Web 2.0 Tools
I investigated the Wiki tool. A wiki is software that allows users to create, edit, and link web pages easily. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. They are being installed by businesses to provide affordable and effective Intranets and for Knowledge Management. I followed a Wiki discussion "Wiki or Blogs as reading records... that is the question." For the sake of clarification I have included the definition of a blog. A blog is a website where entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. This discussion highlighted the differences between the approach of both tools and their usefulness in recording the interactive reading activity of students. Wiki advocates responded that a wiki would be better if one particular book would be read and reviewed by all the students in a class. Blog advocates responded that class, group or individual student blogs would be better if students were to read different books. In addition discussion participants discussed security issues and tools of course management such as moodle which assist the teacher in monitoring student contributions prior to uploading them for review by all students.
I visited the following class member blogs to read their review of technology tools:
Asha's 422 Corner. Asha reviewed Photo Sharing and its applicability for both student to student use as well as personal or family use.
Casey's 422 Blog. Casey reviewed Collaborative Documentation and its great value to students involved in collaborative research projects. One of my earlier journal entries discussed helping ELL's to participate and feel included by their peers in collaborative research. I will definitely encourage my future ELL students to use this tool.
jessica's EDUC 422. Blog. Jessica reviewed Online Meetings and its potential to either streamline meetings or a way to defer action on issues or worse to permit a person or group to force their opinion.
Laura's Edu 422 Notes. Laura reviewed the value of Shared Calendars in helping teachers to coordinate their calendars for meeting. I have used Outlook in my past profession.
Tammy's 422 Blog. Tammy reviewed Microblogging and it's value as a journal instrument.
With the exception of Shared Calendars, this class has introduced me to a host of technology tools that I had no prior knowledge of. This class has probably been the most informative and most useful class I have taken in my life.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Journal # 9 Software Evaluation Inspiration & iMovie
Into the Next Millennium
Social Studies
Middle Grades 6–8
Purpose
“Into the Next Millennium” develops a major concept of time. The main purpose of this learning activity is to put world history in perspective, utilizing a variety of visual resources in combination with textual historical information to give readers a global view of happenings in widely separated parts of the world. Student developed projects using new technologies of networked multimedia and the Internet enable students to use a constructivist approach along with a technology focus to re-create a global sense of time.
Description
Students are asked to develop a project that demonstrates their knowledge of an overview of time, dating from the ancient world to the 20th century, eventually projecting to the 21st and 22nd centuries. The project requires:
_ Researching three major time-related categories (people, places, and events) using resources available to students, accessed via a variety of indices (maps, time lines, and digitized archives of documents)
_ Narrowing down a topic from one of the major categories and tracking its evolution, from origin to the present
_ Synthesizing and recording material in order to create a sequence
_ Projecting into the next millennium to predict change
_ Producing an evaluated presentation product that shares information with an audience
This project utilizes an Internet resource that provides a synchronoptic history chart and a digital timeline using visual art forms (maps, graphics, and colors) in combination with historical information. (Synchronoptical means “seeing at the same time.” A synchronoptic chart enables the viewer to see many things at the same time.)
Software Review-Inspiration
I enjoyed using the software program Inspiration. I really feel that concept maps can be an additional way to describe or outline a lesson plan for a classroom presentation. It can also be used as a review resource for students to use. What impressed me the most was the fact that the designer has complete control over the appearance of the concept map. It gives the designer not only a variety of shapes to choose from but it also gives him or her the ability to import images from other sources into the same environment. The software allows you to depict a flow of thoughts 50 which can be illustrated with directional arrows. It allows the designer to display images such as Venn diagrams when illustrating two different subjects which share common elements. It has a large assortment of images that can be conveniently added to a concept map. It comes with a variety of existing 50templates to choose from. These templates provide examples of concept maps in language arts, planning, science, social studies and thinking skills. It allows you to transfer your document directly to a word processing file or make it a hyperlink and add to another page.
I think that students could use this tool in a wide variety of ways. It would help students to organize their ideas and create a functioning outline for creating a project. Students could use it in science or math which might require unique shapes or structures to depict or illustrate concepts. It can help students to classify or organize ideas in different ways by simply clicking and dragging. The interactive capability empowers students to alter their concept map at any time. Students will find that the use of concept maps can dramatically improve learning lesson content. Creating review concept maps can help students to retain information in preparation for assessment.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to be exposed to Atomic Learning.com. I had wondered if such a tool existed that enabled someone to view a software tutorial prior to its purchase. I see the tremendous value of this tool for teachers and school districts that have limited resources and unlimited learner needs. I think that by using this tool it can save a tremendous amount of time, energy and resources in searching for software tools, testing programs for applicability and viewing tutorial to examine functionality. If you don’t know someone who has previously tried the software then the tutorials can be a real benefit for evaluating the usefulness of the software to you or other teachers.
Software Review-iMovie
I really enjoyed the using the software program iMovie. It is another excellent tool for use by teachers or students which can incorporate both audio and visual elements to create high quality presentations. For a novice like myself, I found the software to be simple and straight forward to use. The individual tools are simple to understand and learn and the results are surprisingly quick and amazing. I think iMovie is a great way to record your students classroom contributions as well as demonstrate how the student is progressing.
I believe that iMovie would be a great tool for the classroom. My students could use it for making social justice presentations using their own video clips. Students could iMovie to discuss a book, a historical narration or a short journal or personal narration of an aevent. The students can use iMovie to learn a variety of video editing skills that will increase their tools of self expression and in the process increase their self confidence. They will learn to make transitions between clips, add special effects, make still shots from a single frame, add introductions or credits on top of a slide or on black and add an audio element. Students could easily grasp the required skills for making outstanding presentations.
I cannot say enough good about the incredible tool called Atomic Learning. We all know how limited our schools financial resource are and it is extremely important that we make the most of every dollar spent for software. Having access to Atomic Learning would save both time and resources. If we don't have access to either a demonstration of a software program or know someone personally who has the software we might waste valuable time and resources in our search. Worse, we may inadvertently purchase a product that proves to be either user unfriendly or incomprehensible or inappropriate in content or level. I enjoyed using Atomic Learning (or the concept of video self-tutorial in general) to see how iMovie functions and I found them very straight forward and clear in explaining each step. I was amazed to see the extensive selection of software tutorials available. I was able to view tutorials for a number of educational games or interactive programs that I found for ELL and disabled students. I think Atomic Learning should be available to all teachers to help them make better informed decisions regarding the selection of educational software.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Journal # 8 From All Sides Now
From All Sides Now Weaving Technology and Multiple Intelligences into Science and Art By Carol Lach, Ellen Little, Deborah Nazzaro Learning and Leading with Technology Volume 30 Number 5 Pgs. 32-35, 59-61.
The premise of this article deals with the power of technology which gives it the ability to merge it with the curriculum and create unique learning opportunities. This article describes how teachers used the Internet to create a powerful feeling of discovery and allowed students to proceed at their own pace. By weaving together technology, multiple intelligence, and curriculum they were able to help students work in their own "magical learning environment" and accomplish the objective of science and art units. The project was designed to teach the patterns and structures in nature along with symmetry, contrast, balance, and shape in art.
Howard Gardner believed that each person had at least some degree of each of the intellectual competencies. He defined them as "frames of mind" as a means of mapping the range of abilities of the human brain. All of the Multiple Intelligences (MI) meet these criteria.
1. Each person possesses all of them to some degree.
2. Famous people can be identified as highly intelligent in each intelligence, and/or combination of these.
3. Each intelligence is mapped to a specific part of the brain.
4. These develop naturally at different ages.
5. MI are inherited to the extent that certain individuals have a predisposition for a high degree of certain ones.
6. MI are developed: that is with appropriate opportunities, they can be nurtured and expanded.
The project described covered a lesson that included science and art. They studied the naturalist painter Andy Goldsworth while they studied trees and structures in nature and science. Using the artists work for inspiration they created their own nature sculptures, modified these in a paint program, wrote poems about them, and created alternate art forms based on their original. They then assembled a multimedia project using these works. Students need more than just directions telling them to look something up on the Internet. Including an activity like a scavenger hunt can provide directions while giving students flexibility. Students were asked to use different search engines and viewed several of his works. Students could have additional or bonus work if they completed tasks ahead of the others. This additional work could include more description and/or visual notes, or produce a pencil sketch.
Students were encouraged to bring their own collections to share with the class. Students viewed more examples of Goldsworth's nature sculptures in a book and then demonstrate how to approach creating them by showing them a collection of the teachers. Students worked together as a group to design their own nature sculpture.
Students wrote poems, gave names to sculptures, took digital photographs and experimented with special effects. Later they converted these to other art forms to express the same theme or composition. Students also used KidPix and HyperStudio to create portions of their projects. Students identified the MI styles of learning through each stage of the project. They successfully used a rubric to help themselves understand goals and objectives and to keep themselves on track over the course of the project.
Questions
1. How can I find out about different types of technology tools like those talked about in the article?
You can find a variety of resources on the Internet. I have included a number of websites that introduce these tools.
http://www.kidsdomain.com/down/mac/kidpix.html
http://www.education.umd.edu/blt/hyperstudio/
http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/kidpix_folder/kid_pix_web.htm
2. How can I help my students to identify the different styles of learning as exemplified by the Multiple Intelligences?
You can make a series of visuals or realias that give the name of a particular MI. Prior to showing the realia you can provide a description of the MI and allow the students to name it.
The premise of this article deals with the power of technology which gives it the ability to merge it with the curriculum and create unique learning opportunities. This article describes how teachers used the Internet to create a powerful feeling of discovery and allowed students to proceed at their own pace. By weaving together technology, multiple intelligence, and curriculum they were able to help students work in their own "magical learning environment" and accomplish the objective of science and art units. The project was designed to teach the patterns and structures in nature along with symmetry, contrast, balance, and shape in art.
Howard Gardner believed that each person had at least some degree of each of the intellectual competencies. He defined them as "frames of mind" as a means of mapping the range of abilities of the human brain. All of the Multiple Intelligences (MI) meet these criteria.
1. Each person possesses all of them to some degree.
2. Famous people can be identified as highly intelligent in each intelligence, and/or combination of these.
3. Each intelligence is mapped to a specific part of the brain.
4. These develop naturally at different ages.
5. MI are inherited to the extent that certain individuals have a predisposition for a high degree of certain ones.
6. MI are developed: that is with appropriate opportunities, they can be nurtured and expanded.
The project described covered a lesson that included science and art. They studied the naturalist painter Andy Goldsworth while they studied trees and structures in nature and science. Using the artists work for inspiration they created their own nature sculptures, modified these in a paint program, wrote poems about them, and created alternate art forms based on their original. They then assembled a multimedia project using these works. Students need more than just directions telling them to look something up on the Internet. Including an activity like a scavenger hunt can provide directions while giving students flexibility. Students were asked to use different search engines and viewed several of his works. Students could have additional or bonus work if they completed tasks ahead of the others. This additional work could include more description and/or visual notes, or produce a pencil sketch.
Students were encouraged to bring their own collections to share with the class. Students viewed more examples of Goldsworth's nature sculptures in a book and then demonstrate how to approach creating them by showing them a collection of the teachers. Students worked together as a group to design their own nature sculpture.
Students wrote poems, gave names to sculptures, took digital photographs and experimented with special effects. Later they converted these to other art forms to express the same theme or composition. Students also used KidPix and HyperStudio to create portions of their projects. Students identified the MI styles of learning through each stage of the project. They successfully used a rubric to help themselves understand goals and objectives and to keep themselves on track over the course of the project.
Questions
1. How can I find out about different types of technology tools like those talked about in the article?
You can find a variety of resources on the Internet. I have included a number of websites that introduce these tools.
http://www.kidsdomain.com/down/mac/kidpix.html
http://www.education.umd.edu/blt/hyperstudio/
http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/kidpix_folder/kid_pix_web.htm
2. How can I help my students to identify the different styles of learning as exemplified by the Multiple Intelligences?
You can make a series of visuals or realias that give the name of a particular MI. Prior to showing the realia you can provide a description of the MI and allow the students to name it.
Journal # 7 Developing Ethical Direction
Developing Ethical Directions By Mike S. Ribble and Gerald D. Bailey Learning & Leading with Technology Volume 32 Number 7 Pgs. 36-39.
Helping students to recognize their own internal compass will help them to become good digital citizens. Learning to recognize right from wrong practices on the Internet are not inherent but must be taught. Everyone is born with an internal compass but adults need to teach children how to find and use it. Through the analogy of a compass, students can be taught right from wrong even when many around them chose the wrong action. Students will not always agree on what is right or wrong. Most students who don't choose the right do so because they have not been taught the principles of good digital citizenship, or how you behave when using technology. In order for students to learn about the potential danger of misusing or abusing technology they will need the use of a 21st century digital citizenship compass. The process of developing good citizenship skills is not simply to have an acceptable use policy (AUP) but requires much dialogue and discussion. Technology issues don't always have easy answers. Students will sometimes claim that there are shades of gray involved in the issues. The compass metaphor helps students to analyze the concept of technology use an abuse. The digital compass has the following directions: Wrong; Whats the Big Deal?; As Long As I Don't Get Caught; It's An Individual Choice; Depends On The Situation; I Don't Know; I Am Not Sure It's Wrong; and Right. Teachers need to review and understand students opinions and to guide them toward appropriate technology use. Exploring the reasons why students answer will lead us to pose other questions. Brainstorming consequences for abusing or misusing technology can also help students. Having students develop a set of digital citizenship behaviors that can be posted and used as a code will help students, and discussing what can be done to help other students and adults to understand the concept of digital citizenship. The digital citizenship compass does dictate a set of right and wrong behaviors but helps students to recognize that there are gradations of understanding when it comes to technology use and abuse. This help teachers to encourage stimulating dialogue and self reflection among students. By having students reflect on the concept of true north as well as other compass directions, teachers can help students understand appropriate technology use.
Questions
1. What other way can we help students to become good digital citizens?
We can encourage parents to help their children remember to make good choices and discuss the consequences or right and wrong choices.
2. How can we help students to understand the benefits of good digital citizenship?
We can teach students that when people respect copyright laws and realize that peoples livelihoods depend on that respect, they will reflect on the future benefit for their own lives.
Helping students to recognize their own internal compass will help them to become good digital citizens. Learning to recognize right from wrong practices on the Internet are not inherent but must be taught. Everyone is born with an internal compass but adults need to teach children how to find and use it. Through the analogy of a compass, students can be taught right from wrong even when many around them chose the wrong action. Students will not always agree on what is right or wrong. Most students who don't choose the right do so because they have not been taught the principles of good digital citizenship, or how you behave when using technology. In order for students to learn about the potential danger of misusing or abusing technology they will need the use of a 21st century digital citizenship compass. The process of developing good citizenship skills is not simply to have an acceptable use policy (AUP) but requires much dialogue and discussion. Technology issues don't always have easy answers. Students will sometimes claim that there are shades of gray involved in the issues. The compass metaphor helps students to analyze the concept of technology use an abuse. The digital compass has the following directions: Wrong; Whats the Big Deal?; As Long As I Don't Get Caught; It's An Individual Choice; Depends On The Situation; I Don't Know; I Am Not Sure It's Wrong; and Right. Teachers need to review and understand students opinions and to guide them toward appropriate technology use. Exploring the reasons why students answer will lead us to pose other questions. Brainstorming consequences for abusing or misusing technology can also help students. Having students develop a set of digital citizenship behaviors that can be posted and used as a code will help students, and discussing what can be done to help other students and adults to understand the concept of digital citizenship. The digital citizenship compass does dictate a set of right and wrong behaviors but helps students to recognize that there are gradations of understanding when it comes to technology use and abuse. This help teachers to encourage stimulating dialogue and self reflection among students. By having students reflect on the concept of true north as well as other compass directions, teachers can help students understand appropriate technology use.
Questions
1. What other way can we help students to become good digital citizens?
We can encourage parents to help their children remember to make good choices and discuss the consequences or right and wrong choices.
2. How can we help students to understand the benefits of good digital citizenship?
We can teach students that when people respect copyright laws and realize that peoples livelihoods depend on that respect, they will reflect on the future benefit for their own lives.
Journal # 6 Find the Best Software
Find the Best Software Using Bloom’s Taxonomy and Multiple Intelligences to Select and Use Software By Walter McKenzie Learning & Leading with Technology Volume 30 Number 8 Pgs. 54-65.
With limited resources available for the purchase of educational software, new strategies are required to stretch these resources by teachers and schools to serve the learning needs of students with different styles of intelligence. This article recommends that each school take an inventory of all available software programs available at a school. These need to be analyzed to determine what category of primary instructional function they belong to. The recommended categories include: tutorials, guided practice, independent practice, assessment, heuristic, productivity and simulation. By categorizing the software a school can assess the strengths and weaknesses of its software collection. These can be evaluated according to the multiple intelligence approach and Bloom’s taxonomy. Software can address more than one intelligence style. Multiple intelligence styles include logical, verbal, musical, naturalist, intrapersonal, interpersonal, visual, existentialist and kinesthetic. Another category is the level of thinking which includes knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. It is critically important to remember that whichever of the intelligence styles are stimulated by the software, these are dependent on the context in which an application is used. It is therefore context which is the defining standard in evaluating and selecting software. It is important to obtain peer reviews from the teachers who have used the software on the list in their own classrooms to correctly categorize and evaluate. The school can investigate sites on the Internet that categorize software according to intelligence applicability. The effectiveness of any software in the classroom depends on how they are used. The software application is never an end in itself. It should entail a larger instructional approach. First, you should set up the context for using the software prior to showing the software and provide follow-up activities. There should be pre-software activity, the presentation of the software, and a pot-software or cumulative activity.
1. What are the different styles of intelligence and how do they relate to Bloom’s taxonomy?
Here are a few websites that describe multiple intelligences and Bloom’s taxonomy.
http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.htm
http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html
http://officeport.com/edu/blooms.htm
2. Where can I find an up-to-date listing of educational software categorized according to its intelligence applicability?
Here are some excellent website that classify software according to multiple intelligences.
http://www.supershareware.com/software/multiple-intelligences_3.html
http://www.bidigital.com/ci/Software/Information_Portals/
http://www.scottcentral.k12.mo.us/resources.htm
With limited resources available for the purchase of educational software, new strategies are required to stretch these resources by teachers and schools to serve the learning needs of students with different styles of intelligence. This article recommends that each school take an inventory of all available software programs available at a school. These need to be analyzed to determine what category of primary instructional function they belong to. The recommended categories include: tutorials, guided practice, independent practice, assessment, heuristic, productivity and simulation. By categorizing the software a school can assess the strengths and weaknesses of its software collection. These can be evaluated according to the multiple intelligence approach and Bloom’s taxonomy. Software can address more than one intelligence style. Multiple intelligence styles include logical, verbal, musical, naturalist, intrapersonal, interpersonal, visual, existentialist and kinesthetic. Another category is the level of thinking which includes knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. It is critically important to remember that whichever of the intelligence styles are stimulated by the software, these are dependent on the context in which an application is used. It is therefore context which is the defining standard in evaluating and selecting software. It is important to obtain peer reviews from the teachers who have used the software on the list in their own classrooms to correctly categorize and evaluate. The school can investigate sites on the Internet that categorize software according to intelligence applicability. The effectiveness of any software in the classroom depends on how they are used. The software application is never an end in itself. It should entail a larger instructional approach. First, you should set up the context for using the software prior to showing the software and provide follow-up activities. There should be pre-software activity, the presentation of the software, and a pot-software or cumulative activity.
1. What are the different styles of intelligence and how do they relate to Bloom’s taxonomy?
Here are a few websites that describe multiple intelligences and Bloom’s taxonomy.
http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.htm
http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html
http://officeport.com/edu/blooms.htm
2. Where can I find an up-to-date listing of educational software categorized according to its intelligence applicability?
Here are some excellent website that classify software according to multiple intelligences.
http://www.supershareware.com/software/multiple-intelligences_3.html
http://www.bidigital.com/ci/Software/Information_Portals/
http://www.scottcentral.k12.mo.us/resources.htm
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Journal # 5 A Sparkling Assortment
A Sparkling Assortment by Gail Lovely
Learning & Leading with Technology, Volume 30, Number 5, 2003, Pgs. 60-61,
Students can be introduced to a variety of documents and reports produced by the programs Word, PowerPoint and Excel. The teacher can show the students examples of Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents and explain what they are used for and why they are important. This articles introduces a version of these programs for young people in a new software program called Max’s Sandbox. Max’s Sandbox is made up of three different programs. The first program is called MaxWrite. Students can use MaxWrite to type words on the keyboard and hear a voice saying the words that they type, also called text-to-speech. Students can also use MaxWrite to attach clip art to their paper or use the Doodle Pad to make their own illustrations. The second program is called MaxPoint. Students can use MaxPoint to make a slide show also using the same text-to-speech component so they can share it with their non-reading friends. The third program is called MaxCount. Students can use MaxCount to collect data and graph it. Older students can use MaxCount to develop materials for younger children.
1. How can different computer programs be applicable for school?
Max Write can enable students to type words on a key board and simulteously hear them, also called "text tot speech". This will help audio learners, ELL students and various levels of special educaion students. The Doodle POad helps children to use clip art and their own illustrations. Students will be able to produce creative news- letters and flyers and make greeting cards for special occasions. MaxCount helps students to collect and graphically record data from experiments or observations. These can be depicted in charts that can enable students to compare and contrast results.
2. How can teachers find more information on Max's Sandbox and the three programs?
Max's Sandbox has recently been renamed Max's Toolbox. There is an informative website on-line with detailed information on classroom student engagement activities. This website also has many quick start lesson plans and curriculum ideas.
http://www.maxssandbox.com/
Learning & Leading with Technology, Volume 30, Number 5, 2003, Pgs. 60-61,
Students can be introduced to a variety of documents and reports produced by the programs Word, PowerPoint and Excel. The teacher can show the students examples of Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents and explain what they are used for and why they are important. This articles introduces a version of these programs for young people in a new software program called Max’s Sandbox. Max’s Sandbox is made up of three different programs. The first program is called MaxWrite. Students can use MaxWrite to type words on the keyboard and hear a voice saying the words that they type, also called text-to-speech. Students can also use MaxWrite to attach clip art to their paper or use the Doodle Pad to make their own illustrations. The second program is called MaxPoint. Students can use MaxPoint to make a slide show also using the same text-to-speech component so they can share it with their non-reading friends. The third program is called MaxCount. Students can use MaxCount to collect data and graph it. Older students can use MaxCount to develop materials for younger children.
1. How can different computer programs be applicable for school?
Max Write can enable students to type words on a key board and simulteously hear them, also called "text tot speech". This will help audio learners, ELL students and various levels of special educaion students. The Doodle POad helps children to use clip art and their own illustrations. Students will be able to produce creative news- letters and flyers and make greeting cards for special occasions. MaxCount helps students to collect and graphically record data from experiments or observations. These can be depicted in charts that can enable students to compare and contrast results.
2. How can teachers find more information on Max's Sandbox and the three programs?
Max's Sandbox has recently been renamed Max's Toolbox. There is an informative website on-line with detailed information on classroom student engagement activities. This website also has many quick start lesson plans and curriculum ideas.
http://www.maxssandbox.com/
Journal # 4 A Project for Everyone
A Project for Everyone English Language Learners and Technology in Content-Area Classrooms By Joy Egbert Learning & Leading with Technology Volume 29 Number 8 Pgs. 36-54.
Helping English language learners (ELL's) to successfully use technology tools will assist them in the development of their English and research skills as well as help them to be feel fully included in the learning process. By carefully planning the research project requirements and assigning ELL's to different groups, teachers can provide their students with appropriate supports that will encourage successful results. Dividing the students into groups of four and assigning each student a specific role to perform will enable ELL's to be fully included in the project and provide greater opportunities for group interaction in English. The ELL's will have opportunities to interact socially and negotiate meaning. Through the use of e-mail students will be able to interview individuals to gather information, check their data, and jointly analyze interpretations of events. The students will be able to participate in an electronic discussion list as a resource tool. Students can gain greater success in their project by successfully using the Web by publishing documents for comment and by developing PowerPoint presentations for other learners to use. Authentic audiences in the classroom can be created using these tools. By making the nature of the research project one that can have purpose outside of the classroom, it will instill in the students the desire that these skills are necessary to have in their lives. By working in this manner, students realize that they need multiple forms of input and a variety of ways to express themselves as they try on different cultures and languages. By encouraging students to independently contact outside experts using email, discussion forums, etc., can reduce the teachers requirement to provide students feedback. Students are able to progress independently at their own pace and choose what tasks to do and when.
1. How can teachers and parents help ELL students gain more knowledge about the technology available to them?
Students and parents can attend after school programs for ELL adult learning to successfully learn the vocabulary words and the spoken language practice. Some districts offer this as a weekend "college" for parents and students. Sometimes this is called a literacy program for families. The following are some interesting websites which will help provide information to parents on how to help their children.
http://www.esl.com/
http://www.bnkst.edu/literacyguide/ell.html
http://www.wested.org/policy/pubs/fostering/
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072326182/student_view0/english-spanish_vocabulary.html
Helping English language learners (ELL's) to successfully use technology tools will assist them in the development of their English and research skills as well as help them to be feel fully included in the learning process. By carefully planning the research project requirements and assigning ELL's to different groups, teachers can provide their students with appropriate supports that will encourage successful results. Dividing the students into groups of four and assigning each student a specific role to perform will enable ELL's to be fully included in the project and provide greater opportunities for group interaction in English. The ELL's will have opportunities to interact socially and negotiate meaning. Through the use of e-mail students will be able to interview individuals to gather information, check their data, and jointly analyze interpretations of events. The students will be able to participate in an electronic discussion list as a resource tool. Students can gain greater success in their project by successfully using the Web by publishing documents for comment and by developing PowerPoint presentations for other learners to use. Authentic audiences in the classroom can be created using these tools. By making the nature of the research project one that can have purpose outside of the classroom, it will instill in the students the desire that these skills are necessary to have in their lives. By working in this manner, students realize that they need multiple forms of input and a variety of ways to express themselves as they try on different cultures and languages. By encouraging students to independently contact outside experts using email, discussion forums, etc., can reduce the teachers requirement to provide students feedback. Students are able to progress independently at their own pace and choose what tasks to do and when.
1. How can teachers and parents help ELL students gain more knowledge about the technology available to them?
Students and parents can attend after school programs for ELL adult learning to successfully learn the vocabulary words and the spoken language practice. Some districts offer this as a weekend "college" for parents and students. Sometimes this is called a literacy program for families. The following are some interesting websites which will help provide information to parents on how to help their children.
http://www.esl.com/
http://www.bnkst.edu/literacyguide/ell.html
http://www.wested.org/policy/pubs/fostering/
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072326182/student_view0/english-spanish_vocabulary.html
2, Are there resources available to help ELL students to complete their research projects?
The students are able to research on the Internet and find great websites where they can gather information. These are available in both English and Spanish. After gathering their information they will be able to collaborate with their respective groups to complete their assignments. The following websites would be of great assistance to students. http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=English+Language+Learning+Research+Projects&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&oi=scholart
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