TE 831 - Teaching Subject Matter With Technology -- Fall 2010
Instructor: Erik Byker (bykereri@msu.edu)
Reflection: TE 831 was the perfect course for me to start the MAED program. As a former computer coordinator and a teacher who tries to find new ways to integrate technology, I felt comfortable with the concepts we discussed but also challenged to look for new ways technology could enhance learning. In many ways, it was an introduction to the concepts that would be touched on in CEP 818 (Creativity in Teaching and Learning) and introduced me to several new ideas, including the TPACK model, Universal Design, and the idea of "repurposing" technology to serve educational purposes. This course helped me explore the idea of a book trailer, which is now an important part of my class and has helped me teach digital citizenship, media literacy, respect for copyright, and the concept of remixing.
Course Description: This course explores the educational value, potential, and challenge of using technology in the teaching and learning of subject matter. Topics include the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS*T), Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge Theory (TPACK), digital literacy, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), 21st century skills, digital storytelling, and using web-based technologies (like wikis and blogs).
Assignment: September 2010
Pictorial Representation of Prensky, 21st Century Learning, and/or Universal Design for Learning
If you choose this option for responding, I would like you to post a picture or image of an example of a "digital native", "digital immigrant", 21st Century Learning, or Universal Design for Learning. The picture or image you choose can be one from your own collection or it can be from a photo sharing site like Flickr. (If it is from Flickr or another photo-sharing website be sure to cite the source). You should also annotate your uploaded picture by including a short summary (five - six sentences) on why you chose the picture and how it represents the themes/reading in this week's session and/or connects with Prenksy's article about "digital natives."
My Work
Pictorial Representation of Prensky, 21st Century Learning, and/or Universal Design for Learning
If you choose this option for responding, I would like you to post a picture or image of an example of a "digital native", "digital immigrant", 21st Century Learning, or Universal Design for Learning. The picture or image you choose can be one from your own collection or it can be from a photo sharing site like Flickr. (If it is from Flickr or another photo-sharing website be sure to cite the source). You should also annotate your uploaded picture by including a short summary (five - six sentences) on why you chose the picture and how it represents the themes/reading in this week's session and/or connects with Prenksy's article about "digital natives."
My Work
Image created by Lisa Stringfellow
My image is a collage I created in Photoshop Elements representing the ideas in the Prensky article. The word "digital" is composed of all the technologies that are now part of our everyday lives. The word "native" is comprised of images of those that are considered digital natives: people who grew up with the technologies above and take them as a given part of how we communicate, interact, and share information. In doing more reading on the idea of the digital native versus the digital immigrant this week, I found an interesting blog post by technology integrationalist Kathy Schrock. Although I accept the idea of the digital native and think it is a great description of those, like my children, that accept technology as an integral part of our lives, there is a connotation to term "digital immigrant" that I find a bit negative. Kathy Schrock argues that the term "digital pioneer" better describes those that were early adopters and have worked to keep up with the ever-evolving technology and how it can be used to improve outcomes for students. I like that idea and may adopt that term for myself as well. I'm no where near the level of expertise of someone like Schrock, but I feel like I am on the pioneer trail, so to speak : )
Image sources:
Soldering board. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Soldering_a_0805.jpg; Cell phone tower. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S%C3%A4hk%C3%B6tolppa.jpg; Nokia cell phone. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:N900_xterm.JPG; Web 2.0 conference attendee. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Danah_boyd,_Web_2.0_Conference.jpg; Mobile messaging. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EBuddy-Mobile-Messenger.jpg; iPad. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IPad-02.jpg; USB connector. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USBConnector.jpg; Laptop. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tt2_laptop.jpg; Girl with computer box. http://www.flickr.com/photos/partee/2597734293; Girl on computer. http://www.flickr.com/photos/99935686@N00/4073715464; Toddler on computer. http://www.flickr.com/photos/15480969@N06/2854902962; Teen listening to music. http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielfoster/3752652055; iPod in jeans. http://www.flickr.com/photos/52871206@N00/2619001609; Teens testing tablets. http://www.flickr.com/photos/frerieke/404374291
Assignment: November 2010
Technology Lesson Plan
This assignment has two parts. One part is the creation and implementation of a lesson plan. The second part is to write a reflection essay about the lesson plan. The purpose of the first part is for you to craft a lesson using a piece of technology with which you have limited use and experience with in teaching. While the technology you choose is up to you, I would like you to implement the lesson in a unit that you are currently teaching. The purpose of the second part is to reflect on the affordances/constraints of using the technology, your students reactions to the lesson, as well as, how this lesson contributed to your TPACK development.
My Work
Grade Level: 6-8
My lesson plan incorporates research of historical figures connected to the Underground Railroad to create a Glogster project. This project could be classified as a Social Studies as well as English and is a curricular tie-in for our reading of The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton. Students will use their research of an assigned historical figure to write a first person paragraph responding to the prompt "What would I do if a slave came to my door?"
Assignment: December 2010
Digital Storytelling
The purpose of this assignment is for you to create your own digital story. While the topic for your digital story is up to you, I would like you to craft a story that you could use as part of a lesson or unit that you are teaching.
My Work
Image sources:
Soldering board. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Soldering_a_0805.jpg; Cell phone tower. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S%C3%A4hk%C3%B6tolppa.jpg; Nokia cell phone. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:N900_xterm.JPG; Web 2.0 conference attendee. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Danah_boyd,_Web_2.0_Conference.jpg; Mobile messaging. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EBuddy-Mobile-Messenger.jpg; iPad. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IPad-02.jpg; USB connector. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USBConnector.jpg; Laptop. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tt2_laptop.jpg; Girl with computer box. http://www.flickr.com/photos/partee/2597734293; Girl on computer. http://www.flickr.com/photos/99935686@N00/4073715464; Toddler on computer. http://www.flickr.com/photos/15480969@N06/2854902962; Teen listening to music. http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielfoster/3752652055; iPod in jeans. http://www.flickr.com/photos/52871206@N00/2619001609; Teens testing tablets. http://www.flickr.com/photos/frerieke/404374291
Assignment: November 2010
Technology Lesson Plan
This assignment has two parts. One part is the creation and implementation of a lesson plan. The second part is to write a reflection essay about the lesson plan. The purpose of the first part is for you to craft a lesson using a piece of technology with which you have limited use and experience with in teaching. While the technology you choose is up to you, I would like you to implement the lesson in a unit that you are currently teaching. The purpose of the second part is to reflect on the affordances/constraints of using the technology, your students reactions to the lesson, as well as, how this lesson contributed to your TPACK development.
My Work
Grade Level: 6-8
My lesson plan incorporates research of historical figures connected to the Underground Railroad to create a Glogster project. This project could be classified as a Social Studies as well as English and is a curricular tie-in for our reading of The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton. Students will use their research of an assigned historical figure to write a first person paragraph responding to the prompt "What would I do if a slave came to my door?"
- Technology Lesson Plan
- Lesson Reflection
- Frederick Douglass Glog Example
- Internet Research UGRR
- UGRR Glog Directions
- Personalities to Research
Assignment: December 2010
Digital Storytelling
The purpose of this assignment is for you to create your own digital story. While the topic for your digital story is up to you, I would like you to craft a story that you could use as part of a lesson or unit that you are teaching.
My Work
This digital story is a "book trailer" for the YA novel Shadow Horse by Alison Hart. It is aimed at students in grades 5-8. It is told from the point of view of the main character Jasmine "Jas" Schuler who is 13 years old. The novel is a mystery, so through the pictures, text, and music, I tried to set the that tone. I tried to give enough information to pique the curiosity of potential readers, without giving away too much.
I uploaded a slightly different version originally, but then took it down. I decided to share it with my middle school students and got some good feedback from them that led me to make a few changes. In particular, they mentioned that the text was a little fast and some had trouble keeping up. I took out a few pictures, made the duration of each slide slightly longer, and made some other changes to the text. My students liked it and I have several kids coming to a meeting after school tomorrow to learn how they can make their own book trailers. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I plan to put the student-created videos on a digital picture frame in the library, which is why there is no voice narration.
I would say the ultimate reward I got was when one of my sports-oriented fifth grade boys begged me to tell him how it ended because he wasn't going to read a "horse book." He finally asked to look at my copy, I thought to read, but he sneakily flipped to the back to find out what happens to Jas and Shadow. I'll take what I can get, but at least he was interested enough to pick up the book.
Assignment: December 2010
VoiceThread Reflection
Reflect on what you learned throughout the course. In particular, this assignment should include your thoughts related to the following questions: How did you develop your TPACK throughout this course? What did you discover about the technologies used in the course? What technologies would you still like to investigate? What considerations should a teacher give before integrating technology in her or his instruction? In crafting your reflection statement you might want to go back and read your TPACK narrative or the reflection paper from your Re-Purposing Technology Lesson Plan in order to help assess your growth of the last semester.
My Work
I uploaded a slightly different version originally, but then took it down. I decided to share it with my middle school students and got some good feedback from them that led me to make a few changes. In particular, they mentioned that the text was a little fast and some had trouble keeping up. I took out a few pictures, made the duration of each slide slightly longer, and made some other changes to the text. My students liked it and I have several kids coming to a meeting after school tomorrow to learn how they can make their own book trailers. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I plan to put the student-created videos on a digital picture frame in the library, which is why there is no voice narration.
I would say the ultimate reward I got was when one of my sports-oriented fifth grade boys begged me to tell him how it ended because he wasn't going to read a "horse book." He finally asked to look at my copy, I thought to read, but he sneakily flipped to the back to find out what happens to Jas and Shadow. I'll take what I can get, but at least he was interested enough to pick up the book.
Assignment: December 2010
VoiceThread Reflection
Reflect on what you learned throughout the course. In particular, this assignment should include your thoughts related to the following questions: How did you develop your TPACK throughout this course? What did you discover about the technologies used in the course? What technologies would you still like to investigate? What considerations should a teacher give before integrating technology in her or his instruction? In crafting your reflection statement you might want to go back and read your TPACK narrative or the reflection paper from your Re-Purposing Technology Lesson Plan in order to help assess your growth of the last semester.
My Work
- My Reflection (MP3 audio)
