Summary+Outline+and+Resources

Final Project High Tech Learning Fall 2009 Linda Eleftheri Course Project ** Plan a “high tech” learning experience. Audience ** Second grade students will create three (3) letters for various audiences commemorating their second grade experiences. They will incorporate a different type of technology with each letter.


 * Parent Audience**

Students will compose a letter and photo essay to their //parents// recalling the highlights of their school year. The photo collage will be created using [|Animoto]. [|Animoto] is a web site that creates music videos using photos that customers download for free. In just a few easy steps music videos are emailed to the user’s account. The URL for the video will be placed in the letter. Letters will be saved with photos as a PDF file. They can be added to the student's Wiki Page. We will use our class gmail account for emailing tasks. jacksonsecondgrade@gmail.com


 * Teacher Audience**

Students will also respond to several  provided by their classroom //teacher// to capture the most memorable experiences of their school year together. This technology component will require students to share their favorite, funniest and most unforgettable moments. “Teacher” is used to define any adult or staff who instructed the student during the school year. It does not necessarily mean the child will write a letter to their classroom teacher. In fact, students will be encouraged to direct their correspondence to a teacher other than their homeroom teacher. Using [|Spoken Text] they will recall some of their fondest second grade memories. Students will paste the letter they created using Letter Generator. (Photos will accompany the dialogue.)

Spoken Text will allow students to paste their letter text into a box and convert it to an audio file. The file link will then be sent to the class account email. The file will be loaded to the Wiki and downloaded to their page.


 * Peer Audience**

The final audience for the yearbook reflection will include the //students’ peers//. Each child will download their projects into a wiki page from [|Wikispaces]. By housing the collection of good times and fond memories together, each student can address one another using the wiki. They can speak directly to one another and link to each other’s pages. They will be able to comment on similar favorite experiences and be reminded of special moments they shared.

The advantage to using the wiki is that students can continue to add memories, revisit old experiences and share their most exciting highlights with friends and family members. Since the wiki can be accessed at home or school, students will be able to construct their pages with more adult supervision. Directions will be provided in class and online so parents and teachers’ aides can offer assistance.

Directions

[|Photo collection] and organization is a skill students will continue to enjoy for years to come. [|Online photo sharing] has taken on several different modes of delivery. However the end result is always the same. . . . sharing an experience. Voice narration is as important as public speaking in this age of technology. It personalizes web content by adding the user’s unique perspective and intonation to the images or text. Students will learn to share and collaborate on a project they can continue to and revisit for years to come. Online collaboration is becoming more important as time restrictions limit face to face meeting and the cost of travel keeps companies from sending employees to meet, plan and discuss strategies. Educators can provide greater variety and more in depth experiences by incorporating technology.
 * Need** (learning need or specific goal)

** Survey or Assessment (Technology Effectiveness) ** 1. Digital images (photos) provide a personal connection to a practical project. 2. [|Animoto] –free, fun web tool relatively easy to use. 3. [|Spoken Text] – free resource which produces quick and easy text to voice files easy to access and embed 4 [|. Wiki spaces] – free and easy to add pages for each student to edit. Much of the work students will design will require basic word processing skills, saving and editing files. Students will demonstrate knowledge of flash drive storage and photo editing using [|Microsoft Photo Draw V2]. Students will also interact with the Mimio and Smart Boards prior to the development of their projects. [|The Mimio Website] and Overview [|Mimio user video] and [|Smart board] resources
 * Technology Effectiveness**

Prerequisite learning experiences will be presented to demonstrate computer processes and procedures to students before attempting to construct each step of the project. Handouts and documents with screenshots and step by step directions will be available to students and parents to assist in the construction of the three elements of this project. Templates and graphic organizers for letters along with photo and music samples will be available to students during the planning process. I anticipate this project to take approximately one month to complete. The targeted start date is April. Completed wiki pages should be posted no later than the last day of May.

Using [|Animoto] will appeal to visual and auditory learners due to the use of photography as well as music and movement. The kinesthetic learner will be actively involved in manipulating photos and text to create the video through keyboard and mouse commands. [|Spoken Text] incorporates linguistic with audio because students must prepare their letters and rehearse prior to recording their presentations. Reflective summaries of the school year will be revised prior to recording. The use of a [|wiki] should appeal to the intra and interpersonal aspects of the learner for this assignment. Not only will students reflect and document their individual experiences, but they will collaboratively share and create a combined record of their history together. “As teachers advance through these stages, their technology use becomes more frequent, more sophisticated, and more creative—that is, they use more types of applications more often and more flexibly (Hadley &Sheingold, 1993). ** What I found interesting about this article is that it focused on the relationship of teachers’ use of technology and applications of technology in the classroom based on the level of confidence and expertise teachers develop. The number of times a teacher uses technology is not as impressive as the number of different applications she applies and the level of difficulty and creativity that each tool provides. Therefore I see this article as a reflection of my growth and increasing diverse use of technology now, compared to the limited and narrow applications of my past attempts to integrate technology into my classroom. Hence, the multiple layers of technology layered in the outline of this end of the school year reflection project.
 * [|Different Learning Styles] ** ** [|(multiple intelligences)] **

Ertmer, P. A. & Adddison, P. (1999). Examining teacher’s beliefs about the role of technology in the elementary classroom. //Journal of Research on Computing in Education,// 32(1) 54-71. Accessed on December 1, 2009 from [|**http://www.pipesd.net/research/2780718.pdf**]

**Technology Issues**

One issue that will always factor into any technology project is time and resources. Availability of computer lab time to complete a comprehensive multi-step project and the time constraints of the instructional day will dictate how long it takes to complete any project involving technology. I estimate at least one month for the completion of this project. I would realistically begin introducing the technology elements and skills required to accomplish this reflective yearbook at the beginning of the final quarter of the school year. By that time a substantial number of digital images are collected, many of the prerequisite skills will be established by students.

Technology itself plays a role in the success and completion of any digital project involving audio and photography. Schools often block resources requiring passwords and downloadable online tools. The capability of the server and software available in the school computer labs might cause this project to be adapted to utilize the limited resources of the technology available in a school setting.

Technology and keyboarding skills weigh into the success of all tasks performed by children. As with pencil and paper tasks, students need to listen, follow along and remember multiple steps over several weeks of instruction. Basic computer skills will be reinforced over the entire school year. It is assumed that students have satisfactory keyboarding, internet access, photo editing, flash drive storage and word processing skills to complete this project. Students furthermore experience Smartboard and Mimioboard lessons regularly.


 * “Frequently, teachers’ technology professional development experience is short term with a primary focus on computer skills. (NCES, 2000). An inherent flaw in the design of skills-based technology professional development is that the focus is not on instructional practices.”**

This is true of the professional technology development provided by my school system. Only recently has the professional development instructor asked participants how the new technology can be applied to classroom content. Training to integrate technology into classroom curriculum and support for implementation assistance with follow – up training are rarely funded in many school systems. As professional educators we seldom introduce a skill to our students on one single occasion and never provide additional instruction or review. Yet a one- time introduction is the norm for professional development when it comes to new technology.

Matzen, N. & Edmunds, J. (2007). Technology as the catalyst for change: The role of professional development. //Journal of Research on Technology in Education//, 39(4) 417-430. Retrieved December 1, 2009, from []

RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS [|Mimio Overview Guide] [|Smartboard Teacher Resource] [|Animoto Help Link] – Video creator link [|Create a Storybook] – Text creator [|Jamendo] - Free music sources

Letter Template Graphic Organizer for Letters @Teacher Prompts for Letters Sample Photo Collection
 * PDF Files: **

Music List Samples



Track 1 media type="file" key="May.mp3" width="240" height="20" Track 2

media type="file" key="Nostalgia.mp3" width="240" height="20"

Track 3

media type="file" key="Techno DKProject.mp3" width="240" height="20"

Websites

Project Outline and Directions [|Parts of a Letter] [|Arthur Parts of a Letter] [|Interactive Activities Parts of a Letter] [|Letter Editing Games and Worksheets] Friendly Letter Writing Worksheets

Home About This Project Letters To Our Parents Letters To Our TeachersSharing Our Memories Student 1

Student 2 Student 3 @Summary Outline and Resources