Interactivity 5

Interactivity 5 was my first encounter with the NET Standards. I was intrigued to find such standards for technology exist, and that teachers are encouraged to incorporate these items into lessons and lesson planning. After taking several hours to examine the standards, and what was required of teachers in my grade level and content area, I than went back to the spread sheet I created for Interactivity 4 and observed what NET Standards I inadvertently used when creating my “Abrupt Climate Change” lesson plan. I pleasantly found that I covered three of the ten NET Standards for my content area and grade level. Another element of Interactivity 5 is to contact a teacher, working in my field. to see how they feel about NET Standards, and whether or not the teacher practices them within their personal classroom setting. I decided to contact my high school environmental science teacher who taught me at Pope John XXIII High School in Sparta, NJ when I was a senior.  Since my graduation from high school, the teacher transferred to a new school and grade level; the teacher is now teaching 6, 7, and, 8 grade students at Lafayette Township School in Lafayette, NJ. Although the teacher has switch schools and grade levels, I still thought was interesting to pick their brain on the topic at hand.

                When I asked my old professor about the NETS Standards, and what they knew about it, they responded that they didn’t know much. The teacher had heard about them through the grape vine but they have never been implemented in the district or in the classroom. After providing the teacher with the NETS link, they reviewed them, and had the same initial reaction I had – that there were interesting and that the teacher didn’t know such technology standards were in place. We spoke at length about how these standards offer excellent guidelines and ideas for integrating technology into the classroom.

                According to the professor, the school and the district has not begun to implement NETS-S or NETS-T into its curriculum, at least not officially. The Lafayette school district believes technology based education is very important this day and age, and this emphasis on technology can be seen throughout the school. The school is equip with several smart boards, overhead projectors, as well as lap tops for the students, and a computer lab. Teachers are highly encouraged to use PowerPoint to aid in their lessons, integrate media clips such as videos and photos, and assign research projects as a form of assessment. By familiarizing students the uses of technology, teachers are also preparing them for real world scenarios they will encounter in higher education and in the work force.

                 I feel that the push for technology in the classroom is an important one, and that these standards will enhance students overall learning experience. I’m excited to see how the classroom environment changes when the NETS Standards are officially implemented in 2014.

               

"Abrupt Climate Change" with NETS standards added

Interactivity 4

I chose a lesson plan about global warming because it is an extremely important topic that more often than not is completely misunderstood. Many students and adults alike, think global warming data is exaggerated and skewed, and researching the subject is just another thing the government throws money at.  Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is global warming is a serious problem; the increase of temperatures and green house gasses is increasing exponentially every day. It is important to educate students about the overall affects of global warming and the steps we can take to slow the process.

                Although this lesson was not in complete alignment with Strand F: Climate and Weather, the topic was pertinent because it encompasses earth’s weather and climate systems, as well as complex interactions between land, ocean, ice, and atmosphere. Students use technology like the online” E-Sheet” to explore the different methods scientists use to collect data, i.e. satellite observation, instrumental records, historical records, and proxy data. I ask my students to do 2 online research assignments for homework that will also help aid in their understanding of the lesson, as well as an essay where students will exemplify their knowledge of the content; this will be used as my form of assessment.

                Internet technology is specifically important for this lesson, because students are required to research during many of its components. As you can see from the Google Spreadsheet, I also added a the use of PowerPoint presentation because it helps keep the subject matter organized and concise - this is especially important in the sciences, where an abundance of data and facts can be simply overwhelming. The online E-Sheet is also very important for this lesson plan, because it give the students the background knowledge before we go into more complex details.

Google Spreadsheet Link: "Abrupt Climate Change" Grades 9-12 Earth Science

RE: KEVIN CHRISTMAN: successfully teach a class full of students, you will need to present the material in numerous ways, by doing so you assure your students understand the content being presenting. An easy way to present the material in multiple ways is by using technologies that are easily accessible and pertinent to your lesson. For example, some students may not fully understand a concept when it is presented on a PowerPoint presentation, but in my field (science) it may be helpful for students to actually see an experiment or a concept performed or "modeled" in front of the classroom. Perhaps an animated clip or a diagram can help students understand difficult concepts that would otherwise be perplexing or baffling. While teaching the lesson it is important to ask questions along the way to gauge your students understanding. By adding different techniques and technologies, I can move my students from the "Zone of Proximal Development" to a position where they have mastered the content you are presenting. After teaching a well rounded lesson students should be able to accurately exhibit their knowledge via assessment or examination. The assessment is also a helpful tool for the teacher, because it not only measures their student’s success, but it measures their own teaching success. It is important to find out what techniques work for the class and what don’t; this will help the teacher to tailor the next lesson to the students, and assure their success.

Interactivity 3

Interactivity 3 was a challenging project which asked us to collaborate with other members of our field, as well as research and compile an organized way of presenting a list of technologies that may be helpful to use when teaching in our future classrooms. After meeting with the members of the group the most  difficult aspect was working together via online communication. We were able to create a spreadsheet and share it as a Google document, and using the chat tools we were able to correspond with each other while we worked individually added and edited our list of 10 technologies.

                Our finished product is a simple and effective way of organizing tools and technologies that create a fun and interactive learning experience for students. One interesting and useful technology that I came across while researching, was the GLOBE program. The GLOBE program is an online program that allows students across the country to share lab results with one another. This is an excellent resource for students, because they can compare results and see if theirs match the scientific consensus. Other helpful resources include PowerPoint presentations, online photo galleries, and modeling concepts for students.

                This project works hand in hand with my other education classes this semester -  CURR 314 and READ 411. By organizing these technologies into a spreadsheet I can refer to as a teacher, I can be sure I'm presenting the information to my class in many interesting and different ways. By successfully incorporating as many technologies as possible, I can assure the success of my students, and therefore also assure their ability to excel when assessed.