Writing, Reading, & Technology in One

For this week’s post, I will be describing a lesson I plan on implementing in my classroom now that I have learned about the benefits of digital storytelling and technology integration.

The digital storytelling project I would like to have my third grade students complete is a digital storytelling project for Reading and Writing integration using Prezi that will focus on a specific author that excels in one of the Six Traits of Writing.  Students would work in pairs and each be assigned one of the six traits to create a presentation on.  Then they would choose one author whose work is an exemplary model of the trait.  Each group will work together on a computer in the computer lab to create their Prezi describing the trait and showing examples of why the author they chose is good at that trait.  This project will fit well with the writing curriculum of six traits as well as with the reading integration of an author study and utilization of mentor texts.

Before my students can produce their digital storytelling presentations, they will need to utilize some web resources.  On the first day of this lesson, I will have them visit and view the tutorial on Prezi about how to make a Prezi.  Then we will make a short class Prezi so that students can practice using the features.  Finally, I will show them an example of the “Plus One” trait, which is presentation, in the Prezi format.  Since I will not be assigning the presentation trait to any pair, it will be good for them to see it for an example and to learn about it.

 On the second day, I will have my students utilize other Web resources to research for their presentations.  The first site that I will have all my students visit is the Online Writing Lab at http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/concord/teacherlinks/sixtraits/sixtraits.html. Each of the six traits is explained in a manner that third graders can easily comprehend on this site. Each trait has an “Activity” that takes about 15 - 20 minutes to complete.  I will have them complete the “Activity” for the trait that they were assigned.  This will give them good understanding of their assigned trait.

On the third day, I will have my students search for books that are good examples of their particular trait.  I will tell them that they can use the suggested books from the list on the OWL website or choose their own.  They can search my classroom library or the media center for the books.  Then they will choose one author of one of the books to research for their presentation.  The next day they can research their author on the computer to find any additional information needed and any other books by their author that demonstrate the trait.

I do not think I will need to create any additional resources for the students, and I will have them create their Prezi for their trait on the sixth day.  After they create their presentation, they will show it to the class and “teach” the other students about their trait using the author they chose for examples.  The presentations will be a resource for the class to use in the future.  They will be able to use the presentations as a reference for what each trait means, as well as use the author’s examples as a model for their own writing.  This project will give the students experience in creating their own resources.

Basically, this project will provide students the opportunity to work with technology while learning about a trait of writing and researching an author who demonstrates that trait.  In Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom, the authors state that technology integration “is the combination of all technology parts, such as hardware and software, together with each subject-related area of curriculum to enhance learning.”  (Gunter, Gunter, & Shelly, 2010, p. 327)  I think that this digital story telling project will provide students with integration of reading, writing, and technology to enhance their learning.

Resources

Gunter, G. A., Gunter, R. E., & Shelly, G.B. (2010). Integrating technology and digital media in the classroom (6^th ed.). United States: Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

EDINA Public Schools.  Online Writing Lab.  http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/concord/teacherlinks/sixtraits/sixtraits.html.

Presenting with Prezi

For this week’s activity, I would like to share my experiences with digital storytelling.  Before reading about digital storytelling in my Master’s class, I had never even heard of such a thing.  After reading about what digital storytelling really is, I realized that I have been using a form of digital storytelling with my many PowerPoints I have created for my classroom.  I incorporate text, pictures, photos, video, wavs, music, and more into my interactive creations.  I knew my perspicacious PowerPoint skills benefitted my students, but what I did not know is that I could be using additional programs made for digital storytelling to help me present my information.  One of these programs is called, “Prezi.”  This week I used Prezi.com to create a brief presentation on digital storytelling. You can view my Prezi by clicking the following link:

http://prezi.com/cvltvdcgopvi/digital-storytelling/

In preparing to make my presentation, I did some additional research on digital storytelling.  One interesting fact I discovered is that digital storytelling resembles the storytelling of our ancestors.  Before paper of readily available, storytellers (which was actually a job) told stories using lots of movement, acting, voice inflections, etc. to help their learners remember the information being told since they couldn’t write it down.  Now we have, in a sense, reverted back to that old practice using the latest and greatest technologies because we realized that people learn best when fully engaged.  Leslie Rule of the Digital Storytelling Association describes this with the following: “Digital Storytelling is the modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling. Digital stories derive their power by weaving images, music, narrative and voice together, thereby giving deep dimension and vivid color to characters, situations, experiences, and insights.” (Barrett, 2009)

While making my Prezi, one thing that I learned is that I am not used to formats other than Microsoft.  I felt like it took me an extremely long time to make a short little presentation.  If I had been creating that presentation in PowerPoint, I most likely could have made it twice as long with more visuals and music in that same amount of time.  Although it was annoying that I kept having to look around for everything (I even couldn’t find the “Save” button at first), I do think that practicing in another program was beneficial.  I think if I just use it a few more times, I will become more comfortable with it and will be able to create presentation a lot more quickly.

Another aspect that I learned from completing this activity is that I should not be satisfied with the same programs I’ve been using for years.  I really enjoyed the different format of the Prezi, and I think my students will welcome the change.  I am going to make some Prezis to teach concepts in my class.  After I become more comfortable with it, I am going to have my students create Prezis as well.  (I want to know more so I can help them more efficiently first.)  If I hadn’t tried this program, I would never use it in my classroom.  I’m sure there are other programs out there that I don’t know about that could benefit my students as well.  I am going to make sure that I don’t settle for the same old, same old and continue to try to learn new programs.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this week’s topic of digital storytelling.  I learned what digital storytelling is and that I was already incorporating it into my classroom.  I also discovered that digital storytelling is the 21^st century version of ancient storytelling practices.  In addition, I learned that I am not skilled in non-Microsoft programs and should continue to gain experience in new areas.  Finally, I realized that there are many programs that could be valuable, but I need to look for them and try them out.

Resources

Prezi.  http://prezi.com/.

Barrett, Helen.  2009.  Digital storytelling.  Retrieved on October 21, 2010 from http://electronicportfolios.com/digistory/.

<div class="prezi-player"><style type="text/css" media="screen">.prezi-player { width: 550px; } .prezi-player-links { text-align: center; }</style><object id="prezi_cvltvdcgopvi" name="prezi_cvltvdcgopvi" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="550" height="400"><param name="movie" value="http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"/><param name="flashvars" value="prezi_id=cvltvdcgopvi&amp;lock_to_path=0&amp;color=ffffff&amp;autoplay=no&amp;autohide_ctrls=0"/><embed id="preziEmbed_cvltvdcgopvi" name="preziEmbed_cvltvdcgopvi" src="http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="550" height="400" bgcolor="#ffffff" flashvars="prezi_id=cvltvdcgopvi&amp;lock_to_path=0&amp;color=ffffff&amp;autoplay=no&amp;autohide_ctrls=0"></embed></object><div class="prezi-player-links"><p><a title="" href="http://prezi.com/cvltvdcgopvi/digital-storytelling/">Digital Storytelling</a> on <a href="http://prezi.com">Prezi</a></p></div></div>

Hardware

Setting the Scene-

The following is a fake scenario used to identify knowledge of hardware and software.

My principal has just come in and told me that I can choose one, and only one, software program for my classroom computer.  I went to http://www.k12software.com/ to make my software selection.  I chose a program called, “50 Quick and Easy Math Computer Activities,” by Visions Technology.  I thought it would be an appropriate fit for my 3^rd grade classroom as the math activities are aligned to the NCTM standards so it would be easy for me to demonstrate my students’ growth from using the program.  The first thing I have to check is the specifications of my school computer.  They are as follows:

Operating System- Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit

Processor- AMD Athlon™ II Dual-Core Processor for Notebook PCs M300, 2.00 GHz, 1MB L2 Cache, Up to 3.2 GT/s system bus running at AC/DC mode 35 watt

Memory- 3072 MB

Screen resolution- 1600 X 1200 pixels

Graphic Subsystem- ATI Radeon HD 4200 Graphics

Video RAM- 128 MB Display Cache Memory AMD M880G with 128B GDDR2 (sideport memory)

Pre-installed software- HP DVD Play, Cyberlink DVD Suite, Adobe® Acrobat Reader, HP Games Powered by Wild Tangent

Disc drive- CD/DVD

Memory card device- 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards

Then I needed to see if the software I chose would run on my computer.  The software requirements said that you must be able to play a CD-ROM to access the CD portion of the program.  The system requirements for Windows were 4 MB RAM and Windows 98 or higher.  It also requires Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Inspiration, and Kidspiration to play all components of the program.

I did not have any trouble installing this program on my school computer because my RAM and operating system were compatible and the CD plays automatically when I put it in, and since my computer has the Internet, I can use all the web-based portions of the program.  However, my school computer did not have Inspiration or Kidspiration.  I could not access 4 activities on the program, “Category Corners, Patterns, Venn Diagram, or What Shape Am I?”  To troubleshoot this problem I would have to pay $69 to download Kidspiration from the Inspiration website or see if my school had access to it already for me to install.

My Reading Reaction-

This week I read Chapter 4 of Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom to learn more about hardware.  The text defines hardware as the “electronic and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer.” (Gunter, Gunter, & Shelly, 2010, p. 560) The chapter describes specific “hardware components used for input, processing, output, and storage.”  (Gunter, Gunter, & Shelly, 2010, p. 201)  After reading through the chapter, module, and completing the scenario, I realized that I did not really know very much about hardware.  Most of the time, I do not even think about the components of my computer.  I just expect everything to work on my computer, and if something doesn’t work, most of the time a program will tell me why.  For example, in my scenario, some programs did not work because I did not have Kidspiration or Inspiration installed on my computer.  If I have I problem like that with software, I can usually just download the appropriate program, but I do not often have issues with hardware so I rarely even think about it.

In addition to learning that it is a good idea to know your hardware, I also learned what many of the acronyms I use everyday actually stand for.  For example, I did not know that RAM stood for random access memory or USB stood for universal serial bus port.  (Gunter, Gunter, & Shelly) I think it is important as teachers to make sure we pay attention to words like this that we are using everyday and make sure we know what they mean.  It is good for us to model to our students that we care enough to learn more about technology and are not just ok with not knowing.  Hopefully this will motivate them to want to learn more and not just think that what they already know is good enough.  I am in complete agreement with the book’s statement that teachers need to emphasize “the importance of being able to transfer current knowledge when learning new technologies.” (Gunter, Gunter, & Shelly, 2010, p. 239)  I hope to encourage my students to use what they already know to help them learn even more.

Resources

Gunter, G. A., Gunter, R. E., & Shelly, G.B. (2010). Integrating technology and digital media in the classroom (6^th ed.). United States: Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

HP Specifications. Retrieved October 9, 2010, from http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/ca/en/ho/WF06b/321957-321957-3329743-3848802-3848802-3999415-4041455.html.

Inspiration Software Inc. Retrieved October 9, 2010, from  http://store.inspiration.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=39.

K12 Software- 50 Quick & Easy Math Computer Activities.  Retrieved October 9, 2010, from  http://www.k12software.com/view_details.php?PHPSESSID=aa726d87c2d3b17e2bf9d90d264fc249&ID=3104.

Christie Who?

Activity Reflection #3

For this week’s activity, I focused on Internet identity.  Internet identity is something I worry about because I am a teacher.  Although it is not always possible, I try to make sure that the information my students and students’ parents can find about me on the Internet is valid and useful.  I know that my students and parents become curious and may from time to time Google my name or search for information about me through another Internet site.  My first year of teaching, I had a parent email my principal and tell her that she had hired a teacher who was not certified.  The parent came to this conclusion by searching the certification for my last name from the FLDOE website.  She did not know that I my name changed when I had recently gotten married and that my certification was still under my maiden name.  With little bits of information that may not true or even be about me, parents and students can jump to drastic conclusions that can frighten them and potentially hurt my career.  This is why I take this week’s topic of Internet identity extremely seriously. 

In preparing for this week’s activity, I completed the Online Identity Calculator, which involves typing my name into Google.  I was pleased to see that the main information about me that was available was my information from the previous school I worked at and my 2 miler race time for the last year’s U Can Finish Race at UCF (this year I am running the 5 miler on Sunday).  The two pieces of information that I was not too pleased to read was my address and my relatives’ names and addresses.  This seems like personal information, and I do not want all my students to know where I live.  I would hope they act responsibly, but a rotten egg on my doorstep after a bad grade is always a possibility if the students know where I live. 

Although most is accurate, the information about me available online is not very useful for my students or students’ parents (unless they are planning an egging).  In an attempt to create a more appropriate Internet identity and to fulfill the activity portion of this week’s assignment for my class, I created my own Google Profile.  I purposefully did not include any specific information about myself as I believe that should be given out in person, but I did give general information and an overview of my teaching philosophy.  You can access my online profile by clicking here:  My Google Profile

One aspect I learned from creating my Google Profile is how easy it is to share information with the world that could be potentially dangerous.  The Google Profile had a template for me to type my answers to the provided questions.  Initially, I began to fill out all the information asked… my name, my school, where I grew up, other places I live, etc.  I was thinking about how fun it was to fill out and that it reminded me of those forwards people send with all those personal questions that annoy me but I fill out and forward on anyway.  Then I realized that giving all this information may not be the smartest thing to do.  My sister had her social security number stolen and used to take out a student loan when she was only 3 years old, so I am very careful not to give out too much information so that nobody can steal my identity.  Therefore, I deleted most of the boxes and just put in general information and typed information in the bio box that I thought could be useful.

Another important lesson I learned was that if I want my students and students’ parents to be able to find valid and useful information about me on the Internet, I need to put it out there myself.  I can’t rely on other sources to portray me as I would like to be viewed.  The results from the Online Identity Calculator basically said that my identity was secure, but that the information available was not useful.

In conclusion, I am glad that I created a Google Profile so that students and parents can find valuable information about me.  I want to always make sure that I am careful not to give out any information that could cause my identity to be stolen or cause confusion or worry amongst students and parents, but I do feel that it is important to have information accessible for them to view.