In order to revise a lesson to incorporate more technology, I decided to upgrade a lesson that I have previously taught. I am getting ready to teach the novel, Lord of the Flies to my sophomores. As we read, we discuss various themes and one of the most prominent is leadership. Previously, I had the students conduct an activity called “Build-a-Boss.” They had to identify leadership traits in various categories and provide a rationale for their choices. They also had to provide a real world example of a person who embodied each trait. I never wrote the activity up in a formal lesson plan, but I have included the graphic organizer which the students completed in the Initial Lesson.

When we were challenged with the task of infusing more technology into a lesson, I thought the Build-A-Boss activity offered multiple opportunities for expansion. Even better, I will be able to use the new and improved lesson in the next few weeks.

Here is my revised lesson plan, retitled "Build-A-Leader."

I added technology in several areas. First, I decided to have the students do a bit of research on leadership qualities, so I incorporated a small research component into the lesson. In the past, I read an article or two with them, but having them do the research makes them more active learners and allows me to move into the role of facilitator. Students will work collaboratively in groups of 2-3 to complete a note taking graphic organizer as they conduct their research.

I wanted to add some creativity to the lesson, and I came up with the idea of having the students create an avatar of the ideal leader utilizing the traits which they have identified. We created our own avatars in a previous IT&DML class and I thought it was a lot of fun. I really looking forward to this part of the activity. I think the kids will be really engaged and more importantly, it will really make them think about the leadership traits they believe an effective leader should possess. Each group will collaborate to write a rationale explaining their avatar and they will share their creations with the class. Finally, we will discuss and write about leadership qualities as they relate to the characters in Lord of the Flies.

My support team of Monica Hayes and Christel Russman had some suggestions which really helped me develop my lesson. Monica suggested that in order to differentiate for accelerated students, I could have them make more in depth comparisons to real world examples. As I was reading Monica’s comment, I noticed that April 16, 2015 issue of  Time was about the 100 most influential people in 2015. I included a link to the site in my lesson plan and thought that would be a great way for kids to identify current leaders in various categories. Christel also had a great idea for a lesson extension which I included. She thought that it would be interesting to have kids look at the qualities of people and characters who are not leaders. We could look at followers and outcasts and analyze their traits and how they relate to others. My support team was also very encouraging of the lesson development as a whole, which makes me excited to give it a try.

My revised lesson reflects the categories of the SAMR model.

Substituting, as the image above indicates, involves adding technology without any functional change. By having students write their rationale on Google Docs instead of with pen and paper, I am in effect, substituting technology.  However, when students collaborate on the piece of writing, they are moving into the augmentation category when they use Google instead of traditional pen and paper. Google allows them to work simultaneously and to edit, revise and share each other’s work. The research component falls under the category of modification. Instead of having me provide the students with articles to read about leadership, they can search and find their own, giving them far greater ownership in the project. Finally, the use of various sites to create an avatar falls under redefinition. Students are synthesizing the information they found in their research and creating a unique symbol using multiple images provided on the avatar creation website.  Additionally, using a presentation site to share their avatars with the class allows students to be more engaged and to have a much better understanding of each others’ work.

Technology plays a key role in education today. I think that as teachers we need to look critically at where we can incorporate it to enrich the learning experience. We don’t need to “reinvent the wheel,” but by using some imagination we can make simple adaptations to lessons that we have already created to provide an additional dimension to student learning.

Citations

"Physical Appearance Key to Management Success: Study."Www.canada.com. Postmedia Network, Inc., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.

"Political Performance Indicator." Political Performance Indicator. Humanetrics.com, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.

"The 100 Most Influential People." Time 16 Apr. 2016: n. pag. Time, 16 Apr. 2015. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.

"Top 10 Qualities That Make A Great Leader." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 19 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.

Image Credit - Leadership

Image credit - SAMR

The definition and purpose of Assistive Technology has certainly changed over the years. As we reflect on this evolution, how has the change in definition impacted how Assistive Technologies are perceived and used in the classroom? To what might we 'truly' attribute this evolution?

The use of technology in general has skyrocketed over the last few decades and along with it the use of assistive technology has grown. After reading Beard (chapter 1) and Bryant (chapter 1), it is clear that the evolution of assistive technology (AT) has been spurred on by the passing of legislation mandating the incorporation of AT into education. As the Bryant article notes, “The most profound changes in AT have occurred as a result of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and its subsequent reauthorizations” (Bryant p. 4). The initial law in 1975 mandated access to schools for individuals with disabilities. In 1990, the law broadened to require access to classrooms. In 1997, the law became access to the general education curriculum, and in 2004 access to instructional materials was mandated (Bryant p. 4).

Both Beard and Bryant define AT similarly as “an item or piece of equipment or product system acquired commercially, off the shelf, modified, customized, and used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capability for an individual with disabilities” (Beard p. 4). Beard also points out that AT can also be beneficial for ELL students, at risk students, and gifted students. However, in a training package prepared by IBM in 1991, the importance of AT for individuals with disabilities is stressed. IBM stated, “For people without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For people with disabilities, technology makes things possible” (Bryant p. 1).

Beard identifies levels of AT and states, “Technology does not have to be sophisticated and expensive to be effective” (p. 11). He identifies levels of AT on a continuum from no tech, where the student does not need or is not ready for a device, to light tech, which can be as simple as pencil grips, enlarged print or special paper (p.10). At the far end of the spectrum are high tech devices such as computer or voice activated devices. Bryant also distinguishes between assistive technology devices and services. Services are equally as important as devices. Students need to be evaluated; AT devices need to be carefully selected and purchased. Additionally, training of students, families and professionals must be conducted (p. 8-9). Finally, both authors agree that securing funding for AT should be a joint proposition between school districts, families, government agencies and other organizations. While school districts are required to fund AT that is listed in a student’s IEP, often other sources of funding may be available.

When I was reading about the various levels of AT, I was reminded of one of my students who graduated last year. I had Lily as a student in my sixth grade language arts class and again in a senior English class. (I had switched from middle school to high school.) Lily was blind and also had mobility issues. Her access to and use of technology changed over time. In sixth grade she was struggling to learn to read and write Braille. Her Braille typewriter fell on the higher tech end of the AT continuum but caused her a great deal of frustration. One of the best “no tech” adaptations we made was part of a group project. The kids were recreating scenes from the book, Where the Red Fern Grows. The kids in Lily’s group decided that their scene re-creation would be textured and 3-D. They brought in sticks, moss, grass and assorted other materials. Lily was totally involved and the project was a successful learning experience for everyone.  

In preparation for Lily’s senior year, I submitted a list of the books we would be reading to Lily’s case manager. She ordered all the books from a library for the blind. (They were all free - which is a good example of collaborative funding.) However, as the year progressed, Lily found it far more efficient to listen to audio versions of the books which were widely available. She still wrote in Braille and a paraprofessional transcribed her work. (I’m surprised she didn’t have a voice activated computer device, which if I had taken this class then I would have investigated!) By senior year, the focus was on what worked for Lily. Lily became an advocate for her own learning. After graduation, she continued to work on life skills through the school system and The Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind. At her final PPT there was a long list of attendees representing the various therapists and organizations who had been instrumental in coordinating her education. The assistive technology and services Lily received made her education possible. However, it is Lily who deserves the most credit. She never complains and never gives up. Lily is a true success story, and as a result, she is an inspiration to everyone who knows her.

While I don’t have a lot of experience with assistive technology, I see the possibilities. There are a lot of Lily’s out there who can accomplish great things. I am eager to learn more because the benefits are enormous.

Citations

Beard, L. A., Carpenter, L. B., & Johnston, L. B. (2011). Assistive technology: Access for all students (2nd/3rd ed.). Toronto: Pearson Education.

Bryant, D. P., & Bryant, B. R. (2012)/ Assistive technology for people with disabilities (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River. Pearson Education.

Effective Teaching Strategies / ED 7726 / Week 1

Summarize your learning, recommend a strategy to your readers, make suggestions to educators on aligning technology with standards, explain the importance of this alignment, describe how Marzano/Hattie fit with CCSS, etc. In other words, your blog should be informative, not simply reflective.

    The instructional strategies described by Marzano and Hattie align well with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). As an English teacher, I am responsible for the Literacy Standards which include reading (literature and informational text), writing, speaking and listening, and language. Without getting into the specifics of each standard, the standards focus on depth of knowledge rather than breadth. Learning should be challenging and meaningful. Students need to focus on developing the creative thinking and problem solving skills necessary to be productive in our rapidly changing 21st century.

The high school English curriculum at my school includes all the literacy standards, but this year we are focusing on close reading. Most of the Marzano’s strategies can be used to improve close reading skills. I highly recommend the use of nonlinguistic representations.

     As I described in the Group Grid, I have had students use geometric shapes to represent characters in a novel. Students have to choose a shape for each character. We discuss whether the shape should be rounded or have lots of angles, depending on the personality traits of the characters. They have to choose a color for each shape which leads to a discussion of the symbolism inherent in various colors. Students also have to decide on the size of the shape and the placement on the page. This leads to discussions of the interrelationships between characters. Questions arise such as “Who has power?” and  “How do characters feel about each other?” Finally, students can connect (or disconnect) the characters in some way. The activity may be done with or without technology. If the technology is available, Google Drawing would work very well. In addition to having students think deeply about the characters, they would have to figure out how to use the features on Google Draw to create the representation. The same activity may also be done with paper and colored pencils. The thinking processes would be the same as students decide how to represent the characters. Technology may enhance the activity and provide an additional dimension of learning, but is not essential to the main objective.

Nonlinguistic representations can be used in other ways. Creating representations does not need to be limited to shapes. Characterization is a big part of our English curriculum, and I have had students create nonlinguistic representations of characters using random arts and crafts supplies. The creativity can be astounding. For example, students have created sandwiches with multiple layers, balls and chains, and watermelon to symbolize various characters. The explanations are very creative!

What could a sandwich, a ball and chain, and slice of watermelon possibly have to do with Catcher in the Rye or Looking for Alaska?

Again, character symbols could also be created using technology. Padlet  and Thinklink are great collaboration tools. Kids could upload a picture onto a group document which could then be shared with the class. The benefit would be that everyone in the class could contribute to one document which could facilitate a lively discussion.

Vocabulary instruction is another area which lends itself to the use of nonlinguistic representations. Kids can create symbols to demonstrate the definition of vocabulary words. Displaying the words and pictures on a word wall serves to reinforce vocabulary instruction. Again, technology is not essential to conduct the activity, but can be helpful. Collaboration tools would make this an excellent class activity. In addition, the website Kahoot, is an excellent way to reinforce the definitions with kids. It’s a quiz website. Teachers can create a quiz, display it on the SmartBoard, and students press answers on their cellphones or laptops. Scores are based on accuracy and speed. Kids love it.

John Hattie stresses several points which I consider important for effective instruction. One is the need for feedback. Students need constructive feedback in order to improve. Technology provides an excellent way to give students the feedback they need. On the group grid, Monica Hayes discusses the use of Google Docs as a way to provide “live” commentary to kids as they are working on a project. Using technology to provide feedback during the writing process is a very efficient way to improve kids’ writing.

Another point which Hattie discusses is the importance of the mindset of the teacher. Not only do teachers need to evaluate their students, but they need to evaluate their own teaching. When students aren’t understanding something, teachers need to figure out a different way to present it. Teachers need a “toolbox” of strategies and they need to be prepared to switch gears when things aren’t clicking.

Technology plays a big role in a teacher’s toolbox, but it’s not the only tool in there. As Marzano says, “Technology tools must be chosen strategically when they add value to learning.” Technology aligns well with all of the Common Core Standards. However, it’s up to the teacher to decide when and how to use it. Many of the objectives described in the standards can be achieved without technology as I indicated above. However, technology adds another dimension. Students are going to be expected to be more than proficient in technology in college and in many careers. It’s important that they become comfortable navigating different platforms and mediums. Technology also has the advantage of increasing student engagement in many cases. It fosters collaboration and frequently requires problem solving skills. (Technology doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to!) A teacher’s mindset needs to be open and flexible. Just as Marzano reminds us that we don’t need to use every strategy for effective instruction every day, we don’t need to use technology for every lesson. However, it’s definitely an extremely important “tool in the toolbox.”

References from the week’s readings:

John Hattie, Visible Learning, Pt. 2, Effective Methods

Marzano's Nine Strategies for Effective Instruction

Technology in Schools: Future Changes in Classrooms