Response to "Ch. 7: Technology Integration Workshop"

Technology Integration Lesson Planning Part I p. 230:

I'm going to provide the links to the three lessons I discovered along with some brief thoughts on each.

a. 1) http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/creating-persuasive-podcast-1173.html?tab=4#tabs

 

Students are taught how to make a podcast, and then use it to make a brief persuasive argument about current event issue. I like the way it combines technology with content and the way it develops argumentation and research skills in unique and creative ways.

2) http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/webquest044.shtml

I think this WebQuest may have too broad of a topic: The Cost of War. It's a great topic but one that seems like it's trying to be and do and say too many things at the same time.

3) http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/00-2/lp2170.shtml

This WebQuest doesn't seem like it makes enough direct connections between content and the topic. The WebQuest is about modern immigration. This is a topic with great ties to several periods in American history, and one that I think would have deeper resonance if those connections were made.

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c. My lesson would be a variant on the WebQuest I discovered about modern immigration. It would take the basis premise of an investigation using Internet resources about current issues surrounding immigration. But it would differ in its emphasis in connecting modern immigration issues to historical examples of immigration.

I think the decision the WebQuest that I discovered does about dividing up roles for participating students is incredibly pointless and ill-considered. The roles have very little distinction and create plenty of room for certain members of the group to take advantage of the situation and do almost no work. To me WebQuests don't make much sense as group projects or as extended assignments. They're one or two day assignments that change the pace of instruction. These elaborate projects I've seen in online lesson plans just don't seem like they've thought about the day-to-day realities of the classroom.

I would have students individually respond to tasks and questions, which would culminate in a longer response where students would discuss the parallels between modern immigration and the history of immigration in the United States. 

 
Technology Integration Lesson Planning Part II:

a. - The advantages are that it collects the resources for you in one location and directs you as to how to use them and interact with them. This is really important for an issue like immigration where a fair bit of white noise exists. It's also necessary to let students loose on the Internet so they can research the topic and read up on the latest news and controversies.

-I would need to develop this plan more thoroughly and cultivate a collection of links and sites. But I imagine that a combination of pro and anti-immigration sources and sites would be brought together. But once that's done, WebQuests pretty much run themselves. 

 

b. -The Objectives are: Students will learn about issues surrounding modern immigration. Students will apply these issues to the history of immigration in the United States. Students will discuss the parallels between modern and historical immigration and take a stand about modern immigration. 

 

-Students will be evaluated based on ongoing effort and work and completed responses to the WebQuest.

-This is a combination of directed and constructivist approaches. I'm directing towards what to do, but there's room for creativity in how they respond to the assignment.

-The class would need to be in a computer lab or have access to a set of computers or laptops in some form. 

 

c. - I'd use the Tech-Pack after the fact to self-evaluate my performance. I'd also assess the success based on students' reactions and the outcome of assignments.

 

d. -Some potential descriptors for this lesson include: -9th-12th grade, Immigration, Technologies used: Computers, Internet, WebQuest, ISTE Standards: Standard 3: Research and information fluency, Standard 4: Critical thinking, problem solving and decision making, 21st Century Standards: Standard 1: Content Knowledge and 21st Century Themes, Standard 3: Information, Media and Technology Skills