Congratulations! You did it

 Today is the last day of class!  You made it.  I hope you feel that you learned a lot and that this class was worthwhile.  I have seen a lot of growth in each one of you, and I hope you have too.  I had fun getting to know you, and will be sad I won't be seeing you three times a week anymore.   Good luck in all you do, and I hope you all have safety, happiness, and success in life.

Final Showcase
We’ll divide the class in half and everyone will have about 10-12 minutes to mingle and visit the various stations. If there’s something you’re really proud of, let us know as we visit. You all have worked hard! Show off! Visitors, if you’re curious about something, feel free to ask questions or click around. Be nosy! Learn something new!

When time is up, we’ll switch.

Homework
Take care of your self and have a fun break!

The end is near....

You all did great on your Case Studies (at least those I could access). It's obvious you've learned a lot in this class!  I hope you feel so too.

Course Evaluations
Most of you have taken evaluations for your other courses and I would appreciate it if you would fill one out for this class now. Student feedback is used for hiring and promotion decisions, course planning, and teacher support. It’s really taken very seriously at this university, so please answer each question. (Also make sure you’re selecting the answers you intend! One year, the scale was reversed and let’s just say scores were a little out of whack).

Access the course evaluation here.


Showcase
If you need help with anything on your website, now is the time to ask! Websites should be complete and ready to roll at the beginning of class Monday. Bring earphones Monday morning if you’d like visitors to listen to things on your site. You may also want to decorate your computer area (not required).

Reminder
If you have not emailed me about missing or incomplete assignments, your grade will be what I handed out on Monday.  Unless you make arrangements otherwise you have to turn in your incomplete or re-do assignments today.  Simply updating them on your website is not enough.  You have to to email me to tell me what you changed.  I will be submitting your grades on Monday after class is over.

Also, just to be clear, Monday is the last day of class.  We do not have class Tuesday.  Good luck as you prepare for your finals!

Case Study Number 2

The final countdown is on! Today’s class is dedicated to completing the second Case Study.

Case Study Info
The case study uses the same prompt you completed previously. Ignore the direction to “refer to your first Case Study.” You all don’t have a copy of yours since it wasn’t an official assignment. Some classes used it for their portfolios the first time around, although we did not.  If you don want to see what you wrote the first time, let me know, and I can look it up for you (yes, I did read all your answers the first time, and found them very helpful).

You don’t need to search the Internet or use any books. Just employ critical thinking and do your best!  This is your chance to show what you've learned this semester.

Here’s the case study. Remember, you will be graded on this. It is best if you follow these directions:

1) Open up word.  Type the answers here so you can keep track of word limits, spell check, save, etc.
2) Copy your responses from word into the form.
3) Create a new page on your website entitled "technology integration" or "Case Study" or something like that.
4) Paste your answers from word onto your new page, along with the original questions.


Once you’re done, you may leave, unless you have questions about Friday…

Showcase
If you need help with anything on your website, now is the time to ask! Websites should be complete and ready to roll at the beginning of class Monday.  I am handing out a rubric of how you will be graded. Bring earphones Monday morning if you’d like visitors to listen to things on your site. You may also want to decorate your computer area (not required).

Homework

• Prepare for the Showcase!

Critical Thinking and the Internet

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving week, and are ready for the final stretch!

We've been talking a lot about critical thinking and being able to make sense of the information you are given.  This is especially important in the Internet Age.  When you ask your students to search for information, they will most likely search on Google first, and probably get a wikipedia article.  Is this the best source?  What if they get a website from an unknown source? How do you know if it is worth using?  How do you teach them whether it's worth investigating?

We have a special guest today to help us through the process.  Nadine Cohen is a reference librarian at the Main Library and has been teaching future teachers about information literacy for several years now and has some fun activities for us today.

Some reminders:

I'm handing you back your grades I have so far.  Please talk to me in person if you have any questions.

On Wednesday we'll be reflecting on what you have learned this semester by answering the same two questions you answered earlier this semester.  You will be graded on this one, so make sure you come.

On Friday, we'll work on getting prepared for the showcase and take the course evaluation online.

Next Monday is our last day, and we'll have our portfolio showcase.  Good luck!

"I'm thankful that were done with TLAT #3...."

As a reminder, today is a work day. We’re putting our final touches on TLAT #3 which is due by 11:59 p.m. tonight. I’ll be grading your Summer Enrichment Kits and your TLAT #3 during the Thanksgiving break. You’ll have a pretty good idea of your final grade in the class by the time we return.
Here are the directions for embedding your work:

• Log into Google Sites and create a page called TLAT #3
  • Choose Insert. Then choose Document.
  • Find your Design Guide and select it.
• Log into Google Docs and locate your copy of your lesson design guide.
  • Change the sharing settings to Public (anyone on the web can see it).
  • Make sure you do NOT change the editing settings. You don’t want anyone to edit your work but you.

A friend of mine is on the Thinkfinity mailing list. This morning they sent her this newsletter with information about potential holiday lessons. A couple of these seem interesting. Even if they don’t pertain to your discipline or grade level, they may spark some ideas for your future class. Take a look.

Please have a safe Thanksgiving break! Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns.

TLAT #3

By now you’ve looked at Tom Snyder‘s software, played on Thinkfinity’s site, searched the WebQuest garden, and had some time to search for resources on your own. Here's a link to some more project-based learning resources on Edutopia. Hopefully, you’ve found at least three three potential activities for your TLAT #3, and one you think will really work.

Today’s goal is to get as far as you can on your design guide, striving to work your way through Section 4.  Remember, our due date is Friday, November 19th. But unlike most assignments, TLAT #3 will be due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday.  That way you can use class time to work on it.  On Friday’s blog, I’ll post a reminder on how to embed it. Since we’re working together in class, it’s a great day to ask questions about this assignment. Let me know if you need help!

If you need Thanksgivig break to finish your work, and would like to submit yours by Monday, November 29th, you can use a Get Out of Jail Free card. It will be due at the beginning of class on Monday.
As a reminder, here’s our schedule for the rest of the semester:

• Friday, November 19 – TLAT work day; TLAT due at 11:59 p.m.
• Monday, November 29 – Nadine Cohen from the library will talk about search for k-12 resources
• Wednesday, December 1 – Case study (worth 5 points)
• Friday, December 3 – Course evaluation and prepare website for showcase (worth 5 points)
• Monday, December 6 – Wrap up

TLAT #3--The last one!

Problem-Based Learning and Critical Thinking (We didn't get to this on Wednesday)
Many of you may have grown up hearing about Jack and the Beanstalk. On the surface it seems a harmless fairytale, but there are many things one can consider from this story. Poverty, theft and murder are a few of the big ones. Argumentation and civics are two broad areas that can lend themselves to many classroom lessons.  Watch this video of Jack and the Beanstalk and consider what points of view can be argued as well as how one can learn about the court system by using this story as a launching point.

Problem-based learning is a method of teaching centered (obviously) around a real-world problem. Students are given a complex problem, and must work in groups, often with guidance from the teacher, to solve it. It often involves several steps and many investigations into unknown content. A great deal of learning takes place, which is then applied in meaningful ways.

Consider a roller coaster. Many of you have ridden one before, although some of you may be very scared to, or haven’t yet had the chance. Let me tell you, Disney World has some of the best ones!!! But let’s take a look at this video for some new coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Anyway, imagine a coaster – what it looks like, what it feels like, and all the things that had to go into the design, development and marketing of it. With a partner, brainstorm a list of ALL the issues and concerns involved with creating (designing and building) it, testing it, and advertising it to the public.  Which Georgia Standards (especially middle or high school) might align to some of the items on your list?


What does your book say about problem solving?
Here are a few takeaways:

“Students apply critical and creative thinking skills to prior knowledge during the problem solving process. The end result of problem solving is typically some kind of a decision: choosing a solution and then evaluating it.” (p 155)

“Problem-based learning (PBL) is a teaching approach that combines critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and inquiry as students explore real-world problems. It is based on unstructured, complex, and authentic problems that are often presented as part of a project.” (p 156)

A few characteristics of effective technology-enhanced problem-based learning tasks:

1. Give students control of their learning
2. Include communication and collaboration
3. Emphasize the process and the content
4. Lead to additional content learning
5. Have a measurable, although not necessarily correct, outcome

You all did some great brainstorming as we talked about designing and building roller coasters as an authentic, complex problem that required lots of information to solve.

We also talked a bit about critical thinking, but what is it? What does it involve? Let’s look at this Prezi to find out more.

WebQuests
WebQuests are a teaching tool that use web-based resources and other sources to support students as they work through an inquiry or problem-based activity. They are web-based lesson plans written for the students that support and scaffold student understanding of a set of curriculum standards. Generally, students are asked to work collaboratively to answer a question or solve a problem and then present the answer or solution in a technology-supported format.

You can find many examples of WebQuests at the WebQuest page maintained by Dr. Bernie Dodge from San Diego State University. Dr. Dodge is the creator of WebQuests and WebQuests have been around for over 10 years. We’ll spend some time looking at example WebQuests by searching the QuestGarden. Here are a couple I found by trying the different search options. Primary mathematics; Middle school interdisciplinary unit; High school economics. Take a couple of minutes and find a WebQuest in an area of interest. Share your findings with someone nearby.

Problem-Solving Software
Tom Snyder Software is a well-known software company that creates many K12 software based activities that promote critical thinking and problem solving. You’ll likely find that the various software packages also support content learning, communication, collaboration, and creativity. Monday we looked at a software activity called “Science Court” and we looked at how this tool can support critical thinking and problem solving. Here’s some additional software for 5th-8th graders that looks really interesting for science lessons.

TLAT #3
We won’t have time to get very far, but it’s time to begin the last TLAT. I’ve been grading your last ones, and some of them are very good. Just remember to explain your thoughts clearly and in detail and you will do well.

Here’s our schedule on this one:

• Friday, November 12 – TLAT Section 1
• Monday, November 15 – TLAT Section 2 and 3 (HW)
• Wednesday, November 17 – TLAT Section 4
• Friday, November 19 – TLAT Section 5 (we'll try to finish it in class; it's due by 11:59 p.m.)

And here’s our schedule for the rest of the semester:

• Monday, November 29 – Nadine Cohen from the library will talk about K-12 resources
• Wednesday, December 1 – Case Study #2
• Friday, December 3 – Prep for Showcase and Course Evaluation
• Monday, December 6 – Final Showcase