Curriculum Integration – Page 5

What Is Effective Technology Integration?

I developed the following activity for one of the educational technology courses I teach. We talk about the below scenarios and questions during the beginning of the semester. I would appreciate hearing your answers to the questions and I’m sure the teachers in the class would find it helpful.

Consider the following scenarios.

A. A teacher keeps attendance and grade records on the computer.

B. Students use concept mapping software to help them organize information for a research paper.

C. A first grade class practices math facts while playing Number Munchers in the computer lab.

D. Students use the classroom computers to check their email and read the news at ESPN.com during their free time.

E. The teacher includes video clips of scientific principles in the real world that can not be easily replicated in the classroom during the lesson.

F. Groups of students work together to produce a podcast (audio) or vidcast (video) in which they critically analyze the events that led to the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

G. The teacher types and prints worksheets for students to complete for homework.

H. Pairs of students develop interactive games related to the Middle Ages using PowerPoint.

Please share your thoughts about these questions.

1. Which of these scenarios are examples of integrating technology with learning and instruction? Provide rationale for your responses.

2. What are some of the characteristics of effective technology integration in educational settings?

Connecting the Classroom and Outside World

Educators, what are some strategies for connecting the classroom with the outside world?

NOTE: I’d like to share responses in my keynote at the iConnect iLearn Conference and on my blog and wiki. You can submit your ideas using the form below, share your text/audio/video reply in the Comments section of this post or respond to the corresponding Twitter and Plurk discussions. You can also view the compiled database of suggested strategies on my wiki, Learning Telecollaboratively.

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Educational Technology Certificate

You can earn a certificate in educational technology with our 4 online courses. Visit http://idt.memphis.edu/certificate for full details and assistance.

Teaching and Learning with Web 2.0

I’m teaching a special topics seminar this summer for graduate students (3 hours graduate credit). The topic will be Teaching and Learning with Web 2.0 Technologies. While we’ll consider common trends and issues and survey many of the popular tools and services related to Web 2.0, the heart of the course will be learning to effectively integrate Web 2.0 technologies and principles with teaching and learning. The focus will be on K-12 education but accommodations can be made for individuals from other fields (health, corporate, military, higher education, etc.).

I’m very excited about this class. I taught the course in Summer 2008 and we learned a lot and had a blast! You can view the ebook (authored by the graduate students) and other course materials that emerged from the 2008 Teaching and Learning with Web 2.0 class to get an idea of what this class will be like.

In keeping with the principles of Web 2.0 I encourage the participation of everyone with an interest or expertise in this topic. You may contribute to the discussion and fun by using the following tag/keyword: idt7078. Be on the lookout for ways (Ustream, Skype, Twitter, Plurk, etc.) to informally participate with us. I would certainly consider making it possible for those wishing to enroll in the course and participate from a distance, too.

Knocking Down the Walls of the Classroom

Using Web 2.0 Tools to Create a Global Classroom Experience
Kristy Conger and Clif Mims
Instructional Technology Conference

The term Web 2.0 is certainly a popular buzzword. Other than hype, what do Web 2.0 tools really have to offer? Is it possible for educators to effectively use these tools to engage learners? Kristy will share specific tools and strategies we’ve found successful in hopes that these will help you begin implementing Web 2.0 technologies in your courses.

Presentation notes and resources

The Ustream will go live at 11:00 AM CST. Join us!

It’s about Learning and Not about Technology

Here’s a bit of news from the 2009 Gulf Educational Supplies & Solutions (GESS) Exhibition in Dubai, UAE. Discussions have highlighted the availability of technology and high-speed Internet access in schools around the world, the technology-rich environments in which many students live, and the revolutionary ways in which students and teachers can interact.

David Fairbairn-Day, Head of Education Market Development at Promethean Limited, states, “The challenge therefore is to embrace the new technologies into the learning environment and to realize that it isn’t what you know – it’s knowing where to find the information you need that counts.” He goes on to ask, “Doesn’t it make more sense to learn to use technology in order to aid the teaching process…as opposed to what I have seen so often in some countries where they are too busy learning the technology simply in its own right. At all times, teachers should surely concentrate on the fundamental question of how technology can enhance learning.” David shares that “whenever I talk to teachers and ministry officials involved in the purchase of classroom technology, I always say to them: invest 70 per cent of your budget on the technology, but lay aside at least 30 per cent of your resources for training and teacher support” (Source).

Read the full article.

New Diigo Group

I’m a big, big fan of Diigo. I appreciate that I can save and share bookmarks, highlight and leave comments on webpages, annotate resources, host and participate in groups and forums on particular topics, message and interact with friends and colleagues, and much more. It’s a very big component of my personal learning network (PLN). I’m also impressed and pleased that the Diigo founders and employees listened to its community of teacher-users and developed Diigo for Educators (More fondly referred to as EduDiigo). Here are some thoughts about about why teachers and learners might use Diigo.

I started a new group dedicated to the topic of design and development. I invite everyone with an interest/expertise in the topic to become an active member.

FYI, consider joining these other groups that started, too.

I encourage everyone to take a look at Diigo’s services and consider taking advantage of it. Please feel free to friend me because, as I frequently say, “Together we learn more.”

Free Inspiration Webcast

(NOTE: I received this announcement via email from Inspiration.)

Webcast: Using Visual Learning Techniques to Improve Academic Performance with Inspiration®
Date: Thursday, January 29th, 2009
Time: 12:00-12:45 p.m. Pacific Time, 3:00-3:45 p.m. Eastern Time
Register for this event today!

Inspiration® helps students develop ideas, analyze concepts and improve organizational skills. Join us on January 29th to explore templates and examples that will help your students improve academic performance in Science, Language Arts and Social Studies. Cathy Cuff, our Education Development Manager for Science, will host a complimentary 45-minute webcast demonstrating how you can use Inspiration 8 to:

Expand on ideas to create well-supported thinking and conclusions
Build knowledge by increasing comprehension of new concepts
Increase organizational skills by connecting ideas into a logical hierarchy

Join us for this professional development webcast!

If you are unable to join us, don’t worry – the webcast will be archived and available to you shortly after the event concludes.

View our archived webcasts!

Get the Weather in Google Calendar

“A recent Google update to their online Calendar application provides host of cool functions but many of you might have missed a cool tool that lets you insert relevant weather information into your calendar automatically making super useful if you want to plan events with the weather in mind.” (Source)

Educational Uses
What are some of the ways that this could be useful in the classroom?

The Crisis in Darfur: A Mini-Lesson

(Repost from 08/21/2007)

I challenge you to complete this mini-lesson and consider the questions below.

Lesson

Watch the video below about the crisis in Darfur. (A free download of this video is avaiable here.)

Play Darfur Is Dying, a quick mini-game that simulates aspects of daily living in this region.

Discussion

What is your reaction to this information and simulated experience?
What, if anything, did you learn from this lesson?
How might this activity be integrated with teaching and learning