Rockin' With Technology: A Project Overview

I had the profound pleasure to work with an amazing group of professionals during my EDLD 5364 Teaching with Technology project.  The experience has reminded me again how fulfilling, enlightening, educational, and how fun a group project can be when a group of true collaborators work towards a common goal.  Many of the recommendations offered by Solomon and Schrum (2007) for creating an effective community have in fact made their way into our cohort team, including “creat[ing] an environment of trust” and “creat[ing] productive dialogue” (pp. 105-106).  We have together created a cohesive body of resources appropriate for a legitimate learning environment, one that I would be proud to utilize on my own campus, and we have done so while we shared new ideas and overcame challenges as a group.

The requirement of the coursework to look at a variety of options for integrated learning activities was vital to addressing both subject area and technology content standards for students. From a pedagogical perspective, this project called for the team to strike a balance between the goal of student-centered instruction and the need to address content standards in curriculum.  I endorse the Core Knowledge philosophy pioneered by E.D. Hirsch, which emphasizes our obligation to students not only to make information available to them, but to act as leaders in creating the framework for learning.  However, I also support the main tenet of constructivist theory:  that learning is shown to be a personal, intimate relationship between student and knowledge (Laboratory, 1999).  The project touched on many of the Technology Facilitator Standards and Performance Indicators, including 

·         II.A:  Provide resources & feedback to teachers as they integrate technology into units; consult with teachers during development and assist teachers during implementation;

·         II.B:  Assist teachers as they apply current research on teaching/learning with technology during planning;

·         II.C:  Assist teachers in identification and location of available technology resources/ model use of available technology resources;

·         II.F:  Assist teachers in identification and application of instructional design principles associated with technology resources;

·         III.B:  Facilitate use of strategies for integrating technology in the instruction of diverse learners, including adaptive and assistive technology;

·         III.E:  Facilitate curricular methods and strategies that are alignment with district/state/national technology standards;

·         IV.A:  Model and facilitate strategies for the use of technology in student assessment (diagnostic, formative, and summative);

·         VI.B:  Facilitate use of technology in instruction to enable learners with diverse learning needs;

·         VII.C:  Provide/support PD at the building level utilizing adult learning theory; (Williamson & Redish, 2009)

I am particularly pleased with the results of my efforts in this project.  While I experienced some logistical challenges in working with the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) Lesson Builder website, in the end I submitted three excellent artifacts. The lessons come together to build a cohesive unit that integrates the best technological tools available on my campus along with the best practices that I bring to the classroom.  The Book Builder application from CAST proved both practical to use and exciting to share.  In creating my original eBook, I found myself thinking more globally as I worked through the text and images.  It is a perfect way to support recognition networks, as it provides access to multiple modalities with both graphic and oral support to written text, and a glossary that can provide further examples to support the concept.  Moreover, the book can be specifically structured to highlight critical features in the graphics and images through organizers, text, and the oral language support of the ‘coaches’. (Rose & Meyer, 2002, Chapter 6)   I created a presentation video that speaks passionately to my ideals as an educator and as a technology facilitator while I refining my skills in Windows Live Movie Maker and Audacity.  One area of growth I uncovered in this experience involves my lack of knowledge in the available assistive technology in my district.  I plan to conference with my mentor and develop a plan to familiarize myself with my district’s resources and potentially receive intensive training in these resource options.

I had the opportunity to act as team leader for this project, and the collaborative component of this course offered me much more in the way of new learning than I thought possible.  My team members and I come from varying backgrounds in school districts of varying size throughout the state, with one team member actually employed at the collegiate level.  This diversity of experiences brought depth and perspective to our work, but also presented challenges to collaboration.  I found that some of our collaborative time needed to be spent on some background in educational theory and vocabulary; this deficit create what appeared to be, from my perspective, some frustration and anxiety on the part of my colleagues.  However, the professionalism of my colleagues overcame those obstacles in fine style. We used a variety of collaboration tools during our process, including Skype, Google Docs and a Google Site. We found that, although the real-time editing functions of Google Docs had their uses, the multi-level platform of the Google site and the intimacy of Skype IM were more in line with the type of collaboration needed for project completion. Through the site, we compiled lesson plans, eBooks, and related artifacts; archived transcripts of online conferencing; collaborated on assignment and proposal documentation; and tracked tasks and timeline status through our personal work logs and team project checklists. Please feel free to take a look at our process at the EDLD 5364 Project site . Thank you so very much to my team for time well spent and a job very well done.
References:

Hirsch, E. D. (1988). Cultural literacy: what every american needs to know. New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

Laboratory, S. E. (1999). Learning as a personal event: a brief introduction to constructivism. Retrieved February 26, 2011, from http://www.sedl.org/pubs/tec26/intro2c.html

Rose, D. H., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: new tools, new schools. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

Williamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards: What Every K-12 Leader Should Know and Be Able to Do. Washington: International Society for Technology in Education.

It's a Wrap

School Bonds Q & A is out in the cybersphere, and I feel proud of the product we created. My team members and I come from school districts of varying size throughout the state and have professional backgrounds that range from elementary science and math to secondary tech ed to district administration. This diversity of experiences brings depth and perspective to our work, but also presents challenges to collaboration. The professionalism of my colleagues overcame those obstacles in fine style. We used a variety of collaboration tools during our process, including Google Docs and a Google Site. We found that, although the real-time editing functions of Google Docs had their uses, the multi-level platform of the Google site was more in line with the variety of uses needed for project completion. Through the site, we compiled video footage and audio tracks, archived transcripts of online conferencing, collaborated on assignment and proposal documentation, and tracked tasks and timeline status. Please feel free to take a look at our process at the EDLD 5363 PSA Video Project Google Site. My primary responsibility was to work with another team member to complete research and background on our selected topic and to develop the voice-over script. This was a humbling process; one forgets after years of being accountable only to her own judgement and discretion that all roads do not end at one's own opinion. I tend to oververbalize, and collaborating with a peer helped me to make my point more succinctly. Each team member contributed either voice-over templates or video footage, or a combination of the two, to the project. In the end, I felt privileged to have a small piece of each in the final product.
Collaboration has not generally been my strength in the past, and I quailed at the idea of a majority of my course grade being dependent on the result of not only a collaborative effort, but a long-distance one. I simply cannot be more delighted to be proven wrong. This experience has shown me how fulfilling, enlightening, educational, and how fun a group project can be when a group of true collaborators work towards a common goal. My profound thanks to Lynne, Shannon, Russell, and Janet for time well spent and a job very well done.

The Tech Teacher's Corner: Windows Live Movie Maker Tutorial

My first foray into podcasting!  It was a great opportunity to learn about both Windows Live Movie Maker and Audacity.  My podcast is embedded on the blog, or you can follow the link:
The Tech Teacher's Corner: Windows Live Movie Maker Tutorial

Web Conference August 28-29: Quite Disappointing

The web conference experiences of this course have been short, largely uninformative, and immensely frustrating.  
The technology itself was a significant obstacle on the August 28 conference.  I logged onto the conference, but was unable to activate voice and camera.  As I attempted to use the help function through Adobe, the browser navigated away from the conference instead of opening a new window.  This disconnected me from the conference.  Although the conference had been closed when it reached a certain number of members, I expected to be able to log back on because the conference host can see the names of those who try to join, and my name had already been listed.  However, I was denied access for the remainder of the conference.
Although my conference host contacted me after the conference to tell me that I would receive credit for attendance, I logged onto the next day's conference in the hopes of gaining some insight into the next week's assignments.  That was not the case:  the course material for the next week was still being developed, and was not open for questions at that time.  The questions mostly revolved around using video for the PhotoStory assignment: the conference host seemed frustrated and mentioned that she was anxious to end the conference quickly.  
Because the Week Two assignment has been quite confusing, it is a disappointment indeed to have received so little information from the web conferences.  

What's In a Name? WMM versus WLMM

     I must confess, I have never used video editing software prior to this week.  I've always been a fan of still photos - I did not even have a wedding video made.  So it was with no small amount of panic that I began my first tentative steps, starting with the software closest:  in my case, Windows Live Movie Maker, which is installed on my Dell netbook.  I began importing video footage and trying out the various editing tools, building a basic storyboard that I saved on a flash drive in hopes of completing some more polishing during my lunch the following day.  Sure enough, about 12 minutes presented themselves and I blithely plugged in my flash drive, ready to continue the process.  Alas, it was not to be.  Here is what may be a little-known fact among those who are new to video editing:  Windows Live Movie Maker is a complete redesign of Windows Movie Maker software available with Windows XP and earlier.  For schoolteachers who are working with newer Microsoft operating systems in one location than another, this is a vital distinction.  In fact, the two applications have some fundamental differences.  Defenders of the earlier version cite that many of the features available in WMM are no longer present in WLMM, including many of the custom plug-ins for captions and titles. (Dolcourt, 2009)  However, from my perspective this is a small price to pay for a program that has a much more intuitive interface.  As a teacher, I found the WLMM editing tools much more user-friendly, which would support the idea that technology integration should not supercede curriculum in the classroom. (New, 2005)  In particular, WLMM features an "AutoMovie" function that allows users to go from clips to finish movie in literally minutes.  This could enable students to work with the software and come up with work product in a single class period.       Sadly, WLMM is not compatible with Windows XP, so my dreams of instant multimedia will have to be scaled back a bit.  However, the process has reminded me that experience is the best teacher when it comes to technology.  Students get as much out of process as they do out of product, and movie making with Movie Maker will be no exception.
Works Cited:
Dolcourt, J. (2009, August 24). Windows Live Movie Maker Verdict: So-So. Retrieved September 3, 2010, from cnet.com: http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-10313682-12.html
New, J. (2005, 12 2). How to Use Digital Storytelling in Your Classroom. Retrieved August 24, 2010, from Edutopia.org: http://www.edutopia.org/use-digital-storytelling-classroom

The Power of Connection

     This week I was asked to create a personal digital story for my multimedia course.  It seemed clear to me right away that my story would deal with my sons, who are the center of my life and the most powerful teachers I have ever had.  Joe Lambert of the Digital Storytelling Center describes relationships as a rich source of storytelling:  "How we love, are inspired by, want to recognize, and find meaning in our relationships are all aspects of our lives that are deeply important to us. Perhaps the majority of the stories created in our workshops are about a relationship, and in the best stories they tell us more about ourselves than the details of our own life story."  (Lambert, 2010)  As I began the project I had the advantage of a large, well organized catalogue of photographs, as many mothers do, and some prior experience with PhotoStory in my classroom.  My topic, while very close to my heart, exists as a part of my everyday life.  I expected this project to be entertaining, a bit sentimental, and benign. 
     In fact, the experience of putting a narrative to my emotions and memories was challenging as a writer and editor, and achingly lovely as a mother.  As I delved into the relationship between my sons, I had an opportunity to look at our family memories through completely new eyes.  Pictures that never left the computer's hard drive, deemed too rough or unflattering, suddenly became the true heart of the story.  Listening to the conversations between the boys, I heard tried and true words that suddenly spoke a completely new message.  In telling about what I knew the best, I found that I learned brand new lessons.
     This should be the learning expectations for our students when they use media to communicate.  Students who must create the narrative of their learning are forced to approach their knowledge from new perspectives.  Learning becomes personal, relational; and it is in this relationship that we gain our true education.  Marco Torres of San Fernando High School understood this well:  "What Torres remembers about his own education are the things he made in school: the plaster cast of his hand in kindergarten, the spouting volcano in third grade, the model of a California mission in fourth grade. His students, he finds, enjoy coming up with a tangible product as much as he did.” (Edutopia Staff, 2002)  Quite simply, children who do, learn.
Please take a moment to view my digital story, "The Way Brothers Do," in the Multimedia Gallery.
Works Cited:
Edutopia Staff. (2002, July 1). Students Find Their Voices Through Multimedia. Retrieved August 23, 2010, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/students-find-their-voices-through-multimedia
Lambert, J. (2010, January). Digital Storytelling Cookbook. Retrieved August 27, 2010 from the Center for Digital Storytelling: http://www.storycenter.org/cookbook.pdf

Multimedia and Higher Order Thinking

     In his explanation of the SFETT (San Fernando Education Technology Team) at San Fernando High School, Marco Torres describes the connection multimedia creates between students and content:  "Media is the language of kids," Torres adds, saying that students who may not take to learning by reading a textbook or listening to a lecture often jump at the chance to understand complex concepts by presenting finished products in the form of a film or a Web documentary or a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.” (Edutopia Staff, 2002)  A teacher can look at a student’s PhotoStory project and gain significant insight into her reasoning, perspective, and higher order thinking skills.   While the uses of multimedia tools for language arts and social studies assessment might be more evident at first blush, the implications for evaluating critical thinking in math and science are equally powerful.  One of the primary functions of an elementary science and math teacher is to show students how to merge process with product.  Educational technology advocate Marc Prensky shares, “As students share works in progress with the class for critical evaluation from both teacher and students, the teacher takes on the valuable roles of explainer, context provider, meaning maker, and evaluator/coach.” (Prensky, 2008, p. 45)  ISTE Indicator/task III.A.5 involves “us[ing] methods and strategies for teaching concepts and skills that support use of media-based tools such as television, audio, print media, and graphics,” and Indicator/task III.C.1 calls for facilitators to “use methods and facilitate strategies for teaching problem-solving principles and skills using technology resources.” (Williamson & Redish, 2009, pp. 227-228)  A significant number of my action research and internship goals involve making technology more accessible for all teachers, and therefore all students on my campus.  Because I realize that the catalyst for technology integration on my campus is ease of use, this PhotoStory project will act as a template to create a “try this” professional development for my faculty.  This speaks to ISTE Indicator/task V.C.2: “facilitate activities to help others in locating, selecting, capturing, and integrating video and digital images, in varying formats for use in presentations, publications and/or other products.”   I am a firm believer in the idea that teachers are most likely to integrate technology if they begin the journey with "one good lesson".  If I can bring that baseline of confidence and readiness to the truly excellent educators on my campus, student access and engagement with technology are sure to follow.

Works Cited

Edutopia Staff. (2002, July 1). Students Find Their Voices Through Multimedia. Retrieved August 23, 2010, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/students-find-their-voices-through-multimedia

Prensky, M. (2008, March). Turning On the Lights. Educational Leadership, 65 (6), pp. 40-45.

Williamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards: What Every K-12 Leader Should Know and Be Able to Do. Washington: International Society for Technology in Education.

Ed Tech Goes Back to School

     Ready or not, the year has begun.  I am ready - my technology is not.

     Sadly, for want of approximately 12 inches of ethernet cable, my amazing interactive learning technology is dead in the water.  Projected completion?  One to two weeks.  Now, considering that quality control began final processing of my campus the second week of July, and only this Friday realized the infrastructure would not support "go live" on Monday, I'm definitely refining Plan B.  However, even the awkward introduction of Plan to Reality doesn't dampen my spirit.  I have ideas swirling around like a kaleidoscope:  I can hardly get them all committed to the page.      In the development of my PhotoStory project, I was reminded that the personal and the professional, the academic and the emotional often overlap.  This is not an obstacle to learning, but rather an avenue towards it.  When we take what we know and push it in new directions, we can find either a depth or a transparency of knowledge that might otherwise have never been brought out into the light.  Giving our knowledge life and perspective forces us to utilize not simply what we know, but what we understand.  What a powerful lesson for educators.  And so, I begin 2010-2011 ready to learn and grow with my students and my faculty.  In the heart of a learner, enthusiasm for a new year never wanes.  Welcome back to school!

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New Technology: Like Opening a Present

For one of this week's course assignments, we were asked to create a short personal introduction video using a service called Animoto.  I had visions of poor acting, poor lighting, poor product.  Now, 24 hours later, I am a zealot of the converted.  Working through every possible permutation of images, music, text, and video was like recieving a new gift every time.  It became more than simply an assignment; it became an evening of fun and excitement right along with the learning.  If I can create the same level of genuine enthusiasm among my students for an assignment, I think the results will be amazing. 

E-Presentations 101

It's 1:15 AM, and I just posted a PowerPoint presentation to my blog.  How simple that sounds.  Just a few slides -- how difficult could that possibly be?


Incredibly, agonizingly so.  Three websites, five email/password combinations, and three hours:  that's how difficult it was.  Even now, two of my slides are inexplicably not where they were in the original presentation.  I know they haven't moved in the original - I checked.  Over and over again.  And yet, even after the hair pulling, the simultaneous opening of six browser windows and four different applications, the cursing at inanimate objects, and the headache from squinting at a screen expecting the correct icon to appear by magic, I feel the rush of victory.  I learned how to do something completely new this night.  I followed the paths, I turned around at the dead ends, I never gave up.  To the outsider, it may seem silly, even trite, to feel so victorious over 14 slides on a blog post.  Not for me.  I sit here in the quiet of early morning, and I know - I know how a student feels when the finally reach inside themselves and find it.  When they find the knowledge, the confidence, the connections they didn't even know were there.  I want that for them.  I want every one of my students to feel the power of owning their learning the way I own mine tonight, and I mourn for those who may have come in and out of my doors and never felt it.    In "Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Tech for the Classroom" (2008, Edutopia: The George Lucas Educational Foundation), Marc Prensky sums it up:


     So, let's not just adopt technology into our schools. Let's adapt it, push it, pull it, iterate with it, experiment with it, test it, and redo it, until we reach the point where we and our kids truly feel we've done our very best. Then, let's push it and pull it some more. And let's do it quickly, so the twenty-second century doesn't catch us by surprise with too much of our work undone.

     A big effort? Absolutely. But our kids deserve no less.


I concur.  Tonight, I go to sleep one step farther along the path to true technological literacy.  Another step tomorrow . . .