Wicked Problem Project

You can access my Jing presentation by clicking on the following two links:

Part 1

Part 2

The reason there are two separate links is because Jing only allows 5 minute presentations.

Below is the script of my presentation, allowing you the opportunity to watch both presentations while simultaneously reading the text.

Script for final project
SLIDE 1
http://www.greatbooks.org/
In an English classroom, it is extremely important for students to hold discussions about themes, symbols, and passages in a text. For my classroom, I want students to hold meaningful discussions, where new ideas are brought to the table, not just students regurgitating what classmates have already stated. I want my students to come prepared and show an understanding of the text and the ideas the author is trying to convey. I also want students to revisit the discussions at a later time because some of the material discussed is important to reflect on before new discussions begin. I would like to find a technology that can help me accomplish my goal of having students hold great discussions and also revisit them later on. An issue I had was determining whether or not this new addition of technology was beneficial to the students or not. To get students to where they should be, I will teach them how to ask good questions that delve into the how/why questions.


SLIDE 2
I decided to incorporate newer technology, the FlipCam, into my classroom to see if better discussions would develop. I decided to videotape several discussions throughout the year, and give the same assignment that I give during a regular in-class discussion, a posting to the message board. My idea was for students to reference back to the videotaped discussion when posting their responses later that night, in the hopes that the discussion would continue through the class message board. To ensure the relevance of idea, I decided to give a survey to students to see how they felt about both types of discussions.


SLIDE 3
The technology I have chosen, FlipCam and blog/class website, and pedagogy, discussions, support what I am trying to accomplish. With a FlipCam, I can record the discussion and still be free to walk around the room. If I have to stop for an interruption (fire drill, class ends, etc…), I can start fresh and make one video using MovieMaker, or can post several videos. Students will get a tutorial on how to use and access the blog, and each student has a log in because the school uses gmail (our school specific secure network) for students to access the school website.

The technology allows my students to go back to discussions and revisit what was stated. This will cause them to think more thoroughly and analytically about the text, and what their classmates have discussed. The blog will be easily accessible, even to students that do not have computers at home because my school has a computer lab and laptop cart, so my students will have easy access to both.

Students will be able to interact with one another both in the classroom and outside of class. Students do not have to worry about fitting everything into one discussion because they can also make more points on the blog, or the same discussion can be continued on another day. Students can focus more on responding thoroughly during the actual class discussion and worry about additional information later on.

SLIDES 4-6
I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the FlipCam and its software are. I was worried about sound and picture quality, and my ability to hold a camera steady during the discussion. I liked the option of being able to stop a video and pick up with a new one, although at times I wish I could’ve just paused the video. Without having an actual classroom this summer, I improvised and found a room that is the same size and structure as my classroom. I set up chairs and had several friends engage in different discussions and test out the writing responses post discussion to see how my plan would work. Since the school year has not started, I did not have access to the message board I wanted to use, but they improvised and used a blog instead.

It took several tries before I could find a place to stand where both the audio and video quality were effective for what I was trying to do in my class. I realized that the older versions of the FlipCams run on AA batteries, and did not have enough back ups for the first test run. These problems were noted for when I begin the process in my classroom this fall. I told my friends to pretend the camera wasn’t there, which is easier said than done, and I did not participate in the discussion because my shared inquiry discussions are student led. I was impressed with their ability to pretend I wasn’t there, but I need to make sure my students do the same thing. One thing I would add in the fall is permission slips from parents stating that their child can be videotaped and placed on the message board, which is only available to me, their classmates, and administrators. For students who do not want to be videotaped, I will have them sit in front of where I stand with the camera. I was delighted to see one of my friends taking notes because I know that some students learn better by taking their own notes, even if the actual discussion will be available at a later time.

SLIDE 7
What are the key interactions among TP & C that make this solution so promising?

The technology, FlipCams and message boards, and pedagogy of discussions, allow students flexibility in their note taking, and provide an opportunity for every student to have a voice in the discussion. My department at school chose Shared Inquiry as one of the main pedagogy's in our English classrooms, and I am trying to help refine their discussion skills so that worthwhile discussions are being had. With the integration of this technology, students can focus more on the discussions in class, knowing they can directly reference them at a later time. All of the students will have read the exact same passage or assignment, and the passage will be reviewed before the discussion begins so students can refresh what they’ve already analyzed.

SLIDE 8
Describe how you think your students will experience this problem differently/better with your new solution.

I think this new methodology will allow students to hold a more in-depth discussion during class because they know they can take notes on important points at a later time, or reference something they were unsure of in a later post. If my methodology doesn’t work, or becomes too distracting for students, I will change to an audio recording, or podcast, that students can listen to so they are not focused on the videocamera. Either the video or audio discussions will help auditory learners, and help review material throughout the year.

SLIDE 9
To see what my friends thought of the experience, I created a survey using Google Forms, similar to one that I would give my students, and made them all answer truthfully. 60% found the videotaped discussion useful, while only 50% referenced the video in their blog post. 40% were not distracted by the camera, and 30% were indifferent. A few people found themselves less engaged in taking notes because they know they have the video to fall back on. This is a concern of mine, and I am still working out the kinks on that. One idea I have is to tell students to take notes for points, or get points for questions and answers during the discussion.

SLIDE 10
I think my solutions will help students learn how to engage in discussions and come prepared with textual evidence. Students will analyze the different portions of the text both during the discussion and after when they are able to process what was discussed and what they read.

Group Leadership Project

To deliver our tutorial on Google Documents, my group chose to use Movie Maker. Dave did a great job of recording his voice using Movie Maker. I made my portion of the project using Google Presentations because of the easy access and save mode. Movie Maker is easy to use when combining several different presentations, especially when they are made in different forums.

I learned that Movie Maker does a great job of making the project flow together, and provides an avenue for the different portions of the project to be placed together.

In the future, I would make sure all the portions of the project were done using the same forum to make the laying out of the project easier. I also think we should discuss what we plan to do and when so that we are not checking in the day before or due date of an assignment to ensure everything is done correctly. We communicated through e-mail, but I think another Skype meeting, or times to be online to chat, would have been extremely helpful.

Professional Learning Plan

When I began my masters’ degree, I really wanted to become an expert on podcasting, creating videos/movies, and Google Docs. I became extremely interested in TPACK, and have been trying to see if my different lesson plans incorporate it. I’ve begun planning lessons around the different technologies and theories I have learned, and have started discussions with my technology coordinator at school to help me implement my ideas. As a school, we are working on incorporating more technology, so I am using what I’ve learned to help other teachers as well. I plan on keeping in contact with my colleagues and professors from the MAET program to help me access opportunities to continue my development and learn of any changes in the technologies. I also plan on discussing my lessons with my colleagues to see if they have any ideas on how to improve them. I have found myself blogging regularly in a personal blog, and have helped my cousins and friends create personal and professional websites. With my family business, I am starting to create websites/handbooks for the different positions for my employees. Between now and next summer, I plan on implementing several lessons, and relooking at them to ensure I incorporate the TPACK theory and address any ways to improve my lessons. I will need help from my students (surveys), colleagues (observations), my technology coordinator, and masters’ degree colleagues (ideas on how to enhance lessons). I plan on fully implementing my wicked project, and if the other technologies fit, trying out the different technologies in my lessons. I do not want to try technology just to say I am using it, so I will have to work extra hard to ensure it fits my objectives.

Part D - Findings and Implication

When I began this project, I thought I would encounter a few problems, but I always forget the different advantages and disadvantages of the project. When I assess discussions in class, I look for who speaks, who asks questions, who uses the text, and who is taking notes. I include the taking notes aspect for the quieter students that are engaged, but are not able to get a word in. When the discussion takes place in class, I am able to walk around and see who is engaged throughout the process. I realized that it will be difficult to assess student engagement for the note taking aspect because the camera will pick up on who is speaking, but will not always have an entire class view. I came up with a few solutions that I intend to use when school begins. I will walk around at the end of the discussion and look at notes, and will try to set up the camera in a spot where the majority of the classroom is being taped. Specific assessments that I will use include: test and essay at the end of each unit, the actual discussion, responses and interaction on the school website after each discussion. The response on the school website will be another avenue for students to make their claims when they aren’t able to speak in class.

To assess my solution, I will try discussions without the video and have students respond to one another afterward, and continue the discussion. Then, I will try the new way with the videotaped discussion. I will try this several times to ensure my data is not a fluke, and I will ask the students, either in class or with anonymous surveys. One aspect that will require students to be completely honest is whether or not they read the material because a discussion cannot be properly assessed without that. To ensure this, I will have the discussion begin with a certain section of the text, and will have students re-read the portion during class so I know that everyone has looked at it at least once. If a trend of not reading continues, I will give short reading checks before the discussion so I know what students can be assessed and which methodology works best.

PART B - Storyboard and Script

I have created my script and began my storyboard, but will change the background once we decide on a common one. My group is currently using a Google Document to keep all of our files together, and I sent mine in a separate document because I was using my friend's computer (mine officially crashed). Jimmy added mine to the group document and we are going to figure out who will do the final voice over and who will put the storyboard together.

Script
Google Presentation

Slide 2
There are several uses for Google documents, including every day tasks such as journaling, creating to do lists, recipes, etc…For this presentation, the main focus will be using Google Documents in Education. Google Documents can be used to create essays, write informal responses, and collaborate on projects and essays.
Slide 3
There are several advantages for teachers. If a teacher creates a lesson plan, quiz, or test, they can save the document using Google Documents and will have access anywhere with Internet at anytime. In the classroom, teachers can assign work and become collaborators on the document to edit or comment on student work. Teachers can also monitor student progress by reading the document or looking at the revision history.
Slide 4
Students also have access anytime and anywhere. They can collaborate and share their work with others, providing additional opportunities for editing. Students will not have to wait until the next class period to receive their initial comments back and can begin revising from home. For group projects, students can see who made revisions and can look back at the original document. There is also a chat feature if students plan to be online at the same time and can work from their homes instead of trying to find a time and place to meet. Auto save also prevents unwanted loss of the material.
Slide 5 ( plan on having an introduction to opening Google Docs and all of its features before this portion)
When beginning to work on the document, make sure to change the name in the top left corner. You can begin typing the document and have the opportunity to choose the font and size. To change the formatting of the text, click Format, Paragraph settings, or use the preset toolbar.
Slide 6
Like Microsoft Word, Google Documents allows you to insert pictures, links, drawings, equations, comments, and footnotes.
Slide 7
There are several sharing options which allow you to choose who can see the document and who can edit it. This also students to choose the people in their group to become editors while the rest of the class can view the work.

PART C - Implementation

Had technical trouble trying to upload just the audio file. Converted it to several different types besides wav, but it wouldn't let me upload. Tried sending it to Box.net, archive.org, ourmedia.org, and embedding the code, but it came up as plug in required and wouldn't play the audio. If you click on the link below, you will be able to access my podcast. Enjoy!

Podcast

Mobile Learning Lab

When creating my poll, I tried the different types of questions (multiple choice, free text poll, and the goal poll). I decided that I liked the multiple choice option the best because as an English teacher, the open opened questions would require too much of an answer to be texted back. I can use the text poll as an option where I ask some plot questions, though.

I was intrigued by the Internet hotlist for iPods and iPhones because I recently purchased an iPhone and plan on using that in my classroom. I got a little sidetracked downloading apps on my iPhone and playing with those. (On a sidenote, the word applications are amazing and fun, and I would definitely use those during my longer periods when I give students a break).

I’ve used podcasts and mp3 players, so I didn’t experiment with those too much. I loved the FlipCam sites because I am using FlipCams in my Wicked Project and plan on using them several times during this school year. I am a fan of cell phones in the classroom, but I feel like they need to be regulated and used sparingly because my students are always caught using their phones for games and Facebook. My school is big on technology and open to me using different technologies in my classroom, so my concerns lie with the students. I know that if I lay out what I have planned for my students, they will abide by the rules because they love using their phones and wouldn’t want me to take them away.

I’m really excited to use all these new technologies in my classroom!