Supporting Learner-Centered Education Through Technology
Setting the
Stage
As undergraduate students
studying to become teachers, you are anxious to begin
teaching and using technology in your classroom. To be ready
for your first teaching assignment, you want to find out
more about:
- what technologies are
typically found in K-12 classrooms, and
- how these technologies
are best used to enhance teaching and
learning
Task
Prepare a multimedia presentation summarizing your findings from this WebQuest.
Process and Resources
You will use the Internet
to check out current technology use in schools across the
country. In order to do this in the most efficient way, you
and your classmates divide into four groups. Each group will
investigate technology uses at one of the following levels:
primary (K-2), elementary(3-5), middle (6-8) and high
school. Each group of students will:
- investigate technology uses at two or three different schools using the Internet links provided;
- discuss and record your observations using WebQuest Notes; and
- briefly report your findings to the other groups.
Follow each link to a given school. After investigating technology uses at that school, use the BACK button in your browser to return to this page.
Primary School Group:
Elementary School Group:
- The Earth Day Groceries Project
Student collaboration facilitated by the WWW
- Machan Field Trip to ASU West Day of the Dead Celebration
(Students share their field trip to ASU West using digital cameras and the WWW)
- North Pole Elementary School - Fairbanks, Alaska
Many classrooms create webpages sharing their writing, art and views. Follow these classroom links!
- Mrs. Corcoran's Fourth Grade Messages of Peace
Artwork asnd written work of fourth graders at Harvey Milk School. Click on all three links: The art, Background, and Resources.
- Ms. Pena's Students' Quiz
Try your luck at this quiz - with a link to a site where you can find the answers!
- Mr. Bixby's Fifth Grade Classroom at Hellgate Elementary School in Missoula, MT
Students participate in the maintenance of this web site and make editorial decisions regarding its style and content. Check out the Bulletin Board (Keep clicking to see students' work!) All About Us, News, Spelling, and more!
- The Pizza Mystery
A claymation project from the fifth grade class in Ms. Margie's class.
- Literature Circles
Claymation projects from the fifth grade class in Ms. Margie's class. Follow all the links!
- The Magnificient Moose Project
Done at Anne Wien Elementary (Fairbanks, Alaska), this project was created by Mr. Ernst's sixth grade classes (since 1996) and these students continue to maintain this website. It is a comprehensive site about the moose. All photos were taken by students and teachers in the school. A wonderful example of researching a topic and writing for a broad audience.
- THE TALON Literary Magazine from Nye Elementary School
Students share creative a narrative writing through an on-line newsletter
- Everybody Counts
All of the students and classroom teachers at Woodriver Elementary School in Fairbanks, Alaska participated in this collaboartive project. From the tiniest kindergartener to the gangliest sixth grader, everyone was measured in height and width. A good model for a school-wide project!
- Graphing 'Round Our School
An annual schoolwide graphing event at University Park Elementary School in Fairbanks, Alaska. For two weeks every winter, everyone in our 600 student school "goes graphing." Follow the links to class projects.
Middle School Group:
- American Revolution Project by Mr. Welch's 7th Grade Students
This project is the result of 7th grade students learning to use the Internet as both a resource tool and as a publishing medium.
- Everett Middle School CollaborativePeace Day Project
Students collaborate and use multimedia tools to share their school-wide project. Click on each project.
- Carol Leikam's Fifth Grade Bridge Building Unit
This site displays activities and student work using a web-based format. Click on each link to find out more about the project.
- Alaska Studies by Tanana Middle School Students
Students share multimedia research reports on the state of Alaska and Alaskan history. Click on links under Table of Contents so see student work!
- American Inventors, an inter-disciplinary curriculum and technology project by the staff and 85 students at Ryan Middle School in Fairbanks, Alaska. The purpose of American Inventors, is to explore, through research, biographical writing, and scientific discovery, the history of inventors in the United States. lick on Inventors to see student work!
- Healthy Life Skills Triangle Project at Tanana Middle School in Fairbanks, Alaska 1997 includes the work of 120 eighth-graders who developed essays on various topics related to the district's health curriculum. The students were asked to approach their topics as if they were addressing other eighth-graders.
- Connections An integrated curriculum/technology project being undertaken by the staff and students of the KOHL team at Ryan Middle School in Fairbanks, Alaska. Students connect the study of science, math, literature and art to historical events and time periods using a timeline metaphor. And, they connect technology with the rest of the curriculum.
High School Group:
Learning Advice
Since time is of the essence in this WebQuest, remember that your group is striving to get an OVERVIEW of technology uses, not an in-depth analysis of technology uses in any given school district.
Evaluation
Use this rubric to evaluate your group's efforts during the completion of this WebQuest:
Add Rubric Here
Reflection
In your journal,
answer each of the following questions:
- In what ways did your
understanding of the Internet change because of this
WebQuest?
- In what ways did your
understanding of technology uses in K-12 education change
because of this WebQuest?
- What are the
implications for the university's role in educating
future K-12 teachers?
Conclusion
Prepare a multimedia presentation summarizing your findings from this WebQuest.
Extension
When you become a first year teacher, volunteer to serve on the school technology committee so you can share some of your ideas with your new colleagues.
Standards
This WebQuest's objectives are aligned with the following Arizona Standards:
Technology Standard 1: Essentials (grades 4-8)
- Examine information from electronic media and determine its worth.
Language Arts Standard 1: Reading Essentials (grades 6-8)
- R-E2. Use reading strategies such as making inferences and predictions, summarizing, paraphrasing.
- PO 1. Identify the main ideas; critical and supporting details.
- PO 3. Summarize the text in own words.
Language Arts Standard 2: Writing Essentials (grades 4-8)
- PO 3. Contain main ideas plus the most significant details.
- PO 4. Present clearly written and organized information.
- PO 2. Use own words to develop ideas accurately and clearly with supporting details, facts, examples or descriptions.
- PO 3. Use personal interpretation, analysis, evaluation or reflection to evidence understanding of subject.
- PO 1. Implement a research strategy that includes: taking notes that summarize and paraphrase information relevant to the topic incorporating notes into a finished product.
Language Arts Standard 4: Viewing and Presenting Essentials: (Grade 4-8)
- Plan, develop and produce a visual presentation, using a variety of media such as videos, films, newspapers, magazines and computer images.
Workplace Technology Standard 7: Essentials: (Grades 4-8)
- Demonstrate technological literacy for productivity in the workplace.
- Demonstrate basic computer operation skills in a variety of applications to organize information.
- Use technology to organize information resources.
This WebQuest's objectives are also aligned with the following National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS):
1. Basic operations and concepts
- Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
- Students are proficient in the use of technology.
2. Social, ethical, and human issues
- Students understand cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
- Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
- Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.
3. Technology productivity tools
- Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
- Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, preparing publications, and producing other creative works.
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