Digital Communications Assignment

By: Trelisa Glazatov Troy Hayes Sohnia Malik Timothy Strader

Table of Contents

Overview of Chat Overview of Video Conferencing Overview of VoIP Lesson Ideas for Elementary School Lesson Ideas for Middle School Lesson Ideas for High School

Chat

What is it? Web application that allows 2 or more people

to send messages to each other at the same time

Real time

Chat

How is it used? Need computer with internet connection Access to a chat room

(http://education.qld.gov.au/learningplace/) Login and password required Educational chats are moderated

Chat

Why use chat in the classroom? Fun and motivating Interactive Communicate with experts Share ideas quickly

regardless of distance Learn about different cultures Discuss social issues

Chat

Educational Purposes: Brainstorming tool Travel buddies Communicate with scientists, authors, etc. Literature response Discussion of political and social issues

Video Conferencing

What is it? System where two or more individuals from

different locations participate in two way communication

Can see and hear each other in real time Possible to share computer applications for

collaboration and make changes or edits in real time

Video Conferencing

How is it used? You need multimedia computer, monitor top camera, video conferencing software (CUSeeMe), and internet access High bandwidth for higher quality audio and video

Video Conferencing

Why use video conferencing in the classroom? Live access to a world outside their classroom Fun and motivating Raises cultural awareness

Increased connection with outside resources Enhancing social & communication skills

Video Conferencing

Educational Purposes: Participate in live videoconferences with scientists, authors,

athletes, government, business, and community leaders Observe experiments performed ‘live’ at hospitals Student presentations for a wider audience Virtual field trips

VoIP

What is VoIP? VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol Technology that allows you to make voice calls using a

broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line

VoIP routes your phone calls directly to your telephone using your high speed internet connection

Skype is an example of VoIP and can be downloaded for free at www.skype.com

VoIP

How is it used? Need broadband (high speed Internet) connection, computer,

adaptor, or specialized phone is required

VoIP

Why use VoIP in the classroom? Develop essential literacy skills To increase student motivation to communicate with authentic audiences Cross-cultural exchange in which students are able to build up a social network of peers

from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities

VoIP

Educational Purposes: Students in a language class can call and talk with native

speakers on a daily basis for free Teachers can create theme-based peer-to-peer networks through

which students can exchange and discuss work they have created

4th Grade Science:

Weather Lesson

Lesson Ideas: Elementary

Weather Lesson: Goals & Standards

Goals– Understand basic information about weather – Learn about different types of weather maps – Create and present weather maps showing different conditions

MI Standards: V.3 The Atmosphere and Weather– Investigate and describe what makes up weather and how it

changes– Explain what causes different kinds of weather– Analyze the relationships between human activities and the

atmosphere

Weather Lesson: Tools

Epals.com – VoIP (Skype)– Chat

Videoconferencing (CuSeeMe): – Weather newscast

Internet– Weather.com

Poster board, markers, stickers

Weather Lesson: Activities

Class discussion – What is weather?– What are the elements of weather ?– The different types of weather maps (include examples)

Group projects assignment:– Using epals.com: Find a pal who lives in a different part of the

country/world and find out what the weather is like where they live by using Skype and on-line chat

Weather Lesson: Activities

Group projects assignment (cont’d):– From information received through epals.com, research the web (Weather.com)

about a part of the country/world and the forecast for the 3 days– Develop a poster weather map with the information gathered from epals.com and

weather.com.

– With a partner school, deliver a weather newscast using the created poster via videoconferencing.

Lesson Ideas: Elementary

3rd Grade Language Arts:

Book Review

Book Review: Goals

Goals– Comprehend an age appropriate book– Understand and explain basic elements of a story (character,

plot, setting) – Write a short book review using basic story elements

Book Review: Standards

MI Standards– Listening: L.2 Understand spoken English to participate in

social context– Speaking: S.7 Present information, and ideas to an

audience of listeners– Reading & Comprehension: R.5 Read and

demonstrate comprehension of main idea and supporting details

– Writing: W.4 Construct sentences and develop paragraphs to organize writing supporting a central idea

Book Review: Tools

Grade appropriate book Epals.com

– VoIP (Skype)– Chat

Videoconferencing (CuSeeMe): – Storytime!

Book Review: Activities

Class discussion/demonstration – Teacher explains through example the elements of a story– Read a Book! – Discussion of story elements from assigned book

Book Review– Teacher demonstrates how to write a book review– Students write their own review of the assigned book

Book Review: Activities

Book Review (cont’d):– Using epals.com: With a partner schools, the student will

deliver their book review via Skype – Using on-line chat, the student will engage in a discussion

about the assigned book. (i.e. favorite character, like/dislikes about the book)

– Videoconferencing: Storytime! Students will act out a favorite scene from the book and discuss it with the partner school

Lesson Ideas: Middle School

8th Grade Social Studies:Global Awareness Project

Objectives and State Standards

Objectives:- Report on differences between U.S. and foreign cultures

- Explore their role in the global community

- Interact with students from another country

MI Social Studies Standards:Strand II – Geographic Perspective

- Locate and describe the diverse places, cultures, and communities of major world regions

- Describe and compare characteristics of major world cultures

- Explain why people live and work as they do in different regions

Resources

Websites:- ePALS.com ( http://www.epals.com )

- Google ( http://www.google.com )

Equipment:- Video Conferencing Equipment

- Computers

- VOIP software ( http://www.skype.com )

Lesson Activities

Introduction:- Brainstorming discussion on chosen region

- Read and discuss article about chosen region

Research:- Use Google to research facts about chosen region

- Present findings to the class

- Video conference with classroom in chosen region

Lesson Activities (cont’d)

Research (cont’d)- Communicate with ePAL; interview about life, school, climate etc. and answer questions from ePAL

Assessment- Create a report to read to the class using the information discussed with the student’s ePAL- Read report to ePAL using VOIP software to get feedback and to ensure that information is presented correctly- Present report to the rest of the class orally

8th Grade English:

Novel Discussion

Lesson Ideas: Middle School

Objectives and State Standards

Objectives:- Read an assigned novel

- Discuss elements of the novel with other students

- Create an essay about the novel

MI E.L.A. Standards:- C.S. 5-2: Describe and discuss shared issues in the human experience that appear in literature from around the world

- C.S. 10-1: Analyze themes and central ideas in literature in relation to issues in their own lives

- C.S. 9-1: Explore and reflect on universal themes and substantive issues from written text

Resources

Technology:- Computers with internet access

- Video Conferencing equipment

- VOIP equipment or software

Website:- ePALS.com ( http://www.epals.com )

Lesson Activities

Introduction:- Discuss issues related to assigned novel- Introduce culture of chosen ePAL students

Activities:- Send introductory email to ePAL and respond to theirs- Read the novel based on teacher’s assigned schedule

and communicate with ePAL about questions and comments about their assigned readings.

Lesson Activities (cont’d)

Activities (cont’d)- Keep a reading log about ideas and issues discussed

with ePAL

Assessment- Write an essay / book report about novel, including quotes from conversation with ePAL- Discuss the novel as a class via video conferencing with ePAL classroom

The End!

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