Randy's Blog

The audience that I will target is fellow teachers and students at the secondary level.
1. What is it? Graphic organizers are visual representations of knowledge, concepts or ideas. Graphic organizers have many names including visual maps, mind mapping, advance organizers and visual organizers. Graphic organizers can be used in all stages of learning including brainstorming ideas, organizing data at the beginning of a unit or lesson, or presenting findings and conclusions at the end of it. They can be used individually or with the whole class.

2. Who is doing it? Graphic organizers are used extensively in many classrooms. Teachers at all levels use graphic organizers, but in different ways. Early childhood teachers might use Venn diagrams to show the relationship between sets. The upper grade levels could use more advanced graphic organizers to analyze information. Data visualization tools, however, are not just used in the classroom. On Facebook, for example, users can create “friend maps” and Twitter users can post from visual decks like Twittervision, where tweets appear on a world map. In the business world, data visualization tools are used in brainstorming sessions, explain a product’s pricepoints and even to explain a product’s benefits to a potential client.

3. How does it work? The value of graphic organizers in the classroom has to do with the teacher’s ability to apply it to specific information or learning material. So the teacher (or student) has to decide what information they want to convey. There are many different types of graphic organizers that can be used depending on the objective. A few examples of them are: descriptive maps, that works best at understanding hierarchical relationships, problem and solution outlines that help to find solutions to problems, and sequential episodic maps that help determine and isolate cause and effect. A comparative and contrast map helps students compare and contrast the different features of a concept while a series of event chain helps them sort out and organize information according to stages. These are only a few examples of the vast amount that are available to the educator.

4. Why is it significant? Graphic organizers have been widely researched for their effectiveness for improving learning outcomes. One study showed that students with reading disabilities benefit tremendously from a visual representation of classroom text (McCoy & Ketterlin-Geller, 2004).This technology lowers the barriers that traditionally limit access to information and learning for many students. Since there are an abundance of graphic organizers that stimulate various types of thinking, it makes the curriculum more flexible and supportive of diverse learners. However, there is evidence that graphic organizers are more beneficial in the recall of relational knowledge, as opposed to factual knowledge (McCoy & Ketterlin-Geller, 2004).

5. What are the downsides? Creating graphic organizers are fairly easy to produce, but the person who is creating them needs to have a clear idea of what information they want to convey. As a result of this, it could lead to over-interpretation or misinterpretation of the data presented. The teacher or student may produce graphics that are very engaging, but may not illustrate the most significant implications of the data.

6. Where is it going? Graphic presentation technologies will only increase and become more advanced in the future. As more and more teachers begin to explore the use of graphic organizers in the classroom, it will dramatically change the way information is taught. A graphic organizer is a technology that can help teachers to implement Universal Design Learning (UDL) to make information more accessible to all learners.

7. What are the implications for teaching and learning? Graphic organizers are a way to promote students to think about information in different ways. With graphic organizers, you remove the words and focus on the connections of ideas and concepts. Second, they are a means that gets students to review concepts and demonstrate their understanding. It helps students to develop clarity in their thinking. Thirdly, a huge amount of information can be shared with the student in a simplified way. Finally, they are great for visual learners or who need to practice their visual thinking.

8. Demonstrating link for your viewing:
http://screencast.com/t/ZGFhNjQ3

9. References:

Jan D McCoy, & Leanne R Ketterlin-Geller. (2004). Rethinking Instructional Delivery for Diverse Student Populations: Serving All Learners with Concept-Based Instruction. Intervention in School and Clinic, 40(2), 88-95.
Graphic Organizers, Mind Maps Headquarters. (n.d.). Squidoo. Retrieved from http://www.squidoo.com/groups/graphic-organizers
Nicole Strangman, Tracey Hall and Anne Meyer Strangeman, J., Hall, T. & Meyer, A. (n.d.). Graphic Organizers and Implications for Universal Design for Learning: Curriculum Enhancement Report. Retrieved from the American Institutes for Research through the Access Center website: http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/udl/GraphicOrganizersHTML.asp

HEADING: Randy Cook, rcook7@indstate.edu, Feb. 12, 2010, Govt., 12th grade, 50 minutes.

RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND:

The model of teaching that guides the development of this lesson plan is the use of Learning
from Presentations in the form of an Advance Organizer. The lesson will be used in a required course for graduation. The classroom, therefore, consists of a wide range of academic abilities and interest. This is the first lesson of a unit over the U.S. Constitution.

LESSON OBJECTIVES:
1) After completing the lesson, the student will be able to define and provide three examples of constitutionalism without the aid of references.

2) After completing the lesson, the student will be able to define and provide three examples of limited government in the U.S. Constitution without the aid of references.

3) Indiana State Standards: USG 1.5
LIST OF RESOURCES: Advanced organizers, overhead projector, and educational links.
BACKGROUND READING:
The following links offer supportive background information of presenting this lesson.
http://www.usconstitution.net/glossary.html

, http://www.usconstitution.net/constkids.html

, http://www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html

CONCEPTS:

The most important broad learning elements or concepts include the learning and application of the terms constitutionalism and limited government in relation to the people and their government.

PROCEDURES:

A. Introduction and Motivation

Based on the students’ prior experiences and knowledge, the teacher will pose two questions to the class:

1) What is the purpose for having a written constitution?

2) How does the constitution limit in what the government can do?

3) The teacher will record the answers on an overhead transparency. The students will be told that no answers will be given at this time. The students will revisit these responses at the end of the lesson and see if their answers change to these questions.

B. Lesson Body
1. Describe in sequence the experiences used to develop the lesson. Each experience should relate to the lesson objective.

1) Presentation of the Advance Organizer of the Unit.

Doc1

2) The terms of constitutionalism and limited government will be defined by the teacher and examples given in the advance organizer.

• Constitutionalism: Government in which power is divided and limited by laws. The leaders are obligated to follow these laws.

• Limited Government: It is a form government whose powers are restricted by law. Its functions and powers are stipulated.

3) The essential features of the Advance Organizer will be explained and examples given,

4) The teacher will remind students of how these two concepts fit into the U.S. Constitution and our governmental system.

5) The teacher will ask for a summary of the major attributes of these two terms (in the students’ own words).

6) Repeat precise definitions.

7) The teacher will ask the students how these two concepts are expressed in the U.S. Constitution.

2. List the higher level questions that will be used.

1) What questions would you ask of the Founding Fathers in why they created the constitution the way that they did?

2) What aspects of the constitution would you change if you could?

3) Using the concept of separation of powers, do you think that the constitution would be written the same way today?

3. Include plans for students who need adapted instructional plans; that is, student needing re-teaching and students needing enrichment.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is applied in this lesson in the following ways.
a. Background information will be provided through various handouts to better understand the basic concepts of the lesson.

b. Critical features of the lesson will be highlighted through the use of advance organizer.

C. Lesson Closure:
The two questions that were asked in the introduction will be posed again. The students’ answers that they gave at that time will be put back up on the overhead. The teacher will ask if any of the students would like to change any of their answers that they gave during the introduction and explain why.
EVALUATION:

1) Formative Assessment:

For a written homework assignment, the students will define the terms U.S. Constitutionalism and Limited Government in their own words. They will give three examples of each. The terms will be reviewed during the next lesson. This assignment will be repeated throughout the entire unit with all the terms and concepts that are covered to better understand the lingo associated with this subject. This exercise will be part of their ongoing journal assignment.

A Jeopardy style game will be used to review for the summative assessment over the unit using definitions developed from the students own journal assignment. This will be a group exercise a few days before the test over the unit.

2) Summative Assessment:

There will be a performance project at the end of the unit. The students will create their own constitution. This will be a group project in which the students will create a “new” constitution.

There will be a multiple choice/true false pencil and paper test over the entire unit.

REFERENCES:

Inspiration (Version 9) {Computer Software}. Beaverton, OR: Inspiration Software Inc.
The constitutional dictionary. (n.d.). U.S, constitution online. Retrieved from
http://www.usconstitution.net/glossary.html
The constitution explained. (n.d.) U.S. constitution online. Retrieved from http://www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html
The constitution for kids. (n.d.) U.S. constitution online. Retrieved from http://www.usconstitution.net/constkids.html
COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
< http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/

1. HEADING: Randall Cook, rcook7@indstate.edu, February 12, 2010, Government, 12th grade, 50 minutes.

2. RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND: The model of teaching that guides the development of this lesson plan is the use of Learning from Presentations in the form of an Advance Organizer. The lesson will be used in a required course for graduation. The classroom, therefore, consists of a wide range of academic abilities and interest. This is the first lesson of a unit over the U.S. Constitution.

3. LESSON OBJECTIVES:
1) After completing the lesson, the student will be able to define and provide three examples of constitutionalism without the aid of references.

2) After completing the lesson, the student will be able to define and provide three examples of limited government in the U.S. Constitution without the aid of references.
4. LIST OF RESOURCES: Advanced organizers, overhead projector, educational links.
5. BACKGROUND READING: The following links offer supportive background information of presenting this lesson.
http://www.usconstitution.net/glossary.html,

http://www.usconstitution.net/constkids.html,

 http://www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html

6. CONCEPTS: The most important broad learning elements or concepts include the learning and application of the terms constitutionalism and limited government in relation to the people and their government.

7. PROCEDURES:

A. Introduction and Motivation

Based on the students’ prior experiences and knowledge, the teacher will pose two questions to the class:

1) What is the purpose for having a written constitution?

2) How does the constitution limit in what the government can do?
The teacher will record the answers on an overhead transparency. The students will be told that no answers will be given at this time. The students will revisit these responses at the end of the lesson and see if their answers change to these questions.
B. Lesson Body
1. Describe in sequence the experiences used to develop the lesson. Each experience should relate to the lesson objective.
1) Presentation of the Advance Organizer of the concepts of the Unit.
http://screencast.com/t/ZTc3NTE3MjQ

2) The terms of constitutionalism and limited government will be defined by the teacher and examples given.

http://screencast.com/t/Y2U1ZjA0ZmMt

3) The essential features of the Advance Organizer will be explained and examples given,
4) The teacher will remind students of how these two concepts fit into the U.S. Constitution and our governmental system.
5) The teacher will ask for a summary of the major attributes of these two terms (in the students’ own words.
6) Repeat precise definitions.
7) The teacher will ask the students how these two concepts are expressed in the U.S. Constitution.

2. List the higher level questions that will be used.
1) What questions would you ask of the Founding Fathers in why they created the constitution the way that they did?
2) What aspects of the constitution would you change if you could?
3) Using the concept of separation of powers, do you think that the constitution would be written the same way today?

3. Include plans for students who need adapted instructional plans; that is, student needing re-teaching and students needing enrichment.
Recognition: represent information in multiple formats and media.
a. Support background knowledge
• Web pages with links to related information
b. Highlight critical features
• Visual Concept Maps (Inspiration software)
c. Multiple examples

C. LESSON CLOSURE: The two questions that were asked in the introduction will be posed again. The students’ answers that they gave at that time will be put back up on the overhead. The teacher will ask if any of the students would like to change any of their answers that they gave during the introduction and explain why.

8. EVALUATION:
1) Formative Assessment: For a written homework assignment, the students will define the terms U.S. Contitutionalism and Limited Government in their own words. They will give three examples of each. The terms will be reviewed during the next lesson. This assignment will be repeated throughout the entire unit with all the terms and concepts that are covered to better understand the lingo associated with this subject. This exercise will be part of their ongoing journal assignment.

A Jeopardy style game will be used to review for the summative assessment over the unit using developed from the students own journal assignment. This will be a group exercise a few days before the test over the unit.

2) Summative Assessment: There will be a performance project at the end of the unit. The students will create their own constitution. This will be a group project in which the students will create a “new” constitution.
There will be a multiple choice/true false pencil and paper test over the entire unit.

The audience that I will target is fellow teachers and students at the secondary level.
1. What is it? Graphic organizers are visual representations of knowledge, concepts or ideas.Graphic organizers have many names including visual maps, mind mapping, advance organizers and visual organizers. Graphic organizers can be used in all stages of learning from brainstorming ideas or organizing data at the beginning of a unit or lesson to presenting findings and conclusions at the end of it. They can be used individually or with the whole class.

2. Who is doing it? Data visualization tools are not just used in the classroom. On Facebook, for example, users can create “friend maps” and on Twitter users can post from visual decks like Twittervision, where tweets appear on a world map. In the business world data visualization tools are used in brainstorming sessions, explain a product’s pricepoints and even to explain a product’s benefits to a potential client.

3. How does it work? The value of graphic organizers in the classroom has to do with the teacher’s ability to apply it to specific information or learning material. So the teacher (or student) has to decide what information they are wanting to convey. There are many different types of graphic organizers that can be used depending on the objective. A few examples of them are: descriptive maps, that works best at understanding hierarchical relationships, problem and solution outlines that help to find solutions to problems, and sequential episodic maps that help determine and isolate cause and effect. A comparative and contrast map helps students compare and contrast the different features of a concept while a series of event chain helps them sort out and organize information according to stages.

4. Why is it significant? Graphic organizers have been widely researched for their effectiveness for improving learning outcomes with students with and with disabilities. This technology lowers the barriers that traditionally limit access to information and learning for many students. Graphic organizers make a curriculum more flexible and supportive of diverse learners.

5. What are the downsides? Creating graphic organizers are fairly easy to create, but the person who is creating them needs to have a clear idea of what information they want to convey. Because of this, it could lead to over-interpretation or misinterpretation of the data presented. The teacher or student may produce graphics that are very engaging, but may not illustrate the most significant implications of the data.

6. Where is it going? Graphic presentation technologies will only increase and become more advanced in the future. As more and more teachers begin to explore the use of grapic organizers in the classroom, it will dramatically change the way information is taught. Graphic organizers is a technology that can help teachers to implement Universal Design Learning (UDL) to make information more accessible to all learners.

7. What are the implications for teaching and learning? Graphic organizers are a way to promote students to think about information in different ways. With graphic organizers, you remove the words and focus on the connections of ideas and concepts. Second, they are a means that gets students to review concepts and demonstrate their understanding. It helps students to develop clarity in their thinking. Thirdly, a huge amount of information can be shared with the student in a simplified way. Finally, they are great for visual learners or who need to practice their visual thinking.

8. Demonstrating link for your viewing:
http://screencast.com/t/ZTc3NTE3MjQ

Google Earth
Tech Toolbox 2
Randall Cook

The audience that I will target is fellow teachers and students at the secondary level.

1. What is it? Google Earth is an interactive mapping application. This virtual application allows people to explore the whole earth with satellite imagery to locate natural and man-made landmarks and other location-specific data points. It is interactive in that people can chart their own points of interest and share them with others, mark routes, plot areas, figure distances and overlay other images onto the application. For some locations, it offers 3D representations to show differences in topography. People have the ability to show only the information that they want. For example, they might want to see a major route between two cities, but they can also identify restaurants and motels as well. The user can also plot distances and find the Web sites of the motels along the way.
2. Who’s doing it? Many teachers are using Google Earth as a virtual globetrotting device to take students anywhere around the world to study geographical information, historical locations, or places of interest in the news.
3. How does it work? Google Earth can be downloaded off the internet for free. Users can find locations by either entering addresses, names of places, keywords or latitude and longitude coordinates. It also has the ability to zoom in and out which changes the features that you can see. As you zoom farther in, the user is able to see more features such as street names. It can also view the same location from any direction. Google Earth also uses Sketchup, a 3D modeling program that can be used by architects and graphic designers.
4. Why is it significant? The biggest benefit for teachers and students is that it’s free. Teachers are able to use Google Earth to globetrot their classroom around the world using an easy and interactive technology. This technology would be a great resource in studying geography, history, science, design, as well as a whole host of subjects.
5. What are the downsides? The quality of the resolution of the satellite data is not the same for every location. There is also a concern from some people that there is a US bias since there is very high resolution imagery for many parts of the country as opposed to other countries. Privacy issues are a concern to some people, as well. In addition, Google Earth uses a tremendous amount of memory, bandwidth and graphics. Older computers or those with a slow connection with have problems handling this.
6. Where is it going? This technology will most undoubtedly become ever more advanced. The high-resolution imagery will cover more and more locations around the globe. Many online communities of users have been created around Google Earth. Many of these users develop content for locations that can be shared by other users. For example, many geographic and historical points have descriptive notations created by users. As this technology develops, teachers will be able to give students assignments and share those assignments with others.
7. What are the implications for teaching and learning? Students are able to travel around the world without ever leaving their classroom. They can be hovering over the terrain of Sahara Dessert and a few minutes are over a rain forest in South America. They can compare how the city of New York is laid out compared to London? All of these applications give the student a better understanding of how the people of these places live and use the environment.
8. Demonstration link for your viewing:
http://screencast.com/t/ODZmNTIwODEt

References
undefined. (October 2006). 7 things you should know about…Google Earth. In Educause: Learning initiative. Retrieved January 28, 2010, from http://www.net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7019.pdf.

As I was going through the reading for this week, I felt a little overwhelmed in the amount of technology out there. I was also overwhelmed in the amount of it that I had no idea what it was. I finally decided to take a deep breath and to take one week at a time.

I decided to concentrate primarily on the social studies learning types at the Wiki site, even though I’m currently working on my special education license. I thought that the Wiki site was a good starting off point in organizing all the activity types before moving on to Educause 7. I especially liked the presentation and publication links on this site.

The two technology tools that I chose to do for next week was Google Earth and Google Jockeying. Google Earth could be used over a wide array of subjects and grade levels and Google Jockeying offers a dynamic and fun way to move the classroom from a potentially boring lecture format to one based more on cooperative learning. As of this writing, I’m still thinking about what my other four tools will be.

I would appreciate any ideas from other teachers of technological tools that they use in their own classroom.

The Models of Teaching text gives a definition of teaching as “the design and creation of environments” (Joyce, Weil and Calhoun, 24). A model of teaching then is a description of learning environments according to the Models of Teaching text (24). In the book, Models of Teaching, Joyce, Weil & Calhoun, grouped the models of teaching into four categories: information-processing, social, personal and behavioral. The information-processing model emphases the way people gain and organize information and finds solutions to problems. The information-processing family includes: inductive thinking, scientific inquiry, mnemonics, synectics and advance organizers. The social learning model focuses on building a learning community and which include partners in learning, group investigation, role playing and jurisprudential inquiry. The personal models of learning emphasize self-discovery and taking responsibility for our education. It includes both nondirective teaching and enhancing self-esteem. The behavioral systems model focuses on models such as mastery learning and programmed instruction, direct instruction, simulation, social learning and programmed schedule.

Many of these models I had been exposed to in my undergraduate social studies method classes, even though I had long forgotten the names of them. I remember how enthused that I was to use these new models in my classroom. However, after reading Models of Teaching chapter five, I remembered facing some of the same obstacles listed there in using more inquiry and problem solving methods in the classroom. MOT states that “In terms of how to teach, all the dimensions of the acculturation process pull the new teacher toward the practice dominated by the Recitation pattern…Teachers are both socialized to use recitation and told that it is based on experience and research. From the ranks of teachers, principals are selected who have been socialized to the same norms” (Joyce, Weil and Calhoun, 76).

I remember the first principal that I had emphasized before I was hired that he wanted lecture only. Besides that, all the other teachers in the department believed that lecture was the only way to go. Since I was very young at the time and this was my first teaching position, I was very hesitant about doing anything different than what I was told. My response would be quite different to these pressures today. Straight lecture for every student, all the time is definitely not the best approach.

According to the Meaningful Learning with Technology text, meaningful learning happens when students engage in meaningful tasks. These tasks need to be active, constructive, intentional, authentic, and cooperative. The text states that “Rather than testing inert knowledge, schools should help students to learn how to recognize and solve problems, comprehend new phenomena, construct mental models of those phenomena, and, given a new situation, set goals and regulate their own learning” (Jonassen, Howland, Marra and Crismond, 2).

I agree with all of the tasks presented as meaningful learning except that it has to be cooperative. I think some students, as well as some adults, work best alone. Some students are naturally a little backward. I’m not arguing that cooperative learning is a bad thing. I just don’t believe that it is a prerequisite for meaningful learning.

I think I now have a subscription for everyone in the class, or at least I hope.

The readings for this week really struck a nerve with me. Coming back into education after a number of years, I have thought about this topic a lot. Thinking back when I first got my first teaching position, I thought that I had all the answers. I had been trained in my subject area and pedagogy and I felt that I had all the knowledge that I needed to be an expert teacher. However, after a few years of teaching and a few gray hairs, I have come to a startling discovery. When a novice teacher enters into the classroom for the first time, there is so much he/she doesn’t know. For that matter, no teacher has all the knowledge that he/she needs. Just like their students, teachers are on a journey of discovery, always building on their previous body of knowledge.

I would like to briefly discuss the types of knowledge that was discussed in the readings to be an expert teacher and then compare those with the types of knowledge that I believe are the most important.

The Shulman article discussed three main categories of knowledge growth in teaching: subject matter content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and curricular knowledge (Shulman, 9). The curricular knowledge category I had never really considered before. Shulman argued that the curricular knowledge category entails “…the full range of programs designed for the teaching of particular subjects and topics at a given level, the variety of instructional materials available in relation to those programs, and the set of characteristics that serve as both the indications and contraindications for the use of particular curriculum or program materials in particular circumstances” (Shulman, 9).

The Peterson article examined both general and content-specific knowledge at the cognitional and meta-cognitional levels. He also addressed this knowledge for both the student and the teacher. The basic argument was that both the teacher and the student should be engaged in thinking about the process of learning. The teacher should always be examining on how they are teaching and how the students are learning.

The third article by Punya Mishra and Matthew J Koehler focused on the relationship between content, pedagogy and technology. They termed this relationship “Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK)” (Mishra & Koehler, 1017). They argue that technology over the last few decades have been taught and used in isolation of pedagogy and content. TPCK is based on “learning technology by design” approach (Mishra & Koehler, 1031). The basic argument of this approach is that technology should be a “universally applicable skill; unlocking the power and potential of technology can be achieved by acquiring basic competency with hardware and software packages (Mishra & Koehler, 1031).

The following is my own list of types of knowledge that an expert teacher should possess.

1. Knowledge of your subject matter

I believe that this is the most basic knowledge an expert teacher should possess. Without this knowledge, a teacher can only cover the material in the classroom only in a very superficial way. Shulman spent a great amount of time arguing the importance of strong knowledge of your subject matter. He argued that it was not only important to know your subject matter, but how to present it.

2. Pedagogical knowledge

There is a lot of discussion at the state level today that says that pedagogical knowledge doesn’t matter. They believe that anyone with deep knowledge of their subject matter can teach. This is a mistake. An expert teacher needs to know how to reach their students. Every student is different and requires a different approach to learn. An expert teacher needs to know this. I agreed very much with the Peterson’s article on teaching and learning. It isn’t enough just to know your subject area. An expert teacher needs to know how students learn and how their teaching strengthens this.

3. Knowledge of the curriculum and standards

When I taught school several life times ago, this was far less important than it is today. It is very important to know the state and local standards and how the curriculum is related to this.

4. Knowledge of the school’s student population

It is very important for an expert teacher to know who makes up the school population. The teacher needs to know who they are teaching. I think it’s also important to know what the students do outside your classroom and what kind of families they come from. The teacher also needs to know how the students in your classroom relate to the rest of the student body.

I’m just playing around a little today with the blog. This is new technology to me. I never really though much about blogging before this class.