Independent Technology

Project
1 REALITY CHECK
In an ideal world, teachers and students would have the time and resources they
need to become fluent in the use of technology. Although some schools offer
computer classes to students and some in-service training for teachers, you will be
on you own for the mastery of much of the technology you might choose to use.
Keeping current with and learning to use educational technology will be part of your
ongoing responsibility as a teacher and part of your ongoing professional
development. You will be a primary resource for your students.
You will learn through this class about factors youll need to consider in the use of
technology, how to adapt technology to meet the needs of all students in your class,
and about emerging technologies that can affect the way you teach and the way
students learn. One of the best ways to learn a technology is to choose a proect that
truly interests you. !his is your chance to stretch your s"ills and your comfort #one
in planning a lesson or classroom materials employing technology. In this class and
your other professional training classes, youre building a $tool"it% that youll ta"e into
the classroom. &ont choose technology youre already competent with for this
proect. !ry something new to challenge yourself and add to your s"ills base and
your $tool"it.% 'aving only $hammers% in your $tool"it% will ma"e many tas"s more
difficult. (tretch yourself.
2 GETTING STARTED
Your first step in the process is to decide what you would li"e to accomplish with
technology in your classroom. Youll need to be as specific as possible about what
you need to learn and what you wish your students to learn. Youll want to define
your learning obectives and the outcomes, ust as they are defined in each session
of this class in )lac"board. Youll need to research and compile resources you can
use to help you in creating your proect and students in completing the proect. Once
youve defined the tas" and located resources, it is time to get to wor". You may
want to consult with friends, an instructor, or classroom teachers through an online
discussion site to get ideas and information. Youll want to use a variety of sources of
information. *emember that youll need to credit all sources you use.
In this class you use a blog, reflections, discussion posts, +ui##es and chec" lists to
monitor your learning. ,i"ewise, for this proect, youll want to monitor your learning
-and potentially your students learning .as you go along. /re+uently pause to reflect
on what youve learned and what you still need to "now to complete your intended
proect. (et aside some time each wee" to reflect on your progress.
CH!!SING A T!PIC
0onsider the list of topics that follows to get you started thin"ing about this proect.
1ote that if you have an additional idea youd li"e to e2plore, you will need to have it
approved by your instructor.
3 0reate a collection of proects for authentic learning for students to develop
individually or as a group that employ technology.
3 4roduce a video, presentation or tutorial to present content to students.
3 0reate a presentation on how to identify reliable websites for research.
3 0reate a lesson plan for a virtual field trip using the &I& model
3 0hoose a content area and provide multi-level web-based readings for
students to match a state standard.
3 0reate a lesson plan for a group proect using ("ype or 5i"i spaces for online
collaboration
3 0hoose a grade level and standard and find corresponding web tools and
applications for
o 4roblem-based learning
o In+uiry and discovery
o *ole playing and simulation
3 *esearch and produce a presentation on using handhelds, tablets or mobile
apps to support curriculum for an audience of your peers.
3 0hoose a topic from the state standards and propose a technology based
student learning activity for each level of )looms ta2onomy related to the
topic.
3 0reate an app to teach or review content related to a state standard
3 0reate a unit plan for a grade level and content are of your choice using the
&I& model. You must include the use of technology as part of the plan.
3 0reate a 5eb6uest on a topic from the standards for a grade level of your
choice.
3 0reate a resource page or &iigo group with lin"s to websites for a student
research proect on a specific topic. Include complete instructions for the
student assignment.
3 0reate a class website using !eacher5ebs or another free web creation site.
!arget a specific grade level and academic standards for that grade level.
Your website must include a welcome page, homewor", useful lin"s for
parents and students, and at least three additional pages of your choice
related to student learning.
3 0reate presentation on dealing with 0yberbullying, Internet safety, and the
legal, ethical and social issues involved in using classroom technology for an
audience of your peers.
3 0reate three or more classroom activities using Inspiration or Kidspiration
appropriate for a specific grade level and standard.
3 (ign up for a trial account to 6uia.com. 0reate a vocabulary list for a unit for
a unit of study, at least two review games, and an assessment over the words.
3 0reate and post a You!ube video about a technology related topic.
3 *esearch educational software for your particular grade level. 5rite a grant
proposal for the hardware and software you would li"e to use.
3 0reate a resource page or &iigo site for use by students. Include
applications, websites, reference tools, search engines, government sites, drill
and practice sites and mobile apps appropriate to your students grade level
and subect.
3 0hoose your own topic and have it approved by your instructor.
" CREATING A PR!#ECT PLAN
7se the plan below as a starting point for creating your proect plan. /eel free to
e2pand the space between topics as necessary.
Technology Project Pl$nn%ng
Sheet
De&cr%pt%on o' project(
)h$t technology *%ll yo+ +&e,
)h$t %& the p+rpo&e o' the end prod+ct yo+ *%ll cre$te,
Intended $+d%ence(
In'or-$t%on. -$ter%$l& $nd re&o+rce& re/+%red( )h$t do yo+ need to 0no* to
co-plete th%& project $nd *here c$n yo+ '%nd the %n'or-$t%on, 1Yo+ -+&t
doc+-ent $ll &o+rce& con&+lted $nd +&ed23
Ac$de-%c $nd 4or NETS5S $nd NETS5T &t$nd$rd& th%& project *o+ld $ddre&&8
Project t%-el%ne $nd le$rn%ng &e/+ence(
6 E7AL8ATI!N AND E9TENSI!N
A r+:r%c 'or th%& project h$& :een pl$ced %n the Re&o+rce& t$: %n the R+:r%c
'older2 Ple$&e con&+lt %t 're/+ently $& yo+ *or0 thro+gh yo+r project2 In
$dd%t%on to the r+:r%c $nd project. yo+ *%ll need to &+:-%t $ project re'lect%on
th$t *%ll %ncl+de the 'ollo*%ng(
5hat have you learned from this proect9
5hat were your most useful resources in completing the proect9
'ow will:could you share or use this proect9
5hat are some other possible applications of the technology you have learned and
used to complete this proect9
'ow could this proect be further improved9
If this is a student proect, how will it be evaluated9
'as this proect led you to thin" about other technologies you would li"e to e2plore
and master9 If so, what are they9