In order to assist students in working together collaboratively I would like to build a wiki where they can post research projects, blog, communicate with students in other classrooms. The first and primary obstacle that I and other teachers in my school are facing is the dwindling availability of technology resources. We have a number of laptop carts but the batteries are one by one dying, and there are no funds to replace them; so a priority is to research grants and apply for funding for technology, together with my peers and colleagues. Also the answer may not lie with more laptops, as there may be a less expensive solution. This is one real-world issue that students may be interested in collaborating as problem-solvers.
I need to tap into the wealth of experience among parents and the possibilities of engaging their help as expert speakers, as well as other professionals in the community who may be knowledgeable about topics that students are interested in; through the use of Skype virtual interviews are possible when face-to-face encounters are not. I need to develop genuine collaborations with teachers in other classrooms, even on other continents, that are tailored to the actual needs of our students and not "pre-fabricated" to suit the needs of someone else. I also need to prepare my students for encounters with cultures that are different from their own by using some of the lessons in the Building Bridges curriculum from the Peace Corps as discussed in Chapter 7 of our course text, found online at http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/publications/bridges/. Videos are also informative and assist both visual and auditory learners.
Collaboration among middle school students is never easy, yet it is a crucial time for them to learn the value of positive social interaction. By beginning with small assignments, using tools such as rubrics, reflective assignments, and graphic organizers that assist them with developing collaborative skills, I can gradually increment the amount of time they can work together
In terms of keeping up with the latest innovations in educational technology, I subscribe to some RSS feeds that I read on an ongoing basis, but I need to develop a formal means of assessing what I read about and try out, such as a reflective journal of technology integration. This will also be beneficial to my goal of sharing my knowledge with my colleagues at school.
In terms of evaluation, the tools at my disposal currently are the remote response system that is part of the Promethean technology in my classroom, and the classroom blog; I can canvass students to get valuable feedback as well as brainstorm ideas, and the results from the response system can be immediately stored in an Excel file on my laptop. The blog is useful also for student reflections on the steps they are taking in projects and for commenting and providing advice for editing or additional information among students, and between students and me.
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
Christine,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your effort to integrate technology in the classroom despite the lack of funds. It is sometimes difficult to reach out your co teachers and school authorities to convince them about technology and education. Constructive feedback helps us to improve and sharing the projects ultimately benefit all the students ,and with blogs it is so easy.
Shameen,
ReplyDeleteDid you mean to write "Laurie?" This is not Christine's blog. No problem. :-)
In regards to your computers dying here is a website that helps schools get the equipment they need. http://computersforlearning.gov/ I hope you can get what you need to progress in your game plan!
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