L.K. Frost

What makes Technology fun?

2008-10-21T07:08:00.001-07:00

Last night in class, Laura demonstrated her iPod Touch. We all had a great laugh over the tiny device packed with interesting features that could have an educational implication. However, this got me thinking about gadgets. Stereotypically, women are not the “gadget” fiends, but last night 6 women were giggling at a tiny device that one could download a harmonica to. What makes technology interesting to some and not others? Is it past experience? Is it promotion on a parent level that technology and gadgets are interesting and fun. Because the flip side to this is the technophobia that haunts many of my teachers. Sometimes, its not even just women, but men – sometimes those who teach the more “science” or “mathematical” subjects. Is it maybe one of Gardner’s multiple intelligences – that people who are more technologically inclined are more tactile or visual? I have always tried to approach any new technology situation I find myself in with a sense of fearlessness, that no matter what I did I would not break or destroy the technology by sheer ignorance of how it functions. Interestingly enough, I never thought of myself as a particularly hands on learner, I always learned by books and reading and tests. But to find myself in technology, promoting a way of learning that is foreign to myself, is interesting to me. Especially in light of my research on problem-based learning, I find myself understanding why technology is still fun to me after being a technology hobbieist for over twenty years and being in Ed. Tech. for almost five. Inherently, technology for me is solving a problem – how does this work and how can I entertain myself with this? I guess I am fortunate enough to still believe that a new gadget is like a toy – that the instructions are useless and I will be able to master it on my own. Now, the problem becomes how do I get my students to feel the same way? How do I get all of my students to believe that technology is something fun, even when the classroom part of it always isn’t?

Technology and Legality

2008-10-14T09:57:00.001-07:00

Last night’s conversation during Christine’s presentation really intrigued me. When she brought up the teacher who would play WoW with his students, it really got me thinking about pedagogy and the legal constraints many educators find themselves dealing with. How often does litigation stop innovation in the classroom? All it takes is a disgruntled parent or colleague to turn something that helps students to learn into something that is pulled before a school board and argued. A case could be made that these students are actually in a safer environment, because feasibly, they are safely gaming with a trusted adult. This confusion can be echoed in the larger problem of “what technology is appropriate for students to use in school.” Cell phones have been a huge part of this particular debate. Do we allow students cell phones or other communicative devices in school – other than being a disruption – is it a problem? Or do we not allow it and then in the case of an intruder or other threat – students cannot act as a conduit for communication? This ties into the Cisco article we were reading last night as well. Can school policy keep up with technology? If we say okay to phones, but a student is surfing the Internet during class, are they accountable to rules that don’t necessarily cover that particular behavior. For example, if a student uses a proxy server – are they violating the acceptable use policy? Or are they circumventing the system because the policy has not kept up with the technology – or even worse, are these students optimizing the ignorance of educators regarding emergent technology. Of course, this all goes back to the idea that while the students can operate a high tech cell phone but cannot manage to type a sentence in Word or save something to a hard drive, all of which is extremely frustrating.

Is Technology Necessary?

2008-10-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

In our discussions over the last few weeks, we have analyzed the concepts of technology integration and meaningful learning. As I listened to the Tech Buzz presentations and then learned about the different pedagogical approaches, I began to wonder about technology and its role in education. Obviously, I have to be all for it, it’s the bread and butter of my existence. But, does the technology facilitate learning – does it make learning happen more effectively? That is curious to me because as the Tech. Associate here, its my job to keep the equipment running, but I haven’t really had a chance to see teachers anywhere use it in a way that has made me say wow (except in one or two cases in the last year). We so often say that the reason why something in educational technology will work is because the kids like anything electronic. Is that true? I have had several students (boys as well as girls) that have been extremely technology phobic. We presume that the kids all come in to school in regards to technology on the reverse bell curve –that they will be enthusiastic about technology just because they are kids. But I have also seen some of the traditionally “anti” technology people – older teachers, approach technology with enthusiasm and an open mind, while some students have a hard time using the technology – so much that they need to be lead to it – worse, they decide they want nothing to do with “school” technology, but still use the iPod and the cell phone. I think using some of the pedagogical approaches may address some of these issues, but how do we make “educational tech” interesting and useful to students? Does this then require us to redefine what “technology literacy” in students really means? Is a student who can use a cell phone more “technology savvy” than a student who can use Word or is just less fearful or resistant to new technology? Just something to think about.

Meaningful learning and technology proficiency

2008-10-01T14:31:00.001-07:00

After our class discussion on 9/29, I really started thinking about meaningful learning as a future parent. How can one create meaningful learning experiences for their child? A good place to start, I feel, is to think about the types of things that are meaningful to oneself- or what is important for me to teach my child? As a teacher, one sifts through the curriculum and makes decisions about the things they want to focus on in teaching – specific skills or concepts that they place a value judgment on. We have discussed in the past that when teaching, we teach a variety of unintentional curriculums, each unique and some even student defined. We then defined “meaningful learning” as finding new ways to interact with the environment that creates a change in the person. What then, is meaningful teaching? How does one teach meaningfully? How can we control any teaching situation when there are so many variables and make the experience a meaningful learning experience for our students? That is why I was somewhat disappointed in the Edutopia module we looked at. The experience was good because I got to see what Edutopia saw as technology integration. I didn’t think that any one project stood out more than the other, as some were very clear in terms of student expectations and some just looked really pretty. This brings me to my benchmark project. I will try to make sure that the unit isn’t about technology for technology’s sake. In a brief aside, I had a colleague tell me today that broken technology makes technology really hard to integrate. I understand his frustrations, as I seem to forget that just because I am technologically proficient; integrating a technology piece into a lesson is much easier for me than for others. So, does that mean that my technology lessons are more meaningful? Probably not, but they just go smoother for me than for somebody who is trying to do an interesting technology project who doesn’t have the same level of proficiency. I think this is why we are doing the PD piece in the benchmark, so we as technology leaders, can assist our colleagues in really integrating technology.

Do Schools Kill Creativity - response

2008-09-23T18:14:00.001-07:00

After our discussion on 9/29 regarding curriculum and instruction, as well as viewing the video “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” I am left thinking about how schools approach curriculum and its effects on instruction. As new teachers, we are bound to the curriculum, as we are so nervous about the actual job of teaching that we need to feel secure about something. But, as we get more adept at instruction, we start to move away from the curriculum. In fact, as we become better teachers, the curriculum becomes secondary to what we do every day in the classroom. But, while watching the “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” video, I am struck by what instruction and the daily grind of the classroom can do to kids. It makes one reassess what they say to students every day, especially in light of all of the different types of curriculums (as we discussed) that exist on so many levels within a classroom. It makes one second guess the types of attitudes we exude on any different day within the classroom. So, even if I am having an “off” day, i.e. the server goes down, I am tired, etc, all of these become part of the experience of being in my classroom and having me as a teacher. Then, what if I say the wrong thing to a student, and they are affected in ways I cannot begin to imagine? This boils it down to the awesome responsibilities teachers have. I think this is one thing that Sir Ken Robinson did not touch upon – with all due respect, that could have been another lecture. In a world of test scores and cut funding, it’s important to realize that everything is curricular, and one curricular choice made by a teacher has longer reaching results than one could realize. So, the question can become, do TEACHERS kill creativity?

TIE 536: Attitudes and Technology Integration

2008-09-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

What makes a district reach full or appropriate technology integration? A lot of good points were made during the discussion on Monday night – context of technology (can we really expect that a poorer district can get the technology that a richer district might?) and time (how long do we expect districts to take to integrate technology?) It seems to me that technology integration looks different for each district – and it may be reasonable to presume that districts have different ideas of what technology integration looks like for them. A major component of technology integration that I believe is critical is attitude. For technology integration to work on any level, a district must decide that technology is a priority and work to make it happen for faculty and staff. But, as a citizen who pays taxes in a town, it must be incredibly difficult to promote technology expenditures when your tax base may not understand why the purchase or the change may happen. It seems as though parents want change and promote the idea of technology, but sometimes it seems as though when it comes to specific purchases or ideas, the reality is much more difficult than the projected results. It is also somewhat disconcerting that in an election year, we are still discussing what books should be read or taken out of libraries, and looking at emerging technology, we are and continued to be barraged by different opinions. We could possibly face a future where technology is banned because of the ideas it espouses – look at the controversy surrounding cloning. It is also valuable to note that, while our government promotes technology in the schools, the same budgets that contribute to this technology are being cut to almost nothing. Thus, when I think about technology integration, one major issue that I find is that attitude is a huge barrier to successful technology integration. Therefore, even if the poorest district in the world decides that getting one computer in each classroom is a technology goal, so many people (parents, teachers or administrators, even the government) can impact how successful that district is. It takes the effort of so many people to make technology integration successful, and key behind that effort is the belief that technology is important to learn and integrate into daily living. And much like the arts in school, how can you quantify that? Obviously, statistics show that 21st century jobs require 21st century skills, but in order to make integration work, we must look at the process as organic, as daily living and technology grow into each other. Is it valuable for a student to know what an iPod does – sure, because if they know how to use the iPod and do not have a fear of technology, that same student may be the one using a computer to compose a symphony.

Evidence Based Post #4

2007-05-29T18:44:00.001-07:00

My last post discussed the Illinois eLearning initiative. In this post, I would like to discuss the response I received from Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach regarding my first post.
To review, my first post discussed what schools and states do in regard to the changing technology standards and teacher preparation. I examined an article posted on Education World, regarding Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach’s experience training students and teachers alike in technology. After posting my analysis on my blog, Ms. Beach responded by telling me about two more websites that detailed her work with preservice teachers.
The first site directed me to the 21st Century Collaborative page, found at Preservice Class Wiki for a course entitled Edu 330, Tech Enhanced Learning, which essentially trained teachers in various technology and Internet based tools, much like are offered in our class. Clicking on the main home link brought me back to the same page, but, Ms. Nussbaum-Beach offered me, as her second link, a link to her homepage on the 21st Century Collaborative, found at Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach. I wanted to discover more about this 21st Century Collaborative, so I followed a link I found on her webpage marked 21st Century Learning, which lead me to a whitepaper, which described the work that described an organization called the Alabama Best Practices Center, or ABPC. They work with schools in order to train teachers from schools in how to become more technologically oriented. Nussbaum-Beach developed the curriculum, and the teams established a virtual community. ABPC has been offered assistance by Microsoft, and ABPC works with selected schools throughout Alabama.
To switch gears, I wanted to complete this posting with what I discovered about what specifically Illinois does to make sure its teachers are technologically savvy. Perusing the Illinois State Board of Education website, under Curriculum and Instruction, one will find a link to the National Educational Technology Standards, published by the International Society for Technology in Education. Interestingly enough, under this link on the ISBE website, one can find the link to the Illinois Content Area Standards for Teachers. This document contains eight specific standards for all teachers, regardless of content area. They are:
1) Basic Computer/Technology Operations and Concepts
2) Personal and Professional Use of Technology
3) Application of Technology In Instruction
4) Social, Ethical, and Human Issues
5) Productivity Tools
6) Telecommunications and Information Access
7) Research, Problem Solving, and Product Development
8) Information Literacy Skills
These standards closely mirror the National Educational Technology Standards for both teachers and students. It seems like Illinois is trying to figure out a good way to integrate these standards, thus borrowing heavily from ISTE. However, in terms of new teachers, I skimmed the Certification section of the ISBE website, only to find no mention of technology. It seems, as stated earlier, that Illinois is trying to get up to the level set by states like Virginia, but we are not quite there yet.

So what does this mean? Essentially, because education is a state-specific entity, states will largely determine what they feel is “sufficient” for teachers in terms of technology. While Illinois does not mandate an assessment test or the creation of a technology portfolio, this does not preclude the fact that one day this may be a requirement. With the ever changing nature of the teacher certification process, this may not be that unrealistic of a situation. Right now, Illinois simply refers to the NETS standards, and seems to be creating Illinois teacher standards out of them. It will be interesting to see how this continues to develop.

21st Century Collaborative. (2007). Blog. In ABPC 21st Century Collaborative. Retrieved May 28, 2007,
from http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com/blog/

21st Century Collaborative. (2007). Course Description. In Tech Enhanced Learning. Retrieved May 28,
2007, from http://techenhancedlearning.wikispaces.com/

Illinois State Board of Education. (n.d.). Illinois Content Area Technology Standards for All Teachers
[Data file]. Retrieved May 28, 2007, from
http://isbe.net/profprep/CASCDvr/pdfs/24120_coretechnology.pdf

My powerpoint

2007-05-24T06:58:00.001-07:00

My powerpoint is viewable under www.geocities.com/lkelaiditis

Site of the week #4

2007-05-22T17:42:00.001-07:00

http://www.architectstudio3d.org/AS3d/index.html: Architect’s Studio is a fun website that many students enjoy. Created by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Society, this is an interactive website that contains biographical information on Wright as well as a very fascinating interactive game that allows students to build homes for specific clients’ needs. It allows students to save their drawings, which they can retrieve by password. After the student has completed the home, they can then look at it using a variety of perspectives. It also possesses a page for teachers and librarians. Learning Standards: Technology: Technology productivity tools. Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools: Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions. Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world. Fine Arts: 26: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced.

Site of the Week #3 - Emailed 5/9/07

2007-05-22T17:40:00.001-07:00

http://myhero.com/myhero/: The Hero Project: This is a wonderful
website that I encouraged the fourth grade teacher to use in a Social
Studies project regarding inventors. This website is a basic directory
of notable people who have made a difference in the world. Each person
has a profile, as well as reference links on the bottom of the page,
for further research. The website is written at approximately a sixth
grade reading level, but students are encouraged to leave postings
regarding their heroes. There is also a very nice Teacher section on
this website, full of lesson plans and resources. Learning Standards:
Social Studies: A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and
interpretation. Early Elementary: 16.A.1c Describe how people in
different times and places viewed the world in different ways. 16.B.1a
(US) Identify key individuals and events in the development of the
local community (e.g., Founders days, names of parks, streets, public
buildings). 16.B.1 (W) Explain the contributions of individuals and
groups who are featured in biographies, legends, folklore and
traditions. English/Language Arts: Use the language arts to acquire,
assess and communicate information. Early & Late Elementary, 5.A.1a
Identify questions and gather information. Middle School, 5.A.3a
Identify appropriate resources to solve problems or answer questions
through research.

Evidence Based Posting #3

2007-05-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

After examining what Virginia does to make sure that new and current teachers do to meet technology standards, my next decision was to look at the Illinois State Board of Education website. I wanted to know if the state board directed any type of standard teacher assessment such as Virginia. From first glance at the website, Technology is not in any disconcernable place, but from experience, I know it is listed under Curriculum and Instruction. Venturing there, I noticed a link for eLearning. As a Technology Coordinator for a small south suburban parochial school, I have to admit some ignorance of the eLearning standards. Obviously, I had heard the tem bandied about at meetings (my school consistently is invited to the Southwest Cook Technology meetings). Thus, this post will attempt to examine the eLearning initiative, and what repercussions it has on teacher learning and certification.
After examining the Illinois Board of Education page on eLearning, I felt that I had not learned anything substantial. There were lists for grants, programs, and resources. One particular section interested me, specifically the Illinois Virtual High School.
Illinois Virtual High School is an online high school in the sense that one can take courses for credit which will transfer back to the home school, kind of like correspondence courses. According to the website, the Illinois Virtual High School has been in operation for six years and boasts that, “As of January, 2007 IVHS has: provided over 10,000 semester course enrollments to students throughout Illinois; had enrollments from 400 unique schools in Illinois; served students in 83 of the 102 counties in Illinois.” According to the informational packet provided on the website, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy runs this program for the Illinois State Board of Education. Now, what kinds of courses are offered for students? One would believe that these would be technology related courses, but perusing their course list offers a different analysis.
For the 2007 Summer Term, IVHS is offering a variety of courses, not limited in any way to just technology courses. One can take Fine Arts, Literature, and other core high school curricular subjects. From the informational packet, one can be reassured that a student cannot earn a high school diploma through the IVHS, and it is the prerogative of the school district on whether or not actual accredited school credit can be earned. The informational packet does refer to this credit as correspondence, which I thought was very interesting. Of further interest, on the bottom of the website were logos for eClassroom and eCollege. Clicking on the eClassroom link brought me to their website, which told me that they were a corporate entity, which states that eClassroom “provides complete solutions for Virtual Schools.” This made me even more curious, as it appeared that this corporation provided the state of Illinois with the framework for eschools. Visiting the state website did not illuminate me further, as the eLearning spot on the website simply listed the websites for the IVHS, the Illinois Board of Education, and other links for distance learning.
Thus, it seems as this eLearning trend speaks to a more specific distance learning trend. In fact, when I did a Google define, this is exactly the definition I received. It does not specifically deal with technology learning in the sense of learning about technology and technology skills, for either the teacher or the student. It seems as though I will need to go specifically to the source of the Illinois Technology Standards, the National Educational Technology Standards website, before I can learn anything further about what specifically Illinois requires its teachers to know so they can teach and students to learn.

Works Cited

ECollege. (1999-2003). eClassroom. Retrieved May 16, 2007, from http://www.eclassroom.com/

Illinois State Board of Education. (n.d.). eLearning. In Illinois State Board of Education. Retrieved May 16, 2007, from http://www.isbe.net/curriculum/elearning/default.htm

Illinois Virtual High School. (2007, May 9). Retrieved May 16, 2007, from
http://www.ivhs.org/index.learn?bhcp=1

Illinois Virtual High Schools. (2001, October). Information Packet (4th ed.) [Brochure]. Retrieved May 16, 2007, from: http://www.imsa.edu/programs/ivhs/pdfs/IVHS_Information_packet.pdf

Evidence Based Post #2 – Teacher Standards in Technology

2007-05-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I discussed what teachers and schools are doing to meet the requirements of the “new literacies” as discussed in our course text. I talked about the various expectations the government has regarding teacher preparation programs and what districts are doing to make sure that their teachers are adequately prepared to teach these new literacies. My search brought me to the “Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel” assessment, mentioned in an article by Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, in regards to the W.T. Cooke Elementary School. I found it interesting that the teachers at this school were required to take this kind of an assessment and wondered if it was mandated anywhere else.
My first path of inquiry was to simply type the phrase into my Google search engine. The results were interesting as it quickly became apparent to me that the only state to have a teacher assessment test called the “Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel” was Virginia. This search lead me to the Frederick County Public Schools webpage. On the Staff page, prominently displayed under Technology Links are two PDF documents. The first is titled Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel Information Sheet and the second is titled Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel Certification Form. The first is simply an informative sheet detailing the specific guidelines for certification in the state of Virginia as it relates to technology. Described in this document are the specific requirements that one seeking certification in Virginia MUST meet in order to get an Initial Certificate. According to this document, one must be proficient in technology to get a certificate in Virginia.
According to the document, any teacher who needs to renew their certificate after July 1, 2007 must meet proficiency in technology. The document goes on to say that the way one could do this is by filling out the certification form on the website, and meeting with a renewal advisor. In order to fill out this form, one must complete competencies, which can be met by taking classes in specific applications, i.e. Word, Windows, etc., or by completing a portfolio. In my estimation, the first choice, class work, was much easier because Frederick County offered free classes.
Going a step further, I decided to peruse the Virginia Board of Education website to see if there was any further information and to see what Virginia required of its Initial certification candidates. When I went to the Teacher licensure page, I scrolled down looking for a reference to technology and found a document entitled, “Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel.” This document was ratified in March 1998! This document sets the standards for what all schools, as well as teacher preparation programs, must do in order to make sure they have compliant teachers. The list of technology standards is fairly short, but the Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel was pretty specific, as Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel (8 VAC 20-25-10) states, “
E.Course work in technology shall satisfy the content requirement for licensure renewal for license holders who do not have a master’s degree.
F.School divisions shall incorporate the technology standards into their local technology plans and develop strategies to implement the standards by December 1998.
G.Institutions of higher education shall incorporate technology standards in their approved program requirements and assess students’ demonstrated proficiency of the standards by December 1998.”
Now, it looks as though any educator who does not possess a Master’s degree needs to meet compliance, but those who do, do not have to worry about a technology requirement. It is my understanding that Frederick County Public Schools are simply doing what every other district in Virginia is doing when it requires its teacher to prove proficiency.
My next posting will delve into this further as well as examine what Illinois does in terms of this issue.

Sources Cited:
Frederick County Public Schools. (n.d.). Staff Information Page. In Frederick County Public Schools. Retrieved May 2, 2007, from http://www.frederick.k12.va.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=521&sc_id=1158714920

Frederick County Public Schools. (February 2007). Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel Information Sheet [Data file]. Retrieved May 2, 2007, from http://www.frederick.k12.va.us/education/sctemp/3f0f3da81769c23a98edb0b00f2b0ab7/1178150447/TSIP_InfoSheet_07.pdf

Virginia Board of Education. (1998, March 4). Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel. InVirginia State Board of Education. Retrieved May 2, 2007, from http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Compliance/TeacherED/tech.html

Educational Links Hotlist

2007-05-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

Luciana Kelaiditis Frost
TIE-542-0
May 2, 2007

Hotlinks: These are links that I have found useful as a Technology Coordinator. Thus, I have tried to create a list that has some variety of disciplines and subjects

English/Language Arts
http://absoluteshakespeare.com/: Absolute Shakespeare: This is a great website for study on Shakespeare. This website is pretty definitive, as it has all the plays and sonnets, biography, films, pictures, facts and a lot more. It is a fairly user friendly site, but it is still highly academic. Learning Standards: English/Literature, Early High School Standard A. Understand how literary elements and techniques are used to convey meaning. 2.A.4c Describe relationships between the author’s style, literary form (e.g., short stories, novels, drama, fables, biographies, documentaries, poetry, essays) and intended effect on the reader.

www.noodletools.com: This is a great website for generating citations. While many teachers may not like it because it somewhat simplifies the citation process, it has many modules that are very helpful. I encourage my students to use it because students still need to have all of the necessary data in order to generate a citation, but the site also makes it clearer to the students exactly what they will need in order to cite something correctly. It is somewhat more helpful than the style manuals as it asks very specific questions about the citation, which is helpful as sometimes students do not know exactly what to do.

Students can purchase a subscription to this site and it will generate a Word document with your list of citations on it. It then acts as a virtual folder and will store your lists for as long as you keep your subscription. There is also a Noodlebib MLA starter and a component called Noodlebib Express which allows the student to work on a citation in either APA or MLA. Citations can then be copied and pasted into documents. There are also some nice resources for teachers regarding 21st century literacies, which is actually covered in our textbook and some links for collaborative learning. This is a fantastic site for students elementary through graduate. Learning Standards: English/Language Arts: 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information. B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources. Early & Late Elementary: 5.B.1b Cite sources used. Middle & Junior High: 5.B.3b Identify, evaluate and cite primary sources. Early High School: 5.B.4b Use multiple sources and multiple formats; cite according to standard style manuals. Late High School: 5.B.5b Credit primary and secondary sources in a form appropriate for presentation or publication for a particular audience.

http://www.storylineonline.net/: Book Pals Online: This website was created by the Screen Actors Guild and features a famous actor/actress reading aloud a storybook to the student. While the story is read by the actor, the story is then illustrated through Flash. It is highly interactive and has a short screen of related questions regarding the story, as well as alternate activities and a downloadable activity guide. It’s a very entertaining site, as they get actors that are kid-friendly, such as Amanda Bynes and Hilary Duff, and very good activities. Learning Standards: English/Language Arts: Reading: B. Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency. Early Elementary: 1.B.1a Establish purposes for reading, make predictions, connect important ideas, and link text to previous experiences and knowledge. Late Elementary: 1.B.2a Establish purposes for reading; survey materials; ask questions; make predictions; connect, clarify and extend ideas. Early & Late Elementary: 1.B.1d Read age-appropriate material aloud with fluency and accuracy. C. Comprehend a broad range of reading materials. Early & Late Elementary: 1.C.1a Use information to form questions and verify predictions.

http://www.poets.org/: Poets.org is run by the Academy of American Poets and is a gigantic repository of poetry from predominantly English or British poets. One can search poets, specific poems and audio files of poetry. This is a great resource for students as they can also research poets as well. Learning Standards: English/Language Arts: Literature: 2: Read and understand literature representative of various societies, eras and ideas. Early Elementary: 2.A.1c Describe differences between prose and poetry. Late Elementary: 2.A.2c Identify definitive features of literary forms (e.g., realistic fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, narrative, nonfiction, biography, plays, electronic literary forms).Middle School: 2.A.3c Identify characteristics and authors of various literary forms (e.g., short stories, novels, drama, fables, biographies, documentaries, poetry, science fiction).

http://www.bartleby.com/: Bartelby.com is a repository of books and quotations. It has been in existence for several years, and continually adds books to its list. One can search by author, verse or title, as well as by fiction or nonfiction title. This is a very nice website to use for literary works that are in the public domain or just if one needs a quick quotation. Learning Standard: English/Language Arts: 2: Read and understand literature representative of various societies, eras and ideas. B. Read and interpret a variety of literary works.

http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/: Shakespeare’s Globe is a great website for further research on Shakespeare’s legendary theatre. Because the theatre is operational, this is a site that advertises the current play season as well as educational resources for students and teachers. Learning Standards: English/Literature, Early High School Standard A. Understand how literary elements and techniques are used to convey meaning. 2.A.4c Describe relationships between the author’s style, literary form (e.g., short stories, novels, drama, fables, biographies, documentaries, poetry, essays) and intended effect on the reader.

http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/: Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet is another good resource for Shakespeare education. Although not as informative as other websites listed here, it is still a nice resource for original publications from Shakespeare. Learning Standards: English/Literature, Early High School Standard A. Understand how literary elements and techniques are used to convey meaning. 2.A.4c Describe relationships between the author’s style, literary form (e.g., short stories, novels, drama, fables, biographies, documentaries, poetry, essays) and intended effect on the reader.

http://www.folger.edu/template.cfm?cid=863: Folger Library- Shakespeare Resources: This is the website of one of the foremost publishers of Shakespeare’s work. This site offers Shakespeare for Kids, as well as information on his life and the plays. Learning Standards: English/Literature, Early High School Standard A. Understand how literary elements and techniques are used to convey meaning. 2.A.4c Describe relationships between the author’s style, literary form (e.g., short stories, novels, drama, fables, biographies, documentaries, poetry, essays) and intended effect on the reader.

http://www.webenglishteacher.com: Web English Teacher is a fantastic source for each component of Language Arts, from reading to research. This site offers links for every grade level and each possible unit of study within an English/Language Arts framework. There are dozens of links here for each possible book, play or poem that exists in a standard American English/Language Arts curriculum. On this website, one can find resources to fit each one of the English/Language Arts standards. This is probably one of the best English teaching websites out on the web today. Learning Standards: 1: Read with understanding and fluency. 2: Read and understand literature representative of various societies, eras and ideas. 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes. 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information.

http://en.wikipedia.org/: Wikipedia is a website that seems to generate a lot of controversy in educational circles. It is essentially an online encyclopedia but, like any wiki, can be updated by anybody on the Internet. I find it useful for students because it is user-friendly, written in a middle school/junior high reading level and each entry offers a variety of new links to follow for further research. Learning Standards: 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information. A. Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas. B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources. C. Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats. Technology: Technology research tools: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

http://www.eduplace.com/kids/: Houghlin Mifflin Education Place for Kids is based on the Houghlin Mifflin series of textbooks, for grades K-6. This site assumes that the user has the textbook, thus it offers supplementary materials that tie into the reading selections in the text. It is broken up by grade level and is probably the most user friendly text based site I have encountered. Learning Standards: English/Language Arts: 1: Read with understanding and fluency. A. Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections. Technology: Technology research tools. Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

Math
www.mathplayground.com.This website has won awards for the breadth of information it covers. Our students are encouraged to use this website at home as they have a really neat Flash module underneath the link www.mathplayground.com/flashcards.html. This is an interactive flash card game where our students can practice their fluency with addition, subtraction and multiplication. They can also print out flash cards to use offline. Learning Standards: This website works well to address Illinois Math Standard 6 -which addresses student numeration skills.

http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/index.html: National Library of Virtual Manipulatives is a fantastic website that offers a variety of modules for students to practice all levels of math skills in a multitude of subjects: numbers and operations, algebra, geometry and much more. The best part about the website is that it has representative exercises in each grade level, so feasibly a student in Kindergarten could be working on a geometry skill. Learning Standards: Math: 6: Demonstrate and apply a knowledge and sense of numbers, including numeration and operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), patterns, ratios and proportions. 7: Estimate, make and use measurements of objects, quantities and relationships and determine acceptable levels of accuracy. 8: Use algebraic and analytical methods to identify and describe patterns and relationships in data, solve problems and predict results. 9: Use geometric methods to analyze, categorize and draw conclusions about points, lines, planes and space. 10: Collect, organize and analyze data using statistical methods; predict results; and interpret uncertainty using concepts of probability. Technology: Technology productivity tools: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

Science
http://periodic.lanl.gov/default.htm: This website was developed and is maintained by the Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Chemistry Division. This website has information for all grade levels, but is primarily geared to middle school – high school students. Each element is a hyperlink to an explanation. This is specifically for information, and does not have much in terms of games. Learning Standards: Concepts and Principals: 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences. C. Know and apply concepts that describe properties of matter and energy and the interactions between them.

http://www.chem4kids.com/files/elem_intro.html: Chem4Kids is an easier version of the Los Alamos website. It is geared for elementary school students, due to its graphics and reading level. There are more simplified explanations as well as online chemistry quizzes. There are also links to other scientific websites, such as astronomy and biology. This would be a very nice introductory website for students to look at in regards to chemistry and the periodic table. Learning Standards: Concepts and Principals: 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences. C. Know and apply concepts that describe properties of matter and energy and the interactions between them.

http://www.chemicalelements.com/: Chemical Elements.com is another very basic website. It seems to be middle ability. The language is not difficult, but there is not much on this website in regards to games, which can be a good thing when a teacher is using this site for research. There are different ways in which to view the elements, and again, when one clicks on the specific element, a page is opened with information. As stated before, this is a good website for research. Learning Standards: Concepts and Principals: 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences. C. Know and apply concepts that describe properties of matter and energy and the interactions between them.

http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/: All Science Fair Projects.com is a comprehensive website that offers thousands of science fair projects. When my school offers the Science Fair, students are usually stumped on what subject to do and what type of project to try. This website offers viable ideas that are student appropriate, along with research links for the projects. Learning Standards: This website encompasses Science Goal 11 of Inquiry and Design: Understand the processes of scientific inquiry and technological design to investigate questions, conduct experiments and solve problems. A. Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of scientific inquiry. B. Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of technological design.

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html: StarChild is a website run by NASA in order to promote learning in the subject of astronomy. This is a remarkably student-friendly website, with bright graphics and easy to navigate modules. It is broken down into Level 1 and Level 2, which offer the same information, but at different levels of reading ability. There is also a link here for “Go Imagine the Universe” which is geared for students 14 and up. This is a great starter website for units dealing with space. Learning Standards: Science: 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences. F. Know and apply concepts that explain the composition and structure of the universe and Earth’s place in it.

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/: Windows to the Universe is a great website for astronomy lessons, but it also works in information about the Earth as well. It has a variety of great modules to explore weather conditions in space and Earth, significant people and history, as well as offering games. This is a good resource for space as well as weather lessons. Learning Standards: Science: 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences. E. Know and apply concepts that describe the features and processes of the Earth and its resources. F. Know and apply concepts that explain the composition and structure of the universe and Earth’s place in it.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/: Exploratorium is a great multidisciplinary website that handles a variety of activities, but focuses primarily in science concepts. It does have a very nice educator module, as well as very interesting links to online and real life exhibits. Learning Standards: Science: 13: Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts. B. Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology and society. Technology: Technology research tools: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

Social Studies
http://myhero.com/myhero/: The Hero Project: This is a wonderful website that I encouraged the fourth grade teacher to use in a Social Studies project regarding inventors. This website is a basic directory of notable people who have made a difference in the world. Each person has a profile, as well as reference links on the bottom of the page, for further research. The website is written at approximately a sixth grade reading level, but students are encouraged to leave postings regarding their heroes. There is also a very nice Teacher section on this website, full of lesson plans and resources. Learning Standards: Social Studies: A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation. Early Elementary: 16.A.1c Describe how people in different times and places viewed the world in different ways. 16.B.1a (US) Identify key individuals and events in the development of the local community (e.g., Founders days, names of parks, streets, public buildings). 16.B.1 (W) Explain the contributions of individuals and groups who are featured in biographies, legends, folklore and traditions. English/Language Arts: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information. Early & Late Elementary, 5.A.1a Identify questions and gather information. Middle School, 5.A.3a Identify appropriate resources to solve problems or answer questions through research.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/walk/index.shtml: This is the BBC’s website called “A Walk Through Time.” The website states that it is based primarily for 7-9 year olds. It is very easy to navigate and features a variety of sections including, “Odd-One Out” games, which offers an opportunity to walk down the street of a historical period, “Time Strip,” which is a highly interactive timeline, as well as several other historical modules. It also offers suggestions for non-computer related activities, such as interviewing a neighbor. There is a section for printable activities, as well as a teacher and parent guide. Learning Standards: Because of the caveat on the website regarding age, all standards relate to Early Elementary. A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation. 16.A.1a Explain the difference between past, present and future time; place themselves in time. 16.A.1b Ask historical questions and seek out answers from historical sources (e.g., myths, biographies, stories, old photographs, artwork, other visual or electronic sources).

http://www.50states.com/: 50states.com is a website that has a complete listing of states and relevant information. There are quite a bit of banner ads and advertising links, but this is a good site for basic informational facts about each one of the states. All facts are hyperlinked as well, in order for a student to do further research. Learning Standards: This website is fairly basic, so it really ties into the Social Studies/Geography standards: 17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States. 17.A.1a Identify physical characteristics of places, both local and global (e.g., locations, roads, regions, bodies of water). 17.A.1b Identify the characteristics and purposes of geographic representations including maps, globes, graphs, photographs, software, digital images and be able to locate specific places using each.

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/benfranklin/: Ben’s Guide. This site is run by the U.S. Printing office, so it is a government owned site. This site offers much information on the different aspects of Benjamin Franklin’s life, as well as grade appropriate links to information about the government. Each link, labeled K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, or Parent/Teacher, offers age appropriate information on a variety of subjects such as laws, government structure, and our nation’s history. There is also a downloadable book available on this site. Learning Standards: Because this site addresses every grade level, I will provide the basic standard. Political Systems: 14: Understand political systems, with an emphasis on the United States. A. Understand and explain basic principles of the United States government. B. Understand the structures and functions of the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations. C. Understand election processes and responsibilities of citizens. F. Understand the development of United States political ideas and traditions. Goal F. Understand the development of United States political ideas and traditions. B. Understand the development of significant political events.

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/coredocs.html: Core Documents of U.S. Democracy is a website maintained by the U.S. Government Printing Office and is linked to Ben’s Guide. This is a website that houses links to the Library of Congress to allow the student to examine important documents in American History. This is a nice site to use, as the documents are nicely divided by governmental branch and are fairly easy to follow. Learning Standards: Social Studies: Political Systems: 14: Understand political systems, with an emphasis on the United States. A. Understand and explain basic principles of the United States government. B. Understand the structures and functions of the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations. C. Understand election processes and responsibilities of citizens. F. Understand the development of United States political ideas and traditions. Goal F. Understand the development of United States political ideas and traditions. B. Understand the development of significant political events.16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations. A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation. Technology: Technology research tools: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/: World Mythology, Culture, and Religion website. This is a very cool website for research on mythology, culture and religion. It is a fairly reputable site, as contact information for the web developer is easy to find. This site also does not advocate any religion or culture, so it is a decent site to send children to. Learning Standards: Social Studies: 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

http://nobelprize.org/: Nobel Prize. This is the official website of the Nobel Foundation. Obviously, all of the winners can be found on this site, along with biographical information. But, it also offers scholastic whitepapers on the specific contributions of the laureate as well as fun interactive games based on authors, books or even economics. Learning Standards: Social Studies: 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations. English/Language Arts: 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html: American Memory from the Library of Congress is a great Social Studies website. This website is divided into specific topics such as War or Women’s History and contains digital copies of the original historical documents. This is a great website to use because it is very user-friendly, as well as containing detailed explanations of the documents as well as digital pictures of the documents, so the students can really see what things looked like. Learning Standards: Social Studies: 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations. A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation. Technology: Technology research tools: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

http://www.history.com/: The History Channel runs this website and it is highly interactive with many links to free multimedia content. There are also modules that focus specifically on U.S or World History, as well as many links to the programming that is available on the cable channel. This website also contains games and topics in history for students to examine. Learning Standards: Social Studies: 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations. A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation. Technology: Technology research tools: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/index.html: This is the National Geographic site. This is another outstanding site for use in the classroom, as it has many modules to use for student research. It contains a map module that is very similar to Google Earth. There are many links to interactive video and multimedia files, such as world music. Its child-friendly companion site also offers many educational resources and games. Learning Standards: Social Studies: Geography: 17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States. A. Locate, describe and explain places, regions and features on the Earth. B. Analyze and explain characteristics and interactions of the Earth’s physical systems. C. Understand relationships between geographic factors and society. Technology: Technology research tools: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

Technology
http://www97.intel.com/discover/JourneyInside/TJI_Curriculum/default.aspx: This is Intel’s website for education. There are great flash movies on found on this website that are student narrated. These videos give students a simplified and highly comprehensible understanding of the inner and outer workings of the PC. This site also has modules for the Internet as well as online safety and responsibility. Learning Standards: Technology: Basic operations and concepts: 1) Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems. 2) Social, ethical, and human issues: 1) Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology. 2) Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software. 3) Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.

http://www.pbs.org/: This is PBS’s official website. On its main page, sections are devoted to each specific subject area, such as Arts, Nature, and History. There are links to PBS podcasts as well. On the sidebar, there are links to the child sections of PBS, including interactive games that are connected to PBS programming. Underneath the child sections are sections for parents and teachers. The Parenting section has a lot of good information about information literacy and Internet safety. The Teacher section has resources divided up by subject, even though the main Teacher page is fairly based in advertising the programming. This is a huge site, filled with all subjects. Learning Standards: Technology: 3) Technology productivity tools: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. 4) Technology communications tools: Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences, Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

http://school.discovery.com/: Discovery School.com. This is a great website by The Learning Channel for students and teachers alike. There are a number of very good teaching resources on this website, but it also cannot be discounted in terms of student tools. There is a homework helper, a section called Puzzlemaker, which is an easy place for students to create puzzles, as well as a section called Learning Adventures. Learning Standards: This website covers many needs, but best fits within the Technology Standards. 3. Technology productivity tools: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. 6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tool: Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/: How Stuff Works. This is an outstanding website for students and teachers alike, as well as anyone who needs to know how literally anything works. This website not only focuses on the technology end of “stuff,” but deals with a multitude of topics. Students can research and explore a variety of topics here, and the reading level is approximately eighth grade, thus it is fairly easy to follow the explanations. This site also offers links to other related topics, thus it is very circular. Learning Standards: This connects primarily to the Technology Standard 5) Technology research tools, Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. 6) Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools. Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions. The research component ties into English/Language Arts Goal 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information. A. Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas.

http://www.pdictionary.com/: Internet Picture Library: This is a very nice alternative to Google images, especially for students. While there are banner ads and popups, this website does offer very good clip art and digital images for students to use in a variety of means. This website is fun for the students and offers them more art for their papers and presentations. Learning Standards: Technology productivity tools, 1) Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. 2) Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

http://www.google.com/Top/Kids_and_Teens/: This is the link to the Google search engines for kids and teens. This is a nice gateway for students to use Google, but without the massive amount of websites being displayed. The students can also learn more of the search techniques in this part of Google, as they can practice without having, again, multitudes of irrelevant sites come up. Learning Standards: Technology: Technology productivity tools: 1) Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. 2) Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. English/Language Arts Learning Standards: 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information. A. Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas. B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources. C. Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.

http://www.dogpile.com/. Dogpile is one of the better meta-search engines available. It uses Google, Yahoo, MSN, and Ask as its primary search engine base, and like all search engines, can search for web based sources, as well as video and audio. It is highly graphic, which is attractive for students. It also offers a variety of kid friendly modules, such as a Joke of the Day. Learning Standards: Technology communications tools. Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences. Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences. Technology research tools. Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/: Internet Public Library – Kidspace is a great reference site. This is a division of the Internet Public Library, and offers a variety of resources, but organized in such a way to be more straightforward for grade school students to use. There are links to reference sections, as well as links by subject area. Learning Standards: Technology: Technology productivity tools: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. Technology research tools: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks. English/Language Arts Learning Standards: 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information. A. Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas. B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources. C. Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.

http://www.factmonster.com/: Factmonster is a website that is set up by Information Please. It is divided by subject and possesses a homework helper module. It also has a section for age appropriate blogging. A reference desk is posted in a prominent place so students can access dictionaries, encyclopedias and other reference materials. Learning Standards: Technology: Technology productivity tools: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. Technology research tools: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

http://www.architectstudio3d.org/AS3d/index.html: Architect’s Studio is a fun website that many students enjoy. Created by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Society, this is an interactive website that contains biographical information on Wright as well as a very fascinating interactive game that allows students to build homes for specific clients’ needs. It allows students to save their drawings, which they can retrieve by password. After the student has completed the home, they can then look at it using a variety of perspectives. It also possesses a page for teachers and librarians. Learning Standards: Technology: Technology productivity tools. Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools: Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions. Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world. Fine Arts: 26: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced.

Site of the week #2

2007-04-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

www.noodletools.com

This is a great website for generating citations. While many teachers may not like it because it somewhat simplifies the citation process, it has many modules that are very helpful. I encourage my students to use it because students still need to have all of the necessary data in order to generate a citation, but the site also makes it clearer to the students exactly what they will need in order to cite something correctly. It is somewhat more helpful than the style manuals as it asks very specific questions about the citation, which is helpful as sometimes students do not know exactly what to do.

Students can purchase a subscription to this site and it will generate a Word document with your list of citations on it. It then acts as a virtual folder and will store your lists for as long as you keep your subscription. There is also a Noodlebib MLA starter and a component called Noodlebib Express which allows the student to work on a citation in either APA or MLA. Citations can then be copied and paste into documents.

There are also some nice resources for teachers regarding 21st century literacies, which is actually covered in our textbook and some links for collaborative learning.

This is a fantastic site for students elementary through graduate.

English/Language Arts
STATE GOAL 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information.
B. Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources.

Early & Late Elementary: 5.B.1b Cite sources used.

Middle & Junior High: 5.B.3b Identify, evaluate and cite primary sources.

Early High School: 5.B.4b Use multiple sources and multiple formats; cite according to standard style manuals.

Late High School: 5.B.5b Credit primary and secondary sources in a form appropriate for presentation or publication for a particular audience.

Evidence Based Post #1

2007-04-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

Evidence-Based Post #1 – How do teachers keep up with the new literacies in technology?

While perusing the textbook, I noticed that our class text states, “Teachers become more important, though their role changes within new literacy classrooms” (Leu et. al. 25, 2004). Now are teachers prepared for this new role? This question, in the age of No Child Left Behind, becomes interesting when one examines the resources available for pre-service teachers and those provided by districts.
A report was published by the Milken Family Foundation in 1999 regarding this very issue. In an article posted on their website, the Milken Foundation found that “over 70 percent of teacher training programs surveyed require students to take three or more credit hours of instruction with information technology (IT). And on average, pre-service teachers get an equivalent amount of IT built into their non-IT courses. But despite the course requirements, most faculty did not feel that IT training was adequate or effectively modeled for the future-teachers they serve.” This then begs the question of what types of technology courses teachers are taking, and also, how effective is it to teach pre-service teachers, who are still learning about how to teach, about technology but then not even give them strategies on how to implement the technology?
But, how does a school or district hiring these teachers define “technology literate?” One of the researchers on the study goes on to clarify that “’ the institutions that reported the highest levels of student technology skills and experience were not those with heavy computer course requirements, but those that made use of technology on a routine basis throughout the teacher training program.’” Thus, it is not the level of technology expertise a teacher has, but how much they let technology into their classroom and how much technology and technology implementation strategies the teacher had been exposed to.
On the flip side, what do districts do with their existing teaching staff? In an article written by Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, the author examines her experience with the W.T. Cooke Elementary School and details the trials that this particular school had to face in order to make sure that their teachers and students were technology literate. Nussbaum-Beach’s technology integration plan was a school-wide effort to increase the sophistication of the hardware and make every person in the district, teachers and students alike, viable technology users. Her three phase plan took approximately three years to implement. But the question then becomes, in embracing these new literacies, who needs to be taught, the students or the teachers? In Nussbaum-Beach’s experience, the technology coordinator/trainer really trained everyone until the teachers could pass a technology test, called the Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel. However, in the first two phases, the students were trained by Nussbaum-Beach, as well as the teachers.
So, are teachers getting preparation? Obviously, much more research should be done, but my current opinion is that yes, many are getting some kind of training somewhere. However, I am not quite sure about how teachers are getting trained in their pre-service training or by their employer. I also began to wonder if more districts actually implemented something like the Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel, and much like with No Child Left Behind, tested individuals in order to ascertain if their specific district would show compliance. I will be examining this in my next evidence-based posting.

Resources

Leu, D. J., Leu, D. D., & Coiro, J. (2004). Teaching with the Internet K-12: New Literacies for New Times
(4th ed.). Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.

Milken Family Foundation. (n.d.). Information Technology Underused in Teacher Education. Retrieved
April 17, 2007, from http://www.mff.org/edtech/article.taf?_function=detail&Content_uid1=131

Nussbaum-Beach, S. (2003, January 23). Traveling the Techno Trail: Training Teachers to
Use Technology. Retrieved April 17, 2007, from http://www.education-
world.com/a_tech/tech157.shtml

Site of the week - April 16, 2007

2007-04-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

My site of the week for April 16, 2007 is www.mathplayground.com.This website has won awards for the breadth of information it covers. Our students are encouraged to use this website at home as they have a really neat Flash module underneath the link www.mathplayground.com/flashcards.html. This is an interactive flash card game where our students can practice their fluency with addition, subtraction and multiplication. They can also print out flash cards to use offline.This website works well to address Illinois Math Standard 6 -which addresses student numeration skills.