Success Can Be Obtained Through Collaboration

        The greatest professional leap for me during my graduate work this semester was taking on the role of group leader for a project based learning initiative proposal.  The intensity and the magnitude of the requirements for this assignment were overwhelming to me at first. I had minimal previous experience using Google Docs. However, communicating through Google Docs proved to be another positive learning adventure. It was the primary tool used in the development of our PBL group project.  Being able to share our ideas and suggestions was vital to our success. Having the ability to upload our individual narratives and student activities into an online Google folder for peer review was also very valuable.  I believe that Google Docs could become an effective method for collaborative planning among our faculty members. It would be a wonderful asset as we make revisions to our school improvement plan and document our grade level data analysis.

         Through the entire PBL group project, my understanding of the importance of collaborative planning and deliberate focus on strategies such as PBL has been confirmed.  The significance of building solid collegiate communication among faculty members is paramount and can be accomplished even during the current budget crisis through in-house professional training such as the one our group submitted in our PBL initiative proposal.

Movie Making Engages Students

     Recently I created a technology based lesson plan which involved the use of Windows Movie Maker software. It proved to be a project that actively engaged my students and produced a quality presentation for an ongoing instructional unit on Internet Safety.The topic of the movie was Cyberbullying. The importance of this issue was illustrated throughout the movie and generated meaningful dialogue within the classroom setting.

    Most students are familiar with social networking websites and some actually communicate online using their own accounts. The need for instruction and discussion of this Internet danger is evident in today’s high tech world. Hopefully, this student-made movie will jumpstart a class discussion concerning the dangers of cyberbullying and will introduce some preventive steps that can be taken to help avoid it.

     Fifth grade students were active participants in the development of this movie as they designed graphics, expressed their thoughts on camera, and filmed several of the video clips. The cyberbullying theme of this movie will address several curriculum standards within the Georgia educational framework and National Educational Technology Standards.
    As this project developed, I recognize many ways that moviemaker can be integrated into several curriculum areas. I also see the potential it has for creating student interest which will in turn improve their technology skills.
    My experience level with Movie Maker has been limited and the skills I have acquired have been self taught.  This program allows the user to easily import still images, slides, and audio and video clips. The basic layout of a movie can be quickly established and published. One complication that arose during my project was that my version of Movie Maker would not accept the MP4 files which had been exported from the video camera. This difficulty was resolved by converting the files into a wmv format. Another problem I found while using Movie Maker was aligning the transition timings so that the movie flowed smoothly. Some of the choices of title and credit overlays limited the amount of text that could be placed in that segment. To overcome this limitation, I created a background screen and added the text for the credits as a rolling title overlay. Overall I believe Movie Maker is an user friendly software that will create a high level of student interest.

    


   

Communication Made Easy with Google Docs

      I am now a faithful believer in all that Google Docs can offer! As other classmates and I design a multilayered professional learning proposal, Google Docs became the communication tool that made our success possible. We shared a Google Docs folder which allowed us to upload our work for peer review, maintain a daily dialogue and design our final presentation document. Having the ability to make suggestions and correct our mistakes in a collaborative environment was very beneficial. The ease in which I learned how to upload documents to the folder and manipulate this online tool convinced me of Google Docs' worth. Hopefully, I will use it in the future to enhance collegiate discussion between faculty members and to develop a strong home-school communication link. 

PBL Student Activities Can Cross Numerous Curriculum Areas

      My understanding for integrating quality project based learning (PBL) units has greatly expanded during a recent graduate course assignment. The assignment was targeted at designing PBL student activities that would address both Georgia Performance Standards as well as National Educational Technology Standards. Most importantly though, was the directive to incorporated several different content areas in each instructional activity.

     I was amazed at the variety of curriculum and depth of instruction which could be generated through these types of activities. My classmates produced outstanding examples of PBL ideas and gave me specific concepts that I can implement into my lesson plans immediately. The importance of designing instruction with student outcomes as the primary focus is the foundational reasoning of project based learning. PBL gives the students opportunities to solve problems, be creativity, collaborate constructively, and develop higher order thinking skills. Obviously, educators should implement this type of teaching strategies in their classrooms! 

How effective is Problem Based Learning in our classrooms?

    Through class discussion on the effectiveness of problem based learning my support of its implementation has multiplied. Many research studies have proven the positive results gained from integrating this type of learning into classrooms at every age level. The examples created during our recent assignment presented ideas that crossed several content areas. When implemented these instructional units will motive students to become engaged in their learning and will provide opportunities for the students to practice higher order thinking and relate to real world experiences.
    More information can be found about problem based learning at the websites listed below:
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/teacher/teacherout.html ; http://www.studygs.net/pbl.htm  and
http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9812/pbl_1.htm

Voice Thread

    As an assignment for a graduate course, I created an instructional unit which incorporated Voice Thread, an online tool that allows participants to collaborate on a multimedia presentation containing images, documents and/or video. The contributors may insert comments by using a microphone or webcam, or by adding text.
    I had never heard of this Web 2.0 application before this assignment. Therefore, every aspect of this project has been a learning experience for me.  After overcoming several hardware issues at my school, I was able to create a voice thread that I think provides a solid foundation for students to present their understanding of the natural wonders of the world. It will also give the students an excellent opportunity to reflect on their own communicative skills. Allowing the students to express their reasoning on which of the natural wonders would be the best to visit will also give them an opportunity to relate their knowledge to a real world situation. The students’ interest in this web tool was great and it proved to be an effective technique to keep them engaged in active learning.

Using Comic Life to Integrate Technology

My first experience with using Comic Life has been a good one. This desktop publishing software is very user-friendly and has an interface component which students can learn quickly.  I certainly see the potential for using it within a classroom setting. This program can be a useful tool for teachers as they integrate technology into a variety of curriculum areas.  It can also be a valuable formative assessment tool that will showcase the students’ creativity and their understanding of content.

As my Comic Life project developed, I began to see how this software could engage my students as they strengthen their writing, grammar, communication, and collaboration skills. It could be used to show sequencing, reader/author responses, and content knowledge as well as giving the students an opportunity to express their learning in a fun creative way. I would definitely recommend this software to be evaluated for purchase to enhance the integration of technology at our school.