Plans for the Future

Next semester I plan to have my theater kids do a research paper about a person they have studied in history or something they have learned in science. Being an 8th grader and having to take TAKS in all four core subjects is difficult. So I am going to incorporate what they are learning in to my curriculum.
So they will be creating a PPT presentation that contains a video they have created and a video they have found that represents what they have learned. The video they create can be of a teacher giving them information or PPT slides set to go on cue. They could interview one of their teachers asking questions about the concept as well. They will obviously have to have research that backs up their information and a citation page at the end of the presentation stating where they found their information. I want part of their presentation to be them explaining what they are presenting. that may be the only part that is not using technology. They will have to be in front of the class telling us about that.
When they are finished putting this together, they will be presenting it to class and administrators as well as other teachers.
I hope it goes well!

Mentoring and Watching ESL Podcasts

One of the ladies that I mentored teaches newcomer ESL. She had her kids create podcasts about math charts. They had to talk about who they surveyed and what kinds of questions they asked. They also had to discuss their results using the vocabulary they learned in math class pertaining to the lesson. Some did very well, while other students who have low language skills did not do as well and need more practice speaking.
This exercise was good for ESL students because one of the criteria for exiting the ESL program is fluent speaking in English (obviously). This makes them realize how far they need to stretch in order to successfully exit.
This is a technique I look forward to using with my students who are closer to exiting than her students due to the fact that they have been here longer. I have already made them recite poems into PPT presentations, but that does not qualify as fluent English speaking.

Presentation Day

Was fun! I had no idea what to expect for presentation day, but it was so smooth I actually had a great time. It was funny because at the beginning of the presentations I was talking to another one of my classmates and we discussed how we had nothing prepared about what to say. I was just hoping that someone would come up to me and ask me questions so I would know what they were interested in. I really enjoyed talking to the first three girls who came to my station. They were in the first technology class. They asked me questions about all the classes and which ones I liked best and which were the hardest. I told them that the one I liked best and was the hardest was the multimedia class. Definitely the most rewarding. I began showing them some of the things I created in that class and about some of the software that I used.....I hope I encouraged them.
I think the showcase was a great ending to my MTT course work.
Thanks Dr. Smolka!

Simple and Easy

So to increase the scores for vocabulary for my students I have them create PPT presentations using the word, the definition in their own words, and then they have to insert an animated clip, picture, or video that explains their words. So far it has increased scores for me. I know that it takes time to get your kids into the lab and most teachers feel that they don't have time to waste even one day of lab time that does not fall within their content for the day, but I believe it works. I can actually prove that it works, although not with the same words. I have a kid in class who has trouble with vocabulary and if I allow my kids to go to the lab to create a PPT with their words he does much better than if I don't get a chance to go to the lab. So that is proof enough for me.

Changed my Technological Life

Finally I am able to see my Esperanza website wherever I am!!! I have uploaded my website using www.myhosting.com, but couldn't get it to come up although I had not reached the limit....luckily Dr. Smolka introduced me to Ipswitch. Now I can use www.myhosting.com to host the website, but got around the fact that my file was too big. So this is exciting that it works and I can use it next semester with my kids. I have one kid that I had last year and this year. So he has read the book and done the "paper assessments". I can't wait to see what he says about the computerized assessments this year. I have shown him my website and he wanted to see every page one by one and was telling me all that he remembered about the book. It was fun for him to look at what we will be doing next semester. Now the website is attached to my portfolio so I can get it anywhere anytime any place! All my work is coming together!

The Last One!!

Professional Development - Movie Maker
This was almost as fun as the Flip Cameras. Teachers again filming themselves to show the students how beneficial and fun learning can be.
This time the science teacher I had (only one) had a woman from my department who sometimes is a helping teacher in her class, film her doing an experiment about natural disasters. She wanted to put this video on a PowerPoint presentation with notes and actual videos from the Internet about natural disasters. So we uploaded her video to movie maker and later went through the steps to upload that video and others to the PPT so she wouldn't have to navigate from the PPT to show the kids all of her findings. Very effective! I had kids come in my room talking about tsunamis and earthquakes. Very cool!
The one math teacher that was there talked about having her kids make videos about order of operations to help them remember when to do what. She made one using a digital camera and had someone else record it. She sings her kids a song and she actually sang the song while filming...pretty funny.
All in all the professional development classes went well. Some APs came in to see what we were doing and helped record and act in the videos. The kids will be able to see a different side of them. They said we were supposed to get more computers with the rolling computer lab so hopefully we will soon so more students can use them!

Professional Development - Flip Camera

This was much better than the first professional development I did the week before. The teachers had a good time filming each other. They all chose something from their content area. The history teachers filmed George Washington crossing the Delaware to attack the British on Christmas Day. It was hilarious watching them film themselves, but will be beneficial for the students to see that the teachers can make fools of themselves on film and it be good in hopes that they do the same.
The science teachers filmed some sort of rock cycle motion.....they used more of a poster and various things they had in their room. I asked them to bring ideas to film and since that was what they were working on that is what they chose to film. It was ok.
My department worked with a couple of the reading and English teachers to come up with some scenes from one of the books they are reading.
After we watched all the recordings - which were so hilarious!! - some of the reading and history teachers did talk about how to integrate a big project for 8th graders next semester that covers WWII. I can't wait to see some of them!

Professional Development - Power Point

So my first professional development was a little nerve racking. My papers were not copied until that day (which I know was my fault, but still), and I was just nervous that no one was going to show up except my department - because I told them they had to come to the first one - even though people said they were.
Well, good news people came like they said they would. I had enough papers - even a few too many. My principal came in to see what was going on and stayed for a while. After the class was over, she told me that what I was doing was a good thing and she hoped it would make a difference. She said she could see some teachers really getting into it.
Time ran over a bit and I could feel people getting restless. It is basically the same as a class of regular students, some are more advanced than others and want to know more, and others need more help and ask more questions than others. It is funny in that way......when put in a position where we are the student, that is how we act.
I know some of the teachers have beefed up their PowerPoint presentations with the information I taught them. Some of them still feel that it would take too much time for the kids to do it. I hope they give it a chance to work somehow. I would be more than happy to help them with a lesson for it! Others were already sharing ideas about how to incorporate some sort of PowerPoint making into their upcoming lessons. Overall....a success!

Rewarding

Helping other teachers incorporate technology into their classes for their kids is very rewarding. Having watched my kids use the technology I have learned about is rewarding in itself, but passing that knowledge on to see other kids have fun using technology is also great. I can't wait to hear about other presentations or better yet, I hope I get invited to watch the presentations made by students. It is so fun to watch them use what is sometimes so new and since they know other people will be watching it, they, for the most part, do a better job than they would just presenting in front of people as a one time deal. This is so much more permanent for them. We can do some many other things with it like upload it to websites, send it to the staff, and even the parents. I had a great time using the technology with these teachers and their students. I was glad to pass on my information and hope they will do the same.

Watching Students Use Technology

I have had my students create commercials using a Flip Camera to record them for the class. I then put them together and show them to the class and other teachers and administrators. They get so excited to use the camera....I had to create a part of my rubric that scores camera use. That way everyone gets to use it as part of their grade. Some don't think that they are good at recording, but this gives them a chance to try new things, which all students need to experience in order to become more well-rounded. Some of them are so used to using technology that it comes easy to them. Others hate being in front of a room filled with people, but don't mind the camera because they can almost hide behind it. Some students got nervous using the technology and wanted to read their scripts, but the somewhat memorized ones turned out so much better. (They had to have a script for their commercial, but didn't have to memorize it, just have an idea about what they were going to say.) One of the videos is attached.....they chose to read their script, but the product is humorous and the camera is done well.

Sharing Ideas while Mentoring

While mentoring Christina and Leigh in the computer lab a few weeks ago, we were discussing ways to provide opportunities for our students to use technology in the classroom. We came up with having them create scenes that they make up or that we give them. Then we could watch it in class and have the other students create a plot chart using the elements of the story that are being studied. For example, if we are studying figurative language, students could create first the plot chart about what happened in the story and then explain why the figurative language supported the scene. This would give the students many opportunities to teach others using technology and the concepts in language that are required for the TAKS. Although it might take a while the first time it is done, it would be worth it in the end. They always say that if you can teach another person something that means you have learned it and understand it well. This could be one of those instances!

Exercise 9.5
I recently attended the Portal training for accessing the GISD portal from my home. The training was held on a day of professional development and was mandatory for all teachers. It was held in the computer lab on our campus and lasted 30 minutes. What I learned was how to access my home directory from my home computer through a portal website where we must have a username and password. The only thing I cannot access from this portal is my school desktop. So anything I save should be on the home directory at school.
I can apply what I learned by working from home and sending it to my home directory at school so that I can have it when I am ready to use it there. It will be easier to look for worksheets that I have made or have access to from home. What I make at home I can either email to my school address or save it to the directory at school. If I needed help with my portal I can go to the Master Technology Trainers at my school. They were trained on this before we were and if they can’t answer the questions I have, they will know the people to ask. Since I do not use this all the time, it would be helpful to have a paper or tutorial to refer to while accessing from home. Practicing with the portal will let me know whether or not I am using it successfully. Since it is new this year, I have not had much time to play with it. Hopefully in the future, I will have a better grasp of what it is capable of helping me with.

Learning Objective: The participant will be able to identify an area in their content where they believe technology would improve the learning process.
Heading: Outline class and present technology to be used in this period.
Key Points: Use of PowerPoint, inputting sound into PowerPoint and the benefits for all students. My availability for help during school hours, changing their minds about using technology in the classroom.
Technique: Discussion, structured experience, exercise
10 minutes
Learning Objective:The participant will create an example of what each student will complete in their class
Heading: Teachers will choose TEKS or area of their content to create model for their students.
Key Pts:I will choose example of using PPT with inserting sound for ELA. Teachers will brainstorm using PPT with sound for their content area. Teachers will choose TEKS that would lend itself to producing a PPT while the student inserts his voice or other educational sound into the PPT
Technique: Simulation, trial and error
10 minutes
Learning Objective: The participant will challenge themselves to use the examples of technology they create today and allow the students to create their own examples using the same technology.
Heading: Teachers will choose time in their lesson and sign up for the computer lab with the intention of using this technology.
Key pts: Benefits of using technology in the core classroom and how it helps all students. Work on changing beliefs of teachers so they are motivated to use technology for their students.
Technique: Lecture, discussion
10 minutes
Learning Objective:The participant will devise a plan for the students to use while incorporating the specific technology.
Heading : Teacher will use their lesson plan to find ways to incorporate this technology into their class.
Key Pts: Teachers will have time to work on their own plan during the professional development. I will be here for questions concerning technology and a creative outlet as well.
Technique: Question and answer period, simulation
45 minutes
Assessment plan - Discussion for change and examples of how to incorporate the change into the classroom.
Resources for instructor- computer lab, how-to paper for participants, ConVa screen
Resources for participants - computer, how - to paper, TEKS for content, lesson plans
Room arrangement - check with computer lab for availability

Exercise 9.3

I would like to make the teachers realize the need for technology in their classes. It will engage learners more and give students more of a real-life simulated learning experience.
One of the techniques I will use is the Exercise, Structured experience. Teachers will participate in planned exercises while I show them how to incorporate different technologies into their everyday lessons on the computer in the lab. They will follow my mouse strokes to make their own example of what to show their students in class. I hope to change some of their feelings about using technology in class. I know that some are frustrated about the lack of time available in the lab, but if I can show them that incorporating technology doesn’t take much time and is giving students more of a realistic experience in learning, hopefully they will attempt more technological learning in their classes.
Simulation is another technique that I will use to persuade teachers to use technology in their classes more. I will give the teachers example projects that could be used in different content areas. They will be required to use different technologies to complete the project. The simulation will be something that they would give to their students as a real-world situation and have them present about it. The requirement will be that they incorporate three different types of technology in the presentation of the project. This will be at the end of the professional development. They are to make an example to show their students what they will be required to replicate. This way they will be able to answer questions for their students because they will have already done one. Hopefully they will be excited about using the simulated project.
The assessment will demonstrate clarity because it will outlined as to how to successfully complete each objective. Each professional development session will contain a plan that is outlined for a particular technology to incorporate into a classroom regardless of what you teach. By concentrating on only one technology at a time, the directions will be specific to that certain objective. If questions arise from individuals, those can be addressed; however, they will not dominate the class.
I am going to ask the teachers to sign up for the computer lab after each professional development so they can incorporate what they have learned into the classroom. Hopefully they will leave motivated and excited to transfer their knowledge to the students. I will keep in touch with them frequently to see what else they need to continue using the specific technology in their content area. Some might want to increase what they are doing with regards to technology which could involve my expertise.
Unfortunately I am not necessarily in charge of accessibility. We have two labs at our school and they are on a first come first serve basis. In addition, they are generally full of math and science classes. I can encourage the teachers to sign up early enough to get a certain day in the lab. I think that once the teachers get into the lab and see for themselves that their classes can be improved with a little technology they will want to incorporate it more into their classes. I hope to change their feelings that using technology in the class is involved and bothersome. I hope to instill a feeling of engagement, ease, and that technology is worthwhile.
Technology is justified in the TEKS. It has been proven that technology is more engaging and provides students with more of a real-life simulated learning environment than other types of learning. If the TEKS are aligned with what the students are accomplishing, the end result will be the same if not better with the incorporation of technology. I am truly concerned with how our students will be successful in their futures and believe that technology will be the key in achieving that success. I would encourage them to come back and show me examples of what they have done in school or on their own. I would also encourage them to publish what they have done on websites. What they learn will exhibit a piece of their personal journey.

Exercises 9.1 and 9.2

9.1
I will train teachers to realize the importance of technology in their content areas and implement it according to their TEKS to engage learners and make learning more meaningful. Teachers will create ways to implement technology in the classroom that are simple and stimulating to the student. Participants will have access to the computer lab while I am training in order for them to emulate what I am doing on the computer.
The participant will identify a time to go to the computer lab by checking the calendar and making time for their class before they leave today.
The participant will devise a plan to use PowerPoint to incorporate flow charts into their content area classes when given the TEKS that are assessed for one part of their current unit.
The participant will assemble instructions and example for students to create a PowerPoint with multimedia incorporated using the TEKS for their grade level to present to the class.
The participant will challenge themselves to invent ways to incorporate technology into their content area beginning with this PowerPoint project.
The participant will discover the need for technology in his class as a means of engaging the learner.
9.2
My alternative methods of teaching would be to use Camtasia Studios which would allow me to record my movements on the screen so the participants can watch my mouse strokes at anytime they wanted via the internet. This would be beneficial because it would be available to them at any time.
Another alternative method would be to recite the instructions into PowerPoint as I use print screen slides from what is actually supposed to happen. This would be beneficial, except that there would be no mouse strokes recorded.

ID Sources of Ideas for Education and Training Programs

Identifying Sources of Ideas for Education and Training Programs
6.1
1. An educational training that I am planning currently is to show the teachers that using technology in the classroom can be easily integrated within their curriculum. I plan on explaining uses for PowerPoint, podcasting, videocasting, and web authoring in the classroom. These can be prepared by the teacher to explain concepts to the students or by students to present concepts to others in the classroom. During the presentation, teachers will be on the computers in the lab so they can emulate my strokes. This will allow them to participate hands-on in the training. I will also provide them with a sheet with step-by-step instructions so they can do more of the same individually. By the end of the training, I hope they realize how simple it is for students and teachers to incorporate technology into the classroom.
2. The sources I am using are as follows:
People – The people that will be in attendance are teachers in my building in several different content areas. They vary in years of experience, subject matter, educational background, and technological ability. Some will be administrators and others will be teacher aides. Some of these teachers have more access to the computer lab than others. Science and math teachers already have programs that enable them to incorporate technology easily into their curriculum so they may not be as open minded about other uses for technology.
The teachers who will be applying this as a hands-on activity for students will need to take into account the situation of each student. While it is easy for some students to work on the computer after school hours, it is not for others. Although the gap between those with and without technology access in their homes is decreasing, it is still apparent in some schools. Computer time for all students needs to be allotted for them to have ample time preparing their presentation. Teachers will need to sign up for lab time to incorporate these technologies into their lessons. Teachers might feel that this takes away from their TAKS teaching time. I hope they realize this is to enhance what they are teaching and not a separate entity that is taking up their time.
Organizations – Changes in curriculum is delivered has been trickling down from the government in the No Child Left Behind act. This has prompted TAKS in our schools today. This test is becoming more difficult and teachers need to find ways to expand their technical delivery methods for teaching. It has been identified in recent TAKS scores at our school that ESL and LEP students are lacking in Science and Math as well as Reading. We need to raise their scores across the board. Technology in classrooms will help bridge the gap because it will teach students how to learn instead of having them regurgitate information. For the teachers who teach how to take a test, learning with technology will teach deductive reasoning, which they can apply to testing strategies. The government mandates that these students master the academic language in only three years. We have to try new methods of teaching to reach the LEP students who are falling behind in many of their subjects. Technology is a great way to lessen the gap between those native speakers and those LEP students. Technology has many services available for the student to increase test scores as they work together and learn from their peers. The Title I money that we receive is going to have to be documented to assure the state that we have used it in a manner that helps the most students. Not only will technology help bridge the gap for EP students, it will engage all students and enhance their ability to learn.
Responsibilities and tasks for adult life – Most of the tasks used in applying technology to the classroom curriculum are simple enough to be done in a conference period. We all have student aids who grade our papers, so we can use this time to beef up our lessons. If you must stay after school to work on this I am always available. I also know that sometimes children (our own) staying after school can become a chore because they also need to get their homework done and participate in after-school activities. Adding technology applications to your everyday classroom would be a great way for them to learn as well. They would first learn that adding technology can be simple. Second, you are a good example of how to work after school and although this might not hit home now, it will in the future when they say how much they have to do. You can come back with, “I worked every day after school, and I could do it.” Your children are very creative; they can probably help you, depending on their ages, design and create some applications. Most often they know more than we do.
Communities and Society – Today society dictates that we use technology in our every-day lives. Students use technology at home quite often, but when it comes to using it for academic reasons, they are not as well-versed. LEP students especially, do not have access to technology as often in their homes, making the school environment the only place they are accessing technology. Society has also mandated the NETS for students that must be accomplished in order to graduate from high school. These require the students to apply technology skills in a working environment individually and collaboratively so they can succeed in the business world. Society today looks down upon those who are not familiar with how to use technology. We need to do everything we can to ensure these students become successful in using technology.
3. I am currently in the beginnings of planning the training. The sources I am currently using are the teachers, administrators, and teacher aides in my building. They will be able to put together a technological application to add to their curriculum so the students can participate in a hands-on environment. I am using information from last year’s TAKS scores to determine who needs the most help and in what area. It was already mentioned in a staff development meeting that the LEP kids will be targeted for the most help this year. I am also using the survey to inquire as to how people want to receive information. I can offer this to them online with few classes, or many classes, or one on one depending on their needs. I have not figured out yet what I am not using because I have not gotten that far yet.
6.2
I am currently involved in an organization that is the ESL after-school program. I am in charge of getting over 150 students extra tutorials from 4-5 after school. To give the students incentive to come they can also play soccer, do art projects, and play on the computer. Students are not required to come; however, another incentive is that we take field trips. This year we are going to the Grossology museum in Frisco. I organize volunteers and paid teachers to stay after school on Tuesday and Thursday after school so the students have a place and a person to talk to about school work. This year we are also organizing a soccer team that is intramural and next year will play other schools in the district. This is being organized by one of our assistant principals and myself. It is to give the LEP students more of an incentive to do well in school, because just like any athletic program, they must pass all of their classes to play.
I have also been involved in the Campus Improvement Team which provides snacks for testing days and an academic after –school program. They involve the community in Sachse with the school and the parents. In my experience with this program, it is more talk than action. Seems like a good idea to get everyone involved, but there are no clear guidelines as to what could be done, so it is a lot of talking.
In the after-school program it is successful because of the teachers who volunteer to stay with the ESL students. They get a chance to work with them on a smaller scale. The classes are smaller to ensure more one on one time with the students. We have tried to rotate days in which science is done one day, math the next, and so on, but the results were not as good. Students had homework in other subjects than the ones targeted. Not all students needed help in the targeted subjects either. So now it is a free for all – you must have at least 30 minutes worth of work, but in any subject. We have also talked about rotating teachers so that there is a science or math teacher in the room with a reading or English teacher, but what we have discovered is that the students form relationships with the teacher that is in there with them most often. They perform for that teacher better than for a random one that comes in every once in a while. With these students, the relationship is often most important.
Obviously the people matter. If the student is not comfortable with the teacher, he will not perform well. There are some teachers who do not like working with our LEP population. They prefer working with the gifted and talented, which is fine, to each his own. The ones who work with our kids find it rewarding because they are, for the most part, grateful for the help they are getting. They want to do well. Some of them just don’t have the opportunity at home to do school-related tasks. Some teachers who want to volunteer cannot because of prior commitments, or begin volunteering and have to stop because of outside factors. I get new teachers every year that are willing and able to work with our kids. It is interesting to see them in a different light.
I prefer to use the any subject, any day technique because after all the trial and error, it seems to work the best. Students are able to form relationships with teachers who encourage them. I do try to put a math/science teacher in with a reading/English teacher just because – let’s face it – we all have our strengths and weaknesses. This works the best because it is more efficient to help the most students during the smallest amount of time. Seeing as we only have 30 minutes to help these kids, whatever they need – I will get to them. This year we will see if anything new comes up. I have a feeling, with what we have tried in the past, the current way may be the best, but I’m open to suggestions!

Research Summary

Technology is becoming more prevalent in the everyday lives of people throughout the world. We have entered into an information age where students need to become more advanced in their uses for technology in an academic setting to support them in their future. Studies suggest that students use more technology at home than they do at school (Lee and Spires 2009). Students use technology for networking, researching, gaming, and sharing information with others at home. Why not transfer some of that knowledge to the academic sector? Teachers are struggling to apply technology in their classes and use the technology in a rigorous manner. It is a challenge for teachers to implement appropriate technology into classes today because some teachers are not as technologically savvy as the students. Using the technology in class can be a way that students can learn about themselves as well as academia (Hansen 2008).

Historically, technical thinking in schools has been considered intangible (Hansen 2008). A case study was done by a teacher in elementary school who wanted to measure the level of engagement of her class as a whole (Swan, Kratcoski, Hooft, & Campbell 2007). She knew that different students were engaged at different times of the day, but it was typically in the subject matter they were most interested in. She used a variety of different technologies in the classroom such as wireless write pads, document cameras, and student response systems. She also included a module lacking technology. Using observations by fellow teachers and student self-reports she concluded that technology in the classroom increased student engagement. Her goal, however, was to increase engagement of the whole class, and not just a few students. The study concluded that the student response systems increased student engagement of the class as a whole more than the document camera and the wireless writing pads. Students relate more to having a hand-held device of their own because they all have hand-held devices at home for themselves (Hansen 2008).
During the four phases of this study, the teacher incorporated various methods of technology to measure whole class engagement. The document camera phase allowed the students to share their work with everyone and work on a large screen in front of the room. This, however, did not increase the engagement of the whole class, but only the student whose work was displayed at that time on the camera (Swan, Kratcoski, Hooft, & Campbell 2007). The writing pad phase elicited more student engagement than the document camera, however it was also not engaging for the entire class. The last phase of the project was using the student survey systems. These are handheld devices for each student that allow them to respond to a question anonymously. This engaged most all students because they enjoyed the anonymity of their responses as well as a chart that displayed all students’ answers. Answers could then be discussed as to which was correct and why the others were incorrect. This was the device that captured all students’ attention and allowed the student to have individual attention placed upon him (Hansen 2008).
Observations taken from each class and student self-reports were compiled to form the conclusion of the study (Swan, Kratcoski, Hooft, & Campbell 2007). Observations were recorded by teachers to measure each student at a certain point during the lesson. These observations concluded that of all technologies used, the student survey systems engaged all students more than the other uses of technology. Student self reports were also used after each class where technology was used. These were surveys given to the students where they responded to questions about their own feelings about using technology in the specific classroom activity. Students answered that the technology “made learning more fun” and it made them “pay more attention”.
Overall this study elicits that technology in the classroom increases engagement, but the most efficient way to increase whole class engagement is to provide each student with his or her own device to participate (Swan, Kratcoski, Hooft, & Campbell 2007). Student testimonials were recorded after using the student response systems. Some of the statements are as follows:
“I loved it. I want to do it again. Please”
“It was fun how no one knows how you answered.”
Consistent reports state that using technology in the classroom increases student engagement and makes it possible for them to actively participate in the whole class activity.
Hansen suggests that we need to bridge the gap between what students use at home in regards to technology and how they use technology at school. Currently education is behind in the way it uses technology in the classroom. Students are more advanced and more dependent on technology than teachers. Students appreciate more real-world applications that use different technologies such as Mp3s, PDAs, and computers when it comes to using technology in school say Hansen. Students appreciate the rigor and authenticity that technology is able to bring to the learning process because they feel that it will better prepare them for their future. Unfortunately, according to Hansen, the percentage of students in computer classes in the upper grades is less than 15%, making the technology gap even larger.
In a perfect world, technology in schools would match that of home usage by students today. One day…….



Bibliography
Swan, K., Kratcoski, A., van’tHooft, M., Campbell, D. (2007). Technology support for whole class engagement. [Elctronic version]. Journal of the Research Center for Educational Technology, 3(1).
Hansen, R. (2008). The roots of technical learning and thinking: situating TLT in schools. [Electronic version]. Journal of Technology Education, 20(1), 5-15.
Lee, J., Spires, H. (2009). What students think about technology and academic engagement in school: implications for middle grades teaching and learning. [Electronic version]. Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education Journal, 17(2), 61-81.

Mentor/Mentee

I have been a mentee and a mentor. My first year of teaching, I was mentored by Janelle Ball. I got my certification with Region X. When I did my probation year, I had to have a mentor for Region X and Hudson. Lucky for me it was the same person. Janelle observed me throughout the year as well as my principal. Janelle and I would look at things that I was doing well as well as things that I needed to work on. She was always available for help and questions as was the rest of my department. My first year teaching, I had to fill out papers about the mentor/mentee relationship and the benefits and disadvantages of the program. I found little disadvantages to having Janelle as a mentor. Actually at this point I can think of none. She taught me organization and planning as well as classroom management skills, and I taught her about new things I had just learned at Region X. It was more of a give and take relationship than anything else.
My experience as a mentor was different. I had a teacher who had taught before and was only interested in me for what I knew about the school. We didn’t have the sharing relationship that Janelle and I had (and still do). My mentee was more interested in moving up the chain and this was just one step on her way. She was a nice person, but I didn’t get to share my knowledge about ESL and teaching like I had hoped. Maybe I will be a mentor again for a new teacher. I feel the role could be fulfilling and a refresher to what I learned. I hope that it enlightens me about new things to do with my students.

Reflecting and Defining Blog

Exercise 1.1
I teach ESL to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in Sachse, Texas. For the past four years, I have taught beginner Social Studies and intermediate ELA. This year I have been swindled into teaching an advanced theater class for the first time. I am also in charge of the ESL after-school program that begins on October 12th. It is for all students whose first language is not English. I organize the teachers to stay after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5pm. Students get help with their homework for thirty minutes and then they choose to do art, soccer, or computer for the remaining thirty minutes. This year I am also trying to incorporate a soccer team with the assistant principal. This will give ESL kids an incentive to keep their grades up and behave. I also coordinate the transportation for all students who attend.
I do plan the after-school program for the bilingual students. This does not require parental involvement, except a permission slip that allows their child to stay. This does, however, require a meeting with teachers to discuss rules of the program for the students and expectations of the teachers. I am responsible for purchasing what is needed for the program to continue. This is not something that I get paid to do, it was passed down to me from the department head, and I am glad to take it on. Many ESL students benefit from this program and the teachers get to see our students in a different light. The students are very appreciative and the teachers enjoy it. We go on a fieldtrip at the end of the program with all the students who have stayed consistently throughout the year. This year we are going to see the Grossology exhibit in Frisco. I am responsible for transportation and chaperones as well as collecting money and permission slips from students eligible for the trip. I am also in charge of planning the parties we have throughout the year and the events for those parties.
As an ESL teacher, my department is also responsible for teaching other teachers about the laws for our students. During staff development, since I am the only one who doesn’t care about speaking in front of others, I am chosen to tell the staff the difference between accommodating and modifying as well as how to recognize the codes of ESL students in their classes and what to do to help them in their content classes. The principal sets time aside for this every year during the week of staff development. My department passes out papers of LEP codes, accommodations, and suggestions for our students.
My department is outlined as follows….
Janelle Ball is the department head. She has been at Hudson for about 15 years. She teaches the newcomers all subjects except social studies. She is in charge of budgeting and overseeing the entire department. She is in charge of the ESL honor club. She is required to observe us in our class routine twice every six weeks. She also designs the ESL newsletter which contains information about the honor club, inclement weather, school information, teachers’ conference periods, and interesting things we are doing in our classes.
I have been at Hudson for 7 years. I have beginners, intermediates, and the 8th grade advanced students. I am in charge of the ESL after-school program and field trips throughout the year. I listed my duties above for the after-school program as well as the staff development day.
Judy Jaremski has been at Hudson for three years. She teaches the advanced 6th graders literacy. She helps with field trips and also helps coordinate the honor club rewards program. She plans for each six weeks where the honor club will meet and what prize they will receive for having an A in ESL and passing all of their other classes. Judy is also in charge of planning our birthday celebrations within the department. We celebrate each one with cake (queso for me because I am not a cake fan) and presents. If you are gonna work hard, you must party hard too!
Jessie Cordova is the ESL aide. Although Janelle is the department head, Jessie runs the department. She is the “behind the scenes” leader. She goes into the classrooms and helps the students with their content area classes. She sells blowpops for our fundraiser three days a week. She lets us know when we are low on supplies, she makes parent phone calls for us because she is fluent in Spanish, and she serves on our campus improvement team as an ESL liaison. She knows every ESL student and makes sure they are in the correct classes. She is a vital part of our team.
The most recent member of our department is Diane Strickland. She is in teaches the advanced 7th graders writers workshop because they take the writing TAKS. This is her second year with us.
We meet once a month as a department to discuss the future of our students such as student placement, parties, fieldtrips, parent meetings, and any school related news. Our department works extremely well together. We look after each other and are willing to help each other in any way possible for ourselves and the students. My assistant principal just told us that she doesn’t worry about us as much as the other department she is over because we are organized and do what we are supposed to do and we do it together.
Exercise 1.3
I have attended professional development for ESL teachers every year. This year before school we were put in a cafeteria and the head of the ESL departments in Garland for middle schools talked to us all morning about the ELPS and the TEKS and their alignment with each other. We sat and listened with little interactivity with each other. We have ESL meetings that are divided into subjects this year. For instance, I will attend a meeting with teachers that teach only ESL II. Here I assume we will discuss plans and interventions for students in our classes. Some of these meetings I find pointless, this year, hopefully they will be worth my time.
As an ESL teacher, our students have outside pressures that native students do not. Other than our monthly department meetings and a parent meeting once a year, we do not discuss the lack of parental involvement or the fact that our students complete less homework than the typical native English speaker due to different home situations. It is difficult getting support from a parent who is not familiar with the education system in the United States. We brainstorm ways to get them involved and have planned meetings that are closer to them so they are more apt to come. These meetings are still scarcely attended even when food is provided. We are in the process of coming up with a new way to get the parents involved in schools and letting them know what their rights as parents are.
I have been a mentor teacher for those new to Hudson. As mentor teachers we are required to orientate the new teachers to the school and the expectations of teachers in the building. We are there to answer questions they may have. I would go to some of the “rookie” meetings and then to the rookie celebration at the end of the year. In the meetings, different things were discussed such as classroom management, the importance of TAKS, and special education and ESL assistance. I did not have to facilitate any of the meetings. My job as mentor was to show up and provide support to my mentee.
As a teacher, we are always changing for the TAKS test. We attend meetings during staff development week where TAKS is discussed. The principal discusses the changes that are going to be made this year for our scores to go up. She lets us know how the changes will be implemented. For example, this year my theater class will only be held four times a week. The other day will be dedicated to 8th grade science because our LEP scores were so low. We are also getting Title I money this year that will be spent on technology for math and science as well as a revolving computer lab. We will see how these will be implemented into our school day.
As a department we have dedicated a scholarship that is given to an ESL or special education student in honor of a teacher who passed away from cancer. She was important to our students, so we want her legacy to live on in a scholarship that will further a students’ education, which was extremely important to her. We are making it possible for students to further their education with our help. We ask for teacher volunteers to read essays written by the students. We plan fundraisers which consist of broom ball games for each grade. Students pay $1 for each game. The money goes into a fund for the scholarship which will be given to the winner after they graduate from high school and are accepted into a school of higher learning. Our department is in charge of getting that money to the students for tuition, books, or housing.
The highlights are working with the people that I enjoy when planning the scholarship fundraisers, fieldtrips, and even planning for professional development. I enjoy what I do, so that makes it easier I suppose. What I do not like are the ESL meetings. I feel that interaction is low and when we do interact sometimes I feel it is not something that I would use in the classroom and therefore a waste of time. We will see this year if they are going to be any different than in the past. Hopefully!

Field Test Results

Field Test Results
The multimedia instructional component was field tested by another teacher that I work with. I am the only teacher in the building who teaches intermediate ESL, but she has many of my students for 6th grade reading. We reviewed the web site for Esperanza Rising and have made changes based on comments she made. Some of the comments she made were not able to be changed and those are noted as well. The final product is much better after the changes made.
The first comment she made was about parental involvement. Due to the general language barrier, I communicate through an aide. She and I will construct a letter to the parents letting them know what I am doing and the reason why their child will need an email address if they do not already have one. If they have a problem with this, all answers will be assessed on paper.
The comments she made about the content of the web site are a few spelling and punctuation errors which were corrected on the spot. She acted as a student would by taking the quiz me and test questions. She wanted to know where the finished essays went when she clicked submit. . I do not know the answer to this question. She also wanted to know about the point scale. I told her that I could not get the tests to score, but I was not sure why. She also wanted to add links to the pictures so the students could go to the site and look at other pictures. I explained to her that those pictures are from the Google images pages and there was no reason why they should be looking at other pictures of potatoes, for example, because it had nothing to do with the story. She agreed. She did suggest that for her ADHD or dyslexia students having a listening component would benefit their learning. I completely agreed, and have added a wav file to each page that will read the summary to the student. These ideas and suggestion have made my multimedia instructional component much better and more beneficial.
We also discussed the time allotted to the novel. She reads a novel each six weeks. My goal is to have this book finished within a six week period. I know, however, that the first time there will be obstacles to work through. I will try my best to stick to the six week goal. The last idea she had was to make a research component at the end of the novel instead of the post-reading activities I have listed. I told her that there would be a research/writing component that is not listed on the web site. It is listed separately in my assessment plan, which I showed her and suffices as a research/writing component.
The field test went very well. She was excited about the software I used to create the program, Softchalk. I informed her about the free trial and she might use it for a novel in her class. She was a good person to discuss this with because she is used to at-risk students as well as honor students. Her suggestion for enhancing the writing component was to have the students write the summaries for each chapter; she would make her honor students write this part. I feel that if the students are writing throughout the novel on the blogs and those blogs are of ample writing, the recorded summaries are beneficial as they are. The field test was very informative and beneficial for the both of us.

First timer

So after reading about RSS feeds, I've decided to use them in class. I have created a class blog for a novel that we read, but I have decided that I will extend the blog for other units during the year. This way I can look at all the students' blogs at once and be made aware of each time they post. I hope to also send them individual feeds to them as well. Most of them keep up with soccer. I can send them feeds having to do with soccer. Some can even be videos about the last game. I can also send them other feeds, but to get them interested, the soccer ones would be good to start with. I think that using the RSS feeds are going to make my grading a lot easier and faster.

Meeting with Leigh

I met with Leigh to discuss the Esperanza Rising web site. It was a great meeting. I liked getting another teacher's input about what I was doing. She teaches 6th grade at-risk students in my school. She has all of my 6th grade students in class because they are all considered at-risk. Anyway, I think she was a good person to meet with because she also teaches honor students. This gives her more range academically speaking than me because I only have intermediate ESL students. So her opinion to add sound for the dyslexic students was great. This would also help my ESL students as well, especially some of the lower-level students. I also asked her opinion on what she would do for her honors classes. She said she would make them write summaries of each chapter. I decided to write the summaries for my students because we can discuss those in class and I would rather have them concentrate on their responses on the blog than regurgitating information. Their responses, I hope, are original thoughts they can share with the class. I would like to do something like this again because it is like getting a new perspective on things. I also taught her some things like about Softchalk and rubistar.com. Those are things she can use in her classes now too!

District Data Strategies

My district compiles data on Edugence which is an online data management system. Teachers can track student test scores from prior grades to determine whether or not they should take honors classes or possibly be tested for special education services. This also tracks years in US schools which is important for ESL students. It can tell how many times the student took the TAKS test and when he passed.
We also use the online grade book to collect student data. We have recently updated the online grade book and now it gives us information about the students that we have in class. It gives teachers access to students personal information as well as class schedule.
My questions regarding the storage of data are as follows...
1. What do we do with the testing data after it has been recorded? What is it used for? When is it looked at and by whom?
2. How long does the data in Edugence stay? Is there something that can record the whole life as a student from K-12?
3. Can we add an e-portfolio to the student's records? It would serve as an online writing portfolio that would show student work from previous grades.
4. If the e-portfolio is not an option, can we provide the students with folders on the server that would last from K-12? If not, could we request a flash drive on the school supply list so students could keep all of their information?
I recommend that we use e-portfolios in schools because it makes the ease of student paper transfer much simpler. For ESL students coming into 6th grade, there are writing samples for each student. Instead of having all of those on paper, we could transfer files. This is safer for the environment and ensures that fewer papers are lost in the process. I also recommend that we make the student share drive available for all students from when they start in Garland schools and not delete them until they leave in 12th grade.
I also believe we should require flash drives for the students to allow them to work on projects at the library or at home. This would give those who need more time, enough time to complete the project. All of these strategies will give the teachers and students easier access to information.

I GOT IT!!!

So screencast saved me!!! The presentation that I could get only to save on my hard drive is not available online because of screencast.com. Its great! I used camtasia studios free trial to record my power point. The interesting thing about that was that it recorded all of my mouse strokes. So I could show people the links that I posted in my power point. Very cool!! I had no idea how people did that...now I do. Its like I could carry on with a full lesson using that software. Great tool!
Screencast helped me save it to skip the media fire link. The test is no longer a test...it's for real!! So now I believe I might actually be done! Minus some more reading and a few blogs....YEA!!!

Here it is again!
http://www.screencast.com/users/kdickerson/folders/Default/media/a1e5f385-35e0-4ff5-87d8-f6c092d11722

Frustrations

I love the media class that I am in, but am frustrated because I can't figure out how to save things not on my hard drive. I can upload to mediafire.com which is fine, but I can't figure out how to skip that step. So now I have these files that are on my hard drive. Its like I'm missing a step that I can't figure out. AHH!!!! I guess it is fine that I am using media fire to host my stuff, but I just wish I could find a way to click on the link from this blog and instead of asking you if you want to download it, it just comes up. Maybe I'll figure it out sometime and then I can write about how great it is! Until then...at least I have a way of getting it up.

Online presentation

This is the presentation....its a test

http://www.screencast.com/users/kdickerson/folders/Default/media/a1e5f385-35e0-4ff5-87d8-f6c092d11722

Podcast with Video

Here is my podcast with video. I made it for the newcomer Social Studies program I teach. I have students who have just moved to the United States or have been here for less than one year. My job is to teach them American history so when they get to 8th grade, they are somewhat familiar with the events.
The Video podcast I created on Christopher Columbus shows how he came from Spain to the Americas, and thought he was in India. There are locations on the map that I wanted the students to recognize so you will see them multiple times. I am also reading very slow so they can follow the words and look at the pictures at the same time.
Choosing the content for this was easier than I thought because newcomers are so needy in oral and visual communication and this form of teaching fits both. With this presentation I hope to have the students listen to it and after a few times, give them a notes page with missing information to have them fill in as they listen again. This will help their note-taking later in life.

C:\Users\Kelly\Documents\Camtasia Studio\Dickerson Columbus Podcast\Dickerson Columbus Podcast.html

What I learned using the Survey

I sent a survey to 7 of the teachers that I work with. They were in different departments and of different ranges of teaching experience. I realized that some of the teachers were not at all interested in having their students incorporate technology into the classroom. This surprised me, but some of the teachers were older and possibly more set in their ways. Some teachers were extremely eager to use multimedia if they were in charge of displaying it; not necessarily if the students were displaying the multimedia. So I am just assuming that the science teacher that I sent the survey to, the one with the most access to technology in the school, was the one who was stating that he already knew how to implement most of the podcasting and video into his lessons. I also learned that we need to have more small trainings about different topics. That is the way that most teachers liked receiving information. I also learned that most teachers are well versed in Word and e-mail, but not necessarily Power Point or Excel. Power point would be especially good to implement with students because they can see and read at the same time. Maybe there should be a small training for that. I think that would be very beneficial.

SoftChalk

I used softchalk to do my advanced web site and loved it. It was so easy to use. I liked that I could upload different websites, quizzes and other web pages onto the web site I made from soft chalk. I uploaded movies from Brainpop and United Streaming to use as reinforcements in the lessons. I also linked quizzes to my own web page for the students to take when the time was appropriate. I was also able to use graphics and maps of the places that are discussed that were very clear. I was also able to have students link to www.googlemaps.com for travel distances and for students to have a visual as to where the events of the story take place. Other options that I liked on softchalk were that I could link vocabulary words in each of the summaries to tell the definition when the student put the mouse over it. I also could link some of the words in the summary to other web pages for more information. I wish my district would implement this for creating web pages with content for all subjects. Great tool for building.

e-portfolio

I have decided that I need to use e-portfolios in my classes. After presenting in class and researching the topic, I have decided that they are great representations of student work over time. Some of the aspects that I thought were beneficial were the reflection. I think it is beneficial for the student to know why they know things. I think that it is important for students to look over time how far they have come. Since I teach ESL, 6-8 grade, I believe it is important for the student to look at what they were capable of doing in 6th grade, possibly when they came to this country, and how their work looks in 8th grade, up to two years later. The online portfolio gives students a more authentic way of displaying their work. They get more excited about things and have something to own at the end of the process.
I think the reflection factor is the most important. It makes them look back over their work, which most of them do not do. I also think it is important for the students to be able to archive different types of media in their e-portfolio. I always think that visuals increase the interest of presentations. e-portfolios allow the student to add visual or audio elements to their presentation. The other aspect of e-portfolios that I like is that it belongs to the student after it is completed. This gives the student motivation to do best work. It also empowers them because other people will look at it - not just the teacher. Overall, I think it is a great tool for organization and communication, as well as a great tool to showcase student work.

Cheating

Students say that cheating is easier. In 1999 Bushweller stated that 70% of American high school seniors admit ed to cheating on at least one test, and 95% of the students who said they cheated were never caught. This was in 1999, so I assume that today the numbers have increased. It is usually easier to cheat online because most students know more about computers than the teacher an can find ways to outsmart the teacher.
With websites that teachers can go to now like www.turnitin.com, teachers can use this to place the document into a file and search it for plagiarism. It makes it easier for the teacher to check the paper for this. According to www.guardian.co.uk, plagiarism is on the rise in England because of the internet.
At the beginning of each year, students are made aware of the cheating policy in most cases. Most students are required to sign an honor code paper saying they won't cheat or will let teachers know if it occurs with other students. The punishment for cheating is varied depending on the severity of the crime. If a student buys papers or copies entire papers the punishment will be more severe than for a student who copies from another on a test or a quiz. The punishments at university levels are more severe are range from conferences with students and parental units to expulsion. Sometimes there is no degree awarded for past work if cheating is involved in any point of the process.

Cyber Ethics

Cyber ethics are important in today's society because with the internet technology learning occurring in schools and at home, students need to know what is expected of them and what to watch out for. Even at school, where there are firewalls that attempt to block out information that is detrimental to the student body, students need to know what is appropriate and not for school and their age. One of the aspects of cyber ethics that of up most importance is software piracy. Students need to know that it is not appropriate to pirate software for any reason, and it is also necessary to give credit to where you get the information.
Students today believe that everything they find on the internet is fair game. They can use it anytime and anywhere regardless of whether or not it is copyrighted. According to http://www.playitcybersafe.com/ the cost of piracy (copying or distributing illegal copies) is twelve billion dollars a year. This is especially true because students don't realize that when software or music is purchased it is the license that is purchased, not the actual software. The license agreement says that you must adhere to the rights of the producer. According to http://www.bsa.org/, these rights normally say that illegal distribution is not permitted. Students need to know that they are not allowed to share music or software, like games, with each other to download on the computer or CD to use for themselves and their friends.
My personal opinion about the sharing of files is that students today should be made aware and punished in schools for it. If a student uses graphics or audio, just like we do in school or in other presentations, they must begin to cite their references or how and where they got their information. This will make them more responsible internet and computer users. It will also prepare them for the future when they are asked to make a presentation with information found on the internet. The students also need to be made aware of the people in the news who are downloading information illegally and are being fined thousands of dollars for a dollars worth of music. Some students do not realize that it is against the law and they can be penalized. So when they let their friend copy their games and burn their CD to their friend's computer, they need to realize that it is illegal even if you are not making money. Students also need to realize that allowing pirated software on your computer potentially could freeze or disable things on your computer. So not only is it illegal to download licensed software, it can cause harm to your computer.

iTunes Podcast

One of the podcasts I have used from iTunes is www.ESLpod.com. I have used it to let my students listen to other native English speakers. They listen to the podcast and I give them questions about it. They sometimes write responses to the podcast and sometimes answer the questions I made up.
Some others that I would be interesed in using are www.culips.com ESL podcast and www.betteratenglish.com. These would be great examples of how we use different ways to communicate with different people.

Classroom of the Future

My vision for the classroom for the future is on where there are computers for every student in the room and there are big tables instead of individual desks. The classroom of the future will have no desktops, but laptops that can be used in and out of the classroom. Students will be able to access internet from home and continue learning from home. They will bring learning to their parents and their younger siblings. It will become more family oriented because there will be more access in more places.
The tables in the classroom would provide students the opportunity to work together and share learning. They would teach each other and in the process become more acquainted with what the lesson is about. Students will teach each other how to find things on the computer as well as help on the lesson. It would allow technology and content to go hand in hand.
The fact that learning can happen anywhere is the future of the classroom. Students would have portable devices such as cell phones and MP3 players that allow them to listen to their homework or review lessons for the day on their way to or from school or any other place they like. If teachers make learning portable and popular (because who doesn't have a cell phone or MP3 player these days?) students will be more likely to learn. It becomes more individualized for them. Teachers can individualize lessons for each student with downloads for different levels of the same content. That way, when presenting or doing a project, everyone has the same information, only on their individual level.
The classroom of the future would have television and computers for students to learn what is going on in the world around them. The technology would allow students to realize that history or science happens for a reason. For example, they would know that the reason we celebrate Independence Day is because of the American Revolution that we are studying currently. They could learn about why the stars shoot across the sky as they watch it on their laptops. It is bringing real authentic learning to their finger tips.
The classroom of the future will take a while to come into play. I think that administrators and staff have to be on board 100% for students to understand that the technology is there for their benefit. Some teachers are very traditional and might not want to comply. There will also need to be training and new curriculum written to accommodate the technology in the classrooms. I think once teachers realize they can act as facilitators, it would be a great thing to see students learning on their own and teaching other students and the teacher.

Creating Video

I just created my first and second video for school this week. Although fun to create, it took time probably because I didn't know what I was doing for a while. Some aspects of creating the content video that I really liked were that I can actually use it in class. My kids would probably like it because I created it. They seem to respond more to things in class that I take more time with. I liked putting the whole thing together. I enjoyed giving them a historical perspective and bringing present day into their learning. If you can bring it full circle like that, I believe the students get a better perspective on things. They fully understand why we actually celebrate our independence and hopefully will appreciate it more.
I enjoyed the content video more because I can use it and because it was more of my own creating instead of having someone tell me what to include. Don't get me wrong....the first video was important as well. The content video would not have gone nearly as well had it not been for the basic video. It was just more of a unique creation. The content video was important because it made me use the camera in a different way that I am used to. It also gave me a better understanding of how shots on the camera are supposed to look. I used many of the shots in the content video that I learned in the basic video.
Overall I enjoyed making the videos. I would say that I would make my kids use videos in class, but the truth of the matter is I don't have the equipment. However, I would love to continue to make videos for them to watch (depending on how much they like this one). I am a firm believer that if the teacher takes more time in preparing the lesson (video) the more the students will appreciate and learn from it. This also strengthens the relationships I have with my students. They are always wanting to know about my family and I. They do better when I relate my personal life or theirs to the lesson. This will hopefully spark conversations about what they do to celebrate their independence day with their family. Other celebrations may come up as well. Anything I can do to enhance their listening and verbal skills is great! All in all, I enjoyed the project.

Animation

OK so the first time I tried to animate, I almost cried. I also discovered that I have NO imagination what so ever!!! I was watching the tutorials and it was not going well. I put it away for the day. I opened it up the next day, finished watching the tutorials and...done! It was so not as bad as I thought the day before. So being the genius that I am, I didn't read the instructions about what the animation needed to be about. So I animated a race between a chicken and kangaroo that was led by a rabbit. I finished it and...if I may say so....it looks good. Too bad no one will see it or grade it for that matter. So again....at the computer for the animation that is now for educational purpose. I finally decided that I would do one to introduce some vocabulary for a unit on ecology. So now it is done. The only thing that I would improve on about the software that I used is that it needs more sounds. I'm sure I could have imported them from somewhere, but that is a whole other lesson!
What I did like about Alice was that it was very straight forward. Once you watched the tutorials, you can catch on to things. After a while I actually got into it. I wanted to make the rabbit move his tail only or make rabbit sounds, but I never figured out how to move only the tail and there were not any rabbit sounds. I wanted to make the saliva out of the wolf's mouth drip, but I was unable to do that either. I wish this wasn't a 30 day free trial, because I could use this in class alot. I could have students animate and then write stories for each creation. I could have them then write stories for other's creations. They could also animate using all vocabulary words in a unit as they tell a story. It has great potential. The students would love it because it allows them to be creative. All in all, I learned that if I lose my patience, to leave it alone for a while, and I learned how to animate for my classes.

Creating an audio file

Ok well, it was not as easy or as hard as I thought it was going to be. I tried a couple of different programs. the first was sent to me in school, but I decided to use the Camtasia software to upload everything onto the blog. I'm just excited that it worked! I can now upload all of my tests onto the blog and have students access them at school! That is exciting. I'll have to find a way to hide them though so they can't get to them early. It only took about 10 minutes to record the test into the computer and after that I just figured out how to make the audio sound better by quieting the outside noise and that was it! Not too bad....
now if only my school didn't have a heavy filter so that I could put my blog up. I have a plan though. I am going to use the thoughts.com blogging site because that is not filtered out.
Haven't gotten the animation done yet...that one is a little more intense.

Shining Star test audio file

Here is the actual audio file for the test.....
Unit 1 PArt 1 Shining Star Test

This is the link to the Shining Star from Mediafire. It will lead you to download the mp3.
http://www.mediafire.com/?en0gzent2nr

Inspiration - Graphic Organizer

So I used Inspiration software to make my graphic organizer and LOVED it! Too bad we don't have that sfotware at school:(
I expanded on what the template showed. I added on the Executive and Judicial Branches to go with the Legislative branch. Upon first use, some of the buttons were a little confusing, but if you have time to play with it, it will be great. I would totally use it. I printed it off so I can have my students duplicate it on their own paper. We use so many graphic organizers it would be great to have this at school!! I'll put it on my list for the director.

Lesson Accelerator - Newsflash - MS Word

Newsflash
Newsflash is a newspaper where students write about a concept in newspaper format to present information. I would use this for both my ELA and Social Studies classes. First of all it encompasses different ways of writing. The student could write from different points of view including characters in stories or a person from a different time period. The teacher could also have them write editorials about events or personal reactions to events or stories. The students would also have to write a summary for the newspaper giving a short description of what happened. There were other options for background information or other research the student may have done on the topic, depending on how big the paper is. Another aspect about this project is that it requires you to cite the pictures the student gets off the internet. Students are not giving appropriate credit in school and this will make them more aware of this need. This project would cover many of the TEKS used in ELA.
I would not modify this particular version of Newsflash, but I might create my own using the different ways of writing mentioned above depending on whether I was doing a project for Social Studies or ELA. I would, before the lesson, have newspapers around the room so students could see what a real newspaper looks like. If I were going to use this for a WWII project I might see if there were actual newspapers I could buy on eBay for their viewing. I could also have students research a topic and actually find a newspaper article online or in the library about their chosen topic. I would have to take some time to show students how to create text boxes and set the paper up with more of a newspaper feel which could take some time. Other than changing the type of writing for different subjects, I would not change anything.
Any subject would be able to use Newsflash. It can be applied to Science, any ELA, and Social Studies, as well as Math. ESL students are required to write for all classes for the TELPAS test in February. This would get them thinking about ways to write about each subject which would help their writing scores in the long run. If I were to use this in a staff development, I would have the departments by grade level go to the lab and come up with their own newspaper to use as an example in class for their students.

Lesson Accelerator - Legislative Branch - Inspiration

The Legislative Branch for Inspiration
This was a government graphic organizer that divided the three parts of the Legislative Branch in Inspiration. I could use this in my classroom for my ESL newcomers because it minimizes the amount of information and condenses it onto one page. It is great that symbols or pictures can be used in place of words, colors can be changed for ease of understanding differences, and outlines are formed based on information input onto the web. Also, both the outline and the graphic organizer can be printed so it applies to different learning styles. If a student is more linear the outline is available to them for studying. In class I also like the fact that I can create links to web pages where I want my students to look for information. It is difficult when they are all over the internet because there is sometimes too much information for them to have. I think this is a great tool for organizing notes in order.
I would modify this organizer by placing in each box of text what I want included there. I would also add text boxes where needed before giving the organizer to the students. I might also have them add text boxes based on what they thought was important enough to add into the organizer. I would also modify this organizer to show all branches of government. I think that would be more comprehensive. They would have all the information on one page.
I would present this to the staff at my school explaining that they could use this in Science, ELA, or any other subject. I believe that it could be geared toward science by talking about ecosystems possibly. For reading or English teachers it would be appropriate for character differentiation or plotting stories from beginning to end. I would also let them know that it would be a good tool to help a struggling writer begin because it gives them all the information they would just have to separate it into paragraphs and possibly add more details. It would at least give them a starting point. This graphic organizer would be a great culminating project instead of a test because the student has to fill it in using his own language and not by chance bubbling the correct answer on a scantron. The teacher would really know whether or not the student understood the material because of how they input the information.