TechQuest Project Evaluation

I’ve learned a lot from the first phase of implementation of my New Student Academy TechQuest project. It was interesting to see it all come together at the end, at least the first stage of it. It’s really important that the entire is mapped out at least briefly, especially to guide you towards your end goal and to see the light at the end of the tunnel (although judging from mine, there never will be a clear “end”). That map will work as a guide for me during the next few months as I work to complete the entire project. Another important aspect that I would include would do differently is I would take a look at the resources I have for review (not for the actual teaching that I create myself, but for games and activities to send them to after they’ve completed my “class” and need more review) before I create my project. For example, if I have games to learn the information, and then I see the same games to use as resources, there isn’t a point in putting them in my project in the first place as actual learning, because they’ve already been created and I don’t want to reinvent the wheel.

I also am happy to say that I have found a quiz program to use to give feedback while the student is taking the quiz – ZOHO Challenge. It allows students to receive feedback and work their ways to the correct answer. It doesn’t just let the student go through the entire program without being accountable for their learning. It helps create a more meaningful experience with a higher accountability. I will be changing my entire project in regard to Google Forms and switch it with ZOHO. It is a great tool for students and teachers.

If I could give anyone a suggestion from my experience, it would be to 1) have a plan BEFORE you begin the project (actually written on paper), and 2) to start right away and work on it a little bit every week. If you don’t do this and it’s an assignment, you’re going to regret it. If you are just creating the project and it’s not a class you are going to feel overwhelmed and will probably give up if you don’t set a time frame and pace yourself. Also, something to think about is to make the project a stand-alone entity. For example, if you build this on your school website and you lose your job, you won’t be able to take the website with you. So, I recommend creating your own website to build the project.

Finally, I would do the same project again and would try to make more interaction in the learning process at the beginning of the project when the students are actually learning (and not reviewing). I plan to implement the next parts differently in this way (and change the number “class” to reflect this new way of viewing things). I will, as I have said before, use ZOHO Challenge and not Google Forms. I plan to implement this throughout my classes that I give. I will also be expanding my “Academy” to include all the materials and information we learn in class available to the students at home. 

Project Implementation - Podcast

I've included a picture below of my TechQuest.

 Follow the link to go my TechQuest, New Student Academy.

Wayne State Technology Presentation

Bringing Language to Life with Technology on Prezi

Internet Research for TechQuest

Even though there are a lot of great resources online for reinforcing the Spanish language, after doing research there are not a lot of great resources of attempted projects that involve a catch up program similar to what I have proposed. There are, however, several resources that will guide me in a quest to create a great online program.

First and foremost, the most accurate research that I have found was when I attended the MIWLA (Michigan World Language Association) Annual Conference. Through this conference, I was able to network with a variety of different educators and consultants that have allowed us to take our program to the next level. This is important as I have used email on countless occasions to ask questions and receive responses, but no one had a really great idea for how to implement this sort of project into my curriculum.

After searching Google as a ‘first resort’ I couldn’t find anything that pertains to my project. I searched keywords such as “Elementary World Language Program”, and then switched “World Language” with “Foreign Language”. I got a broad amount of search results, and then added words to define more in-depth what I was searching such as “AND entry points” or “AND catch up”. I didn’t find any inquiries into what I was looking for, so I decided to consult Ñandutí, a specialized site for K-8 World Language teachers, but still came up empty handed.

So, I took it to the next level and posted on Ñandu, an email listserv for K-8 World Language Educators. The message I posted is:

“Hi All:

We started a K-8 Spanish program last year with my level (grades 3 - 5) meeting 2x a week for 45 minutes each time. However, I'm having an issue with catching up students who transfer in during the middle of the trimester or unit. Many of these students have never had Spanish before, so I am going to create an independent website where they can go to practice colors, numbers, the alphabet, and greetings during instructional time so they do not feel left behind.

Does anyone have any examples of websites or program you use to give students the opportunity to 'catch up'? I think this is an important part of my classroom and don't want these students to be left out in the cold.

Thank you! Kerry”

I feel that a lot of the time the best resource I have are other Elementary WL teachers. It’s typically by word of mouth that we find out about new and creative ideas and programs available, so I figured that this wouldn’t be any different. I am still waiting on a response, but will certainly post any responses I receive from this inquiry.

Next, I decided to inquire in a more specialized area and used MSU’s E-Resources as my guide. I decided to use JSTOR to search first, “Elementary Foreign Language” and again came up with a broad basis. But then, I narrowed down my search to, “Elementary Language Program Structure” and came up with an interesting article that brings new light to my project, titled, “Flame-Foreign Language Alternative Mastery Example: Another Approach to FLES Models Currently in Use”. Shockingly, I realized that this article comes from a journal, “Hispania” that I receive in the mail and don’t have time to read (usually). I realized that this article may help me in determining whether or not I could supplement new language instruction outside the classroom and during instructional time, something I didn’t really think about before now. It brought about a completely different light to my situation.

I also discovered another article that leads me to believe that my project needs to be very interactive in nature, as it described, “The Role of an Interactive Book Reading Program in the Development of Second Language Pragmatic Competence”. It was interesting to read the findings of this article with an interactive component to the Second Language Acquisition in a literacy context. This article was taken from the Modern Language Journal, so I then journeyed to the journal to see what else it offered. It led me to the article, "The Contribution of Collaborative and Individual Tasks to the Acquisition of L2 Vocabulary” which has been very helpful in my quest to formulate vocabulary awareness and acquisition during this project. When thinking about it, the project consists of a lot of vocabulary, which this article will help me with how I introduce and reinforce it.

 

I was very frustrated with the lack of resources in general that were available to me through different search engines, the most prominent being JSTOR and the MSU E-Resources. Next time, I believe that I will not even bother with Google, as a project of this magnitude has very little resources to be found in the Elementary WL classroom. 

TechQuest Project Description

When I began working as an elementary World Language teacher, I thought I knew it all. Fun things to do, great culture to teach, classroom management skills, how classes were run: Everything. Boy, was I wrong!

Not only did I learn about what it really means to be a World Language Elementary teacher (everything from not fun but ENGAGING lessons, how to build a *hopefully great* curriculum, learning abilities of students, and especially classroom management skills) but I also learned about a very important need within our K-12 Spanish program.

At the elementary level, students leave the school and new students come to attend almost every week. And it almost always feels like these students are lagging behind in what I am teaching, specifically in the areas that are most important to a beginning language speaker: Numbers, Alphabet, Colors, and Greetings. These concepts are central and are integrated into all of my 18 units (6 for each grade) throughout the year. The students who begin school in the middle of the year need a ‘catch up’ so that they can ‘hang’ with the other students in class; not feel like outcasts. I try to create unity and collaboration, not the opposite.  

It is for this reason that I plan to create a website where the sole purpose would be to provide students with the necessary resources to independently catch themselves up in Spanish class while the class is finishing up their units (students typically enroll in school during the middle of my units). This will give them an opportunity to comprehend and understand the information that is crucial to success in Spanish, while I can continue teaching the Spanish unit without worry that the new student isn’t catching on.

There are several resources that I have used and will continue to use to determine the most important aspects to include in the modules. The most important resource are my fellow Elementary World Language teachers in the area. Through Wayne RESA, there is great following of Elementary World Language teachers. Another great resource is the Center for Applied Linguistics. They have a great portion of the site called Ñandutí geared towards pre K – 8 and includes a listserv that I subscribe to with a lot of great information.

This project will affect the four common places of education by allowing the students to learn independently the most important language aspects that will be crucial to their success in Spanish. The teacher will be able to monitor progress (through various checks as well as integrated assessment through the use of Google Forms and email) all whilst not leaving the rest of the class to catch one new student up. It allows the teacher to touch several different needs at once; the class and the new student. Finally, although the students will complete this workshop in class via computer, adults within the community may use it once it is up and running to brush up on Spanish as well as learn right along with their students, and possibly even excite some parents into supporting the program. It would even be great if we could have a community education facet of the catch-up program someday.

During this class, I plan to implement the “Alphabet” as we just received two new students and the alphabet is incredibly important to reading and pronunciation. As Spanish teachers say, “If you know the alphabet, you can pronounce ANYTHING in Spanish.” I plan to create several independent StAIR modules for this project, integrate Google Forms as a means of informal assessment, and create several videos for the students to access as a teaching point for each module which I will upload onto TeacherTube. It is also important to note that my project will be formed on a Weebly website: either at: barnesspanish.weebly.com, or at a new website address yet to be determined.


After the class is completed, I will work diligently to integrate "Numbers", "Colors", and "Greetings" in the same manner. 


I am wondering, though, if there is another facet of this that I am not thinking of? I have to remember that this project is geared towards 3rd, 4th and 5th graders - all three levels, so it has to be easy to comprehend at a 3rd grade level but challenging enough for a 5th grader. 


Any comments are very welcome!  

Image: 'Preschool Colors': http://www.flickr.com/photos/44759627@N00/279913219

Final Reflection on 811

I really believe that I have learned that there is a very big difference between integrating technology and learning WITH the integration of technology. By utilizing several different effective teaching strategies within the technology (such as scaffolding or simulation and porblem-solving), the students are much more likely to be engaged in the learning and put that knowledge into long-term memory.

The web-based technology that I looked at and then created made me think about what would be best for my situation, and then I developed a plan to integrate a recovery program for new students coming into the district in the middle of the year. This technology plan for the Spanish program is going to be extremely beneficial for the department. With my evaluation skills of technology as well as using student feedback, we will be able to create this recovery program and it will be very successful. Creating the recovery program in the Spanish Department is my new long-term goal.

I've met my personal goals for this class, but not overall. I think I have so much more to learn either on my own or within a classroom seeting with best practices in technology integration. I'm excited and looking forward to it immensly!

Internet-Based Learning Environments

“Every Michigan student will have meaningful technology-enabled learning opportunities based on research and best practice that include virtual learning experiences.”


Students in grades 6 - 12 need to have 20 hours of online experience before they graduate. It states that the students will, "become familiar with a key means of increasing their own learning skills and knowledge. It will also prepare them for the demands that they will encounter in higher education, the workplace, and in personal life-long learning. While students informally develop technology skills and gain experience through their media-rich lives, an online learning experience will require them to complete assignments, meet deadlines, learn appropriate online behavior, and effectively collaborate with others in an instructional setting." Basically: they need to get ready for the real world with ever-changing demands and new technologies. 


Recently, I was discussing with my world language colleague how we could create and utilize one of these technologies in the classroom that qualify as an online experience: The Electronic Portfolio. 


In the state of Michigan, they recently decided that students have to have 2 years (or the equilvalent) of a World Language. However, they absolutely have no idea what this entails, such as one state exam to pass out of this, or will the district decide how to prove that they've had this experience? We want to be prepared and expect the unexpected. 


We are planning to create an online portfolio for the students that we would maintain from grades K-2 and then would begin updating with their own work at the 3rd grade level. They would maintain this until their last language class. We are still working out the details and are having an issue with how we would house each student's work and progress. Technology is evolving so quickly that we are afraid they would create a portfolio in Kindergarten (well, we would) and then by 3rd grade we'd have to switch programs. 


To create these projects that would be available on their electronic portfolios, we would use different types of strategies. We could teach so many different topics and benchmarks, such as using simulation and problem solving to teach weather in Latin America and create a vlog to post on their portfolio to showcase their progress. Through scaffolding, we could create Wikis to teach about culture and have students in other countries contribute to the learning experience by using the Wiki as well. We could discuss things like food, music, hobbies, and past times and we could break down negative attitudes from the get-go! It would cover an entire Michigan World Language Standard (Culture). 


Many Web 2.0 technologies would be simple to integrate meaningfully. I think it would be easy to integrate a lot of the things that they recommend in the Michigan Companion Document, however, as I've read amongst my peers, WebQuests would be difficult to integrate simply because they take a lot of time to make quality Quests and there aren't many out there that are worthy. 

Web 2.0 Technologies?

Web 2.0 technology has definitely used some instructional strategies better than others. It's actually quite interesting to me to look in-depth at this simply because I am so used to seeing these things and know instantly if the strategy is working or not - if I am learning or not.


For example, I might use deductive reasoning with blogs in the classroom because I can give the rule and then add the example - and then many other people can add examples too, in the comments. I think that I learn best from comments on blogs because you can go so in depth with others. This would also work great with simulation and problem solving. Again, the comments section is so incredibly powerful when using a blog. 


I'm not sure if any instructional strategies wouldn't work for a blog in the classroom. It really has to fit the audience. If there are students who might learn best with deductive reasoning, and then others wtih inductive reasoning - so be it. The educator should really know how ot utilize all of these strategies or shouldn't be using a blog in the first place!

I think that blogs could be used in my classroom in a variety of ways. It could be used for updates for parents who want to check in on homework assignments. It could also be used to blog to the community as to what happens in the classroom and interesting ideas for speaking Spanish at home. Finally, the one thing that I really enjoy doing is having students learn about culture through a blog. this summer the students will be able to follow along as I embark on my 'real' journey to Latin America as we go about saving the rainforest and families along the way (clearly there is more to the story) and students will learn in a fun environment about Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, etc. 


Finally, as I said before, there are Web 2.0 technologies that may not support an instructional strategy very well. However, if there were limited Web 2.0 technologies in your district, there are some reasons to use it to give your students a more engaging experience. Except, what if it's difficult to implement your subject matter with those technologies, like teaching math facts with a blog? I think that the answer is that you really have to plan out what you're doing. You can't just throw something together and think it's going to work. Ideas have to be well-thought through.  

Lions, Tigers and Google Voice, Oh My!

When I started using Google Voice in the summer of 2009, I was a little shocked at the features of this application. 

Google Voice basically gives you the ability to do the following: have one local phone number that you can pick (generally) that you can set up to have all of your phones to ring when someone calls your Google Voice number, not only saves voicemails online but also transcribes your voicemail into text and even lets you listen in on the voicemail as it is being left. Finally, you can block certain callers AND record messages for individuals like your husband, work, or the annoying neighbor. It also can act as a phone that can call internationally where you pay a low price to call. 


After signing up for my phone number, I didn't really play with it at all. But, today, after using it with my husband, it is absolutely awesome! For families who are cancelling home phone numbers, this is totally the way to go. You can set it up to have all of your cell phone numbers to ring, some of your numbers to ring, one number to ring, etc when someone calls your Google Voice number. It is a great way to have a central phone number and a way for someone to get ahold of you no matter what, especially if you are waiting for an important phone call. 

One function I found frustrating is that out of the four times that my husband called me as we trying it out, he was only able to reach me 3 of the 4 times. It did, however, record every voicemail he left and with a 90% accuracy it transcribed it for me. It even sent me a text message AND email telling me I had a voicemail, and showed up as a voicemail on my cell phone, as well. Also, when I deleted the voicemail on Google Voice, it deleted on my phone, and vice versa. That is convenient for me so I'm not listening twice to these voicemails. 


This might be a good resource in my classroom if I wanted to create a Google Voice account for them to leave me voicemails for their oral exams. It even lets me send them all to voicemail so I don't have to listen to the ring! Unfortunately, they don't transcribe in Spanish so I won't be able to look at the transcription. I think this would be a great assessment tool for World Language teachers!


Also, we could talk to students in other countries using Google Voice. In fact, a 5 minute conversation would cost us $.10. It'd be a great, inexpensive way to cheaply integrate culture into my classroom.


I could use this for coaching. Since you can assign your Google Contacts (yes, from Gmail, etc) to different groups, Google Voice allows you to assign different groups a different voicemail. Even different people to different voicemails. If I wanted, I could assign my JV volleyball girls a voicemail as to what is going on for the week in case they forget, or what time the tournament is and expectations, etc. 


The list goes on and on. 


I believe that in order to use this application you must be invited by another user or you must sign up and be invited by Google. From what I understand, it is still in the BETA stages of development. 

My Wiki-Wiki Dabbles

There was not a Wikipedia page for our district, Flat Rock Community Schools, so I created one and added our four schools along with addresses and phone numbers. I bolded the school names and added page breaks so it looked nicer as well as added links to each of the schools' homepages.

I've also dabbled with WikiSpaces over the last few years and use one religiously with my language teaching. It is for teachers and students to post ideas and lessons along with materials and we share our information with the rest of the world. I find a lot of great ideas on there and use it 5 - 8 times a month.

I have used Wikispaces within my classroom in the 9-12 setting and have found it to be slow when all of the students are on there at the same time. However, I contacted Wikispaces and within 5 minutes they got back to me telling me something or another and they had fixed the problem. It was nice that there is someone available for your educator needs in real-time. I also have created another page for my current endeavors as a 3-5 Spanish teacher and am hoping to teach the kids how to use the wiki to create separate pages in regards to 'El Tiempo', or weather, that we are learning. The plan is that they will create a weather report online. We'll see how it goes!

Computer-Based Instructional Objects

There are a lot of different considerations that have to be made when computer-based instructional objects are used in and out of the classroom.


For example if the lesson is on the internet, like a WebQuest, there is the consideration that the technology needed to complete the lesson is not available. It also needs to have clear-cut expectations and directions for the students to be able to use independently. Also, the information needs to be presented in a way that is at the cognitive level of the students. Also, students must be able to easily navigate the lesson, or in other words, make it look appealing and "easy on the eye".


I researched a few different WebQuests and unfortunately I did not find many quality Quests. 


I did find La Aventura, a WebQuest revolving around traveling to another country and learning to budget. It allowed students to work in pairs, which I think is great given the opportunity to discuss different cultural activities while in the country as they navigated their way around. It also has a very clear-cut objective as well as evaluation with a rubric. On top of that, it gives the students an opportunity to learn about activities that are available in other countries - and to personalize this to what interests them. If one student enjoys sports and another student enjoys art, they both can find different activities that are relevant.


Another WebQuest I found was Viva Espana!  This was really great and began with this introduction: "While walking along the street on Saturday, you and your three friends look down and see a black wallet lying in the gutter. After opening the wallet, you see that it belongs to the famous Spaniard Antonio Banderas! A phone call to Antonio reveals that he is ecstatic that you found his wallet and is offering you and your friends a huge reward. The reward is based on one condition!"


Who wouldn't want complete this WebQuest - it has Antonio Banderas! This catches my attention right away and also has a great collaboration opportunity with four different roles - each learning about a different aspect of Spain. It also gives the students A LOT of options to pick from, from how long they are staying in the country to what cities they visit. They then complete both individual and group assignments, which I also feel is a good measure of participation and personal learning. It has a clear evaluation for both the personal and group assignments, as well as for the role of each student. 

Why Blog?

As blogging becomes more and more popular, many people are asking the question, "Why blog?"

There is a big difference between using a blog and using a website. If you use a blog, you will have more collaboration through commenting. You will also get blogs from professionals, struggling artists, and students all about the topic, all with a different view on a certain subject. On the other hand, a website may appear as a more structured technology, providing information but not allowing for collaboration easily and efficiently as you find with blogs. You can also find many different types of websites for the same subject; however, it may be hard to tell which information is accurate or not on the websites. And yes, although the same is true about blogging, reading a 'blog' should tell the reader that the information provided is the blogger's personal view.

StAIR Project Design Prezi Presentation

Guiliano - StAIR Project Design on Prezi