Steele Heights SchoolTechnology Integration and ICTs

Kim Peacock, M.Ed.September 1, 2006

Tech Implementation in Schools

• Essential conditions for implementing technology in schools – International Society for Technology in Education (www.iste.org)

• Shared vision• Equitable access• Skilled personnel• Professional development

Essential Conditions (Continued)

• Technical Assistance• Content standards and curriculum

resources• Student-centered teaching• Assessment and accountability• Community support• Support policies• External conditions

NETS for Teachers

• National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers.

• Created by ISTE to inform US government decisions.

• Have been widely adopted across North America (and by Ab. Ed.)

• Our ICTs have informed their documents and vice versa.

• Consider this document as you develop PD and create your professional growth plans.

The ICT Outcomes

• The ICT curriculum is not intended to stand alone, but rather to be infused within core courses and programs.

• Translation: This is on top of what students are learning in their CTS programs.

• The ICT outcomes should be addressed within a PROGRAM, not necessarily a course (they don’t all fit).

Natural Fits

• The challenge of technology integration is to use technology in organic ways (ie/ “real life”).

• All technology integration must also be DIRECTLY linked to the curriculum – it should be a different way of addressing a specific outcome.

• The challenge for many teachers is seeing the possibilities in the curriculum document (textbook examples aren’t always the most “natural” fits).

Why ICT?

• It fits their learning style.• They are using it anyway.• They will be forced to use technology

in the workforce.• The nature of communication is

changing rapidly.• Society is changing to be more open

and information oriented – our students need to find the information they need and be discriminating about it.

Three Categories of ICT

• Communicating, inquiring, decision making and problem solving – how students handle information acquired using technology.

• Foundational operations, knowledge and concepts – how students interact with technology.

• Processes for productivity – how students use technology.

Essential Outcomes

• “F” Outcomes – Worth being familiar with.

• “P” Outcomes – Important to know and do.

• “C” Outcomes – Enduring understanding (need to know)

Illustrative Examples

• There are illustrative examples as well as an assessment toolkit available.

• http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/k%5F12/curriculum/bySubject/ict/

A Warning About Accountability

• Though they are not currently directly assessed, ICT outcomes are being embedded into all new curriculum documents.

• Alberta Education is exploring ways of assessing those outcomes, both within new curriculum documents and as independent ICTs (ie/ a possible diploma like exam).

Looking at Div 3 ICTs

• http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/ict/pofs.asp

• It is important to look at the specific outcomes and map projects to those outcomes.

• Some are more challenging than others.

ICT Project Planning Workshop

• Sit down as subject area groups with your curricular documents and brainstorm natural fits within your subject area.

• The emphasis should be on practical project ideas, though “one-shot” trips are also valid.

• As a team, fill out a minimum of 3 project planning sheets per grade area.

ICT Project Planning Workshop

• You will have 20-30 minutes (depending on how good you’re being) ;)

• When you’re done, we will map those projects to the ICT document and identify gaps in the program (this will take approximately half an hour).

• Don’t fill out the assessment part yet…

Project Ideas

• In math, students will identify three homes on the online MLS system and create a spreadsheet that allows them to calculate the interest on those homes for mortgages with different terms (thanks Sonia and Alina)!

• In science, students will create a class wiki that simulates a specific ecosystem in Canada.

Project Ideas

• In social, students will create a radio news broadcast using Microsoft MovieMaker (sound only) set in confederate times.

• In ELA students will create a video that portrays an alternate ending of a short story they are studying.

• In foods, students will use the Internet (ie/ allrecipes.com) to search for recipes that use specific foods in them.

• In health, students will use an online job database to find information about possible vocations.

• In PE, students will use a spreadsheet to track their caloric intake and add up their daily totals.

Project Ideas

• In outdoor education, students will use a GPS device to hide a Geocache and list it online at http://www.geocaching.com/.

• In shop, students will plan a project using a 3-D imaging software suite.

• In French or Spanish, students will conduct a videoconference (desktop or large scale) with students in another country who are learning English.

Project Ideas

• In music, students will use an online drum mixer program to compose electronic drum loops and other digital music.

• In drama, students will go on a virtual field trip to the Globe theatre in the UK, discuss the constraints of that environment for drama productions and use technology to design their own theatre environment.

Project Ideas – Thinking Bigger…

• As a cross-curricular project (ELA, science), students will create a “circle story” blog that relates to a science unit like space exploration.

• As a cross-curricular project (ELA, Science), students will use Comic Book Creator to create a comic book about the life of a cell.

• As a cross-curricular project, (math, music, drama) students will create a music video that illustrates a Math concept (http://ellery.info/mathnet/)

• As a cross-curricular project (health, PE, foods) students will create a video for elementary students with segments on exercise, nutrition , and healthy living.

ICT Project Planning Workshop

• Champions – Change theory tells us that for an idea or program to take off we need champions (someone who takes ownership of an initiative or idea).

• You will all assume a champion role for at least one of the ICT outcomes (and you don’t have to be a techie to do it)! As champion, you will learn one thing well so that you can support others in the school.

• Andrew as CTS teacher is not allowed to be a champion (sorry Andrew)…

ICT and Assessment

• ICTs are competency based outcomes and are very conducive to assessment techniques like:• Checklists• Portfolios• Performance Assessments

• Although rubrics are also sometimes effective, they’re not always the best method for competencies.

ICT and Assessment

• Some experts believe that you shouldn’t assess ICT outcomes at all (ie/ you wouldn’t mark handwriting at this age)…

• The important thing to note is that there should be distinct assessment techniques for curricular outcomes and ICT outcomes (if they are assessed).

Back to the Projects…

• Revisit your project ideas for 10 minutes and talk about possible assessment techniques for both ICT and curricular outcomes.

ICTs and Reporting

• The debate – should we assess ICT on report cards? Should it be tied in to student achievement?

• Some schools have created a competency checklist for their students and report that directly on report cards.

• Other schools integrate it as a separate percentage mark.

ICTs and Reporting

• Other schools only use a statement in report card comments to let parents know that their students are using technology effectively.

• Other schools don’t report it at all.• You as a school need to decide what

to do…

Alberta Education Recommends…

• A checklist rubric:

Name: Jane Doe

Level 4

Level 3

Level 2 Level 1

Excellent Proficient Adequate Limited

Outcome Date Date Date DateC1 – Students will access and use communication information from a variety of sources

Final Thoughts

• The hardest part is knowing what you don’t know. If you didn’t know what a wiki was before today, how would you ever learn?

Suggestions:• 5 minute sharing during staff

meetings (much like we rotate for snacks).

• Subscribe to mailing lists.• Put someone in charge of cataloguing

so that you can just email that person.

Final Thoughts (I know, I have a lot of them…)

• Re-examine your technology code of conduct as a staff yearly.

• Research shows that students have healthier attitudes towards tech integration if they are never allowed to use computers for “free time” at school. Start putting curricular links up in the computer labs and only let students visit them when they have free time.

Just a Few More…

• Classroom management in computer labs is an issue. Give instructions in class and use the monitor key in the lab. Consider changing the layout of the room.

• Buddy up for ambitious projects (even just to have another adult in the lab).

• Have 1-2 standard backup plans (even just a curricular worksheet). Do this as a department.

I Promise This is the End…

• Study after study shows that technology does not directly impact student achievement when compared to a regular classroom, but does influence student attitude and motivation (and how much do we need that in Jr. High?!!)

• Stay inspired. Doing what we’ve done for years is easy and this WILL require a bit more work, but it will motivate your students and maybe even you! http://www.nosignificantdifference.org/

Prizes!

• Because Andrea told me that I couldn’t be her friend unless I brought prizes…

• Quickie Quiz• Sharing (because as teachers, we’re

all so Kumbaya…)

Thanks!

Feedback:• It’s 12:30 AM at this point and I am

tired, so sorry, but no feedback sheet. If you feel very strongly about this presentation one way or the other, please tell Deb, she’ll keep you anonymous. Thanks!

Contact information:• kim.peacock@epsb.ca• Stratford School (484-3381)