Multimedia in the Classroom

I think the use of multimedia in the classroom is a great way to grab students’ attention and provide visual learners an effective way to learn. On the internet you can find an abundance of different kinds of multimedia for various subjects so there is no reason why you cannot incorporate it into any subject you teach. Here is a great video clip from the series called Schoolhouse Rock. They have other videos for math as well as numerous one on grammar for language arts.

Name of Multimedia Learning Object: Naughty Number Nine

Subject Area: Math

Grade Level: 4

Source-URL: You Tube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=lhOY4CWkxTI

Description of Multimedia Learning Object: Short video clip on the different strategies used when multiplying with the number nine.

Description of Integration Idea: I would use this video clip as my attention-grabber in the introduction of my lesson on helpful strategies used in multiplication. While the students watch the video they will be instructed to write down all the strategies used with the multiplication of the number nine. After the students are done watching the movie they will pair and share with a partner all the strategies they have listed and try to list other strategies they know that were not on the video. Then as a class we would write all the strategies on the board and demonstrate how each one works. In my closure I would ask if they know of any other strategies for other numbers.

Planning and Preparation: First of all I would make sure the classroom I am teaching in has a computer and projector if not book the classroom in the school that does have this technology. The day I was going to teach this lesson I would make sure the link to the website still works if not try to find one that does.

Math General Outcome: Use and justify an appropriate calculation strategy or technology to solve problems
Math Specific Outcome 18: Justify the choice of method for multiplication and division using: estimation strategies, mental mathematics strategies, manipulatives, algorithms, calculations.

ICT Outcomes: C5: Students will use technology to aid collaboration during inquiry.
F4: Students will become discerning consumers of mass media and electronic information.

Internet Safety

Wow, things have changed since I have been in school. In those days we did not have computers in our classroom instead we had locked computer rooms that could only be used with adult supervision. Now most classrooms have computers that the students can use when in at recess, when done homework or for class research projects. Due to the increased access to the internet as teachers we must enforce strict rules for our students’ internet use. These rules should be outlined at the beginning of the school year and reviewed whenever there will be major use of the internet in the classroom. You can also save kid friendly search engines under favourites on the browser such as Kidsclick and Canadian Kids pages. This way as a teacher you can instruct the students to use only these search engines and be less wary when students browse the internet.

Although we set rules as teachers for our students on appropriate use of the internet there will be a couple of curious students that will test these rules. To avoid them finding inappropriate websites you can use filters and blocking software. Your school can have server-based services that do not allow R-rated or unrated pages to be seen. Furthermore, you can change the browser’s internet option settings to not give access to these unsuitable sites. Even with all those precautions in place, students might still stumble across the odd inappropriate site and you will have to talk with that student or your class about the implication associated with this.

Spreadsheets in Language Arts

While I am in my practicum my Grade 3/4’s are doing a novel study on Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary. The story consists only of journal or letter entries so I thought I could get the student to make a timeline of important events happening to the main character, Leigh Botts. Although this can be easily done on paper, I think using a spreadsheet to make the time line would be a great way to integrate the ICT outcomes into Language Arts. During each section of the book the students could discuss the important events happening to Leigh and note the dates to input it into their spreadsheet. The great thing about using spreadsheets is that you can save your data and the next time you need to access it you will not have to go searching for it like when on paper. Additionally you can make the time line as long as you want very easily. The spreadsheet would look much like the one on this website: http://www.microsoft.com/education/AmazingAutobiographies.mspx. The only change would be that it is a time line of Leigh’s life instead of their own.

Discussion Boards: Pros and Cons

Pros:
In my opinion the most beneficial aspect of discussion boards is that every student must voice their opinion and knowledge. This is great for the students that do not usually participate in class due to being shy or being ridiculed by their classmates. Since discussion boards do not require an immediate response, students have a better chance at giving a well thought out reply which will enhance the overall discussion at hand. Students can access them, post new threads, as well as interact with their classmates any time of the day. This makes discussion boards highly interactive among classmates that do not always interact. They also promote students to find and learn information on their own which will benefit them in their future learning. Finally teachers can give students immediate feedback so that they do not have to wait and it will be fresh in their minds. The student can also review past comments and discussion to aid in future assignments and tests.

Cons:
The greatest obstacle of making discussion boards effective is that after school hours not every student will have access to the internet at home. This means that they cannot fully participate and benefit from the use of discussion boards. By the use of discussion boards in the classroom the students will have a decreased amount of face to face interaction with the teacher and their peers which is crucial to those students who need to build on their social skills. Finally one of the main fears as parents is online bullying which will have to be constantly monitored by teachers.

Minerals Concept Map

The above concept map of minerals would be great to use in a Grade 3 Science class. I would divide the student into groups of 2 and give each group a computer with the start of a concept map (the 4 main divisions of the above concept map). Their task would be to go to the following website, http://teach.fcps.net/trt20/projects/EKU/Default.htm and expand the given concept map in inspiration with the information they found at this website. An example of a finished concept map is the one I have posted. You could do the same for rocks by the use of the same website.

The ICT outcomes covered in this activity are:
GLO C4: Students will use organizational processes and tools to manage inquiry
SLO 2.2: organize information, using such tools as a database, spreadsheet or electronic webbing
GLO P4: Students will organize and manipulate data.
SLO 2.2: display data electronically through graphs and charts

A Great Drama 10 Activity

Check out Kirk's Drama 10 activity on Shakespeare plays! http://saelth.blogspot.com/
He has a wonderful idea on how to integrate technology into drama.

Integration of the ICT Curricula into Science

Title: The Weather in Lethbridge

References

Alberta Eduation. (1996) Science (Elementry) Program of Study. Retrieved September 29, 2007, from http://education.gov.ab.ca/k_12/curriculum/bySubject/science/elemsci.pdf.

Alberta Education. (1998) Illustrative Examples to Accompany Information and Technology Communication: Interim Program of Studies Grade 1 to Grade 6. Retrieved September 29, 2007, from http://education.gov.ab.ca/ict/pofsie1_2.pdf.

Grade Level: 5

Activity: In Lethbridge, the weather is ever changing and sometimes unpredictable. Using a anemometer, wind vane, barometer, rain gauge and thermometer, students will record the weather over a period of two weeks. This will be done by recording the information each day, and entering the data into a class spreadsheet.
After the two-week period of recording the data individual students will have to analyze the information to find any relationships that may exist. Then individual students will prepare a report that contains the information that was collected and their analysis. In a brief and concise manner, describing how using a variety of technologies is important in the forecasting of weather.

GLE 5-8: Observe, describe and interpret weather phenomena; and relate weather to the heating and cooling of Earth’s surface.

SLE 7: Record weather over a period of time.

ICT Outcomes: The student will be able to:
P1 2.1 create and revise ordinal text to communicate and demonstrate understanding of forms and techniques
P2 2.1 enter and manipulate data by using such tools as a spreadsheet or database for a specific purpose
C4 2.2 organize information, using such tools as a database, spreadsheet or electronic webbing

Rationale: This activity will show students how useful a spreadsheet is to organize information. Spreadsheets can also compare the information with the use of graphs which will help the students to find relationships. Furthermore because spreadsheets are a computer application they can be saved and therefore are useful to teachers, students and future students because their data can be shared with other students all over the world easily. This activity can also be done over years with different classes and they can compare each others data and make more inferences about the change in weather in their city.

Technology Integration in the Classroom

I believe that technology integration in the classroom is beneficial to students as well as teachers. For example, if students use spreadsheets on a computer to organize and represent their data, they will be able to analyze and make correlations easier on their own. This can help the teacher because now the students can figure out for themselves what the relationships are rather than the teacher pointing them out. This will increase the students’ capacity to understand the concepts at hand and learn better organizational skills. Internet is a great tool for getting students interested in learning. For instance, it allows them to compare data with other students worldwide. In the past this kind of communication was achieved via letters but that could take weeks to do. Now emails can be sent instantly and responses received back that day. This could motive many students to learn and in the future to remember these learning experiences.

Presently the downside to technology integration is that teachers who did not grow up with technology or are not aware of new technology might not know how to implement it into the classroom effectively. They may get their students to search the internet blindly for more information on a topic but this can lead to a waste of time. Instead the teacher should direct them to good websites to get relevant and reliable information. This is where an educational technologist is key to teaching teachers how to guide students in the right direction when using the internet to research as well as other technology integration tools such as PowerPoint and SMARTboards.

Money is one of the biggest barriers in my opinion to technology integration in the classroom. Schools need financial support to hire educational technologists, buy computers to accommodate all students and to bring in wonderful technology such as SMARTboards. I know that it will take time to get all schools on board with technology integration but once these hurdles are overcome the students will reap the benefits.

Blogging as a Tool in Schools

I believe a blog could be a great tool for teachers, students and parents. It can benefit all three groups of people by acting like a bulletin board with assignments, due dates, important events and changes in the original due dates. This way teachers can be assured that students have all pertinent information. Students do not have to worry about losing assignments or not knowing when a test is, and parents are informed about what homework their child has and when special events are happening.

The wonderful thing about blogs is that you can use them in all subjects and fulfill some of the ICT curriculum requirements. For example, one of the general ICT outcomes under Communicating, Inquiring, Decision Making and Problem Solving is C5: students will use technology to aid collaboration during inquiry. This can be achieved by having students discuss topics they did not understand on a blog and teachers could use it to help their students after school hours. This also gives the more timid students a chance to voice their opinions and concerns when they are too intimidated to do so in class. Another general ICT outcome under Foundational Operations, Knowledge and Concepts is F3: students will demonstrate a moral and ethical approach to the use of technology. For the safety of the students’ the teacher has to inform students of acceptable language, appropriate behaviour, consequences and amount of information given in a blog before students can use it. One more general ICT outcome under Processes for Productivity is P6: students will use communication technology to interact with others. This outcome can be achieved by teachers asking their students to set up a blog to publish their written work and then have other students peer assess it by give suggestions on what they liked, what could be improved and other inquiries on the piece. This type of assignment helps the student practice and develop their reading and writing skills.

As a first time blogger, my main concern about blogs was privacy but I am glad to read that you can have blogs where only members can post comments and therefore you would not have unwanted comments. My only other concern is there is a chance that students will not comply with the rules of ethics concerning blogs and other student will be hurt because everyone can view it which is a lot more detrimental than something private like an email.