NARRATIVES

National Educational Technology Standards for all Teachers  (NETS-T)

(Visit the ISTE Website)

I. TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS

Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts. Teachers:


A. demonstrate introductory knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts related to technology (as described in the ISTE National Education Technology Standards for Students).

Prior to the MITTEN Project, I had taken one technology course through the University of Michigan-Dearborn.  After completion of this course I considered myself to have proficient knowledge about technology.  In addition to taking the technology course, I learned many different ideas on how  to implement technology into my lessons across the curriculum in my methods courses at the university.  However, during this project was the first time I actually integrated technology into a real classroom setting.

B. demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies.

To continue my quest for technology knowledge  I attended three MITTEN workshops over the summer that refreshed my memory on how to operate technology properly and I acquired new ideas as how to use technology in the classroom.  These workshops introduced me to FrontPage, which really showed me a very easy way to create a website.  These workshops tested my abilities and led me to try new things I probably would have never done. The workshops taught me how to successfully operate technology and  I took the knowledge I gained from these workshops and passed it along to my students so they could too become successful technology users.

II. PLANNING AND DESIGNING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND EXPERIENCES.

Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology. Teachers:


A. design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners.

We designed our lessons based on the Michigan Curriculum Framework Standards and Benchmarks with the goal of incorporating technology in the most proficient and rewarding way into the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District math curriculum.  In our math class, we have medium to high leveled math students.  With this in mind, we were able to move at a fairly quick pace. However, we were very careful about including all the diverse learning styles our math class encompassed when we planned out our unit. For some of our students, they had very little knowledge and practice with computers.  In all of our lessons (see exhibits) that required typing, we first handed out a blank template for the students to fill in using paper and pencil.  The students then typed on the computers what they wrote in paper and pencil.  Also before each lesson was taught, we gave a mini lesson on the technology that was going to be used.  In our guided practice we demonstrated how to use the software and then we provided examples that were unrelated to math, but still used the same ideas so the students would not copy off of our examples.  We designed our unit so that all students  were able to succeed.


B. apply current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences.

According to recent research, students learn from modeling and watching and doing and working hands on.  When we planned this unit, we kept this research in mind.  In all of our lessons we had a demonstration or a step-by-step mini lesson on how to operate technology properly.  We found that modeling for the students how to use the technology was very beneficial.  Most students did not have any questions about how to do something until they actually had to do it themselves.  This also ties in with other research that says students benefit when working collaboratively with each other.  The stronger students acted as guides or helpers for the students who were struggling.  Both parties, the strong and struggling students, walked out of this experience with confidence because they gained knowledge and had lots of experience using technology.                     (See exhibits page)

C. identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability.

At the very beginning of starting this MITTEN Project we assessed Yake Elementary School's technology resources so that we could design our unit appropriately.  We assessed the technology resources by completing the Interactive STaR Chart Questionnaire.  According to the STaR Chart, Yake School was considered to be a MID TECH school.  Once we knew the school's technological abilities, we were able to start planning our unit accordingly.  However, we went through the building before we actually started planning our unit and tested each piece of technology equipment to make sure we were going to be using materials that were working properly.  After all of the initial "tests," we were able to take advantage of the two digital cameras, the laptop computers, the LCD projector, and other various types of software Yake contained.


D. plan for the management of technology resources within the context of learning activities.

Prior to each lesson, we had to sign out the computer lab to make sure it was available during our math class time.  Also every morning or night before we taught the lessons, we made sure that all of the technology we were going to be using was up and running properly. Time management played a huge part in our lessons because we switched students for math, so math was only one hour long. Since we were limited on time, each lesson started out with a mini lesson on how to use and operate the technology that was going to be used in the lesson. The mini lesson took about ten minutes and the rest of the time the students worked independently.  While the students were diligently working, my cooperating teacher and I walked around the room and monitored the students' progress and helped in any way possible.

E. plan strategies to manage student learning in a technology-enhanced environment.

To give the students maximum time on the computers, we created a group called the "Computer Club."  We designated six students to pull out the laptops everyday before math class started and to put away the laptops at the end of the day.  Since our computer lab is currently out in the open in the middle of the school, the laptops have to be taken out and put away everyday.  The help of the "Computer Club" allowed the students an extra ten minutes of work time because they did not have to worry about taking out and putting away the computers.  Also, we assigned each student to a computer.  This allowed us to save time and not have to hassle with floppy disks.  At the end of math class, the students just saved all of their work to the hard drive so we did not have to keep track of  disks or CDs.  This tactic led us to create a seating chart so every student had their own computer with all of their work saved on it, and in the end this prevented the students from sitting next to their friends where they would be more apt to talking and fooling around.  To keep the students on task at all times, we created rubrics for lessons one and two for the students to use and look at so they knew what was to be expected of them at the end of the lesson.  Also during the mini lessons, the students were told "Hands on shoulders."  This simple saying made the students put their hands on their shoulders and watch and pay attention to the mini lesson being taught on how to properly use and utilize the technology they would be using for the lesson.


III. TEACHING, LEARNING, AND THE CURRICULUM.

Teachers implement curriculum plans, that include methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning. Teachers:


A. facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards.

All of our math lessons were designed in accordance with the Michigan Curriculum Framework Benchmarks and Standards and the ISTE Student Technology Standards.  All of these standards can be seen on my lesson plans, which can be found on my exhibits page.


B. use technology to support learner-centered strategies that address the diverse needs of students. 

All of our lesson plans were designed to meet the different learning styles of all of our students.  We created this unit with successful outcomes and successful technology integration in mind so we had a variety of teaching approaches and strategies.  The students computer skills varied immensely so we strategically placed the students with a weak and a stronger person sitting next to each other.  We previously had given the students a Computer Survey to see how computer literate they were and this helped us create our seating chart at the computer lab.  Also, in four of the five lessons the students worked independently.  When the students were done, they were able to help their peers and share some ideas.  In the  fifth lesson, the students worked in groups of four or five and we once again strategically placed weak and strong students together so they were able to bounce ideas off of each other and help each other in as many ways possible.  Since the computer abilities varied, we did not put time constraints on the lessons.  It was very beneficial to have two teachers in the classroom.  One of us was able take the students who needed additional time to the computer lab throughout the day during down time so they could successfully finish without feeling like they are holding the rest of the class up. 

C. apply technology to develop students' higher order skills and creativity.

We still used the math textbook and taught the math concepts the "normal way" using worksheets, manipulatives, and paper and pencil.  However, we created our MITTEN unit to further the students learning and to reinforce what they learned using the math textbook by teaching it to them in another way using technology.  The lessons we created made the students use technology to take their thinking skills and their creativity to the next level.  In the Playground Polygons lesson, the students took the concept of polygons and applied it to the real world outside on their own school playground.  In the Geometry Poetry lesson, the students had to think of a shape in different contexts other than in math, in order to write a poem about its properties. The Symmetric Smiles lesson also made the students apply what they learned about symmetry to their face to see if they were symmetrical or not.  The Geometry Jeopardy review game took the real Jeopardy game the students watch on television and applied it to their math class and geometry.  Even the Hot Dots lesson used a higher order thinking approach to use technology to answer questions about the geometric concepts we had been discussing in class.  All of the lessons focused on applying higher order thinking skills, in addition to some of the lessons also focusing on individual creativity.  To see the students creativity, please visit the student examples on the exhibits page.

D. manage student learning activities in a technology-enhanced environment.

Before each lesson was taught, there was a mini lesson on how to use and function the technology that was going to be used during the lesson properly.  We would model the activity if necessary and present examples to trigger some ideas for the students.  The objectives were also stated at the start of each math class and rubrics ( rubrics one and two)  were handed out when necessary so the students knew what was expected of themselves.  In the computer lab, the students worked independently and we walked around the room and facilitated the class.  To keep the students from panicking at the end of math class, we gave them a five minute warning to finish up what they were working on so they would not be scrambling at the end of class.  All of the students were assigned computers so they had to easily save their work to the hard drive and shut down the computers.  The students nor us had to worry about disks or CDs being lost or forgotten since the students could just save their work to the hard drive.  The "Computer Club" took care of the computers  so we did not have to waste time taking out or putting the computers away.  Two of the lessons were conducted in the regular classroom and we had a designated "math area" for the students to work were they could be successful and not be interrupted by the rest of  the class.  Classroom management was not really an issue during these lessons because the students were so engaged in the technology and applying what they learned using technology that they were very focused and content on working (see reflection page).


IV. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies. Teachers:


A. apply technology in assessing student learning of subject matter using a variety of assessment techniques.

We used a variety of assessment tools to assess the students on their progress and their understanding of the geometric concepts we had been discussing.  In the first lesson, we facilitated student progress and participation in the computer lab and outside on the playground.  When we took the students outside to take pictures of polygons in the playground, we informally watched who was participating in finding polygons and who could explain and describe each polygon.  In the computer lab we monitored the students progress and their participation to share ideas with their neighbors and the rest of the class.  We also assessed the students' final PowerPoint presentations using a rubric that was given to the students as a guide to follow.  Furthermore, in the second lesson we also monitored the students by their participation and their progress in  the computer lab.  We too gave a rubric for this lesson as a final assessment of their poem.  The third lesson instead of using a formal rubric, we assessed the students on whether or not they had three distinct images of themselves that reflected their face in the three different ways.   Participation in the classroom, discussion, and presentation of all the student faces after they had been cut and flipped to show if the students were symmetrical or asymmetric were also included in our assessment.  The fourth lesson was a self assessment, see pictures, by the students themselves to see how well they really understood the geometric concepts and ideas we had been discussing over the past month.  The fifth lesson was the only group assessment of the entire unit.  The students were assessed on their participation among the group and their final score they received at the end of the game. 

B. use technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning.

To communicate findings, students helped and guided each other with no instruction.  We did not introduce WordArt to the students, we only discussed how to change fonts.  However while the students were diligently working, one student had previous experience working with WordArt.  Amazingly  that one student communicated with the people around and before we knew it, the entire class had incorporated WordArt into their Playground Polygons PowerPoint presentations.  (See examples one and two)

On a personal level, we kept records of the students progress and recorded their grades using a software program called Grade Keeper.  This program allowed us to calculate grades and print off weekly progress reports.  This was very beneficial to us as a time saver and organizational tool because we were able to quickly see the progress of our class.  For this reason,  we were able to make changes to our teaching and our lessons so that all students would be  successful.

C. apply multiple methods of evaluation to determine students' appropriate use of technology resources for learning, communication, and productivity.

The students were assessed in a variety of ways.  We self assessed every lesson with teacher observations and willingness to participate and discuss with the entire class.  We welcomed ideas and suggestions from the students and were eager to see ideas being bounced between the  students.  We also assessed the students formally by using rubrics to grade the students' final projects.  In addition to independently assessing the students, students were also assessed as a group and their ability to be able to work cooperatively with their peers.  Since every student is unique in their own ways, students self assessed themselves to see what area of geometry their strengths and weaknesses lie. 


V. PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE


Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice. Teachers:


A. use technology resources to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.

Using my prior knowledge and the new knowledge I gained from the MITTEN workshops, I was able to effectively introduce and teach my students how to operate and use technology properly.  I taught my students how to use software programs that they will probably use the rest of their lives.  Even after our unit was written, I attended mini workshop sessions at the University of Michigan-Dearborn to help me improve my teaching and exploration of technology.  All of the students work was saved for them electronically so they are able to keep their hard work forever and share with their parents all that they have accomplished.  During conferences the parents were shocked and proud at their child's technology abilities (see reflections).  To further our professional practice, we gave the the fourth grade teachers copies of our lessons to use when they teach their geometry unit.


B. continually evaluate and reflect on professional practice to make informed decisions regarding the use of technology in support of student learning.

Throughout the MITTEN Project, I have continually evaluated my teaching and planning in my written weekly journals.  In my journals I have reflected on what we have planned as far as our lessons, how the teaching of the lessons went, how the students responded to the lessons, and how I can better the lesson and my teaching for next time.  I have gained a true appreciation of being able to teach and work with another person.  Having both my cooperating teacher and I in the classroom has allowed the students the best of both worlds because they were able to be taught in multiple ways and they had two different perspectives and inputs about the concept being taught.  We were constantly changing our approaches and our lesson procedures based on how fast or slow the students were able to follow and use the technology.  The mini lessons we taught before each lesson also were adapted to the students ability levels.  Please see my exhibits and reflection pages for more information concerning my evaluation process. 

C. apply technology to increase productivity.

The students were extremely productive during this unit.  The students were very focused on working and finishing their assignment and they were always on task.  We had limited discipline problems because the students were quietly working and they were engaged and enjoying what they were doing.  There were some days were my cooperating teacher and I did not even need to be in the computer lab because the students knew exactly what to do and they quietly got to work (see reflection page).  The students thought of using technology as a privilege because the other fourth grade math classes were not using technology like we were, so they remained on task because they did not want to lose this privilege.

When talking with my cooperating teacher, in the past she has encountered problems when students were asked to draw certain shapes.  With this in mind, we used technology to eliminate that problem because the students were able to have the shapes already drawn for them in Microsoft Word.  This eliminated frustration for the students and it saved a lot of valuable time that the students were able to use to work on something else.

D. use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community in order to nurture student learning.

This year is the first year the fourth grade teachers had decided to rotate math classes according to ability level.  Our math class jumped ahead and decided to teach geometry first.  Since we decided to  jump ahead, we  gave the other fourth grade teachers our entire unit so that they can implement technology into their own geometry unit.  We also shared our unit with the resource room teachers  so they could also integrate technology in their geometry lessons. During the professional development meetings this summer with all the forth grade teachers in the district, we introduced the MITTEN Project and we plan on giving feedback and demonstrating our success at the next meeting.

VI. SOCIAL, ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND HUMAN ISSUES

Teachers understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and apply those principles in practice. Teachers:


A. model and teach legal and ethical practice related to technology use.

On the first day of school, long before we even started the MITTEN project,, students had to have a permission slip signed by their parents giving permission for their child  to use technology as well as being able to have their child in pictures, on the web, and in video tapes.  Before beginning this unit, we had a lesson on how to properly open and close computers, how to properly start and shut down computers, and how to properly use the mouse and keyboard on the computers.  When we assigned students to a computer we were very clear in telling the students that they are responsible for their own computer and they will be using the same computer all year long.


B. apply technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities.

Since integrating technology into teaching was a new experience for the students and ourselves, we gave the students ample amount of time to finish their work.  Students worked independently for four of the five lessons at their own pace.  Students were able to finish working on the computers during down time, after lunch, and before and after school if necessary.  Students who continually finished early were able to assist the students who needed extra help.  We helped and answered any questions the students encountered as they worked and acted as monitors and facilitated the class.  We welcomed creativity with open arms as long the students met all of the requirements on the rubrics.  Since the students came from different backgrounds it was neat to see their ideas and creativity on the assignments (see exhibits for rubrics and student samples).


C. identify and use technology resources that affirm diversity

In most of the lessons, students were able to take a geometric concept and apply it to the real world.  Students could use real pictures or clipart pictures in their assignments.  To show real world applications students used real pictures of their school playground that they took themselves to show different  polygons, they used applications of shapes in real life to write their poems, they used their own face to show symmetry, and finally they played a real game show on television to review geometry concept that were taught in class.

D. promote safe and healthy use of technology resources.

As the students were working, taking pictures, and importing pictures and clipart into their work we monitored the students very closely and made sure everything was school appropriate.  We also had every students' permission slip signed by their portents saying it was okay for the students to be interacting and engaging with technology. 

E. facilitate equitable access to technology resources for all students.

Our entire MITTEN Project was completed at Yake Elementary School.  According to the Computer Survey we gave the students, all of the students have a computer at home. However, most of the students did not have the same software programs as Yake.  All of the students had equal amounts of time and access with the technology we used in this project.  If students needed more time to finish a lesson, we accommodated all of the students individual needs.

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