Teaching with Technology - Ye Old Survivor

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Ye Old SurvivorA Study of the First 13 Colonies

• EDLD 5364 - ET 8021
• Teaching with Technology
• Group Project

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Introduction
The team of Reichert, Lambert, Jimoh, Banda, and
Lowe worked collaboratively to design a unit to
cover information on the First 13 Colonies.
Units were designed using the Universal Design
for Learning template and enhanced with 21st
Century technology learning tools.
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The Team

• The Team worked collaboratively using a Google
  site. Each team member contributed to the project
  based on their individual expertise which
  included classroom experience, adult education
  experience, and computer network backgrounds.
  Team meetings were conducted using Adobe Connect
  Pro with transcripts and notes being posted by
  the team leader. The team used a color code
  system to indicate individual collaboration.

Link to Team Page
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Unit Design

• Each lesson component uses a Universal Design
  for Learning module to help guide the instruction
  and assessment of the lesson. This supports the
  cooperative learning strategy in Using Technology
  With Classroom Instruction that Works (Pitler, p.
  140). The teacher will use an animated
  introduction created in Animoto to preview
  projects, introduce the topic and introduce
  technology tools that students might consider
  using for some aspect of their final presentation
  or product.

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Unit Designcontinued

• At the beginning of the unit the teacher will
  introduce the focus for the unit. The teacher
  will assign formal groups comprised of 13 groups
  (9 groups of 2 and 4 groups of 3). The larger
  groups will have students with exceptional needs
  placed in each of the groups for better support
  by peers and designated support staff.  This
  grouping also assures that material for each
  colony is covered as groups will be able to share
  their work during the unit in student-led
  presentations.

Action Plan
Project Page
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Rationale for Choosing the 13 Colonies

• The team utilized a collaborative Google Doc and
  online synchronous meetings to brainstorm and
  agree on the focus topic for the group
  contribution.
• Familiarity with colonial period
• Ease of finding information appropriate for the
  grade level
• Unit is a state requirement for 8th grade Social
  Studies
• Team diversity led the decision to choose a topic
  familiar to all
• Initial brainstorming suggested numerous ways
  that technology components could be integrated
  into the topic

Project Brainstorming
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Rationale forProject Choices

• TEKS for 8th Grade Social Studies specifies
  information that is required.
• Course required individual UDLs were used to
  develop the inclusive unit.

Lesson 1 Ismail  Select one colony and present pertinent facts (Established by whom? why? when? Where?) - Create Persuasive Flyer to advertise for settlers to join a specific colony using Glogster
Lesson 2 Luis When colony was established, why they were established, and who established them and processed in a flyer designed in MS Publisher.
Lesson 3 Bonnie Postcard From the Past gather and process information about jobs and the economy in the colony. Final project is a postcard in MS Publisher.
Lesson 4 Jamailah Research important people and events during the colonial period. Incorporate information in an Inspiration timeline.
Lesson 5 Lori Designed to allow students to put together information from previous lessons where information was pulled apart Students will create a Voki avatar and embed the information in Google Earth.

• Project Examples

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Sequencing of Lessons

• Sequencing the presentation of information allows
  student to build on information.
• Sequencing helps students see lesson objectives
• Sequencing sets a direction for learning.
• As a history unit, it is important to establish
  an order for events so it was appropriate to
  sequence the presentation of information.
• The final lesson provided an opportunity to
  review the information as a whole.

Pitler(2007) states, setting objectives as an
instructional strategy that focuses on
establishing a direction for learning ( p. 17).

• Individual Universal Lesson Designs

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Professional Development

• Professional development is key to teachers using
  the emerging technology tools available to them
• Up-to-date knowledge for any new resource or
  creative instruction for diverse learning
• Allows teachers to experience the use of
  technology the students will apply in order to
  accomplish each learning activity.
• Become more effective teachers by properly
  knowing how to use the Web 2.0 tools comfortably.

Encouraging our educators and schools to use
technology effectively is a complicated and
challenging task (Solomon Schrum , 2007, p.
115).
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Our team felt that the Prezi and Glogster formats
were a good way to present the information as a
Professional development because.

• Prezi
• New Web 2.0 tool to implement simple toosl to
  access tutorials and documents
• Allows for engagement, creativity, and
  empowerment
• Vibrant and allows for flexibility allows users
  to navigate and revisit the parts they need
• Accessible to the teacher 24/7 with internet
  access otherwise, can be saved as a presentation
  flash movie if there is no access to the internet

• Glogster
• New Web 2.0 publishing tool to access tutorials
  and documents
• Can get creative with the design and written
  content
• Editing tool is simple to use

Solomon and Schrum (2007) state, one of the most
successful (way to learn technology) is to use
the technology to learn how to use the
technology, or some might say, not just talk the
talk, but truly walk the walk (p. 111).
Professional Development
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Professional Development
Professional Development for our unit is
important for teachers because itprovides
practice and comfort with the tools, and second,
offers the opportunity to experience firsthand
the use of the technology for meaningful and
authentic activities (Solomon Schrum, 2007, p.
115-116).
to PD Collaboration
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Team CollaborationThe design and implementation
of our unit project was accomplished as a team
by.

• Selecting a lead person that was comfortable with
  collaboration applications
• Coming from different backgrounds with our own
  specialties, we were able to offer unique
  viewpoints with great creativity.
• Utilized free applications such as Adobe Connect
  Pro to meet live twice a week
• Posted discussion notes and transcripts that
  summarized things we needed to do and kept
  everyone informed.
• Offered advice, feedback, reflection, and
  encouragement that fostered exceptional
  communication.

Solomon and Schrum (2007) state that the new way
of doing things is collaborative, with
information shared, discussed, refined with
others, and understood deeply (p. 21).

• Weekly Assignments Team Meetings Book
  Builder Reflection Project Brainstorming

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Resources

• Edutopia.org (n.d.). Project-Based Learning An
  Overview. Retrieved October 5, 2009, from
  http//www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-ove
  rview-video
• Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., Kuhn, M.,
  Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with
  classroom instruction that works. Denver McRel.
• Rose, D., Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching Every
  Student in the Digital Age Universal Design for
  Learning. Retrieved March 1, 2011, from Center
  for Applied Special Technology
  http//www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes
  
• Solomon, G., Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0 New
  Tools, New Schools. Washington, D.C.
  International Society for Technology in
  Education.