I met with Deanine Lilley, 8th grade physical science teacher at Jack Jouett Middle School on Monday, Sept. 14th to discuss my TIP placement and project.
We decided that we could split the project into two parts. The first part would focus on using flip video cameras with students to design, create, and film a short documentary tutorial on how to take data using various digital probes from Vernier Software. This project will be done with one of her honors classes in early October. Each group will get to use a flip video camera and be assigned a particular digital probe to explain in a short, under five minutes, presentation.
Deanine is very good to work with. She is going to reseve a set of digital probes from the county, and also can use some of the ones that she has in her lab. This should provide enough different types of probes for each group to hopefully do one of them. Jouett also has a classroom set of flip video cameras, so we are in great shape in getting to use them for this project.
This group is her group with "personality" as she describes them, so they should be very much motivated to be involved with this project. I will work on a lesson plan on this to match with SOL's as well as the Technology standards. I will go in on one day to explain the project, and then we will do the filming that Friday, the first week of October. Then, I will go back the next week and we will edit and show the films to this class. Deanine will then use these for her other classes to introduce data collecting options. I will need to determine some examples of how to use the probes for practical data collecting in reasonable projects that we can do in her class. I have some ideas.
The second part will involve using motion sensors in early November. Again, students will be in groups using the flip video cameras, but they will be investigating various aspects of motion and recording their results for comparison on flip videos. They will be required to record moving objects under different conditions and then compare the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of objects with the motion sensors as well as the video recordings. This will provide visual confirmation of their data, such that they should be able to show a video and a graph of the motion simultaneously on the screen to actually SEE the change in displacement, velocity, and acceleration of different objects in their setups. We will have a selection of objects/vehicles for them to use with the motion sensors so that each group can report on the results of their object to the rest of the class.
These projects should help students understand data collection and motion better, and also provide an opportunity for students to put their own individual or group ideas into action during the videos. The results will then be available to Deanine and other physical science classes in the school for use in explaining these concepts in the future. We are not sure about whether we can post any of these due to AUP guidelines as well as if students think that they will be useful in ways beyond the physical science class. However, the possibility does exist that they could be shared with some other county physical science teachers. We will investigate this, as well as the possiblity that some other teachers may want to replicate this project for their own classes in the future.
It was a good meeting, and we look forward to working together more in the future.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Technology on a tin roof.
Do we dance to the new tune of the latest technology or not? How quickly should educators plan to integrate new technologies into their lesson plans? What criteria should we use to determine the rate of integration of new technologies? Should we have a scale to judge the possible impact of some technologies and then rate each new technology on this scale?
These are all questions that we currently and will continue to struggle with as educators in the 21st century. It also appears that the rate of new technological breakthroughs may accelerate as well as the need to constantly "re-tool" both ourselves and our students. How, then, can we make wise decisions about what to do in a world that is not only flat, but seemingly racing forward to the next flat area at the same time? We must be perceptively aware and give ourselves opportunities to reflect on the true value of any new technology. Teachers must be allowed the time necessary to work on developing their skills and ideas for integration of many new technologies, if we want them to stay in the profession for any length of time. Now, this also brings up a new point, which is, should teachers remain in the profession for long periods of time without being required to do some "re-tooling"? It appears counter-productive to think otherwise. However, this type of paradigm shift seems extremely problematic when it is so difficult to get quality teachers in the first place and perhaps even more will retire or leave the profession in the near future. Perseverance is, I think, tied to renewal and professional development, yet, many teachers may feel that the lack of time for renewal and the lack of professional respect afforded them are two of the most important reasons to leave the teaching profesison altogether.
What must we do?
It is both quite simple and in many ways a bit complex. Teachers must be given support, proper training, and ample time and incentives to explore new technologies and develop appropriate new types of lessons for their students. The work overload that is often so pervasive for teachers in many schools today must be stopped and re-directed towards higher teacher quality and better student performance. Mandates can not just be given, money directed, and then expectations for higher test scores raised. Teacher time must be MANAGED with the idea of providing both appropriate support and opportunities for exploration to help students perform better. This requires careful goals and planning as well as some leeway for individual teacher goals and interests. Combinations of workshops, seminars, and general teacher to teacher collaboration within both departments and divisions are all key to improvements in these areas. Often teachers would love to implement some new technology, but don't even know of the existence of a program or possible opportunity due to the lack of time to investigate them. Technology coordinators must be reflexive and supportive and keep both a larger view of where new technologies are headed as well as a careful note on how individual teachers are pursuing their own interests. This balance should be a key part of technology support personnel training.
In addition, students may often be more adept at new technologies, so partnerships MUST be made for a community of learners to include student leaders AT ALL LEVELS. Even first graders can be leaders in some new technologies, with careful teacher guidance. This comfort level with being a learning facilitator and providing opportunities for student leadership in the learning process will only become more important in the future. Administrators must find ways to incorporate these opportunities into their goals and plans for their school so that success for some can be translated into greater gains for all.
In the end, those schools that find ways to balance their learning objectives and standards with the opportunities presented by their ENTIRE learning community will have leveraged themselves into positions of maximum efficiency. Will this be enough to keep up with the increasing rate of technological innovation? Only time will tell, but remember we're all in this together. Keep searching for your own answers, and let the rest of us know what you find!
These are all questions that we currently and will continue to struggle with as educators in the 21st century. It also appears that the rate of new technological breakthroughs may accelerate as well as the need to constantly "re-tool" both ourselves and our students. How, then, can we make wise decisions about what to do in a world that is not only flat, but seemingly racing forward to the next flat area at the same time? We must be perceptively aware and give ourselves opportunities to reflect on the true value of any new technology. Teachers must be allowed the time necessary to work on developing their skills and ideas for integration of many new technologies, if we want them to stay in the profession for any length of time. Now, this also brings up a new point, which is, should teachers remain in the profession for long periods of time without being required to do some "re-tooling"? It appears counter-productive to think otherwise. However, this type of paradigm shift seems extremely problematic when it is so difficult to get quality teachers in the first place and perhaps even more will retire or leave the profession in the near future. Perseverance is, I think, tied to renewal and professional development, yet, many teachers may feel that the lack of time for renewal and the lack of professional respect afforded them are two of the most important reasons to leave the teaching profesison altogether.
What must we do?
It is both quite simple and in many ways a bit complex. Teachers must be given support, proper training, and ample time and incentives to explore new technologies and develop appropriate new types of lessons for their students. The work overload that is often so pervasive for teachers in many schools today must be stopped and re-directed towards higher teacher quality and better student performance. Mandates can not just be given, money directed, and then expectations for higher test scores raised. Teacher time must be MANAGED with the idea of providing both appropriate support and opportunities for exploration to help students perform better. This requires careful goals and planning as well as some leeway for individual teacher goals and interests. Combinations of workshops, seminars, and general teacher to teacher collaboration within both departments and divisions are all key to improvements in these areas. Often teachers would love to implement some new technology, but don't even know of the existence of a program or possible opportunity due to the lack of time to investigate them. Technology coordinators must be reflexive and supportive and keep both a larger view of where new technologies are headed as well as a careful note on how individual teachers are pursuing their own interests. This balance should be a key part of technology support personnel training.
In addition, students may often be more adept at new technologies, so partnerships MUST be made for a community of learners to include student leaders AT ALL LEVELS. Even first graders can be leaders in some new technologies, with careful teacher guidance. This comfort level with being a learning facilitator and providing opportunities for student leadership in the learning process will only become more important in the future. Administrators must find ways to incorporate these opportunities into their goals and plans for their school so that success for some can be translated into greater gains for all.
In the end, those schools that find ways to balance their learning objectives and standards with the opportunities presented by their ENTIRE learning community will have leveraged themselves into positions of maximum efficiency. Will this be enough to keep up with the increasing rate of technological innovation? Only time will tell, but remember we're all in this together. Keep searching for your own answers, and let the rest of us know what you find!
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