Becky's Blog

40 Hotlinks and Homepage url

2007-06-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to my homepage.
http://leep.lis.uiuc.edu/publish/rschalle/542TIEHomePage.html

And linked to this page you should find "40 Helpful Links for Teachers
and Students"
http://leep.lis.uiuc.edu/publish/rschalle/TIE542/Becky40Links.html

PowerPoint:

2007-06-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

Here is the url for my power point which is about an educational virtual reality community for preteens.

http://cuip.net/~bschaller/VirtualReality.ppt

WebQuest

2007-06-11T08:33:00.002-07:00

Here is the URL for my webquest. It is called, What is a Good Question for my Science Project? and it is geared for seventh graders beginning to prepare for the science fair.

http://cuip.net/%7Ebschaller/WEBQUEST/1WQIntro.html

Evidence Based Posting: Choosing Learning Activities

2007-06-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

Evidence-Based Posting #3

Chapter 5 Cunningham and Billingsley

Once I started reading this book with a focus on the webquest I'm
developing, I started finding it quite helpful. Previously, I didn't
think it was much more than a lot of pedagogical jargon. When I read this
chapter, I found myself thinking of ways I might make slight changes here
and there in my webquest. For example, when I read about differentiating
the curriculum, I thought that maybe I'll have an easier website and a
more detailed website for each section. Then students can choose which
ever site best meets their needs. (Problem is, they will probably all
choose the easier ones.) Reading this chapter helped me think about
different ways I might incorporate group work into the activities.

I did find this statement on page 95 to be rather fascinating. ". . . they
(student demands as the basis for curriculum ) seem more appropriate in
preschool and graduate school situations." I've never heard preschool
and graduate school put in one category with the implication that k-12
belong in different category. At one level it seems a rather absurd way
of dividing our educational system. As different as preschool and
graduate school may be, I do see how the authors could make this
statement. Although in terms of a curriculum based on student demands, I
do think the preschoolers are far ahead of the graduate students.
Somewhere along the way, we seem to have lost the ability or perhaps only
the opportunity to drive our own curriculum. Or at least the paid-for and
credit-based curriculum.

Chapter 5 "Choosing Learning Activities"
Curriculum Webs: Weaving the Web into Teaching and Learning
By Craig Cunningham and Marty Billingsley
Second Edition

Evidence Based Post Chapter 12 Curriculum Webs

2007-06-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

For this evidence based post, I thought I would answer the Question for
Reflection at the end of chapter 12 of "Curriculum Webs: Weaving the Web
into Teaching and Learning" 2nd ed by Craig Cunningham and Marty
Billingsley. copyright 2006. Published by Pearson.

"David Jonassen (200, 278) write, "I believe that computer labs are one of
the major impediments to meaningful integration of technology in schools."

Do you agree with Johassen? Why or why not?"

First I would say that I don't think there is anything wrong with having
some computer lessons isolated from the rest of the curriculum. Sometimes
the best way to learn a particular skill is to focus on it. When one
gets to a certain level of competence, the best way to improve ones typing
is to type. But at a certain stage, I still support students to type
f-f-f j-j-j. One might also argue that math is best learned when
integrating it with other parts of the curriculum. While I agree with
this, I also think there is a time and a place for variations of "drill
and kill" assignments. In this way, I would group the use of technology
with the rest of the subjects. Definitely learned best when integrated,
but there is a time for learning in isolation also.

Actually, I would add to Johassen by saying that one of the major
impediments to meaningful integration of technology in schools is
computers that are either "permanently" or temporarily not working. I
relate this to a larger observation that the cost of integrating
technology into the curriculum is often higher than is allocated. To
integrate technology into the curriculum, teachers need time to learn how
to use the different applications. They need time to develop their own web
pages. They need time to make the webquests and to figure out how to use
it given the limited resources in the classroom. They need the time
think about how to integrate technology into the curriculum. Even if the
webquest is written so that students are able to independently navigate
through it, teachers may still need help with computers not working.

I probably should write something to show that I actually read the
chapter. I won't summarize the chapter, but I will say I did find myself
feeling increasingly tired as I read it. My guess is that if I had a
classroom with at least one computer for student use, I could have focused
my attention on my situation and filtered out the rest of the questions.
Reading it was also a good reminder of how different schools are when it
comes to allowing students to use the computers and how many obstacles
there are to be surmounted when planning.

Becky Schaller

Site of the week: Whyville

2007-06-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

Looks like somehow I forgot to post my second site of the week. I am
going to choose the site I focused on for my PowerPoint Presentation:
Whyville. http://www.whyville.net/smmk/nice

Whyvile is a virtual community which was originally designed to teach
science to students ages about 8-14. While 40% of the participants are
guys, apparently the girls love it since they make up the other 60%.
Since then its focus has broadened to include art and I've read business.
But science is still its main focus.

Illinois Learning Standards:
Science
12D Students who meet the standard know and apply concepts that describe
force and motion and the principles that apply to them.
Health
23B Students who meet the standard can explain the effects of health
related actions on the body systems.
24C Students who meet the standard can demonstrate skills essential to
enhancing health and avoiding dangerous situations.
Virtual Reality
4A Students who meet the standard can demonstrate an ability to navigate
sucessfully in a virtual world including the ability to travel, change
clothes, and chat.

Site of the week: Design a Satellite

2007-06-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

The site of the week I chose is designed for students in K-3. It is
called Design a Satellite and is from the Littleton Historical Museum in
Littleton, Colorado.

The user chooses among different options to decide how to launch a
satellite, have it make power, keep pointing toward the earth, and relay
signals. It's a very simple site that shows how the principles that
simple everyday items use are also used to make satelilites work.

"This simulation game challenges children to design a satellite that will
send TV signals to places far across the country. Central to the design
process is exploring the ways that high technologies are the products of
human ingenuity."

http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/designsatellite/

Illinois Learning Standards

11B-Students who meet the standard know and apply the conceps, principles,
and processes of technological design.

2007-06-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

Site of the Week #3 Eduweb

2007-05-14T05:06:00.001-07:00

For this site of the week, I'm going to write about my brother's site.
It's called Eduweb. There are a lot of educational and interactive sites
on it and several of them have received international awards.

http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/adventure.php

This is the same company that created My Pop Studio that someone else
sited a couple of weeks ago. The subjects they list are: Visual Arts,
Performing Arts, Natural History, Earth and Space Science, Engineering &
Technology, Health and Medicine, History, People & Cultures, and
Economics.

For the Illinois Learning Standards, I'll use Harvest of History.
http://www.harvestofhistory.org/for_teachers.html

Social Studies Grades 3-5
17C Students who meet the standard can understand relationships between
geographic factors and society.
17D Students who meet the standard understand the development of economic
systems.
18B STudetns who meet the standard can understand the role and
interactions of individuals and groups in society.

Evidence Based Posting #2 May 7, 2007

2007-05-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

Teaching with the Internet K-12 New Literacies for New Times
by Donald J. Leu, Deborah Diadum Leu, and Julie Coiro
Fourth Edition

I just finished reading the assignment for this week which is chapters
10-12. I agreed with everything the authors said. But I think my
perspective was a bit different than theirs and I wish they had made a few
points which I didn’t see. As I was reading my mind kept going back to
the teachers with whom I ate lunch on Friday. “I feel so stressed, I
feel nauseous. No wonder I can’t eat.”
“I know what you mean,” said another. “My husband keeps asking me why I'm
so hungry when I come home. He doesn’t understand when I tell him why I
can’t eat at lunch time.” I thought of Jonathan, second grader, who I
spoke with before school on Friday. He told me he’s so tired of other
children picking on him. His mother told him he’s to hit back if someone
hits him. He thinks the best way to stop the other students from picking
on him is to beat them up. So far that strategy has worked with one
student. I hated to see him go to class with that attitude so I told the
office. Ten minutes later he was back in class. Not long after that he
was in detention.
As I read of Monica Ashburn conversing with the students at the three
computers in her classroom, I couldn’t help but wonder what the rest of
the class was doing and how she had the time to casually talk with these
students and think about the benefits of each of these Internet
activities.
I looked back to chapter 3 to see the Internet computer schedule posted
in another teacher’s classroom. (page 104) From 8:30 to 2:30, the only
activities that interfere with the Internet schedule are Internet
Workshop, Library, Lunch, PE, music, and Class Meeting. Does the
computer never break down or lose its connection. Are there no times for
transitions in this class? I understand that students miss parts of
classes when they are at the computer and I can see how that might work
sometimes. Somehow I think the solution is a bit too simplistic and too
fragile for most classrooms I’ve seen.
Like, I think, many other schools in Chicago, my school also participate
in a program where Dell teaches a group of students how to take apart a
computer and put it back together. When they successfully complete the
program, they get to take the computer home. I know there are other
programs around where students have opportunities to earn a computer to
take home. Even though the chapter is focused on computer equity within
the classroom, I still wish they had mentioned trying to deal with equity
within the classroom when some students have computers at home and others
don't.
I wish the authors had acknowledged the intense pressures so many
teachers are under these days and had shown some awareness of
wanting to add yet one more thing to the expectations that are
already on the teachers.
I’m curious how strongly others in the class were able to identify with
the classroom discussed in this chapter. Care to share? I’d like to know.

Site of the Week 4/16 PopStudio

2007-04-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Site of the Week 4/16

Popstudio is a creative play site designed for tween girls to help
students use critical and creative thinking skills to understand how the
mass media constructs messages designed to influences our thinking
regarding stereotypes, appearance, values, and popularity. At the same
time, it is designed to be fun.

Although the limitations are noticable, (basically click and drag) this
site allows students to create their own tv show, magazine and popular
song and singer.

http://www.mypopstudio.com/

English Language Arts Stage G Grades6-8

5C - Students who meet the standard can apply acquired information,
concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.

Analyze and synthesize original work and researched information.
Evaluate use of text, graphic materials, and visual aids to present
information.
Select and justify adaptations in format to accommodate characteristics of
audiences (e.g., age, background, interest level, group size) and purposes
of the presentation (e.g., inform, persuade, entertain).
Design and present a project (e.g., written report, graphics, visuals,
multi-media presentations).

Stage G - Fine Arts--Music

Descriptors

25A - Students who meet the standard understand the sensory elements,
organizational principles, and expressive qualities of the arts.

Critique the appropriate use of organizational and sensory elements to
create a mood, emotion, or idea in music of their own and that of others.

STATE GOAL 25: Know the language of the arts.

A. Understand the sensory elements, organizational principles and
expressive qualities of
the arts.

STATE GOAL 26: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art
are produced.
A. Understand processes, traditional tools and modern technologies used in
the arts.

STATE GOAL 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and
present.

Why This Goal Is Important: The arts are a record of civilizations, past
and present. Artists are
influenced by—and influence—the times and places in which they live and
work. As students
learn through the arts about people and civilizations, they learn about
others and themselves.
Also, students learn about careers related to this goal (e.g., animator,
curator, art historian, sound
technician).

A. Analyze how the arts function in history, society and everyday life.

Chapter 1 - Evidence Based Posting #1

2007-04-21T11:27:00.000-07:00

I am going to give my thoughts about chapter 1 from Teaching with the
Internet K-12: New Literacies for New Times. If this is not acceptable,
Craig, would you please let me know.

I read this chapter with a mixture of feelings and responses. While I
like the idea of students using the internet, I also found myself
reacting to a certain degree to the authors' enthusiasm. I've taught in
schools where teachers had computers in their classrooms. Usually, there
were one to four or maybe five computers. If they were lucky, two or
three computers worked. Fixing computers can take a fair amount of time -
even when the problem is simple to solve. I also know that a good number
of teachers feel intimidated to even try fixing a computer when it's not
working. From what I've seen, tech support in elementary schools tends to
be rather weak. Without it, all these ideas about teaching on the
computer aren't worth much. I felt disappointed to see the authors didn't
mention this issue -- at least not that I saw.

As I read this chapter, I found myself repeatedly asking a few questions:
How can I do something similar to the examples given in the book? Do I
want to do something similar? Is what is being done, best done on the
internet, or could it be done just as effectively or better without the
computer? Why am I even taking this class when I only have one working
computer in my classroom and that can only be used when logged on with my
password?

Several months ago, I decided that I would devote the money I normally
spend on my classroom on purchasing a few second hand computers for
student use. Unfortunately, I learned I wasn't allowed to do so. I had
previously been told there was no money for new computers and if there
was, they would be given to classrooms. So I stopped thinking about how I
might get computers in my classroom. Reading chapter 1, I thought maybe I
could get some computers that weren't online. I would have to install
whatever I wanted students to have access to use. If I got a few
computers, I might be able to connect them. This would allow students to
do some collaborative work on the computers. As much as I think
collaboration is generally done easier and with less effort in person,
collaborating on the computers would have some advantages. For one thing,
too many students at my school tend to say nasty things with the intention
of hurting one another. This sometimes results in physical fights. If
they could collaborate on the computer instead of in person, they'd be
less likely to make these provocative statements to each other. They'd
also get more practice with writing and they'd have more time to think of
how to respond to each other. That might make collaboration possible.
As Leu, Leu, and Coiro pointed out, using the technology is often
motivating for the students. Around here, that's worth a lot.

I'll keep learning and thinking about this.

Citation:
Leu, Donald J., Jr., Leu, Deborah Diadiun, Coiro, Julie. Teaching with
the Internet K-12: New Literacies for New Times, 4th Ed. 2004,
Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., Norwood, Massachusetts, 1502
Providence Highway, Suite 12, Norwood, MA 02062 USA

4-20-07

2007-04-20T20:42:00.000-07:00

We've had one class and I've gotten my books. I'm still trying to figure out what value VREs have for k-12 education. At least in the public school setting I don't see much. I read the Evidence Based Posting about dissecting animals online. That made some sense to me. But so far, mostly I see VREs taking away from more worthwhile things to be doing.

I've also been looking at Webquests and I don't see much value in them either. What I've seen so far could be done just as well without a computer if not better. At the very minimum, without a computer you don't need to worrry about the computer malfunctioning. Seems like it would also be easier to coordinate group work if you didn't have to deal with individuals looking at their computer screens.

I'm not sure exactly what I expected by the term "technology-enhanced instructional strategies." I have seen website programs where the students typed in answers to math problems and got immediate feedback. They did look boring to me, but no more so than a worksheet. I've also seen a "math worksheet" software program which was a fancy worksheet. However, when the student got the correct answer, a cowboy on a horse rode around shouting in circles. Kids really liked that one.

I was expecting the websites themselves to have more interaction that would enhance learning. There's certainly interaction on Second Life, but so far, most/all of the learning I've done enhances my life in Second Life. But I can't yet say it's enhanced my existence in First Life.

On a websearch, I did find that some group has been trying to educate people about Darfur. I haven't seen much of what they've done. But from what I have seen, I can't see that Second Life is a better medium than is television for this.

Maybe later I'll learn some answers that will address my skeptcism.