Articel+Summaries

Instructional Planning Activity Types as Vehicles for Curriculum-Based TPACK Development
TPACK is the framework of the intersection of the three domains of learning. These three domains are Pedagogical Knowledge, Content Knowledge, and Technological Knowledge. By creating activities that overlap these areas we can help the students achieve a deeper understanding of the material being learned. These overlaps are what make up the TPACK framework. A well designed activity will be in the Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Technological Content Knowledge, Technological Pedagogical Knowledge, or by combining all three domains Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. There are many different activities and technological tools that will make it easier to create curriculum to fit into the TPACK framework.

Harris, Judi and Hofer, Mark (2009). Instructional Planning Activity Types as Vehicles for Curriculum-Based TPACK Development. Research Highlights in Technology and Teacher Education (2009, p.99-108) Content Area: Multidisciplinary Technologies Used: PowerPoint, Audacity, MovieMaker, Google Docs, Blackboard, Blog, Wiki

Students Speak Their Minds Through Digital Media
Marco Torres started an initiative at a San Fernando school to transform the classroom into a digital media studio. What Mr. Torres wanted to do was change the way his students were learning, and to projects for the students that were tangible and the students were able to show off. The work these students do involve a lot of collaboration and working closely with the other students to accomplish the tasks that make up the final project. The students used storyboards to build their project before work on the project ever began. While in this program, the students were able to learn many skills that they are able to carry with them when they have graduated.

Iacobucci, Leigh. (2002, July 1). Students Speak Their Minds Through Digital Media. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/san-fernando-education-technology-team Content Area: Multidisciplinary Technologies Used: PowerPoint, photography, videotaping, sound recording, video editing

Multimedia Serves Youths’ Desire to Express Themselves
A teacher from a poor school district in California founded the San Fernando Education Technology Team (SFETT). In this team students who had never shown much interest in school prior to joining the team were now using the tools learned in the program to improve their learning and understand in the other classes they were taking. One student who had never been more than an uncomfortable, silent observer in class was able to create a movie and share it with the world. That movie was viewed by millions of people. Millions of people this student never would have reached without gaining the technological tools in this program. The students were also taught other lessons as well in the program. One of the major focuses of the program was on the importance of planning and collaboration with classmates.

Multimedia Serves Youths’ Desire to Express Themselves. (7/1/2002). Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/students-find-their-voices-through-multimedia Content Area: Multidisciplinary Technologies Used: PowerPoint, photography, videotaping, sound recording, video editing

Finding their way with GIS
A group of teachers used geospatial information technologies to help their community with a hypothetical flooding and storm sewers scenario. Using hand-held GPS (global positioning systems) systems the students went around the community and located storm sewers and imported that information into Google Earth. The students were now able to visually see the location of the sewers and used a program called ArcExplorer to conduct a formal analysis to determine where storm sewers could be added in the community to protect against flooding in the area.

Bodzin, Alec M., Hammond, Thomas C., Carr, Jane, and Clario, Serena (2009). Finding Their Way with GIS. Learning and Leading with Technology (August 2009, p.34-35) Content Area: Geography Technologies Used: Google Earth, GPS (global positioning systems), GIS (graphic information systems), ArcExplorer

The Adventures of the 109’ers
While a class is studying the Arctic region, they were also able to connect with a documentary photo-journalist that was in the region. The students were then able to see with their own eyes what they were learning from the teacher and the text book. The students also had up-to-date information like climate and were able to apply it to their understanding of the region.

Randolph, Jane (2009). The Adventurer of the 109’ers. Learning and Leading with Technology (August 2009, p.26-27) Content Area: Multidisciplinary Technologies Used: blog, ULead, Excel

Science + Technology = Creativity (and Fun!)
Science has had a reputation of being very linear in its usage. Traditionally there is a set of instructions or protocols to implicitly follow that will allow you to investigate and solve problems. It is important for science teaches to get away from this linear approach to enable students to use technology available to be creative and demonstrate they have learned the material they have learned. Students are able to record themselves describing the physics of a roller-coaster, or creating a PowerPoint about waves.

Mader, Jared and Smith, Ben (2009). Science + Technology = Creativity (and Fun!). Learning and Leading with Technology (August 2009, p.30-31) Content Area: Science Technologies Used: microphone, digital camera, camcorder, probeware, PowerPoint

Alligators in the Sewer? Really?
How can Urban Legends affect students that do not speak English as their native language? That is what one English language learners (ELLs) class looked at. These teachers focused on media literacy with the students. There are more types of media in today’s world and with the Internet it is very easy for articles like the one about alligators living in the sewer to be passed around. The students were given the knowledge and tools necessary to take an article and break it down and analyze it to make an informed decision whether the article is fact or not.

Egbert, Joy (2009). Alligators in the Sewers? Really? Learning and Leading with Technology (May 2009, p.28-30) Content Area: ELLs (English language learners) Technologies Used: NetTrekker, Google Docs, Snopes,

DIY Space Exploration
NASA is offering a do-it-yourself podcast activity on its Education website. Using the website the students are able to create podcasts on a wide range of space-related topics. The NASA Education website has many different photo galleries and videos to be used in the students podcast.

Hardin, Kaya (2009). DIY Space Exploration. Learning and Leading with Technology (May 2009, p.31) Content Area: Science Technologies Used: camcorder, digital audio recorder, computer, RSS feed

Giving the Reluctant Student a Voice
How do you get students to participate in class discussions? In a face to face environment most students are not likely to participate in discussions on a topic. This could be because they are shy, unprepared, need more time to formulate their opinion, or afraid their comments will be scoffed at. Enter blogging. The teaching setup a blog for the students to discuss a topic that would normally be done in class ad discovered that the reluctant students that would normally not participate in the discussion were now making valuable contributions.

Redekopp, Reynold and Bourbonniere, Elizabeth (2009). Giving the Reluctant Student a Voice. Learning and Leading with Technology (May 2009, p.34-35) Content Area: English Technologies Used: Blog

Tech Integration in Social Studies
There are 42 activity types already identified for teachers in social studies on the Activity Types Wiki (http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net). A social studies teacher can view these activities and get ideas of how to incorporate learning activities into your curriculum. An example is given in the article of how a teacher can combine multiple activities to introduce the students to the Manifest Destiny and westward expansion. This teacher placed the students into the 1872 painting Manifest Destiny by John Gast and had the students talk about their historical roles portrayed in the painting. Then the students went on to view a virtual field trip by looking at images of people, landmarks, and discoveries from the original expedition.

Hofer, Mark and Harris, Judy (2009). Tech Integration in Social Studies. Learning and Leading with Technology (September/October 2009) Content Area: Social Studies Technologies Used: Images, PowerPoint, document camera, podcast

Teaching for Meaningful Learning: A Review of Research on Inquiry-Based and Cooperative Learning
In order to achieve meaningful learning teachers have to do more than simply transmit information that students memorize and store for later use. The world has changed, and many jobs now require specialized knowledge and skills instead of basic procedures and tasks. The best way to accomplish this is to incorporate project-based learning into the curriculum. Project-based learning involves the students completing a series of projects to show their understanding of the material instead of the “normal” tests. Students can now be given real life scenarios, or problems, and can demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter by using technology to solve the problem. Collaboration using groups to create the projects can be helpful for the students to learn to work with others in their learning. What makes project based learning successful in achieving meaningful learning is that the students take part of the assessment process either through peer review or by having the teacher assess the students project as the student progresses.

Barron, Brigid and Darling-Hammond, Linda (2008). Teaching for Meaningful Learning: A Review of Research on Inquiry-Based and Cooperative Learning. California: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley imprint. Content Area: Multidisciplinary Technologies Used: Computer, PowerPoint, blog, wiki, digital camera, YouTube

K-20 Educators Exploring Virtual Worlds – Panel
In this voicethread, a panel discusses the many educational resources available to teachers and students in the virtual world of Second Life. There are many areas, or “islands”, that can be visited to assist in the learning process that could not be seen in the real world. Students could act out a play in the world, where it is easier to get everyone lined up and in costume. This play could even be acted out at Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, something that normally could not be done. Everything that is built in Second Life is built using basic shapes. Now students in a Geometry class can actually see shapes, how they can be formed and interact with other shapes to learn a particular concept. Despite the wonderful uses of Second Life, it is important to remember there are several areas of the world that are not suitable for children so you will want to keep your students on the teen grid.

Jarrett, Kevin and Martinez, Sylvia. K-20 Educators Exploring Virtual Worlds – Panel. Retrieved from http://voicethread.com/#u181376.b8878.i69787 Content Area: Multidisciplinary Technologies Used: Second Life

Walk, Fly, or Teleport to Learning
MUVEs (Multiuser Virtual Environments) offer a great opportunity for creative teaching and learning. You have the ability to engage the students in content-rich explorations, and an environment to learn social, technical, and practical skills. The use of a MUVE, such as Second Life, can also allow international collaboration to take place that would never be able to happen in “the real world”. The students are able to “teleport” to areas in the virtual world and experience places, or research global issues that they never would have experienced before. Students are able to join several global initiatives to study issues like alternative energy. Then the students can feel empowered to make a real difference in the community they live in.

Yoder, Maureen B. (2009). Walk, Fly, or Teleport to Learning. Learning and Leading with Technology (September/October 2009, p.16-20) Content Area: Multidisciplinary Technologies Used: Second Life

iTunes University and the classroom: Can podcasts replace Professors?
Over the years, studies have shown that students that perform best are those students that attend class and take their own notes while attending a lecture. What do the students do if their notes are incomplete because they missed what was said during one part of the lecture, or even if the student missed a lecture all together? The answer is they would have to do without or rely on other students’ notes. Another solution could be used by podcasting with iTunesU. iTunesU is a free service provided to schools by Apple using their already existing iTunes application to store and serve podcasts to students. Now students can review and rewind the lecture in order to complete their notes. A group of professors at a liberal arts college in New York performed a study on their class by providing different material to two separate courses. In one course students only had access to the in class lecture and the PowerPoint used. In the other class the students had the same material as the first course, but also included podcasts on iTunesU. All of the students then took the same exam. The students in the first course without access to the podcasts scored an average of 62.47%, while the group with access to iTunesU scored an average of 71.24%. Podcasts are a great way to supplement a normal lecture because it gives the students the ability to review the lecture they have already attended.

McKinney, Dani, Dyck, Jennifer L. and Luber, Elise S. (2009). iTunes University and the classroom: Can podcasts replace Professors? Computers and Education (52, p.617-623) Content Area: Psychology Technologies Used: iTunes, ProfCast, PowerPoint, mp3 player

World Languages Learning Activity Types
The ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Standards for Foreign Language Learning states that communication in the target language is understood as a process that involves three modes: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. These modes are affected by different abilities: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and viewing. A teaching must give students activities that focus on each of these abilities in order for the student to reach a deep knowledge of the language being studied. Listening activities focus on the ability to comprehend and interpret a message. Speaking activities develop the students’ ability to communicate in the language. Writing activities demonstrate the ability of the student to communicate in the language through writing. Reading activities provide an avenue for the students to show grammatical, discursive, and strategic competences. While viewing activities allow the students to observe authentic interactions between native speakers.

van Olphen, M., Hoofer, M. and Harris J. (2009, February). World languages learning activity types. Retrieved from College of William and Mary, School of Education, Learning Activity Types Wiki: http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/file/view/WorldLanguagesLearningATs-Feb09.pdf Content Area: Foreign Language Technologies Used: Word processor, wiki, blog, YouTube

Educational Uses of Podcasting
Podcasting usage for means of education has been increasing over the years. Podcasting is the use of either audio or video recordings that can be downloaded to a desktop computer as well as the various mobile devices that are available to be used anytime, anywhere by the students. Podcasts can be used in many ways. They can be used to supplement current face-to-face instruction by providing a way for students to review what they learned in class. They can also be used as a great way to incorporate guest lecturers into a class. Podcasts can also be used to recruit future students to you school by providing publicly available material about the University.

Harris, Howard and Park, Sungmin (2008). Educational usages of podcasting. British Journal of Educational Tecnology (Vol 39 No 3 2008 p.548–551) Content Area: Multidisciplinary Technologies Used: Computer, mp3 device, RSS feed

Hooked on Classroom Blogging
With using a blog a teacher is able to teach her class about butterflies and another countries culture, from across the world. It was important for the teacher to come up with good challenging and thought provoking questions for the students. The students were able to keep up with the teacher and learn about butterflies and the Vietnamese culture from following her blog.

Peters, Rachel (2009). Hooked on Classroom Blogging. Learning and Leading with Technology (March/April 2009, p.26-28) Content Area: Multidisciplinary Technologies Used: Blog, Google Analytics

Tracking Collaboration
In the last few years collaboration for group work has changed tremendously. In the not so distant past, in order for students to work together on a project, the students would have to choose between staying after school, or by meeting up at the library or one of the group members house. Now with the invention of several online collaboration tools, the students can meet or post when it is convenient for them.

Mader, Jared and Smith, Ben (2009). Tracking Collaboration. Learning and Leading with Technology (September/October 2009, p.30-31) Content Area: Science Technologies Used: Google Docs, wiki, e-mail, chatting

Writing for Real Purpose
Using Nicenet a teacher setup a discussion board for their class to discuss two books they were reading: Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tiger Rising. The teacher posed questions for the students to answer, and also gave the students the ability to ask their own questions as they read the stories. The students became excited about their readings because of the ability to discuss it as they were reading.

Ikpeze, Chinwe H. (2009). Writing for Real Purpose. Learning and Leading with Technology (May 2009, p.36-37) Content Area: English Language Arts Technologies Used: Nicenet