Opening Up The Possiblities Teaching with Technology

Two Big Questions:  What can technology allow us to do in education that we could not otherwise do?  How can technology help us to do better that which we already do?

Web Power  TrackStar: A Web-based annotated Bibliography- A Webliography TrackStar:  WebQuest: A Structured Web-based research strategy WebQuest: research strategy

A Virtual Field Trip  Culture Quest: An Interdisciplinary investigation combining history and language arts Culture Quest  History Colonial America French and Indian War Fort William Henry  Language Arts Literature Cooper’s “The Last of the Mohicans” Writing: Compare and Contrast

A Virtual Passport  Visit foreign countries Globalearn AsiaQuest  Talk to friends from other cultures Web66

A Virtual Museum Exhibit  Assemble sites that represent the work of important photographers Assemble sites  Students analyze and study selected photographer  Students take photos in the style of photographer

Multimedia  PowerPoint as Presentation Tool  Demonstration of Learning

The Monster Project  Elementary Language Arts  Draw a “Monster”“Monster”  Describe how to draw the monster  Draw the monster from the description

Brainstorming with Inspiration  Idea Maps  Analyzing Reading  Project Planning  Bringing Out Detail

Create Timelines  For Organizing Work Student Responsibilities Due Dates  For Adding Historical Perspective

Desktop Publishing  Create Curriculum Related Calendars  Publish Travel Brochures and Newsletters  Catalogues and Flyers  Business Cards  Menus  Etc.

Create or Enrich Maps  Locate natural disasters  Identify natural resources  Locate geographical features

Manipulate and Analyze Data  Create data bases  Work with data base  Present data

Thinking About The Process The Implications for Schooling: The Intersection of Three Essential Elements – Teacher – Student – Content

Technology Changes the Relationships at the Point of Intersection  Refocusing Learning  Altering the Perception of the Role of Teacher  Valuing Higher Order Thinking Skills  Creating a Culture of Inquiry  Appealing to Multiple Intelligences

Technology refocuses learning …from the narrow notion of a finite catalogue of information  to an expanding universe rich in knowledge, context and connections.

Technology alters the perception of teacher …from the idea of teacher as holder of all knowledge  to the creation of a learning community consisting of members with more and less experience

Technology Values Higher Order Thinking Skills …by changing the task from gathering old information  to analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating essential questions and creating new knowledge

Technology Creates a Culture of Inquiry …that encourages student cooperation  by placing students in a collaborative environment

Technology Appeals to a Variety of Intelligences …by allowing teachers to develop lesson strategies that utilize a broader range of pedagogies and appeal to a greater number of learning styles

Can Computers Really Make a Difference? YES!