TechQuest:

Applying Technology to a Problem of Practice in Education

Overview
Grace (ueller!"ammer
#igital $isual Presenter %Elmo&
The Problem of Practice: A 'eed or an Opportunity
Teachers need to connect the content to what the student already knows so that
the new info can just be slipped into an already existing scaffold. Showing
enthusiasm and interest in the content being presented, also students generate
interest which in turn increases the likelihood that the student will see a
connection between material presented and something else in their life.
Teachers use lots of question.
o uestions to see if student understand the content presented
o uestions that stimulate students to assimilate ideas to an extent that students
will begin using !igher le"el thinking skill including comparing and contrasting,
synergistic question and answer discussions
o #pen ended questions that require students to process newinformation.
Teachers need to pro"ide a "ariety of interesting strategies to moti"ate students to want
to learn more.
The (etting
How will your innovation affect each of the following areas? What impact
will it have on each?
Teacher $
o %i"es the teacher the ability to access internet, show a demonstration or show a
microscope&telescope "iew to the students. 'ery easy to switch between showing a
"ideo clip of a paramecium and then an showing an actual paramecium ("ia a
microscope) that the kids collected from the school grounds.
o *equires a lot more preparation from the teacher than a sage on the stage approach.
+t takes time to find a "ariety of material to capti"ate and inform students.
o +t also requires rehearsal time, to be able to figure out how to make all these
acti"ate, flow into students understanding.
o ,sing the elmo is like all new teaching strategies, it takes time to incorporate its
ad"antages into the curriculum.
o Thru trial and error, the most effecti"e flow can be figured out.
o #f course, new material, techniques and strategies are always being experimented
with and incorporated into the next years lesson plan.
-earner .
o !as to step up.
/y that + mean they can no longer just sit in their seats and memori0e the
isolated facts for the test and then dump the facts once they get their tests.
Students must work hard to ask themsel"es questions about the content they
are being exposed to. So that they can fit this new information into their
prior knowledge.
o Students will ha"e the educational ad"antage of a "ariety of acti"ites being used to
clarify and illuminate the content area material.
o Students will be challenged to stretch their mind to really learn and understand the
material, not just to memori0e some isolated facts.
Subject 1atter $
o 2xplodes the possiblilites of exposing students to the most current accurate
information. Textbooks are notoriously 3 yrs behind current information. 4nd that is if
your school if fortunate enough to ha"e this years textbooks. #ne of the schools + work
in has science textbooks that are56 years old7 4n entire encyclopedia of knowledge as
been disco"ered since that time. So if + am to expose my students to more current
information, than + am compelled to spend the time to find it, organi0e it and present
it. This tool will help tremendously with that.
Technology)*ntegrated (olution
4n organi0ation called Partnership for 21st Century Skills says that the skills we need to teach our studentsare:
+nformation and communication skills8
Thinking and problem.sol"ing skills8
+nterpersonal and self.direction skills8
%lobal awareness8
9inancial, economic, and business skills8 and
:i"ic literacy.
The elmo will go a long way to addressing this s+ill set,
-or e.ample/
What is the scope of this project? (e.g., When and where is the tool to be used and
for how long? Who uses it?)
What resources are required for the development of the project? or the
implementation of the project? (e.g., student access to computers on the !nternet
daily in class)
-indings:
*f you used the pro0ect1 software1 or hardware1 what were the results2
o 3hat were its strengths2mutimedia1 4igh student interest1 easily connects new info
to old info1+ids are thrilled to be able to be the presentor, 5ontent area
understanding is greatly increased, "oth teacher generated and student generated
6uestions are more plentiful, E.pand the breadth of strategies a teacher has at her
disposal to ma+e more connections 1 to ma+e more layers of information and thus
understanding for students
o 3hat were its wea+nesses2 7i+e all technology1 when it wor+s its great , when it
does not it is a mad scramble to ad0ust, *n order to use the&elmo& effectively you
need a computer a pro0ector and then the elmo, That8s costs 9:1;<< to =>1;<<,,
Teachers need training in the elmo8s effective use,
*f you haven8t tried it yet1 what do you foresee as/
o its strengths2 mutimedia1 4igh student interest1 easily connects new info to old
info1+ids are thrilled to be able to be the presentor, 5ontent area understanding is
greatly increased, "oth teacher generated and student generated 6uestions are
more plentiful, E.pand the breadth of strategies a teacher has at her disposal to
ma+e more connections 1 to ma+e more layers of information and thus
understanding for students
o
o its wea+nesses2 7i+e all technology1 when it wor+s its great , when it does not it is a
mad scramble to ad0ust, *n order to use the&elmo& effectively you need a computer
a pro0ector and then the elmo, That8s costs 9:1;<< to =>1;<<,, Teachers need
training in the elmo8s effective use,
How will you "now you were successful?
*mplications:
#re there issues or concerns you need to watch out for or consider unique to
your educational setting or situation?
What lessons can we learn from this project regarding technological
innovations in education?
How will you adjust using this innovation in your own setting?
*esources
http7&&www.elmousa.com&presentation&
describing tech integration
http7&&www.lightsmithimager.com&site&index.php;
option<com=content>task<"iew>id<?5>+temid<@
Technical -esson Alans already completed
http7&&edcommunity.apple.com&ali&index.php
4rticle on using elmo in school
http7&&eschoolnews.org&news&top.news&index.cfm;
i<B?66C>:9+D<6EE5B5>:9T#F2G<56@EC3?H
Carter's students use it to share assignments and home projects with the rest of the class while she sits to
the side. "e used to ha!e one teacher in this classroom""#ut with the presenter$ we now ha!e 2% teachers$" she said. "&y
students' effort and pride are e!ident as they display their work to each other. 'hey are learning so much from each other. (t's
ama)ing how attenti!e the entire class is when the presenter is #eing used. 'he images can #e seen clearly e!en #y children in
the #ack of the room."*
+ocument camera helps capture students' focus on learning
http:,,www.eschoolnews.com,news,top"news,inde-.cfm.i/%01123C4(+/1551673C4'89:;/561672<0
=rticle on tech trend of 266< use in education
http:,,www.eschoolnews.com,news,#est"practice,#est"practices"articles,inde-.cfm.i/126523page/%
Trend No. 4: The gathering SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model)
= close cousin of ser!ice"oriented architecture is the Shara#le Content 8#ject >eference &odel$ or SC8>&.
SC8>& is a collection of standards and specifications adapted from multiple sources to allow for the interopera#ility$
accessi#ility$ and reusa#ility of digital learning materials: e!erything from a !ideo clip illustrating how cells di!ide to a PowerPoint
e-plication of a sonnet.
?ou can learn more a#out the Partnership for 21st Century Skills at their we# site$ which is well worth a the Partnership for 21st
Century
http:,,www.21stcenturyskills.org