1	Classroom Organization: The Nuts and Bolts of Doing Web Based Lessons Serving Individual Student Needs Rich Levine Cool Lessons Educational Technology Consultant http://www.coollessons.org http://www.coollessons.org/classroomorganization.html http://coollessons.org/NutsAndBoltsWebPage.htm Copyright © 2003 Richard Levine For non-profit, educational use only. If you have any comments, questions or resources you would like to see added to this page, contact Rich Levine, Cool Lessons, Educational Technology Consultant.
2	"Alice:" Alice: "Which way should I go?“ Cheshire Cat: "That depends on where you are going. Alice: "I don’t know where I am going." Cheshire Cat: "Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.“ Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
3	Background Educational technology must be used to support learning described by your curriculum and standards, not as an end in itself. If learning that encompasses the whole spectrum of Bloom's Taxonomy, and supports your curriculum and standards doesn't happen, what's the point?
4	Concerns Over Wasted Technology Resources Dr. Ellen Langer, a professor of psychology at Harvard University compares the ideas of "mindful learning" against "mindless learning" http://web.archive.org/web/20030802124629/http://www.omnimag.com/archives/chats/bm120397.html Dr. Jamie McKenzie in the on-line journal From Now On uses the phrases “power pointlessness" , “edutainment", “technotainment" and the "disneyfication of information" to describe using technology for misguided educational purposes. http://emifyes.iserver.net/fromnow/feb01/edudotbomb.html
5	Using a computer does not by itself insure learning Good learning experiences challenge students to solve problems by doing quality research to obtain information analyzing information synthesizing possibilities making judgments creating products in order to effectively communicate results
6	Using technology wisely Teachers can have students: obtain, analyze and integrate knowledge do authentic real world problems use cooperative and collaborative teamwork create products to satisfy the curriculum and standards
7	What will happen to test scores if students learn using technology wisely? Project Based Learning Research from the George Lucas Educational Foundation is a nice summary of the research answering this question. http://www.glef.org/FMPro?-DB=articles1.fp5&-format=article.html&-lay=layout%20%231&learnlivekeywords::jargonfree=Project-Based%20Learning&-max=200&-token.1=Art_887&-token.2=Project-Based%20Learning&-token.3=Innovative%20Classrooms&-find
8	Factors Which Affect Involving Technology Wisely Learning goals Student conceptual readiness Student motivation Student technical skill level Student access to the technology Time Structure of the assignment
9	GOALS Important concepts can be expressed in terms of the Essential Questions based on standards/curriculum Essential Questions are organizers and set the focus for your students; they point to the important concepts. Dr McKenzie has an interesting article on this entitled From Trivial Pursuit to Essential Questions and Standards-Based Learning From Now On Journal Feb. 2001 http://www.fno.org/feb01/pl.html
10	Important points to Essential Questions are: Not just getting facts but require that students spend time pondering the meaning and importance of information Put the questions in terms students can understand Put the questions in a logical order Keep the questions in front of your students
11	Goals – Begin with Evaluation Increase students’ focus by having them suggest criteria for rubrics on the content and perhaps on the oral and visual presentation Making up the rubrics as part of a student and teacher design means no surprises clear expectations for objective assessment Students claim ownership (you can always put your list of "nonnegotiables" in the rubric, such as state standards that your students much reach) Rubrics can continually guide instruction as your students are working
12	Evaluate Team Building Use a group self-assessment sheet periodically with students to determine how well the team is working together Group Self Assessment is an example http://www.coollessons.org/spacegroupeval.html by Lana Brozik, Kathleen Kaup, and Richard Levine
13	Other Helpful Rubrics Sites Project Based Learning Checklist http://www.4teachers.org/projectbased/checklist.shtml RUBISTAR http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ Kathy Schrock’s Assessment Rubrics http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html Rubrics from the Staff Room for Ontario's Teachers http://www.odyssey.on.ca/~elaine.coxon/rubrics.htm Web Page Evaluation Criteria http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfmgb/web.htm Project and Presentation Rubric http://www.coollessons.org/RUBRICRFT.rtf
14	PREPARATION Consider the factors which affect the success of learning activities involving technology: Learning goals Student conceptual readiness Student motivation Student and Teacher technical skill level Student access to the technology Time available Structure of the assignment
15	Conceptual and Language Readiness Reminder: Include the Learning Center Coordinator, reading and special education resource teachers in on your planning In preparation for web based units, the students can do some background research to improve student conceptual and language readiness
16	Examples of conceptual and language readiness techniques Do background research, perhaps using Hotlists or scavenger hunts using key words from the unit. (For links that do not work, use the Wayback Machine http://www.archive.org to bring up the web page.) Rank order different planets/bodies on various criteria. Use graphic organizers to compare and contrast the original colonies.
17	More examples of conceptual and language readiness techniques Make a timeline of events leading up to the period in which Anne Frank lived in the hidden rooms. Brainstorm the key words needed to organize research on biotech foods. Read a book, article, fiction story, etc. dealing with the topic. For example, students could be assigned a science fiction story and they report on any misconceptions the story has about the planet/body they are studying.
18	Technical Readiness Concerning student technical skill level Do you know what percentage of your students use an Internet browser on a regular basis, either at home or school? Do your students understand the tools they need to do help them learn?
19	When will students (and teachers) learn these skills? Using a web browser Searching (See the Internet Search Tutorial http://www.coollessons.org/search.html ) Determining if the information is valid and reliable (See How Do I Know Stuff on the Internet is True? http://www.coollessons.org/ValidatingInternetInformation.htm or QUICK (Quality Information Checklist) http://www.quick.org.uk/menu.htm ) Citing information from web sources (See Citing Internet Sources http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/resources/cite/index.html ) Analyzing information using a spreadsheet Making products such as a web page, or using PowerPoint, a word processing application, Hyperstudio, etc. Using a digital camera or a scanner
20	Before students actually begin the unit Preview and model the work with them using a projection device if possible to insure whole class understanding and to save time if you use a computer lab. The devices that project whatever is on your monitor onto your movie screen are great, but expensive ($1,500 or so)
21	Other Projection Devices Relatively inexpensive (about $100 or so) devices send the video signal from your computer's monitor connector into a input jack on a classroom TV monitor Pocket Scan Converter http://www.aitech.com/psc1106-details.htm TVator http://www.web-tronics.com/personal-computing-products-vga-to-tv-converter.html IAtech Converter found at Comp USA MyView (for Macs) http://www.hauppauge.com.sg/mac/myview.htm TView http://www.focusinfo.com/products/b_tview_con.htm Make sure you talk to your school's tech support person before you purchase such a device
22	Structure of the Assignment Make sure the directions are clear so students' learning doesn't "wander". For example, give student handout with the directions, such as the roles and the questions to be addressed if doing a WebQuest. Can be used by students to take notes and list their sources as they move along. Allows you to evaluate student’s progress by noting the quantity and quality of their notes. If doing a Problem-Based unit, a print out of their notes would allow you to verify their progress. Use checkpoints or “mini-goals” to assess their progress
23	TIME: Scheduling Options and Management Tips “Be warned – this is not a ‘night before it’s due’ process.” (Marilyn Winters; How to help students get the most out of their research assignments MACUL Newsletter Jan.-Feb. 03 p.5) Also make sure that presentation / assessment time is scheduled for
24	Tips for Self Contained Classrooms With One or Just a Few Computers Teachers might make lessons or units a station to rotate students through during the school day Rotate students in groups or pairs. Make the schedule self-rotating, so that when finished they can go to another station. Allow students to use the computers all day if possible, assuming that their other work is finished and except during direct instruction. Have a set pre-determined schedule. Everyone works on the computer a certain number of times each week. Students can check off their names and times when finished. (Or use a clothes pin as a marker to move down a list of students.)
25	More Tips -2 To move students use a card file. Write a student's name on an indexed card. Place all the cards in a basket. Pick a name to use the computer station, and place the card into a different basket for the next round. Use a sign up sheet to rotate students (more effective for older students), including a line on the sheet for a purpose for their using the station. Use a kitchen timer to limit time on the computer (15-30 minutes per time, for example). Have some of your students be helpers (called "Experts", "Techies" or "Producers". Different students can be helpers in different specialties, such as graphics, scanning, software programs, etc. (Potential Energy is a program that trains students to provide technical support http://www.potentialenergy.net) Students can ask these "Experts" for assistance first. If the problem still persists, then you can be asked.
26	More Tips - 3 Get some way to have the student at the computer communicate with you in a nonverbal way. An example would be to obtain cheap plastic cups. Put them one inside the other on top of the monitor. A red cup on the outside means "Help, please!" A green cup on the outside means "Everything is O.K." A yellow cup means "I found or did something really cool!" Have colored folders at each station with simple descriptions of how to use the computer, or for each software title, or directions on how to do the lessons or units, etc. Students can even help make the directions of the assignment.
27	More Tips - 4 Post rules, responsibilities near computers. Review them with each new assignment. Place the computers where you have an easy view of the monitor and where as many people as possible can view the monitors. If possible, have the technical people hook up one computer to a permanent large TV monitor in your room.
28	More Tips - 5 It is not a matter of IF the Internet coming into your room will not be working, but WHEN You can "save" some web pages on your computer or network to ensure that students have access to the information you want them to have There are programs that allow you to easily save whole web pages (WebWhacker for example is about $40 ) or you can do it yourself. Talk to your school's tech support person on how to do this Please remember to follow the copyright restrictions on the web pages and do not publish these pages on your server so they go out to the Internet; save them for your class' use only
29	Learning Management The learning process is influenced by the product expected If at all possible, it should be one in which students appropriate information and change it. In this way your students can claim ownership of their learning. Increases student motivation Improves learning skills
30	Learning Management - 2 Besides the suggestions made in the Goals and the Preparation section made previously, other suggestions for structure are provided by Dr. Bernie Dodge, co-developer of the WebQuest concept. http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html Dr. Dodge uses the term "scaffolds" to describe the kind of structure students need and gives examples of this structure in Reception Scaffolds http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/patterns2000/reception.html (help students gather information) Transformation Scaffolds http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/patterns2000/transformation.html (help them change knowledge and ideas into different forms) Production Scaffolds http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/patterns2000/production.html (help them produce something observable).
31	Learning Management - 3 Graphic organizers are powerful tool to produces more learning. Some examples are concept maps, word webs, Venn diagrams, fish bones, ladders (rank order), etc. in which students use such templates to brainstorm, compare & contrast, note taking etc. Software program Inspiration http://www.inspiration.com produces wonderful graphical organizers. The templates in Inspiration can give you many ideas on helping your students learn better. Use a projection device with Inspiration
32	Learning Management - 4 Suggestions for Checking Progress Checkpoints must be included in the process, where each student had to report his/her progress to you. Check each student’s handout or worksheet periodically to verify progress. Using due dates are effective. Another way to verify progress is to include "Go see the Teacher Now!" checkpoints at various points in the process. Have students keep a daily log of KNOW - NEED TO KNOW - LEARN Have each member of the group turn in a list of the answers to the questions pertaining to his/her role each week so that you can initial their progress. The notes can then be counted as part of the overall grade. Ask your students to cite their sources for information. This is the only way you can tell if they got the information from a reliable source or just made it up.
33	Learning Management - 5 Teams and Grouping Cooperative groups of three students using one computer are best in many cases A group of two students is better than four in my experience, especially if you expect the group of four to use a single computer at once. If the unit calls for four students, have them work in pairs to do different components of the work. For example, two students can do learning center research or work on a facet such as the KWL charts or the product, and two can do Internet research. The pairs can then exchange places after a time. If Internet access is a part of the project, then put an equal number of students with Internet access at home in each group.
34	Learning Management – 6 Teams and Grouping A project can be used for team building skills also. For bigger projects, make sure that your teams communicate each other during the research. Schedule some "Talk Time" away from books and computers for each team. Team members need to communicate with each other about what they know and need to know periodically. If they use KWL charts for note taking, this is a good opportunity to review them in a group setting. If necessary, a team leader can report to you to help the team do things on time and in order. (This should augment but not substitute for the suggestions for checking progress made before.)
35	Serving Individual Student Needs Besides other ideas in this presentation, Susan Hardin in Technology with universal design for learning meets individual student needs MACUL Newsletter Jan.-Feb. 03 p. 13-14 suggests: Make a few hard copies of electronic sources for students with difficulties transferring between media Use text-to-speech software so that students who struggle with decoding can have difficult portions read to them Use your word processor’s thesaurus (or dictionary) feature to help students mark, define and simplify words Enlarge the font and adjust the contrast for easier reading decoding Use digital media, digital tools and traditional materials to give “just in time” support to learning.
36	EVALUATION The product affects the learning process Are you are asking your students to do no more than copy and paste information without your students having to do much thinking? - “Write a report on… China…a body system…a planet…a pet…Illinois…etc.” If you allow your students to use technology, will they even read the entire report they can copy and paste from the encyclopedia or a web page?
37	Product Process Or are you are asking your student: not only gather information, but also have to identify the important factors (it’s best to have your students determine what the important factors are and to phrase the right questions); to gather information from a variety of sources; to recognize and rank order information so that these relationships are made things clear to the student and to the reader of the product; To evaluate the information based upon the factors?
38	Product Process For example, the assignment “Decide which country in the Middle East you would like to be an exchange student in. State your reasons giving examples.”: Can’t be copied verbatim from an encyclopedia Allows students to learn about how to learn
39	Product & Process Other examples would be to have your students: instead of doing a report about bats, decide if they would rather have a bird house or a bat house in their yards and describe their reasons. Instead of reporting about Illinois, make a tour brochure describing the ten best places to visit, with reasons (Better yet while working with classes from other cities in Illinois who are all describing the best places to visit in their localities)
40	More Information Most of the following links for using one computer in the classroom were found by Bigchalk.com (a very helpful educational web site). Instructional Strategies for the One Computer Classroom Kim Champagne http://users.erols.com/bkchamp/kim/occ.htm Resources For The One Computer Classroom Kim Champagne http://users.erols.com/bkchamp/kim/OneComputerClassroom.htm The One Computer Classroom Tammy Worcester http://www.essdack.org/tips/onecomputer/sld001.htm
41	More Information - 2 Single PC Integration Ideas Janine Lim http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/bcisd/classres/onecomp.htm One PC Strategies & Applications Linda Burkhart http://www.lburkhart.com/elem/strat.htm Internet Options in the Classroom Lewis Johnson http://www.clta.net/lessons/ Bigchalk Web & Tech Integration Resources http://i.bigchalk.com/U/techinteweb/&Userid;