Completed Course Work from Five Star Academy

Successful Online Learning (FREE). If you’re someone who is not comfortable with the concept of eLearning or the use of technology, then this course is designed just for you. You will have the opportunity to work through the most basic of basics: setting up and writing a blog, maneuvering through an online course discussion, and navigating Google Chrome. This course is slightly different than the others in the Learning on Demand series; there is a facilitator who provides you with feedback! The course is still self-directed, but you will have a mentor available to confirm that you are completing tasks correctly. This course will provide a solid foundation for working through any facilitated Five-Star Academy course. (8 PGPs) Course Series - Connected Educator Series Course Type - Learning On Demand (Self-Directed) Foundations of Data-Rich Decision Making. This introductory course is designed to familiarize participants with how data can be used to make decisions in education. It begins by providing participants with a solid understanding of data points used in schools today. Teachers, coaches, and administrators will explore ways to implement data and maximize their impact in their professional setting. (18 PGPs) Course Series - Connected Educator Series Course Type - Learning On Demand (Self-Directed) Defining the Digital Difference. This self-directed course is designed to provide participants with a very brief introduction to technology use in education. Content includes an introduction to SAMR, rationale for using technology in the classroom, and ways curriculum may change when technology is introduced. This five-module course requires approximately three hours to complete. (3 PGPs) Course Series - Connected Educator Series Course Type - Learning On Demand (Self-Directed) Introduction to Blended and Online Teaching (Facilitated). This course provides an in-depth exploration of the foundational aspects of using technology in the classroom. Participants will learn about the SAMR model, digital citizenship, curation, digital tools, and more. Individuals who complete the course will have a strong understanding of why educators must shift their mindset in order to reach students in the 21st Century. Course 1 in the Connected Educator series. Course Series - Connected Educator Series Course Type - Facilitated

Professional Growth Points/July 18, 2015

Introduction to Blended and Online Teaching (iBOT) covered virtual strategies, tools, and best practices for K-12 educators. All content was delivered virtually and content was available asynchronously. Each participant spent up to five hours each week reading, discussing, and creating content specific to the course, and received 40 professional growth points (PGPs) for their efforts. iBOT was initially offered through a strategic partnership between the Indiana Department of Education's Office of eLearning and Five-Star Technology Solutions. The IDOE Office of eLearning purchased a seat for one teacher in every corporation in order to help increase the capacity for teaching digitally in every school system in the state of Indiana.

Digital Citizenship

Digital Citizenship not only teaches students the etiquette involved in being a smart and effective participant in a digital world, but it empowers and equips students with essential life tools to help them navigate challenging digital based situations. I am a strong believer that until this becomes a natural and intrinsic process engrained for our students, Digital Citizenship should be taught. I use Mike Ribble’s Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship. These principles are carried out through-out each grade level in the hopes of delivering at least one foundational message that builds common language across our system. The lessons have been adapted for each level but have the same underlying theme. I rely heavily on lessons from Commonsense Media. Scenario teaching is a great way to do this...which applies the "rules" learned to real life situations. NSTeens.org (http://www.nsteens.org/) is a great scenario site for my middle school students to apply the lessons that they have learned, and it a format that is very engaging. Since the digital landscape is ever-changing..we need to be present and cognitive about ever-changing practices and "rules" that will help students deal with these challenges. These rules should be taught through a real-life scenario sequence so that our brains will learn more effectively. Real-life scenarios offer a particularly effective way to explore educational dilemmas because they support a more complex understanding of the situation. We need our students to critically think and be problem solvers..and so the "rules" are the foundation to derive the decision making from - but each scenario requires a higher order of thinking and decision making. Our world is not so black and white..so the rules cannot be that way either. All technology users need help deciding what to do with the information when they look at a new technology (or even one that they have (Ribble, 2008). We are constantly learning and relearning things about technology...so it makes sense to reflect on how you are using it and if you are using it in the correct way. Digital Citizenship is more than just a teaching tool; it is a way to prepare our students/technology users for a society full of technology. Society is the key word here. What do we value as a whole..a body of human beings interacting with each other? It is the practice of good ethical principles that bind us together collaboratively. If the use of technology is misused or abused we embark on a lawless society. Nothing we do is in isolation – other people are always involved in one way or another. So anything we do or say may impact on someone we have never even heard of. It is therefore important that we are very careful in what we do or say, for that very reason. This means being ethical in our relationships with others. Ethics should be considered as a set of principles by which to live; a code of conduct for our relationships with all whom we come in contact. Ethics encompasses social mores, usually expressed today as good manners; our behaviour towards our fellow humans and fellow creatures; and trust. The world operates on trust. "Globally, technology opens up the potential for unethical behavior in ways we've never had before," says Rushland Kidder, president of the Institute for Global Ethics and author of Moral Courage (Harper Collins, 2005). So we have to start somewhere and that starting point is teaching the importance of Digital Citizenship right alongside the Principles of Ethics and integrating it in everything that we do. Practice makes consistent behavior and these ethical practices will become ingrained in our lives and we won't even have to think about them as specific rules, but as our way of life. Ribble, M (2008) Learning and Leading with Technology. ISTE. December/January 2008-2009.

Curating Resources

I found an interesting article that contained some great hints on how to evaluate the credibility of sources on the internet. This is an important skill that students must learn if they want to curate resources that are proven and will benefit their learning. Below are some following tips that will assist. These points should be included in a scaffolded lesson with students before they are left on their own. "1. Is there any evidence that the author of the Web information has some authority in the field about which she or he is providing information? What are the author's qualifications, credentials and connections to the subject? 2. With what organization or institution is the author associated? Is there a link to the sponsoring organization, a contact number and/or address or e-mail contact? A link to an association does not necessarily mean that the organization approved the content. 3. Does the author have publications in peer reviewed (scholarly and professional) publications, on the Web or in hard copy? (If an author does not have peer reviewed articles published, this does not mean that she or he does not have credible information, only that there has been no professional "test" of the author's authority on that subject.) 4. Are there clues that the author/s are biased? For example, is he/she selling or promoting a product? Is the author taking a personal stand on a social/political issue or is the author being objective ? Bias is not necessarily "bad," but the connections should be clear. 5. Is the Web information current? If there are a number of out-of-date links that do not work or old news, what does this say about the credibility of the information? 6. Does the information have a complete list of works cited, which reference credible, authoritative sources? If the information is not backed up with sources, what is the author's relationship to the subject to be able to give an "expert" opinion? 7. Can the subject you are researching be fully covered with WWW sources or should print sources provide balance? Much scholarly research is still only available in traditional print form. It is safe to assume that if you have limited background in a topic and have a limited amount of time to do your research, you may not be able to get the most representative material on the subject. So be wary of making unsupportable conclusions based on a narrow range of sources. 8. On what kind of Web site does the information appear? The site can give you clues about the credibility of the source."(Montecino, 1988). After this important lesson, students need to know how to curate this information - so that they can use it later. A great way to introduce this segment to students is to Let students pick a topic and then choose one curation tool to collect various forms of information. Such tools can range from Pinterest, Paper.li, eduClipper, Searcheze, Storify, Scoopit (limited free version), Pinterest, MentorMob (formerly LessonPaths, Blendspace, and Learnist. Let students choose how they want to collect, display, and collate their information. It's important that they have ownership because then they will use these sources again and again. The way information is filed should be easily recognized and called upon in future years for future projects. If students collate and categorize the information they way to - they will be more apt to find this information again. Teachers could use LiveBinders to keep their topics categorized and easily accessible. You don't want to continuously re-invent the wheel, but LiveBinders lets you continuously add new information and continuously add more categories. Pearltrees is a place to collect, organize and share everything you like on the web. You can add everything you like and organize it naturally so as to enrich your collections and collaborate on your favorite topics. Pearltrees lets you lay out your web content into trees, which makes it an excellent tool for visual learners. Another great choice for me because we are using Ipads is Dipity. Dipity is a great timeline creation tool that allows you to incorporate text, images, and videos into each entry on a timeline. Dipity has a collaboration option and has multiple options for sharing your timelines publicly or privately. Montecino, Virginia. "Criteria to Evaluate the Credibility of WWW Resources." Education & Technology Resources, Aug. 1988. Web. 26 May 2015.

Authentic Assessments

Authentic assessment is a term which has been coined to describe alternative assessment methods. These methods should authentically allow a student to demonstrate a student's ability to perform tasks, solve problems or express knowledge in ways which simulate situations which are found in real life (Hymes, 1991). Traditional assessments are usually tests taken with pencil and paper and can be easily graded in short periods of time. Authentic assessments require students to be effective performers with acquired knowledge (Wiggins, 1990). Traditional assessments require students to recall memorized facts at lower level thinking.Authentic learning requires higher order thinking. Authentic assessments are all about "what a student CAN DO" AND traditional assessments are all about "what a student CAN REMEMBER". Traditional assessments are set by the curriculum. Schools teach the knowledge and skills. In Authentic assessments schools facilitate the development of skills that enable students to perform real tasks. The assessment drives the curriculum. Traditional assessments are teacher driven whereas Authentic assessments are student centered. In middle school time is a constraint. Authentic assessments are all about a journey; a process where students learn and refine their skills as they work to solve a real-world problem or create a real-world product. This process takes time - time that is very limited in the traditional school setting. The question was posed as to if authentic assessments could be successful in all disciplines. I believe it could - if it was presented as a cross-curricular project. It would definitely change the look of what traditional school looks like and what the learning would look like. I couldn't count how many times students have asked me - how many pages do I need for an A? What exactly do you want? Students have been brainwashed through traditional assessments to try and guess what the teacher wants and getting away from the whole point of the project..to learn something they want to learn. Students needs opportunities to refine, reflect, fail, and succeed. This process takes time. Time to experiment, time to collaborate, time to develop mastery. The traditional school day does not really allow for this needed TIME! Perhaps it would be advantageous to establish a "Power Hour" within the structure of the traditional school day where groups of students could collaborate and work on real-world problems that they were interested in - guided by teachers in all of the disciplines. This facilitation could show students how all disciplines work together to solve problems and that history is intertwined with language arts, and health. It requires a broad spectrum of knowledge to problem-solve and that there are many solutions to existing problems. It takes knowledge and skill in a wide variety of subjects to be successful. I'm not saying that there isn't a place for traditional assessments, because there is a use for these along the journey. Authentic assessments combine the traditional academic content with the knowledge and skills needed to function appropriately in the real world. For some of us Authentic assessments is a real change in mindset. We grew up with paper and pencil, multiple choice and short essay, standardized testing, and college entrance; Authentic assessments are a new way of looking at things. It is a more progressive and purposeful way of learning; a more progressive and purposeful way of proving real learning. Authentic assessment also has the advantage of providing parents and community members with directly observable products and understandable evidence concerning their students' performance (Wiggins, 1990). Everyone benefits from Authentic Learning - the teacher, the learner, the community, the world. Hymes, D. L. (1991). The Changing Face of Testing and Assessment: Problems and Solutions. AASA Critical Issues Report. American Association of School Administrators, 1801 North Moore St., Arlington, VA 22209-9988. Wiggins, Grant (1990). The case for authentic assessment. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 2(2). Retrieved May 22, 2015 from http://PAREonline.net/getvn.asp?v=2&n=2 .

Module Five -Adaptation and Motivation

During my doctoral studies I did a lot of research about gamification. Intrinsic motivation – which refers to a person’s internal drive to perform an action purely because of the enjoyment they get from it. It’s one of the key psychological theories for gamification designers. Online gaming is so popular because players interact with people who have the same interests and they share their knowledge with like-minded individuals. This correlates with Daniel Pinks three reasons for Intrinsic Motivation;Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. Gamers are self motivated, seek the freedom to participate, and are self-directed. The more they play they more the player achieve understanding and mastery of the game. Players do this by playing with others (collaboration) and acquisition of skill. Gamers playing share a common "Purpose" - acquiring self-actualization by achieving certain levels of the game to eventually win. Games and learning are inherently tied together. In fact, games can be optimal vehicles for learning. One of the reasons games (even educational ones) are so popular is that they combine the enjoyment of discovery with the natural desire to gain competency (Watson, 2014). In my PE classes students are often intrinsically motivated by the health benefits of working out, but also motivated extrinsically by building muscle to impress his friends. Things that people find interesting one day can slowly become mundane the next; doing something because one wants to can easily become doing it because one has to. In education, many students have low intrinsic motivation because there is no relevance to their future. I often hear students saying "why do I have to learn that - I will never use it". Motivational researchers have studied these questions and concluded that working on a task for intrinsic reasons in not only more enjoyable, but also relates positively to learning, achievement and perceptions of competence (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002). Some students are exhausted with their personal home life situations that they have no energy for academic enthusiasm. This is why the teacher/student relationship becomes to important. One first step is to listen to your students, get to know them, their interests, and their dreams. Learning to be satisfied with a job well done is an important part of growing up. If students are not getting that at home - this becomes an important role for teachers. While motivation is often a challenging task for teachers, the rewards of having students who are interested and eager to learn make the hard work worth the effort. By combining intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, teachers can help students learn the subject at hand as well as valuable life skills. Eccles, Jacquelynne S., and Allan Wigfield. "Motivational beliefs, values, and goals." Annual review of psychology 53.1 (2002): 109-132. Watson, Zach. "4 Real-World Examples That Explain Intrinsic Motivation." TechnologyAdvice. N.p., 28 Oct. 2014. Web. 17 May 2015.

Module Three - Foundations

I am fortunate to have been using Ipads in my PE/Health curriculum for the past two years. We transitioned from a classroom book to Ipads during textbook adoption. My school is going 1:1 during the 2015-2016 school year and I feel a bit ahead of the game to have a two year head start on the process. My department was given a classroom set of Ipads to be shared with all students in our classes. Having to share has presented many problems, but it has also given us a opportunities to try tools out and see what works and what does not. With that being said I reviewed the Technology Integration Matrix Grade Level Index to see what my two years has afforded me. I have spent a lot of time researching apps and incorporating their use in my curriculum. Some projects have me at the ADAPTATION level, as I introduce new ways to use technology in their lessons, which then grows into the Infusion and Transformational Level. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a national organization advocating for 21st century readiness for every student, explains the outcomes of this transformation as fusing the traditional three R’s with four C’s: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration (Blair, 2010). My goal is student engagement. I strive to have an interactive classroom. I want it to be very theoretically based and I know exactly what I want my students to learn. 1:1 will put technology in every student's hand. This will give my students daily access to technology and an endless bounty of free educational web 2.0 sites and apps. These tools empowers me to innovatively craft digital learning experiences that promote discovery and creation. My district has Technology Standards that are clearly spelled out for teachers and at what grade level those expectation should be met. These are driven by ISTE. Most of my lessons are project-based; inquiry based. Inquiry based projects are another way to get students to think rather than memorize. These group projects also help students build important skills such as communications, teamwork, critical thinking and problem solving. Technology can help with these projects and skills. Students can create things such as web sites, blogs, and multimedia presentations as part of their projects. They can use the web for research and as a resource. They can connect with students at other schools and do collaborative work with them. They also learn technology skills while doing these projects. My students are my teachers. Many students certainly know more than I do, and more readily adapt to the use of new technologies. I have had to work very hard to get to where I am today. Education has shifted from teacher-centered (the one who knows all the answers) to student-centered. Any answer is at a student's fingertips and technology can unlock the path to it. It becomes the great equalizer. It will be a life long journey to achieve Transformational levels in education...an exciting journey I might add. Digital tools enhance and add to student’s inherent creative skills. I believe that it is my job as a facilitator of learning to foster and nurture that growth. I want to provide real-world activities that promote collaboration and classroom problem solving, made easier through new technology. This can only be achieved through the sharing of knowledge, resources, and pedagogy. Teachers need time, opportunity, and resources to meet these goals. School systems need to provide the assistance that each teacher needs. Teacher learning needs to be differentiated, just as our own students do. We come from different places. I graduated with my first degree in 1976. A computer was some big mainframe thing on campus - now it's held in your hand, your watch, or positioned on your eyeglasses. The SAMR model maps out a path for us. Researchers have determined that technology integration typically moves through specific levels. The higher the level of an activity the greater the educational benefit (Oxnevad, 2013). Real success is found with the efficient use of digital tools - tools that are appropriate for the task. It is the path we can comfortably use to re-define the way that we learn. I have a Passion Topic project that culminates my health learning. It is a semester long project where students may choose any topic in the world they want to learn more about as long as it affects their health or the health of others. This encompasses just about any topic that you can think of. The rubric spells out levels of success, but students are empowered by their own inquiring and interests. Technology is a tool they utilize to get answers, make contacts, collaborate, and present. I would be very willing to share this project under the Transformational Index in its entirety. There is a lack of Physical Education/health projects as content. Blair, Nancye. "Educational Technology." : RSA3: Technology Integration For The New 21st Century Learner. N.p., 2012. Web. 03 May 2015. Oxnevad, Susan. "Using SAMR to Teach Above the Line - Getting Smart by Susan Oxnevad - 1:1 Program, Apple, Edchat, EdTech, SAMR, Technology." Web log post. Getting Smart Using SAMR to Teach Above the Line Comments. N.p., 04 July 2013. Web. 03 May 2015.

Moving Mindsets

How can learning really be measured? Grades are not the way to measure learning. Grades are subjective and should be replaced with meaningful narrative feedback that would help the student understand what learning outcomes have or have not been mastered. Feedback encourages learning and gives real meaning, suggestions, and guidelines to the student. A "grade" really tells us NOTHING! Learning should be shared, discussed and evaluated openly; these discussions should be accompanied by objective feedback that guides students to other possibilities and to reflection and self-evaluation (Mark Barnes, 2012). Grades also serve as an intellectual segregator. First off, they do not show "how smart" a student is, only how compatible they are with the current education system. Teachers need to recognize different types of learners and educate them accordingly. Feedback benefits the student (constructive criticism) and the teacher gets a better game plan on how to differentiate the instructor based on where the individual student is. I am in total favor of a Results Only Learning environment. This environment for learning offers autonomy and ignites a thirst for learning. It promotes collaboration and lets students "CHOOSE" the way they want to learn. No worries about a "No Zero" here, because students are engaged and invested in their own learning. Student achievement goal setting is a skill that is being used in our elementary schools in my district. Student academic progress is a significant component of evaluation. This could easily be carried over into my middle school. A results-only system makes learning a shared responsibility between teachers and students. This learning environment is student-centered and project-based. I do a project in Health called "Free to Learn". Students can choose anything they want to learn about as long as it affects their health or the health of others. Well that pretty much branches out to just about anything in this world. Students begin this project-based learning at the end of December and carry it over until their presentation in May. Guidelines are provided and my role as a teacher has changed from provider of information, to facilitator of whatever I can help with. I solicit parents, experts, and community members to assist in the learning process. I provide help where needed, so the responsibility is shared. Everyone involved provides narrative feedback to change and improve any activity, in order to demonstrate learning. Yearlong projects target learning outcomes more meaningfully than worksheets, homework, tests, and quizzes. It does require a lot of individualized work, but I learn even more than the students. Their topics are so wide and varied, that it requires a lot of connections that are way outside of my comfort zone. I get stretched right along beside them. A rubric is provided at the beginning, so that the expectations are clear and set. They match up with Standards and clearly define each level of proficiency. Unfortunately, my system still uses a letter grade system, but I correlate the rubric with feedback to an end grade. not the ideal way to do it, but until the system changes I still must conform to its unity. Real results correlate with real-meaning to a project that makes a difference to the individual, the community, or to the world. This is real 21st century learning. School should be about the learning, not the grade. It’s about mastering concepts, not being tested on them. It's about learning to fail and how to pick yourself up and try something else. It's not about giving up if at first you don't succeed! This is how you instill a love for learning!

Time Management Skills with an emphasis on Goal Setting for Pivot Point Learning

People tend to neglect goal setting because it requires time and effort. What they fail to consider is that a little time and effort put in now saves an enormous amount of time, effort and frustration in the future. I must admit that I am one of those people. I have a tendency to create in my head, and throughout the process, things become a bit jumbled and lost up there. To improve my Time Management skills I need to prioritize the goal setting aspect of the process. If I take the time in the beginning to do this, it should save me time and effort later in the process. Mind Tools has two great articles on goal setting that gave me a blueprint writing objectives and action plans. You get so focused on the outcome that you forget to plan all of the steps that are needed along the way. By writing out the individual steps, and then crossing each one off as you complete it, you'll realize that you are making progress towards your ultimate goal. In the article "Action Plans: Small Scale Planning" they clarify the definition of a successful action plan. Action Plans are simple lists of all of the tasks that you need to finish to meet an objective. They differ from To-Do Lists in that they focus on the achievement of a single goal. "Action plans are useful, because they give you a framework for thinking about how you will complete a Project efficiently. They help you finish activities in a sensible order, and they help you ensure that you don't miss any key steps. Also, because you can see each task laid out, you can quickly decide which tasks you'll delegate or outsource, and which tasks you may able to ignore." I am currently planning a Tuff Mudder experience for the eighth grade Physical Education classes at my school. The SCHEMES* mnemonic gave me a method to check that my plan was comprehensive. It gave me a better incite into all of the areas in which I need to consider. I also downloaded the To Do List (file:///C:/Users/owner/Desktop/Pivot%20Points%20Curriculum/PrioritizedToDolist.pdf) to assist me in prioritizing the Urgent/Important list that Michael Hooker alluded to in the "Time Management" video. By following the SMART guidelines for goal setting I can see where my time will be better spent in the long run. By Including precise amounts, dates, and so on in my goals, I should be more ready to measure each degree of success. Without a way to measure my successes I could miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing I have actually achieved something. The feeling of accomplishing the "small steps" of the big plan of action will keep motivation high! So in the words that B.J. Fogg shares: I will be able to check off each success and celebrate with an "I am AWESOME!"

Peeragogy and Tools for Collaboration

Peeragogy and Tools for Collaboration

Copy of 366105031-Oscar Pistorious

Copy of 366105031-Oscar Pistorious

My adventure last week was into the world of interactive surgery.  These simulations were created by the crew of Clearly Trained...headed by Eric Bort.  Amy and I are very interested in having Eric look at our ideas and see if we can come up with something created especially for Vet Tech students. 

We love the ideas contained in Edheads and Surgery Squad, and hope to combine both concepts and design in our interactive virtual suturing simulation. 

Surgery Squad is an online interactive simulations for several surgical procedures.  It was designed to explain what goes on when a patient goes under the knife so to speak.  Two virtual physicians, Dr. Jeff and Dr. Suzi help guide us through liposuctions, tonsillectomies, dental procedures, tatoo removal, hair transplant and laser hair removal,  and so much  more. 

But the participant needs to remember that these are not medical sites...it calls to mind the "Pretending" element that Marc Prensky talks  about in his article Interactive Pretending.

The format is user friendly and starts with beneficial information that is informative for the patient.  It goes through phases with buttons that enable you to repeat or skip ahead.  The graphic detailing is suberb.  The tool useage is very basic, and our simulation would require much more indepth manipulation...but all of the basics are there for a fact filled, fun simulation. 

I highly recommend http://www.surgerysquad.com/ for anyone who wants to play doctor, or just needs some information on an upcoming surgery. 

My first attempt at Star Shooter

Ok - a gamer I am not...but fortified with a Hershey bar and the will to succeed...I downloaded my first video online game.  I chose this game, because I had read in my research that Star Shooter helped promote eye-hand coordination in surgical med students.  Since Amy and I are interested in suturing skills, we are always looking for games that will promote needed skills.  So if Star Shooter can enhance visuo-motor skills then it might be a recommended game for vet tech students to try. 

I was immediately fasinated with the colorful 3-d like graphics, and animations.  There was soft music in the background (I was sure to calm my nerves), and it appeared that I was seated in a cockpit of a plane.  The soft melodic tones were interrupted by gunfire and before I knew it an enemy plane was coming towards me with flashing guns. 

Where were the instructions?  How do you play?  What do I push?  There were no instructions, directions, coaching tips...Nothing.  So I imediately began to bang my mouse in hopes that my guns would begin to fire.  Within the minute I was destroyed by enemy fire.  I took a moment to catch my breath, sigh deep, and try again.  This time I manipulated my mouse right away, and was not so focused on the beautiful artwork on the scene.  In time and practice I learned how to zero in on incoming planes and planet destroyers.  I am too embarassed to really share my highest score, which only took me to level two, but I did learn the game by playing it.  I did feel a sense of accomplishment when I finally made it through the novice piece.  But my newfound pride was quickly defused with new challenges in level two.  Things moved quicker and there were more to destroy. 

I felt totally glued to the screen, and my sense of competition enabled me to continue time after time of being destroyed by enemy fire.  It did challenge my depth perception, reaction time, and my manipulation of the mouse. 

In all fairness and complete disclosure...I had to ask Kyle, my twenty-two year old son to play the game, so that I could view what happened at other levels.  He was completely engaged.  Although he shared a bit of dismay at not understanding how to manipulate the mouse, and complaint that there was not a controller like he was used to, he figured it all out in less than a minute and stayed completely engaged for forty-five minutes.  He was determined to be the high scorer and to reach the top level (whatever that is).  I was able to witness increased graphics and challenge with each upward level. 

I highly recommend the game as it was free, and could provide hours of enjoyment if you like blowing up planes, ships, and keeping the planet safe from aliens.  As far as educational value - I would not play it for knowledge content, but it did promote problem-solving, critical thinking and decision making.

Instructional Design and some of my random thoughts.....

 Instructional design should be all about helping students to learn better.  That puts a pretty "broad" concept out there.  Broad is the key word here - obviously what works for some, does not work for others.  Today’s classroom is a broad chasm of disarray...where some grab the rope to climb out and enter the "light". Some don't know how to use the rope to climb out, and others can never even find the rope.  (You knew that I would use some "physical anomaly" to convey my thoughts...)

The purpose of instructional design should be to engage all learners (the educational buzz word of today)

The purpose is to know and understand the reason for learning, the goal, it's relevance; to take their learning and apply it to something beyond their classroom walls.

It should give students an opportunity to use, to practice, what they are learning with the appropriate tools.

When I think of Instructional Design - I think of analyzing data, learning styles, students needs and goals.  I think of creating educational materials that give meaning and purpose to the process.  I associate the need to understand how people think, learn and solve problems.

It should "speak their language" - so they are motivated, engaged and invested...otherwise why bother?

So obviously there is a lot of trial and error involved. It will need to be evaluated, revised, and in a constant state of flux.  It should be as individual as every learner is.  Perhaps every learner needs an IEP –RTI -  that will be evaluated yearly (hhhmmm - I want more thought here), and changes as the individual grows.

There will be commonalities - state mandates, limitation of resources and tools, budget constraints, and I could go on and on.  When the design is for the masses - many considerations are left behind - gender, class size, environment, individual beliefs just to name a few. 

The purpose of instructional design should be to engage all learners (the educational buzz word of today)

The purpose is to know and understand the reason for learning, the goal, it's relevance; to take their learning and apply it to something beyond their classroom walls.

It should give students an opportunity to use, to practice, what they are learning with the appropriate tools.

Day Four EDD800 - Summer residency

I feel two things with the week being over: relief and a bit of sorrow.  It was such a joy to finally meet everyone face to face in my cohort.  I know that we will always share a sense of kinship..because of the struggles and the joys.  When one of us is sick, the others feel for that as well.  It is amazing how "Technology" has brought us together.  Oh don't let the P-12 track hear!!!!  LOL..

We started the day with Janet Cline informing us about the grant writing procedures.  We ended the day with Jennifer Little who navigated us through the research engines that the Camden-Carroll library has to offer.  I am brining this up - to thank these two women...and let them know what a fabulous respresentative of Morehead State University they are.  One of the things that sets this University apart is the level of assistance that EVERYONE at the University gives to students. This sets them apart and above the other state colleges. Janet has already established an account so that I can begin my grant writing search.  Jennifer took our names, gave us her personal business card pledging assistance to us at any time.  Our professors answer our emails and questions within the hour, give us feedback and critique, and provide assistance whenever we need it...  Is that service?  Is that dedication?  Is that servant leadership?  This is Morehead State...

The body of the day was with Dr. Phil  Harris and Pat Miller.  Dr. Harris spoke to us on Instructional design issues and challenges.  There were lots of hands on collaborations, so we were very engaged...  He had many thought provoking examples...and I will use my "get around tuit frequently.  Although no one in Indiana will get that slang!!!!  One of the exciting things for me was to learn more about PBS and the streaming opporunities that lie ahead.  As she talked, I was thinking what a cool job it would be to screen video offerings and write curriculum for teachers on the videos.  Obviously someone has that job...just another career option.  I also put the PBS app on my Ipad2...Yahoo for technology! 

So a good week...a memorable week...  My thanks and love to Amy who put me up in her home and treated me with the respect for a mother, a friend, and colleague.  So glad to have Lisa back in the fold today...we cannot lose any sheep from the flock.  How thankful I was to really get to know Rachel better...my Ipad2 advisor... And what a joy to learn the personal side:  Della - my motorcycle heroine, Martha and her beautiful garden, and Rhonda (bless your heart) hang in there - Take the I for now - and let yourself get caught up to life....  We are all connected for life...enjoy the rest of the summer.  much love

Day Three EDD 800 - Summer Residency

Day Three was actually very emotional for me.  As I sat in the luncheon, I did think about my journey so far with the doctoral program, the people who have assisted me, and the relationships that I am forming.  It made me sad, when we did the exercise about listing the three people you cared about the most…all my life I can remember putting Paul’s name down as the most important person in my life…the one who supported me the most.   Dr. Barnett reflected on keeping your relationships in the forefront of importance as you journey through the process…life is short…and you want it all to be worthwhile and meaningful in every way.  I often visualize myself walking across the podium to accept my diploma, and wishing that Paul would be there to share one of the greatest joys of my life, but I know that the journey must be for my own self-satisfaction.   I feel an important part of a Morehead “first” and honored to be contributing back to the University with my capstone project.  That was part of the reason that I wanted to share in a project that would actually give back to the students of Morehead.    I feel like it is part of a small “pay it forward” act on my part.  And even though I did not create the idea for the program, I will get to help formulate it with my feedback and opinions.  This was a major reason that I wanted to be in the first cohort – so that I could contribute and be a part of something being created for the first time.  I could participate in a small part of history – something that would be meaningful to someone and myself.

Today Craig Robertson shared these thoughts on Generative Leadership.  The purpose is to develop spiritual leaders who model community that learns and leads together.  It is important to create environments that foster transformation…one that establishes processes that produce fruit.  That is how I feel about our cohort…we will be a team that produces fruit. 

His take on groups and teams were interesting…and the importance of Trust and Unity to promote change and growth.  His various stories and quotations illustrated the importance of rebirth, reinventing, and revitalization - the importance of radical change and the methodology of discover, develop and deploy.  He also touched upon the importance of building that operational trust through love, learning, and leading. 

The entire theme of the day centered around relationships, community, and the “We not I concept”.  It did make me reflect on the importance of being connected and relational.  Being here with the other members of my cohort reminds me that I am not alone in the process and though miles separate me from them, we will be bonded forever because of the journey.  We are like the explorers of old, blazing new trails, experiencing trial and error in the process, and claiming new territory for ourselves.  Until tomorrow Trail Blazers…

Day Two EDD800 Summer Residency - Dr. Joseph Murphy

     The day was filled with the expertise of Dr. Murphy - Closing Achievement Gaps: Research Based Lessons for Educators.  I learned through a witty, researched based presentation  that the gap has shifted from being an indicator of eduational inequality to a direct cause of socioeconomic decline.  Important points that I have taken away from today:

1.  Schools don't cause achievement gaps.  1/2 of the achievement gaps walks in the door as they enter public school in Kindergarten.  50% of the gap grows there and 25% more transitions from middle school.  There is a huge loss during the summer and summer school for K-5 WAS RECOMMENDED. 

2.  Schools cannot close achievement gaps alone.  Society must take responsibility.  We must re-allocate our resources.  Lower income and minority students are more school-dependent than their mnore advantaged peers and here is where the potential for schools to help solve the problem lies. 

Structure will not not change the gap.  There needs to be a focus on both out of school and in school factors.  Students do not need "different" types of interventions...they need INTENSE support.  There must be trust in the school climate. We must provide an OverAdvantage for our Lowadvantaged.  All components must be in place.
1. Preschool
2. Cooperative instructional strategies
3.  Smaller class size
4.  Quality instruction
5.  Co-curricular/extra curricular activities
6.  More rigorous courses
7.  Placement in high SES schools

I loved his anaology of the "train passing us by"  leaving the station without us.  It made me think of our In-school suspension policy.  Most of the kids that are in that are low-performing students, troubled, bored; feeling like the train has left without them.  And what are we doing - we are keeping them out of instruction for another day..and letting the train pass by them again.  I believe that my school needs to re-think what we are doing here. 

Of course like anything else..the concern for cost was brought up, but Dr. Murphy shared that bold, fearless leadership would be able to find a way, regardless of the hard decisions that would have to be made.  Cost as well as benefits of gap reduction strategies need to be weighed.    Student Under achievement is the problem to be solved.  Each child needs to be looked at - one individual at a time...their level of achievement, equity, and value added.  He ended with the point that we need to help parents to do at home what we want our student to be able to do at school.  We all have an investment to enable students to open 75 doors at the end of their high school careers and look forward to the future...

We ended the day with a seminar on Publishing.  There were several points to consider as we venture into publishing either in journals or in book format.

1.  Research
2.  Contact editor of journal
3.  Review formattingrequirements
4.  Have a colleague edit
5.  Don't freak out if you don't get published the first time
6.  Meet deadlines
7.  Don't have to agree with editor feedback - it is Your Work!
8.  Be patient - could take up to 4-5 months
9.  Take time off before writing your next piece

We heard from several people who had self-published and went through a publishing house.  I could see the passion in Kelly Middleton's presentation and the humble pride in Dr. Wallaces'.  I felt encouraged and know that if and when the time for me to publish rolls around I will have a lot of support in the process. 

Long day...my head is swimming with ideas and information...headed to Amy's for her yummy crock pot dinner and an instructional design to complete.  Ah..the life of a doctoral student...see you tomorrow!

Day One EDD800 - Summer Residency

     The day started with an inspirational charge from Dr. Kathryn Polmanteer.  We are part of the "Great Experiment" - an innovative approach to the doctoral program.  Dr. Karla Hughes followed up with a great directive to "rekindle curiosity and creativity".  I think this sums up my journey so far with the program.  I am humbled by how little I know, and inspired by all that I am learning.  I find myself engaged in conversations with other professionals at a higher level of thinking and feeling my confidence rise daily as my ideas are valued and shared. 
     Our keynote speaker was Stepnen Downes of the National Research Center of Canada.  We listened to his thoughts on open educational resources and personal learning environments.  His out of the box thinking drew many points to my mind that I would like to discuss here.  Although a lot of what he said was in a "NEW LANGUAGE", I do agree with him on his philosophy of knowledge output. "The more sense you make of something - the more you will remember it"  What we do NEED TO REMEMBER - is the case in point here.  The Induction Model allows the flow of information to influence another thought to another and another; in otherwords -  One thought leads to another.  It is data in and then processed with activities that makes sense of it all, to the putput of knowledge or Knowledge Remembered.  The Act of Experience is the growth of learning. 
Stephen Downes is a proponent of Connectivism.  There is no real curriculum.  The product is the Learner.  Knowledge is so complex  - so it needs to be navigated.  That is where the teacher comes in...to be connected is to be engaged.  The process is aggregate, remix, repurpose, and feed forward.  The learning is immersive and complete for the individual and how that is done is on an individual basis.  That is why he believeds in open eduational resources and repositories.  This environment provides phases of openess:
                                                 Learners can access courses
                                                 Open support - academic volunteers
                                                 Open assessment
                                                 Credit for degree
                                                  Receive a degree
     He talked about Learning Management Systems and how they support physical instruction in a classroom.  Our school system uses Moodle and I have become familiar with Blackboard through MSU.  He shared about Grasshopper as a course tool that utilizes RSS feeds or input from the user:  All types of input and organizes it the way that the USER wants. 
     I see open resourcing being totally used in higher education, but I feel that I would use it cautiously on the middle school level.  There would be instances where such open ended resourcing and thought would provoke good conversation, critical thinking and problem-solving on the part of my students.  I don't know how "mature" some of this thought processing would go, but it would be worth the venture.  Just experimenting with the "Language" that middle schoolers have would be a window to a much wider community.  Administrators would have to make things possible, remove constraints and open up access to these resources.  Right now our school corporation is very filtered and the learning environment is not open, but very closed in my opinion...but that is due to fear.  The fear of too much information.  Growth needs FLOW - that constant activation and interaction. 
     He ended with Defining the four measures to weigh openess against.  Is it diverse? (lots of information from lots of different people - proves diversity.  Is there openess?  Is there Autonomy?  Does each individual manage their own growth in their own way?  Is there Interactivity?  I love the autonomy factor and feel that this is really what the doctoral level is all about.
     Lunch provided a time of free-flowing conversation and comment about the presentation and a chance to catch up quickly on each others lives. The afternoon was filled with numerous and interesting capstone projects.  Amy and I were in a group with P-12 administrators and it gave us an interesting perspective on the many issues surrounding each of their school systems.  I continue to learn more and more about Kentucky education and the communities in the eastern Kentucky area.  I feel that I made some new networking contacts and hope to share some ideas with these gentlemen in the future. 
     But for now - my future involves discussion board comments and an Instructional Design that needs my finishing touches..so until tomorrow...

Instructional Design Article Critique #4

Cheating Themselves Out of an Education: Assignments that Promote Higher-Order Thinking and Honesty in the Middle Grades

Instructional Design Article Critique #4

By

Chris Boyd

Morehead State University

The title alone grabs my interest as a middle school educator. Zito and McQuillan report their findings on attitudes of learning and cheating from a study at Goodwin School, a private, nondenominational, coeducational day school, in northeastern Massachusetts.

As students transition from elementary to middle to high school, teachers increasingly assign great weight to performance and grades as opposed to understanding and the process of learning (Anderman & Midgley, 2004).  Students correlate grades as the highest consideration towards admission to colleges and professional opportunities.  Students associate their future prosperity to test scores, grades, and class rankings. 

The study revealed that the environmental factors of secondary education lead to a change in student behavior.  Structure, and student perceptions of their learning,  grows increasingly performance-based.  Students are motivated largely by isolated performances and the grades they receive for their work, regardless of how they attain those grades.  (p.7) 

Goal orientation theory attributes student motivation for learning to the structure of the classroom environment as being either performance or mastery-oriented (Stephens & Gehlbach, 2007).  The differences between these two concepts of academic success influence how student think about their assignments and the purpose of learning.    A classroom that focuses on performance can promote a culture where achieving a particular grade becomes more important to students than the learning.   In mastery classroom, students appreciate the inherent value in the work they undertake and strive to realize course objectives because they find them personally meaningful (Wiggins & McTighe, 2008).

At their worst, performance-oriented classrooms prioritize grades over genuine understanding, present achievement as a comparative phenomenon, downplay the link between effort and achievement, and ultimately create a context in which cheating becomes a particularly viable and morally defensible strategy. (p. 15)

Students cheat less on assignments that they consider valuable to their learning.  If the primary purpose of receiving a good grade is to please parents, or protect their eligibility for a sport – students have more potential and pressure to cheat.  Teachers must create assignments that promote outcomes rather than just performance.   When teachers implement this strategy there will be more value to the work and students can be expected to complete assignments in an honest and ethical way.

Teachers must be careful in weighing assignments – how much something will count.  Students must view learning as preparing them for the future, and that the work that they are doing has value.  Teachers must recognize that when students understand how learning can be used in the real world – they are not as likely to cheat.  As educators it is our job to help students understand why each class is going to be of value to them down the road.  We need to help students make meaning from the content they engage in their courses (Wiggins & McTighe, 2008).

The nature of authentic, relevant, real-world assignments will discourage cheating, because the assignment’s connection to the real world makes it difficult to misrepresent their work (Wiggins & McTighe, 2008).

Strategies to connect are collaborative group projects, student choice and autonomy in their work, teaching experiences for students, use of technology as a tool, open-ended questions, and real-world application.

Wiggins and McTighe are two of my favorite designers.  They are credited with the creation of UbD.  Their philosophy runs true though-out the entire article.  We do not want our students to make believe that they know what they do not know.  We need to create projects and opportunities that engage students in rich learning and give their experiences real world relevance, personal meaning and demand a proof of understanding. (p. 13)

As middle school educators we have the perfect opportunity to help students balance the pressure of performing for grades.  This is so difficult in an educational system that is driven by assessment, standardized scoring, and oriented towards direct results.  Only a collective effort towards authentic learning will help promote the understanding of genuine learning.  UbD is one of those designs, but it would demand a buy-in attitude by an entire staff, administration and parents. We need professional learning communities to offer development for exploring how student work can be designed to integrate authentic and real-world tasks.  Experiences with personal meaning will provide students with the desire to understand, and recognize that cheating will not provide the real answers needed to be successful in the real world and, in fact, may rob the student of an opportunity to learn how to be successful in the real world.

Zito, N. & McQuillan, P. (2010). Cheating Themselves Out of an Education: Assignments that Promote Higher-Order Thinking and Honesty in the Middle Grades. Middle School Journal. Vol. 42. Number 2. November 2010. pages 6-13.

Great Teaching Must Inspire Great Thinking - Article Critique

I came across this article by chance as I was seeking information on Instructional design.  The title interested me, as did the date of the article, which is 1987.

The author is Dr. H Ward Hill, Vice-president and Dean of Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska.  At the time of the article he served as Chairman of the Dept. of Religion and the Division of Humanities.  With this introduction, the audience can immediately understand the religious implications of the article, but on the other hand he shares many interesting points on the issues that arise when schools attempt to teach students to think.  Dr. Hill describes “true education” as training youth to be:”thinkers, and not mere reflections of other men’s thoughts.” (p.7)

Dr. Hill states that teaching critical and independent thinking does not appear to hinge on the controversy between the merits of teacher-centered or student-centered learning.    He goes on to say that most undergraduates don’t go to college to learn to think; most teachers don’t see their role in teaching students to think.  In reflection, I tend to agree, as most of my undergraduate and Master’s classes were for my preparation to enter my career choice.  There was not really time in the class to probe and question philosophies in education.  As a matter of fact, there was really not much time to discuss, debate, or have any real type of dialog.    The difference with the doctoral level is the amount of time that we are allowed to think.  We are operating in an environment of thinking.  Students at this level do not have to worry about standardized test scores, right or wrong responses, and feel the freedom to challenge without repercussion.

Dr. Hill goes on to argue on the lecture style of teaching and the teacher-centered classroom.   He goes on to state that an expert lecture can include techniques that challenge the audience to the highest level of thinking.  Good lecturers can intellectually awakened students to explore other aspects of the subject.  Many student-oriented classrooms may amount to little more than a pooling ignorance, especially if students do not receive guidance in ranking the relevance of ideas and observation. (p.8)

Questioning can serve well in teaching students to think.  Believing that “asking questions” can be an art form, it is essential to pursue a line of questioning that progressively builds to an understanding causing the student to savor the solution. (p.9)  With a series of questions the teacher and students can explore together the solution to questions.  Dr. Hill suggests that it is useful to let some time elapse before asking for solutions, and so as to not let students be “left hanging,” he shares his own preferred solutions, not favoring one over any other.  I remember in one post Dr. Lowell responding to one of my questions, with a comment that he wanted to wait and see what others wrote before sharing his thoughts. 

I find this to be a successful strategy.  We often view our professors on another level of intellect and authority.  As students we have a hard time viewing this authority as just being another peer sharing opinions in discussion.  We were raised to respect authority and part of that respect was to not challenge aloud.  I have had very few of my middle school students challenge my authority in any way.  This article makes me reflect on my own classroom environment.  I usually have questions to stimulate discussion, but most students respond looking for a right answer, and the discussion is often directed at me instead of the rest of the class.  

Dr. Hill encourages teachers to seek to stimulate a higher level of thinking by using a series of questions paralleling the sequence of Bloom’s taxonomy, with questions moving from lower to higher levels of thinking. (p.32)  Teachers should encourage students towards deeper reflections on their own ideas.  Lastly, he points out that some teachers like to move students into unexplored terrain and directly challenge their ideas.

We all recognize the pitfalls that come with questions and discussions.  Some students monopolize the conversation.  It can lead to arguments and controversy and there is never enough time to fully explore ideas.  As John Milton wrote in the 17^th century, “Where there is much desire to lean there of necessity will be much arguing, much writing, many opinions; for opinions in good men is but knowledge in the making.” (p.33)  I say “good” for the students that speak up and want to be heard.  Just because you aren’t talking in a discussion does not mean that you are not thinking and learning.  Both students can be equally engaged, just in different ways. 

In our rapidly changing world it will be important for our students to think and adapt to different situations. There is still a place for the teacher-led classroom.  It is important that teachers define what they want the students to learn.  Sometimes there is a practical necessity of helping students obtain specific knowledge and this will take precedence over more idealistic concepts.

Hill, H. (1987). Great Teaching Must Inspire Great Thinking. Adventist Education. October/November 1987. Retrieved on November 26, 2010 from: http://circle.adventist.org/files/jae/en/jae198750010706.pdf