Overview |
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This site was created as a group project for EDEL 544, through the University of Alberta’s Teacher-Librarian through Distance Education Masters Program. The contributors to this site all have a focus in the grades 4-7 elementary program.
Through the course of several discussions, the group decided to focus on tools that teachers could use to promote and increase students' writing abilities, as well as those that allowed for other modes of communication. In addition, we included tools that are helpful to teachers in planning and organization.
Our group met several times. Initially we met through video-conferences in Adobe Connector, made available to us through our course site on Moodle. We eventually began to communicate through a written format in Google Hangout. The group met several times to talk about each members’ progress on the project, to answer each other’s questions, and to lend support to each team member.
In creating the project, each member of the group was responsible for creating three modules that introduce an online tool, give tips for how to use the online tool within a classroom or library setting, and provide suggestions for further learning regarding each tool. Each member also created video tutorials for their modules so that our audience could visualize how to use the website. Each member of the group chose tools that they use regularly in their teaching and wanted to share with others, or tools they were interested in learning more about and using in the future.
The group project was equally divided among the members of the group. Every member of the group was assigned a portion of the rationale to write, or part of the website to complete. Each section was completed several days before the assignment due to allow for editing.
Design
The group quickly decided to use Weebly to present our project. The group members wanted to use a website that was aesthetically pleasing, easy to navigate for our audience, and simple to create. Although every member of the group contributed to the website, we were careful to make sure the overall website design was consistent in content and theme.
Audience
This site was created for educators wishing to learn more about Web 2.0 tools that they can use in their schools, classrooms, and libraries. Though the specific focus is teachers or teacher-librarians teaching in the upper elementary grades, it is the creators' intent that every educator, regardless of their comfort with technology, will find at least one tool that they would like to incorporate within their teaching.
Our Objectives
· To have educators referencing this website become more comfortable using online tools
· To give educators resources to use within their schools, classrooms, libraries
· To promote the use of Web 2.0 tools to the education community
· To encourage educators to move out of their comfort zone and incorporate technology in their teaching
· To create a space were educators can discuss their success an failures of using technology, and seek to create a forum for discussion through our Facebook group page
Our Objectives for You
As you work through each module in this site, we hope that you will:
1. Watch the tutorial video
2. Access some of the links we have provided
3. Give it a try! Choose a beginner or an advanced project to complete in order to familiarize yourself with the tool.
4. Put it into practice.
Why?
Students today need to use technology to demonstrate their learning. McLeod & Lehmann (2012) state that “there is near-universal agreement that schools must find ways to transform older teaching practices in order to harness the tools that students have at their disposal today” (p. 1). Edutopia (2008) argues that “learning through projects while equipped with technology tools allows students to be intellectually challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of what the modern office looks like. Through projects, students acquire and refine their analysis and problem-solving skills as they work individually and in teams to find, process, and synthesize information they've found online” (para. 2). The same author goes on to say that “learning through projects while equipped with technology tools allows students to be intellectually challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of what the modern office looks like. Through projects, students acquire and refine their analysis and problem-solving skills as they work individually and in teams to find, process, and synthesize information they've found online” (para. 4). AASL (2007) states that one of the Standards for 21st century learning should be that “Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess” (p. 6). For these reasons, it is crucial that educators today encourage students to use online tools to enhance their learning, and to demonstrate knowledge.
Through the course of several discussions, the group decided to focus on tools that teachers could use to promote and increase students' writing abilities, as well as those that allowed for other modes of communication. In addition, we included tools that are helpful to teachers in planning and organization.
Our group met several times. Initially we met through video-conferences in Adobe Connector, made available to us through our course site on Moodle. We eventually began to communicate through a written format in Google Hangout. The group met several times to talk about each members’ progress on the project, to answer each other’s questions, and to lend support to each team member.
In creating the project, each member of the group was responsible for creating three modules that introduce an online tool, give tips for how to use the online tool within a classroom or library setting, and provide suggestions for further learning regarding each tool. Each member also created video tutorials for their modules so that our audience could visualize how to use the website. Each member of the group chose tools that they use regularly in their teaching and wanted to share with others, or tools they were interested in learning more about and using in the future.
The group project was equally divided among the members of the group. Every member of the group was assigned a portion of the rationale to write, or part of the website to complete. Each section was completed several days before the assignment due to allow for editing.
Design
The group quickly decided to use Weebly to present our project. The group members wanted to use a website that was aesthetically pleasing, easy to navigate for our audience, and simple to create. Although every member of the group contributed to the website, we were careful to make sure the overall website design was consistent in content and theme.
Audience
This site was created for educators wishing to learn more about Web 2.0 tools that they can use in their schools, classrooms, and libraries. Though the specific focus is teachers or teacher-librarians teaching in the upper elementary grades, it is the creators' intent that every educator, regardless of their comfort with technology, will find at least one tool that they would like to incorporate within their teaching.
Our Objectives
· To have educators referencing this website become more comfortable using online tools
· To give educators resources to use within their schools, classrooms, libraries
· To promote the use of Web 2.0 tools to the education community
· To encourage educators to move out of their comfort zone and incorporate technology in their teaching
· To create a space were educators can discuss their success an failures of using technology, and seek to create a forum for discussion through our Facebook group page
Our Objectives for You
As you work through each module in this site, we hope that you will:
1. Watch the tutorial video
2. Access some of the links we have provided
3. Give it a try! Choose a beginner or an advanced project to complete in order to familiarize yourself with the tool.
4. Put it into practice.
Why?
Students today need to use technology to demonstrate their learning. McLeod & Lehmann (2012) state that “there is near-universal agreement that schools must find ways to transform older teaching practices in order to harness the tools that students have at their disposal today” (p. 1). Edutopia (2008) argues that “learning through projects while equipped with technology tools allows students to be intellectually challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of what the modern office looks like. Through projects, students acquire and refine their analysis and problem-solving skills as they work individually and in teams to find, process, and synthesize information they've found online” (para. 2). The same author goes on to say that “learning through projects while equipped with technology tools allows students to be intellectually challenged while providing them with a realistic snapshot of what the modern office looks like. Through projects, students acquire and refine their analysis and problem-solving skills as they work individually and in teams to find, process, and synthesize information they've found online” (para. 4). AASL (2007) states that one of the Standards for 21st century learning should be that “Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess” (p. 6). For these reasons, it is crucial that educators today encourage students to use online tools to enhance their learning, and to demonstrate knowledge.
References
AASL. (2007). Standards for the 21st century learner. Retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/learning-standards
Adobe. (2012, December 7). How is technology tranforming education? Sir Ken Robinson video series with Adobe Education. Retrieved
from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYk91jzv1jg
Edutopia. ( 2008, March 16). Why integrate technology into curriculum? The reasons are many. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org
/technology-integration-introduction
McLeod, S. & Lehmann, C. (Eds). (2012). What school leaders need to know about digital technologies and social media. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Adobe. (2012, December 7). How is technology tranforming education? Sir Ken Robinson video series with Adobe Education. Retrieved
from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYk91jzv1jg
Edutopia. ( 2008, March 16). Why integrate technology into curriculum? The reasons are many. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org
/technology-integration-introduction
McLeod, S. & Lehmann, C. (Eds). (2012). What school leaders need to know about digital technologies and social media. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
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