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.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
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.
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.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
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.
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.
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