Wendy Osipowicz

3/6/12 HOMEWORK

Bloom's Digital Taxonomy

Blooms Digital Taxonomy is a revision to the original Bloom's Taxonomy in response to the increasing presence of technology in the learning process.  Bloom's original taxonomy has six cognitive domains:  Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation.  The digital taxonomy renamed those 6 domains:  Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analysing, Evaluating, and Creating.   Although the names are different, the essence of the domains remains the same.  This new taxonomy identifies the key verbs associated with it, as well as possible activities utilizing technology.    I also realized that  "Googling" is now a verb.  I was unaware of this revised taxonomy, but I've printed it and plan on sharing with my colleagues.

 

2/28/12 HOMEWORK

How To Steal Like An Artist

Three ideas/behaviors I have already tried:

• Side Projects and Hobbies are Important:  I am guilty of having too many side projects and/or hobbies going at once.  The problem that I fall into is that I don't complete everything I start.  Knowing that I have unfinished projects can leave me stressed out, which is counterproductive to having hobbies to relax oneself.  I have many hobbies that I enjoy, and a list of others that I want to take on...but time is the enemy.  There just isn't enough of it to get it all done. 
• Be Nice:  I'm always nice to everyone.  (At least I like to think I am)  Part of being a teacher is trying to maintain a productive, pleasant environment for our students.  Modeling pleasant behaviors and social interactions is important for the primary students I teach.  The downside to this....(there always seems to be a downside)....is that by the time I get home I sometimes have to let my inner "meanie" out.  The recipient of this cranky behavior is usually my husband....and he is a saint!  :)
• Steal Like An Artist:  Teachers do this everyday, don't we?  We see a lesson plan, an activity, an idea that we like and we take advantage of it.  I've asked myself in the past how teachers did their job before the blessed interet was born.  An incredible resource, right there for the using (once you dig your way through the mounds of useless links and garbage).  The word "steal" has such a negative connotation to it, I prefer to think of it as "recycling" like an artist.  Why reinvent the wheel when there is a proven, effective idea/plan/activity/method right there in front of you.  I usually revise or edit the plans or activities that I "recycle" to best fit my students' needs. 

Three ideas I would consider:

• Work With Your Hands:  When I taught kindergartent, I used a great deal of hands-on learning with my students.  Now that I teach writing only to students in grades 1-3, I feel like I've lost some of the opportunity to do hands-only projects.  Of course, we write with our hands, and I'm the writing teacher....so that counts for something.  I do incorporate hands-on manipulatives in my learning stations as often as possible, and these are always the activities that are the most popular with the students.  I want to make an effort to do more of this in my classroom.
• Write The Book You Want To Read:  This reminds me of Ghandi's famous quote, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." I consider myself a self-starter....most of the time.  However, I think it's very easy for people to look for an easier path to getting things done.  I'm old enough, with some life experiences under my belt, that I have realized that the only thing that I have complete control over is myself and my own actions.   Therefore, I need to make the changes that I feel are important and necessary and hopefully leave a best-seller book (or at least a few chapters)for someone else to read.
• Be Boring:  I absolutely need to do this.  I wouldn't classify myself as an overly "exciting" person, but rather an overly "extended" person.  I agree to participate in too many things, take on too many responsibilities, wear too many hats, and say "yes" far too often for my own good.  I need to add the word "no" to my vocabulary.

 

 

2/21/12 HOMEWORK

Mayer Interview

Three statements from Mayer that I found to be the most interesting:

1.  His explanation of the five main cognitive processes in the theory of multimedia learning (selecting words, selecting images, organizing words, organizing images, integrating) and citing the main challenge of instructional design as presenting matieral in a way that promotes generative processing without overloading the capacity of the learner's information processing systems.

I found his explanation of the five processes to be clear, concise and easy to comprehend.  His explanation of the assumptions of dual channels, limited capacity, and generative processing are important to understand if we are to effectively design and deliver instruction in multimedia formats. Once again, we see the recurrent message of "knowing your learner and what they know".  Knowing one's audience is essential when designing materials...both multimedia presentations and "old school" paper/text/chalkboard/lecture presentations.

 

2. His belief that instruction should be learner centered, and not technology centered.

Although this was one of his less verbose responses, I found it to be equally as important as his more detailed explanations.  I agree with him fully on this point.  Our purpose in providing instruction to our students is to promote their learning; this is done by utilizing whatever methods and tools are available, and in a manner that will be the most effective for the individual student.  We can certainly utilize technology within the learner centered approach by adjusting the available technology to meet our students' needs.  If we put our efforts primarily into planning our instruction based only around the technology at hand, we aren't putting our students' needs first.  I see it as trying to fit a square peg into a round hole...forcing the use of technology into all areas, even if it isn't the best tool to use.  Mayer actually uses the word "tool" to describe technology; good way to look at it.

3.    His response to the question "Do games teach?"

Since I am planning on utilizing a "game" in my final project for the course, I was anxious to get Mayer's response to this question.  In my mind I was saying, "please don't say "no...they're useless!"  His response of "It depends.", actually alleviated my anxiety. Games can be designed to teach but the challenge comes in engaging the students in some form of deep cognitive processing while learning, such as reflecting.  For my particular final project, I plan to utilize a Jeapordy-like question/answer format for student's to apply their knowledge of parts of speech and punctuation.  I plan to use my project as a student review of skills/concepts already taught rather than as initial instruction of the particular learning objectives.  I predict that this a game format will engage my students in the activity, but I want to ensure that I'm designing an instructional activity that provides my students with an opportunity for immediate learner-reflection. 

I teach in a Project CHILD classroom, which requires students to work independently for portions of the day at learning stations.  Stations are planned for two-week rotations throughout units that last 6 weeks.  At the beginning of the 6-week unit, students are each given a passport.  They use these passports to establish goals for themselves (academic goals, behavior goals, and work habit goals) for the unit.  When students work at stations, they are required to record the learning objectives in their "passport" for each station that they work at throughout the unit.  Once their work at that station is completed, the students are then required to reflect on their learning and write about their work.  They are also required to reflect back upon their learning over the 6-week unit (at the end) and evaluate themselves on whether or not they achieved the goals they set at the beginning of the unit.  Without a doubt, I can see how difficult the "reflection" portion of the task is for the students.  

 

2/14/12 HOMEWORK

e-Learning

Reactions:

• I took one online (asynchronous) course in the past and found that it had both benefits and drawbacks.  The most obvious benefit was the flexibility that it allowed...being able to attend class at 5:00 a.m. prior to the workday or at 10:00 p.m. in pajamas!   The only drawback that I found with the course was the inability to get a question answered in "real time".  If I encountered a question about something in the text, or with an assignment, I had to post my question and wait for a response.  Looking back, the amount of knowledge that I retained from that course is significantly less than that of other face-to-face courses.  I can't say for certain that this is primarily due to the fact that it was e-learning, and not face-to-face.  I think my overall interest in the course was lacking and that this personal attitude contributed more to my lack of retention than the actual delivery of instruction.
• I am definitely interested in taking other online courses, both synchronous and asynchronous.
• Found it interesting to learn that CBT has been around for more than thirty years.
• Research found that e-learning can be as effective as traditional classroom learning.
• The research also stated that students' learning in an e-learning environment is affected by the quality of the instruction provided online.  However,  I find that issue to be true in traditional learning environments as well.  We've all had professors or instructors who were highly qualified and effective, as well as those that were unprepared and dull.
• One of the key findings that can't be disputed is that when effective instructional methods are used in a course, learning will take place.  It's not the way the material is delivered but rather the methods used.
• Always know your audience/learners....I think that the individual learning styles of the learner, along with their attitude, motivation and background knowledge is an enormous factor in determining whether e-learning or face-to-face learning would be more effective.
• I was interested in the pitfalls section of the chapter, particularly "Media Abuse" in which too much technology is used thereby overwhelming the learner. 
• While reading this chapter I was thinking about my plans for my final project.  I think the architecture of my project will be that of Guided Discovery since I plan for my learners to interact with the computer by making choices and clicking objects to build knowledge. 

  

2/7/12 HOMEWORK

Learning With Media, Robert B. Kozma

Reactions:

• First honest reaction to the article....very long and dense :)  Found myself having to go back and reread many times.
• Important to understand the prior knowledge base of your audience/learners.
• A medium's processing capability can "complement" the learner's own capabilities or even perform functions that the learner cannot do independently.
• Explicit processes that fall within Vygotsky's zone of proximal development are likely to be incorporated into the learner's own cognitive process
• Books utilize text and pictures; "the stability of text aids in constructing a meaning of the text" for both fluent and nonfluent readers
•  When learners watch television with a set purpose, they are more attentive and therefore able to construct greater meaning.
• Learners access schema to process information viewed on television  at the pace in which it is presented; however if the learner lacks prior knowledge on the topic they may fail to comprehend it since the pace of the information being presented exceeds their capacity to process it.
• Use of hypermedia when learning on computers
• When using an integrated multimedia approach to learning, one can utilize various media to aid learners in connecting their knowledge  to other domains.
• "Medium and method have a more integral relationship; both are part of the design....the medium enables and constrains the method; the method draws on and instantiates the capabilities of the medium."

 What is useful for designing computer-based instruction?

• I feel that the use of hypermedia within computer-based instruction is beneficial to learners.  Utilizing hyperlinks in interactive learning environments allows the material to be differentiated for all levels of learners. 
• Hyperlinks can be added to extend the learning experience and challenge the students.
• Hyperlinks can also be used to provide additional background knowledge and/or opportunities for further practice for other learners at their own pace.
• Use a combination of symbol systems.
• Book learning can not be totally replaced with multimedia learning experiences. 

 

IDEA FOR FINAL PROJECT

Content:

Grade 2 Language Arts: Parts of speech review (adjectives, adverbs, noun types, verb tenses) and punctuation (period, comma, exclamation point, question mark, apostrophes)

Agent will serve as a narrator to review parts of speech and punctuation.

After the review, the learner will test their skills in an interactive "jeopardy"-like format, earning points for correct answers as they go.

Still deciding on what type of setting or agent to use...considering either a circus clown, pirate, or alien theme.

 Learning Objectives:

CCSS - Grade 2:

CC.2.L.2.c: Use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives

CT.2.W.8: Use commas ina series, after greeting and closing of a letter, in a date, between city and state

CC.2.L.1.e: Use adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them depending on what is to be modified.

CC.2.L.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CC.2.L.1.d: Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs (e.g., sat, hid, told).

CC.2.L.1.b Form and use frequently occurring irregular plural

CT.2.W.12 Use nouns in sentences (singular, plural, common, proper, possessive, pronouns)

 Instructional Design:

• audio
• text
• animation
• hyperlinks for interactivity with learner
• use of an agent as the narrator

 

1/31/12 HOMEWORK

Brainpop:

Animation: Silent E With Annie and Moby

http://www.brainpopjr.com/readingandwriting/phonics/silente

Instructional Goals:

• Students will identify how adding silent /e/ to the end of words changes short vowels into long vowels
• Students will identify the difference between short and long vowel sounds
• Students will define suffixes, and correctly add them to words ending in silent /e/

 

Summary of Animations:

• eyes blinking
• mouths moving to words spoken
• text appearing as voice is speaking the words
• music/sounds in background
• voices in background during animations
• words/letters changing colors for emphasis
• text size and picture size changes for emphasis
• text only screens

Chronological Description of Animation:

• title screen animated with text and character (Annie)
• characters (Annie and Moby) in classroom with Annie asking question and Moby writing on chalkboard
• close up of Annie with word, "can"
• text only "can" with Annie sounding the word out
• Moby shaking his head that he doesn't understand
• Annie adding the silent e to the word can to make "cane"
• text only "cane" with Annie sounding out the word "cane"
• Moby dancing and holding a cane
• Close up of Annie giggling and asking "What are vowel sounds?"; while she speaks, the words are written on a notepad which remains visible for the viewer throughout Annie's explanation/teaching of this objective
• Annie and Moby in the classroom at the chalkboard with Annie explaining long vowels say the name of the letter (mouth moves for all spoken sentences)
• Annie says "long sound of /a/is /a/"
• screen switches to pictures/text of ape and cake (animated ape eating the cake)
• Annie says "long sound of /e/ is /e/"
• screen switches to pictures/text of eat and feet (animation of boy eating)
• Annie says "long sound of /i/ is /i/"
• screen switches to pictures/text of ice and kite (ice moving)
• "long sound of /o/ is /o/"
• screen switches to pictures/text of old lady and dog's nose (old lady's eyes moving and dog's nose sniffing)
• "long sound of /u/ is /u/"
• screen switches to pictures/text of a hammer being used to pound nails and a mule (hammer pounding with sound and mule walking)
• Annie says "letter /u/ can also make the /oo/ sound as in tube or flute
• screen switches to pictures/text of tube and flute (tube floating down with splashing water and flute playing music)
• Annie explaining to Moby that there are different ways to make long vowel sounds (mouths moving, eyes blinking, hands moving)
• Close up of Annie explaining silent /e/ rule (eyes blinking, mouth moving)
• Close up of Annie asking "How do you pronounce words with a silent /e/?"; while she speaks, the words are written on a notepad which remains visible for the viewer throughout Annie's explanation/teaching of this objective
• Annie and Moby in classroom with Annie explaining that silent means it isn't pronounced (eyes blinking, mouth moving, head turning, robot
• Close up of Annie explaining that silent /e/ changes vowels from short to long
• Screen switches to picture of pin with animation of e being added to the word then picture changing to a pine tree while Annie explaining the adding of the e (different font color used for the letter e for it to stand out)
• Same series of pictures/animations for changing cap to cape
• Annie and Moby in classroom with Annie explaining that adding silent /e/ makes vowel say its name (eyes blinking, head moving, robot lights blinking)
• screen switches to text only of words: tap, bit, not, cut, words change to tape, bite, note, cute while Annie explains the addition of silent /e/ to each word
• Annie and Moby in classroom with those words on chalkboard and Annie talking about other words she can think of
• screen switches to Moby raking leaves while Annie asks questions in riddle form; the answer is spelled out (rake)
• screen switches for another riddle (nine)
• Annie and Moby in classroom with Annie explaining there are words that don't follow rules
• screen switches to text only with Annie's voice in background (have, give, some, are) with contrasting color of red for the silent /e/ for emphasis
• Annie and Moby in classroom with Annie explaining special rules for when g and s are followed by silent /e/ and the pronunciation of the consonants g and s in those words
• Screen changes to animated pictures of page, face, slice, mice with text accompanying pictures
• Close up of Annie asking "How do you add an ending to a word with a silent /e/?; while she speaks, the words are written on a notepad which remains visible for the viewer throughout Annie's explanation/teaching of this objective
• screen switches to text only and definition of word suffix while Annie is reading it
• Annie and Moby in classroom with Annie explaining rules for adding suffix to word with silent e (eyes blinking, mouth moving, arms crossing, robot lights blinking and beeping)
• text only  on screen of love + ly, use+ful, state+ment
• word and suffix move together as backgroud voice of Annie explains the new word
• Annie and Moby in classroom with Annie explaining rules for adding suffixes that start with e to word with silent e (eyes blinking, mouth moving, arms crossing, robot lights blinking and beeping)
• screen switches to old wise man speaking to a group with the word wise +est on the screen (Annie's voice in background explaining to drop the e in wise before adding est.  When Annie says to drop the e, the e falls down off the screen)
• screen switches to children smiling and the word smile + ing on the screen (Annie's voice in background explaining to drop the e in smile before adding ing.  When Addie says to drop the e, the e falls down off the screen) Childrens' eyes are blinking.
• screen switches to text only of words with Annie's voice in background reading (race+er, name+ed, shine +y).  Words are animated and move together as she says them
• screen switches to close up of Moby with robot eyes moving and lights blinking
• close of up Annie speaking and looking up and down at a book explaining how to look for these words when you read
• screen switches to Moby writing words on a notepad (hands moving, lights blinking, beeping sounds)
• Close up of Annie talking to Moby complimenting him on writing his words, and then questioning what word he wrote
• Shot of Moby showing his notebook with a nonsense word on it
• Close up of Annie looking shocked at word and holding finger to face asking "Are you sure?"
• Closing screen shot to Play Again or Share This Movie

 

1/31/12

Personalization Principle

Reaction, comments, reflections, thoughts:

•  Formal writing is necessary in some applications when presenting new information, however a conversational style of writing engages learners to a greater degree.
• From a personal standpoint, I find conversational writing easier to do.
• I can see the importance of not overdoing this conversational style, so as not to diminish the importance of the material being taught.
• Using animated coaches to guide a learner through a lesson would appeal to both visual and auditory learners.
• The authors made a valid point in suggesting that agents should not be used to entertain the learner, but rather to provide direct instruction.
• Although the research groups did not find any difference in the effectiveness of a cartoonish agent vs. a human-like agent, I seem to feel that the age of the learners/viewers is an important element to take into account when designing presentations.  Speaking from my experience working with primary students, I believe that a cartoonish agent would be more effective in engaging the learner.
• The use of a realistic human voice, rather than that of a mechanical voice, is more appealing to the viewer/learner.  I find this to be true even when getting an answering machine recording that is machine-generated, rather than an actual voice.
• Since reading this article, I'm certain that I will more be more aware of the way that new information is presented to me.

How to apply principle in my instruction:

• I will present any interactive presentations with a conversational style of language, using first and second person pronouns.
• I would like to incorporate agents into my presentations to help engage my students and guide their learning, but need to learn more on how to create this agents or access them.
• Need to be careful in how I  use those agents so that they don't just simply entertain, but actually instruct.