Integrating Technology into the Curriculum

This is my first time to use ASSURE model to create a lesson plan. I think in this assignment satisfies the second standards of NETS*T for teachers, that is Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. Based on this standards, teachers “design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S” (NETS for Teachers, 2008).

It is easy to create a lesson plan. However, how to incorporate multi-media into lesson plan is a challenge. I realized that it really takes time to develop a good lesson plan. As a teacher, we have to make sure everything goes smoothly and students understand the task. Originally I am thinking to ask students to create a slide to present their project. Then I did a little bit research, and found a very nice online poster called Glogster. Glogster.com enables students to create their own interactive online poster with images, graphs, photos and videos. It is fantastic! I think students would really enjoy doing this project. With a little editing and revising, I would recommend students to create a five-min presentation using iMovie or other online video tools. Since we may not have enough time to let each group to present, I think it would be a good idea to recommend an online presentation and let students to rate each other’s work. Of course, rubric would be provided.

The presentation would be a little bit challenge for ESL students. However, with the help of Glogster, they could easily create an online poster to present their project. It requires some time to practice the five-min presentation. I think they can handle it. As you can see, there are lots of videos and online games incorporated in this lesson plan. All materials and project are posted online website. For students with deaf/hard-of-hearing students, they can easily keep track of the assignments and read the detail of the project online. I think by incorporating multimedia into the lesson plan, it really benefits students with disabilities.

When I first started with my digital tutorial assignment, Dr. Cyrus reminded us hat we need to incorporate the video into our lesson plan. I was prepared and chose this topic-Pythagorean theorem. However, when I really started with this assignment, I have no idea where to start. I had a hard time to come out with the objectives of lesson plan. Thank you, Dr. Cyrus! She wrote me several valuable feedbacks about my objectives and gave a clue where to start.

This is also my first time to use ASSURE model writing a lesson plan. Again, I am lost. I have no idea what ASSURE model is. I looked over all the sample lesson plans Dr. Cyrus posted and did a research. The ASSURE model is an instructional model for planning a lesson and the technology that will enhance it (Integrating Technology Into The Curriculum, 2011). By reading the definition of ASSURE model, I understood the reason that we use this as template to create our lesson plan. Amazing, I found that ASSURE model allows me to think effectively by integrating technology into curriculum.  

With Wix.com, I was able to create my own website. Awesome! From this assignment, I really learnt a lot. Most important, I enjoy the process of exploring new technology and integrating into lesson plan. With these experiences, I am confident to say that my students would not only learn, but also enjoy this lesson.

Reference:

NETS for Teachers 2008. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx

Integrating Technology into the Curriculum. (2011). Retrieved November 26, 2011, from  http://ed205.net/assure_model.html

8 Awesome Technology Tools

1. MOODLE: Open-Source Community-Based Tools for Learning

Rating: 5/5

Moodle is a platform that allows more interaction between teachers and students. Before I took this course, I thought MOODLE just a website to submit my homework. I was so wrong. By using the MOODLE, I can keep track of my assignments. I can easily review my grades. I can even chat with my professor and classmates. AWESOME!

2. Firefox: Made to Make the Web a Better Place

Rating: 5/5

It’s a free website! You can use different templates to display the website. It even has spell checking, live bookmarking, private browsing. You never know how amazing it is until you start to explore! Even more awesomeness!

3. Google apps: More Than You Thought!

Rating: 5/5

Google apps include: Gmail, Google Groups, Google Calendar, Talk, Docs and Sites. Again, it’s free! It offers the same amount of storage as regular Gmail accounts. Now, I can store all my assignment in the Google apps and don’t worry I will lose any of them.

4. Wix: Free Website Builder

Rating: 5/5

With wix.com, you can create your own free flash website. It offers tons of templates that you can edit, create your own stunning flash website. Creating your own website in a second! That’s Wix.com! 

5. Voicethread: Group Conversation with Image, Document and More!

Rating: 5/5

VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate slides and leave comments. It is so cool that you can create a video with your own document and share with your friends and students from anywhere in the world.

6. iMovie: Create Your Own Movie

Rating: 5/5

I just became a Mac user recently. And I love iMovie. It allows you create and edit your own movie. I am now a producer of my own. iMovie allows you to incorporate sounds, pictures and videos easily. It is terrific!

7. LiveBinder: Online Binder

Rating: 5/5

How to organize your own stuff? If you still have no idea, try out LiveBinder. It allows you to gather and organize your knowledge, whether it's a website links or files.  You can even install the bookmarking tool in your browser tool bar. Next time if you want to save the website, just by clicking the tab and it’s yours. How easy it is!

8. Glogster: Create Online Poster in 90 Seconds

Rating: 5/5

Again, it’s free! With Glogster.com, you can make your own interactive poster online just in 90 seconds. You can also mix with images, graphs, photos and videos into your poster. Be creative! And don't forget to share with your friends! it is fantastic!

Pythagorean Theorem Lesson Plan (ASSURE MODEL)

That’s not cool! Don’t let your finger do all the talking.

 

This week, our awesome group E mates and I gave a presentation concerning sexting and textual harassment. It is really a meaningful project. We live in a information society. Nowadays, who doesn’t have a cell phone? I have my cellphone since I got accepted into college. My parents gave it to me as a college gift. If I don’t have this project, I never would know such a wonderful communication tool also could cause the dangers of texting, it may even take people’s life.

Here are some interesting numbers we did research on cell phone. According to a recent Marist Poll conducted by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, 87% US Americans said that they own a cell phone. 94% of Americans under age 45 have cell phone. (Watershed Publishing, 2009) Cell phone is so widely known and used. When we walk into campus, we will see most of our students own cell phones. It becomes so common that sometimes we ignore the problems cell phone may cause. 

What are the problems that cell phone usage may cause? The answer is sexting and textual harassment. Textual Harassment is phone calls and messages that are used as a form of bullying. And sexting is the act of text messaging someone in the hopes of having a sexual encounter with them later, initially casual, and transitioning into highly suggestive and even sexually explicit content. (The Line, 2011) Here are some statistics among teenage students. 33% of teen boys and 25% of teen girls say they have had nude images that originally meant to be private but shared with them. 3 in 10 young people have been involved in sexting. More than 50% of those who shared a sext shared with multiple people. Sexters are 4 times more likely to consider suicide in the past years than those who don’t.

That’s not cool! Most teenagers are still immature. They didn’t realize the risks from sexting. Once you decide to click the send button, it’s gone forever. You have no control over who can see it and you can’t take it back. Sexting and textual harassment can be a form of bullying. It can impact on the victim having low self-esteem, truancy, eating disorder and ever suicide. As a teacher, we should be aware of the danger of sexting and textual harassment. Teach students to respect each other and give them a lesson on the danger of it. It is necessary to make sure that students think before the finger does the talking.

During the preparation of our presentation, we also had some trouble. In that week, I happened to be off-island. It became really hard for me to communicate with my group mates and keep track on the progress of our presentation. When I came back from California, I immediately contacted with my group mates. Frankie told me that we did go through a hard time to create our presentation. Fortunately, we pulled through and had a wonderful presentation. Group E members, job well done!

Here is the link to our presentation:

http://www.wix.com/fgmcjohn/sextingtextualharassment

Reference: 

Watershed Publishing. (2009). Employment & Age Top Factors in Cell-Phone, PDA Use. Retrieved Monday, November 7, 2011, from http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/employment-age-top-factors-in-cell-phone-pda-use-9678/

The Line – Australian Government. (2011). Fact sheet: TXTing/SEXTing. Retrieved Monday, November 7, 2011, from

http://www.theline.gov.au/factsheets/text_sext