CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS
PROJECT SIGNATURE PAGE
PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
MASTER OF ARTS
IN
EDUCATION
PROJECT TITLE: MULTIMED lA AND TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM
AUTHOR: ERIC WILLIAMS
DATE OF SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE: MAY 3, 2012
THE PROJECT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE PROJECT COMMITTEE IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER 0 F ARTS
Anne Rene' Elsbree, Ph.D.
PROJECT COMMITTEE CHAIR
Jose Villarreal, Ed.D
PROJECT COMMITTEE MEMBER
PROJECT COMMITTEE MEMBER SIGNATURE DATE Running Head: INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS
Multimedia and Technology Integration
In The Elementary School Classroom
by
Eric Williams
A Project Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in
Education
California State University San Marcos
Spring, 2012
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 2
Abstract
To provide our students with the skills necessary to be successful learners in the twenty-first
century, educators must include technology based lessons and activities within their Language Arts
Curriculum. This project is an eight-week 5th grade curriculum that integrates technology into the
English Language Arts curriculum. The project implements best practices from Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy and Understanding by Design to teach elementary students how to use Web 2.0 Tools, such as Blogs, Digital Stories, Digital Movies and Podcasts. With the different socioeconomic conditions across our student populations, technology based curriculum for all students can be critical to academic achievement and bridging the Digital Divide.
Keywords: Blogs, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Digital Storytelling, Elementary
Curriculum, Movie Making, Podcasts, Understanding By Design, Web 2.0 Tools INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 3
I would like to thank my Dad for encouraging me years ago to pursue my Masters Degree. I couldn’t have done this without your wisdom. I would also like to thank my Mom for teaching me discipline and pushing me to complete my Masters Degree. I would like to thank my loving and beautiful wife Stephanie Williams for supporting me throughout my research studies and for teaching me what it means to be strong mentally. I love you so much sweetheart. I’m finally done!
I would also like to thank my brother Kevin for encouraging me to pursue my dream of teaching in my own elementary school classroom. I would like to thank my brother Brian for showing me that hard work does really pay off in the end. 238 straight innings behind the plate during your senior season! No wonder you were able to land three jobs at the same time. I would also like to thank my Grandma Jenkins for providing me with the love and support I needed growing up with a single mom who worked full-time. I would like to thank my late Grandpa Williams for introducing me to electronics and technology and my late Grandma Williams for being the pioneer that led the Williams family into higher education.
I would like to thank my Thesis Chair Anne Rene Elsbree for calming me down when I was stressed out and for having confidence in me throughout my project. Your kindness pulled me through this final semester, and your knowledge is the backbone of my Thesis Project. I would like to thank my second reader, Jose Villarreal. I learned from you that technology can be definitely be used in the classroom as well as to communicate with students, parents, and colleagues.
This project is dedicated to the two best pets I have ever had. I miss you so much Noonie.
Thank you for being by my side every night as I fell asleep for 14 years. I miss you too Boy! Some might say Dogs communicate with humans better than Cats, but I know for sure if they had met you they would change their mind. Thank you for teaching me how to be truly unselfish. You left us too early, but I know you are helping other cats in pet heaven. I love you so much! INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
...... Page
ABSTRACT ...... 2
ACKNOWELEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………...3
Chapter I: Introduction ...... 6
Statement of the Problem ...... 7
Purpose of the Project ...... 7
Literature Review ...... 8
Methodology ...... 9
Significance of the Project ...... 9
Summary ...... 10
Definition of Terms ...... 10
Chapter II: Literature Review ...... 14
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy ...... 20
Understanding By Design ...... 25
Web 2.0 Tools ...... 28
Summary ...... 36
Chapter III: Methodology ...... 38
Design ...... 38
Participants and Setting (Optional) ...... 39
Instrumentation ...... 39
Project Procedures ...... 44 INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 5
Summary ...... 45
Chapter IV: Project Presentation ...... 46
Project Overview ...... 46
Project Cover Page ...... 50
Project Unit Calendar ...... 51
Project (Units, Lessons, Workshops, Resource Handbook…) ...... 57
Chapter V: Recommendations ...... 90
Lessons Learned ...... 90
Educational Implications/Recommendations ...... 92
Project Implementation Plans ...... 92
Limitations ...... 93
Future Research or Project Directions ...... 93
Conclusions/Summary ...... 94
References ...... 95
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 6
Chapter One: Definition of Problem
My love for technology and computers started when my late grandfather on my father’s side
of the family bought me one of those classic hand-held electronic video football games for
Christmas back in 1977. They were smaller than an iPad, but slightly larger than an iPhone, and you
played vs. the computer unless you were playing the “Head-2-Head” version. I was just a child, but
it was one of the first times I can recall when my grandpa took me into his garage. Inside were no
cars as it was filled with workbenches, thousands of electronic components, and various electronic
tools. We just needed a 9-Volt battery for my video game so we didn’t stay long, but I have a
“photographic memory” and I became fascinated with what I had seen in my grandfather’s garage.
There was something in there that I knew I liked, but I had no clue what it was or what he was
working on. After studying the history of computer hardware and software, I found out that most of
those electronic components and tools in my grandfather’s garage were similar to those that
computer engineers use to build hardware and software for computers and multimedia devices today.
The first time I used technology in the classroom was in the early 80’s inside my elementary
school’s computer lab. I was in the third grade, and we were learning how to use the “The Oregon
Trail” program on an Apple II Macintosh computer with the 5.25-inch floppy disk drives. Because I
was used to playing electronic games, I took a liking to being in the computer lab. We learned how to use a computer mouse, so I was able to practice Language Arts and Math on the same computers.
I was already a strong reader and writer (far above grade level) so I am not sure how technology affected my literacy skills throughout middle and high school, but I do know that my technology skills have continued to progress up to this very moment. From Atari to PlayStation 3, and Windows to Mac OS X, I have definitely spent a lot of my life trying to manipulate various forms of electronic hardware and software components. Because of that, I have also been able to pursue higher INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 7 education up to the graduate level. My ability to work with new technologies and multimedia applications, has given me more opportunities for career success. To acquire that ability though, I had to first have access to the technology and then instruction on how to use that technology. Once I was able to practice using advanced technology, I became skilled in several different computer hardware and software areas.
Purpose of Project
The purpose of my research is to review the best practices for including technology and multimedia strategies into the language arts curriculum at the upper elementary grade levels and beyond. I will also revisit the concept known as the “Digital Divide” with the hope that I can contribute to ongoing research in that area. The future of education at the K-12 level and beyond will be based around language arts and literacy skills alongside technological advancement. If students from certain households do not have “Home” or “School” access to computers and the Internet, they will not have the advantages and lack the same technology skills as those students who do have computers and Internet in their homes or at school. Without technology skills, students will be less qualified after graduation and on to the workforce. I want to design a technology based English
Language Arts curriculum to engage the modern student while narrowing the achievement gap. I believe that student multimedia projects can enhance students learning through collaboration and help struggling learners become more engaged in the classroom. I want to ask, “What is the relationship between a student’s technology skills and their educational success into the future? Can integrating multimedia within a Language Arts curriculum build upon student’s literacy skills? What are the best strategies or best practices for teaching multimedia and technology in the classroom?”
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 8
Preview Literature
The key areas of research for my literature review include the Digital Divide, Culturally
Relevant Pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 2001), Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005) Understanding by
Design process and Web 2.0 Tools. Connected together, these topics will guide my curriculum development and provide me with the tools necessary for creating lessons and strategies to be included into a Multimedia and Technology Language Arts Curriculum. The current K-12 student population is growing up in a World that loves to use technology and multimedia applications as part of their everyday routines. The Internet has been taken over by Social Networking sites and students can share their thoughts with more than just their school-site peers. Fifty-seven percent of U.S. children ages 7–17 use a home computer to complete school assignments (Children's Partnership,
2005). “Looking back on the 1990s, advocates of education technology can pat themselves on the back. When that decade began, computer-to-student ratios in the United States typically stood at about 1 to 20. By the end of the 1990s, however, the computer-to-student ratio was down to 1 to 5, and a greater proportion of computers were actually located in classrooms” (Wenglinsky, 2006).
From “Wikis, blogs, and podcast: a new generation of Web-Based tools for virtual collaborative clinical practice and education” Bolous, Maramba, and Wheeler (2006) explain,
“Wikis can be used as a source for obtaining information and knowledge, and also a method of virtual collaboration” (p. 2). From the research article Seven Steps to Successful Online Learning
Communities, Maureen Brown Yoder (2003) teaches us that, “In an online setting, familiarity and trust can develop, but it requires structure and meaningful purpose.” If educators understand that students love working with computers and multimedia technology, then we ought to design meaningful lessons and curriculum that integrate technology and multimedia in them. I propose that we include multimedia and technology lessons into our Language Arts curriculum. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 9
Preview Methodology
To design the curriculum, I reviewed the best practices for incorporating culturally relevant pedagogy in upper elementary grades (Ladson-Billings, 2001). There is a need for technology in the classroom. Based on the best practices I reviewed in my literature review, I will create a Multimedia,
Language Arts Curriculum for students at the 5th grade level. To create the project, I will be designing ten Language Arts lessons based on Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005) Understanding By
Design process and the California State Frameworks for English Language Arts, Technology, and
Social Studies. The curriculum design is built for students at the upper elementary school grade levels. The unit will utilize Web 2.0 tools based around a culturally relevant pedagogy. Using the
Web 2.0 tool, I created a graphic organizer that contains a map of the curriculum design including the lessons and topics that make up entire curriculum design.
Significance of Project
This curriculum will be a significant contribution to elementary education because it provides opportunities to decrease the Digital Divide by providing technological supports for teachers and engages students with content rich curriculum through the arts in culturally relevant ways. The curriculum provides teachers at the upper elementary grade levels with the opportunities to integrate
Multimedia and Technology History within their Language Arts lessons. The curriculum enriches students with Art, Music, Photography, Drama, and Film History. Students will use technology to learn about, reflect, and create art, music, photography, drama, and cinema throughout the entire curriculum. Students will also be able to use their own creativity to create multi-media projects that will empower them to share their own thoughts and opinions with their peers. Teachers will be able to integrate technology into their language arts curriculum allowing their students enriching learning opportunities. This should help close both the “Achievement Gap” and “The Digital Divide” INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 10
preparing our students for higher education and a future in the workforce. John Dewey (1938) felt
that the road to new education was not an easier one to follow than the old road but a more strenuous
and difficult one. Integrating technology into the language arts curriculum is beneficial to both
educators and their students especially if those teachers and students do not often work with
multimedia tools and technology. This curriculum can make it easier for teachers who are still
learning technology to add multimedia to their lesson plans. The curriculum provides California
student opportunities to utilize technology and the Internet in their classroom.
Summary of Chapter
Every human should have equal access to the advancements in technology. Most importantly, every child should have equal access to education, which in today’s classroom includes advanced technology and multimedia. Once students do have access to that technology, they will need practice using the technology. This will allow students at the upper elementary grade levels to achieve academically in the classroom while adding the technological skills that will be required of them in high school, college, and the workforce. The best way to incorporate technology into the classroom is to integrate technology and multimedia lessons into the Language Arts curriculum. Then, students
will gain both literacy skills and technology skills at the same time. If students are not given equal
access to reading material, many students would fall behind in reading comprehensions. The same
theory can be applied to those students who do not have access to advanced technology.
Definitions
Throughout this project I will use specific content terms to refer to a Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy, Understanding by Design Instruction, and Web 2.0 Tools. Each term is defined below.
Digital Divide INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 11
The Digital Divide is the gap that exists between advanced technology and the opportunities that exist for low-income children to use that advanced technology.
Academic Achievement
Academic Achievement is the first and foremost component of Gloria Ladson-Billings’
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. She claims that if educators are effective academic achievement has to be a t the center of all teaching and that all students must be supported to achieve academically.
Advanced Technology
Advanced Technology includes High-Speed Broadband Internet, combined with Up to date software and hardware equipment.
Blog
A Blog is a website that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer. A Blog can include an option for viewers to comment in response to the blog author’s journal.
Cultural Competency
Cultural Competency is the second component of Gloria Ladson-Billings (2001) Culturally
Relevant Pedagogy. It is the set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system to work effectively in a cross-cultural society. Ladson-Billings claims that educators must become competent in their students cultures in order to understand their identities and experiences and connect the content to the students in relevant ways.
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Gloria Ladson-Billings (2001) describes culturally relevant pedagogy as teaching that empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 12
Digital Story
A Digital Story refers to a short form of a digital film or slideshow project that allows everyday people to share aspect of their life story.
Enduring Understandings
The Enduring Understandings is referred to by Wiggins & McTighe (2005) as the purpose for a lesson. The Enduring Understandings summarize important ideas and core processes that are central to a discipline and have lasting value beyond the classroom. The Enduring Understandings are what the teachers what the students to remember and understand long after the lesson is over.
Essential Questions
Wiggins and McTighe (2005) refer to how educators can use open-ended Essential Questions to guide learning. The questions aim is to stimulate thought, to provoke inquiry, and to spark more questions.
Evidence of Learning
Evidence of Learning is a term used by Wiggins & McTighe (2005) to describe the evidence teachers can collect that proves if the students learned the objective or enduring understanding. It can be the collection of relevant information to be used for student evaluation/assessment.
Podcast
A pod cast is a digital audio or video file (Vodcast) or recording that can be uploaded and downloaded via the Internet.
Sociopolitical Consciousness
Sociopolitical Consciousness is the third component of culturally relevant pedagogy
(Ladson-Billings, 2001). It is the shared view of society that doing good things will create a society with good values. Ladson-Billings (2005) believes it is critical for education to help students INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 13 understand the political power differential in society in an effort to make the world more socially just.
Understanding By Design
Understanding By Design is a conceptual curriculum framework, created by Wiggins and
McTighe (2005). It is a design process, which can be used in the development of lessons and units.
Voki
A Voki is a Web 2.0 Tool on the Internet that allows users to create personalized speaking avatars for use on a blog, profile, and in e-mail messages.
Web 2.0 Tools
Web 2.0 Tools describe online components where the people can collaborate and share information, examples include but are not limited to Blogs, Digital Stories, Pod Casts, Voki and other various web services.
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 14
Chapter Two: Literature Review
My research goal for this project was to look at the best practices for improving academic
achievement by integrating technology into the language arts curriculum? In this section I will be
reviewing research on the Digital Divide to see what methods have been used to bridge the gap. I
will also be discussing my research on a culturally relevant pedagogy (2001), which is the backbone
for my curriculum plan. To determine the best design methods for building a curriculum unit, I
researched the Understanding by Design process created by Wiggins and McTighe (2005). Finally, I
reviewed Web 2.0 tools that can be integrated into a multimedia and technology language arts
curriculum.
Digital Divide Background
Carvin (2006) explains, that nearly 9 out of 10 households in which someone has attained
graduate-level education were online. In contrast, less than one in five households, 16 percent of
people without a high school diploma, had Internet access. Persons with broadband Internet at home
also engage in more activities on-line, particularly in the areas of entertainment, banking, purchasing
products or services and obtaining information. U.S. Dept. of Commerce statistics from 2003 show that a lower percentage of Internet households have broadband connections in rural areas, 24.7 percent, than in urban areas, 40.4 percent. Rural households with dial-up connections are significantly more likely than their urban counterparts to list “Not Available” as the reason they do not have a higher speed Internet connection, 22,1 percent to 4.7 % respectively (2003).
Broadband access is an equity issue for families and students. Most suburban and urban communities have physical Internet access through a service provider, but the price of service is prohibitive for many families. Within the U.S and as determined by the Census Bureau of 2007,
poverty rates indicate that 25.3 % of American Indian and Alaska Natives, 24.7% of African- INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 15
Americans, 20.7% of Hispanics, 10.6% of Asian American, and 10.2% of whites earned under the set dollar value threshold to support themselves and their families. In California, 12.4% of the entire population is in poverty, and the median household income is about $60,000 per year. Technology access is expensive and keeping up to date with advanced technology can be expensive over a lifetime.
To address the need for expanded education technology access at home, Dr. Randolph Ward,
San Diego County Superintendent of Schools committed to facilitating the expansion of broadband access. The San Diego County Office of Education is collaborating with public, private, and non- profit organizations across the county and California to ensure that all students have the resources they need to acquire 21st century skills, digital literacy, and global economy readiness (San Diego
County Office of Education, 2009). San Diego County Superintendent of Schools, Randolph E.
Ward (2009) explains,
As an investment in our future, committing to the establishment of broadband Internet access
at home and a technology rich curriculum for all students allows anytime/anywhere delivery
of instruction. In addition, broadband access to all students’ homes with a technology-
enabled curriculum can dramatically improve student achievement, reduce the achievement
gap and improve the degree to which students, teachers, and families collaborate and
communicate. (p. 5)
What is the Digital Divide? “It is this disparity between the `technology-rich' and `technology-poor', or `have-not's', that is commonly referred to as the international digital divide” (CNET, 2011, para.
1). The Digital Divide contains two different gaps: First, the gap between those students and educators who have access to technology and broadband internet and those who do not have access to technology and high speed Internet. Secondly, the gap that exists between those teachers who INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 16 already utilize technology with students inside the classroom and those teachers who still need training in those areas. Despite all the incredible advances in technology like streaming video and
Web-based multimedia, the Internet remains for many users a text dominant medium. On-Line job applications and career building web sites are taking advantage of technology and computers by asking for audio, photo, and video files to be attached to portfolios and resumes. This allows employers to better get to know the individuals who are applying for work. To be prepared for high school and college, students need access to technology and high-speed Internet. Crawford (2011) explains that when it comes to Internet connections, we increasingly have two separate access marketplaces: high-speed wired and second-class wireless. High-speed access is a superhighway for those who can afford it, while racial minorities and poorer and rural Americans must make do with a bike path (para. 6).
Closing the Digital Divide
Efforts have been made in to help bridge the gap in the Digital Divide. In March of 2009,
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack
O’Connell endorsed a program called “School2Home”. School2Home is a comprehensive program that helps more than 500 low-performing middle schools and up to 400,000 students and families across California benefit from cost-effective technology-based strategies that help reduce the educational achievement gap and the Digital Divide. The program started at the beginning of the
2009 school year. School2Home provides students, teachers and parents with broadband-connected laptops, technology training, and rich online educational resources. My curriculum design will refer to this program to help alleviate issues that may arise when school districts lack the means to obtain multimedia and technology equipment. Sponsored by the California Emerging Technology Fund and
The Children’s Partnership, the program is still up and running as of Spring 2012 targeting Title 1 INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 17 middle schools while helping students to acquire core skills in reading, writing, math and science.
The School2Home program has continued to target families who lack home computers and broadband and it looks to engage parents as learning partners. Their goal is to close not only the
Digital Divide but the Achievement Gap as well. When every student has access to computers and high speed broadband Internet both at home and in the classroom, educators can properly implement a multimedia language arts curriculum.
Don Hall (2006) studies issues related to the “Digital Divide.” His research discusses how to address student technological needs and how to design strategies to equalize learning opportunities.
For Hall, the digital divide represents students’ equity in learning opportunity and productive participation in society. “In the media-centric world our students live in today, they are barraged with multiple streams of information in various formats. The amazing thing is they can simultaneously process it with seeming ease” (Hall, 2006, p. 16). Hall wanted to share some very real strategies that are helping his district (Kent, Washington) to reach all students and make a difference in their lives. For example, the technology program over the past few years has been aligned to Hall’s District instructional program. It includes an ongoing equipment refresh/replacement cycle so resources used in schools are appropriate for their educational purposes. The district then ends up with a surplus of computer equipment that still has some value.
When designing a language arts curriculum based around technology, I will have to keep in mind that not all school sites and/or school districts have access to the latest technology. I would like to add that each individual school or district might solely run computer software using one type of platform. I have taught in schools where every computer in every classroom operated using
Windows software; I have also taught in schools where Apple created every piece of computer INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 18 equipment on site. It’s important that for educators plan technology-based lessons that can be completed using both Windows based and Mac OSX based computer software.
Halls’ district has also implemented a computer grant program for those students without a computer in their homes. The program is run by students and is an extension of the districts instructional program. The goal of the program is to extend the classroom learning experience into the homes of families without computers so those students have another opportunity to compete with those students who do have computers in their homes. Another strategy Hall’s school district uses to bridge the Digital Divide is to partner with the community to provide after-school tutoring services for students and provide the, access to district resources using district equipment. The district also went into two of the communities largest immigrant populated apartment complexes and equipped them with an onsite community center with computer labs and technical support staff. The importance of Hall’s research is the model that he created for his school district and the fact that his model has been successful. Public schools could save money while keeping their students connected to advance technology.
Prioritizing Technology In The Classroom
Bull and Bull (2006) from Virginia University published “The Digital Disconnect: A Recent
Pew Study”. The purpose of the article was to show that leadership by school administrators is a crucial factor in distinguishing schools that are using the Internet effectively for instruction, and schools that are not. “In short, today’s students have become experts at ‘mining the Internet.’ This is a heartening finding suggesting that students quickly take advantage of the academic capabilities of the Internet as they gain access to them” (Bull & Bull, 2006, p. 28). The article encourages administrators in education to prioritize access to technology as well as technology support for teachers, so that students will not only have access, but will become experts at using the internet. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 19
In 2005, Kvavik conducted a survey of 4374 students across 13 higher education institutions
in the United States. Students were asked about the applications they used on their electronic
devices. 99.5% of students used computers for word processing, emailing, and surfing the Net for
pleasure; whereas, only around 21% of respondents engaged in using computers for creating their
own content and multimedia for the web. The data indicates that most students rely on technology to
collect and consume information and communicate (McNaught, Lam & Ho, 2009). Although
knowledge consumption is useful for research, we also want our students to construct knowledge
and become producers of technology and content.
Bloom’s Taxonomy has been part of educational research since 1956 when a committee of
educators chaired by Benjamin Bloom created a classification system for student learning objectives.
It is divided into three domains: Cognitive: The intellectual or knowledge based domain; Affective:
The emotional or attitudinal based domain; Psychomotor: The physical skills based domain. Created
to increase communication between educators on the design of curriculum, Bloom’s Taxonomy can
be applied to the classroom of the 21st century. The challenge for educators is connecting Bloom’s
taxonomy to advancements in technology. Kharbach (2011) explains that during the 1990’s a new
group of cognitive psychologists, lead by Lorin Anderson and David Krathwohl updated the
taxonomy reflecting relevance to 21st century education. Believing that something was still missing, in 2011, Kharbach created a diagram updating the taxonomy with new skills that correspond to 21s century learning.
Although, the Digital Divide is shrinking, there are still some everyday classroom activities that educators can include in their curriculum that will further close that gap. In the United States we
are living in a struggling economy that has left many citizens at an economical disadvantage. The
cost of living alone in California is more than many families can afford, so the government has INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 20 stepped in to help communities stay connected to high-speed Internet and advanced technology.
Technology is of utmost importance to overall student academic achievement and educators should look for opportunities to implement technology into their language arts curriculum. Students use the
Internet to explore information and to research information about important and relevant educational topics. Designing a multimedia technology unit into a language arts curriculum will help close the digital divide because technology becomes part of literacy. Reading and Writing are arguably the most important subjects to be learned when considering overall student academic achievement.
Three areas of my literature review will inform my curriculum project: Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 2001), Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005), and Web
2.0 Tools.
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Gloria Ladson-Billings (2001) describes the key components of a culturally relevant pedagogy as: Academic Achievement, Cultural Competence, and Sociopolitical Consciousness.
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy can help students learn through engaging lessons that reflect their identities and connect them to the World. When students can find meaning in their learning, they will enjoy the process of learning more. It is the educator’s job to empower their students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural relevant pedagogy to impart knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
Academic Achievement
Focusing on academic achievement is a top priority for educators and administrators across the
United States. Defining academic achievement can help educators better design their curriculum.
Ladson-Billings (2001) explains, “In classrooms where the teacher’s focus is on academic achievement, the teacher has clear goals for student learning and achievement” (p. 60). The majority INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 21 of class time is dedicated to teaching and learning and teachers assess their students learning on more than just standardized testing. Ladson-Billings also believes that a classroom focused around academic achievement is led by a teacher who is knowledgeable and skillful and a teacher who can articulate individual student progress (2001). When educators integrate technology into their curriculum, they are focusing on academic achievement because technology usage is important to student advancement into college level coursework. Teachers who understand how to use technology are both knowledgeable and skillful. Including technology within the curriculum is a great way for teachers to assess their student’s learning in the subject of language arts other than using standardized testing.
The Academic Performance Index (API) is a cornerstone of California’s Public Schools
Accountability Act of 1999 and is calculated by converting a student’s performance on statewide assessments across multiple content areas into points on the API scale (CDE, 2011). Students enrolled at public schools in California are tested each year using the California English-language arts Standards Test. Individual school districts and school sites are given an API score each year, and those scores are published to the media and also on-line at the California Department of Education web site. The results of the scores are used to rank schools academically and as benchmarks for academic growth amongst school-sites and districts. When schools in California meet their API growth, they receive additional per pupil funding. When school-sites do not meet their target API scores, they are ineligible for financial rewards. If those same schools do not improve over time, they could lose eligibility for state and/or federal funding and possibly disbanded. API scores can make or break jobs at all levels of school districts in California. To understand API scores, educators need to understand how to navigate statistics on the web or in an electronic database.
Today’s technology allows educators to download PDF files with research data to our personal INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 22 computer systems and storage devices. To maximize learning objectives based around API scores, teachers can utilize technology to organize large portions of educational data. Educators can make adjustments to their curriculum whenever they want to because of the availability of mobile devices in today’s society. Because very important data can be managed via the Internet, educators can check academic performance whenever they choose to.
Teaching To The Test
Today, we test more students, with greater frequency, and with a larger number of tests than during any other time in the history of the United States. Over the last three decades we have also increasingly relied on tests, to which severe consequences have been attached, to reform our schools.
These test are known as high stakes tests (Kohn, 2000; Sacks, 1999; Wright, 2002). During his research, Wright (2002) found that because of standardized testing, teachers had made dramatic changes to their curriculum in the area of language arts. Prior to standardized testing, teacher’s literacy programs were based on whole language philosophies. Shared and guided reading supported emergent and early readers (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996). Interactive writing and shared activities were taught in context of the books. After standardized testing was implemented into the curriculum, teachers reported that there was no time left for anything else such as Social Studies, Science, Art, and Music (Wright, 2002). Wright also found that district level administrators told teachers not to teach art or allow students to draw pictures to accompany their writing as part of an ELD lesson using the rationale that, “We are not going to be drawing a picture on the Sat-9” (2002, p. 21). The harsh reality of public school districts in California is that many have no money left over in their budget for technology teachers if they are cutting back on music and art teacher. The best way to adapt to a restricted technology budget would be to build technology into the California State
Frameworks for Language Arts. Then, every school district would have to purchase the technology INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 23 equipment that accompanies frameworks. Public schools survive based on student attendance. If art, music, technology, and multimedia are not included into the public school curriculum, many parents will look to private or charter type school systems for their children to attend. If educator’s instructional methods are strictly based around the idea of producing statistics from a yearly test then they are missing out on all the enriching opportunities they can provide for their students by integrating technology into their literacy units.
Multimedia Projects
What is the best method for obtaining academic achievement for a particular student then?
There is not just one assessment that is better for gauging how much a student has learned academically. A study in West Virginia (Mann, Shakeshaft, Becker, & Kottkamp, 1999) shows that integrating technology into schools increased test scores when reinforced with teacher instruction and standardized testing. The gains in student test scores were attributed to the alignment of targeted curriculum objectives with appropriate software and teacher instruction. Another study in Virginia showed that the use of digital video clips to supplement instruction resulted in increased student achievement and showed that the use of multimedia in teaching helps students retain new information as well as aids in the comprehension of difficult material. (Boster, Meyer, Roberto, &
Inge, 2002). The video clips should align with student frameworks and standards in the particular subject being studied. Cradler and Cradler (1999) found that when students complete multimedia projects, teachers reported increased student knowledge in the area of research skills, locating research skills, applying learning to real world situations, organizational skills, and interests in content. Creating multimedia projects can help students achieve academically because they require the usage of technology for completion. Managing text, audio, photo, and/or video files digitally is critical to student achievement, as they will be using them to complete their coursework throughout INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 24 their schooling and into college. Students can also take their multimedia presentation skills and apply them to a career.
Cultural Competence
Klotz (2006) believes that a culturally competent school can be defined as one that honors, respects, and values diversity in theory and practice and where teaching and learning are meaningful to students of various cultures. Cultural experiences influence student choices that range from recreational activities to subjects of study. Ladson-Billings (2001) explains, that teachers need to understand culture and its role in education. “Academic achievement occurs in the classroom when educators recognize their own cultural perspectives and biases and understand that culture is intertwined into each student’s life” (p. 61). It is our job then as teachers to make connections between our student’s learning experiences and their cultural backgrounds. A teacher is not only a part of the school-site learning community they work for, but they are also part of the community of students that they are teaching too. “Educators must take responsibility for learning their student’s culture” (p. 61). By making connections between school and a student’s community, teachers will show they are interested in learning about the culture of their students. In turn, teachers will benefit from using student culture as a basis for learning.
To create culturally sensitive educational environments, schools must set goals for success
(Klotz, 2006). Ladson-Billings (2001) explains, “Today teachers walk into urban classrooms with children who represent an incredible range of diversity” (p. 14). There are over one million English
Learners in public schooling at the K-12 level in the state of California (Ed-Data, 2011). Of the over six million students enrolled in K-12 classrooms in California, approximately twenty-seven percent are White (Ed-Data, 2011), but the majority of teachers are white. This is further evidence that INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 25 teachers in California must include student culture within their curriculum and continue to grow professionally in the area of cultural competence.
Sociopolitical Consciousness
One impact of modern technology in the world has been that human beings have become more globally connected to each other and the environment. Instant messages can be electronically transferred between recipients across different continents within seconds. Video clips can be shared worldwide with billions of people by simply uploading a single file from a computer or mobile device. Written information via the Internet is fingerprinted digitally and can be linked to virtually any spot on the planet. It’s very important that educators have cultural competence and sociopolitical consciousness when designing their lesson plans because we are all connected. Ladson-Billings
(2001) argues that, “teaching with a sociopolitical consciousness is not easy, but it is critical for preparing students for a global community” (p. 120). Her research explains the indicators of teaching that promote Sociopolitical Consciousness in the classroom. First, the teacher knows the larger sociopolitical context. Teachers must have knowledge of the social and political realities in which they live (Ladson-Billings, 2001). The teacher must also have an investment in the public good.
Educators believe that when their students become better learners, than society as a whole becomes better at learning (Ladson-Billings, 2001). Next, the teacher plans and implements academic experiences that connect students to the larger social context (Ladson-Billings, 2001). Even though we might be restricted by state and national core standards and frameworks, educators must prioritize the inclusion of culturally relevant and social conscious activities into each of their lesson plans. Ladson-Billings (2001) also explains that, “The teacher believes that students’ success has consequences for his or her own quality of life” (p. 121).
Understanding By Design INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 26
Wiggins & McTighe (2005), remind educators that student understanding is about wise performance (transfer and use of big ideas) not mere recall and that teaching for understanding must be closer to coaching than professing. In other words, educators should look for emerging ways to get students excited about their learning. Developed by Wiggins and McTighe, the Understanding by
Design framework works by improving student achievement using the idea of backward design.
Backward design means teachers determine what they want students to learn before they create lesson plans and classroom activities. There are three stages of backwards design: Identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, and plan learning experiences and instruction.
Identify Desired Results
Teachers are to ask, “What are the Big Ideas they would like their students to discover, learn about, and process during each lesson plan? What should students be able to do and what content is worthy of understanding?” Wiggins and McTighe advise educators to consider not only course goals and objectives, but also the “enduring understanding” their students will receive during the learning process. Student learning needs to have value beyond the classroom and offer students the potential to engage within their learning process. During this stage, teachers examine established content standards and review curriculum expectations. In order to provide students with instruction in the most important content areas, teachers need to first clarify student-learning priorities during the first stage of curriculum design.
Determine Acceptable Evidence
The second stage in the backward design process is to determine what types of assessment will demonstrate student understanding and proficiency. Before designing specific units and lessons, teachers need to think about how they will know if students have achieved the desired results of a lesson or unit? Wiggins and McTighe ask teachers to consider if “their students are asked to exhibit INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 27 their understanding through authentic performance tasks” (2005, p. 28). Assessments should provide fair, valid, reliable, and sufficient measures of the desired results. Teachers should provide various appropriate assessment formats that provide additional evidence of learning, and they should be used as feedback for students and teachers, as well. Students should also be encouraged to self-assess their work. “When educators approach curriculum planning, the second step they should consider after identifying the results is to determine how students will attain the desired understandings”
(Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. 18).
Plan Learning Experiences & Instruction
In stage three of the backwards design process, educators should consider whether or not their students will know the learning goals, the reason for learning the content, and what is required of them for evaluation of content knowledge. Students should have adequate opportunities to explore and experience big ideas and receive instruction to equip them for the required performances. During stage three, there are certain types of learning activities that should be planned to accompany a curriculum design. W.H.E.R.E.T.O is an acronym for the steps used to facilitate enriching learning activities into each lesson plan.
Where- help students know WHERE the unit is going and what is expected.
Hook all students and hold their interest
Equip students, help them experience the key ideas and explore the issues?
Rethink – provide opportunities to rethink and revise understandings
Evaluate- allow students to evaluate their work and its implications
Tailored -(personalized) to the different needs, interests and abilities of learners
Organized - to maximize initial and sustained engagement as well as effective learning. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 28
Wiggins and McTighe (2005), ask that educators design their curriculum by avoiding “textbook
coverage” and “activity-oriented” teaching. What that means is that educators must design
curriculum that has a purpose and clear priorities. Our lessons, units, and courses should be logically
inferred from the results sought, not derived from the methods, books, and activities with which we
are most conformable. Curriculum should lay out the most effective ways of achieving specific
results (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). We are coaches of understanding not just purveyors of content
and activity. Jones, Vermett, and Jones (2009) found that using Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005)
Understanding By Design method lead to greater competency goals in both individual assignments
and units as a whole.
Web 2.0 Tools
During her research studies from Analyzing Patterns and Relationships Around a Bond of
Common Text: Purpose, Dilemmas, and Possibilities Of a Virtual Community, Amy Roberts (2004) found that, “Computer-mediated technology served as the primary vehicle for immediate response to the exchange of ideas, visual images, and information” (p. 12). Her research focused on tele-
collaboration amongst pen-pen-pal students from two different “Friends Schools” one in Laramie,
Wyoming and the other in Monteverde, Costa Rica. During a span of two academic years
collaborating with three classroom teachers following an interpretive evaluative case study, Roberts
discovered that the pen pal correspondence provided an authentic and motivating opportunity for
participants to read and write. “Wikis, blogs/photo blogs and podcasts (and its video incarnation, the
vodcast) carry the potential of complementing, improving, and adding new collaborative dimensions
to the many Web-based medical/health education, CPD (Continuing Professional Development), and
research services currently in existence” (Boulos, Marmaba & Wheeler, 2006, p. 2). INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 29
Many times poor communication is at the heart of low student achievement. Being a K-5 teacher who absolutely loves to learn new technology, I am always searching for ways to include multimedia into the Language Arts curriculum. I feel that I if I can teach K-5 students literacy and technology at the same time, students will enjoy their learning more than if technology was not included as part of their lessons. When educators finally get the hang of the many Web 2.0 tools available for instructional purposes, they next have to then think about the best ways to use Web 2.0 tools in the classroom. In this section, I will be explaining the best practices for using Web 2.0 tools such as Social Networking, Blogging, Digital Storytelling, and Podcasting.
Social Networking
“The skills essential in science education are not only needed by scientists, but by every citizen in order to become a scientifically literate person” (Huppert, 2002, p, 807). The technological phenomenon known as “Social Networking” has changed the way society communicates and also the way information is published. Social Networks are online communities of people who share information in groups if common interests. Facebook has over 800 Million active users (LA Times,
2011) and Twitter has over 300 million users (CNN, 2011). Add them together and you have one billion active social networking accounts floating around in Cyberspace. Most educators are familiar with Facebook, and we are becoming more aware of the functions of Twitter. Both sites allow information to be exchanged immediately over the Internet. Messages created in Twitter are called
“Tweets”, and they have a far much shorter lifespan than Facebook updates which are called “posts”.
On Facebook you share information with friends, but on Twitter users “follow” each other’s updates.
Facebook is more personal where users can upload and create a “Digital History” of their life experiences whereas Twitter allows users to share their thoughts instantly. There is a limit to the INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 30
amount of text a user can add to an update on Twitter, and as of December 2011, Facebook now
allows users to include more than sixty-thousand characters per posting.
Because there are over one billion users registered on Social Networking sites at this very
moment, integrating Social Networking into a Language Arts curriculum would connect students to
real-life experiences and make it easier for teachers to bring student culture into the classroom.
Published by the International Society for Technology in Education, Maureen Brown Yoder
completed an informational research paper designed for teachers, library media specialists, and
teacher educators at the K-12 level. In Seven Steps to Successful Online Learning Communities,
Yoder (2003) explains the possible need for Social Networking in the curriculum, “An online
community may evolve locally because one or more students are absent from school or a home-
schooled child wants to connect with other students the same age” (p.15). Even during my long-term
substitute teaching experiences, I have had students miss weekly school assignments because they
are sick or travelling. With less than two hundred school days on the master schedule in most school
districts, a student can easily miss out on critical learning skills if he or she misses some time from
school for emergency or other reasons.
If school districts and school sites could program their own Social Networking software, then
both student and parent can interact with classroom activities. Creating an online community of
learners also encourages good reading and writing skills. In the regular classroom setting there can
be distractions during the reading and writing process. “In an asynchronous online discussion, taking
turns is inherent in the format. Rather than listening intently when others speak, participants must
carefully read what has been written” (Yoder, 2003, p.17). I would add that writing skills are increased as well because writers pay more attention to spelling knowing that their words will be published for everyone to read. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 31
Christine Greenhow and other researchers at the University of Minnesota have discovered the educational benefits of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. In Social
Networking Bridges the Digital Divide, Gladwell (2008) explains,
The study found that, of the students observed, 94 percent used the Internet, 82 percent go
online at home and 77 percent had a profile on a social networking site. The students visited
Social Networking sites to be creative, learn technology skills, and to open new or diverse
views and communication skills. (para. 2)
Christine Greenhow (2008) explains, that,
Students are developing a positive attitude towards using technology systems, editing and
customizing content and thinking about online design and layout. They’re also sharing
creative original work like poetry and film and practicing safe and responsible use of
information and technology. The Web sites offer tremendous educational potential.
(para. 4)
Greenhow feels that educators can use social Networking sties to support student learning not just as an extension but also within the curriculum. “By understanding how students may be positively using these networking technologies in their daily lives and where the as yet unrecognized educational opportunities are, we can help make schools even more relevant, connected, and meaningful to kids” (Greenhow, 2008, para 6). Capturing student interest in the classroom can be challenging at all grade levels. Educators should connect real-life situations to classroom activities.
John Dewey (1938), explains that, “The subject matter of education consists of bodies of information and of skills that have been worked out in the past: therefore, the chief business of the school is to transmit then to the new generation” (p. 5). Like he was a prophet, Dewey’s research findings from seventy-five years ago, are still prevalent in the classroom today. He believed that educators main INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 32 purpose or objective was to prepare the young for future responsibilities and for success in life, and that neither the current nor modern education was adequate unless they applied the principles of experience. Integrating Social Networking into a language arts curriculum would better prepare students for the challenges that go along with getting a job and/or earning degrees at higher level educational systems.
Internet Safety
Before building Social Networking into my curriculum project, I want to ensure that educators properly monitor student postings and networking sites. The journal entry My Space or
Yours by Joanne Barrett (2006) looks at Social Networking and the risks that go along with Social
Networking with younger students. Along with texting and Instant Messaging, communicating via
Facebook and Twitter are the most popular forms of communication amongst young adults today.
Popular Culture expresses itself via Social Networking and Instant Messaging. “It is rather ironic that what was developed as a tool for students to connect and share ideas and be good citizens has evolved into a place that can be so powerfully negative and hurtful” (Barrett, 2006, p. 15). There are several safety issues that exist when young students participate on Social Networking websites and applications. Cyber-bullying and student harassment take place on the Internet and that information can be copied and uploaded to millions of computers in just minutes. “The social networking sites that now seem to be most successful (in terms of large membership) are those that have been created around a central theme and they maintain a sort of voyeuristic appeal” (Barrett, 2006, p. 15).
Keeping in mind the importance of the safety and privacy of students, teachers, and staff, I believe that Social Networking can be included and/or used as a facilitator for lessons and projects within a
Multimedia and Technology curriculum. It doesn’t take but the basic of technology skills for an INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 33 individual to create and manage a Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or any other Social Networking account as long as that person has access to the Internet and up to date computer equipment.
Digital Storytelling
Digital storytelling is a way for individuals to create a movie or slideshow project that shares a personal narrative or an aspect of that individual’s life story. The Center for Digital Story Telling web site explains that, “Personal narratives can touch viewers deeply, moving them to reflect on their own experiences, modify behavior, treat others with greater compassion, speak out about injustice, and become involved in civic and political life” (2012, para. 8). From the research article,
Digital Storytelling: Tips and Resources, Gail Matthews explains that,
Digital Storytelling provides rich opportunities for self-reflection. For example, students
in an education course may be asked to write narratives about a memorable learning
experience and then analyze the stories to identify common criteria in positive (or
discouraging) learning experiences. (2008, p. 3)
The great thing about Digital Storytelling is that teachers can also use them to serve as an
“anticipatory set” or a hook to capture the attention of students (Robin, 2008) before in an instructional lesson. Because it has stricter uploading guidelines and is a better place for educational topics Vimeo is a better place for student’s to showcase their projects rather than on YouTube.
Digital Storytelling does not necessarily have to include video. Web sites such as Glogster allow students to upload photos to a “single” web page. There they can create a collage of photos depicting their cultural background or personalities. The software application, Comic Life allows users to design comic strips using digital pictures with text bubbles. A digital story can contain audio, photo, video, and/or text clips. When students are encouraged to create a digital story, they are making connections to real-life situations. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 34
Podcasting
The creation of podcasts and Vokis are Web 2.0 tools that have become popular with both educators and students. A podcast is a recorded digital audio file created using an audio capturing software. A Voki is a talking voice character, a computer generated version of oneself. Basically, they are speaking avatars that portray a digital representation of a person. With a simple microphone and access to the Internet, students can add a sound file to an animation they also create or they can record their thoughts and feelings to be published online as a Podcast. Even students in the lower grade levels can create Voki characters and students in the upper grade levels love to speak their mind, so Podcasting is a great way fro students to be heard. During my graduate coursework, I created a Voki character to help guide a lesson plan on Podcasting that I had built. They can be embedded on Social Networking sites, blogs, but most importantly Vokis and Podcasts can be embedded into a student created web site. Students gain technology skills and have fun while they are learning. Currently, there are several opportunities for educators to integrate Voki characters into their lesson planning. The Voki web site also provides lesson plan ideas for using Voki in every school subject.
Video Projects
Using video in the classroom can stimulate classroom discussion and reinforce teacher lectures and reading. Producing videos in the classroom is a great way to spark student’s imagination and bring out their creativity. Simkins, Cole, Taving & Means (2002) explain that “students don’t just combine random media elements; they make multimedia that communicates something” (p. 1).
Students create a real-world connection by embedding multimedia in a rich context where they learn and practice skills, gather and present information and solve problems. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 35
“Computer mediated technology serves as the primary vehicle for immediate responses in regard to the exchange of ideas, visual images, and information” (Roberts, 2004, p. 12). One of the most popular Web 2.0 tools today is the ability to “upload”, hyperlink, and/or embed video and slideshow files to the Internet. Video uploading web sites like YouTube and Vimeo allow creative artists to share their projects with their peers, the rest of the World or just certain groups. Video uploading sites provide students with a medium to share their personal voice, thoughts, and views on society. YouTube (2012) company statistics show that there are eight hundred million unique users that visit the YouTube website each month and over three billion videos are viewed per day (para.
1). Five hundred years of YouTube video are watched everyday on Facebook, and over 700
YouTube videos are shared on Twitter each minute (para. 6). Venturebeat.com reports that Vimeo has eight billion registered users, and as of December two thousand eleven, the site receives over sixty-five million unique users every month (2012, para. 8). With that many video uploads, registered users, and other visitors on a daily basis, educators can conclude that a big part of communication in today’s society involves the sharing of video and other multimedia projects online. How can educators capitalize on this technology though? Hoffner (2003) explains that,
Writing a Movie provides an opportunity for students to write a description of a film scene
and then reread the description to prepare for a school wide performance. Students receive
feedback on their reading from teachers, classmates, and members of the school community.
The re-rereading takes place in an age-appropriate, purposeful manner and contributes to
reading fluency (2003, p.78).
Blogging
“Blogging” is when an individual posts written, audio, photographic, and video information to a single website. The purpose of the Blog is for individuals to share their interests, political INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 36
opinions, and other thoughts. Most elementary school teachers as well as upper grade level teachers
can agree that writing is a very important skill for their students to learn. Advancement in
technology has made it easier for written work to be published. Davis and McGrail (2009), created a
blogging learning community for their 5th grade students in southeast Georgia. They found that students came to understand grammar, punctuation, word choice, style, and syntax were not just a
“teacher thing” but rather the means for effective communication (p. 76). Web sites like Word Press and Blogger have changed the way writers can present their thoughts, opinions, and feelings about a particular subject because they allow free hosting of blogs and the data embedded into individual blogs. In all grade level coursework, there is usually some type of journaling that is required for teachers to assess student basic writing skills. Student blogs can be used by students to journal their learning activity throughout the school year, and they can also be used to check academic achievement. Within each student blog, there will be evidence of how students use multimedia and technology to understand language arts.
Summary of Chapter
In summary the key areas of research for my literature review will guide my project design as
I create a curriculum that is both rewarding and fun for upper elementary grade-level students. Both at home here in the United States and Internationally, the Digital Divide is beginning to close with the help of government officials. Keeping in mind the idea of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy allows teachers to create curriculum design that enriches the lives of students from all backgrounds.
Educators realize the importance of using technology and multimedia to enrich their student’s learning experiences. Young students in today’s classrooms love to use the Internet and multimedia tools when they are not at school, and they do so for many hours per day. When educators can provide real-life connections to student learning, then students become more engaged in the learning INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 37 process. Wiggins and McTighe provide a solid curriculum planning process with the Understanding by Design framework. Using backwards planning for curriculum design is the best way teachers can improve academic achievement. Web 2.0 tools can make designing student projects more meaningful because they give the student more options. Some kids might want create a song and another student might want to create a movie. We want our students to be excited about learning
Language Arts and literacy skills, so why not integrate technology and multimedia into their daily
Language Arts curriculum?
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 38
Chapter Three: Methodology
This section contains the design for my curriculum plan, and the demographics for which
students would benefit from a technology driven language arts unit. The best practices I used as
Instruments are also included in this section along with the steps and procedures I used to create the
curriculum. The participants and setting for the curriculum are also described within this section.
Finally, the following section explains how my curriculum was designed using the Understanding
By Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) template, along with the idea of a Culturally Relevant
Pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 2001). Together the usage of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom,
Design
The curriculum I built is a Multimedia and Technology History curriculum to be integrated into the Language Arts curriculum at the 5th grade level. It was designed based upon English
Language Arts best practices and the best practices for technology usage in the classroom. Students
will learn the History of Sound, Photography, and Motion Picture (Video Editing). Projects will
include podcasts, power point presentations, video production, and digital storytelling. The
curriculum design utilizes Web 2.0 tools, and is made up of a 6-8 week unit plan to be integrated
into the Language Arts curriculum. There is a total of eleven lessons divided into three categories:
Sound, Images, and Motion Pictures. There will be an opening lesson teaching students how to set
up a web blog along with an eleventh and final lesson on E-Waste and computer recycling. Each
category will consist of three different lessons. During the first lesson of each category, students will
engage in hands-on activities journaling their thoughts onto a running web blog. Throughout the
unit, students will describe feelings about the artifacts and history they learned about in each
category. Lesson two for each category will ask students to research historical information and write
a research paper based on the topics they are studying for sound, images, and motion pictures. The INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 39 third and final lesson for each category will give students the opportunity to create simple or complex multimedia projects using technology in the classroom. In lesson three of the Sound category, student lessons will be tied into the California State Frameworks for English Language
Arts and Technology.
Participants/Setting
The audience for the technology integrated ELA curriculum I have designed is 5th grade students in the county of San Diego and state of California, but can be adapted using the Common
Core standards to be used throughout the United States. Because of access to technology, the curriculum is specifically designed for lower socioeconomic students who may not have access to up to date computers and software applications at home or in the classroom. San Diego County currently has a total enrollment of 497,916 students at a total of 61,996 schools. The overall pupil- teacher ratio in the San Diego County is just under twenty-eight students per class. Throughout schools in San Diego County, there are on average 3.6 students per computer at the elementary grade levels, whereas there are 2.8 students and 4.0 students per computer respectively at the middle schools and high schools. The county enrollment consists of 45.9% Hispanic or Latino students,
33.2% White students, 5.7% Asian students, 6.1% Black or African American students, and 4.3%
Filipino. The remaining 4.8% of enrollment consist of American Indian, Alaska Native, Hawaiian or
Pacific Islander or Bi/Multi-Racial. English Learners represent 14.8% (73,702) of countywide enrollment with Spanish speaking English Learners making up 12.7% (63,272) or enrollment. Of the almost 500,00 students in San Diego County school districts, 48.8% of them receive free/reduced price meals and 54% receive compensatory education.
Instruments INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 40
The tools I used as the foundation for my curriculum design are based on the best practices I researched for designing a successful unit plan. When creating lessons for my technology based language arts curriculum, I modeled each lesson after a Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (Ladson-
Billings, 2001). The structure for my unit design is modeled after the Understanding by Design
(UbD) (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) framework, where I used the UbD template to guide each lesson. The lesson plan format I used for each lesson was modeled after the SIOP template integrated with ELA Content Standards and History-Social Science Content Standards for California public schools. Each lesson contains the following components:
1.State Standards CA. ELD, and NTSE
2. Learning Goal/Objective
3. Multicultural Goal
4. Assessment
5. Student Activities
6. Instructional Strategies/Steps
7. Differentiation Strategies
During the curriculum design, I also consulted the National Educational Technology Standards. In a few lessons within the unit, I incorporated the Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for
California Public Schools. Finally, my curriculum design contains opportunities for students to use
Web 2.0 tools during their literacy studies, and a list of the best practices and questions I used to guide my curriculum development.
When evaluating each lesson, I used the following list of questions to help make sure that the best practices were integrated in effective ways.
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 41
Academic Achievement
A. Are the lessons Academic Oriented?
B. Does each lesson include Academic Standards and Objectives for every lesson?
C. Does lesson hold students accountable for their learning?
D. Is literacy a key component in each lesson?
Cultural Competence
A. Will each lesson provide opportunities for students to use their own identities and
share their personal experiences?
B. Does the lesson content reflect students’ identities and culture?
Sociopolitical Consciousness
A. Is the curriculum multicultural to show how we students are part of a global society?
B. Does the curriculum include Social Justice activities by addressing injustices?
C. Does the curriculum provide students with the opportunity to collaborate with other
students?
Understanding by Design
Identify Desired Results
A. What are the big ideas identified in the unit plan?
B. What Specific Understandings about them are desired?
C. What misunderstandings are predictable?
Determine Acceptable Evidence
A. Through what authentic performance task(s) will students demonstrate the desired
understanding?
B. By what criteria will “performances of understanding” be judged? INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 42
Plan Learning Experiences & Instruction
A. If the content is the answer, then what were the original questions?
B. What can I do to make the work maximally engaging and effective?
C. What content should we cover? What content should be “uncovered”?
D. What should students be able to independently transfer?
E. How can I help make students more independent and able to transfer knowledge?
Web 2.0 Tools
Digital Storytelling
A. Will students use audio and still images to express their cultural interests?
B. Will students create PowerPoint projects?
C. Will students publish their stories to the Web?
Podcasting
A. Will students create audio files to introduce themselves to classmates?
B. Will students create songs, broadcasts, or animated Voki characters?
Video Projects
A. Will students design storyboards and produce video projects?
B. Will students upload video projects to a safe web site?
Blogging
A. Will students manage hosted websites?
B. Will students maintenance their own web sites including writing samples, podcasts,
digital stories, and video project uploads?
C. Will students learn Internet safety and “Netiquette”?
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 43
Here is the map I used to guide my curriculum design:
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 44
Procedures
After reviewing the scholarly research, I was able to sit down and design the beginning stages of a Multimedia History Curriculum. I looked for ways to incorporate Web 2.0 tools, and multimedia tools that will help bridge the Digital Divide for students who do not have access to technology and educators who need experience with technology. “What is the relationship between a student’s technology skills and their educational success into the future? Can integrating multimedia within a Language Arts curriculum build upon student’s literacy skills? What are the best strategies for teaching multimedia in the classroom?” The steps I used to design my curriculum are:
A. Identify Curriculum
B. Researched CSUSM colleague Tim Sampson’s high school curriculum design.
C. Research Pedagogical Approaches to identify best practices.
1. Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
A. Academic Achievement
B. Cultural Competence
C. Sociopolitical Consciousness
2. Understanding by Design
A. Identify Desired Results
B. Determine Acceptable Evidence
C. Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
3. Web 2.0 Tools
A. Blogging
B. Podcasting
C. Video Projects INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 45
D. Digital Storytelling
D. Develop Curriculum
E. Evaluate Curriculum based on goals and pedagogical approaches and my list of best
practice questions?
Summary
In summary, the foundation for my curriculum design is academic achievement. Each lesson in the unit was created to help students build literacy skills while they are engaged with technology and the history of multimedia. By providing enriching experiences with a Unit plan, students will have the opportunity to express their feelings and share their cultural backgrounds. The key areas that informed my curriculum unit are Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Understanding By Design and
Web 2.0 Tools. The next chapter contains the complete curriculum with an introduction, a unit calendar and the 11 lessons.
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 46
Chapter Four: Curriculum Design
This chapter contains the curriculum project, with a description of the project background, audience for the curriculum (students), materials and resources, timing, best practices included in the unit, unit calendar and individual lesson plans.
Project Background
While waiting my turn to finally get my own K-5 classroom, I have taken different positions in the field of Education. One of those positions was a computer lab technician at San Marcos
Unified School District. Working in the computer lab, I quickly realized that we had a lot of students who wanted to work on our computers. My former school-site, Richland Elementary in San Marcos has a fairly high enrollment of low-income students. Our lab was designed as a second language- learning lab for pretty much the entire course of the school day. Once in awhile, I could sign classes up to work in the lab on other projects, but ELD was the focus. In the lab we had 32 computers and all together counting teachers classroom computers, my school-site had about 250 total computers.
During recess and lunch, hundreds of kids would peek their heads inside the lab to see if they could work on the computers. Once a week, I could let them visit the lab during their free time, but there just wasn’t enough time for every student to visit our computer lab. Moreover, I realized through observation and by asking that a lot of those students who wanted to use our computers did not have a computer at their own home. Indeed, their families did not have the means to afford advanced technology equipment. This curriculum can help low-income students gain the technology skills needed for them to be able to pursue college educations and careers because students must engage in advanced technology to complete the projects within the curriculum.
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 47
Students/Audience
The unit is based around connecting Language Arts to the History of Music, Images and
Film. The audience for my curriculum design is students at the upper elementary grade levels in San
Diego county school districts. Students at the Intermediate to Advanced ELD levels can definitely participate in the unit. Beginning and Intermediate students would really benefit from the unit as well because they will connect vocabulary to images, sounds and movies. The unit can be used across the curriculum by adapting lessons for History, Science, Visual and Performing Arts and
Media Literacy. The unit could also be adapted to the upper grade levels by incorporating more advanced literature. The California State Language Arts and ELD standards will guide my curriculum.
The design is created based on what I have learned during my experiences as a long-term substitute teacher at San Marcos Unified School District and as a student in the graduate program at
CSU San Marcos. The idea is that students gain some insight into multiculturalism and multiple perspectives by studying multimedia during their literacy studies. The ultimate goal of the Unit is to integrate technology into the Language Arts curriculum at the elementary grade levels. Within each lesson, students will have opportunities to express their own personal “voice” amongst their peers, teachers, and parents. Both informal and formal assessments will guide my student’s learning process.
Materials and Supplies
For this Unit, the following materials are needed: Multiple Broadband Internet Connections Multiple Apple or Windows Computers (Or Computer Lab) with Updated Equipment Headphones and Microphones Projector, Smart Board, or Document Camera Modern Digital Cameras and Video Cameras, Historical cameras and video cameras. (SLR, Polaroid, VHS, 8mm, Super 8) Multiple Digital Recording Devices (Multiple iPod Touch devices or multiple iPad devices.) INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 48
Phonograph (Record Player), Cassette recorder/player, CD Player, and early generation iPod. Movie Editing Software, iMovie Software, Final Cut X software, or Windows Movie Maker software PowerPoint Software and Microsoft Word Black and White and Color Photographs The Book “Inventing the Radio” by Marianne Fedunkiw. The Novel “Lunch Money” by Andrew Clements illustrated by Brian Selznick The Novel “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” by Brian Selznick E.T., Wall-E, and Hugo DVDs. Used Crayons Paper, and Pencils
The following web sites must be reviewed by teacher prior to the curriculum implementation: http://plasq.com/education/ http://edu.glogster.com/ http://wordpress.com/ http://www.blogger.com/ http://edublogs.org/ http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ http://www.podbean.com/ http://vimeo.com/ http://www.teachertube.com/
Timing
The entire curriculum may take approximately eight weeks. The curriculum is divided into three different units: Sound, Illustrations/Images, and Motion Pictures. Each unit theme takes approximately one to two weeks depending on available computer access and classroom hours. The curriculum contains 11 total lessons: An introduction lesson on blogging, Internet safety, and copyright laws; three sub units of three lessons each and a final lesson to conclude the entire curriculum. Each lesson is designed to take one to three days (1-4 hours). The unit gives students the opportunity to produce their own blog, digital story, podcast, voki, music, and a multi-media presentation. The final lesson that completes the curriculum, teaches the students how to be responsible with the electronic waste (E waste). The timing of each lesson can be adjusted based on your school-site, grade-level and scheduling. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 49
Best Practices Included Within the Unit Plan
The following table illustrates what best practices are included in each lesson. The first three shaded rows refer to the Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 2001): Academic
Achievement, Cultural Competence and Sociopolitical Consciousness. The second three rows that are not shaded refer to the best practices for design lessons, Understanding By Design (Wiggins &
McTighe, 2005): Identified Desired Results, Acceptable Evidence & Plan Learning Experiences.
The next set of rows are shaded refer to the different Web 2.0 Tools integrated in the lessons:
Blogging, Podcast, Video and Digital Storytelling.
Best Practices In Each Lesson 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY
Academic Achievement X X X X X X X X X X X
Cultural Competence X X X X X X X X X X X
Sociopolitical Consciousness X X X X
UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN
Identified Desired Results X X X X X X X X X X X
Determine Acceptable Evidence X X X X X X X X X X X
Plan Learning Experiences X X X X X X X X X X X
WEB 2.0 TOOLS
Blogging X X X X X X X X X X X
Podcast X
Video X
Digital Story X X X
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Integrating Technology and Language Arts In The Elementary School Classroom
Curriculum On Sound, Images, & Movies
By Eric Williams
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 51
Unit Calendar
Lesson # & Title Objective Standard Student Activity Assessment 1. Student After reviewing Writing Create a blog Students will be Blogging, internet safety Strategies using internet evaluated based Copyright & and copy right safety. on their Web Safety laws, students 1.1 Create grammar, (120-180 Min.) will be able to Multiple- Complete content, and create their own Paragraph worksheets about overall quality of blogging site, use Narrative Internet Safety their blog. a login with a composition and responsible password to cyberspace manage their site, 1.4 Create citizenship. and write a simple multiple documents by paragraph post using electronic using correct media. grammar to their site. 1.6 Edit and Revise Manuscripts to improve meaning and focus of writing by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and sentences 2. Sound & Students will be Writing Create a multi Students will be Instruments able to identify Applications paragraph blog evaluated based (60-90 Min.) the "families" of journal entry on the grammar, musical 2.2 Write describing content, and instruments and descriptions that musical overall quality of the typical sounds use concrete instruments and their blog of each. sensory details the composers journal. Express how to present and who create songs emotions are support unified with them. Students will be expressed through impressions of evaluated based music, and how people, places, on their music evokes things, or knowledge of emotion in the experiences. musical listener. instruments. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 52
3. History of After instructor Writing Design and Students will be Audio Players shares history of Strategies invent something evaluated based & Invention of audio players and Research 1.3 with a purpose. on their report or Radio recording devices, Understand the presentation. (180-240 Min.) the students will structure and Create a journal be able design an organization of entry to ongoing invention and various student blog Inventions will give a reference be evaluated presentation materials (e.g., based on the about their dictionary, amount of details invention. thesaurus, atlas, contained in encyclopedia). each.
NETS Research and Information Fluency – Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate and use information. 4. Audio Students will be Listening & Create & publish Students will be Recording & able to capture Speaking a digital audio evaluated based Publishing and publish audio Strategies 1.0 recording. on the quality (90-180 Min.) using digital and detail of recording devices Students listen information and digital editing critically and within their software. respond digital audio appropriately to recording. Students will be oral able to communication. communicate using advance Students speak technology. in a manner that guides the listener to understand important ideas by using proper phrasing, pitch, and modulation. 5.Analyzing Students will be Writing Analyze historic Students will be Images and able to describe Applications photographs and evaluated based Illustrations the tone and 2.2 Write explain to peers on the quality of INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 53
(120-180 Min.) setting of an descriptions that what is seen and their writing and illustration or use concrete felt about the amount of photograph. sensory details historical description they to present and photographs. put into their support unified writing. impressions of Write descriptive people, places, paragraphs to things, or ongoing blog. experiences. 6. History of After hearing a Listening and In groups, Students will be Photography presentation on Speaking students will evaluated based (60-120 Min.) discuss the on the quality of the History of 1.8 Analyze history of their writing and Photography and media as source cameras and amount of Cameras, students for information, photography. description they will write about entertainment, put into their how photos can persuasion, Students will journal blog express a person’s interpretation of create multiple entries about point of view. events, and journal entries to how photos can transmission of their blog be a form of culture. expression. 7. Digital Students will be CA Content Gather, upload, Students will be Storytelling able to use Standard(s) & edit photos. evaluated based (120-240 Min.) advanced on the technology when Listening & Use digital complexity of doing a Speaking camera and their Power presentation. Strategies computer Point 1.5 Organize software to presentation. ideas create a digital chronologically slideshow Students will be or around major presentation. evaluated based points of on the originality information. Create a Digital of their digital Story and photos. NETS publish it to the 1. Creativity and Internet. Innovation - Students will create original works as a means of personal expression. 8. Drama & After modeling, Listening and Produce a Students will be Theater students will be Speaking complex writing evaluated based (90-120 Min.) able to: assignment, and on the content INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 54
1. Write a poem 2.3 Make then act out and quality of or song. descriptive scenarios created their poems, 2. Write a story presentations in groups. their stories, and using the that use concrete performances. following sensory details The following literature to set forth and questions will components: support unified guide the characters, impressions of evaluated: setting, people, places, 1. Did the problem/tension, things, or students sequence, experiences. understand the conclusion- concepts of solution. character, 3. Write and setting, problem, perform scenarios and sequence for and did they improvisations contribute based on appropriate ideas curriculum to the content. brainstorming 4. Articulate session? reality from the 2.Were students points of view of able to share different subjects. their information with the class or their group? 3.Did the resulting scenarios have appropriate and interesting characters with stories that found an ending and can be played out by the students? 4.Will they be able to relate their characters and the problem to real life experiences? 9. Film and T.V. Students will Writing Conduct web- Students will be History gather resources Strategies based research evaluated based (120-240 Min.) that will help and write a short on the grammar, INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 55
them during the Research 1.3 biography, content, and writing process. Understand the highlighting overall quality of structure and interesting their biography. Students will use organization of experiences. the internet to various gather their reference resources. materials (e.g., dictionary, Students will thesaurus, atlas, write a biography encyclopedia). on a person or character from Film or Television. 10. Digital Students will be Reading Create detailed Students Movie Making able to: Comprehension sentences. evaluated on (120-180 Min.) 1. Read a film script, segment 2.2 Ask Use video storyboard, and description. questions and editing software. movie design. 2.Write a support answers The following description of a by connecting Use video questions will film segment. prior knowledge cameras and guide the 3. Create a with literal other filming evaluation: storyboard. information. equipment. 1. Did each 4. Produce student and publish Literary Design contribute at (upload on the Response and storyboard or web) a movie. Analysis script. least one sentence to the 3.3 Determine Create a Digital film script? what characters Movie. 2.Was each are like by what student able to they say or do read his or her and by how the author or portion of the illustrator script fluently? portrays them. 3.Did students work NETS cooperatively in 1. Creativity and their small Innovation - Students will groups to create original prepare for the works as a performance? means of 4.Did students personal create a script INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 56
expression. and storyboard and create and 6. Students publish a digital demonstrate movie? sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. 11.E-Waste Students will be NETS Students will Evaluate &Recycling able to explain 5. Digital help create an E- students based (60-90 Min.) how they can Citizenship Waste Recycling on the grammar, protect the Students program at their content, and environment from understand school and in overall quality of electronic waste. human, their community. their final cultural, and journal entry to societal issues their student related to blog. technology.
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 57
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 58
1. Student Blogging & Internet Safety Language Arts Grade 5 (120-180 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
1.0 Writing Strategies Writing Strategies and Applications (EA) 1.1 Create Multiple-Paragraph Narrative composition Write legible, simple sentences that respond to topics in language arts and other content areas. 1.4 Create simple documents by using electronic media. Multicultural Goal:
1.6 Edit and Revise Manuscripts to improve Students will share each other’s thoughts and meaning and focus of writing by adding, feelings each week on their blog. Students will deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and learn about other student’s cultural backgrounds. rearranging words and sentences Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s)
Student will be able to: Students will be evaluated based on their grammar, content, and overall quality of their Create their own blogging site and use a login blog. with a password to manage their blogging site. Students will be evaluated at the end of the each Input structured sentences and paragraphs to scheduled blog with instructor providing their blog. feedback.
Learn the importance of Internet Safety.
Learn the importance of Copyright Laws Instructional Strategies Student Activities (What will the students do?)
Session 1 –Cyberspace Safety, “Netiquette” 1.Students will login to their new blog. and Password Protection. (45-60 Minutes) 2. Students will choose and create a basic background design for their blogging site. 1. Lead students in a discussion about secret codes and passwords from a historical 3. Students will type a paragraph to their blog perspective. Ask them if they have ever used introducing themselves, and their family. passwords to access web sites on the Internet. 2. Hand out the attached worksheet called 4. Students will type a second paragraph to their “Powerful Passwords” (Retrieved from blog explaining their hobbies and interests. http://cybersmartcurriculum.org/safetysecurity/ lessons/4-5/powerful_passwords/ 5. Students will type a third paragraph to their blog explaining what they learned in this lesson. 3. As a class, list the tips for making the most
“Powerful Passwords” 4. Teacher will link to the NetSmartZ INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 59
Workshop web site: http://www.netsmartz.org/internetsafety http://www.netsmartz.org/Educators 5. Teacher will show an Internet Safety video called “Bad Netiquette Stinks” from the Netzsmart.org Workshop video streaming presentations page: http://www.netsmartz.org/NetSmartzKids/Bad NetiquetteStinks 6. After showing students the “Bad Netiquette Stinks” video, create a class list of the “Do’s and Do Not’s” for navigating the Internet and other forms of Digital Communication. 7. Use the list to create a classroom poster displaying the rules for responsible citizenship in Cyberspace. 8. Hand out the attached worksheet called “Safe Talking In Cyberspace” (Retrieved from http://cybersmartcurriculum.org/safetysecurity/ lessons/4-5/safe_talking_in_cyberspace/ ) 9. Discuss student answers to the questions about sharing information on-line, and re-read as a class, the “Cyberspace Talk Safety Checklist” from the worksheet.
Session 2 - Copyright (20-30 Minutes) 1. Ask students what they may already know about the following terms: Copyright Fair Use Free Speech Public Domain File-sharing Piracy Plagiarism Infringement Using a document camera or projector, record INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 60
what students have to say about the terms. 2. Define the terms above as a class and ask students to record the definitions for each term onto a lined sheet of paper. 3. Tell students they will turn the “hard copy” of their definitions into a “digital copy” using the Internet and Web 2.0 Tools. Session 3 - Student Blogging (45-60 Minutes) Teacher will choose a host site to manage classroom Blogs. (Word Press/Blogger) http://wordpress.com/ http://www.blogger.com/ http://edublogs.org/ Step 1: Teacher will create log in and passwords for each student ensuring that each student’s information is recorded into an electronic or hardcopy classroom database. An ID Card with log in/password information should be designed and given to each student. Step 2: Teacher will model how to log in to the classroom blogging site, and model how to choose a template for design. Step 3: Teacher will model how to input a writing sample to a blogging page. Step 4: Teacher will hand out log-in/password ID Cards to each student. Step 5: Ask students to login to their new blogs and introduce themselves in one or two paragraphs. Step 6: Ask Students to turn their hardcopy definitions on copyright from Session 2 into a Digital Copy posted to their student blog. Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students English Learners will work with the teacher in small groups to set up their blogging page and to begin their initial writing samples. Students with Special Needs will benefit from the accessibility to the content within the lesson. (They will be able to login to their site from school or at home.) INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 61
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Powerful Passwords Powerful passwords protect private possessions$BOZPVTBZ UIBU¾WFUJNFTGBTU *UµTBUPOHVFUXJTUFS CVUJUµTUSVF1BTTXPSET TUPQPUIFSQFPQMFGSPNTFFJOHZPVSQSJWBUFJOGPSNBUJPOPSQSFUFOEJOH UPCFZPV5IFZBSFUIFLFZTUPVOMPDLJOHZPVSTQFDJBMTUVGGPO DPNQVUFSTBOEPOMJOF'PSFYBNQMF ZPVSQBTTXPSEBMMPXTZPVUP TBWFZPVSQPJOUTBGUFSQMBZJOHBOPOMJOFHBNF 8IFOZPVµSFPMEFS ZPVµMMVTFQBTTXPSETUPLFFQUSBDLPGZPVS NPOFZ:PVµMMBMTPVTFUIFNUPTIPQPOMJOF,OPXJOHIPXUP DSFBUFQPXFSGVMQBTTXPSETXJMMIFMQLFFQZPVSNPOFZTBGF
Hard to Put Together $SFBUJOHBQPXFSGVMQBTTXPSEJTMJLFQVUUJOHUPHFUIFSBQV[[MF 5IFCFTUPOFTBSFNBEFPGTNBMMQJFDFTQVUUPHFUIFSJOBXBZ UIBUPOMZZPVDBOSFNFNCFS(PPEQBTTXPSETBSFIBSEGPSZPVS GSJFOETUPHVFTT5IFZBSFBMTPIBSEGPSBDSJNJOBMUP¾HVSFPVU &YQFSUTIBWFDPNFVQXJUIUJQTGPSNBLJOHTUSPOHQBTTXPSET5IF NPSFUJQTZPVGPMMPX UIFIBSEFSZPVSQBTTXPSEXJMMCFUPHVFTT 8IBUEP:06UIJOLNBLFTBQPXFSGVMQBTTXPSE
Activity *UµTPLBZUPXSJUFEPXOQBTTXPSET 6TFUIFHBNFCPBSEPO"DUJWJUZ4IFFUUP #VUEPOµUDBSSZUIFNXJUIZPVPS QMBZUIFQBTTXPSEHBNF6TFBDPVOUFSPS UBQFUIFNPOZPVSDPNQVUFS8JUI BCFBOBTBHBNFQJFDF8IFOUIFHBNFJT ZPVSQBSFOUPSHVBSEJBO ¾OEB TBGFQMBDFBUIPNFUPLFFQUIFN PWFS USZMJTUJOHBMMUIFUJQTGPSNBLJOHQPXFSGVM QBTTXPSET
Safety and Security: Security Powerful Passwords © CyberSmart! Education. All rights reserved. Activity Sheet 1 of 2
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 62 INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 63
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Safe Talking in Cyberspace 4JUBMJLFTUPWJTJUB8FCTJUFXIFSFLJET DBOQPTUNFTTBHFTBCPVUUIFJSGBWPSJUF *XPOEFSXIBU 57TIPXT TDIPPM BOEDVSSFOUFWFOUT $+DPPM 4IFSFBMMZMJLFTUIFLJEXIPVTFTUIF MPPLTMJLF TDSFFOOBNF$+DPPM118IFO4JUBTIBSFT BQSPCMFNTIFIBTBUTDIPPM $+DPPM11 BMXBZTIBTHPPEJEFBTGPSIBOEMJOHUIF QSPCMFN4JUBUIJOLTPG$+DPPM11BTB GSJFOE 0OFEBZ XIJMFNFTTBHJOH $+DPPM11BOE 4JUBDPNQBSFUIFJSUXPTDIPPMT4JUBUZQFT ².ZTDIPPMQSJODJQBMJTTPTUSJDU8FIBWF UPXBMLUISPVHIUIFIBMMTJOTUSBJHIUMJOFT³ $+DPPM11BOTXFST ².ZTDIPPMJTOµUTP TUSJDU8IBUµTUIFOBNFPGZPVSTDIPPM ³ 4JUBUZQFTCBDL ²6I NZTDIPPMµTOBNFJT UPPIBSEUPTQFMM³ $+DPPM11UZQFT ²4PXIFSFJTZPVSTDIPPM ³ 8IBUTIPVME4JUBBOTXFS
8IBUNBLFTUIJTBOTXFSBHPPEPOF
Safety and Security: Meeting People Online Safe Talking in Cyberspace © CyberSmart! Education. All rights reserved. Activity Sheet 1 of 3
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 64
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 65
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 66
2. Instruments of Sound Language Arts Grade 5 (60-90 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
Writing Applications Write In Different Genres 2.2 Write descriptions that use concrete sensory (EA) Independently write simple responses to details to present and support unified literature. impressions of people, places, things, or experiences. Multicultural Goal:
To get students thinking about different cultures by listening to diverse musical sounds. Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s)
After completing the lessons in this unit, Students will be evaluated based on the students will be able to: grammar, content, and overall quality of their blog journal. 1. Identify the "families" of musical instruments and the typical sounds of each. Students will be evaluated based on their knowledge of the musical instruments on the Recognize several styles and genres of student created list. American music.
2. Begin to comprehend the rich diversity of American music and how music reflects community and culture.
3. Understand how emotions are expressed through music, and how music evokes emotion in the listener. Instructional Strategies Student Activities
Musical Instruments and Composers Students will listen to samples of different (60-90 Minutes) types of music.
1. Begin by explaining that students will listen Students will create a list of musical to different kinds of music and learn about instruments and then define them. musicians and the instruments they use. Students will create multi-paragraph journal 2. Ask students what instruments they or blog entries describing musical instruments members of their family might play and/or and the composers who create songs with them. what other instruments they know about.
3. Teacher and students will login into the
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 67
DSO Kids Web-Site to sample Composers and Musical Instrument sounds for students. http://www.dsokids.com/
4. Sample multiple instruments and songs by famous composers.
5. As students answer these questions, write the instruments on chart paper, a blackboard or a Smart Board categorizing them by musical family:
Percussion: drum, xylophone, woodblocks, tambourine, gong, cymbals, triangle, rattle, etc. String: guitar, violin, viola, cello, etc. Woodwind: clarinet, flute, oboe, etc. Brass: trumpet, trombone, tuba, French horn… Keyboard: piano, organ, harpsichord
7. After the discussion on musical instruments, have students write a journal entry to their blog describing instruments they like or that they would like to play. (They can imagine they are in a band or playing an instrument solo.)
8. Ask students to write another journal entry to their blog discussing one of the composers listed on the DSO Kids Web-Site. Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students
English Learning students will use a computer to sample different types of music.
English Learners will work with the teacher in small groups to complete the creative writing portion of the lesson assignment.
Students with Special Needs will benefit from the Audio/Visual content within the lesson.
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 68
3. History of Audio Devices and Radio Language Arts Grade 3 (180-240 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
Writing Strategies Use The Writing Process Research 1.3 Understand the structure and (EA) Arrange compositions according to simple organization of various reference materials (e.g., organizational patterns. dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, encyclopedia). Multicultural Goal:
NETS Standard Students will learn that history can be written by Research and Information Fluency – Students multiple sources. It’s important to get the facts apply digital tools to gather, evaluate and use straight. information.
Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s)
Students will be evaluated based on their report Students will learn about the history of audio or presentation. players and recording devices
Inventions should be evaluated by the amount Students will learn how to gather resources in of details contained in each. order to invent something.
Students will write a report and give a presentation about an invention.
Instructional Strategies Student Activities (What will the students do?)
Session 1 – Audio Players Past and Present Students will use computer and library research (30-45 Minutes) skills.
1. Teacher will bring a phonograph, a cassette Students will research historical information recorder/player, a CD player, and an iPod to and connect it to present day issues. class for sharing with students. Students will invent something with a purpose. 2. As a class, sample each audio device making sure to discuss the types of media used for each Students will create weekly journal entries to device. Make sure to talk about how records, their ongoing blog throughout the Unit. cassette tapes, and CDs hold somewhere between fifteen and twenty songs whereas iPods can hold tens of thousands of songs.
3. Put students in groups of four or five and INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 69 have then share their thoughts about the different audio devices they sampled
4. Tell students to go back to their student blog and create a journal entry that includes:
A. Paragraphs describing each of the four audio devices students learned about.
B. A paragraph discussing how audio devices have changed in the past 50 years.
Session 2 – Inventing the Radio (60-90 Minutes)
1. Ask students about any prior knowledge they may have of the radio or inventors.
2. Read with the class: “Inventing the Radio” by Marianne Fedunkiw. The book gives a detailed history of radio ranging from “Before the Radio” up to the “Future of Radio”.
3. Explain to students the definition of patent and re-visit copyright again. Explain to students that there may be discretion as to who may have actually invented the radio. Ask leading questions about this to get the students involved:
A. Why would there be discretion as to who invented the radio? B. Has there been any discretion as to who invented other inventions?
4. Have the students think about various ideas and think about what inventions they might want to design. Ask leading questions:
A. What may be needed in our daily life that has not been invented yet?
B. How would you make it?
C. What is the purpose of this invention?
D. Are we sure it does not already exist? INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 70
F. What are the steps needed to get the copyright/patent?
5.Ask Students to create a journal entry to their blog answering the five questions above.
Session 3 Student Inventions (90-120 Minutes)
This session can be completed over a few days depending on how well students respond.
Students will create a 1-2 page report that includes information about a new invention and a sketch of what it may look like.
Include in the directions:
1. Invent something with a purpose
2. Draw or sketch your invention. (Blueprint)
3. Report should be 1-2 pages long and double- spaced on a Word Document.
4. Use relevant vocabulary in your report.
5. Use resources from the library and Internet.
Have students present their invention to the class on various days or have a poster presentation that showcases student inventions.
Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students
English Learners will work in groups of 3-4 to create their invention. English Learners will write shorter reports and focus more on illustrating their invention. Students with Special Needs can dictate sentences to the teacher in order to complete the report.
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4. Recording and Publishing Sound Language Arts - Grade 5 (90-180 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
1.0 Listening and Speaking Strategies Speak to Be Understood Students listen critically and respond Make oneself understood when speaking by appropriately to oral communication. They using consistent standard English speak in a manner that guides the listener to grammatical forms, sounds, intonation, pitch, understand important ideas by using proper and modulation. phrasing, pitch, and modulation. Multicultural Goal: Through analyzing the newspaper, students will gain a better understanding about life in other countries and cities. Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s)
Students will learn how to capture and publish Students will be evaluated based on the audio using digital recording devices and digital quality of their podcast. editing software. How much did they participate in the Students will learn how to communicate using podcast? advance technology. Instructional Strategies Student Activities (What will students do?)
Session 1 Students analyze podcast and other audio (30-60 Minutes) recordings or interviews.
1. As a class, play various Podcasts and radio Students engage in co-operative discussion. interviews for students. Students capture audio using digital 2. Have students consider what questions need recording devices. to be asked and/or what plans need to be implemented to create a digital audio recording. Students will use mini-recording devices or iPods/iPads to capture audio recordings. 3. Create a class list of the best strategies used for capturing digital audio recordings. Students will connect their recording device to a classroom computer and drag and drop 4. As a group, lead the class into a discussion their audio files into iTunes or the desktop. about recording music and songs. Students will create a Podcast, Voki Avatar, 5. Revisit Copyright with students by linking to student interview or song to be published to the United States Copyright Office web site: their student blog. http://www.copyright.gov/
6. Students will login to their blogs and write a journal entry to include: Two to three INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 72 paragraphs explaining an idea they have for creating a digital audio recording.
Session 2 (60-120 Minutes)
1. Teacher will model how to capture digital audio files using electronic recording devices.
A very simple to use audio recording application is the “iTalk Recorder. It allows students to record multiple audio clips and easily transfer them to a digital file on a computer. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/italk- recorder-premium/id296271871?mt=8
2. Teacher will model how to transfer audio files from a recording device to a computer.
3. Teacher will model how to use the audio recording software application Garage Band or the “Free” software application “Audacity”. http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/ http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
4.Teacher will model how to edit audio clips and then publish them to the Internet.
5. Teacher will model how to create a Voki Avatar. http://www.voki.com/
6. Tell students that in a group or with a partner, they will create an audio recording to be used for a project in one of the following formats:
1. Voki Avatar 2. Student Interview 3. Informational Podcast 4. Composed Song Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students This lesson uses advanced computer technology, audio/visual mediums. Using an iPod to record audio allows ELL and Special Needs students to concentrate on the learning while it is happening rather than trying to take notes as they listen. This is especially helpful to those students who may face challenges with hearing, writing, or attending to multiple tasks.
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5. Still Images and Illustrations Language Arts/Visual Arts -- Grade 5 (120-180 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
Writing Applications Write In Different Genres 2.2 Write descriptions that use concrete sensory Write-Multiple-Paragraph narrative and details to present and support unified expository compositions appropriate for content impressions of people, places, things, or areas, with consistent use of standard experiences. grammatical forms.
Multicultural Goal:
Students will examine the World looking through multiple perspectives. Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s)
Students will learn how to create written Students will be evaluated base on the quality descriptions for still images. of their writing and the amount of description they put into their journal blog Students will learn how to describe the tone and setting of an illustration or photograph. Students will also be evaluated based on the grammar and punctuation in blog journal Students will design their own illustration.
Instructional Strategies Student Activities
Session 1 – Reading Still Images Students will analyze historic photographs and (60-90 Minutes) explain to the class what they see and feel about the historical photographs. 1. Discuss with students the variety of visual media that exists in the World. Students work together in co-operative groups.
2. Put them in cooperative groups to talk about Students will write a descriptive story. different media types such as periodicals, films, comics, advertisements, videos, Students will create a painting. magazines, television programs, paintings etc. Students sort crayons by colors and place 3. As a class, have students share their separate colors of crayon into a muffin cup. thoughts about how illustrations might be used in their everyday
4. Using an overhead projector or document camera, share several digital illustrations, paintings, and photos with students.
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5. Introduce students to the idea that we interpret what we see, and that each image has our own version of reality.
6.Ask students to return to their blogs to write a journal entry about still images to include:
A. A description of what they see, to include both the subjects and the setting within one or more still images B. A description of how lightness, darkness, and color are used in the one or more still images? C. A description of how the subjects and objects are positioned in one or more of the still images? D. A description of how is text might be used to convey meaning in one or more of the still images
Session 2 – Student Illustrations (60-90 Minutes)
Students will engage in a fun activity of using melted crayons to design an illustration.
1. Place broken crayons divided by color families into cupcake liners and organize 5 sets of cupcake pans with the broken crayons.
2. Place cupcake pans onto a warming tray with towels to protect students from heat.
3. Once the crayons are melted, students will work individually using cotton swabs or Q- Tips to create a drawing on construction paper.
4. Find a safe place in the classroom where student paintings can dry. Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students English Learners will engage in a class discussion where will connect grade-level vocabulary with the media from the real world.
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6. Photography History Language Arts Grade 5 (60-120 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
Listening and Speaking Writing Strategies and Applications (EA) 1.8 Analyze media as sources for information, entertainment, persuasion, interpretation of Write legible, simple sentences that respond to events, and transmission of culture topics in language arts and other content areas.
Writing Applications 2.2 Write descriptions that use concrete sensory Multicultural Goal: details to present and support unified Students will examine the World looking through impressions of people, places, things, or multiple perspectives. experiences. Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s)
Students will write journal entries and express their understanding of: 1. The History of Students will be evaluated based on the quality of their writing and the amount of description Photography, 2. The History of Cameras, 3. they put into their journal blog entries. How photographs are constructed and how they can be use to express a person’s point of Students will be evaluated based on their view, 4. How documentary photos use capture participation within their group. moments of historical significance. Instructional Strategies Student Activities
Session 1 – Camera/Photography History In groups, students will discuss the history of (60-120 minutes) cameras and documentary photography.
1. Teacher will locate various cameras along Students will create multiple journal entries to with film for cameras from throughout history their student blog.
Include: Single lens reflex cameras, Polaroid cameras, Digital cameras, mobile phone cameras and iPods/iPads with cameras.
2. Share the cameras with students
3. Put students in groups of four or five and have them share their thoughts about each camera with their peers. Provide them with a few leading questions: How has technology changed camera devices? What type of media used to capture photos in each camera?
4. As a class, share students’ thoughts about INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 76 the different cameras throughout history.
5. Ask students to return to their blogs to write a journal entry about one or more of the various cameras they just looked at to include:
A. A description of the shape and size of the different cameras. B. A description of the types of media that records the photos in each camera.
6. Teacher will locate several historical photos from throughout history to share with students
Include: B/W and Color Photos from both World and American History & multiple genres: sports, music, politics, and technology.
7. Share the photos with students as a class.
8. Put students in groups of four or five and have them share their thoughts about the photos with their peers. Provide them with a few leading questions: What is happening in the photo? What year was the photo taken?
9. As a class, share students’ thoughts about the different photos throughout history.
10. Ask students to return to their blogs to write a journal entry about one or more of the photos and how they can record life to include:
A. A description of the era from which one or more of the photos was taken. B. What may have happened just before and just after the photos were taken? C. What may be happening just outside the frame of one or more photos? Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students
English Learners will work in groups where they can share their thoughts with their peers.
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7. Digital Stories, Power Point Language Arts/Visual Arts Grade 5 Presentations and Slideshows (120-240 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
Listening and Speaking Strategies Retell Stories and Summarize Main Idea
1.5 Organize ideas chronologically or around Summarize major ideas and retell stories in major points of information. greater detail by including the characters, setting, and plot. (CELDT)
NETS Standards Multicultural Goal: 1. Creativity and Innovation - Students will create original works as a means of personal After viewing everyone’s slideshow expression. presentation, students will gain a better understanding of their classmates’ family 6. Students demonstrate sound understanding of and/or cultural backgrounds. technology concepts, systems, and operations.
Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s)
Students will learn how to design and give a Students are to be evaluated based on the successful Power Point Presentation. complexity of their Power Point presentation.
Students will learn how to use advanced Students will also be evaluated based on the technology when doing a presentation. originality of their digital photos.
Students will learn how to use software in order to edit photographs.
Students will learn how to use Web 2.0 Tools Glogster and Comic Life. Instructional Strategies Student Activities (What will the students do?) Each day, throughout the lesson, teacher will read aloud the book: Lunch Money by Andrew Students will gather, upload, and edit Clements & illustrated by Brain Selznick. photographs.
Session 1 Students will use a digital camera and (60-120 Minutes) software to create a digital slideshow presentation. 1. In groups of 3-4 give students a digital camera and ask them to take photos of Students will create an account on Glogster happenings at home and school for 1-2 days. and design a digital photo project. Require that each student take at least 10 digital photos both at home and school. Students will design a Digital Story using the INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 78
2. When finished, students will upload their software program “Comic Life” digital photos to a photo editing software suite. 1.Students will Web 2.0 Tools: Glogster and 3. Once photos are uploaded, ask groups to Comic Life. choose their top 10 favorite photos. 2. Students will use their existing Digital 4. Model for students a Power Point slideshow Photos or create new digital photos to tell a you have created about your favorite TV show, story or re-tell an event from their own sports team, movie, or other interest. perspective using Web 2.0 Tools.
Tell students they will create a Digital Story with their digital photos using Power Point. 3. Students will frame, sequence, and add text and audio to their Digital Photos. Together as a class, teach each group how to: 4. Students will upload and then post their Add or Change the Background Color. Glog poster or Comic Strip to their ongoing Students can change the background color of Blog created in Lesson #1. their Power Point slides, and they can select a solid color or change the background. As a class, model how to do this for students.
Change the Font Style, Size or Color. Students might want to change the font style, size or color, depending on the theme of their story. It is easy to change the font style, color and size so that your slide is easily readable.
Add Clip Art and Pictures. Model for students how to use the Clip Art gallery that is part of PowerPoint or search out clip art images on the internet.
PowerPoint Video - Import Media Model how to import, adjust, and arrange media such as photos, and sound into a PowerPoint presentation.
Modifying Slides in the PowerPoint Story Model for students how to resize pictures, graphics and/or text objects.
Adding, Deleting or Rearranging Slide. Teach students how to rearrange the order of their slides, add new ones or delete slides. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 79
Add Transitions Show students how to add the same transition or give different transitions to all slides.
Add Music, Sounds or Narration Students can add appropriate sounds or music to their story, or they can even practice their reading skills by narrating their finished story.
Animate Objects on Your Slides Older grades might be ready to add a little motion to their story. The motion of objects on the slides is called animation. Objects can appear in a variety of interesting and fun ways.
Give students a few days to complete their presentation. Assign the project for Homework and allow students to create their PowerPoint presentation at home or in a computer lab.
Session 2 - Glogster and Comic Life (60-120 Minutes)
Teacher will log in to http://edu.glogster.com/
1.Teacher will model how to create a Digital Story using the Web 2.0 Tool Glogster.
2. Teacher will model how to add photos, audio and text to create a Story using Glogster.
3. Teacher will model how to publish a Glogster to the Internet or student blog.
4. Ask students to revisit the photos they already gathered during Session 1 or have them capture new digital photos.
5. Ask students to create and publish a Digital Story using Glogster.
Teacher will log in to INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 80 http://plasq.com/education/
1.Teacher will model how to create a Digital Story using the Web 2.0 tool Comic Life.
2. Teacher will model how to add photos, audio and text to create a digital story using Comic Life.
3. Teacher will model how to publish a Comic Life Story to the Internet or student blog.
4. Ask students to revisit the photos they already gathered during Session 1 or have them capture new digital photos.
5. Ask students to create a panel and publish a Digital Story using Comic Life.
Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students (Student Info & Differentiation Strategy for each student – Content, Process &/or Product) English Learners will complete a slideshow presentation without text or with little text. Special Needs students will create a slideshow with fewer slides.
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8. Drama and Theater Language Arts Grade 5 (120-150 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
Listening and Speaking Summarize Main Idea
2.3 Make descriptive presentations that use (EA) Summarize major ideas and retell stories concrete sensory details to set forth and support in greater detail by including the characters, unified impressions of people, places, things, or setting, and plot. (CELDT) experiences. Multicultural Goal:
By examining different characters, settings, people, place and things, students will learn about the essence of multi-culturalism. Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s)
Students will be able to write a poem or song. Students will be evaluated based on the content and quality of their poems. Students will be able to write a story using the following literature components: characters, Did the students understand the concepts of setting, problem/tension, sequence, character, setting, problem, and sequence and conclusion/solution did they contribute appropriate ideas to the brainstorming session? Students will write and perform scenarios for improvisations based on curriculum content. Were students able to share their information with the class or their group? Students will be able to articulate reality from the points of view of different subjects. Did the resulting scenarios have appropriate and interesting characters with stories that found an ending and can be played out by the students?
Will they be able to relate their characters and the problem to real life experiences? Instructional Strategies Student Activities (What will students do?)
Begin this lesson by reading from a few Students will work together as a class to list chapters of the book: the elements of a story.
Session 1 – Poetry and Song Writing Students will produce a complex writing (30-45 Minutes) assignment.
1. Lead students in a discussion about the Students will participate within a group. lyrics to their favorite songs & popular music. Students will brainstorm writing ideas with INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 82
2. Give students a sheet with lyrics to several other students. songs from popular music. Students will act out scenarios created in their groups. 3. Put students in groups of 4-5 to share their thoughts about the meanings of the lyrics.
4. As a class, discuss the different student ideas about what each song means or represents.
5. Ask students to create a short poem or write lyrics to a song. Have students add their lyrics to their student blog.
Session 2 - Drama (45-60 Minutes)
1.Do an activity to motivate interest in doing a drama about the selected topic.
2.Review the elements of a story: character, setting, plot/problem, relating these elements to those of a drama.
3. Create a class list of the elements.
4. Model how to develop a scenario. Agree with the students on the theme, or the general topic and circumstances of the story.
5.Brainstorm the characters, setting and problem. Then develop the sequence of events.
For example: Who might be in the story? What is the problem? Where might this take place? What is the sequence of events? What will the characters be doing? What else might the characters do? How are they going to solve their problem?
Based on the questions above, have each student write a scenario as a journal entry to their ongoing Blog.
Tell students they will later get into groups and act out their favorite scenarios.
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Session 3 - The Stage (45-60 Minutes) 1. Group students by general topic, similar story, setting, or theme.
2. Tell students to decide on which group members will be characters for each scenario.
3. Travel from group to group to guide the decision making process.
4. Have students act out scenarios in class. Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students
To complete the writing process, English Learners work in small groups guided by the teacher.
Special Needs students can dictate sentences to the teacher to complete the writing process.
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9. Film and Television History Language Arts -- Grade 5 (120-240 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
Writing Strategies Using the Writing Process
Research 1.3 Understand the structure and Arrange compositions according to simple organization of various reference materials (e.g., organizational patterns dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, encyclopedia). Multicultural Goal:
By researching historical figures from movies and television, students will be introduced to people from different cultures. Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s)
Students will gather resources that will help -Observation of students’ comments and them during the writing process. participation in class discussion
Students will use the internet to gather their -Observation of students’ interactions in resources. small groups
Students will write a biography on a person or - Evaluation of biographies that students character from Film or Television. write.
Instructional Strategies Student Activities (What will the students do?) Session 1 (60-120 Minutes) Students will find information about their 1. Prepare a list of people involved in film or person. television history. Maybe have each student select a favorite Movie or TV actor or actress. Students will take notes on the person whom Next to the person’s name, write one sentence they are researching about. about them as a “teaser” to assist with students’ decision-making. After taking notes, students should cross- reference their facts using 3 different sources. 2. What are biographies? As a class, discuss the differences between a biography and an autobiography. What information is covered in Students will conduct research and write a short biography, highlighting interesting a biography? What sort of tone might it have? experiences. 3. Review the list of people. Are students familiar with them? Do they have information Students will create a journal entry to their to share? Do students have any questions student blog. regarding these individuals? What was their background? What did they contribute? Where INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 85 are they now? How can we find out? 4. Tell students that they will be writing biographies of these individuals. How might they answer the questions they have? How and where can they find more information about these people (interviewing them, researching online, scanning old newspapers, reading information in history books)? List these approaches on chart paper. 5. Students choose a person to research (and come up with a strategy for getting more information about their subject). 6. Students research their particular person using the Internet at school and at home. (Teachers may wish to reserve class time in the library or assign homework to help students accomplish data collection.) Session 2 (60-120 Minutes) 7. Once students have a substantive amount of data, have them write a biography about their person, noting the sources they used. 8. Ask students to highlight five key points they discovered during their research that illuminates their subject’s life experience. 9. Have students add those key highlights as a journal entry to their student blog. 10. In groups, have students share their biographies. Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students
English Learners can work in small groups of students to research one individual and then present that person to the whole class. What are the most important moments of that person’s life? What is their biggest accomplishment? What are the details? Special Needs students will need 1 on 1 assistance depending on how well they know how to use a computer and software.
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10. Digital Film Making Language Arts/Visual Arts Grade 5 (120-180 Minutes) CA Content Standard(s) CA ELD Standard(s)
Reading Comprehension Relate Text to Experience
2.2 Ask questions and support answers by (EA) Read and use more detailed sentences connecting prior knowledge with literal to describe orally the relationships between information found in, and inferred from, the text. text and one’s own experiences.
Literary Response and Analysis Multicultural Goal:
3.3 Determine what characters are like by what Students will gain an understanding that they say or do and by how the author or there are many ways to tell a story, and that illustrator portrays them. there are different ways to describe an event. NETS Standards 1. Creativity and Innovation - Students will Students will look at life from multiple create original works as a means of personal viewpoints and conduct research expression. thoroughly.
6. Students demonstrate sound understanding of Students will learn about the culture and technology concepts, systems, and operations. family backgrounds of their peers.
Learning Goal(s) - Objective(s) Assessment(s) Students will: Did each student contribute at least one sentence to the film script? Read the graphic novel: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. Was each student able to read his or her portion of the script fluently? Write a description of a film segment. Did students work cooperatively in their Read a film description fluently. small groups to prepare for the performance? Work in a cooperative learning situation. Did students create a script and storyboard Create a storyboard. and create and publish a digital movie?
Students will learn how produce and publish a movie.
Instructional Strategies Student Activities
Provide and then have students read: The In this lesson, students will write a Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. summary. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 87
Students will read the novel throughout the lesson during their free time or at home. Students will create detailed sentences.
Define Digital Film Making for Students Students will use video editing software.
Digital cinematography is the process of Students will use video cameras and other capturing motion pictures as digital images and filming equipment. converting artifacts into a digital film process.
Digital capture may occur on a Hard-Drive, Students will design a storyboard or script Flash memory, DVD, or other media that is and turn that into a digital movie. capable of recording digital data. Students will upload their digital movie to Vimeo or Teacher Tube. Session 1 Analyzing Digital Movies (45-60 Minutes)
1. Begin by reminding students that there are many ways to tell a story, and that filmmakers tell a story with moving pictures.
2. Show students clips from the movies E-T and Wall-E. Ask students to describe the action and scenery of different scenes from both films.
3. As students describe the films, type the sentences they dictate using a Document Camera, Smart Board, Overhead Projector, or large television monitor so that the class can read the dictated sentences as you type.
4. Continue this for several scenes from each movie creating a script and storyboard that explains the scenes students just watched.
5. Tell students that movie scenes are created from scripts and storyboards.
SESSION 2 Making a Digital Movie (60-120 Minutes) 1. Pre-Production Have each student create a script, or written proposal for a movie they may want to create and add a journal entry to their student blog. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 88
2. Production In groups of 2-3, students will take turns capturing video footage based on their plan in Step One. 3. Post-Production Introduce movie-editing software to students. (iMovie 6 HD or Windows Movie Maker may be the easiest editing suites for students at this grade level. More advanced students may want to use Final Cut Pro)
In groups of 2-3, students will begin editing their movie by assembling audio and video on a timeline, adding transitions, and effects, and then Finalizing the movie into a usable format 4. Student Publishing Students will post their movies on Teacher Tube, Vimeo, or the class web site. http://www.teachertube.com/ http://vimeo.com/ Students will embed their movies to their student blogs. 5. Student Viewing Party Teacher will set up a day where students can view each other’s movies on the “Big Screen”. SESSION 3 – Watch Movie Based on Novel. Students will watch the movie “Hugo” directed by Martin Scorsese based on the book they just read: The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Differentiation Strategies for ELL and/or Sp Ed Students
English Learners work in whole group setting with teacher to create grade-level sentences.
English Learners will work in small groups to complete the final assignment for the lesson.
Special Needs Students will benefit from the learning because the content contains a high amount of audio/visual explanations and learning opportunities,
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11. E-Waste Recycling Mini-Lesson (60-90 Minutes)
Explain to students that Americans own nearly 3 Billion electronic products.
Teacher will link to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_waste on Wikipedia.
Explain to students what the definition of Electronic Waste is.
Electronic Waste, e-waste, e-scrap, or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) describes loosely discarded, surplus, obsolete, or broken electrical or electronic devices. Some electronic scrap components, such as CRTs, contain contaminants such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury, and brominated flame-retardants. Activists claim that even in developed countries recycling and disposal of e-waste may involve significant risk to workers and communities and great care must be taken to avoid unsafe exposure in recycling operations and leaching of material such as heavy metals from landfills and incinerator ashes.
Teacher will download PDF File about management of Electronic Waste.
Explain to students that for each new technology product that comes along, one or more become outdated or obsolete. Consequently, we’re storing or discarding older electronic products faster than ever. In 1998, studies estimate about 20 million computers became obsolete in one year. In 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) estimates that between 26-37 million computers became obsolete. Along with computers, TVs, VCRs, cell phones, and monitors—an estimated 304 million electronics—were removed from US households in 2005, with about two- thirds of those still in working order, according to Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) estimates.
Teacher will login to http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/pubs.htm
Together as a class, teacher and students will brainstorm ways to recycle unused computers and electronics at their school site.
Create a class list of those ideas on chart paper, and then implement a plan of action.
Students will recycle electronic waste at their school site and then teach their families how to recycle electronic waste at home and in their community.
Ask students to create a final journal entry to their student blog summarizing their learning experiences from throughout this technology integrated language arts curriculum.
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Chapter Five: Project Recommendations
Without early grade level knowledge of how to apply technology skills to literacy studies, students will not be ready for college or the workforce after high-school. Designing a technology based English Language Arts curriculum will engage the modern student. Including multimedia projects within the English Language Arts curriculum enhances students learning through collaboration. Technology integration can also help struggling learners become more engaged in their daily language arts activities. The relationship between a student’s technology skills and their educational success into the future is apparent. Integrating multimedia within a Language Arts curriculum can build upon student’s literacy skills if educators use the best strategies for teaching multimedia and technology in the classroom? In this chapter, I explain (a) the lessons I learned from creating a technology based ELA curriculum, (b) the educational implications for my curriculum project, (c) my project implementation plans, (d) the limitations of a technology based ELA curriculum, and (e) my suggestions for future research on technology based ELA curriculum.
Lessons Learned
By developing this curriculum, I learned about Backward Design Instructional planning (Wiggins
& McTighe, 2005), Culturally Relevant Curriculum (Ladson-Billings, 2001), and Web-based Social
Media.
Backward Design Process
While creating this technology based English Language Arts curriculum, I learned that the
“Backwards Design” process approach to designing a curriculum is the most effective way to ensure that the content of my lesson plans are both focused and organized. Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005)
Understanding by Design process asks that educators include content standards as the core for student assessment. My curriculum project utilizes the UbD process to help teachers plan engaging INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 91 lessons and learning objectives that give students the opportunity to achieve academically. By planning learning activities and instructions, teachers can help students guide their own learning process.
Culturally Relevant Curriculum
Educators must utilize their student’s cultural backgrounds when designing a curriculum
(Ladson-Billings, 2001). Not only will it engage students to their learning process, it will give students the opportunity to share their personal backgrounds with their peers. Empowering our students academically and socially while creating equitable educational outcomes for every student is a priority for educators in today’s classrooms. Educators must know the social and political realities of the students they are teaching. We are a living in a globally diverse society where technology is the means for global communication. When students are given opportunities to apply their classroom learning to real life situations, they will make achieve academically.
Web-Based Social Media Tools
Since the public inception of the Internet in the late nineties, the potential for it to be used as an educational tool has been researched. Because of increased Internet speeds and faster computer processors, uploading large multimedia files and other data has become accessible to the public. As technology advances, many of its’ tools are redeveloped and older technology becomes part of the historical process. When students are able access current technologies, they have equal access to academic achievement. One way to provide equal access to the Internet for all students is to design a
Language Arts curriculum that integrates Web 2.0 tools. The dangers that exist within cyberspace are evident and educators must teach young students proper “Netiquette”. When educators integrate
Web 2.0 tools into their ELA curriculum, they are providing students the opportunity to succeed INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 92 outside of the classroom as well. Student digital communication is safer and more efficient when monitored and facilitated by an instructor.
Educational Implications
I highly recommend that educators integrate technology into their language arts lesson plans.
For educators to be effective at integrating technology, they must be responsible for learning how to use web-based social media themselves to understand how they can integrate the Web 2.0 Tools into their instructional curriculum using content standards, best educational practices, and modern technological advancements. I also recommended that educators provide opportunities for students to include their personal culture, family backgrounds, and creative voices into their learning activities.
Project Implementation Plans
My plan is to pilot this curriculum project when I become contracted as an upper elementary grade level teacher with my own classroom and roster of students. As I am searching for a full-time position, I will ask educators in San Diego County if they would like to implement my technology- based language arts curriculum into a classroom environment at any one of their school sites. I envision other teachers developing and/or customizing their own technology based ELA curriculums based on the model I have created. It would be great to see educators at the elementary grade levels jump on the bandwagon to include technology during their literacy instruction. I will also attach my curriculum project or hyperlink the project to my current resume with the hope that an elementary school sites in San Diego County or Southern California are looking to hire a teacher who can integrate technology into their language arts curriculum.
Limitations of Project INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 93
The limitations for implementing this curriculum include the lack of resources and the focus
on upper grade level. The lack of district, school, and/or classroom technology resources would be
the biggest limitation of my curriculum project. Teachers need multiple computers available in their
classrooms, and each school should have a computer technician on-site or available to troubleshoot
any hardware or software issues that may arise during the technology based language arts
curriculum. Because of state budget cuts, many school districts in San Diego County can only
employ a limited amount of technicians so they usually have to work at multiple school sites.
Depending on how quickly a school district can facilitate a technician to a particular school, students
may have to wait a few days and sometimes a week before a technology issue can be resolved.
Another limitation to this curriculum design could be the lack of teacher training in the area of
technology and computers. This curriculum design is created to prepare upper elementary grade
level students for middle school and high-school, but it could be adapted to work at the upper grade
levels by adding more challenging content within each lesson plan. Timing and calendar days for the
curriculum design may be shorter or longer than expected. Student Assessment for each lesson
would be more authentic if Rubrics were added to each.
Future Research or Project Suggestions
Technology is advancing at a fast pace, but the cost of owning advanced technology equipment is increasing. Programs providing low socioeconomic students access to advanced technology are important especially in the public school districts. The student per computer ratio has decreased nationwide, but has it decreased enough that every student in America has access to both
advanced technology and high-speed broadband Internet at home and at school? A research project
that reviews the best methods for school districts to obtain technology equipment would further INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 94 shrink the Digital Divide in the United States. The curriculum design in this project could be redeveloped after it has been piloted with a group of upper elementary grade level students.
Summary/Conclusion
In order to better provide our students with the academic tools needed to advance on to college and become part of the working society, educators have to analyze the content of their curriculum designs. By identifying student goals and determining acceptable evidence prior to lesson planning, student assessment will be more comprehensive. Without equal access to technology, some students will fall behind academically. The inclusion of multimedia and web-based educational tools into the Language Arts curriculum gives all students equal access to academic achievement.
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOLOGY AND LANGUAGE ARTS 95
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