Week 6 Assignment #3

My class Code: pd6kz6

Screen Shot

Five functions: 

Notes: A note is a posted message which every user in the class can see

Assignment: You can create an assignment, give it a title, a due date and a description it also can add it to the gradebook

Quiz: Create and post a quiz for the students

Poll: i especially like this feature, it lets students give feedback via a poll, or you can use it to decide on activities 

Library: This is where all your files are, you can create documents, assignments etc..

Edmodo is a powerful interactive and social tool which has a rich number of very useful features to engage students. Students can post questions, they can interact, they can do quizzes all in one place and while becoming more adept with new literacies and technologies. It also is a very productive way for teachers to keep track of their students and their progress. Keeping things neatly and organized in an easy to use manner to help inform the teachers on what they need to do to help their students. The application brings literacy to life! making it more accessible and easy to use for all students.

Week 6 Assignment #2

Reader Response:

Middle School Science Teachers’ Confidence and Pedagogical Practice of New Literacies:

I found the article fascinating, yet I wonder if the study were re-done today if it would be the same as in the original article 7 years ago. I went to middle school 30 years ago, before all the new technologies , so I am thrilled to see the push to inculcate new literacies and technologies into our main curriculum. The authors are correct in being critical of the lack of access students have to the new technologies in order to take advantage of them. It is a natural next step in our educational evolution. It is inevitable. 


Using Social Networking Sites to Enhance Teaching and Learning in the Science Classroom 

Social learning theories are as old as, well, Lev Vygotsky and his ZPD theory. Technology allows social interactions and in addition tear down conventional social barriers, shyness, timid, introvert by nature etc.... Though this is not what the article brings to light much, it does however talk a lot about the ease of collaboration! Google Docs, Emodo, and such tools are fantastic ways to collaborate and use social networking sites to help students further their education and understanding! 

Week 5 Assignment 2

Philosophy of using games and game design in the classrooms!


Teachers Perspective:

There is a ton in the literature about developing critical thinking at a young age. Designing a game is a great way to help students problem solve, and think critically. Game design lends itself to creating hands on lessons which crosses many different subjects, math, science, literacy etc...

Students Perspective:
Designing a game can be exhilarating. Each time a student creates something they can call their own, it is very rewarding. Especially when they can use their imagination and think outside the box and in their own comfort zone. Maybe they like music so it will be a music game, or math etc...

Week 4 assignment #3

https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cqnrVQ0fDS

Week 4 Asssignment #2

Grade level: 5

Common cores standards: 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.5.4
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.5.4.A
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.5.3.A
Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.2
Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

learning outcomes: Students will follow on-screen and oral instruction to complete the first level. 

Instructional activities (How does this game help develop language acquisition and development, both oral and written?)

Students will try to pass the first level of the game This game requires understanding instruction and following it in order to complete the stage. It also requires context understanding and ramifications of each move the student makes.

Assessment: If the student can complete level 1

Debriefing: This game requires scaffolding via playing the game. The teacher would play the game and introduce the rules, and strategy 

What cognitive skills does this game cultivate? This game is heavy on cognitive skills, players must be able to follow instruction, and make skilled moves. Players must be able to predict what rides people will go on, and fully understand repercussions of every action. And most significantly problem solving. 

What new literacies does this game cultivate: The new literacies this game cultivates is scenario based problem solving. It is almost like live action Chess but through new literacies, 

Week 4 Assignment #1

1. What gaming elements provide users the learning content and how? (Refer to the journal article page 4).

I chose Roller Coaster Tycoon 3

• Text:  Players have to read the text of each level
• Visual-graphic elements: The visual elements were from "God" perspective building theme parks 
• Audio elements: Players had to listen to audio cues for the mission  

2. What is the goal of the game? To build an awesome theme park

3. What are rules of playing this game? Each level has different objectives, but overall it is to build an awesome theme park.

4. Does this game have any scenario design? (Refer to the journal article page 5.) If yes, is this a fabricated or embedded in curriculum-related content?

Yes, Fabricated design - while it has a ton of strategy, and cause-and-effect it is not curriculum related

Week 3 Assignment 2

• Which ideas from the PPT reflect what the ELA teachers you interviewed are currently doing to integrate technology with their literacy instruction?
• "The ability to use digital technologies to identify questions, locate information evaluate the information, synthesize information to answer questions and communicate the answers back to others" - Using the new literacys and the internet to do research and gain insight!
• How can you help change their instructional practices to include the use of technology and the Internet in their literacy and content-area curriculum?
• I would push for more widespread use. I would encourage adopting collaborative and interactive tools such as SMILE. To use the technology and new literacys to help close the gaps of communication.
• What professional development and/or resources will they need in order to make these changes?
• It will be challenging with the administration. All change is challenging, but teachers want to do what is best for students!
• What ideas do you have for grouping students so they will have equal access to technology in the classroom?
• You want to pair students so that they will collaborate nicely together, they should mesh inter personally and also help each other out.

Week 3 Assignment 1

As teachers our primary goal is to prepare our students to succeed as adults. In the 21st century that includes understanding the New Literacy of the internet. Email, Web Page, Browser, Twitter, LinkedIN and the like, were meaningless words 25 years ago, but in today's world, not only do they carry meaning, they are crucial for success! Our students must understand the technologies and how to use them. Students need to know what they mean and how they can be applied! Technology and new literacys are advancing at break-neck speeds and we must keep up and educate our students so that when they leave our classrooms they have the tools and understandings they need to succeed.

Week 2 Assignment #2

Common Core:

Pre- Common Core standards varied state to state, which meant that a student from California was going to have a very different education than someone from Arkansas. That is an issue when trying to go to college, how is a college going to discern the educations and determine who should know what. It was a mess. This became even more complicated with the new No Student Left Behind act which required states to develop standards, so some states made really easy tests and low bar standards. We needed a singular "common" standard to level all the different stats - and Common Core was born!

Week 2 Assignment #4

Understanding how technology is used to support ELA instruction

For this exercise I interviewed a Pre-K teacher, Miri.

Me: Miri, hi, thank you for taking the time to sit with me, can you tell me a little about how you integrate technology into your classroom to facilitate learning, specifically as it pertains to ELA instruction?

Miri: Sure, not a problem, for literary instruction, I like to use interactive technology, especially when it comes to students who are falling behind. My classroom is limited, in terms of access to computers, but we have an iPad and there are a number of websites and apps which have interactive games students can use to sharpen their skills.

Me: Can you name some of those sites?

Miri: theres word game time, education.com and an app Noodle words, to name some of what I use.

Me; Thank you Miri for your time!

Week 2 Assignment # 3

1. Reading
• Aside from the obvious, reading, a core aspect of reading is comprehension, the capability of understanding the text. Understanding text can have many levels, and the more a student can make connections between ideas and other texts as well as point out inconsistencies, ambiguities and potentially other issues, the farther along the student has progressed.
2. Writing
• Writing has many complexities. A student must plan the layout, apply revisions, or adjustments and critiques. There is also an understanding of how to apply citations, quotes etc..
3. Speaking and Listening
• A student must learn to communicate. Communication includes listening, understanding, expressing oneself and then integrating that information.
4. Language
• There very well may be more exceptions than rules in the English language! A student has to have an understanding of appropriate vocabulary and domain-specific words and phrases (a cookie to one person may mean a yummy treat, however to a computer engineer it may mean an electronic trace)