip Sheet: High Tech Cheating
• Wikipedia Tips
• Managing Multitasking
• Cheating Goes Hi-Tech

Students:
The Privacy and Digital Footprint Overview describes two lessons in which students learn about managing their privacy and the dangers of the permanent nature of Internet contributions. Commonsense Media provides the following objectives for these two lessons:

Students will:
• Learn that they have a public presence online called a digital footprint
• Recognize the importance of context in posting or viewing online images
• Reflect on how to protect the privacy of others online
• Consider how to present an authentic and positive image of themselves online

Students will complete these lessons during the first week of the freshman seminar. They will begin the discussion of their online footprint by sharing the media agreement they created with their parents. As the lessons progress, they will be required to discuss their learning with their parents and share the Privacy and Reputation HS Parent Tips. The two lessons are Private Today, Public Tomorrow (9-10) and College Bound (11-12). Although the second lesson is for juniors and seniors, it applies to the seminar class because one of the goals of the class is to prepare students for life after high school.

The Searching Unit Overview describes one lesson in which students learn strategies for conducting online research. Commonsense Media provides the following objectives for this lesson:

Students will:
• Understand the importance of using a variety of search strategies
• Master new strategies for effective and efficient online searches
• Learn to create and execute a five-step plan for conducting an online search

Students will complete the Strategic Searching (9-12) lesson during the fourth week of the class before they begin the career research project. The lesson and the practice will help students be more productive when they research during the rest of their high school years.

Teachers:
Teachers will complete a training session during the pre-service meetings in August. They will complete the online Curriculum Overview tutorial, which introduces curriculum concepts and materials. The focus is on safety and protecting students’ online presence. The teachers will be introduced to the schedule, concepts, and curriculum that will be provided during the freshmen seminar. Teachers will also complete the Strategic Searching lesson in groups in order to help reinforce the skills throughout the students’ high school careers. During these pre-service meetings, teachers will also have the opportunity to discuss implementing more lessons in their own classes and discuss the parent information.

This was written in a word processing software, and pasted into this space. During the transfer, all of the links were lost. You may see the post here with all of the links in the correct places.

Technology Integration Matrix

2011-10-09T19:51:00.009-05:00

Using the Technology Integration Matrix, I have created a Google document describing how I integrate technology into the Principles of Engineering (POE) class. I described one lesson from the first unit of POE, Energy and Power, for the Gradual Release of Responsibility Project so I thought it would be appropriate to use projects and activities from the whole unit for addressing technology integration. The lessons are Mechanisms, Energy Sources, Energy Applications, and the Energy and Power Design Project. The students in this class are all sophomores and juniors in high school. They have taken the Introduction to Engineering Design course and have similar levels of technology knowledge and experience.

In the Kies Technology Integration Matrix , I have described each activity by identifying:
a. which cell of the Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) the activity falls under
b. why I chose this cell
c. how I currently use this activity in the class
d. what I would do to take the activity up a notch in the TIM
Following each description is the list of concepts and objectives that are addressed in the activity.

Picture: Jing screenshot of Technology Integration Matrix

Calendars are Wonderful

2011-09-05T18:03:00.006-05:00

Like many teachers, I urge my students to organize their work in binders and track assignments in their planners, but with Web 2.0 tools, they need new kinds of organization skills. At Jefferson, we use the free, K-12 version of CourseSites by Blackboard with our Project Lead the Way students to provide curriculum resources and a college-like experience. At UNI, my masters classes are provided online using the higher education version, BlackBoard 9.

I provide my students with a schedule for the class using the Announcements tool. I create a simple chart of the week (right) with information about what we are doing in class and what they should be working on for homework. I include the due dates for assignments here, but I also put due dates into the calendar. When students log in, they see the calendar on their homepage (above), and here the calendar includes information for all of the classes they are enrolled in. This is perfect for my students in DE and POE at the same time; they can prioritize. When they open the class page, they see the detailed chart if they need more information. It's also great when students are absent; they can submit work from home and read through presentations, and some of them will actually do it.

Students can also set up their accounts to receive calendar and announcement updates via email or text message. I have a feeling they will integrate a Twitter-type system someday. Last year one student put the assignments on her Facebook page, and everyone would follow her rather than log into the system, but now students can use their Facebook, Google and other accounts to get into the system too. Change is swift. I'm new to this version of Blackboard, and while there are some bugs (don't choose the Canada background), I enjoy using it.

Below, I created a short Animoto video demonstrating how to add Events using the Calendar Tool on Blackboard. It's a wonderful thing and I wish everyone who uses blackboard would use it.

Flat Classroom Final Day

2011-02-27T18:17:00.004-06:00

Vicki and Julie were right. This is one conference you want to stay at until the end (and not just for the door prizes). The final day of the conference began as frenzied as the rest. Dr. Leigh Zeitz, Andrew Chambers, Apple Distinguished Educators, and UNI grad students juried the teacher's projects in order to determine the top three, which would be presented at the closing ceremony.

We used a rubric to assess teachers' progress in creating a Flat Classroom Project. Since the teachers did not have the rubric while they were creating their projects, we were a little hesitant at first to use it as the criteria. We decided to go ahead and use the rubric as written using the "low" score of one as the base from which they could exceed expectations. Since there was one mix-up, we found that we were applying the rubric fairly. Andrew and Farrah accidentally assessed the same group as Deb and I. The scores were 40 and 41, therefore we felt confident that although most scores were very low, they were an accurate reflection of the work.

Some of the teachers didn't really think so though when we reviewed the rubric with them and gave them feedback. I understand. I like to get "good grades," but this wasn't about grades. It was about feedback on creating something to really use in class. Many teachers said that they were indeed planning to use their creation, and some didn’t realize they were supposed to. All in all, for a first run I think the Action Based/Work Product conference went well.

The closing ceremony was moving and entertaining. Not only did the top three teacher teams present, the top six student groups produced their final videos. The videos were impressive in content and execution. Many students stood in front of their creation and expressed their gratitude for the chance to collaborate with students from other cultures. I hope they keep in touch, like I plan on keeping in touch with the wonderful people I met during this conference.

Thank you to everyone including Julie Lindsay, Vicki Davis, Steve Madsen, Andrew Chambers, Madeleine Brookes, Bernajean Porter, Frank Guttler, and especially Dr. Leigh Zeitz, Kathy Klink-Zeitz and my UNI cohorts. I feel honored and privileged to have worked with you all. It was inspiring, challenging and fun. I hope we can do it again next year!

Conference day 2

2011-02-26T09:54:00.006-06:00

It snowed in Beijing today! After the gorgeous weather at the Great Wall on Thursday, it felt like winter again. It reminded me of home and that our time here is fleeting. Unlike the big fluffy flakes in Iowa, this snow had a man-made, pellety feeling because the snow was caused by seeding the clouds. If I could arrange the snow fall like that, no more snow days! Always out of school by June 5th would be great.

Some teachers and students at the conference marveled at the snow during breakfast, and then we started off running. Teachers were on the other side of the table today. They pitched their project idea to students and received feedback. We should do this more often as a part of best teaching practices. I’m not ashamed to say I took one of the rubric and question print outs at the end of the session. We pay lip service to feedback a lot more often than we really use it. Actually standing in front of someone makes a real difference.

I spent the afternoon with Wati Wardani from Jakarta, Indonesia. We worked on using Wikispaces, and I learned a lot. I consider myself an intermediate Wikispaces user, and Wati is a beginner. Walking through the features available with her really opened my eyes to some of the possibilities of Wikispaces. We created our first template together; with 150 students, Wati needs create a lot of pages fast. We talked about how using Wikispaces would help students learn technology and English skills.

At the end of the day, Andrew Chambers read the posthumous Dr. Suess book Hooray for Deefendoofer Day about a school where the teachers teach students to think. This conference helps teach students and teachers to think and improves our flexibility and opens our minds. I want to be the teacher who teaches smelling or yelling, who teaches students how to pass a test not because they have test taking skills, but because they have thinking and reasoning skills.

Lastly, I got a chance to walk around a little, which helped me feel like I’m really seeing Beijing rather than merely touring Beijing. We went to the Yashow Market, and while the others shopped at the hot, cramped booths, I wandered the nearby streets. I met a gentleman who reprimanded me for thinking you could get falafel at a Hal-al restaurant. Then he pointed out the Indian place down the street…too bad it was a beautiful sit-down multi-course restaurant. One of my favorite things to do in a new city is find a falafel shop so I can walk around with the hot, paper-wrapped goodness. It’s a wonderful way to window shop, people watch, and fills your belly at the same time.

After passing the restaurant, I crossed the street. This may not sound like a big deal, but crossing Beijing streets is an adventure since traffic rules seem optional. Okay, it really wasn’t that adventurous since I used the pedestrian overpass, but it felt good to walk and pass by the woman with her children, the Western man on his date with the Eastern woman, the couple walking the Chihuahua in a fluffy coat, and other regular Beijing people. I wanted to go on the subway we passed by on the way to the market, but after a few more blocks, I turned around and went back to people watch in the square by the mall. Unlike our trip to the Water Cube or at Tiananmen Square, no one wanted a picture with the American because, in this part of Beijing, foreigners weren’t foreign.

First Full Day

2011-02-25T03:16:00.005-06:00

On the first full day of the Flat Classroom Conference, teachers, students and presenters have accomplished a lot. The opening ceremony, speed sharing session, and boot camps flew by, and then it was time for students to share their pitch. Student groups pitched their Flat Classroom type project ideas to teachers and received feedback right away. They gave the pitch 6 times to 6 different groups of teachers, and it was great to see them incorporating the feedback from one group to the next.

After lunch, we presented. Let's take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, relaxation, satisfaction and a little bit of pride. Dr. Z introduced our topic, instructional design, with a few brief words, and then left it up to us. Cathy O, Lisa and BDay told the story of Queen ADDIE using the Prezi. Cathy O narrated as Lisa clicked from one of her drawings to the next. BDay handled the puppet like a Henson muppeteer. Next, Carrie, Jami, Deb, Farah and I walked through the steps of Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation included in sound instructional design.

Teachers were ripped out of their conference comfort zone after our presentation when they chose groups with which to create their own Flat Classroom type projects for core curriculum classes. The groups were self selected by age level and/or curricular area taught. So there were math teachers together and elementary teachers together and elementary teachers who wanted to focus on math together. Teachers will pitch their ideas to students in a very similar round table manner tomorrow receiving critiques.

This afternoon during the Flat Learning Action Talks, Bernajean Porter spoke about digital storytelling. Students from Think Global Schools spoke to us about going to school in three different countries within the same year. Frank Guttler evoked emotion and provoked thought discussing Digital vs. Analog film making. All in all, it was a long, busy, intense, and fun day.
P.S. I know there is a real lack of links and visual interest in this blog, but I’m too tired to seek out the right links, and I was way too busy to take pictures today!

Photo Phive

2011-02-24T09:25:00.006-06:00

This morning Frank Guttler introduced the Flat Classroom student participants to some important photography guidelines. He spoke eloquently about telling a story with pictures. I was very inspired and tried to take pictures that went beyond the usual touristy shots while we were at the Great Wall today.

Sadly, I don't have time to work with my photos in order to share my story of people visiting the Great Wall and taking pictures because we spent time at the Great Wall, had a wonderful lunch, used a brief moment of unplanned time to visit the Olympic Water Cube, and then wrapped up the day with presentation preparations. I suppose I could have forgone the trip to the Water Cube, but I wanted to swim at a historic site where world records were broken and history was made. Alas, the new water park was closed. Brandi and I had a wonderful time though, and I wouldn't trade it for all the time in the world!

Wednesday at WAB

2011-02-23T04:44:00.005-06:00

Today we visited Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), and many of us came away thinking "I want my school to be more like WAB." At the left you see a picture of the WAB campus model. It's not a great picture, but you can see the elementary school (top left), middle school (central), and high school (bottom left). They also have an early childhood and kindergarten building and a hub where middle school and high school students study the arts, science and technology. You can also see the new sports fields, which are used to support student learning in several ways.

Of course everyone wants well-designed, visually pleasing, comfortable, and new buildings, but that wasn't our main source of admiration. The open, innovative, enthusiastic, and progressive attitudes from faculty, staff and students alike inspired admiration. Last year they implemented one-to-one laptops. Sutdents brought their laptops from home, and fiasco might not be the right word, but they learned some lessons. This year, students were required to bring a MacBook, a specific MacBook, with specific software so that consistency would head off a lot of the problems encountered in the first year. This attitude of trying new things and dealing with the problems, embracing technology and experimenting is missing in most US schools.

Also missing from US schools is student ownership. Most US students are content to be spoon fed information and take a test. We had the opportunity to see 5th grade students working with new broadcast equipment. One student was the director who controlled which camera was on screen, slo mo and instant replay feeds, while two other students operated the cameras. As our tour group crossed the field, they focused on individuals and did an instant replay of the action. Students recently contributed their skills to an international live broadcast of the "regional" basketball game viewed in over 22 countries. What a great way to demonstrate skill and responsibility!

Students at WAB are also taking charge to help Jiashan Primary School rebuild after the 2008 earthquake. Jeff Holte, the director of technology and our tourguide today, told us about how five students are leading committees in charge of Education, Sports and Recreation, Technology, Fine Arts and Facilities at the school. According to Jeff, these students aren't shy about taking charge, asking questions, and demanding responses. This is how future leaders and thinkers are born. How can we integrate these fun, innovative, and scary ways to learn into our schools back home? Well, one thing we can do is implement Flat Classroom Projects, which I'm sure I'll be writing about soon!

Tourist Tuesday!

2011-02-22T18:32:00.003-06:00

On Tuesday, February 22 we visited Tianenman Square, the Forbidden City, the Hou Hai neighborhood, Lama Temple and finished off with Peking Duck dinner. What a whirlwind day! The Chinese culture is ancient and fascinating, and the recent history is just as rich and even more confusing to our Western eyes. On the left is the picture I took of the female lion who always stands to the left of the gates to the forbidden city. You can tell she is the female because she rests her paw on a lion cub. The male rests his paw on the sphere of power. Hmmph! I'd like to see the men raise the kids and see how much power they think they have. More later...we're off to tour another school today.

Visiting Schools in China

2011-02-21T03:15:00.006-06:00

I took this picture today at Tsinghua International School (THIS) while the director, Martha Ortiz showed us around. These students were discussing phases of the moon with their teacher, but you can also see that at least one class studies simple machines (what is the IMA of this pulley system?). THIS prides itself on a constructivist atmosphere with a lot of hands-on learning. We also saw students playing keyboards, guitars, saxophone, and clarinet in a creative music class, many examples of student artwork, and analysis of natural disasters worldwide. I wanted to find the students who created the timelines and maps of the Mississippi floods of 1993 and talk to them about the more recent Iowa floods. I felt like I would be able to have a meaningful conversation with them about the causes and effects.

On the same campus, Tsinghua High School has a very different feel. In its second year, THIS meets the needs of students holding foreign passports residing in Beijing. Tsinghua High School is for Chinese Nationals and has ninety years of history. Located on the campus of Tsinghua University, these students are among China's best and brightest. It's no wonder though, when they attend school for almost 49 weeks per year from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Class sizes are much larger, about 40 compared to 14 at THIS. Students wear uniforms and stand to answer questions, but they giggle and joke just like teenagers everywhere. What a fun and educational day!

The Test Pack

2011-02-12T14:11:00.005-06:00

I don't like to check luggage when I travel to somewhere. I don't like waiting around the baggage carousel or worrying if I'm going to have my clothes and toothbrush. I learned from the best packer in the world though and traveled for months out of a backpack. This is my test pack for the trip to China:The small pile on the left is the clothes I'm going to wear on the plane (khaki pants, green sweater, and button down shirt). I'll have 4 pairs of pants, 7 shirts, and 4 sweaters. Every shirt can be worn with at least two pairs of pants. I'll wear my brown boots on the plane and bring the black shoes. I'm not bringing tennis shoes or work-out clothes because I know I won't exercise; all the walking will be plenty of exercise for me. Don't forget socks, undies and pajamas! I used 3 medium sized Space Bags to squash everything down.This is my luggage for the trip. The black briefcase is currently full of junk and will suffer through a test pack later this week. I'll put my toiletries in the front part of the red bag, which also zips off as a back pack for the day tours.

Restaurant Critic - Really?

2011-01-13T19:30:00.006-06:00

Some people think that I'm not the most adventurous eater. I may have been called bland once or twice. I might not like bananas, brats or anything made with vinegar, but I do know how to eat when I travel - bring peanut butter!

I'm kidding...mostly. You really can put peanut butter on almost anything. So, how do I get the Restaurant Critic research job? Carrie got Historian way too quick. Below are three of the Top 10 resaurants in Beijing. I really want to try the duck!

Restaurant price categories for the equivalent of a meal for two made up of a range of dishes, served with tea, and including service. Currency conversion rates may vary.
Under ¥100 ($15) ¥
¥100–¥250 ($15-37) ¥¥
¥250–¥500 ($37-75) ¥¥¥

Afunti ¥¥
A Xinjiang restaurant, which means lamb kabobs, flat breads, plus live bands and the inevitable audience participation. It may be touristy but it’s fun!
188 Denei Dajie, Chaoyang Men Nei Dajie
6527 228

Beijing Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant ¥
Lots of restaurants specialize in Beijing’s most famous dish, and debate rages endlessly over who serves the best fowl. This place is less over-blown and over-priced than many of its rivals.
Bdg 3, Tuanjiehu Beikou, Dong San Huan
6582 289

Alameda ¥¥¥
The look is LA or Sydney, the food is Brazilian. The well balanced menu includes good- value set lunches and dinners that change with the availability of fresh ingredients but great steaks are standard.
Na Li Market, off Sanlitun Bei Lu
6417 808

Resources:http://traveldk.com/beijing/category/places-to-eat

http://www.virtualtourist.com/ and http://www.tripadvisor.com/
Picture: http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/gu/scandalous-foods-banana-lg.jpg

Back to work?

2010-07-01T11:24:00.009-05:00

So I took some time off, like CathyO, after finishing the last of the EIT and MPP coursework, but now I'm back to the blogs and Web 2.0 tools. I didn't do any heavy reflecting during my days of relaxing like CathyO. I didn't think about the difference between learners like Bill did in his blog. I certainly didn't come up with a new business idea like Camilla, and I didn't Twitter about the boring Keynote speaker at ISTE.

I did check out some blogs and wander around the internet between reading, swimming, napping, and cooking. I found some neat things too. Maeghan is an elementary ed student who blogs for her EDM310 class (educational media?). I'm not sure how I got to her page, but I found the timeline she created using Timetoast, which I started creating a training site for using the Google Template my MPP group created. Thanks Maeghan!

I also linked up to the Britannica Blog and found James. James is teaching college in Iraq. It seems the colleges in Iraq do a great job teaching upper level math and science, but other students aren't really challenged or engaged. He's trying to shake that up a little and as he wrote "so why am I teaching in Iraq? Adventure, friendship, duty, eager students, and two of the most delightful words in the English language – road trip." Hmmmm...maybe when the cohort is over.

Elsewhere internationally, "on Sunday Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, the prime minister of Iceland and the world’s first openly gay head of government" got married! Go ladies! The Iceland wedding industry probably just expanded exponentially...or maybe it's just in the U.S. that people spend crazy amounts of money on weddings.

Lastly, isn't it nice when someone admits he was wrong? I don't follow Skeptoid very often, but I thought it was great to see someone write about his mistakes (I'm not being sexist here, women make mistakes too, but this was a male author). I also like it when NPR reads from their mailbag from people who think they got something wrong. We all make mistakes...that's the lesson for today. Maybe it was a mistake to take time off because it's really hard to get back to work. I just want to read and swim and cook and nap...

Picture: Flickr Creative Commons

Technology and Society Podcast

2010-06-18T09:05:00.000-05:00

Technology and Society
This is the finished podcast! Cathy, Carrie and I really enjoyed creating it. I hope you enjoy listening.

Podcasts and Flat Classroom...

2010-06-18T07:03:00.006-05:00

Today we used the audio I recorded last night along with more recorded today (thank you to our guest voices) to create our first podcast. Using GarageBand, we added music and edited our audio, and I am very happy with the result and the process. As with anything, preparation was the key. The 5 minute outline Dr. Z provided and the script we wrote made it easy to record and edit a five (and a half – oops) minute podcast.

I wish I had time to listen to some podcasts right now. I’m interested in a podcast from EdTechTalks. The topic is the COPE strategy for professional development. COPE stands for Collaboration, Organization, Periodicals, and Education. I’m not usually a fan of cute acronyms with multiple meanings, but I think this one has some potential. I’ll withhold judgment until I get a chance to listen, and hopefully I’ll remember to since I included it here.

For both of the graduate classes, we are collaborating with our classmates. It’s difficult to keep everything straight…who am I working with right now? Which project are we thinking about now? When is this due? It makes me think about how our students feel sometimes when they’re working in groups in different classes. Usually the work is done in class and they don’t have to use collaboration tools to communicate with members from afar, but what happens when I introduce a Flat Classroom Project or we finally have a chance to do Virtual Teaming? Will the additional technology and requirements cause them stress like we are feeling now, or is this just a result of our unusual circumstances?

Usually I like summer courses, and I don’t dislike this one, but I don’t think I was mentally prepared for finishing the school year and then going right to school. I’m not going to stress out about how my students will react to new projects and new experiences. I know they’re more flexible than my tired, old brain so I will prepare them as best I can and support them if they start feeling the stress.

"Let's make more podcasts..."

2010-06-16T22:06:00.004-05:00

I asked my friend Alex to help me create some audio for a podcast Carrie, Cathy and I are creating for the EIT final project. Alex is great at odd voices and ad-libbing bluster and surprise. So Alex and I met in Brandon, Iowa half-way between Cedar Rapids and Cedar Falls. Brandon is home of Iowa's Largest Frying Pan, but not much else - certainly no convenient Wi-Fi spots. So when I decided to use Andrew Carnegie, for whom I had no research, instead of Nikola Tesla as an interviewee, I panicked -for a moment.
Enter the Kindle. My Kindle uses the 3G network, not Wi-Fi so as long as there were some cell towers around Brandon, I could access Wikipedia. I never thought that Wikipedia would save the day, but it did. Not only did we get the Edison interview done, but we also recorded Carnegie. When we were finished, Alex said "You know, we should do more of these technology history podcasts. You can do the research and I'll write the scripts!"
I don't think he knows about the additional work we'll do with GarageBand, but it was great to see someone outside the cohort enthusiastic about the technology and what we're teaching. I'm excited about this project, and I'm excited that teachers from different disciplines can work together to create a project relevant to our students. Go team!

Picture of Andrew Carnegie from Wikicommons.

Tweets, skype, and Google Docs, Oh my!

2010-06-14T18:23:00.003-05:00

What a whirlwind experience today's class was. It was very nice to meet everyone in person, but today I really felt for the first time that in person isn't very important. First, we had the wonderful conversation with CoolCatTeacher Vicki Davis using Twitter and Skype, and then we worked in groups scattered around the building.

I also have hope for our IT department. I know I am very negative about my relationship with them, but I'm going to try to frame things differently in the future. I'm going to take everyone's suggestions today about how to approach implementing new applications to heart. I'm even going to embrace the Software Evaluation form and try to visit them this summer. Do you think they will respond to gifts of food or candy?

The wide variety of applications that Google offers will help me determine which battles need to be won with my IT people. Do I need a piece of software for students to collaborate on a word processing document or to chat? No, we can use Google. I need to do more research into diigo and delicious to determine if they will work without downloading a toolbar without compromising their usefulness...holy cow Vicki Davis knows how to make diigo work for her!

So today, our first day in the classroom, I finally realized that we can do a lot without the classroom. I also realized that one of the best things I can do for my students is to be silent sometimes so they can solve the problem themselves.

Image from: http://macdevcenter.com/mac/2003/06/24/graphics/figure_2_chatting.jpg

Technology Directors In or Out?

2010-06-05T20:09:00.009-05:00

Education Needs Geeks according to Don Watkins, guest blogger on Dangerously Irrelevant. The thing is education needs the right geeks. Here is a quote from his eloquent post:

“A technology director ought to be a bit of a rebel, a diplomat, and a life long learner. Today's technology directors have to work together with curriculum directors and technology integrators to make sure that today's students are really being prepared for the twenty-first century. Today's technology directors must be agents of change, they have to envelope pushers but at the same time they have to work with other professionals who can shape curriculum. No one can do everything and certainly not everything well without help.”

Mr. Watkins is inspiring if you aspire to be a technology director. He writes about his evolution from a guy with no experience and a liberal arts degree into a maverick who challenges the system and programs with Linux. I'm pretty sure that most of us in the Instructional Technology master's program aren't destined to start working in Linux, but it probably would be a good idea for us to learn more about open source. In our textbooks, the authors talk about customization and open source providing more opportunities for learning.

But I digress, Watkins' post is actually a response to another post by Doug Green Should We Get Rid of Technology Directors? Green points out that "top down decisions are less likely to enjoy successful adoption in education than in other organizations." If teachers implement technology or work with their peers, though, they feel in control and have ownership. "When a technology innovation comes to the classroom by way of the technology director it is likely to focus on the technology. When it arrives as the result of initiatives owned by the teachers, it is more likely to focus on the content. "

Green proposes that technology directors phase themselves out into administrative positions or back into the classroom. Instead, we should have teams at the building level who make decisions about instructional technology. Empowering teachers, administrators, and even students to implement instructional technology decisions means they're more likely to work.

So, which is it? Do we need Linux using geeks to show us how it's done? Or do we need to step up to the plate and nudge our co-workers up with us? I don't know. Like many other choices, it's probably a little bit of both.

Image from: http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/files/www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/nodes/1279/cover.jpg

Rewiring Our Brains

2010-05-31T15:14:00.006-05:00

I'm a geek. I always have been, but what can I say? I love to learn, and technology helps me, but is it also rewiring my brain? According to Nicholas Carr in the article The Web Shatters Focus, Rewires Brains, using the internet and technology to multitask is rerouting our neural pathways. Introducing hyperlinks (like I just did) into text " disrupts concentration [and] such activity weakens comprehension."
Mr. Carr describes several different experiments including scanning surfers' brains with MRIs and reading text only information vs. information with video, and the results are in: humans don't process information as well when we are not focused. I'm not really that surprised by the information presented in the article. As I stated in my first blog, the sheer volume and variety of information and resources required by the EIT and MPP classes makes it more difficult to process, relate to and store. I have a hard time remembering what I have finished and what I need to do because I have to access so many different resources...that in turn link to so many other resources...that in turn....
According to the article, psychologist Patricia Greenfield concluded that the benefits of the internet “go hand in hand with a weakening of our capacity for the kind of ‘deep processing’ that underpins ‘mindful knowledge acquisition, inductive analysis, critical thinking, imagination, and reflection.’” I find it interesting that the online version of this article contains hyperlinks in several paragraphs. The whole point is that those hyperlinks are making it more difficult to learn the information in the article.
A resource for those of you who also find the web distracting is Readability. It will filter all the ads…but not the hyperlinks. Just resist the temptation to click on the pretty blue words.

Picture of Andrew Carnegie Wikipedia page

Chatting About Domain Presentation

2010-05-26T20:33:00.003-05:00

I really thought I would hate chatting. I've never been chatty so I didn't think chatting online was going to be easy (I'm also a bad typist with OCD who hates bad grammar, poor spelling and misplaced, commas). We used the chat room to discuss our Domain Presentation last night and it went very well. I can see now how this type of technology has its place in working with teammates from a distance.
The only problem with using this type of tool in the classroom is the ability for students to abuse it. Yesterday, when I retrieved some things from the printer, I found a transcript of a student chat that was held outside of school hours (the time and date were on the page). This chat was full of obscenities, verbally abusive and disturbing. I didn't know the students involved so I took this transcript to the administrators.
So my question is how do we use tools like chat and discussion that we can't monitor 24/7 in our classrooms and guarantee the safety of our students? This was our first year using a class website similar to the blackboard UNI uses. At the beginning of the year we were gung ho about using all of the tools including the discussion board. We used sites like the ones below to talk about cyberbullying and online etiquette, but it was too difficult to monitor and keep up on the discussion board so we gradually stopped using it. I would like to know more about teachers who use these tools successfully and how they do it because, like I saw last night, they are useful.

http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/teens/msparrysguidetonetiquette.html
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/teens/are_you_a_cyberbully.html

Adobe Connect Experience

2010-05-17T21:59:00.002-05:00

What I attempted to say near the end of the conversation tonight is that I'm very spoiled when it comes to integrating technology in my classroom. Because Jefferson signs a contract with Project Lead the Way (PLTW), I am required to have certain technology in my classroom. I have a full computer lab, robot, mill, rapid prototyping machine, various integrated circuits and other digital electronics paraphernalia, and a laptop for my use. I also have access to funding outside the usual department budget so I have the supplies I need. I am spoiled and I know it.

What don't I have? Support. The school district and my administration do not provide the support to encourage students to take these college preparatory classes. We have to "advertise" to incoming 8th graders and to our student population. As an elective, I understand that it's our responsibility to elicit interest in what we offer, but these are classes that encourage problem solving, personal responsibility and the attainment of 21st century learning goals so why isn't there more enthusiasm from the top? Why don't the other two high schools in the district offer these classes? Why don't we get support from our IT people?

In the final unit of the Introduction to Engineering Design (IED) course, students are supposed to complete a design project with students from other schools. PLTW calls it virtual teaming, and it's becoming more and more common in the real world. I would love to be able to use a communication tool like Adobe Connect in my classroom to complete this activity, but I can't. Our IT department won't allow us to use programs like this on our network. We have webcams, but we can't use them. Crazy! I considered surreptitiously installing one on my laptop so I could be part of the gang tonight, but it's not worth the hassle.

So, to summarize...I'm spoiled rotten, but I'm up against an entrenched system that rejects changes that would actually make things better so I'm frustrated. Every one of the 4-year PLTW awards that I gave out earlier tonight to our seniors went to a student who also got awards in math, science, athletics, foreign language, music, or national honors society. These kids are going to college with at least 12 credits from engineering alone. If our goal is to have all students go to college (which is another rant I'll save for another day), support the programs and teachers who provide learning opportunities that don't come from a textbook, but from real world problems and situations.

Yes, it's almost 10:30, and I'm still awake. This is one of those moments I should probably refrain from hitting publish so I can rethink this with a clear head in the morning...nope.

Emerging Instructional Technologies Blog Begins

2010-05-17T10:35:00.000-05:00

Although I enjoy learning new tools and creating new websites and collaborating online and twitter (maybe) and blogging (maybe), I'm starting to feel a little ADD with all of the variety required by the Emerging Instructional Technologies (EIT) and Media Planning and Production (MPP) classes. In most of my posts to this blog, I think I am going to attempt to summarize what I have been working on for EIT and for MPP.
Since class began on May 4,
For EIT I have:

Started reading both textbooks on my Kindle (something else I'm trying to learn at the same time). Both books are very well written, inspiring and interesting...something rare in required reading.
Created a WikiSpace: jkies.wikispaces.com
Created a Twitter account: jenniekies
Created this blog
Spent time watching TED Talks (my favorite one is embedded on my WikiSpace)
Contributed to discussions on the class website
Contributed to the class wiki (not the Dede topics yet, but I've started reading them)
Found out that I was asleep when I was supposed to be participating in a chat with the class (I go to bed at 9 PM)

For MPP, I have:

Started reading the required text...painful. I'm sure the underlying information is useful, but the presentation is so dull it's hard to determine what's important and inspiring.
Tried out different online presentation tools: see list on Wiki
Contributed to discussions
Made a final presentation proposal

When it's written out like that, it doesn't seem quite so frenetic. Hmmmm...lists are good.