Standard 2.1 - Content Standards and Student Technology Standards
Candidates model and facilitate the design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences aligned with student content standards and student technology standards. (PSC 2.1/ISTE 2a)
Artifact - Engaged Learning Project: Immigrant Experiences
Reflection
I selected Immigrant Experiences as the artifact for this standard because it represents an authentic learning lesson designed to engage students in social studies. The project links 5th grade social studies standards with using internet and other technology tools to share their families’ experiences as immigrants or as new neighborhood residents. I created this lesson plan after consulting with my school’s 5th grade social studies teacher and reviewing Georgia standards.
This lesson plan is intended to help students meet several student content standards, in particular SS5H3, describe the reasons people emigrated to the United States, from where they emigrated, and where they settled. It also addresses ELA standards ELACC5RI3 for research and reading informational text, and ELACC5SL1 to engage in collaborative discussions with diverse partners. These standards are particularly connected to my work as media specialist teaching students research methods and allowing them the opportunity to explore new tools and resources. Because of the focus on students’ creating a final presentation that can be widely shared with the school community, this engaged learning lesson aligned with student technology standards, particularly NETS-S for constructing knowledge and creating innovative products using technology, and using digital environments to collaborate and communicate to multiple audiences.
Developing this engaged learning project required that I stretch my lesson-planning skills as I designed and implemented a technology enhanced learning experience. The lesson required using multiple sources of information as well as selecting a variety of technology media with which students could complete their final project. I was required to model use of the technology tools and resources, and then facilitate students’ interviewing and compiling information that allowed them to tell their stories. Because I am not trained in methodology as a classroom teacher, this part of any lesson is always a challenge as I often have to demonstrate how to complete research step by step using traditional and internet sources, or how to use specific technology tools. On the other hand, I can often hand a camera to a student, show him the “on” switch, and then turn him loose to create. The biggest challenge for students seems to be turning the raw information, whether video or research, into a usable product.
As I completed this lesson plan and reflection, I came to several important conclusions. Most importantly I have to recognize that whatever time I can allocate in the media center for student research is simply not enough, and that students also require more time to process and synthesize information, so much so that I am revamping my entire media scheduling process. I also recognize that for me as media specialist, implementing a project of this magnitude require significant commitment and collaboration with classroom teachers. Time and collaboration also is impacted by the realities of working within the constraint of scheduling. Although students were able to work on some of the research components and practice developing interview questions and use of the video camera, I was unable to completely implement this project with all 85 5th grade students as I had hoped. However, I believe this lesson is a significant project that can be implemented in partnership with 5th and 6th grade teachers in the second quarter of the 2014-15 school.
This artifact will contribute to school improvement and student learning because it is an example of authentic project-based learning that affects our entire school community. The impact of the project will be measured by the depth of learning reflected in student interviews with family members and friends. These interviews will contribute to the school neighborhood and sense of community as we share experiences with our neighbors and will inspire future community-based projects.
I selected Immigrant Experiences as the artifact for this standard because it represents an authentic learning lesson designed to engage students in social studies. The project links 5th grade social studies standards with using internet and other technology tools to share their families’ experiences as immigrants or as new neighborhood residents. I created this lesson plan after consulting with my school’s 5th grade social studies teacher and reviewing Georgia standards.
This lesson plan is intended to help students meet several student content standards, in particular SS5H3, describe the reasons people emigrated to the United States, from where they emigrated, and where they settled. It also addresses ELA standards ELACC5RI3 for research and reading informational text, and ELACC5SL1 to engage in collaborative discussions with diverse partners. These standards are particularly connected to my work as media specialist teaching students research methods and allowing them the opportunity to explore new tools and resources. Because of the focus on students’ creating a final presentation that can be widely shared with the school community, this engaged learning lesson aligned with student technology standards, particularly NETS-S for constructing knowledge and creating innovative products using technology, and using digital environments to collaborate and communicate to multiple audiences.
Developing this engaged learning project required that I stretch my lesson-planning skills as I designed and implemented a technology enhanced learning experience. The lesson required using multiple sources of information as well as selecting a variety of technology media with which students could complete their final project. I was required to model use of the technology tools and resources, and then facilitate students’ interviewing and compiling information that allowed them to tell their stories. Because I am not trained in methodology as a classroom teacher, this part of any lesson is always a challenge as I often have to demonstrate how to complete research step by step using traditional and internet sources, or how to use specific technology tools. On the other hand, I can often hand a camera to a student, show him the “on” switch, and then turn him loose to create. The biggest challenge for students seems to be turning the raw information, whether video or research, into a usable product.
As I completed this lesson plan and reflection, I came to several important conclusions. Most importantly I have to recognize that whatever time I can allocate in the media center for student research is simply not enough, and that students also require more time to process and synthesize information, so much so that I am revamping my entire media scheduling process. I also recognize that for me as media specialist, implementing a project of this magnitude require significant commitment and collaboration with classroom teachers. Time and collaboration also is impacted by the realities of working within the constraint of scheduling. Although students were able to work on some of the research components and practice developing interview questions and use of the video camera, I was unable to completely implement this project with all 85 5th grade students as I had hoped. However, I believe this lesson is a significant project that can be implemented in partnership with 5th and 6th grade teachers in the second quarter of the 2014-15 school.
This artifact will contribute to school improvement and student learning because it is an example of authentic project-based learning that affects our entire school community. The impact of the project will be measured by the depth of learning reflected in student interviews with family members and friends. These interviews will contribute to the school neighborhood and sense of community as we share experiences with our neighbors and will inspire future community-based projects.