CEP 812: Video Introduction

Hello- to view my video introduction please click on the following link:

Lisa's Video Introduction

CEP 811: Final Reflection

 It's hard to believe that CEP 811 has already come to an end. It felt like this course really flew by! For my final assignment, I was asked to reflect on this course.  Below are the questions and responses.

• What are some things that you have learned about effective teaching strategies when integrating technology?

I learned that when integrating technology into the classroom, it is important to test out whatever technology format you plan to use. With my STAIR assignment, I had to go through the entire thing testing out correct answers and incorrect answers. It seemed like just when I thought it was perfect there would be another minute detail that needed to be fixed. If I hadn't tested this out thoroughly before giving it to students to complete independently, it could have been a real problem. The STAIR assignment also taught me a great way to use PowerPoint so that students could access it while using different learning strategies. I also learned that it is very important to design the technology-based task with the assessment goals already planned out.

• How did integrating web-based technologies help you think about and evaluate uses of technology?

 Integrating web-based technologies, such as the PowerPoint STAIR, helped me to think about PowerPoints in a different way. In the past, I have used it as a tool for students to create presentations. Now, I know that I can actually use PowerPoint as a way to lead students through a lesson independently and as a way to assess their learning. It helped me to realize that technology can be used in a variety of formats and it is important to explore all different options. I also learned the importance of evaluating the type of technology used for to make sure it adds value to the lesson and isn't just being used for the sake of using technology.

• How have you met your own personal goals for learning about technology integration?

With this course, I learned about MERLOT, which will be an incredible resource, UDL principles, how to use Wikis, information about online learning and using technology with face to face learning, and much more. I have had the opportunity to reflect on my own lesson plans and the technology used within them, created/edited a wiki, made a web portfolio, and created a STAIR Power Point. All of these experiences have helped me to become a more knowledgeable teacher, especially when it comes to integrating technology. I feel that I have met personal goals for learning about technology integration because I tried new technological formats and analyzed the uses of each type of technology. I also have shown myself that although I may not know how to do something when it comes to new technology, with persistance and online guidance, I can learn. When first trying to publish to my afs space, I struggled with how to correctly do so. I had to watch the videos provided multiple times before I got the process right. It's always such a learning experience when you struggle and struggle with something and then finally achieve success. I am grateful for what I learned during this course because I know it will make me a better teacher for my students.

• Do you have any new goals? What are your plans for reaching your new goals and your long-term goals after this course is over?

My goal is simply to continue learning and continue being open to new things. Coming into the CEP courses I thought I knew so much about technology and thought that I used technology effectively in my classroom a great amount. Now I am seeing that there is so much out there that I can still learn, and of course, it is always changing. I look forward to seeing what other great tips I learn from my future CEP courses. During CEP 810, my long term goal was to get into the MAET program. At this point I have already been accepted to the MAET program, so my new long term goal is to learn as much as I can from each course and apply it to my own classroom. I also hope to one day work as a technology supervisor in a school. Ideally, I would love to be able to go to other teachers' classes and teach them how to effectively integrate technology. I also am interested in teaching online courses through NCVPS someday. I really don't know what the future holds for me, but I'm sure that the MAET program is my first step on the journey.

Online Experiences within the Classroom

This week in class I read all about online teaching and online experiences within the classroom. This year, more than ever before, I have been conscientiously working to make sure that my students are receiving varying online experiences. I have worked hard to ensure that students are using their iPod Touch units on a regular basis to enhance their learning experiences and given them opportunities with many different types of technology. Although there have been some challenges along the way, it has definitely helped students take accountability for their own learning and explore texts on a deeper level as they explored the information they read with the various types of technology.

I also read the Michigan Merit Curriculum Online Experience Guideline. It helps to identify ways to create online experiences in schools for middle and high school students. I've already used WebQuests, Wikis, and Online Research with my students, which are three of the online experiences mentioned in the article. Another online experience it references is blogging. My students have commented on my blog posts as a way of communicating with others about their literature circle novels, but they've never had their own blogs. I could see using this in my classroom in the future. If students each had their own independent blogs, the pedagogical strategies it would incorporate are taking ownership of their writing, gaining more writing experience, and having a live audience they are writing for, which would provide motivation to write. They would also be able to comment on peers' blogs, creating a sense of community. Furthermore, it would help students reflect on their own learning experiences. I would really like to incorporate independent blogging into my classroom. I also love the idea of using podcasting in the classroom. I think this would be especially useful for my students because they each have an iTouch. They could record useful information or assignments right on their mobile devices. I could see this being especially helpful with vocabulary review, as shown in the Vocabulary Podcast from Princeton Review that was provided in the article.  

Of the Online Experiences referenced in the document, I think a Learning Management System like Moodle or Blackboard may be the most difficult to incorporate. This is because my school has never used such a system and I think it would be quite time consuming to explain to students how to use such a system. While I know there are many benefits to these systems, I think that it is unnecessary for our school and would require time to train teachers, students, and parents how to become familiar with the features of such systems.

I am grateful for this article because it provides great explanations of how/ why to incorporate online experiences in the classroom and useful samples. I look forward to exploring how to incorporate many of these online experiences in my own classroom.

Wiki Explorations

This week I had my first ever experience editing Wikipedia. It's funny to me because I've used Wikipedia countless times to find information or as a starting point, but until today, I never really realized how easy it was to edit.

One of our assignments was to edit our school's Wikipedia page. My school district had a Wikipedia page, so I decided to edit that. I had tried it at school one time and found that my district blocked that option. Interestingly, they blocked their site from being edited while using the district server, but when using my own server, I could edit it just fine. I assume they did not want students messing around with the information on the site.

Here is a screen shot of the Wikipedia page and a change that I made to it:

Our superintendent is retiring after this school year so I added information about him and his years of service.

I also have created my own Wiki site using wikispaces. This is the link to that site: http://mrsmelesclass.wikispaces.com/
My students edited the Wiki to post information they found about the author of their science fiction/fantasy novels. They, too, were amazed at how simple it was to edit. It was a fun activity because as the day went on each student saw what the class before them had written. It also posed the challenge to them of having to find new information that wasn't already added. By my final class of the day, they found that they had to be very creative in their quest for information. Of course, not every book was used in all five classes, so some kids lucked out! Students were able to do their research and post to the Wiki on their iPod Touch units in their literature circle groups. It was a great way to incorporate researching and collaboration with a larger group. I look forward to using Wikis in my classroom more often!

UDL Guidelines Educator Checklist

For my latest assignment in CEP 811, I analyzed a recent lesson plan that I had made using Universal Design for Learning principles. At first I was nervous to undertake such a thorough examination of a lesson that I had already used this year. I was happily surprised to find out that I did meet many of the UDL principles in my lesson. Since this lesson was based on literature circle novels that my students used, it already was based on differentiation according to reading levels. When I created the assignment, I, of course, had my students' reading levels in mind based on which book they read. I also found out that there were ways I could have made the lesson even more adaptive to my students. Some of the things mentioned, like visual alternatives, do not apply to any of the students I currently have this year, but are of course good to keep in mind. Other principles, such as making the goals clearer to students would have made the lesson better for my students. Although it is not practical to analyze every lesson using these rigorous principles, it is an eye-opening experience and something I will keep in mind as I develop new lessons.  UDL Guidelines – Educator Checklist –Lisa Mele
I.    Provide Multiple Means of Representation:	Your notes
1.       Provide options for perception
1.1  Offer ways of customizing the display of information	Feature: Text size can be changed on the websites
1.2  Offer alternatives for auditory information	Feature: All sites have written information/captions
1.3  Offer alternatives for visual information	Barrier: There is no auditory information to offer as an alternative to the visual information  (except a few sites which offer videos)
2.       Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols
2.1  Clarify vocabulary and symbols	Barrier: Not all of the websites used clarify new vocabulary Feature: Internet is available to check word definitions
2.2  Clarify syntax and structure	Feature: Assignment provides step by step information
2.3  Support decoding of text, and mathematical notation, and symbols	Feature: All sites chosen are at appropriate reading level
2.4  Promote understanding across language	Barrier: Information is given in just one language
2.5  Illustrate through multiple media	Feature: The sites used include text, images, videos, quizzes. Students create presentations using a technological mode of their choice
3.       Provide options for comprehension
3.1  Activate or supply background knowledge	Feature: Students use information learned from class novels to complete the WebQuest and information learned about literary terms
3.2  Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships	Feature: To assist students in following directions while completing the WebQuest, text size, font, and color varied in order to cue them to the correct section to work on and make directions more clear
3.3  Guide information processing, visualization, and manipulation	Feature: Information was “chunked” according to which novel students used and prompts were given to aid students in analyzing each website. Only necessary directions were provided.
3.4  Maximize transfer and generalization	Feature: Students used the provided prompts while exploring the websites and wrote answers as they came across them. Also, in a prior lesson, all literary terms used had been taken down in student notes and quizzed for understanding earlier.
II.   Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression:	Your notes
4.       Provide options for physical action
4.1  Vary the methods for response and navigation	Feature: Students use computer program of their choice to present information learned.
4.2  Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies	Feature: Students use Internet sites to learn information from the WebQuest. The addition of the Internet and the ability to type responses helps those with hand coordination challenges
5.       Provide options for expression and communication
5.1  Use multiple media for communication	Feature: Students search through a variety of websites for information. Each site contains different types of text, images, videos, etc.
5.2  Use multiple tools for construction and composition	Feature: Students may choose to create Glog, PowerPoint, or Prezi to create presentation. Students also type responses on a Word Document
5.3  Build fluencies with graduated labels of support for practice and performance	Feature: The novels read by the students are appropriate to their reading level. Therefore, all websites used in the WebQuest were chosen at the appropriate reading level for each novel. Ie. Those who read Life of Pi were gifted students and therefore the websites used for their WebQuest were of a more challenging reading level
6.       Provide options for executive functions
6.1  Guide appropriate goal setting	Feature: There was a checklist for students to use to make sure they were on track. Also, students were led step by step through which website to read and what information they should learn from that site
6.2  Support planning and strategy development	Feature: Students are given prompts to answer with each website
6.3  Facilitate managing information and resources	Feature: Prompts are used to faciliatate information and a checklist is used to help students organize their assignment
6.4  Enhance capacity for monitoring progress	Feature: An assessment checklist is used to help students monitor their progress
III.  Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:	Your notes
7.       Provide options for recruiting interest
7.1  Optimize individual choice and autonomy	Feature: Students get to choose which format to use to present information.
7.2  Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity	Feature: Students learn about real world issues that were addressed in their novels and examine multiple sites that describe the issue
7.3  Minimize threats and distractions	Feature: Students are each assigned their own individual computer to work on and given assigned seats near others who will minimize distractions. When presenting, student groups are assigned to ensure students work with others who are good for them. A daily agenda is also written on the board and students check it as part of the daily routine
8.       Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence
8.1  Heighten salience of goals and objectives	Barrier: While the objective was listed on the board, it needs to be more clear to students
8.2  Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge	Barrier: Although presentations were graded according to ability, the task was the same for all (althought grouped by reading level ability)
8.3  Foster collaboration and community	Feature: Students present the information they found to a small group of peers. Peers can ask questions of the presenter to learn more about the topic and the novel
8.4  Increase mastery-oriented feedback	Feature: Students received both a grade and a written comment as feedback on the Edmodo page they used to submit their assignments
9.       Provide options for self-regulation
9.1  Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation	Feature: Any students who were confused or off-task were given immediate feedback. Students reflected on their presentations in a blog post during the following lesson.
9.2  Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies	Barrier: Students were not given personal checklists to manage behaviors. The checklist they received focused on the assignment tasks only.
9.3  Develop self-assessment and reflection	Feature: Students reflect in a blog post (the next lesson) what they learned from their topic and reflect on classmates’ presentations

© CAST 2011

MERLOT Lesson Evaluation

After learning about the MERLOT website and posting one of my own assignments, I was assigned to evaluate another resource posted on the site. I will be evaluating this resource using the same criteria that MERLOT uses. 

The assignment that I chose to review is called "Stopping a Toppling Tower" by Scholastic, Inc. This page leads to a website with information about how to read nonfiction text and then has students apply the directions to a sample text. This is something that I could definitely use with my students as we prepare for the non fiction content on the upcoming standardized state test, the EOG.

Quality of Content:

1. Does the software present valid (correct) concepts, models, and skills? 
The site leads to information about how to read and analyze non fiction text. I agree that the tips provided are accurate ways to approach such a text.

2. Does the software present educationally significant concepts, models, and skills for the discipline?
One of the objectives on the ELA 8th grade Standard Course of Study for North Carolina is for students to be able to read and analyze non fiction text. Therefore, the directions provided from this resource do provide educationally significant skills for this discipline because it teaches students how to independently analyze such text.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool:

1. What stage(s) in the learning process/cycle could the materials be used? 

 The following stages in the learning process can be used with this resource:

• Explanation or description of the topic/stating the problem 
• Practice using the curriculum/analysis of the outcomes from solving the problem 

The resource both defines how to appropriately analyze non fiction text and also allows for students to practice the skills described with a sample text.

2. What is(are) the learning objective(s)? What should students be able to do after successfully learning with the materials?
 After using this text, students should be able to independently analyze a non fiction text. They should be able to find the purpose, important words, understand new words within the context of a sentence, and analyze the new information. 

3. What are the characteristics of the target learner(s)?
The target learner for this assignment is a middle school student who needs to understand how to get the most from a non fiction text.

4. Does the interactive/media-rich presentation of material improve faculty and students' abilities to teach and learn the materials?
 The material is interactive in that it allows students to apply the skills taught to a text, but it is not media-rich at all. The skills students learn from it should certainly improve their ability to analyze future non fiction texts.

5. Can the use of the software be readily integrated into current curriculum and pedagogy within the discipline?
 This text could easily be integrated into my 8th grade language arts curriculum. It also will prove valuable in other content areas because it will aid students in reading and understanding their text books for other courses.

6. Can the software be used in a variety of ways to achieve teaching and learning goals?
 The lesson really can only be used to teach non fiction reading skills. It can be applied to different types of non fiction texts, but that is really the only way to use this resource.

7. Are the teaching-learning goals easy to identify?
The  teaching-learning goals are easy to identify. Teachers will be able to provide students with concrete ways to analyze a non fiction text and students will demonstrate their ability to use those concrete skills with various non fiction texts.

8. Can good learning assignments for using the software application be written easily?
 Learning assignments for using this text can be written easily. Students will use the skills taught in the lesson to analyze other non fiction texts and understand problem/solution concepts as presented in text.

Ease of Use: 

1. Are the labels, buttons, menus, text, and general layout of the computer interface consistent and visually distinct?
 The text is laid out in a visually appealing way that draws readers in. It includes headings, subheadings, pictures, and a problem/solution section.   

2. Does the user get trapped in the material?
The material is of an appropriate reading level for middle school students, so it should not "trap" the user. It should be fairly easy to navigate because the text is written similarly to the way text books are written, which middle school students should be used to. 

3. Can the user get lost easily in the material?
The user should be able to easily navigate the material by following the clear directions given.  

4. Does the module provide feedback about the system status and the user's responses?
It does not provide feedback about the system status and the user's responses. 

5. Does the module provide appropriate flexibility in its use?
The module provides instruction for how to read a text and then a sample text with which to practice. From there, a teacher could apply other examples of non fiction text for more independent practice or ask guiding questions about what was found in the sample text. Teachers could use just the basic materials provided or use it as a starting lesson to expand on analyzing non fiction texts. 

6. Does the learning material require a lot of documentation, technical support, and/or instruction for most students to successfully use the software?
The material does not require much documentation or technical support. It does provide instruction for how to appropriately read the text. It is not written in a complex manner. 

7. Does the material present information in ways that are familiar for students?
 The material is presented in a way that would be familiar to students. It is written in the same format that many text books are written in, with headings, subheadings, bold words, and graphics. the language is also of the appropriate level. 

8. Does the material present information in ways that would be attractive to students?
The page has pictures, varying print sizes, and text boxes containing information. All of which make the text interesting to look at. Furthermore, the instruction page is described as a toolbox for reading skills. All of these things make the page attractive to readers.

Personal Learning Reflection

    Over my eight weeks in CEP 810, I have learned about so many valuable tools that I can utilize in my classroom and to help organize my daily life. Each week I learned about new topics that were applicable to both the teaching world and my everyday life. While some of the resources mentioned were things I was already familiar with, like mobile learning, Prezis, and Google Apps, there were many more resources that were brand new to me. This includes things like RSS readers, Diigo, Google Sites, Edmodo, and other great resources that I knew I would use regularly. From day one I started using many of these resources in my classroom or just to help me organize and collect information. While I learned so much about so many resources, often I felt I was just skimming the surface. I want to be able to devote even more time to truly becoming knowledgeable about many of the resources and topics studied. For instance, in the security lab, I was only required to read a certain number of atomic labs and familiarize myself with those. Due to time constraints, I did just that. Really, there were so many different atomic labs that I knew there was no way I could become well versed in all of them in just one week. I’m grateful that I learned about so many different topics, but I do hope that over time, I am able to devote more time to specific areas.
    I learned that when integrating technology into the classroom, it is important to have taken some time to become familiar with the technology myself first, but also that I don’t have to be an expert. Students catch onto these Internet resources very quickly and often find tricks that I have not yet discovered. I have found that one of the most effective ways to introduce a new type of technology into my classroom is to project the information using my LCD projector to the screen and have students follow along on their iTouches. This way they can bookmark sites as I’m talking and really get a feel for what they are supposed to do when sent off to work independently. This gives them a chance to see how the program works and gives them an instant way to explore the new technology themselves.
    Ever since my school first received iTouches, there was a big push to use them every day. Often, this seemed like a daunting task that just added one more thing into my already busy day.  However, I learned to change my thinking from having to integrate the Internet to using the Internet as a tool to advance learning and provide instantaneous feedback for my inquisitive students. I wanted to make sure that I was integrating technology for an effective reason and not just because it was fun or neat. With the discovery of Google Forms, I learned how to use the iTouch units in a way that provided formative assessments of my students on a regular basis and often guided class discussion. We also use them to search the Internet. However, after having this class, I can also say that I have found many more ways to effectively utilize technology in my classroom. After seeing some neat Prezi presentations, I decided that for the project my students are working on now, that they could have the option of making their own Prezis or Glogs. To turn it in they are uploading it to the class Edmodo page. From there I will be able to grade it and they will get their feedback on Edmodo. Although I was already very familiar with Glogster and somewhat familiar with Prezi, I was able to see just what Prezi could do and the effect it would have on my students’ presentations. Furthermore, I learned about the benefits of Edmodo from one of Sue’s comments on one of my blog posts. Edmodo has been a great way for my students to turn in digital work. Integrating the Internet resources learned about in this class has already helped to better my lessons and appeal to my students’ interests. They really enjoyed using the WebQuest I recently created to explore the Internet and then create their Glogs or Prezis.
    I think that the SIG presentation that my group turned in really exemplifies good teaching with technology. We used Google Sites to teach about cyberbullying using a WebQuest. I think that the site provided a clear format for viewers to explore the information. I also think that it’s important to make sure that all students understand what cyberbullying is and the dangers of it. By following a WebQuest with information about this, it makes students accountable for their own learning and allows them to absorb the information at their own pace. Researching this WebQuest idea was what led me to make a different WebQuest for my students just two weeks ago. We also have an anti-bullying day each year and I now plan to follow through with our SIG presentation to make that cyberbullying WebQuest.
    The goal that I had listed in my personal growth plan at the beginning of this course was to gain some “real tools that can help me to fully understand many of the web applications out there that will help my students to learn better”. I think it is clear that I have already begun to accomplish this. I have applied many of the resources that I learned about in this course to my own classes. My students have been very enthusiastic about each of their assignments that have integrated these resources. Another goal that I had was to “learn about technology in a deeper and more practical way than ever before”. I think that the resources like Diigo and the RSS reader are just the beginning of the practical resources that I will learn about. I also think that the Atomic Learning Labs have provided me with an opportunity to learn more deeply about many of the topics explored in class. Looking forward, I hope to continue with both of these goals in my future courses. I want to continue learning about technology in a way that I am able to fully understand how it works, and I also want to be able to bring new technology to my students to enhance their understanding of new topics. I will be continuing to take CEP courses once this course is over, and hopefully, I will be continuing on to earn my MAET from Michigan State University. These long term goals will help to make me a better teacher to enhance my lessons for my 21st century learners.