Week 12 Reflection #Etlead

Amber Hanson

#ETLEAD

Week 12 Reflection

1. What new resources, curated resources, or ideas did you share this week?

This week has been quite successful in terms of sharing resources with people this week. This week I took a look at several other peoples mentor projects, and commented on 3 of them.

Heather’s blog was one of them.  For her mentor project she is teaching her mentee on how to use a mimio board.  Although I have had zero interaction with a Mimio board before, I know it’s just another brand of an interactive white board.  As a result I know I did some researching and was able to find a site in which I hope she will be able to share with her mentee.  This site is a wikipage.  This wiki provides several lessons that can be used for Elementary or Secondary teachers.  It also provides tutorials, gallery files, Christmas activities, downloads and more.  This wiki page can be found at: http://interactiveboardresources.wikispaces.com/Mimio+Lessons .  Although I do not know of the impact it will make, I am confident that if shared with her mentee, it will prove to be useful in some way.

Another Mentor project in which I read about was Hailie’s.  Her project is to mentor someone in the technolog program-Glogster.  I really enjoyed reading about her project, as Glogster was actually a tool that both her and I used for one of our own projects in the past.  In her next steps she mentioned that her mentee would like to start using glogster as a tool for students to be doing their own projects.  So, in an effort to help I researched possible lessons in which teachers can teach, which would require students to use this tool. The website I shared was; http://www.lessonplanet.com/search?keywords=Glogster&type_ids[]=357917.

Lastly, I read about Andrea’s project.  She was working with her school Librarian.  Her project was to help her librarian find appropriate educational apps for their schools iPads.  I shared with her a few websites that listed apps that can be used within the classroom.  One site was: http://www.appolicious.com/education/articles/13035-top-35-must-have-educational-iphone-and-ipad-apps-used-by-real-teachers-in-the-classroom  Another website I shared was a link to a Scholastic article.  This article provided a list of Apps that were separated by grade level.  This article is located: http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/more-homework-help/9-great-apps-math-grade-grade-guide

2. What did you intend these new resources, curated resources, or ideas to do in terms of impacting others' learning? 

My intentions for sharing these resources, was to provide my class members additional resources to share with their mentees.  These sites don’t necessarily help them with their project, but instead are aimed at helping the people that they are helping.

3. What was the actual impact (that you could discern)?

As of right now I know it has not made an impact, but if shared with their mentees, I believe all resources could be helpful as they provide additional avenues for success using their new technology tools.

4. What would you do differently next week?

I hope to post my replies to people’s blogs sooner.  I hope next week I can perhaps post replies to blogs by Saturday night, and my reflection on Sunday.  Doing this will give people time to reflect upon what I’ve written and shared.  It will also provide me insights on whether the resources I shared have had any impact.

5. What resources did others share that made a difference to your learning?

There weren’t any resources shared this week, but Barbra gave me an idea on some next steps I could take for this project.  She suggested perhaps having students teach concepts to each other using technology.  She said they could create problems and check solutions to get the students involved.  This sounds like a fun idea, and is something I would like to talk to my mentee about!

Overall I feel like this week has been successful. As a result I feel hopeful and excited to finish up my mentor project paper.  I look forward to seeing the results of everyone else’s soon too.  Until then, hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Week 12 Mentoring Project Data Analysis #Etlead

Amber Hanson

#Etlead

Week 12

What are you finding as you analyze the data related to your Mentor Project?

My mentoring project this past quarter has been to mentor a fellow co-worker in the incorporation of technology-based tools within her math class. Prior to this experience this teacher’s only inclusion of technology for math-was using the document camera.  One tool in which we put the majority of our focus on, was the already existent presentation and manipulative tools provided online for her math curriculum Envision. We chose to include this type of technology as we both understood that “technologies can give visual representations to higher-order concepts [and] use graphics and simulations to link mathematical concepts to real-world applications”(Ranasinghe & Leisher, 2009, p1958). We believe that the by incorporation the presentations and manipulatives located on the Pearson Envision website we will better able to help students reach these higher order thinking skills, as well as increase overall engagement and students learning.

We began this project on September 30^th.  At this time I aided in signing my mentee up for a teacher account online.  From there I gave her a brief tour of the site, and helped her add students to her online “class”. During this meeting we focused on where to find the presentations and how they lessons should be used.  I also briefly introduced her to the manipulative tools (Tools4Math). 

After this initial meeting it was obvious she was a bit overwhelmed.  As a result we made a goal for her to just look around the site on her own time and to just play with the program.  In our next meeting her anxiety was greatly lessoned and therefore we began the implementation. 

Throughout the following weeks we collected data in a variety of ways.  The mentee was asked to keep a journal in which she would indicate how comfortable she felt with the technology, what new things she’s tried recently, what worked well, what didn’t, how engaged she felt the students were, and how she thinks the presentations impacted students learning. 

In reviewing my mentee’s journal, it was evident that with the more practice she got using the program, the more comfortable she seemed to be with using it.  Although initially she mentioned she might not use the online test generator, as of two weeks ago she has finally given it a chance.  And you know what?  She LOVES it!  She also found that by letting students take these tests online, which just having a sheet of scratch paper students groaned less about tests days, and actually expressed a strong interest in taking tests this way from now on.  This definitely comes as a nice surprise, as we all know state testing will soon be done this way as well!  My mentee also expressed that she felt students were engaged much more, as she felt the short video clips, animations, and manipulative tools added a much-needed dimension to her otherwise technology-absent math instruction.  One negative, in which she encountered a few times throughout this quarter, was the speed of our Internet.  I was able to help fix this by gaining access to the interactive DVD’s there were included with the program.  Although this did include more of what the site has to offer, it doesn’t include everything.  But having these DVD’s were a pretty solid back up plan for when things went south.

The mentee also indicated that the tools were easy to use on the program and as a result, she felt that she was using them more.  She relied lesson on having students do worksheet and textbook work, and more on letting them actually interact with the program.  With that she also began using other tools within her classroom to keep students engaged.  Although not technology based, she did start using whiteboards as a means for students to respond to problems on the board.  In particular, during the guided practice section the teacher would display each problem; have students attempt to work it out on their white boards, and then review the problem as a whole on the Smart Board.  Doing this helped keep students engaged with the lesson, as well as lesson the amount of worksheet and textbook needed.

I also kept a journal.  This journal was used primarily to write down observations when I visited her classroom, as well as the level of student’s engagement that was observed. The log in which I recorded this was one where I would observe each student for 5 seconds at a time, and quickly mark either a plus or a negative indicating whether the student appeared to be engaged or not.  I would do this for each student, several times in the span of 10mins.  I conducted this type of observation at least 2 times a week.  The other visits were primarily to record how my mentee was using the program and what tools she was using.  Throughout my observations I took note that as my mentee grew more confident in the program, the more animated and excited she got during each lesson.  As a result I believe student engagement was deeply effected. 

In addition to our journal entries, we felt that we would also benefit from having the students directly involved.  Weekly we had students fill out a survey that asked the same 5 questions.  These questions included:

       1.       Do you like being that math is being taught through the Smart Board?

       2.       What, if anything do you like about lessons being taught this way?

       3.       What might make learning math more fun or meaningful to you?

From the get-go we received unanimous positive feedback from the students. Out of the entire 26 students (13 from each math class taught), we had only received 4 “no’s” to question number one!  When asking students what they enjoyed about having lessons being taught using these presentations students responded with things such as:

§  “I like that it doesn’t feel like the teacher is always talking”

§  “I like that we can go up and move things on the board”

§  “The problem at the beginning helps me understand what we’re learning”

§  “It’s better than having to do worksheets all the time”

Responses to question number 3 “What might make learning math more fun or meaningful to you?” although mostly answer with something such as “nothing”, or “it is fun”, often ended up being one of the most useful in indicating what direction the teacher decided to go to next.  One response given was simply “I wish we could try the problems out ourselves when we’re learning them”.  When the mentee initially introduced the presentations, she was conducting the guided practice whole group.  As a result we were noticing that not all students were engaged, and at times only a few individuals actually participated in giving the answers.  Although we both saw this, we weren’t sure how students felt about it.  Therefore when we read this response, it was a settled, we needed to make a change, and we knew that more worksheets or textbook work would not be the route we would take.  In the weeks that followed this change we noticed that engagement levels rose again and it was obvious that students really enjoying the lesson and learning more. 

Overall I believe that my mentee’s math class was positively impacted by the integration of technology.  Her student’s engagement has definitely increased, which in turn has impacted their learning in a positive way. She learned that although she was comfortable with the way she was teaching before (as this was the way she was taught), she ultimately knew her students were bored with it.  It was time for a change. She understands now that “it’s important for kids to be engaged, and it’s important for us to change with the times” (Smith, 2008). When asked if she would ever go back to teaching math the way she did before her answer was simple “no way”.

Resources

Ranasinghe, A., Leisher, D. (2009). The benefit of integrating technology into the classroom. International Mathematical Forum. 4, 2009, no. 40, 1955 – 1961. Retrieved from http://www.m-hikari.com/imf-password2009/37-40-2009/ranasingheIMF37-40-2009.pdf

Smith, L. 2008. Winning equation: How technology can help save math education. edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/technology-math-education.

       www.pearsonsuccessnet.com

https://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/ua/sf/Teacher/SuccessNet_GettingStartedGuide_27Feb2009.pdf

http://www.mypearsontraining.com/products/envisionmath/2011/tutorials.asp

http://www.mypearsontraining.com/pdfs/CCSS_brochure.pdf

http://www.mypearsontraining.com/products/envisionmath/2011/tutorials.asp?page=faqs

http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html

       http://illuminations.nctm.org/

Philosophy of Adaptation-#ETLEAD

“Creatively adapting to change on our path to life-long learning”

           

Identifying reoccurring themes that occurred throughout my research, as well as important terms I felt embodied the concept of “21st Century Learning” helped build the foundation for my motto. This compilation of terms were combined to create an image using the online program Tagxedo. From there I pinpointed the terms I felt were the most important and proceeded to develop my motto.

I chose this motto because I believe one of the key skills a person needs in order to successfully adjust to the 21^st Century Learning is the ability to adapt to change. The concept of change is an idea that I encountered several times throughout my research.  Adapting to change is also one of the key components identified in the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills Framework (2009). Simply adapting to change isn’t enough, however, we must do it in a way that is creative, innovative and in a way that prepares students to be learners for life.   

Several resources influenced the direction I took with my motto.  One resource I found that I would like to share is a PowerPoint by Kim Cofino. I believe this presentation does an exemplary job at defining precisely what a 21^st Century Learner looks like. 

The 21st Century Learner from Kim Cofino

Addition resources that contributed include:

What is 21^st Century Education? 

Technology Integration For The New 21st Century Learner by Nancye Blair

Teach Like A Pirate by Dave Burgess

How Do You Define 21^st-century learning? By Education Week

P21 Framework Definitions by Partnership for 21^st Century Skills

21st-CenturyLearner by Mark Stevens

The 21st Century Learner from Kim Cofino

A New Culture of Learning by Thomas, D., & Seely Brown, J.

How do I adapt to change in my environment?

“Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent” –Nolan Ryan

Being able to adapt to change within your environment is an essential skill to master according to the P21 Framework (2009).   Over the past few years as a result of the shift in our education school systems, I’ve had several different situations in which I’ve needed to respond/adapt to change.  One big change deals with the increased need to include digital tools or program within the classroom.  Due to this sudden change I’ve had to learn several tools and programs all at once. While overwhelming at first, I’ve learned several strategies that I can use to cope with this demand.  One strategy is to allow myself time to just play with the technology.  Experience it for myself.  In addition to my own experiences, I know that I can also find useful information about certain programs on the web. One website that I found, in which I frequent a lot this year is called Atomic Learning. Atomic Learning is an online training resource that offers thousands of tutorials on current technology tools and programs that could be used within the classroom.  I’ve used this site over a dozen times to help figure out how to use programs such as Prezi and notebook, as well as how to perform specific tasks using my Smart Board. Although I am not fond of the time it takes to learn all these programs, I do it because I know it will benefit my students in the long run.  I know that by learning these tools I will be better able to “engage students with real world data, tools and experts they will encounter in college, on the job, and in life . . .” (P21, 2009). Simply learning about different technology tools/programs is not enough however, I must also figure out how to creatively use those tools to help facilitate my students learning.  Due to my limited experience, I rely heavily on research I conduct online.  In addition to research, which is primarily one sided (me looking for the data), I am now beginning to engage with my PLN more.  I am using technology tools such as blogging and twitter and expanding my Professional Network to include people whom of which I’ve never met before.  While this in itself doesn’t sound too impressive to most, it’s a big step for me.

In addition to the strategies I noted above, some other useful strategies I use to adapt to change include:

-Taking a step back and re-evaluating the situation

Being able to pause and reflect upon the positives or negatives of something is an act of critical thinking.  Although I might not agree with the change at first, taking a step back and looking at it through an objective point of view will allow for me to see the positives and help me understand why the change is happening. 

-Be open to new ideas

Change is inevitable.  In order for things to get better in most situations, is for something to change.  Throughout my 4 years of teaching I have seen so many changes happen that I’ve lost count.  Being open to changes means that I am admitting I don’t know everything about every subject.  By accepting of change I will not only make my life easier and less stressful, I am bettering my teaching skills and my students learning as well.

-Embrace your mistakes

We all make mistakes!  Once we accept that, it becomes possible to learn and make educated decisions on what we would do differently next time. By understanding that I’ve made a mistake in the way that I’m teaching, I begin the process of changing/modifying it.  By admitting and embracing mistakes I am being understanding that not all lessons work, not all students *get it the way I’ve originally taught it, or that they all get it in just one try.  If something fails, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and approach it from a different situation.  Change is not bad! Sometimes it’s the BEST thing I could do for my students!

-Talk about it-collaborate

As much as I would like to say I know all the answers, I know that I don’t.  During change it’s important to be able to converse about it if needed. By doing so I will be able to understand the reasons behind the change more, and get the support I need to follow through with the change.  We learn so much from our colleagues and others in our PLN, it’s important that we collaborate as much as necessary.

Resources that help with adapting to change:

-Knowing the 21st Century Frame work-this site is perfect for understand the expectations we as teacher’s are held to in order to get our students prepared for life.

-Atomic Learning  -An online tutorial site to help learn about programs/tools used in the classroom. 

-Classroom 2.0 -This is an online professional learning network that is focused on technology.  There are thousands of blog/forum posts from teachers all over the world talking about how they use certain programs in the classroom.  What tools work best?  What programs are perfect for certain grade levels?  It also provides hundreds of lesson plans that help integrate several of these programs. 

-The Educator’s PLN - An online professional learning network site.  By joining this site you are able to get insight from teachers around the world are struggling with, rejoicing in and the like.  This site is full of educators just like us, going through the same things we’re going through.

How do I support my students in adapting to change?

Since change is an inevitable within the classroom, it’s important for my students to be able to deal with it as well.  Some of these ways are similar to what I do to adapt to change.  One way in which I help my students adapt to change, such as a new technology tool or program, is to build time within my lessons for them to experience it first hand.  I do this by giving them about 10 minutes to play around with it.  I make sure to put a timer in the front of the room so students (and myself!) know how much time they actually have.  Doing this also assures that I’m not shorting them on time-or giving too much.  When I allow this type of play to happen I am embracing and building upon their natural curiosities.  Doing this before a project deems not only helpful for me, but also for them, as they are able to figure out a lot of things (meaning less instructions for me to give) and they often figure out more things than I and therefore are actually able to teach ME about something I hadn’t know.   

In addition to this I am providing students with a safe environment to experiment and test the tool before we use it. I found in the past that when I hadn’t allowed for this type of *play* to happen, more student were confused and tended to be off task.  They were also less inclined to take risks and figure out how the program actually worked.  Once I started building in time for exploration of the program before I taught it, I began noticing a larger percentage of students were able to get started right away on an assignment. I also noticed I didn’t need to spend as much time on directions, nor did I have to repeat them as often.  Students were on task and engaged with the assignment.  I also discovered that students were more willing to take risks and get creative with their projects. Students were beginning to have fun with not only the exploration of the tool, but the process in which they would go through in order to complete the assignment.  They were engaged and as a result begun to produce a better quality of work.

 

One area that I believe I could work on with my students is creativity.  Often I find myself so stuck on the standards, that I miss out on all the opportunities and projects that would allow students to be creative while still learning.  I find that those types of projects panic me.  I am often so worried that these types of projects will take too long.  But after what I’ve learned about this type of learning (project-based) I’ve learned that by allowing my students to be able to partake in these projects students will be able to learn at a higher level, and often get more meaning out of the project.  I would very much like to begin using this type of mindset within the classroom. It’s time to be less afraid and take risks.  I can support this change in the way I teach, by allowing tutoring time on the project after school as well as allowing for extra time for the first few projects.  By explaining to my students why I am changing the way I teach, will also prove to be beneficial.  By showing my support I know that students as well as myself will be able to adapt easier and be more open to what is in store for us!

References

21^st Century Schools

http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/what_is_21st_century_education.htm

        

Blair, N. (2012, January/February). Technology integration for the new 21^st century learner. Principal. Retrieved from http://www.naesp.org/sites/default/files/Blair_JF12.pdf

Burgess, D. (2012). Teach like a pirate. San Deigo, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

How do you define 21^st-century learning?. (2010, October 11). Education Week. 04(01), 32. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2010/10/12/01panel.h04.html

P21 Framework Definitions. (2009). Partnership for 21^st Century Skills. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf

Stevens, M. (2011, Summer). 21^st-century learner. NEA Today Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/46989.htm

        

Thomas, D., & Seely Brown, J. (2011). A new culture of learning cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change.

Websites

http://www.wikihow.com/Add-a-PowerPoint-to-Blogger

http://www.slideshare.net/mscofino/the-21st-century-learner

http://kareemshaker.com/general/how-to-create-a-business-motto/

http://www.tagxedo.com/app.html

Atomic Learning  

Classroom 2.0 http://www.classroom20.com/

 

The Educator’s PLN http://edupln.ning.com/

 

Philosophy of Adaptation

“Creatively adapting to change on our path to life-long learning”

           

            Identifying reoccurring themes that occurred throughout my research as well as important terms I felt embodied the concept of “21st Century Learning” helped build the foundation for my motto. This compilation of terms was combined to create an image using the online program Tagxedo. From there I pinpointed the terms I felt were the most important and developed my motto from there.

            I chose this motto because I believe one of the key skills a person needs in order to successfully adjust to the 21^st Century Learning is the ability to adapt to change. The concept of change is an idea that I encountered several times throughout my research.  Adapting to change is also one of the key components identified in the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills Framework (2009). Simply adapting to change isn’t enough, however, we must do it in a way that is creative, innovative and in a way that prepares students to be learners for life.   

            Several resources influenced the direction I took with my motto.  One I found that I would like to share is a PowerPoint by Kim Cofino that I believe exemplifies precisely what a 21^st Century Learner looks like.

The 21st Century Learner from Kim Cofino

Addition resources that contributed include:

What is 21^st Century Education? 

Technology Integration For The New 21st Century Learner by Nancye Blair

Teach Like A Pirate by Dave Burgess

How Do You Define 21^st-century learning? By Education Week

P21 Framework Definitions by Partnership for 21^st Century Skills

21st-CenturyLearner by Mark Stevens

A New Culture of Learning by Thomas, D., & Seely Brown, J.

How do I adapt to change in my environment?

“Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent” –Nolan Ryan

Being able to adapt to change within your environment is an essential skill to master according to the P21 Framework (2009).   Over the past few years as a result of the shift in our education school systems, I’ve had several different situations in which I’ve needed to respond/adapt to change.  One big change deals with the increased need to include digital tools/program within the classroom.  Due to this sudden change I’ve had learn several tools/programs all at once. While overwhelming at first, I’ve learned several strategies that I can use to cope with this demand.  One strategy is to allow myself time to just play with the technology.  Experience it for myself.  In addition to my own experiences, I know that I can also find useful information about certain programs on the web. One website that I found, in which I frequent a lot this year is called Atomic Learning. Atomic Learning is an online training resource that offers thousands of tutorials on current technology tools and programs that could be used within the classroom.  I’ve used this site over a dozen times already this year to help figure out how to use programs such as Prezi and notebook, as well as how to perform specific tasks using my Smart Board. Although I am not found of the time it takes to learn all these programs, I do it because I know it will benefit my students in the long run.  I know that by learning these tools I will be better able to “engage students with real world data, tools and experts they will encounter in college, on the job, and in life . . .” (P21, 2009). Simply learning about different technology tools/programs is not enough however, I must also figure out how I can use those tools to help facilitate my students learning.  Due to my limited experience, I rely heavily on research I conduct online.  In addition to research, which is primarily one sided (me looking for the data), I am not beginning to engage with my PLN more.  I am using technology tools such as blogging and twitter and expanding my Professional Network to include people whom of which I’ve never met before.  While this in itself doesn’t sound too impressive to most, it’s a big step for me.

In addition to the strategies I noted about, some other useful strategies I use to adapt to change include:

-Taking a step back and re-evaluating the situation

Being able to pause and reflect upon the success or failure of something is an act of critical thinking. 

-Be open to new ideas

Change is inevitable.  By being open to new ideas you are showing flexibility.

-Embrace your mistakes

We all make mistakes!  Once we accept that, it become possible to learn and make educated decisions on what we would do differently next time.

-Ask for help-collaborate

As much as I would like to say I know all the answers, I know that I don’t.  During change it’s important to be able to ask for help if needed.  It’s also important to communicate/collaborate with others. 

Resources that help with adapting to change:

-Knowing the 21st Century Frame work

       -Atomic Learning  

How do I support my students in adapting to change?

In this section, describe the manner in which you give your students practice and support which will assist them in working in an ever-changing environment. If you are not yet using these strategies, describe how you may begin to use them as you move forward helping students adjust to 21st Century Learning and the 21st Century Economy.

A few of the ways in which I help support my students in adapting to change are similar to how I deal with it.  More often than not, when students are learning about a new program or technology tool I always build in time for them to *play* with it first.  By providing students with this opportunity I am embracing their natural curiosities and allowing them a safe environment to experiment and test the tool out before we use it.  I found in the past that when I didn't allow for this *play* time before hand, more student were off task and those that did follow directions were less incline to take risks with a program in fear that they would get in trouble. Once I started building in time for exploration of the program before I taught it, I began noticing a larger percentage of students were on task.  I also discovered that students were more willing to take risks and get creative with their assignments. Students were beginning to have fun with not only the exploration of the tool, but the process in which they would go through in order to complete the assignment.  They were engaged and as a result begun to produce more quality work.

One area that I believe I could give my students practice and support in to help deal with change could be in the area of collaboration.  While I do have students work in groups and pairs in class, collaboration and communication with others outside of class is limited. I would like to somehow change this, but other than using blogs (we've tried before...it was an utter failure), I am at a loss of ideas...

References

21^st Century Schools

http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/what_is_21st_century_education.htm

      

Blair, N. (2012, January/February). Technology integration for the new 21^st century learner. Principal. Retrieved from http://www.naesp.org/sites/default/files/Blair_JF12.pdf

Burgess, D. (2012). Teach like a pirate. San Deigo, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

How do you define 21^st-century learning?. (2010, October 11). Education Week. 04(01), 32. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2010/10/12/01panel.h04.html

P21 Framework Definitions. (2009). Partnership for 21^st Century Skills. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf

Stevens, M. (2011, Summer). 21^st-century learner. NEA Today Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/46989.htm

      

Thomas, D., & Seely Brown, J. (2011). A new culture of learning cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change.

http://www.wikihow.com/Add-a-PowerPoint-to-Blogger

http://www.slideshare.net/mscofino/the-21st-century-learner

http://kareemshaker.com/general/how-to-create-a-business-motto/

http://www.tagxedo.com/app.html

Atomic Learning