Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Maryland Teacher Technology Standards

Maryland Teacher Technology Standards
Seven Standards and Outcomes                                                        
I.                   Information Access, Evaluation, Processing and Application
a.       Access, evaluate, process and apply information efficiently and effectively
                                                        i.            Identify, locate, retrieve and differentiate among a variety of electronic sources of information using technology.
a.       Use numerous electronic databases and resources to gain information
                                                      ii.            Evaluate information critically and competently for a specific purpose.
a.       Make sure all information found is credible and relevant to the lesson
                                                    iii.            Organize, categorize and store information for efficient retrieval.
a.       Use a digital storage site such as Dropbox to store all information on there so that it’s accessible everywhere. Specific folders can be made for each topic or lesson for the appropriate class.
                                                    iv.            Apply information accurately in order to solve a problem or answer a question.
a.       Using information effectively and accurately with cited sources allows students to see how they can in turn do the same.
II.                Communication
a.       Use technology effectively and appropriately to interact electronically.
                                                              i.      Use telecommunications to collaborate with peers, parents, colleagues, administrators and/or experts in the field
1.      Having all e-mails in an address book, phone numbers, and even using social media to communicate when deemed appropriate
b.      Use technology to communication information in a variety of formats
                                                              i.      Select appropriate technologies for a particular communication goal
1.      Use blackboard to communicate or another form of media such as Edmodo to collaborate with students and parents on projects and assignments
                                                            ii.      Use productivity tools to publish information
1.      Different sites can be used such as prezi, voicethread, etc
                                                          iii.      Use multiple digital sources to communicate information online
1.      Google Hangout sessions can be coordinated with groups or other means of online video sessions such as Skype or virtual meetings.
III.             Legal, Social and Ethical Issues
a.       Demonstrate an understanding of the legal, social and ethical issues related to the technology use
                                                              i.      Identify ethical and legal issues using technology
1.      Ensure that students are aware of the proper ways to cite websites or online articles
                                                            ii.      Analyze issues related to the uses of technology in education settings
1.      Make it clear that students are to be using technology for informational and not recreational use
                                                          iii.      Establish classroom policies and procedures that ensure compliance with copyright law, Fair Use guidelines, security, privacy and student online protection
1.      Implement proper tactics to ensure that firewalls are set up on computers and that students understand the importance of not sharing any of their personal information online.
                                                          iv.      Use classroom procedures to manage an equitable, safe and healthy environment for students
1.      Implement time limits for internet research or set aside class periods dedicated to it
IV.             Assessment for Administration and Instruction
a.       Use technology to analyze problems and develop data-driven solutions for instructional and school improvement
                                                              i.      Research and analyze data related to student and school performance
1.      Use report card data to determine what areas students are not performing in and consult with other teachers to determine if any plans are in place to help students
                                                            ii.      Apply findings and solutions to establish instructional and school improvement goals
1.      Team up with teachers and staff to address the issues students are having and develop plans to help improve grades and the learning experience
                                                          iii.      Use appropriate technology to share results and solutions with others, such as parents and the larger community
1.      Develop an online forum for parents and teachers alike to be able to communicate with each other
V.                Integrating Technology into the Curriculum and Instruction
a.       Design, implement and assess learning experiences that incorporate use of technology in a curriculum-related instructional activity to support understanding, inquiry, problem solving, communication and/or collaboration
                                                              i.      Assess students’ learning/instructional needs to identify the appropriate technology for instruction
1.      Provide the students with an interest survey to find out their preference for use of technology in the classroom
                                                            ii.      Evaluate technology materials and media to determine their most appropriate instructional use
1.      Determine what technology works for each lesson and topic. The internet has many interactive sites for different topics that can be implemented.
                                                          iii.      Select and apply research-based practices for integrating technology into instruction
1.      Research to see what kinds of practices are shown to work effectively in the classroom and apply them to my class
                                                          iv.      Use appropriate instructional strategies for integrating technology into instruction
1.      Make sure to not overwhelm the student with too much information on the sites or not give them too much leeway
                                                            v.      Select and use appropriate technology to support content-specific student learning outcomes
1.      Outline the outcomes before deciding on what technology I want to use for each lesson
                                                          vi.      Develop an appropriate assessment for measuring student outcomes through the use of technology
1.      Provide students with a short assessment to see how they peruse the internet and how efficient they are with finding information
                                                        vii.      Manage a technology-enhanced environment to maximize student learning
1.      Use technology when appropriate, do not solely rely on it
VI.             Assistive Technology
a.       Understand human, equity and developmental issues surrounding the use of assistive technology to enhance student learning performance and apply that understanding to practice
                                                              i.      Identify and analyze assistive technology resources that accommodate individual student learning needs
1.      Find helpful tools for those that are not as familiar with technology, for ELL’s, and for those that may not have internet access at home so they are not as much of an expert as their peers might be
                                                            ii.      Apply assistive technology to the instructional process and evaluate its impact on learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics and abilities
1.      Monitor how each group of students are able to navigate through projects or assignments that require different forms of technology
VII.          Professional Growth
a.       Develop professional practices that support continual learning and professional growth in technology
                                                              i.      Create a professional development plan that includes resources to support the use of technology in lifelong learning
1.      Observe students to see how they do with technology and from there see if you can take them further within their abilities
2.      Attend conferences that specialize in technology in classrooms
                                                            ii.      Use resources of professional organizations and groups that support the integration of technology into instruction
1.      Research how other schools or institution are able to use technology in their environment to apply their tools to your classroom
                                                          iii.      Continually evaluate and reflect on professional practices and emerging technologies to support student learning
1.      Save every lesson for future editing and use
2.      Be able to manipulate lessons for students
                                                          iv.      Identify local, state and national standards and use them to improve teaching and learning
1.      Using the Common Core State Standards ensure that I am hitting on all the points my students need in order to develop a better use of technology in the classroom


Saturday, April 18, 2015

The Atomic Bomb Webquest

In conjunction with the book we chose for our book club discussion I decided to do my webquest on The Atomic Bomb.

Here's the link to my google doc. It includes the teachers' guide and answers at the end.

The Atomic Bomb


Some of the challenges I encountered while making this webquest was making sure I was not focusing too much on the historical or even ethical qualms that surround this event. I wanted to focus on the science aspect and revelations that occurred during this time period. With that in mind I know that my audience is high school students so I wanted to make sure I did not choose sites or ask questions that would go above their level. I feel that the sites I chose are easy to navigate and offered different media for students as well. There are videos, images, diagrams, and various graphics to explain the science. 

Some challenges that my students could encounter while completing this webquest would involve trying to understand nuclear fission and its complexity. From this webquest I would want my students to just become familiar with nuclear fission. I would want them to focus more on the idea of isotopes and how they play a part in nuclear energy. Hopefully they would find this topic as engaging as I do!