Alice Hartel's Blog

Inquiry-based Webquest

2010-03-07T21:53:00.018-06:00

From wikipedia, Inquiry (also enquiry) is any process that has the aim of augmenting knowledge, resolving doubt, or solving a problem. How can this be translated to developing a Webquest? At the beginning of this project, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of what an Inquiry-based Webquest should entail. After all, I had dealt with solving difficult problems in my previous career. I knew right away I wanted to develop a Webquest that would be interesting to the students, a topic they could relate to, and I had a general idea of the skills I wanted the students to gain from the task. Putting it together was a challenge. The in-class brainstorming of ideas necessary for Inquiry-based projects became quite useful in developing my Webquest.

So many times in the past, I have experienced teachers locating Webquests on topics being addressed in the classroom, only to be disappointed in the final product. Many of the webquests I examined had broken links or were simply fill in the blank worksheet types of activities. I can understand using this type of webquest with younger students to teach them how to locate information on the Internet. Unfortunately, most of these webquest indicated they were for much older students. The broken link issue is something that happens more frequently than we would like. Many teachers do not spend the time checking every link to make sure they are live as it takes time, yet it is one of the most important aspects of the Webquest. If the information is not available, of what use is the Webquest?

To develop an Inquiry-based Webquest takes a tremendous amount of time but the rewards will be tremendous. Letting students evaluate information, using technology tools and their own creativity allows them to be accountable for the task and the results. The task I chose is a real world problem, something that is in the news constantly and needs to be addressed by the students when they are young. Giving students the ability to work collaboratively on a topic that is familiar to them is just one way to hook them in to inquiry-based learning. It is well known that students will make a better effort if the topic is something that is of interest to them.

I understand that this type of activity is not always possible, primarily because of the time involved in creating the project. I do see many uses and benefits for inquiry-based webquests. I am appreciative I had the opportunity to develop a true inquiry-based webquest. It certainly made me reflect on developing a project that students would be interested in, yet, meet many of the requirements of the curriculum at the same time.

Professional Development or Presentation?

2010-02-27T17:43:00.005-06:00

When you think of Professional Development, what comes to mind? I have attended a number of different teacher in services and seminars, and almost all have included some type of PowerPoint presentation with little to know audience participation. And, while I am a fairly self-motivated individual, if the topic was of little to no interest to me, I would simply collect my CPDUs and go home never to touch upon the topic presented again. It made me think a little more deeply (after the fact) about the situation I am going to describe here and what makes for good Professional Development.

Recently I was given the opportunity to make a Professional Development presentation to a group of my colleagues. I had decided to demonstrate some of my favorite Web 2.0 tools as well as share some suggestions for educational uses. I knew that this group was very proficient with technology so the tools I chose had to be dynamic and something interesting to the audience. While I had a general idea of the tools I wanted to showcase, I collected information from my audience in advance through the use of a survey prepared using Google forms. After reviewing the form, I had decided to prepare a presentation with various links to six Web 2.0 tools. Having taught Computer Technology for a few years, I know how to create slides that do not contain too much information, knowing that I would add to the information on the slides as I went through my presentation. I had worked on the presentation and once I felt that my visual was ready, I developed a dialog to go along with the information on the slides so that I did not just rely on my memory. Finally, I practiced my presentation for several days prior to the actual event to ease my own nervousness.

I attended the class that was the impetus for the Professional Development assignment the night before. Ironically enough, the in class assignment was to get together in a group and develop a Professional Development presentation in thirty minutes, including a way of assessment about the training. While at first the task seemed daunting, the four groups were very successful and I was able to utilize one of the tools I would be showcasing the next evening in my group's activity.

While I felt that my presentation was well received and that the Web 2.0 tools would be used by my classmates to enhance their teaching, upon reflection, there are things I definitely should have done differently. I did not have any type of hands-on activity that my classmates certainly would have been welcome to. I did give examples of educational uses for the tools presented, demonstrated how to use them, and expressed my frustration with how to utilize one of the tools I had decided to present. But, in the end had I really provided Professional Development or simply a presentation? In all honesty, it was definitely more of a presentation. True Professional Development must include some type of follow through to determine if the audience actually found some use of the tools presented or not. It can never be a one shot deal.

I am going to stop beating myself up over this. My own experience in attending in-services and seminars led me to think that all I would need to do is present the tools and the audience would use them if they had a need. Sort of a "If you build it, they will come mentality." Maybe I was successful in introducing them to something new but it may have been a lot more enlightening for them if they had actually had a chance to try. Next time!

My Second Life Experience

2010-02-17T21:17:00.002-06:00

Second Life was a very interesting experience. I had tried several times in the past to navigate around in Second Life to no avail and would just give up. I was a bit nervous when I was told that my class would be taking place in Second Life instead of the regular classroom. But, I must admit, it was kind of fun. I especially liked it because I was experiencing it at the same time as my classmates so I would not be the only newbie. While there were a few difficulties with the sound and navigating around, they were minor.

My adventure began with my seven classmates and one instructor in a building that contained a photo wall of the program I am in. Together we moved around the building. learned how to sit around a conference table, and meeting on the rooftop, which, when you zoomed out, appeared to be floating in the clouds. Next we were given a note card with various places to visit.

Another classmate and I decided to fist visit a replica of the Sistine Chapel. We entered the chapel and flew up to the ceiling to get a better look at the painting. I could see how this may benefit an art class to get up close and personal with the painting. While this was pretty amazing, there was not much to do up there.

We next decided to go to a beach and experience a tsunami. It was phenomenal how the tsunami came and covered the beach and the buildings. While we had looked for other things to do there which were indicated on the note card, both of us ended up under the water. I ended up in another area next to the tsunami but did not explore it as I had limited time. Plus, I was afraid I would not be able to find my way back. We lost each other for a while but did reconnect and then decided to move over to the Space Island in the hopes of exploring the stars. We really wanted to fly in the Gemini Rocket but, unfortunately, ran out of time and had to return to the virtual college campus.

Teleporting is very cool and easy to move from place to place. I do not know if Second Life has educational benefit or not. While I think that there are many places set up for educational use, I am not sure how receptive the administrators or parents would be to using Second Life. But, as for my own second life, once I free up some time in my first life, I am going to return just to explore on my own.

Will Google Rule the World?

2010-02-14T20:10:00.021-06:00

I have been amazed at how in a very short time, Google has developed into what I consider one of the most popular, if not the most popular, educational tool in the world. What did we do Before Google (B.G.)?

In 1995, two very young but entrepreneurial college students met and to brainstorm a new search engine. At first, they agreed to disagree on how to undertake this mission but soon came together and launched their search engine in 1998 from a garage. I am sure many people are saying, "Why didn't I think of that?" What makes Google so appealing was stated in 1998 by "PC Magazine" reports that Google "has an uncanny knack for returning extremely relevant results".

And, the rest they say is history. But, what really makes using Google so appealing? In addition to the name recognition, I think it is the ease of use and the continual foresight of the company to recognize what is important and relevant in technology today.

Google has really developed into more than just the search engine. Google apps is becoming a useful collaboration tool for education. Having the ability to edit a single document simultaneously provides students with the ability to have their voice heard. The ability to access a document from any place at any time allows students to work on projects from home or outside of school without having to meet at a single location. And, what about those students that continuously lose the flash drive or forget to save it from the school computer? My feeling is that this has the potential to make students more accountable for both individual and group projects since each post identifies the poster and eliminating the excuse that the group just couldn't get together.

Utilizing the cloud to store documents alleviates the problems that occur when a computer crashes. My own experience with this issue has resulted in anger and frustration. But, documents is not the only Google app that has made an impact on education.

Using Google Apps for Education

What about Google Earth? I am sure there isn't anyone who hasn't looked up the satellite image of their home or place of business. I remember looking up my own home and seeing my new car in the driveway. The most difficult part of that image was that a few months later that very car was totaled while parked in a nearby lot. Google Lit Trips connects the travels of various novels to the actual locales where the novels take place. How compelling to connect the novel to the world!

Google continues to add new applications to its own library, all with the purpose of making things easier for its users.

In education, we all know that in order to truly get experienced teachers to utilize technology, it needs to be easy. If we only had enough time to explore, I am confident that Google has something for everyone.

My Favorite Web 2.0 Tool

2010-02-07T08:10:00.002-06:00

Wordle (www.wordle.net) has become one of my favorite Web 2.0 tools due to its simplicity of use and applicability to every subject. Most educators have been exposed to Wordle, some without even knowing it. Words clouds are fun to make and easy to modify simply by cutting and pasting. Students are able to include their own creativity by changing directions and colors. While the word cloud can be printed directly from the screen, it does take minimal effort to save it as an image to import into a word processing or presentation software. Students and teachers have come to love Wordle ad it has become an easy, effortless way to integrate technology. But, it does have some downsides. While there is an option to print directly from the Wordle site, most people want to save it as a text document. I found the easiest thing to do was to save it as a jpeg image and then paste into the document. This took me two steps as I first saved it as a pdf and then opened it to save as a jpeg.

Like most Web 2.0 tools, it is available to everyone with an Internet connection. Schools have become leery of utilizing Wordle because the opening page may contain word clouds with inappropriate words. Wordle is not moderated but has directions on how to remove some of the options, like the gallery and random words clouds that appear on the opening page. Simply have the network administrator add these blocked pages to the web filter will allow the students to utilize Wordle in a safe environment. Another way is to have the students go directly to the create page which bypasses the opening page. This does not prevent the gallery page from still being available though.

There are many ways to use Wordle in the classroom. Students can take any text document and look at the high frequency words visually. I simply fund the speech on the Internet, copied and pasted the words into Wordle, and saved it as a jpeg file. For example, the State of the Union speech given by President Barack Obama. This is the result:

This type of visual presentation will provide the students to zero in on concepts important to any classroom discussion. Through the word size, it is easy to differentiate the important concepts. In my example, it is very easy to see that he wants to focus on jobs, energy, and reform for the American people. Just think how this could be used to stimulate the discussions in the classroom.

Tom Barrett has developed an excellent PowerPoint presentation to help teachers think of ways to integrate Wordle into their classroom. While he has listed thirty-eight ways to use Wordle, I am confident that any teacher will be easily able to add their own Wordle implementation to this presentation.

Wordle is so very simple to use that I find it amazing that teachers are not using it more in their classrooms. Perhaps if they really knew how simple and effective it was, they would.

Using Resource Depositories to Your Advantage

2010-01-31T16:25:00.000-06:00

This past Saturday I attended the NICE conference held at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. I was thoroughly impressed at the number of presentations available for the $5.00 fee. I decided to attend 2 of my three sessions on Web 2.0 tools and another on Professional Development. The presenters are all very well know in the area of technology so I knew from the start I would leave with my head spinning. As I sat in each session, I wondered how I could be more like each of the presenters and what made them "so smart" in this area. Well, I think I found their secret (and even if I didn't, I discovered a way to make me look smarter, anyway.)

All three of the presenters, as well as many of the others, I presume, have developed smart ways of searching. They would never use a search engine like Google as that just gives you too many sites to look through. Google does not give you a ranking system of what is useful and what is not. So, I am going to share their secret, and once you hear it, you may be asking yourself the same questions I did. Like, "Why didn't I think of that?" If you already knew this trick, then at least humor me, please. What all three presenters do is search their Personal Learning Networks Delicious or Diigo accounts and bring those sites into their own sites. What they have all essentially done is let someone who must have far more time than themselves do the searching and then they get to use the sites. I learned how to narrow down the searches within Delicious so that I do not have to look at 500 math sites when only 75 will apply. While all of this searching is dependent on the tags the person has put on their entries, it certainly is less time consuming than starting with Google.

Now that I have found their secret, I am going to use a new Web 2.0 tool to compile my own fantabulous list of resources. I am going to use SimplyBox to categorize my favorites into files.

I have been wanting to do this for years but never found the time. I like this tool because rather than a web address, I am going to be able to have a screen shot of the website. The unfortunate aspect, if you are a fan of another browser, of Simply Box is that it is an add-on for Firefox only. It is very simple to use and allows comments to be added as well as tags. I have developed only one box so far. Boxes can be public, private, or shared. I am still new to this tool so I am not completely sure of all of its capabilities but I do know it is something worth taking a look at. It is fun and easy so I know it is a tool I will use in developing collections of sites for the teachers and, hopefully, getting them to do it themselves. Most importantly, it doesn't matter what computer you are using, your favorites will always be available.

Inquiry-based Lesson Evaluation - Fast Food Dieting

2010-01-24T16:14:00.001-06:00

Since I was thinking of addressing the Fast Food dieting sensation that is all over the television these days, I chose to evaluate websites related to proper nutrition and the daily requirements necessary for good eating habits.

Finding Webquests that addressed nutrition varied greatly in what was being asked. Some simply had the students looking up what the nutritional guidelines were and what food groups fit into these areas. For example, it is evident that a Fast Food salad from Mc Donald’s is a better choice than the Taco Salad from Taco Bell. While both salads have lettuce, it is the extras that quickly make the salad cross over from a healthy choice to one that contains so many extra calories, not necessarily all good for you.

Healthiest Fast Foods, http://www.amphi.com/~psteffen/cheeseburger/index.htm, presented a task for students to write a feature article for a newspaper and suggest ways in which people could develop healthier eating habits. Comparing various food items from four different fast food restaurants, students created graphs and analyzed the data to determine what restaurant would provide the healthiest meal.

This Webquest provided many options for the students in choosing the meals and the restaurants. It may open up their eyes to see that a healthy meal can be found at many fast food restaurants. Portion size is also a big consideration considering that, as a nation, we are becoming one of the largest, and I don’t mean in population. As the lifestyles of many become more sedentary, it is important to look at what we are consuming in order to stop this trend.

In contrast, Nutrition Mission, http://education.iupui.edu/webquests/nutrition/food.htm, provides students with the task of developing a healthy meal plan for two fictitious characters. This Webquest provided various missions based on different criteria, such as eating at a fast food restaurant or choosing unhealthy snacks. The creator was rather ingenious in the images of the two people and how they changed after following a healthy meal plan. Unfortunately, many of the links were not functioning (the Webquest was developed in 2005) and a rubric was not provided to determine the expectations of the students.

Both of these Webquests are inquiry based and provide the students to make decisions and ask questions about the topic, which is essential to develop higher order thinking skills.

Personally, I find the claims on the television to be rather unbelievable. While I do think there are ways to lose weight eating fast food, it is only one part of the equation. It is important to incorporate exercise and adequate rest as well. In researching these diets, the people involved simply reduced their daily caloric intake which will always lead to a weight loss. I find it hard to actually believe that someone can eat only fast food from a single restaurant and meet the daily nutritional requirements needed in a healthy diet. Plus, I love the disclaimer that these results are not typical.

Internet Resources – Helpful or Harmful, Not Just for Education

2010-01-17T13:31:00.000-06:00

The Internet can be an invaluable resource in education but must be used with caution and awareness. Learning is now not just confined to the walls of the school building. Students can work collaboratively with other students not just in their own school but in different schools and countries. Lessons can be enhanced utilizing additional articles and websites that present topics in real time using actual audio, video, and print. Questions that arise during the course of the school day may be answered by simply doing a Google search. But, what constitutes a high-quality search? Typing a few key words and looking at the first few websites may arrive at the desired answer but may not be enough.

Like many things, all information on the Internet is not created equal. Everyone needs to realize that just because it is on the Internet does not mean it is true. Students need to develop a set of research tools that can then be utilized when evaluating the information found on the internet. Only after proper education in how to evaluate websites will the Internet truly become useful in education. Unfortunately, many teachers do not possess these skills themselves and often rely on their own knowledge of a subject in determining an acceptable, Internet research based project.

It is not acceptable to simply allow the students loose on the Internet to research any given subject. Students need to be able to determine what a quality, fact based website is and what is simply a website based on opinion and not verifiable. This is not to say that opinion based websites cannot be used as a useful educational tool. The use of Google Advanced Search is a way to narrow down a search to information that may be useful in any topic. Boolean connectors can further reduce the number of websites by filtering out information that does not add any additional information to the topic being researched. Finally, students need to be able to distinguish the difference between verifiable information and what may simply be another student’s work that has been uploaded to the Internet.

Finally, students need to understand that the Internet is not a replacement for textbooks and other print materials, but an enhancement of those resources. While the Internet provides us with real time information, it is posted so quickly that it may need retractions and editing to be verifiable. As long as we teach the students to be aware of the infallibilities inherent in the use of the Internet, it will continue to grow as an invaluable educational tool.

The following web links may be helpful in using the research methods mentioned:
Google Advanced Search
Boolean Connectors
Methods for Evaluating Websites

Access, Adequacy, and Equity in Education Technology

2008-06-14T10:32:00.000-05:00

In order for teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum, schools must provide them with the tools they need to accomplish this task. Providing a teacher with a computer, be it a laptop or a desktop, does not result in the teachers immediate use for teaching within the school day. Professional Development is a necessary component to the overall effectiveness of technology integration. But, that is not all that is needed. Teachers need to realize themselves that the time put in to developing an integration plan for a lesson is time well spent since students overall engagement in what is being taught will increase which, ultimately, results in higher achievement.

Sound simple? But it isn't. Schools have not been able to keep up with the technology influx of the 21st century learner. Each day, students are exposed to some new technology, and because this is how they are learning, they adapt more quickly than the teacher. Furthermore, schools are having a difficult time finding the money to provide the students with these new technologies.

Four the past four years, I have been the Technology Coordinator/Teacher in a private, parochial school in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. Being a private school, money for technology must come from the tuition received. Grant opportunities are not as readily available as they are to the public schools.

The school has a faculty of thirty teachers with an average of 15 years teaching experience at the school and a current enrollment of about 450 students. Last year the school adopted an online grade book which created attendance lists and computer generated report cards. Prior to this, these tasks were done by hand (paper and pencil).

Upon accepting the job, I approached the teachers and suggested that any time they wanted my assistance in creating lessons incorporating technology, I would be more than happy to help them. Unfortunately, two things soon became clear. My teaching time would only be about 25% pf my job, with the other 75% spent on maintenance and network management.

The school had about 120 computers, 34 located in one lab for the students in grades 4 through 8, 20 located in another lab for students in grades K through 3, and the rest spread out throughout the school building. The lab computers were all the Windows xp Professional operating system while the classroom computers were variations of Windows 95 through Windows 2000. To add to the mess, the computer were all different types and configured differently. It appeared that some were just put in the room and left there. And, I was instructed that my ability to work with the consultant would be limited because there was no money in the budget. This was a nightmare that, fortunately, only lasted one year.

The administration changed during the next three years and, together, we developed a budget that allowed for purchases of updated equipment, laptops for the teachers, and time for professional development during faculty meetings. The school now has one platform (Windows xp Professional). all desktop computers are the same manufacturer and model type (although different model number), and configured in the same way. Software has been added to the server to monitor and deploy updates to the networked computers.

Each classroom has a minimum of two desktop computers which are in constant use throughout the school day. Due to the limited time I need the lab for instruction, it is open for the teachers to bring in the students at all other times. Unfortunately, it seems that the times the teachers need the lab are often the same. The school could use a cart of laptops and, probably, two. It appears that this configuration is more often the norm than not. Providing up to date equipment, while not nearly enough, was not the issue.

The professional development delivered at the faculty meetings, while well intentioned, was met with resistance. Due to the limited computer instruction the teachers themselves had received, it was difficult to assist them in creating lessons that would involve sophisticated technologies with the students. Fear of not knowing kept most away from even trying. This is tragic because the school was making the investment in the equipment but the teachers weren't buying into the program.

How can educational technology be improved for next year? I, unfortunately, will not be involved as I have taken on a new position in another school. In the new school, I am being hired specifically as the Technology Coordinator/Technology Integration Specialist. One of my main responsibilities is staff development. This school has not had a technology teacher for the past two years so the classroom teachers have been bringing the students into the lab. While actual instruction has been limited, the use of technology has not. In the few times I have been at the school, the lab has been filled with students working on collaborative projects and the teacher facilitating their learning. The teachers I have spoken with are excited to have me on board to provide assistance in integrating technology into their lessons. A new Media Resource Center is currently being created and this will become my home. Providing the staff with the resources they need and the ability to share the ever increasing knowledge of resources I have gathered with a faculty that is so eager to learn will make me the envy of my peers.

Interactive Whiteboards - Is this the Answer?

2008-05-28T18:55:00.000-05:00

Imagine entering a classroom where not only is the teacher out of their seat, but all of the students as well. Students are actively engaged in a discussion and writing their thoughts on a white board using a stylus. One student decides that each student should have a definite amount of time so he adds a countdown clock with a buzzer to the board. Each time the buzzer sounds, the student hands the stylus to another student and their time for writing their own brainstorming thoughts begin. You may wonder what is really happening here. Can this be learning? Will this help improve test scores? How can students learn in this chaos?
Not only are students learning, they are engaged. Interactive whiteboard technologies have opened up the transfer of knowledge, once thought to only come from the teacher, to students working collaboratively and sharing what they know with each other. Whiteboards allow students to write down ideas, manipulate data in ways once thought unfathomable, and save as text or images to a computer for use later. Teachers no longer need to recreate lessons from day to day but can simply open the saved file in order to continue where you have left off.
Using a computer, projector, and one of the many different whiteboards available on the market today, students can now become actively engaged in the lesson being taught. Virtual dissections can be performed with students each taking a turn using the virtual scalpel and tweezers to look at the inner parts of a frog. Collaborative stories can be written and revised on the whiteboard in clear view for all of the students to see. During a brainstorming session, each student can have their turn in listing their ideas for the specific topic being discussed. By simply selecting the Internet web browser available, the students can explore the Internet using their finger. How exciting would it be to be able to research things instantly and literally at your fingertips.
Studies have shown that students thrive when given opportunities to create their learning environment. Of course, they still need the teacher to direct them, but the students will find the way they learn best, be it auditory, visual, or kinesthetic, or, quite often, a combination of all three.
Are whiteboards the answer? Not always. However, when given the opportunity using the whiteboard, knowing the result will be reaching all students in their own way, this is a technology that must be considered. After all, it wasn't too long ago that computers weren't in the classroom either.

Technology Integration - New Ideas, Technologies, and Instructional Strategies

2008-05-14T10:42:00.000-05:00

Developing instructional strategies for greater collaboration and technology integration is one of the most difficult aspects of any technology coordinators job. Schools will spend millions of dollars to bring in the hardware and software but getting teachers on board is more important than the equipment itself. If the teachers aren't willing to modify lessons to incorporate technology, than even the newest and best equipment is not worth anything.

Providing professional development is one key component to technology integration but it is not the only one. While technology coordinators can show teachers how to integrate technology, until the teachers have time to use it, any professional development is wasted. Most teachers I have spoken with simply say they do not have the time to create lessons using technology. Most also feel that the students must have something on paper or it isn't a good lesson. Once the teachers feel comfortable using other technologies like blogging, podcasting, or wikis, then, and only then, will they feel comfortable using this technology with their students.

Once the professional development has been presented, it is important to give the teachers time to try out the new tools. If teachers are never given time to try things out, they will never utilize the tools in their teaching. Also, the training needs to be in small pieces because if too much information is presented, the teachers will think that it is to difficult and stick with old, tried and true ways.

Initially, having each teacher create a blog and having the staff comment on each others blog is one way to get the teachers using that technology. Once they realize how easy it is to have online communication, teachers will utilize this type of technology to enhance classroom discussion. This is an excellent way to extend the learning outside the classrooms. Furthermore, should a class end before all questions have been answered, a simple posting of the question will allow all students that wish to be heard a way to be heard.

Online collaboration using wikis is another way teachers can share ideas with each other. Beginning with a theme, each teacher will be able to share ideas related to the theme. Looking at the different ways to achieve curriculum goals, the teachers can then work together to create an integrated lesson and not duplicate efforts.

Podcasting is another useful tool in the classroom. Teachers can create a podcast of a classroom discussion and make it available for students to use as a review or for students that were absent the day of the initial discussion.

Using the various technologies listed, teachers will become familiar with technologies the students use daily which should, hopefully, alleviate the fear of the unknown. Students can be involved in helping the teacher develop the blog, wiki, or podcast which gives them a sense of ownership as well as helping them take responsibility for their own learning.

Finally, providing the teachers with some sample lessons that have simple instructions will help the teacher develop the confidence they need to feel more comfortable. Once they experience their own sense of accomplishment and see how the students are taking to the lessons, they will begin to look for ways to incorporate additional technologies on their own. The first step will always be the hardest but once they take it, they soon will be running. As the technology coordinator, it is important to always be supportive of their efforts, even if it takes reteaching a technology several times.

Thoughts about Teaching Technology

2008-04-30T17:29:00.000-05:00

As the current Technology Coordinator at a Private, K-8 Elementary school located in the southwest suburbs, I feel that I have both the best job and the worst job in the building. Since I must wear many hats, my job effects every person in the building, and can sometimes seem overwhelming. The best part is that it is never the same and sharing my knowledge with the students is always rewarding. My teaching assignment is limited to working with grades 5 through 8. Until the current school year, it also included teaching 4th graders. Since the primary grade students were not taught many computer skills, the 4th graders often came to me with little to no actual ability using Microsoft Office Suite. Due to a change in the faculty, the primary grades now use Microsoft Office Suite, have to log on and off using a user name and password, and are receiving extensive skill based instruction. In a few years, this will afford me the ability to expand the technology program to include many of the recent developing technologies including Google Apps (used for collaboration), wikis, and podcasting to name a few. Current enrollment is 451 students, two classes per grade, with between 25 and 30 students in each class. Students receive specific skill based instruction once a week. The curriculum based teachers often bring the students to the lab during the open lab times for projects that are used to enhance instruction and may require additional skill based instruction.

The school has two fully equipped computer labs, one with 25 HP desktops, and the other with 34 HP desktop computers. Additionally, each classroom has between two and three desktop computers, and each teacher has a laptop computer. The desktop computers are all connected to the network and utilize a wired ethernet connection. The laptop computers all have wireless capability and the entire school has wireless connectivity throughout the building. All computers on the network have Windows xp Pro Operating System and the ability to connect to the Internet. Each lab has a ceiling mounted projector connected to the teacher workstation which I feel is the best way to teach technology skills.

Since I have a tablet computer, also connected to the projector, I have been able to connect computer generated lessons and identify areas I wish to focus on using the stylus similar to what could be done using a document projector. All of my lessons begin with step by step instruction on the skill being taught culminating with an example of what the final project is to look like. Projects do not always result in something being printed. For example, using Photostory 3 (a free program from Microsoft), the 8th grade students created electronic autobiographies of themselves. Modelling this activity using the tablet and the projector, I was able to demonstrate how to use the program, add images, music, transitions, and make the movies unique for each student. Finally, the projector allows students to be able to share their work with each other. I would not be able to assign the types of projects or teach the advanced skills without the projector.

Since the students are learning much of the skill based instruction in the primary grades, this change will afford me the ability to modify lessons and teach the students how to podcast, create wikis, and blog. I have always wanted to create a blog to use with the junior high students (7th and 8th graders) to develop collaboration skills and create meaningful dialog pertaining to issues important to students of that age. My feeling was that poignant questions directly connected to the curriculum would enhance the learning of the specific topic being taught in the classroom. While I have seen demonstrations of this technology, until I have a chance to work with it myself, I do not feel that I can incorporate it into my skill based instruction.