CEP 800 Lesson Plan Reflection

Description

Students in my class created their own template-based websites with Weebly.  They had been using my website for the entire trimester, but also looked at a few other exemplars.  We discussed usability concerns, design features, and a few bells and whistles like embedding movies and documents before they started (rather than simply giving a link to watch movies or to download documents).

Before they were allowed to complete their final website, they created a practice one where they had specific tasks to complete each day.

Narrative
I taught this lesson to my Information Science Technology students.  My students have varying technology backgrounds.  Some work as technicians at a local private school, some do not have a computer or cell phone.  I have an even mix of students from 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade.  55% of my students are female, 45% are male.

As noted in my lesson plan last week, this was a multi-day lesson.  From start to finish the practice website took 2.5 - 3 days.  The final website took 2+ days.

The lesson went really well!  It was my first time teaching it, and plan to do it again next trimester with a few modifications.  After I teach them how to embed YouTube and Animoto movies, I should ask them to embed more objects.  The practice site is really just for practice.  More is better on this site.  I was so careful to make sure students were proficient in the basics, that I almost felt like a stifled a little bit of creativity.

Reflection
I set out to teach my students how to build a (template-based) website.  The Michigan Educational Technology Standards and I wanted them to demonstrate proper netiquette, as well as embed videos and images.  Based on those standards, this lesson was successful.  Every student did those things.

Every student was provided with a 4 year old computer running Windows XP, and had the option of using Google Chrome, Internet Explorer 7, or Firefox 3.  A constraint is that our Technology Department has not come to update Internet Explorer or Firefox in awhile.  Students that went against my recommendation and used one of those two browsers had trouble getting the most current flash players to download, since they do not have administrator rights (of course, Google Chrome automatically uses the most up to date Flash player).

Another constraint is that each student had to remember their own user name and password.  While this was not a problem for the vast majority of my students, 2 students could not remember theirs, and had to start over multiple times.  This is fairly typical of those 2 students though, and is not unique to Weebly.

This lesson was inherently constructivist.  There were really no elements of behaviorism present.  Students were asked to create a website.  The state standards were provided by the Michigan Educational Technology Standards (developed by the Michigan Department of Education).  The curriculum itself was left wide open.  Prior to my being hired, Information Science Technology was basically the “Library Aid” class.  My principal has given me permission to make it more of a hybrid technology and library class.

Some learners wanted minimal instruction.  They wanted to hear the requirements, then do their work alone.  Others were intimidated, and wanted more 1 on 1 and small group instruction.  For them, I logged into my account, and showed them how to do things.

Another teacher should be able to replicate this lesson.  A lot of it was done asynchronously.  Teachers should just be very familiar with how to use Weebly, and also be ready for the students that are scared to create their first (template-based) website.  Students should just show up with an open mind, and trust their teacher when s/he says it’s not that hard, have fun, and follow the few directions that are provided.

The best way to grade an assignment like this is to use a rubric.  Each website is going to look so different, so I cannot imagine doing it any other way.  The teacher should have the rubric created beforehand, and distribute it their students.  I would wait until after the practice sites have been completed.

Technology is the content and the vehicle for this lesson.  Creating a (template-based) website is a technology skill.  Using a computer to do it is the means, or the way the website gets completed.

For the most part, students were pretty comfortable using Weebly.  It was the firs time most of them had ever published anything on the Internet.  Most of the questions I received started out as “On your website, you have....how do I...?” or “Mrs. Light has...on her website.  Is it possible to....?”  Sometimes I knew the answers, and sometimes I did not.  Either way, when possible, I showed students how to find the answers, rather than just giving them the answers.

My students are used to “doing things.”  I do a lot of short constructivist assignments with them.  This is probably the longest one they did.  They did a good job of making sense of the technology in their own way.

Digital Storytelling

This digital storytelling movie shows both behaviorism and social constructivism.  There was a movie of the subject running on a treadmill at the end.  Please disregard :)

Working Out At Home.mov from Jimmy Dunn on Vimeo.

Audio Podcast

Here is my audio podcast!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/24611845/CEP%20800%20Interview.m4a

Wicked Project

For the full-screen movie, click here, then choose the view full screen icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Problem
The current computer lab reservation system at Clio High School is outdated, and leads to double-booking.  Teachers can only reserve lab time from one of two locations while they are at school.

Solution
Google Calendar, with the new "Appointment Slots" feature.

TP
Google Calendar is a natural fit for reserving computer labs in a high school setting.  On my end, I will create three different calendars (one for each computer lab) utilizing the new Appointment Slots feature.  Teachers will be able to view the calendars from anywhere with an Internet connection, and reserve whichever labs whenever they want.

TC

Google Calendar is inherently more accessible to every teacher because it would not be feasible for them to take the current reservation binders home with them.  There are approximately 50 teachers and only 1 copy of each binder.

An advantage of going to an online reservation system is that teachers can plan great lessons at home that utilize technology.  Rather than create a great webquest over the weekend, then wait until Monday to figure out when the computer labs are open, they can plan to use technology and reserve the lab all from the convenience of home outside of normal school hours.  Google Calendar automatically blocks a lab from ever being double-booked.


PC
Students will be able to interact with their content at a time that actually fits what they are learning, not the time slot their teacher was able to reserve because they didn't get to school early enough on Monday morning.  Let's say that a teacher wants to do four days of instruction, and a quiz on Friday.  Rather than writing three different technology-based assignments that could fit for Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, teachers will be able to look at the Calendar when they sit down to plan for the week (for example, on Saturday morning).  Teachers will be able to plan more efficiently, and students will benefit by having better, more thoughtful assignments.

Here is my Wicked Project:

Group Leadership Project

We did our Group Leadership Project on Google Apps for Education.  The four of us created separate PowerPoints explaining different apps in the Google Apps for Education suite.  I did the piece about Google Forms.  Dave recorded his voice over the PowerPoint using Windows Movie Maker.  We chose Movie Maker because it is so easy to record a voice over and edit the audio.

After watching our movie, I found that most apps let you embed your content into a blog or website very easily.  Google provides embed code that can be copied and pasted.  I had always known that some of Google's apps had this feature, but did not realize how prevalent it was.

If I had to do a project similar to this in the future, I would make sure that we laid out our plan from the beginning and followed through with it.  We set a soft deadline for everyone to be done with their piece of the project.  Some group members met the deadline, while others did not.  In the end, I think our project turned out very well.  Thanks Dave, for recording your voice!

Personal Learning Plan

CEP 810 Goals
In CEP 810, I set a couple long term goals for myself.  I wanted to either become a professor of education or the technology director of a k-12 school district.  I was not sure which I preferred, but knew that I wanted to make informed decisions that would improve education for a lot of students.  My short term goal was to get accepted into the MAET program beginning in Fall 2011.  I just heard last week that I was accepted!  A medium term goal that I set for myself was to graduate from the MAET program in August 2012.  So far I am on track to accomplish this goal.  My advisor said that it should not be a problem.

Skills I Still Need (Want)
My greatest strengths regarding technology involve pedagogy.  I enjoy finding cool new tools and bringing them into the classroom.  To be a k-12 technology director, I will need to learn about networking.  I only know a little more than the average teacher when it comes to school networks.  I am not sure if the MAET program can help me get the network certifications that I may need (or just want).  I may actually have to go through a community college for some of this rudimentary (but important) knowledge.

If I choose to pursue a PhD I will need to learn how to conduct qualitative and quantitative research.  While the MAET program does not offer a thesis option, there may be some opportunities to conduct research (I am thinking that CEO 822: Approaches to Educational Research will help).  If not, that is something I would need to do either prior to a PhD program, or at the very beginning.

My Goals 2.0
Right now my goals are to graduate from the MAET program in August 2012, and become a technology director by 2014.  I really want to graduate by next August because I am the newest member of the Clio Educator's Association, and would therefore be the first to go if there were any layoffs.  My job is safe through the 2011-2012 school year, but anything beyond that will be determined by the state per pupil expenditures.

I would obviously like to get a technology director job as soon as possible upon graduation, but for the first time in my life, I would prefer to not move.  My wife and I just bought a house that we really like, and both enjoy our jobs.  I have taught in three states in four years of teaching.  Because of this, I will probably be willing to wait a few years before accepting a job as a technology director.

If, at some point during this school year, it becomes apparent that I may get laid off, I will apply to a few full-time PhD programs that offer free tuition for PhD students plus assistantships (e.g. MSU, U of M, Northwestern, Cornell, or Harvard).  I would also apply to jobs in my immediate area.  I would consider 1-year grant-funded positions, as well as jobs outside of education.

PART D - Findings and Implications

There are a few ways that I will be able to tell if Google Calendar is working as my school's new computer lab reservation system.  First, I will look at October 2010 and October 2011 in both reservation systems.  I will check to see what the utilization was for both months.  If October 2011 is the same or better than October 2010, this is a positive sign.  This cannot be the only way to evaluate the effectiveness of my project because there are other factors that could impact utilization (eg technology skill set of teachers, perceived quality of computers in computer labs, # of working computer vs. computers that are out for repair).

I will also compare the # of teachers that reserved computers in October 2010 compared to October 2011.  If October 2011 has more teachers that reserved a computer lab at least once, that will be a positive sign.

Lastly, I will send out a survey asking teachers if they feel it is better, the same, or worse than the old system.  These three ways of evaluating my project should give me a well-rounded picture of the success or failure of my implementation of Google Calendar as a computer lab reservation system.