812 Wicked Problem Project

Below is my recorded presentation using Prezi and Jing. Due to time limitations on the free version of Jing, I had to create three separate files which I combined in a playlist on Screencast.com. I've also included the explanation of the problem, solution, and addressed the TPACK questions.

In regards to my audience, as I've mentioned before, I will be teaching a brand new course this fall. The head of the math department was aware that I'd be taking grad courses this summer, therefore my chosen audience will be the math chair and the rest of the math department (with the understanding that I did work for the Applied Math class in my MSU grad course). The intent is to convince them that this particular project will be beneficial to engaging students through researching math professions that interest them. In addition, I stressed that a goal of mine was to establish a community of learners right from the beginning, and I believe this project will help foster that. I'm excited to implement this project in the fall and hope you enjoy listening about my progress in creating it this summer!

The problem:
This fall I will be teaching a new course entitled “Applied Mathematics” which is intended for high school students who demonstrate a need to reduce the Algebra II requirement in the Michigan Merit Curriculum due to academic difficulty in Algebra I and/or Geometry. Understanding the daily applications of math in real world settings is a challenge for many students, and unfortunately, many high school students feel a disconnect between their math courses and their real lives due to a lack of real world examples and activities in the classroom. The opportunity presented in this situation is to engage my students by making concrete connections through a pre-assessment/personal inventory activity to encourage more positive attitudes toward learning mathematics.

The solution:

To address this educational issue, I’ve created a WebQuest in which students will explore the role mathematics plays in various professions. In this WebQuest, students will select one profession of interest to them and complete short 1-2 minute video blogs that share one or two mathematical concepts that are important for that particular job/profession and one or two interesting points they learned about the selected job/profession from their research.

In order to promote authentic student engagement, students need to feel motivated and connected to the course material. The WebQuest and video blog aim to engage students by encouraging them to take a personal interest in the course. Throughout the course of the year, I plan to cater to the unique interests of my students (in homework sets, project proposals, etc.) in the hopes that I can help them make real-world connections to their future ambitions. For example, I may have a student who does not believe he/she will attend college, but will focus on working in construction instead. Knowing this as the teacher, I can utilize examples that are pertinent to a specific profession/interest.

TPACK Model

TP: What is the TP knowledge for the solution?

In preparation for my new students who have shown an academic need for careful planning and extra support, I believe that the online WebQuest will provide a structured research project for students who might otherwise feel overwhelmed by the task. In addition to the WebQuest, including video blogs will also encourage the blending of technology and pedagogy (TPK) by providing an opportunity for students to work with technologies they will most likely encounter in a professional realm later in their lives. It also encourages students to take advantage of a creative outlet for sharing what they learned from the project. I believe that incorporating the WebQuest research with the video blogs supports the objective of engaging students by making concrete connections to encourage more positive attitudes toward learning mathematics.

In order to promote authentic student engagement, students need to feel motivated and connected to the course material.  Choosing to create a WebQuest and having students create their own video blogs encourages them to take a personal interest in the course. For this particular project, my pedagogical objective is to engage students in class material through focusing on their own personal investment in their learning.

TC: What is the TC knowledge for the solution?

The content of this course will feature interwoven strands of algebra and functions, statistics, and probability, with a focus on applications of mathematics.  Students will learn to recognize and describe important patterns that relate quantitative variables and develop strategies to make sense of real-world data. The course will develop students’ abilities to solve problems involving chance and to approximate solutions to more complex probability problems by using simulation. As previously mentioned, the initial goal is to create a community of learners by encouraging positive attitudes toward learning math. I believe that providing an opportunity for students to research (math-related) professions in greater depth (TCK) will encourage a greater understanding of math in the real-world and will be valuable resources for students when looking for relevant, real-world examples to support more complex mathematical concepts.

PC: What is the PC knowledge for the solution?

The overall goal of this project, with consideration and application of the TPACK model, is to capitalize on students’ personal interests by providing a structured, well-organized research opportunity in which they explore the role mathematics plays in various professions (PCK). Through this assignment, students will select one profession of interest to them and complete video blogs that share one or two mathematical concepts that are important for that particular job/profession and one or two interesting points they learned about the selected job/profession from their research.

811 Final Reflection

Overall, I've enjoyed 811 and feel that I was introduced to many new tools and technologies I might not have explored had I not taken the course. Though I've only taken 810, 811, and 812, I've enjoyed the objectives and focus of 811 the most thus far.

Prior to this course, I was not familiar with UDL principles or STAIRs (at least not formally) and feel that I have benefited from considering these principles and creating my own STAIR (which I plan to use this fall). What I have learned about effective teaching strategies when integrating technology into the classroom is that which tools I choose to use and how I decide to utilize them must be meaningful, relevant, and effective in addressing MI English and math standards. More often than not, technology is included in lessons because that's what many teachers think they need to do in order to "update" their lessons for the 21st century. I do believe that recursive teaching and backwards planning will help me to create more meaningful lessons which capitalize on the benefits of using technology in the classroom.

Interestingly enough, I've developed websites in the past using other tools (i.e. iWeb), but genuinely enjoyed interacting with other web-based technologies (i.e. Google sites). As an English teacher (though I believe any teacher could vouch for this), I discuss with my students how important it is to evaluate texts (especially those online), and this course helped reinforce those principles which I have already prioritized in my own teaching. Also, I believe that setting clear objectives when using technology (i.e. how will this lesson become better because I chose to use this tool?) will help me as I continue to evaluate the uses of technology in my classroom.

I believe learning is a life-long journey and enjoy using technology and learning how to make it more relevant and effective in my teaching, which is why I applied to the MAET program at MSU. Many of the personal goals I've made over the course of this summer will be easier to evaluate once I'm back in school, but I do feel that I'm more confident in using new tools such as Google Apps and have learned much more advanced processes within these applications. I don't necessarily have any "new" goals (as the objectives I've set for myself will come into practice this fall), but I do plan to utilize the resources I have at work this upcoming school year (i.e. colleagues, media specialist, etc.) in order to help me better understand new technologies I choose to integrate into my lessons. My plan is to use the new tools and applications I've learned about through this course in lessons this fall and plan to refine those lessons for the spring. Technology is always changing, therefore my plans and goals will need to change with it. Also, as as final note, MI is in an "educational limbo" as of late, and with new standards, I will need to ensure that the technology I choose to use is effective in helping my students learn.

812 Group Leadership Project

Below is the YouTube video of our Google Presentation on Google Apps. Unfortunately, this is a recording of the original presentation prior to revisions due to miscommunication between group members. I've embedded the video that was created from the unrevised version.

My group decided to use Google Presentation to create our PD tutorial because we thought it would be effective (and reinforce our explorations with Google Apps) to utilize one of the applications we had researched. Additionally, we used Camtasia to create out screencast and uploaded it to YouTube as a standalone tutorial.

Though our group had the best of intentions, developing this tutorial was challenging due to trying to coordinate five separate schedules (especially during the summer). In Part A, we tried to create a timeline for the entire project, which in retrospect was very open-ended and vague. We did not establish "set" due dates as a group, which I think caused some miscommunication. As far as the development of the project (and the tools we chose to explore), I learned more extensive applications within various Google Apps that I'm looking forward to incorporating into my classes this fall. For instance, I enjoyed researching the various options in Google Calendar such as using "flair" as a key to help students differentiate between assignments.

If I had to complete this project again, I would suggest creating a more definitive time line that everyone agreed upon (and followed up with) in order to create a polished final project. For instance, I edited all slides in Google Presentations (with speaker notes from all members), but somehow the unedited version was the one recorded and uploaded to YouTube. It was a bit frustrating to have invested time in editing the presentation to not have it reflected in our final project. Also, I believe incorporating more interactive options would be more "lively" such as adding a fun quiz at the end or even incorporating background music. 

812 Professional Learning Plan

Enjoy!

812 Part D: Findings and Implications

Part D: Findings and Implications

As I mentioned in Part A of my Wicked Problem Project, due to limited resources for implementation over the summer, I have chosen instead to create the actual WebQuest this summer and have tested all links to ensure that students will be able to access all pages in the fall. Additionally, I asked a colleague of mine for feedback on the initial stages of my WebQuest, which I shared in a podcast for Part C of my Wicked Problem Project. The actual implementation of the WebQuest activity with video blogs will be completed in the fall by students enrolled in the “Applied Mathematics” course. The opportunity addressed in my Wicked Problem Project is to engage my students by making concrete connections through a pre-assessment/personal inventory WebQuest and video blogs to encourage more positive attitudes toward learning mathematics.

The WebQuest/video blogs will span the first two weeks of school (approximately five, 90-minute class periods) with all assignments and research done in class.  At least one class period will be dedicated to showing students how to create and edit videos. Class laptops are available as well as school computer labs to complete all components of the project. Students will be responsible for completing their own WebQuests and video blogs, though I address alternatives to this requirement later in this post.

As mentioned in Part C of my Wicked Problem Project, my colleague Margaret made note that my initial instructions were a bit vague and confusing. While Margaret said this was helpful for the introduction of the assignment, she thought that presenting the project in a “checklist” fashion, explicitly stating what was expected at each point of the project would seem less daunting for students. Through creating a “checklist” of performance tasks for students, I will be able to evaluate their participation and completion of each task as we go along (formative assessments). Providing a rubric for students will also help guide them in completing all tasks related to the project. Keeping this in mind, I believe that minimizing tasks to ten subtasks will receive more positive support than asking students to complete twenty. Additionally (and this is where the advantages of an English teacher come in!), I will need to be cognizant of my wording in the “checklist.” Like Margaret mentioned, I need to use clear, direct language so students are aware of the expectations for each part of the project. It’s also important to note that as students complete the performance tasks related to the project (formative assessments), I am also evaluating, modifying, and validating instruction throughout the process. For instance, if students are struggling to use the flip cameras or video programs, I as their teacher need to plan for additional time in class for students to complete those tasks.

I believe that indicators of a successful project will be 100% participation and completion of all components of the WebQuest and video blog activity.  While participation and (minimal) completion of tasks may seem like a very generalized assumption of student engagement, merely turning in assignments for many of my students will be considered a success. As far as student engagement goes, observing students’ interactions with one another, addressing their questions related to the project, and overall, the quality of their end video blog will be a good indicator of their personal connection to the assignment. Though this type of evaluation is less data-driven, as an educator, it is important to take an inventory of students’ energy levels and attitudes regarding activities and other tasks in order to evaluate how effective the mode of learning is. For instance, if students have a poor attitude about using the flip cameras or computer software (very well due to them not feeling confident using them), as a teacher, I need to acknowledge this and address those needs. An option could be to create groups, which will ease up on the responsibility of each student having to produce a video. Or, because it’s the first project of the year, maybe asking students to complete a simpler project (i.e. a wiki page) instead of an actual video would be better. Additionally, evaluating the resources I have at school could also benefit my students. For instance, asking the computer teacher or media center technician to teach students how to use the technology might be more beneficial because it’s a different voice in the classroom and the information is also coming from a source much more experienced than myself in these particular cases. Regardless of the modifications that take place, it’s the act of assessing students’ progress along the way that will provide the most accurate information regarding their understanding and engagement.

One of my delights through creating the WebQuest was coming across Zunal, which I’m excited to introduce to my colleagues in the fall. With WebQuests becoming more common and more relevant in the classroom, Zunal makes creating WebQuests a much simpler task. In regards to creating a rubric for the project and for evaluating the WebQuest, Zunal provides an entire resource page that includes four websites dedicated to evaluating WebQuests. Though the WebQuest and video blogs aren’t clear summative assessments because they're not necessarily evaluating students’ understanding of specific mathematical concepts, I believe this project has the potential to lay a solid foundation for students as they strive to make real-world connections to new mathematical concepts over the course of the year.

812 Mobile Learning Lab

I spent some time exploring Classroom 2.0 and liked the various features (webinars, recordings, etc.) that are available for educators. I added it to my RSS feed, and I'm looking forward to reading more posts when I have some extra time. Below is the screenshot of a post I responded to in regards to including social media in the classroom.

Additionally, with exploring the various roles mobile learning can have in the classroom, I created four survey questions that I plan to use with my incoming American Lit classes this fall. The focus of the four questions is on reading. What I like about this particular website is that there are many ways to poll students. For instance, it can be an online website, polled via text messages, embedded into a Prezi, etc. Below is the link to the reading survey. I have also attached a screenshot of what the "text message" poll looks like.

Reading Survey

I was first introduced to text message polling through a fellow intern at MSU who experimented with it for one of his case studies. He did say that it was a bit time consuming to get permission from the principal and from parents (in regards to text messaging rates), but thought it was well worth it. This was two years ago, and most Acceptable Use Policies have been modified since then to accommodate for mobile technology in the classroom. I know that the high school where I teach plans to modify our AUP for this fall. I think using text messaging polls/surveys can be beneficial for gathering inventory on students for particular purposes (i.e. opinions about reading) or for short answer questions. For instance, I could see this being a great "quick quiz" tool for grammar or vocabulary. Prior to using this in my class though, I will have to get permission from my principal, check the new AUP, and okay it through parents. I'll also have to have alternatives for those students who may not have text messaging capabilities or a cell phone. Overall, I really liked Poll Everywhere over other websites I have used because it offers a variety of choices to educators, as mentioned above, and I look forward to introducing it in my classroom this fall. 

811 Online Teaching Experiences

Technology changes the way we, as teachers, and our students interact in the classroom, and there are several online resources and technologies that have the potential to transform the way students approach learning. One of the most useful technologies I've encountered are WebQuests because they are structured, inquiry-based, and support independent learning. I currently teach high school English and math and can easily see how WebQuests can be beneficial in both content areas; however, I do have a specific objective of capitalizing on the benefits of WebQuests in planning for the new Applied Math course I will be teaching this fall. This particular course is geared toward students who struggled in Algebra I and/or Geometry and show a need for an alternative to Algebra II. With that being said, I believe that using a WebQuest at the beginning of the year that involves students exploring the role mathematics plays in certain professions will capitalize on students' interests and help them make real-world connections. I believe this is a beneficial pedagogical strategy that will help engage students who might otherwise feel detached from class material. I've been working on creating this WebQuest and hope that it does have a positive effect on my students this fall.


As I mentioned earlier, there are so many resources and technologies available for students, each having their own benefits and pitfalls. Knowing the composition of one's classroom is especially important when using these technologies because though all have the potential to enhance student learning, not all technologies work well with all students. One of the technologies that I have found to be more challenging is online discussion between students. Though this may seem surprising to some, I find that assessing student learning through online discussion becomes difficult. For instance, if the requirement for an assignment is two online posts or responses, and a student doesn't necessarily have something new or particularly engaging to share, I don't think he/she should be penalized for not responding to that particular topic; however, there are alternatives to assessing these posts. For instance, revising the requirement to five posts over the course of the semester gives students more autonomy in their learning because they can choose which topics to contribute to. Overall, as a teacher and learner, I prefer discussions in person, but also realize that because our world becomes "smaller" every day via new technologies, students need to learn how to professionally interact in online discussions and forums.

812 Part B: Storyboard and Script

Currently, our group is working on researching the educational possibilities of various Google Applications. As a group, we have decided to use Google Presentations to share our "storyboard" with viewers. Currently, our storyboard can be viewed here. My "storyboard" for Google Calendars, which has not yet been added to the group's Google Presentation, can be viewed here with my script (which is also included in the speaker note area on Google Presentation).

While this is still a work in progress, in preparation for our final group presentation, as a group we have decided to individually research one or two Google Apps and include our findings in the group's Google Presentation with scripted notes. At this point in time, our group has not yet decided if each individual will create the voice over for his/her particular slides and edit them individually, or if one group member will create the voice over, one member will edit, etc. Additionally, details regarding how the script will be said, transitions, special effects, sound, etc. are forthcoming. 

Please note, due to me being out of town this weekend (without Internet access) I will make revisions to this blog posting to indicate the updated notes for our group's final presentation, as several members are still making revisions for Sunday's post. 

812 Part C: Implementation

Please click on my podcast link to listen to my Part C: Implementation podcast for the Wicked Problem Project. Also, my RSS feed can be found on my MAET Blog, powered by FeedBurner.

811 Wikis Lab

I have had the opportunity to use wikis in several of my courses over the past few years and find them to be both student and teacher friendly. For this particular lab, I edited the "Lahser High School" Wikipedia entry to reflect a new link. I read through the information already posted, and felt that adding a link to the district website would be beneficial for viewers. Below is the screenshot of the added link.

For the second component of this lab, I created a MAET Wiki. Due to the fact that it's summer, and I am not currently in contact with other teachers or students, I invited my sister (who is also a teacher) to collaborate and view my wiki. As I mentioned before, I like the user friendly format of wikis (especially pbworks) and find them very useful in the classroom.

812 Part A: Brainstorm Session

Here is the link to the YouTube video of our group's initial brainstorming session for our CEP 812 Group Leadership Project in which all group members were present and participating and a timeline was discussed. For this particular meeting, our group used Vyew, a free online video-conferencing software. The advantages of this particular tool are that a larger group of members are able to participate (whereas other tools are limited to two or three people), and there is an audio chat, text chat, recording, document sharing, and document page capabilities. The disadvantages involved the difficulties with reverberation with the audio; however, we were able to use the chat function to complete our initial planning for our project. Personally, I had a difficult time following the conversation because it was constantly moving as group members continued to contribute to our discussion. Thankfully, there is a feature on Vyew that allows for the conversation to be downloaded. I found this especially helpful afterwards to make sure I hadn't missed anything significant. 

For our Group Leadership Project, we decided to focus on the educational possibilities of a variety of Google Apps. Each member of our group is researching a specific Google App (or two related Apps) with the focus on its relevancy in the classroom. We also decided to use Google Presentation for our final project and are also using Google Docs to collaborate throughout the research process. I personally selected Google Calendar and am in the process of learning more advanced capabilities of the application and how it can be used most efficiently in an educational setting. 

812 Part B: Application of TPACK

Part B: Application of TPACK

The new “Applied Math” course I will be teaching this fall was designed for students who need an alternative to Algebra II because they struggled academically in Algebra I and/or Geometry. In preparation for my new students who have shown an academic need for careful planning and extra support, I believe that introducing an online WebQuest will provide a structured research project for students who might otherwise feel overwhelmed by the task. In addition to the WebQuest, including video blogs will also encourage the blending of technology and pedagogy (TPK) by providing an opportunity for students to work with technologies they will most likely encounter in a professional realm later in their lives. It also encourages students to take advantage of a creative outlet for sharing what they learned from the project. I believe that incorporating the WebQuest research with the video blogs supports the objective of engaging students by making concrete connections to encourage more positive attitudes toward learning mathematics.

As I mentioned in a previous post, in order to promote authentic student engagement, students need to feel motivated and connected to the course material.  Choosing to create a WebQuest and having students create their own video blogs encourages them to take a personal interest in the course. For this particular project, my pedagogical objective is to engage students in class material through focusing on their own personal investment in their learning. Throughout the course of the year, I plan to cater to the unique interests of my students (in homework sets, project proposals, etc.) in the hopes that I can help them make real-world connections to their future ambitions. For example, I may have a student who does not believe he/she will attend college, but will focus on working in construction instead. Knowing this as the teacher, I can utilize examples that are pertinent to a specific profession/interest.

The content of this course will feature interwoven strands of algebra and functions, statistics, and probability, with a focus on applications of mathematics.  Students will learn to recognize and describe important patterns that relate quantitative variables and develop strategies to make sense of real-world data. The course will develop students’ abilities to solve problems involving chance and to approximate solutions to more complex probability problems by using simulation. As previously mentioned, the initial goal is to create a community of learners by encouraging positive attitudes toward learning math. I believe that providing an opportunity for students to research (math-related) professions in greater depth (TCK) will encourage a greater understanding of math in the real-world and will be valuable resources for students when looking for relevant, real-world examples to support more complex mathematical concepts.

The overall goal of this project, with consideration and application of the TPACK model, is to capitalize on students’ personal interests by providing a structured, well-organized research opportunity in which they explore the role mathematics plays in various professions (PCK). Through this assignment, students will select one profession of interest to them and complete video blogs that share one or two mathematical concepts that are important for that particular job/profession and one or two interesting points they learned about the selected job/profession from their research.

812 Web-Conferencing

For my group's first "brainstorming" session, we used Vyew, a free online video conferencing program. The "meeting" went well, and overall, the group was efficient in sharing ideas, but we did have some difficulty with the sound (there was quite a bit of reverberation and echoing), so everyone opted to use the chat function (located in the lower, right-hand corner). I did find this to be a bit distracting and was constantly scrolling up to read what people were contributing, but every time I'd scroll up, the chat would drop back down because people were messaging. Thankfully, Vyew does have a nice feature that allows for the chat to be downloaded into a text file, which I ended up reading after the meeting to make sure I didn't miss anything. In the future, it'll be important to remind everyone to get headphones prior to meeting to help with the audio. 

In addition to using audio and the text-chat option, we also used the document page to type down the topics each of us were taking. As a group we decided to focus on the relevant educational uses of various Google Apps and each member selected an area to research for the final project (in which we're using Google Presentation... ohh the irony!).

I would like to spend more time exploring Vyew before I introduce it into my classroom, but see its many advantages for enhancing student learning. For instance, I think it would be awesome to contact a high school abroad and read/discuss the same piece(s) of literature via web-conferencing. Also, as a side note, the district I work in uses Moodle, and I could see myself exploring the video conferencing options within that program to help simplify matters for my students. 

811 UDL Principles

When considering the UDL Principles and framework, I do believe that traditional curriculum can often be rigid and make for a more challenging learning experience for many students because traditional curriculum is more content-driven and focuses on developing content knowledge versus skill-based knowledge (or procedural knowledge). For instance, limiting assignments (and therefore assessments) to one option does not encourage students to explore the material based on their own talents and interests (i.e. writing a paper versus creating a web page) and places the focus on "knowing the material" over building specific skills. However, I do also think it's important to note that the world does not always provide personalized opportunities and students need to develop coping skills in which they can deal with real-world situations that may be more "disabling" than what they've experienced in educational settings.

The benefits of analyzing the curriculum for strengths and weaknesses rather than focusing on the student's strengths and weaknesses places the focus on the lesson (and standards) at hand and not on any one student. This helps teachers to address the needs of all students in the classroom instead of only a select few. Though analyzing curriculum in this way can be challenging because it's more time-consuming and various points must be considered in the process, utilizing UDL principles encourages educators to create more authentic learning experiences through analyzing assessments under the UDL umbrella. 

Here is the link to the Google Doc of my lesson modifications and my UDL Checklist. 

812 Part A: Description of Need or Opportunity

Part A: Description of Need or Opportunity

This fall I will be teaching a new course entitled “Applied Mathematics” which is intended for high school students who demonstrate a need to reduce the Algebra II requirement in the Michigan Merit Curriculum due to academic difficulty in Algebra I and/or Geometry. Understanding the daily applications of math in real world settings is a challenge for many students, and unfortunately, many high school students feel a disconnect between their math courses and their real lives due to a lack of real world examples and activities in the classroom. The opportunity presented in this situation is to engage my students by making concrete connections through a pre-assessment/personal inventory activity to encourage more positive attitudes toward learning mathematics.

I plan to address this educational issue with technology by creating a WebQuest in which students explore the role mathematics plays in various professions (This link is a valuable resource for the WebQuest). Students will then select one profession of interest to them (jobs not included in the WebQuest must be approved by the teacher) and complete short 1-2 minute video blogs that share one or two mathematical concepts that are important for that particular job/profession and one or two interesting points they learned about the selected job/profession from their research.

In order to promote authentic student engagement, students need to feel motivated and connected to the course material. The previous WebQuest activity and video blog aim to engage students by encouraging them to take a personal interest in the course. Throughout the course of the year, I plan to cater to the unique interests of my students (in homework sets, project proposals, etc.) in the hopes that I can help them make real-world connections to their future ambitions. For example, I may have a student who does not believe he/she will attend college, but will focus on working in construction instead. Knowing this as the teacher, I can utilize examples that are pertinent to a specific profession/interest.

The WebQuest/video blogs will span the first two weeks of school (approximately five, 90-minute class periods) with all assignments and research done in class.  At least one class period will be dedicated to showing students how to create and edit videos. Class laptops are available as well as school computer labs to complete all components of the project. Students will be responsible for completing their own WebQuests and video blogs.

The “Applied Mathematics” course will focus on project-based learning in lieu of chapter tests to help students make more concrete connections to real-world applications. According to the CT4Me.net Computing Technology for Math Excellence website, “One of the greatest benefits of project-based learning is gains in students' critical-thinking skills.  However, as Bryan Goodwin (2010) found in reviewing the literature, a major shortcoming in many student projects is that educators tend to assign projects just for the sake of doing them.  ‘Educators can avoid this phenomenon and realize the potential of projects to promote students' critical-thinking by framing projects around a driving question’ (p. 81)… In every good project, students also need to perceive the work as meaningful to them.  A clear connection to an entry event adding this meaning might be via almost anything: ‘a video, a lively discussion, a guest speaker, a field trip, or a piece of mock correspondence that sets up a scenario’ (p. 35).  Students need a voice and choice in fulfilling project requirements, keeping in mind that limited choices be considered and that ‘teachers should design projects with the extent of student choice that fits their own style and students’ (p. 36).  Projects should give students opportunities to build 21st century skills and to use technology that will be useful to them in life and the workplace.  Projects should enable learners to conduct real inquiry, as with ‘real inquiry comes innovation--a new answer to a driving question, a new product, or an individually generated solution to a problem’ (p. 37).  Learners should receive feedback to use in revision, thus learning that real-world work often involves revision.  Finally, students should publicly present their work, as they will be more motivated to produce a quality product when knowing a real audience will view it.” All points aforementioned have been considered when creating the rationale for this particular project with the driving question, “Why does math matter?”

Due to limited resources for implementation, over the summer I will be able to create the WebQuest and test all links to ensure that students will be able to access all pages in the fall. Additionally, I will be working with another teacher for feedback regarding my curriculum planning over the summer and will solicit feedback in regards to this assignment. The actual implementation of the WebQuest activity with video blogs will be completed in the fall by students enrolled in the “Applied Mathematics” course. Indicators of a successful project will be 100% participation and completion of all components of the WebQuest and video blog activity.

Works Cited

Deubel, P. (year from last revised).  Math projects. July 15, 2011, from Computing
     Technology for Math Excellence
     Website: http://www.ct4me.net/math_projects.htm.

812 Introduction

Please click on the link to view my introduction. Thank you!

811 Evaluation of Learning Material in MERLOT

I evaluated the online Applied Finite Mathematics textbook, which was submitted by Judy Baker as a resource on MERLOT. Each chapter of the textbook is subdivided into notes and examples (downloadable as a Word document) and a homework set (also downloadable as a Word document). I had an opportunity to review the first two chapters (Linear Equations and Matrices), which included valid and educationally significant concepts, models, and skills for an advanced math course. I selected this resource on MERLOT because over the course of this summer, I will be preparing lessons for a new remedial math course that I will be teaching in the fall for students who need an alternative to Algebra II.

The lesson notes in the online textbook would be utilized at the beginning of a new chapter to introduce new objectives and mathematical concepts (explanation stage); however, due to the “textbook” nature of the notes, other then for examples, I don’t necessarily think this mode of sharing new information will benefit the students in the course. The students who are enrolled in my Applied Math class this fall have already shown a need for more hands-on, interactive learning due to their non-traditional learning styles. Although, I do see myself using simpler examples and possible homework sets in my class. For instance, the first chapter’s objectives state that after the lesson, students will be able to: graph a linear equation, find the slope of a line, determine an equation of a line, solve linear systems, and do application problems using linear equations. Though these ideas are introduced in Algebra I, the first weeks of the course will be focused on reviewing these and other concepts from previous math classes. The latter chapters of this online textbook seem to cover more complex concepts (Chapter 2 already introduces matrices!), which will be too advanced for my students; however, as mentioned before, I do see myself reviewing the notes and homework sets and pulling pertinent information that I can use for this class.

The format of the online textbook is easy to use with a menu bar on the left that has a link to each separate chapter. Additionally, the website provides several options for downloads (Word doc, pdf, etc.), which is beneficial to both teachers and students using the resource. I also like that there are practice exams and solutions to problem sets, which can be used as additional resources for those students who feel they could benefit from them. Overall, the notes seem straight to the point (though the topics themselves, as mentioned before, appear too advanced for the course I’m teaching). Additionally, there is a forum for feedback and questions which aids in direct communication for both teachers and students who use the website. I will definitely use this online textbook as a resource as I continue to plan for the new Applied Math course this fall. 

810 Personal Learning Reflection

CEP 810 has helped me consider the role technology plays (or can play) in education, and that it has now become the responsibility of the teacher to prepare students to be successful in the digital world. Though the premise of this course is educational technology, I also learned that even though technologies are innovative and cool, it does not necessarily mean they will genuinely benefit students. On the flip side though, when utilized for authentic purposes, technology does have the potential to change the way our students learn and even the way they think.

As I reflect on effective teaching strategies when integrating technology into the classroom, I realize that developing procedural knowledge is an essential task that all teachers must prioritize. Integrating new technologies, like VoiceThread or Prezis, into the classroom are useless if students are unable to 1) easily use them and 2) are unable to make a connection with why they are using a particular mode for a particular purpose. It returns to the idea of form = audience + purpose, but if students are unable to make meaningful connections with technology as an educational tool, the rationale for learning how to use it is virtually pointless. Integrating technology into the classroom and addressing digital literacies is by no means an easy task, and as teachers continue to adapt and grow as our society transforms, it is imperative that objectives and teaching methods change with it. I’ve realized that if I expect my students to critically employ new technologies, as a teacher, I too must have an extensive technological knowledge base that students can tap into as they develop in their digital lives. CEP 810 has laid this digital foundation for my own future teaching practices.

The assignment I felt best exemplified good teaching with technology is our SIG group presentation. Specifically, our group focused on using social media (i.e. Facebook and Twitter) in the classroom to assist learning. I believe the premise of our group exemplified good teaching because we chose to address a topic that is constantly present in our high school classrooms (i.e. students always using their phones to access these and other social networking sites). We acknowledged this shift in our classroom and chose to explore how it could be beneficial in a learning environment. Through creating our presentation, our group also explored more intricate applications in Google Docs, which we agreed would be the most (immediately) useful technology in our classroom. Additionally, I believe that the very concept of group work exemplifies good teaching with technology because collaboration and communication are skills all students will need in order to be successful in the 21st century. Over the years, technology has made these skills even more vital to our lives.

In my Personal Growth Plan, I mentioned that I wanted to explore one or two new applications in greater depth, and I do feel that I gained a better understanding of Google Docs since I had the opportunity to use it in my SIG presentation and learned (first-hand) many of its operations. For instance, I figured out how to imbed videos, which greatly added to our presentation. However, I also realized that a course like CEP 810 introduces so many new technologies, that it is difficult to focus on just one or two. Therefore, over the course of this semester, I enriched my own background in technology by experimenting with a broad array of innovative online applications such as Storify and Google Lit Trips, which I may not have discovered if it wasn’t for this course. I have also taken information I have learned from this class (i.e. Google Lit Trips) and have collaborated with other educators in my department to promote a positive change toward utilizing technology in the classroom. There are even plans to have Google Earth (needed to use Google Lit Trips) installed on all of the computers in one of our computer labs at school. These changes compliment what I previously mentioned in my Personal Growth Plan about believing that it is my responsibility to help students adapt to the speed at which our world is changing and embrace new technologies in a positive way.

A specific goal I had for this course was to become a bigger advocate of online applications (specifically Moodle, as we use this district wide) by requiring students to turn in assignments online. Unfortunately, I did not utilize this tool as well as I had hoped, and while over the course of the semester I encouraged students to upload assignments to Moodle and to use Google Docs for group presentations, I did not make it a requirement. I did find it difficult to introduce new technological tools and requirements at the end of the school year, but already have the intentions of incorporating them into the framework of my courses in September.

As I plan for the fall, I intend to include blogging into my lessons, but I also acknowledge that including new technologies into the curriculum must be done in a thoughtful manner in order to be effective. For instance, if I ask students to post responses or questions about the day's lesson or literature group discussion, but then don’t integrate their responses/questions/comments into future classroom discussions, then they remain a detached learning experience that doesn't serve the purposes it was intended to serve. My long-term goal is to ensure that students know that what they are doing is meaningful and relevant to their education. As a result, another goal of mine is to determine how to best assess my students’ progress and growth from using these new technologies.

Finally, in regards to one of our more recent class topics, using mobile devices in the classroom, I have new plans to utilize cell phones during class time by January (end of the first semester) with the intent of using them as polling devices for short grammar and literature quizzes, vocabulary building, and feedback on the course. Instead of asking students to put their cell phones away during class, I believe that integrating these technologies into lessons (as well as teaching tech-etiquette) will encourage them to value technology for its educational purposes, and not just as a form of entertainment.

810 Learning Styles

My Edutopia Learning Styles results focused most on Naturalistic (92%), Intrapersonal (88%), Linguistic (83%) and Interpersonal (75%). After reading the details for each learning style, I can honestly say that I'm not surprised. I do tend to look toward scientific data to reinforce ideas (especially when it comes to my personal life and eating habits). It's also interesting, because "data" plays a significant role in the category, and this also coincides with my math teaching side. Also, I would agree that I have a very reflective personality, yet also work well (and do my best to understand) others. Additionally (and to no surprise to an English teacher), verbalizing my ideas and communicating openly with others greatly benefits my learning.

When I reflect on my college, high school, and even elementary school experiences, I see many of these same styles emerge; however, none were particularly distinctive. When I first mentioned that I wasn't surprised by my results, I do think that's in part due to the fact that as we grow older, we tend to gain a better understanding of who we are, which includes how we obtain and retain knowledge. As a student, I classified myself as a visual learner and did well when I could "see" what we were working on. Auditory tasks (especially in a foreign language) were challenging for me. Additionally, I did well working in groups, though often found myself in a leadership role. Lastly, the reflective aspect of my learning style was expressed through my writing. Writing provided an opportunity for me to "see" the thoughts that were going through my mind and helped me regain focus when I got off track (either professionally or personally).

When I consider what teaching styles were least effective for me, there isn't anything that stands out. I'm not sure if this is due to me being a type A personality (and the fact that I will do my best to succeed in most to all situations), or if it's because I had acquired valuable skills in adapting. What I do remember though is that I didn't always like doing "physical" activities that were outside of my interests. I enjoyed playing volleyball, soccer, and track, but wasn't always fond of other kinesthetic learning experiences.

After reflecting on my own learning styles, and after spending countless hours working with kids of varying levels, I acknowledge that it isn't feasible to focus on the learning styles of each individual student for each lesson. However, as educators it is our responsibility to help students first understand how they learn best and then learn how to adapt accordingly. With technology becoming increasingly more prominent in the classroom each and every day, teachers now have more opportunities than ever to help students become more independent learners. Granted, it's important for educators to diversify lessons to capitalize on all learning styles; however, I believe it's more important that teachers teach students how to find resources (especially online) that align with their own learning styles.

When I reflect on my own educational history, I realize that much of what I was taught was content driven. Not to say that content isn't important (who knows if I would have ever picked up Faulkner if it wasn't for my college professor), but it's more important to help students develop skills that will be useful to them as they progress in their educations (and personal lives). For instance, a student may struggle with reading, which obviously restricts many learning experiences across content areas. With that being said, it's more beneficial to help that student learn to cope with those difficulties (i.e. utilizing audio while following along) instead of being focused on them understanding a specific text for a specific class. Overall, our focus should remain on addressing students' needs (and their unique learning styles), but also helping them develop skills that will help them capitalize on those learning styles. Fortunately, we are living in a time where technology will play a significant role in that process.

810 Creative Commons Lab

I searched for the well-known image "Migrant Mother" from the Great Depression by using the Creative Commons search function in Firefox and Flickr.

Photo Attribution:
Image reprinted: "Migrant Mother" by Dorothea Lange
http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-strategycom/1054179764/
By: David Erickson, http://www.flickr.com/people/e-strategycom/
Released under an Attribution License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

I selected this particular image because my American Literature class is currently reading The Grapes of Wrath; imagery, especially photography, from this time period helps students make more authentic connections to themes, motifs, and symbols in the text. Also, presenting this image to students prior to introducing the text provides an opportunity for students to reflect on what they do know, what they think they will learn, and what they want to know about the Great Depression throughout the unit. Additionally, this particular image has a unique story behind it in the fact that Dorothea Lange purposefully posed the woman (and her children) in order to "send a message." This is a wonderful opportunity for students to write (or discuss) why Lange would choose to make the positioning, lighting, etc. choices she did and whether or not they (the students) feel she was successful in sending that message (one that is present in the novel as well). Overall, images are great "conversation starters" in the classroom and also work well for visual learners.

Below is a photo I uploaded to my Flickr account of the lake where our family cottage is located; it was released with an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license through Creative Commons. Here is my link to this image on my Flickr account and the link to my photostream.

Works Cited

Lange, Dorothea. Migrant Mother. 1936. Photograph. National 

        Archives. Flickr. David Erickson, 08 Aug. 2007. Web. 01 June 2011.

        <http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-strategycom/1054179764/>.

810 PC Maintenance and Security Lab

The first tutorial I viewed was "Installing RoboForm" because it was categorized under "Organizing your Computer," a topic I find especially helpful not just in teaching, but also in managing my personal life. The whole concept of RoboForm is something I will definitely share with others because more often than not, passwords slip people's minds. I hate to admit it, but I used to be "that person" who utilized the same (or a few of the same) passwords for the very purpose of being able to easily recall them. My mom had the same issue of remembering passwords (however, she attributed it to old age and not a hectic work schedule), but chose instead to write down all her passwords in a hidden notebook. Using a program like RoboForm can help address the issue of safely managing one's passwords online. 

Additionally, because this topic piqued my interest, I also watched the tutorial "Managing your Web passwords with RoboForm" for additional information on the program. Overall, I guess something that surprised me (although the lab is labeled PC Maintenance, not Mac Maintenance) is that I would have to use Mozilla Firefox to run this program. Though I typically use Safari on my Mac, I do occasionally use Firefox, especially when using ANGEL.

The second tutorial I viewed under a different topic was "Using Sandboxie for browsing safely." What I found especially helpful was that this program helps web surfers feel confident as they search for information on the Internet. Though the Internet is a vast digital universe with seemingly endless amounts of information, it's important for all web users (especially our students) to be aware that not all information out there is reliable and that viruses and other destructive softwares can be attached (typically without any indication) to many files downloaded from the Internet. Teaching students to use a program like Sandboxie will help them research while surfing the net. When using Sandboxie, temporary files are NOT saved to the hard drive, but are stored in a "digital sandbox" instead to ensure that the hard drive is protected from possibly harmful files. 

I didn't find any particular information in this tutorial to be surprising; however, I do think that it's important to share the reasoning behind Sandboxie with others. From my perspective, many people don't even realize that temporarily files are saved to the hard drive (which is why viruses are able to spread and wreak havoc). So, with that being said, I think students (or whomever one shares the program with) need to also learn about temp files and "malware" in general, which brings me to my next tutorial.

Though my third tutorial seems less beneficial in terms of becoming more "tech savvy," I do think it's important for anyone using the Internet to understand net "lingo," which is the very reason why I clicked on the tutorials labeled "Defining malware" and "Understanding how malware spreads." Though it seems fairly simplistic, I wasn't positive what malware entailed. Like the tutorial said, most people have heard of viruses or spyware, but there are also many other programs that can "wreak havoc" on a computer. Similar to what I shared above in regards to using Sandboxie, other than sharing Internet/technology terminology with others, I think that it's important that people understand issues related to their computers. I don't think that just defining words for students (or any web user) is enough, rather, understanding different types of malware and the destruction they can cause is more important. I suppose something that did surprise me to some extent was that I didn't realize the various ways in which a PC can be "attacked." For example, many students who use P2P (Peer to Peer) Software such as Limewire, Bear Share, etc. (i.e. illegal music downloading) may not be aware that what they're downloading could essentially destroy their hard drives. 

810 RSS Reflection

Though I'm considered to be a part of the "tech savvy" generation, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not even close to being an all-knowing technological guru. Prior to taking this course, I didn't even know what RSS stood for. I had heard of "feeds" and just assumed they were headlines online. I have to say, I have become more accustomed to tracking news that's relevant to me and see the educational and personal advantages of using a RSS Reader page. Currently I'm tracking several feeds that are relevant to education, but I'm also tracking feeds that cover current news. A professional (and personal) goal of mine is to become more aware of world events. As educators, I think it's imperative that we are knowledgeable about what is happening around the globe so we can help students make connections between classroom knowledge and the real world.


One news feed I'm currently following is NPR Topics. Since I first created my Google Reader page, I have noticed that the number of new items on NPR's feed greatly surpasses any of my education related feeds. Granted, due to the broad scope of NPR's topics, it's only logical that incoming news stories far exceed "new news" regarding technology or education. Additionally, I've noticed that NPR's most current topics focus on politics, most specifically topics related to the war in Iraq, which is not unlike any other news media. I do have to do a bit more searching to find new news on less popular topics. 


Since having a RSS Reader is new to me, I have not yet developed the habit of being consistent in checking my updated feeds (i.e. I have not gotten to the "Facebook" stage of checking, re-checking, and re-re-checking on an hourly basis). Though I have to make a conscious effort to check my feeds, I do enjoy reading the most current information regarding topics I'm most interested in. The focus of my SIG is social media, and as everyone knows, the Internet is constantly evolving. Even now as I type, it's changing. Using a RSS Reader helps me to become more knowledgeable and helps me apply that knowledge in the classroom.


With that being said, I can see how RSS Reader pages can be especially useful in the classroom. For example, teachers could use them to help focus students' attentions to a particular topic. Also, the very concept of an RSS reader is "saying something" to students in regards to the importance of staying aware of current news and navigating through relevant and reliable information on the Internet. For example, if a student subscribes to a particular feed and has already verified its reliability, he/she can feel comfortable relying on the information that "pours" in from that source. In addition, the current content of my own RSS Reader page benefits my students because I am learning more about integrating technology into the classroom, which directly influences my lessons and objectives for students.

810 "Getting Things Done" Lab

Since I can remember, I have always considered myself to be an organized individual. Even as a child, my drawers were categorized, my room was neat and tidy, and my school planner was always filled in (and crossed off) depending on the day's assignments. Organization hasn't been an issue I've necessarily had to address over the years; much of who I am is "naturally" organized. 

The GTD approach was previously introduced to me in my grad courses during my teaching internship at MSU last year, and initially I felt like yea, of course this makes sense, but must one actually go through each and every step? I agree with the GTD process, but feel that I do not understand each individual process well enough to make me feel particularly productive when using it. However, I also realize (through reading others' blogs on the topic) that indeed it does take time to rewire my organizational system so that I naturally process tasks in this manner.

I have always had a planner of some sorts and can recall using it religiously through high school and college. Even today, in my educational career, I still use a pen/paper planner that holds my personal information (i.e. birthdays, parties, etc.) and my work information (i.e. faculty meetings, PD, etc.). I feel more comfortable physically writing things down in a book that I can open and close.

Going through the GTD process for the first time felt a bit awkward, to say the least. I felt that I was following a particular format in order to complete this assignment. I listed the tasks I could recall from the top of my head (my sister's bridal shower being amongst the most immediate, as it is tomorrow!). Afterwards, I assessed each task to consider whether it was actionable or not actionable. This was probably the most awkward stage for me because I feel that when I organize my tasks, I do this naturally. Additionally, I find that there are very few things that I can do in two minutes or less. I do however do my best to be cognizant of that concept in my daily life (i.e. when I first receive an email, if it requires a quick response, I take care of it right then and there). Afterwards, I did organize my tasks based on priority (but again, I feel that I naturally do this when I first consider the tasks; I'm very much driven by "due dates" and a calendar by nature organizes tasks for you). Afterwards, I reviewed the tasks I needed to do (again, I feel that I am constantly reviewing what's on my agenda and take the steps to complete those tasks based on priority). The last process in GTD is "Do." In my opinion, I think that the processes of "reviewing" and "doing" work together simultaneously, as we are often reassessing what needs to be done after we've completed one task. 

I feel that I have a better understanding of the GTD process than when it was first mentioned to me in class last year and do see many benefits from using it in my every day life. For one, the idea of keeping everything in one place is challenging for me. I tend to categorize tasks as personal or work related, thus separating them. All my lesson plans are separate from my personal planner. I think I can benefit from keeping everything in one place. Additionally, I have a "less smart-phone" than many of my friends, and in the near future could see myself using a mobile device to keep track of my daily agenda (however, I do feel most comfortable when I have a "hard copy"). Understanding the basic philosophy of GTD is helpful, but with any process, it's important to personalize it based on one's preferences. Like I mentioned before, I can see myself blending some of these processes together, which may not be what GTD initially intended; however, if it works well for me, I don't really see an issue with that!

I think that this course has already opened my eyes to many technological tools that I either didn't know existed or chose not to delve into. Alongside new resources and softwares, this course has also introduced (or reintroduced) new ways to challenge my teaching (and even myself personally). I enjoy being exposed to new ideas and philosophies and absorb that information for later use. At this point, I don't feel particularly connected to the GTD process but know that it's worth experimenting with. Though I may not continue to use GTD as it's officially defined, I do think I've benefited from considering many of the processes it utilizes. A goal of mine is to start organizing my tasks in one place. I feel that this is an attainable goal and one in which I can build from. Though I can't "define" what my process of organization will be at this point, I do know that the GTD process will be apparent in some way, shape, or form.