Interactive Program

Here is a link to the interactive program that I designed and created.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/44186744/ChristineDayaColorProgram.pptm

Week 13

Understanding of Foundational Print Literacy as well as New Literacies

            Our classroom in this day and age has changed dramatically thanks to technology. These changes have made an extremely positive impact on literacy. Educators are able to transform their traditional ways of teaching printed literacy to embracing the ever-evolving ways of “new literacies”. Though, during this digital age we are flooded with a never-ending list of new technologies to use, I believe we still must begin with the fundamentals of printed literacy. Printed literacy is the basis of “new literacies”, both are a team working together in order to succeed. The new technology of the twenty-first century has become a great tool for literacy, however not to negate the importance of print literacy, it has transformed the way in which students discover literacy.

            Technology has become a major part of our society and our students’ lives. They are growing up in the digital age, a world where technology is always evolving and not to take advantage of these tools in the classroom is only hindering our students. Educators are finding excellent ways of incorporating and utilizing technology in the classroom. A growing number of educators are beginning or continuing to implement this idea of “new literacies” in their classes. Teachers are using blogs, web based programs such as Raz-Kids, and interactive games to teach students about literacy. These are great tools to provide to our students because it allows our students to easily collaborate with one another on assignments or presentations. Students are able to receive instant feedback from their teacher on their assignments, as well as teachers being able to easily assess and monitor students’ progress and understanding of the subject matter. It also enables our students to learn outside of a traditional classroom; in the present time students have the ability to assess a computer and the Internet at any point in time. Diverse students or students with different learning styles are able to have a better understanding of the subject matter with the implementation of “new literacies” in their classroom. The importance of “new literacies” in the classroom is just as important as printed literacy. I believe that printed literacy is fundamentally as important as “new literacies”, because they go hand in hand. The traditional way of opening up a book and reading is still very important. With “new literacies” it has become more exciting and motivating and it reaches out to students with different learning styles. Print literacy has not become obsolete however it has inspired new ideas and is bringing in “new literacies” to the classroom and becoming a greater tool for our students and their future.

            With the implementation of “new literacies” in our classrooms, students are able to become well-rounded individuals who are able to compete in this “interactive multimedia environment” that we live in. “New literacies” give students a broader platform for learning and give our students the skills needed to succeed in the future. “New literacies” prepares our students to be college and career ready in this digital world. It gives them the skills to be successful and the competitive edge for today’s society.

Work Cited

Hsu, Hui-Yin; Wang, Shiangkwei. (Dec. 2010) The Impact of Using Blogs on College Students’ Reading Comprehension and Learning Motivation.

Interview with Language Arts Teacher

             In the beginning of the semester when I first interviewed the ELA teacher of my elementary school we discusses the importance of technology and the ideas of “new literacies” implemented into the classroom. The ELA teacher discussed the lack of use of technology in her classroom, not because she didn’t want to incorporate it into her class but the lack of training provided to teachers. Her classroom does have a SMART Board, however she was not trained in operating it. Making it difficult for her to incorporate it into her curriculum, which is a problem most educators have. Teachers are provided with new technology, but without the proper training it is not utilize to it’s complete potential. From this initial interview, I decided that it was important to create an ELA lesson that incorporated the use of the SMART Board. This lesson was intended to allow teachers to easily learn how to operate a SMART Board as well as implementing “new literacies” in their classrooms. The SMART Board is now being used more and more in the classroom. Our ELA teachers are also beginning to use Raz-Kids in their curriculum. Raz-Kids is a web based guided reading program where students will be reading interactive eBooks. The students also have the ability to download books and take reading quizzes. This is a great program because teachers are able to easily assess their students’ progress. It is amazing to see the growth and progress technology brings in the classroom.

Final Keystone Unit Implementation and Evaluation

Subject: ELA/Literacy and Art

Students will be using an interactive SMART Board program that will be designed as a spelling game. This game focuses on word identification for the Kindergarten grade level. This lesson is an interdisciplinary lesson linking ELA and Art together. The students will be learning spelling, phonics, color, and basic color theory. Through this interactive game the students will be learning how to spell and identify different colors by hearing how it is pronounced, by identifying the letters, and by hearing how each letter sound like in the word. The students will see an image and must write the words correctly in the given spaces. The students will be able to have instant feedback to see if they have spelled the word correctly by clicking on the button marked “Check answer”. If the student is having trouble with the word, there is a “Hint” button that helps them to sound out the word. Once the students have completed the interactive game they will be assessed by taking a short quiz on the knowledge of the game.

Grade level: Elementary level (Kindergarten)

Standards addressed:

The Arts: Visual Arts

ARTS1: Creating, Performing and Participating in the Arts

Students will: actively engage in the process that constitutes creation and performance in the arts and participate in the various roles in the arts.

ARTS2: Knowing and Using Arts Materials and Resources

Students will: be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in the arts in various roles.

ARTS3: Responding to and analyzing works of Art

Students will: respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual work to other works and other aspects of human endeavor and thought.

ELA: English Language Arts: Listening / Speaking

ELA1.KN.LI3/ELA1.KN.SP4.01: Language for information and Understanding

Students will: read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding

ELA2.KN.LI3/ELA2.KN.SP4.01: Language for Literary Response and Expression

Students will: read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression

ELA3.04.WR2/ELA3.KN.SP4.01: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Students will: read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation

ELA4.04.WR2/ELA4.KN.SPA: Language for Social Interaction

Students will: read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

Literacy Competency Topic – Listening

·      Listen attentively to spoken language (e.g., books read aloud, rhyming words, songs, video-and audio cassettes)

·      Listen attentively for different purposes (e.g., to track individual words as they are spoken, to gain information)

·      Understanding and follow oral directions

·      Listen respectfully without interrupting others

Literacy Competency Topic – Speaking

·      Use kindergarten-level vocabulary and grammar in own speech

·      Speak for different purposes (e.g., share ideas or information, retell a story, dramatize an experience of even)

·      Speak audibly

·      Speak with speed and expression appropriate for the purpose

·      Take turns speaking in a group

ELA: English Language Arts (NYS P-12 Common Core): Speaking and Listening

K.SL.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

K.SL.2: Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.

K.SL.3: Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something is not understood.

K.SL.4: Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.

K.SL.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.

K.SL.6: Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.

Technology - Nets For Students

1.              Creating and Innovation

·      Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:

a.     Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

b.     Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

c.     Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.

d.     Identify trends and forecast possibilities.

2.              Communication and Collaboration

·      Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work       collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:

a.     Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.

b.     Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.

c.     Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.

d.     Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

3.              Research and Information Fluency

·      Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:

a.     Plan strategies to guide inquiry.

b.     Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.

c.     Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.

d.     Process data and report results.

            4.              Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

·      Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects,       solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and       resources. Students:

a.     Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.

b.     Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.

c.     Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.

d.     Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

            5.              Digital Citizenship

·      Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and       practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:

a.     Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.

b.     Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

c.     Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.

d.     Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.

           6.               Technology Operations and Concepts

·      Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and       operations. Students:

a.     Understand and use technology systems.

b.     Select and use applications effectively and productively.

c.     Troubleshoot systems and applications.

d.     Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

Intended results of the proposed technology integration:

This program is intended to promote the benefits and versatility that technology brings into the ELA classroom and Art. At this grade level students are beginning to learn how to identify and spell words. With the use of the SMART Board and the interactive game the students will learn to read and write the words. The students will also be gaining knowledge of basic color theory.

Support and format of training needed for the effective implementation of the selected technology in their classrooms:

The teacher must know how to use a SMART Board and Microsoft PowerPoint to navigate through the program properly. If the teacher does not know how to use a SMART Board, they will need basic training on how it operates. This interactive program is intended to allow teachers with little knowledge of the SMART Board to easily navigate and integrate programs or activities such as these into their curriculum. Allowing teachers to incorporate more technology into their classroom as well as learning the capabilities of the SMART Board and operating it with confidence.

Requirements (computer lab or classroom computers):

The requirements needed to implement this activity are a computer and a SMART Board, which is all located in the classroom.

Learning outcomes:

Student will be able to identify and read words in their grade level.

Student will be able to write words in their grade level.

Instructional Procedures:

Students will be using the SMART Board and the interactive game.

Students will be reading and writing words from the game using the board.


The students will be using the SMART Board to learn about colors. They will be learning how to read, spell, and write these words. Students will be able to click on the pictures to hear how words are pronounced and how letters sound. They will be using the board to spell these words in the given spaces. If the students are having trouble with the word, they are able to click on the "Hint' button to help them.

Evaluation plan :

My interactive program is based on both the teacher and students’ needs. To ensure my training meets the goals, needs, and objectives, I will assess the teacher's learning outcome through the proficiency of the use of the SMART Board as well as the program. I will go through the program with the teacher and once I have gone through the entire program, the teacher will navigate the interactive game by herself. The students will be evaluated using the rubrics below.

The game will be an immediate assessment of the students learning.

Goal: Students will be able to identify and spell words in the Kindergarten grade level	Evaluation
	1	2	3	4
Objective 1: Could the students read and identify the word?	Students reading level is below grade level	Students minimally meets reading grade level expectations	Student meets reading grade level expectations	Student exceeds reading grade level expectations
Objective 2: Did the students correctly spell the word?	Students makes more than 4 errors in spelling	Students makes 3-4 errors in spelling	Students makes 1-2 errors in spelling	Student makes no errors in spelling

Rubrics:

Achievement Rubric	Grading Rubric
	1	2	3	4
Understanding and applies concepts
Completes activity (meets activity objectives)
Shows continuing progress in working, thinking, and writing

Achievement Rubric

4 - Exceptional - Exceeds grade level expectations

3 - Proficient - Meets grade level expectations

2 - Developing - Minimally meets grade level expectations

1 - Emergent - Minimally meets grade level expectations

Behavior Rubric	Art Grading Rubric
	C	M	I	ND
Listens, follows directions and uses materials properly
Participates in discussions

Behavior Rubric

C – Demonstrates this consistently

M – Demonstrates this most of the time

I – Demonstrates this inconsistently

ND – Not demonstrating this at this time

Lesson Implementation Report

1.     The outcomes of the implementation: student learning outcomes and technical procedure outcomes

            

            With the use of the interactive game, the majority of the students were successful in correctly identifying and spelling out the words in the game. The few students that had a bit of difficulty spelling out the words used the “Hint” button, which helped them to assess and correct their work. The students were also able to assess their work by using the “Check answer” button, where they were able to see the correct spelling of the word. The program was very easy to navigate through, both students and teacher did not have difficulties operating the SMART Board or program.

2.     The adjustments you had made to accommodate students with special needs

           

            The program was created to accommodate all diverse students: students with special needs and students with different learning styles. The program reaches out to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. The interactive game provides students with great visuals for students who are visually impaired and audio for students who have difficulty hearing.

3.     The adjustments you had made for the effectiveness of classroom management

            The students were seated in their assigned seats and where they were able to easily view the SMART Board. Students were selected one by one to come up to the board and use the program.

4.     The questions asked by the students

            The students were very interested in the program. Because I had plenty of sounds and audio in my game, they were very fascinated where the sounds came from. The students began to ask about other colors and how they were spelt. A few of the students had color mixing questions.

5.     The problems students had encountered during the implementation process

            Some students had a difficult time spelling certain words, but with the help of the “Hint” button they were able to successfully sound out the letters to complete the word.

6.     The decision(s) you had to make on the spot to make the implementation easier and smooth

            If I found that the student were having a difficult time spelling out the word I would suggest to the student to use the “Hint” button. If the student continued to struggle I helped the student to sound out the word and point out the visuals on the page to help them.

7.     The feedback from the students

           The students enjoyed the interactive game. It gave the students plenty of information and tools in order to be successful in the game. The students were able to use what they have learned through the game and use it in their classroom.

8.     The timeframe (was there enough time as you planned for)

            The interactive game was implemented during 40-minute class periods, giving the students plenty of time to use the program.

9.     What you learned from the implementation including proposed changes for future lessons?

            Giving the student plenty of tools and information enables the students to become more successful in the activity. To improve my program, I will provide even more visual and audio to allow the students to have a better understanding of the subject.

Language Arts and Technology and New 

Literacies Prezi Presentation

http://prezi.com/dxezm_5xuvei/language-arts-and-technology-and-new-literacies/

week 12

Analysis of educational “affordances” on glogster

Features of Glogster	Affordances
·      Ability to create and share interactive posters	·      Teachers and students are able to create a digital learning environment, where teachers and students are able to learn and explore together. Glogster can be used across the curriculum spectrum. However in ELA students can use the interactive poster to brainstorm ideas for research papers. Teachers can use it to teach students about grammar and vocabulary.
·      Ability to post text, graphics, music, videos, etc.	·      The teachers have the ability to uses these tools to reach diverse learners (visually, auditory, and kinesthetic), to help students understanding of ELA concepts.
·      Ability to have collaborative class projects	·      The students are able to work together and brainstorm using one poster on Glogster. They are able to work on assignments and get feedback throughout the assignments from the teacher. The teacher is able to assess how the students are progressing.
·      Provides a private and safe student environment for students to learn and explore	·      The teacher can easily creates a private virtual classroom and monitor all activities within the account throughout the learning process.

I found Globster to be a great program to use for all curriculums. I think Globster can be a very useful tool to use in the ELA classroom. The students have the ability to work together on book assignments and presentations. It can be used to make book reports instead of the traditional way of writing a book report. It allows the students to become more creative and explore the topic more in depth. It is a great tool to use for brainstorming on topics and ideas instead of using a Venn diagram to compare and contrast. Globster is very versatile and can be using in many areas of ELA as well as other subjects.