Week 14 and 15- Final Presentation

Tech-Cadre : Blended Delivery Class on Prezi

Week 13- Comment and Progress

I have looked  through some of the other ePortfolio entries and have gotten several GREAT ideas and resources. The tutorial for signing up for an Edmodo account is great!  I think this will be a great beginning of the year video to show both students and parents. I'm already thinking about an open house use for this video. I also looked up several other "How-To" videos for Edmodo that I would like to post on my Edline for Parents to have as resources.

My progress is going well!! Though my actual full unit has not been utilized yet, the skills I have learned from this class have already changed how I teach.
Students have used a public document as a collaboration tool already and it was very successful! They were amazed to see that everyone could work on one idea at a time.

I look forward to designing my Spring units in a blended fashion. I am also very much looking forward to the presentations for some final collaborative ideas.

Week 12- Effective Presentations

Teaching presentation skills in the classroom should be part of every content. Presentation skills are a way to incorporate a real world application of your contact.  Science is a communicative field where ideas are established and accepted through presentation.

The 21st century skills that must be addressed in the classroom justify the teaching of presentation skills and incorporating them into the content. Here are two examples:

21C.O.5-8.1.LS.2- Student interprets abstract visuals and creates products (e.g. digital storytelling) that reflect a growing understanding of visual language and require the effective use of tools (e.g. cropped photos, original charts and graphs, well-chosen images from databases, video clips).

21C.O.5-8.1.LS.3-Student presents thoughts, ideas, and conceptual understanding efficiently, accurately and in a compelling manner and enhances the oral or written presentation through the use of technology.

Some resources that you can use as an educator for prepared presentations are the Microsoft Suit, Google Presentation,  Prezi, Keynote, Animoto, any video prep software.

In the beginning of my blended unit, my students must understand the historic progression of the atom. They must know the scientists and famous experiments that lead to the discovery of the subatomic particles and the uses we have for a model today.

A positive of using a prezi presentation to teach this content material is that the student engagement is much higher in comparison to a general lecture based style to present facts.

This is a work in progress and will be edited before I use this unit.

History of an Atom on Prezi

Another presentation used for discussion and interaction about rates of reaction in our class

Rate of Reaction- Book Investigation on Prezi

In addition to presentation software as educator tools for lessons, students can use any of the above mentioned programs to create a presentation about a group designed experiment and the results. (Not used in this specific unit but I am having my students use this later in the year.)

Week 11- Assessment

Assessment is the tangible evidence of learning. It is the proof that learning and understanding has taken place in a world that is saying students aren't learning in our school systems anymore.  The failure in education comes when we assume assessment is a synonym for test and specifically a standardized multiple choice test.

In my blended classroom, I am utilizing the Google Apps suite as a main hub for assessment.

The assessment tool I am showing is a simple way to use Google Docs, and Google Forms.
As part of the writing initiative for all content classes, students are working on their scientific writing skills by writing a detailed lab report after all lab investigations.

Here is the guideline and report template available for all students. This is available on edline as a file as well as on Edmodo.

Lab Report Template - Outline

My students type up the lab report and send it to me using the homework hand-in option on Edline. (See previous post and tech writing instruction as a how-to.)

My assessment tool for grading these lab reports is a simple form/rubric.

I have attached  the form and the spreadsheet that displays the results.

Lab Report Grading Form

Spreadsheet

If I print a copy of the spreadsheet, I can cut slips of feedback for the kids to see their grade and the specific comments section.


Other assessments I'm developing are simple concept checks with Socrative software on the iPads, live collaborate responses with Google Docs, and project presentation with Prezi or iMovie.

Week 10- Technical Writing

This week we learned how to create tech writings. This is going to be such a useful tool for our blended courses. To eliminate or at least address some of the issues with technology questions outside of the classroom, technical writings and instructions can be useful tools for frequently asked questions. This week my students are submitting lab-reports. In the future I would like to have them do the lab in class and type the lab report at home to submit.  I created instructions on how to submit their lab report on Edline as a homework hand in. 

I'm posting screen shots of the file to my e-portfolio.(Screen shots and screen casts have made my life easier!)

Week 9- How is it going?

A brief update on things:

              For my blended unit, I'm taking a different approach on things then what I originally intended. To begin, my topic has changed from physics to chemistry, I'm trying to incorporate more writing and reading components and I'm also utilizing Edmodo more as I learn how useful it is as a main classroom portal.
            The reason I chose to change my topic is based on the "learn from your mistakes" model of teaching.  This year I did a chemistry unit and was just beginning to utilize some of the tools we are learning in our class. As my unit finished I found myself thinking about what I could have done. So I've decided to redesign this specific unit incorporating  apps I am discovering, more Google docs for collaborative investigations and more writing and reading components.

A new link to my outline in progress (I'm still working on the physics unit if you'd like to keep up with the previous link as well).

Blended Chemistry Unit

I also wanted to update on a blended unit I'm working on for my RTI class. My students are extremely interested in learning about the potentials colonization of Mars. This started as a text based reading exercise for comprehension and vocabulary skills. We read two articles about terraforming Mars and the current Mars missions. Comprehension was impressive because of the interest level.  The questions the students were coming up with after this were wonderful, inspiring, and in some ways overwhelming. We began by typing just a list of research questions. From there, I decided to create an Edmodo site that the students could interact on as they began to research.

SUCCESS!

They were amazed with the live Google Doc that we collaborated on for signing up for our research questions. I've posted different polls that the students have commented on. Students are posting support articles to the research questions.  I feel as if the students are driving the content of the unit which has been challenging but exciting as a teacher to have such an open ended goal.

 I'm posting some snapshots of this specific unit!! Click on the pictures to enlarge!

We've used the polls option for opening discussions.

                    

   These are some of the files we are sharing during our class. 

We used a live document to write our research questions and sign up for research assignments.

Week 8- Screen Cast

The Screen Cast was created with the Show Me App.  This app is great for tutorials of skills that involve processes that must be practiced for mastery.

This specific tutorial will be used to help students understand how a chemical equation supports the Law of Conservation of Matter. The students will watch this explanation of counting atoms on the reactants and products side of a chemical equation and then watch several practice videos to work on the skill themselves.




The idea of using this tutorial as a flipped assignment is an option. Students would watch a few mini tutorial or lecture style videos prior to class and then show their understanding during practice in class.  As of now, it is used as an additional resource from what we learn in class.

Week 7- Blended Unit Development

Current Outline for our Blended Unit.

I'm really enjoying the collaboration time provided in class. I find myself thinking about how my unit can be modified for different grade levels and how extended lessons can be made for higher level students. It is a work in progress. I"m embedding the  link as a live document that will show the progress and changes I make as I go. I published the document as a website that can be viewed from any web browser. *(Another cool aspect of being in this class!)

Here is a link to the document Blended Outline

Week 6-Trouble Shooting Video

The following screen cast was created to teach my students how to use www.showmewhatswrong.com. This website is linked to my edline and my edmodo. My students will learn to use this as a communication tool for troubleshooting during online assignments. ( I also used vimeo as my video portal which we learned in this class as well.)

Screen Cast-Show me what's wrong from Danielle Vance on Vimeo.

Also, I wanted to share how I created this. I downloaded a screen casting software from http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/ it's free and super easy to use! check it out!

Week 5- Possible Tutorials for my Classroom.

This week we discussed the power of online tutorials for students to access outside of the classroom.
I found some possible video trouble shooting tutorials that I may use. We also discussed video apps that will allow us to create our own.

Week 4- Informing Parents about the Blended classroom.

Despite the technology enriched lifestyles that both our students and their parents have now, a blended delivery style of classroom is actually a brand new concept. At the beginning of the school year, the initial contact made with parents will be a letter home.

Here is a sample of a letter I may use to introduce my students and their family to a new type of classroom.

Parent Letter


Very soon after, I would like to offer workshops for parents to come into my room after hours. I want to teach the students how to use the edline resources, edmodo or set up a twitter account.  If this is successful, I would also like to offer workshops to the parents and students regarding google docs, and other google apps.

Week 3- My Blended Environment

This week we had to research different websites and options to host our blended classroom. When looking at each option I had to find something that addressed a few points:
1. It must log my information, unit plans, and  resources without discarding them year to year.
2. It needs to be interactive with discussion forums, comments, blogs, or chat allowing my students to communicate about classroom material outside of the school.
3. I want something that keeps them posted about school activities, grades, and announcements for other classes as well.

My conclusion for now (As it will evolve as we go, I'm sure.)  is to utilize 3 websites into one.

https://www.edline.net/Index.page
http://www.edmodo.com/home
https://www.box.com/

I am currently using edline as a daily log of assignments, activities, grades, quizzes and announcements. My team is also increasing their web presence on edline this year and a goal of ours is to keep kids involved online for all of our classes. Therefore I will be using that as a main hub for my class. In addition to this however, I'm going to my a link to Edmodo.com for specific assignments and daily discussions for students to converse about what's going on in class. If I have a discussion question or a chat session I will post it on edline in the assignments and have students link to the edmodo site to participate.  I will also have students doing polls, surveys and other assignments using edmodo. As a storage center, I'm going to use either box.net or drop box.

Some of the negatives that I have encountered so far using edline as a main site for student involvement are the following; it is not interesting, appealing or modern and students do not feel entertained while exploring it, there isn't a discussion application or chat feature for student interaction, and each year it dumps all of your files. A downfall about Edmodo is that it's not directly linked to your gradebook. It's not used in all classes like edline  and parents may not check it as often as or even want to check it.

My idea is evolving as I am also trying to build a wix site that I can use next year. I'm trying to design several PBL style units to use that will be both common core and technology based.  However it is NOT ready for this years blended attempt.  It will be a lot like my blended portfolio site that I'm working on http://dkvance.wix.com/vancescience#!home/mainPage


My pages so far.....

EDLINE

Edmodo

                                 

Week 2- Quality Apps for Education

This week we discussed what qualifies an iPad app as a high quality education app.

I have chosen an App to review that I'm currently using in class.

Show me!

Click the video below and I will explain what the app is, how it works, why it can be considered a quality app, how the app can be used at all levels of Blooms taxonomy, as well as some downfalls to using this application with students in your classroom.


 

Week 1- Exploring Educational Apps

I'm embarking on a journey to change with education, change education, and make a change using education.

Blended Delivery

Not only is this a trending topic or approach to the modern classroom, it is also a realistic method to keep our kids plugged into something other than social media.  

This approach is viewed as a hybrid learning environment. One in which students have access to their learning tools and materials outside of the classroom and 24/7.  It involves the teachers adopting and adapting resources on the internet, apps on different tablets and phones, and becoming technologically present in the students life. 

Our first assignment is to find different apps that could be used in the classroom as a resource or available to students outside of the classroom. 

I was recommended the app  iTunesU  and have been exploring different textbooks and videos available for topics we explore in 8th grade science. Currently we are reviewing the Scientific Method and I have found several video demonstrations and explanations that I could post on my edline account to help with the understandings of the process. 

I also have heard and hope to use the Socrative app.  This is a live feedback app for things like tests, quizzes, polls, etc. When set up prior to class students are given a classroom code and log into class.  They then can respond to different prompts using a mobile phone or tablet. The teacher then has access to immediate assessment results and can quickly address misunderstandings.