Literacy Web Tool Modeling

I started experimenting with a website called mindmup.com which allows you to easily make mind maps.  What I like about mind maps is the fact that it organizes all your thoughts and allows you to be as simple or complex as you would like.  You can have a simple looking web, with only a few topics on it, or get as detailed as possible with tons of information.  Using this website, I made a quick mind map of the different math topics that can be used as references for math teachers and students.  I think that I would encourage students to make this mind map in their trig class so that they can see all the math that they have accomplished in the past few years as a student.  I would also consider using this for an individual class (i.e. Geometry or Algebra) as a way to get students thinking about reviewing topics.  Remembering the topics they covered is the first step to get them to actually review those topics :)

I think that this online tool is extremely convenient and easy for students (and teachers) to use.  It is quite intuitive, and you can save it onto the mindmup website or as a google doc.  It is easy to change the colors of the boxes and add new boxes, as well as arrange them as you'd like.  There is also an option to insert pictures straight into the mind map, although I did not experiment with that feature.  You can also collapse a node if you want to temporarily hide a section (for example, the subnodes of Trig if the students haven't learned it yet).  One concern with this tool is how cluttered the map looks if there is too much information.  I would encourage the students not to write paragraphs for each node.  There is also a limit to the movement of each node.  You are unable to make a new section vertical, so the child node has to be on the outer (left or right) side.  I am unsure as to whether the curved lines connecting the nodes are a pro or a con.  I think that straight lines can look kind of harsh, but these lines seem a little juvenile to me.

Maryland Teacher Technology Standards

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has released a list of seven standards and outcomes for the Maryland Teacher Technology Standards.  Below, I have listed ways of how I plan to address these standards in my classroom.

I.                    Information Access, Evaluation, Processing and Application: Access, evaluate, process and apply information efficiently and effectively.

Organization, categorization, and storing information can be difficult in a classroom.  I think that I would have multiple ways to store all my information, data, and work for the class.  I would have a hard copy of the paperwork, an electronic copy stored on my computer and a flashdrive/external hard drive, and an online version, like a dropbox.  Each class would have a separate section, and that would have different folders for each unit.  There would also be a separate section for resources used for GT students, ELL students, etc.

II.                  Communication:

a.       Use technology effectively and appropriately to interact electronically.

To collaborate with peers, parents, administrators, and experts, I would use multiple forms of communication.  I would have a blog to share information with colleagues, as well as use sites such as twitter and pinterest to share articles, posts, etc.  I would have a class website to share information about the class with my students and parents.  There are also programs that are created to “text” parents and students information and homework assignments without sharing the teacher’s phone number.  I would also use Google Docs and surveymonkey to collaborate and share information, have sign ups for field trips, etc.

b.      Use technology to communicate information in a variety of formats.

I would use sites like YouTube to share videos for a flipped classroom approach.  I also would use sites such as Blackboard or Moodle, if they were supported by my school.

III.                Legal, Social, and Ethical Issues: Demonstrate an understanding of the legal, social, and ethical issues related to technology use.

It is important that with the use of technology in the classroom, students understand the legal and ethical issues.  Before introducing technology in my classroom, we would have a lesson on the negative outcomes of using technology, as well as discussing the importance of citing all work.  There would also be a section of this in syllabus, talking about the class rules of using the Internet (don’t share personal information, don’t post anything that is inappropriate, etc.).  It is also important to have consequences for the students if they break this rule, as well as to enforce these consequences.

IV.                Assessment for Administration and Instruction: Use technology to analyze problems and develop data-driven solutions for instructional and school improvement.

I would use online programs, as well as programs like Excel to track student’s progress throughout the year.  I think that it is important to have an understanding of both an individual’s progress, as well as the progress of the class as a whole.  I would look at the averages for assessments and break down the scores by question.  There are online tools such as Socrative.com that allow teachers to create a quiz.  They can watch in real time as students take the quiz, as well as the percentage of questions that the student got right, and the percentage of the class that got each individual question right.  This information can be applied to the modification of the lesson plans, both for that year and in the future.

V.                  Integrating Technology into the Curriculum and Instruction: Design, implement, and assess learning experiences that incorporate use of technology in a curriculum-related instructional activity to support understanding, inquiry, problem solving, communication, and/or collaboration.

Using technology such as Chromebooks, iPads, etc. students will be able to take a variety of assessments to allow teachers to understand the progress of students.  It is important for teachers to try out this technology before introducing students to it.  There’s nothing worse than having students go to a website to complete an assignment, only to find out that the website is no longer there or has been modified drastically.  Using WebQuests, students will be able to work with each other and be in charge of their own learning.  An interest survey could be given at the beginning of the year to obtain information on the preferred methods of media and technology for the class.

VI.                Assistive Technology: Understand human equity and developmental issues surrounding the use of assistive technology to enhance student learning performance and apply that understanding to practice.

Work with professionals in the school to determine resources for students that need assistance.  Allow students that need it to use online resources that help them with their individual learning needs.  Find out the most efficient resources, as well as monitor the students and their progress- help out as needed.

VII.              Professional Growth: Develop professional practices that support continual learning and professional growth in technology.

Explore professional organizations such as the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE), research any new technology that seems relevant to the class.  Attend conferences and training opportunities in the summer, collaborate with teachers in my own department, as well as other STEM departments.

I believe that classrooms should have technology integrated into the lesson, but not solely use technology.  I think that there is a balance between using no technology and using too much technology and as STEM teachers, we have to find that balance.  Technology can be used a tool to promote literacy.  Through the use of WebQuests, online articles, and online books, students can work on their literacy together in a positive setting.  However, if the students are not technologically literate, it can be difficult to successfully complete these tasks.  Instructions are a huge part of literacy and it can be difficult to write a set of directions if students are not literate in technology terms.  

Webquest

https://sites.google.com/site/821orderofoperationswebquest/introduction

I found this webquest online and would use it in an Algebra class.  I have tutored a lot of students in Algebra and one of the hardest things that they learn is Order of Operations.  It can be difficult to grasp, and although we use the phrase “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” to help them with the order, it is still a difficult concept for them.  It takes a lot of practice before any student can truly master the art of Order of Operations.

I was a little apprehensive trying this webquest out.  I have found that most webquests in the past are trying too hard to be fun and while their content is aimed for a higher level audience (i.e. high school), they make the target audience seem as though they are in elementary school.  This webquest was no exception.  The author added a bunch of clip art pictures and cartoons.  While they brightened up the website, I felt as though the target audience was for a fifth grader.

On the top left side of the website, there are sections for the introduction, tasks, process, evaluation, conclusion, etc.  While clicking on tasks, the author is quick to introduce PEMDAS.  One of my biggest disappointments with teaching it using the Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally phrase is that it doesn’t show that the multiplication and division operations (as well as addition and subtraction) are done at the same time, in order from left to right.  The author actually presented this information well, and showed that you do multiplication and division together, as well as addition and subtraction.

A concern that I did have was that at the bottom of the tasks page, there was a link straight to the game.  I started playing the game for awhile before I even realized what the assignment was supposed to be.  To fix this, I would probably create my own directions.  The evaluation section was also empty.  Once you get into the “game” you are given 10 questions.  You must click on the correct operation to perform.  Once you click on the correct operation, they rewrite the equation with the completed operation.  For example, with a simple expression like 4+2x3, the first operation would be 2x3.  Once clicked on, a green checkmark would appear next to the 4+2x3 expression and underneath, the expression 4+6 would appear.  Once 4+6 was clicked on, the answer 10 would appear and the user could start the next question.

I do like that the student does not actually have to perform the operation, but simply identify which operation must be completed.  When learning a new skill, it can be distracting to have to do something else.  If you had a problem like 453⁴x398+2, it can be very time consuming to take 453 to the fourth power and then multiply it by 398.  By the time you’re done with that, you will probably forget to add the 2.  By simply clicking on the correct operation, the student can understand the skill without getting flustered by doing the arithmetic.

Mitosis and Meiosis Lesson Plan Evaluation Rubric

Below is a link to a Evaluation Rubric for a presentation in the Mitosis and Meiosis Lesson Plan that was written in ED 605.  Students were split into groups of three or four and asked to make a presentation on either Mitosis or Meiosis using Prezi, PowerPoint, Glogster, etc.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14YbdHGx4m9yyC4ZwIikzpNmkWi0Yv7ydBHh1oWb_Gtc/edit?usp=sharing

Standardized Testing Reflection

I have been taking standardized tests my whole life.  I started by taking MSAs (Maryland State Assessments) and HSAs (Maryland High School assessments).  The MSAs were given every year from third to eighth grade to measure reading and math achievement.  The HSAs were given for Algebra I (which I took in 7^th grade), Biology (9^th grade), American Government (9^th grade), and English (10^th grade).  It is mandatory to pass the HSAs in order to graduate from high school in Maryland.  These standardized tests measure the progress of both the school and the student.  (MSDE, 2003).  I took the SATs during my junior year of high school, as well as many AP (Advanced Placement) exams my junior and senior year.  I took the two separate English APs, AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB, AP U.S. History, AP Calculus BC, Physics C: Mechanics, and Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism.  Recently, I have taken the PRAXIS II in Mathematics.

Having taken so many standardized tests, I have often wondered how effective they were in evaluating my learning.  Despite the intentions of the test makers, I do not believe that many, if any, of these exams successfully demonstrated my “evidence of learning.”  Popham (2014) discusses evidence of student learning as “evidence in the form of student performance on classroom tests.”  Most of the tests that I took focused on more on how well I could memorize and recall information and not on my understanding of the topic.  I think that the SATs and the HSAs were rather ineffective in measuring my understanding.  The AP exams had a lot of writing and places to explain my reasoning, and therefore I feel as though they were more effective in correctly measuring my performance.

I think that standardized testing was made to measure student progress on a “fair” playing field.  It ended up being shaped into what it is today because it is currently being used to assess schools.  (D’Agostino, Welsh, & Corson, 2007)  Currently, a teacher’s competence is being determined by how well their students perform on standardized tests.  (Popham, 2014)  School funding is often heavily influenced on the school’s overall performance on standardized testing.  It isn’t necessarily a way to evaluate students and show evidence of student learning, it is a way to evaluate the teachers and the schools.  When I was younger and taking standardized tests, I often wondered if my scores would truly affect me or just the school five years down the road.  I think that the Common Core Standards are trying to bring the focus of teaching and standardized testing back to how the students are performing and emphasizing student learning and not on the teachers.  By holding students to the same standards, students will learn more effectively and be more prepared for their lives.  Common Core has changed some of the standards in hopes to do that.  While it is only implemented in Mathematics and English, I am speculating that Common Core will be introduced to the sciences shortly.

References:

D‘Agostino, J. V., Welsh, M. E., & Corson, N. M. (2007). Instructional sensitivity of a state’s standards-based assessment. Educational Assessment, 12(1), 1-22.

Maryland State Department of Education (2003). Testing Content and Data.  Retrieved from  http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/testing/testing_overview.htm?WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished%252%25%25%25%3E%25

Popham, W. James. (2014). Classroom assessment: what teachers need to know. Pearson Education, Inc.

Grouping Students

Grouping students is a difficult task in the classroom.  There are many methods for doing so and some are more effective than others.  There are teachers that allow students to pick their own groups.  This is almost always an ineffective method, as students will generally choose their friends and be very distracted.  The two main grouping strategies are heterogeneous and homogeneous groups.  Both groupings can be effective in different situations.

Homogeneous groups are pairings of similar students.  This can be helpful when students are beginning to apply their learning to projects.  At this point, I would place students who were struggling together so that I could focus some extra attention on them.  Higher ability students will be able to accomplish more of their own tasks on their own without my help.

Heterogeneous groups would be beneficial during brainstorming activities.  With different background knowledge and experiences, a heterogeneous group would be able to bring a variety of perspectives to the task.  If students all had the same background, new ideas would not be introduced to the group.

Another benefit of heterogeneous groups is that peer learning is introduced.  By pairing a struggling student with a student who excels, it could go one of two ways.  First, the struggling student could learn from the other student.  This can help the teacher who may not have time to assist all of the struggling students in the class.  The other option is that the struggling student does not do any work and it all falls on the high ability student.  It is not “fair” for the high ability student to get a lower grade because of another student.  Having peer evaluations would discourage students from slacking off.  Pairing heterogeneous groups together could also develop reading and writing skills.  By doing paired reading, students will be able to practice their literacy skills.

For my ED 605 unit, I would vary the grouping of the students.  This would eliminate possible conflicts that would arise if a group member did not put forth the effort that the rest of the group did.

Framing our Reading Part 4: Vocabulary and Concept Development

Concept	Text Link	Rationale for Choosing	Text Frame (s)	Strategies Used (and Resource)
Biodiversity	Studying how climate affects biodiversity	This article discusses the changes in biodiversity due to climate.	Concept/Definition	Power Notes (Buehl)
Bacteria	How a bacteria cell recognizes its own DNA	This article describes a bacteria cell's replication and how it identifies its DNA from an enemy cell. This article draws on past knowledge and relates bacteria cells to Biology and the real world.	Goal/Action/Outcome Making Connections	K-W-L (McLaughlin and Buehl)
Atoms	How many gold atoms make gold metal?	This article combines math, biology, chemistry, and engineering to show how new discoveries can revolutionize technology.  This article explores nanometer-sized pieces of gold and their electronic changes.  This can help make new discoveries in bioimaging and sensing.	Concept/definition  Compare/contrast	Connection Stems (McLaughlin)

For this week in Framing our Reading, my partner Samantha and I were to revisit the previous three weeks’ articles and choose a key term from each of the articles.  We chose Biodiversity from the most recent article, Bacteria from Week 2, and Atom from the first week.  Now that we chose the terms, we each decided on a graphic organizer to teach these terms.

The graphic organizer that I chose was the semantic map (McLaughlin, 2015).  McLaughlin suggest using Semantic Maps to “activate prior knowledge, introduce content-specific vocabulary, and organize information about a topic.”  Semantic Maps are simple to both use and teach.  The steps for completing a map is as follows:

1)    Pick a word you don’t know from the text.

2)    Write this word in the middle of a piece of paper and draw an ellipse around it.

3)    Make a list of words and phrases related to the target word.

4)    Group items from the list into categories.  Connect this category to the target word and list the items from the list under the category.

An example of biodiversity for two of the terms is shown in the picture above.  I like that there is a lot of brainstorming involved in this type of graphic organizer.  I also like that it encourages students to think outside of the box and make connections to previous knowledge.  I am not a pro at using this graphic organizer, as I would much rather make a list like I did with the Power notes from week 3.  I sometimes found it difficult to come up with an appropriate category and would have preferred if the categories were given to me.  I don’t believe this graphic organizer works with all types of vocab, but I believe that it is an extremely useful tool for visual learners.  I also like that there is not much necessary planning involved and a teacher can quickly tell students to make a Semantic Map for a vocabulary word that might come up in the middle of a lesson.

To see these words being used with a different graphic organizer, check out my partner Samantha’s blog post.

Work Cited

Buehl, D., (2014) Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning, 4^th ed. International Reading Association.

Weizmann Institute of Science. (2015, April 13). How a bacterial cell recognizes its own DNA.ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 18, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150413130825.htm

Uppsala Universitet. (2015, April 16). Studying how climate affects biodiversity. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 20, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150416132038.htm

McLaughlin, M. (2015). Comprehending Content Area Text. In Content area reading: Teaching and learning for college and career readiness (2nd ed., pp. 57-62). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Suomen Akatemia (Academy of Finland). (2015, April 10). How many gold atoms make gold metal?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 11, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150410083516.htm