Achievement Gap

Journal 10

Making History

Esther Shein

This article discusses the importance and success of using computer based learning programs and tools to further the education past just the average textbook. The first example was a ninth grade history teacher having her students research different events during WWII and creating a podcast like a news broadcast as if they were there. The students very much enjoyed the project and learned more about certain events that textbooks did not cover in any great detail. The second example of computer based learning comes from the same teacher being assigned a business class. Her first attempt at the class incorporated a paper based team project that had little success. Nor she or her students liked the project so she began searching elsewhere. She discovered a computer program that had the same interactions and tutorials that the students needed to learn. The computer program was engaging, fun and successful in the students' learning. The idea of using computer and software based programs is to gain students involvement in groups and individual to further the learning curve past the basic textbooks and paper and pencil.

What can I do to use a computer or software based project rather than a paper and pencil assignment?

With a special education classroom, I can certainly use programs that would help my students understand processes like weather or life cycles. Having something interactive that required the input of the students would be helpful to their learning. My students may not be able at the younger ages to create a podcast or work on business transaction, but their are many more ways for my students to be on a computer rather than looking at worksheets.

Is there a way to create a podcast as a class with teacher involvement?

If I have an older elementary classroom, it may be possible to help the students film interviews of each other and then as a class, decide on what effects to put into the final project. The finished project could then be shown to parents at back to school night.

Shein, E (2008). Making history. Retrieved January 7, 2009, from The Journal Web site: http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23394_5

Journal 9

Avoiding the 5 Most Common Mistakes in Using Blogs with Students

Ruth Reynard

This article discusses the five most common mistakes teachers make when trying to incorporate blogging into their curriculum. The first mistake is ineffective contextualization. This refers to students rejecting the tool because they are frustrated with what the purpose is or why they are being made to use it. Teachers need to spend a great deal of time finding the right way to explain what the blog is and why they will be using it. Bogs tend to work best for students' personal reflections on their work. However there needs to be enough work done before students have anything to comment on. The second mistake is unclear learning outcomes. Students should use the blogs to further their learning and to do that, student's should use the blogs to communicate an analysis of a topic, a synthesis, new ideas in a certain subject and/or how to apply what they have just learned. The third mistake is misuse of the environment. Here the mistake is thinking that blogs can be used for discussions. Blogs are individual and personal dialogs that only go one way. Comments can be left but they do not affect the original post. The fourth mistake is illusive grading policies. This is where student's need to fully understand how their blogs will be graded. If student's do not understand why they are getting the grade they got, they will become frustrated and possible stop trying. Clear rubrics made available to students on what the teacher is looking for will create a better learning environment and further their expanding. The last mistake to avoid is inadequate time allocation. This basically means that students learn different and some pick up on technologies quicker than others. Make sure to give the time to every student to learn the tool so that they can participate in the assignments.

How can I use a blog?

I don't know how much I will be able to incorporate a blog into my classroom because of it being special education. If I teach a high functioning class, I may be able to use the blog as a means of using the computer in general. I would use the blog as a place for my students to practice typing and express their creativity through whatever their imagination comes up with.

How would I grade a blog for special education?

As far as grading it would be very simple, basically if they finish their short story or assignment, they get the points. I do not want to get into too many categories of grading or limit their work. Because this may be such a concept to grasp, it will be an in class assignment so that I can be there to help my students with their questions.

Reynard, R (2008). Avoiding the 5 most common mistakes in using blogs with students. Retrieved January 7, 2009, from The Journal Web site: http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23434

Journal 8

A '"Fantastic Super" Use of Technology: Closing the Digital Divide
Diane Curtis

At Mary Scroggs Elementary School, in North Carolina, teachers, students and families are very integrated in using technologies to keep up with quick communication, updates on students' progress and keeping the parents in the loop with daily or weekly newsletters. Every teacher at the school has their own web page where much information is shared between teachers and parents. Students collaborate with teachers to write a summary of what they did during school that day. Parents can already know what took place instead of playing twenty questions after school. This encourages more productive communication about the child's experience and learning at school. Parents are highly encouraged to email teachers any questions or concerns in order to keep the communication open. Teachers at this school are actually treated as professionals and practice certain practices like paring younger teachers with more experienced teachers so the learning curve is greater. The school is designed around being more technologically advanced. Teachers have offices and a personal phone at their expense. However, teachers make great use of their assets by allowing students to use the phone to call various businesses for different class projects. The school receives a major grant from BellSouth and in return the school keeps their obligation to integrate technology in the classrooms and curriculum. For parents who do not have computers, BellSouth provides them with a system that allows them access to the Internet so they can stay up to date with the newsletters and websites.

Even though I most likely will not be working at a school like this, what ideas can I take from the school and use myself?

I can certainly use the newsletters on a weekly basis, maybe even twice a week. I think the newsletters are a great way to keep all parents informed about what is happening in the classroom. working with special education students can sometimes present a situation where the child cannot tell their parents what happened and therefore a consistent form of communication to the parents would be great.

How can I overcome the issue of not all families having access to a computer for email?

In the newsletters I can provide the school number to my classroom or even a personal phone number so that parents who can not email me can call me for any questions. Or I can encourage parents to come in before or after school to talk in person with me about their child's progress or what is going on in general.

Curtis , D (2002). A '"Fantastic Super" use of technology: Closing the digital divide. Retrieved January 7, 2009, from Edutopia Web site: http://www.edutopia.org/fantastic-super-use-technology