Technological-Based Professional Development Plan

Technology-Based Professional Development Plan

My initial plan for this upcoming school year is to integrate the Smart Board into all of my subjects. I will have a Smart Board in my room for the first time, so not only will I have to get familiar with it, I will have to find ways for my students to feel comfortable using it. From what I understand the beauty of the Smart Board is the ability to let your class be interactive with it while the whole class is engaged. I plan on using some interactive web-sites to help me do this.

http://www.sachem.edu/dept/sd/smartboard/elementary%20resources.htm

I was unable to have any training on using the Smart Board, so I will have to rely on some of my experienced colleagues for help. This may require some extended hours added to my day, but the time put in will benefit me for years to come. I have also found some tutorial videos online to walk me through some of the applications for the Smart Board. I think this could be very helpful throughout the year as I try to accomplish new tasks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8P-sv9dOu8

I can stay current with new technology in the classroom by not being afraid to use it daily, by giving my students opportunities to explore through multi-media, and to continually network with other teachers to see what they are doing in their classroom, how it is working, and how I could apply it to my class. I can network with teachers in my own school, throughout my district, and throughout the country with the use of blogs and discussion pages.

http://forums.educationworld.com/index.php?t=msg&th=2227&start=0&rid=0&S=cb8f811865814f2f41e967fe2dad3104

Another way I can stay current is to get involved in any professional development offered by my district in technology. Taking classes along with colleagues is a great way to share ideas and practice what can be applied in the classroom.

Multi-media Project

Here's a lesson plan that can be adapted for 1st-4th grade based on Eve Bunting and Jan Brett's book Valentine Bears. The lesson spans across a 5 day period and incorporates Smart Board, video, Word documents, sending an e-card, and posting on a blog.

Title: Valentine’s Week Technology Lesson Plan

Subject: Computers, internet, writing

Grade Level: 1st-4^th

Standards Addressed:

Use appropriate technology to communicate with others

Use word documents

Sending E cards

Communicate on author’s blog

Use spell check

Recognize traditions of others as a way to celebrate this holiday

Write their own poem

Use clip art

Materials Needed for the week:

Computer Lab Access, Internet Access, Smart Board

Scissors, paper, glue, crayons

The Valentine’s Bear by Bunting and Brett

e-mail address for recipient of card

DAY 1 Goal: The students will have a better understanding of the authors and their classmates’ values and customs surrounding this holiday.

• Teacher will read the whole book to the entire class.
• We will have a turn-n-talk about how they each celebrate Valentine’s Day at home.
• Share out loud many of the ideas presented.
• Teacher may pose the question, how do you think the author celebrates this holiday?

Day 2 Goal: The students get to know the author better and get introduced to how a Blog works.

• Teacher will show the author video to the whole class

www.mefeedia.com/watch/26502205

• Show Jan Brett’s Blog site to show how a Blog site works

http://janbrettsblog.com/

• Students get into groups and compose as question to post on Jan’s Blog Site
• The teacher will go step by step in teaching the students how to post.

Day 3 Goal: Students will be able to use create a WORD document and add clip art to that document and use spell check to proofread their work.

• In the lab teacher will show the students how to create a document in WORD
• The students will write out their poem at this time
• Teacher will show students how to access Google Images to add an image to their document
• Students will print this document to make a Valentine’s Card

Day 4 Goal: Students will complete a Valentine’s Day card for a special person.

• Students will use construction paper, scissors, glue and their word document to create their own card.

Day 5 Goal: Students will learn how to send an electronic card.

• In the lab teacher will show class how to make and send an e-card
• Students will make and send this card to designated e-mail

http://www.Hallmark.com

• Teacher and students will follow up on Jan Brett’s Blog to see if she has answered and of the questions that we posted earlier.

Assessments:

Hand made card:

Were students able to copy and paste clip art?

Did they create and print a word document after using spell check?

Was the project completed?

E-Card:

Was there a successful send of the E-Card? The teacher will ask that the recipient of each card e-mail a response when card is received.

Group problem solving was used to construct and post a question to Jan Brett’s Blog.

Did students participate in group discussion on Valentine traditions?

Because all material is new to the students there will be no achievement grades given. All marks are based on participation

Project-Based Learning and Reflection on Auburn Early Education Center

The main goal of Project-Based Learning (PBL), is to develop problem-solvers. In the video we watched and from what I have previously learned about PBL, students begin their project from their own natural curiosity. This helps to spark interest from the beginning. From their natural curiosity, a whole thematic unit can encompass their curriculum. When the 5 year olds were preparing a funeral for their lost pet, the teacher commented on how she was able to incorporate math, writing, reading, social studies and science all into the project while keeping students interest levels high. They had purpose behind their tasks.

Another piece of PBL is the opportunity to create, use critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration. Teachers need to be patient and allow students to reflect and discover. After the video, there were some comments posted. Some of these comments were from parents of students who attend AEEC. One parent commented that sometimes students make mistakes, or sometimes their project doesn't work. They reflect on why it didn't work out the way they had planned and move forward. All of these experiences help prepare students for real-life situations.

The final piece of PBL is to publicly present what they have learned. This is an important step for accountability. This piece in particular will motivate their group collaboration and instill the importance of finishing a project, even though, with this kind of environment, the students realize that the learning never ends.

Glogster

Hypermedia and software

In Chapters 5 and 6 of Roblyer and Doering's book Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching, they focus on using hypermedia and software to enhance learning. Some benefits from using these programs are improved productivity, improved appearance of student work, better accuracy, and support for interacting and sharing among students. there are many different types of software that can enhance learning in the classroom, but they stressed only choosing materials that would benefit your own students.

Some software that is available can help students to easily collect data and can help them add creativity to their work. Some software is highly beneficial to the teacher. one program that I would like to try is a test and worksheet generator. with a program like this , a teacher can scatter test questions so that each test looks different. My first grade students frequently look at each others papers. Most times I don't mind, since they are so young, I feel like they learn from each other.Sometimes though, I really need to see what they know as individuals. This would be an easy way for me to do this.

Teaching my students to publish their own writing and visual images would be so motivating. I am excited to try this next year throughout my writing class. I feel like my students will not only enjoy our writing class more, but will also begin to choose to work on writing during their free time. I only wish we had more computers in our classroom.

The students that will enter my room in the fall will most likely have experience using the computer, keyboard and mouse. This year I would like to introduce the use of video and audio, if our school has the equipment to do that. The use of these devices could give students the means to make their work more personal which in turn will stimulate a lot of creativity as well as motivate all students. Not only will they enjoy the production part, they will also enjoy seeing what their classmates have created.

Integrating Technology in the Classroom

As teachers tap into the power of technology, they will see a whole new technique to teaching and keeping students motivated. In our textbook, Roblyer and Doering refer to computers as an extension of ourselves, such as a musical instrument. This concept stems from the concept that technology is not just a tool to teach what we already know, it supports a students quest for learning. Software for today's classrooms has changed as well. It is designed to support students exploration of information so they may generate their own knowledge. Teachers can use new, innovative software in the classroom, and as an outside connection. The goal is not for students to separate school from their home life. The goal is to have a continuation of what they have learned in the classroom in practice and in application. A good way to do this is to provide a website that students may access from home, where they can chat about homework, look at teacher provided websites, and even play games that engage the students in some higher level thinking. Today' s students may spend as much time on the computer over the weekend as they do in an entire school day. They are already there, why not take advantage of it?

In the video "Schools Use of Games for Learning and Assessment" they showed simulations of situations that students can practice on their own without risk. Eliminating risk in the classroom allows students to make mistakes and learn from them. It also allows them to explore and take chances, and that is how learning happens. It provides differentiation in that students are learning at their own pace. Games and simulations have been shown to have great success with underachieving boys that have been labeled ADHD.

In the video "Digital Youth Portrait:Sam" Sam's mother commented on the skills that technology has given to her daughter. Teamwork, problem-solving, competitiveness, strategizing, creativity, trial and error, and exploration are all skills that we, as teachers, are trying to get students to engage in. One video commented that technology will transform public education. That the best teacher will be on each student's desk. What are the pitfalls? For one, job security.

Teaching Interests and Instructional Topics
I am currently teaching first grade. I have been teaching first grade in this same classroom for the past six years. This summer our current school building will be torn down and we will be moving into a brand new state of the art building. Although I will miss my charming 100 year old classroom, I am very excited about all the amenities of our new building. All classrooms wil be equipped with a smart board. I have never used one. The focus of our new building will be to implement a project -based curriculum. The instructional topic I am most interested in at this time is project-based learning. I am hoping to learn enough about it this summer to be able to begin to incorporate some exciting projects into our agenda in the fall.