ETEC 533 - Module A
The Objectives for this Module are:
- Become familiar with the course structure, purpose, tools, and resources.
- Participate in building an on-line community.
- Start thinking about your “Legacy of learning” final assignment in the course and for those who select the e-folio option, begin to document the process and context of your learning within an e-folio in this module.
- Examine personal assumptions that underlie the use of digital technology for teaching and learning math and science.
- Analyze literature on conceptual understanding and examaine a common misconception of your choice in math or science.
- Locate and frame issues related to the use of digital technology for teaching and learning math and science. Drawing upon analyses of personal experience, personal questions regarding digital technology in science and math education, interviews in authentic school contexts, and video cases of technology use to help locate this issue.
- Examine scholarly evidence and opinion to challenge, situate, extend and/or support framed issues, and employ these resources to develop ideas even further on this issue. Employ this evidence to construct your first assignment, the Framing Issues Assignment.
Auto e-graphy
I'm going back to 2003-2004 when I was placed into a Library position from the classroom during the first week of September. A bit of a shock, but a rather daunting challenge I couldn't pass up. Not only was I in charge of moving the existing library (which was in a classroom) into a larger, more open space, but also re-organize the computer lab (which was also in the same space as the library). I had twice the space to combine both of these important school spaces. This was truly the beginning of my passion for technology and bringing the two spaces together, which made perfect sense.
My one moment that sticks out in terms of tech is when I organized the computer lab and decided to be a test site for wifi. We installed antenna's in all 30 PC's and away we went. It was the most frustrating thing ever! Took us forever to get online and it was extremely slow. So bad that we went back to hardwire. Funny how that has changed now (8-9 years later) as everything I want in my current school needs to be wifi. What I really want now is fibre optics. A bigger pipe to run some of the great online streaming tools.
My one moment that sticks out in terms of tech is when I organized the computer lab and decided to be a test site for wifi. We installed antenna's in all 30 PC's and away we went. It was the most frustrating thing ever! Took us forever to get online and it was extremely slow. So bad that we went back to hardwire. Funny how that has changed now (8-9 years later) as everything I want in my current school needs to be wifi. What I really want now is fibre optics. A bigger pipe to run some of the great online streaming tools.
Conceptual Challenges
I tried to find the misconception that related to a question my 6 year old nephew asked his dad, "How do we know the Earth is actually round when we can't actually see it?". There may not be one, but it was a good question none the less, with the answer usually being, "it just is". Just love the curious questioning that comes from children so young.
So I went with the misconception from Allen's book about Floating and Sinking - Why do some objects float and others sink? Misconception - all light objects will float; all heavy objects sink. This is an ideal hands on activity that students of all ages can grasp some basic meaning of and as the older they are, the more they can understand the concept around density.
A classic example of this is the prediction that Kindergarten students have to make about their pumpkin they chose at the pumpkin patch - will it float or sink? The K's really look at the other pumpkins and feel how heavy they are, predicting instant sinkage every time. They are very shocked when the experiment is over and they find out all of the pumpkins actually float. Even throwing in a ghost or white pumpkin makes them think of the same outcome - sink.
Driver's article mentions that if the students' prior ideas are known, then they can be challenged and possibly reconsidered. This is not always the case, but as in the pumpkin experiment, it may be the catalyst to other experiments that test the theory. Even as young as Kindergarten, their misconceptions may be tested with other objects.
I feel that subjects like science and math lend itself well to Challenge-Based Learning - come up with the big idea and test it out or find your own conlcusions based on already proven (maybe) theories. No more just reading about it and saying, "it just is".
References
Allen, Micheal (2010). Misconceptions in Primary Science. New York: McGraw-Hill/Open University Press.
Driver, R., Guesne, E., & Tiberghien, A. (1985). Children’s ideas and the learning of science. Children’s ideas in science, 1-9.
So I went with the misconception from Allen's book about Floating and Sinking - Why do some objects float and others sink? Misconception - all light objects will float; all heavy objects sink. This is an ideal hands on activity that students of all ages can grasp some basic meaning of and as the older they are, the more they can understand the concept around density.
A classic example of this is the prediction that Kindergarten students have to make about their pumpkin they chose at the pumpkin patch - will it float or sink? The K's really look at the other pumpkins and feel how heavy they are, predicting instant sinkage every time. They are very shocked when the experiment is over and they find out all of the pumpkins actually float. Even throwing in a ghost or white pumpkin makes them think of the same outcome - sink.
Driver's article mentions that if the students' prior ideas are known, then they can be challenged and possibly reconsidered. This is not always the case, but as in the pumpkin experiment, it may be the catalyst to other experiments that test the theory. Even as young as Kindergarten, their misconceptions may be tested with other objects.
I feel that subjects like science and math lend itself well to Challenge-Based Learning - come up with the big idea and test it out or find your own conlcusions based on already proven (maybe) theories. No more just reading about it and saying, "it just is".
References
Allen, Micheal (2010). Misconceptions in Primary Science. New York: McGraw-Hill/Open University Press.
Driver, R., Guesne, E., & Tiberghien, A. (1985). Children’s ideas and the learning of science. Children’s ideas in science, 1-9.
Unpacking Assumptions - Good Use of technology
I'll be speaking of the students I work with and are around everyday - Elementary K-7.
In Science, I see the use of technology as a place to research theories and find answers to the "Big Questions". A place to connect with other scientist around the world to ask questions, connect with other students to work on projects together, and discover topics that are relevant in today's world or in the community. No more textbooks! Of course textbooks are becoming more available online, which would make them regularily updated. I also see technology as a place to build a knowledge base or online journal where students have a chance to document their findings, which one day may be of use in the future.
In math, similar to Science, is a place to find the answers to bigger questions. A place to dispute or prove one's own findings. I also think math is a subject where greater connections to real world problems can occur, which will make math more relevant to work in the classroom. This may just make more students have a greater love for math.
If I were to use technology with K's re: the pumpkins, I would probably use Youtube clips of heavy and light objects, maybe connect through Skype with another K class to do the same experiment, or look at photos of objects where students can predict if they sink or float.
In Science, I see the use of technology as a place to research theories and find answers to the "Big Questions". A place to connect with other scientist around the world to ask questions, connect with other students to work on projects together, and discover topics that are relevant in today's world or in the community. No more textbooks! Of course textbooks are becoming more available online, which would make them regularily updated. I also see technology as a place to build a knowledge base or online journal where students have a chance to document their findings, which one day may be of use in the future.
In math, similar to Science, is a place to find the answers to bigger questions. A place to dispute or prove one's own findings. I also think math is a subject where greater connections to real world problems can occur, which will make math more relevant to work in the classroom. This may just make more students have a greater love for math.
If I were to use technology with K's re: the pumpkins, I would probably use Youtube clips of heavy and light objects, maybe connect through Skype with another K class to do the same experiment, or look at photos of objects where students can predict if they sink or float.
Video Cases
Learning Environment 4 with Teacher S (Elementary Space Science)
After watching the four videos (Teacher, Student, Retiring Teacher, and New Teacher) my issues lie with the retiring and new teachers. Where does one put their energy into ensuring the students have access and are using technology in their daily classroom routine? Meaning - does a school technology committee or administrator put their Pro-D funds and/or time into giving more support to the new teachers coming in, the teachers who are already using technology in their classroom (but maybe need more support), or the teachers who are just a few years away from retiring? What basket does one put their eggs in?
The most disturbing interview was the new teacher and desperate need for support in the bringing technology into the classroom. This is a teacher that will no doubt be with students for the next 20 years or beyond. She definitely needs to feel less intimidated about the technology and understand the importance in today's 21st Century learning environment. The retiring teachers in the next 5 years can go either way - just finish their teaching as they have for the past 20 years, or continue to learn new things for themselves and for their students. The ultimate hope is that future retiring teachers will be the masters of technology who mentor the new teachers coming up.
This leaves the teachers in the middle - they know enough to get their students engaged in technology, willing to explore new ideas without worry of failure, and allow students to discover what 21st C tools are out their to use in their academic challenges.
A response to this issue has to do with time. Time to let those that are nearing their 19th or 20th C ways of teaching to retire and allow 21st C teachers to continue to learn and grow with the ever changing methods of teaching and become the new mentors. A bigger picture is to build a network of tech inspired educators willing to share the excitement that students show when they are fully engaged in 21st Century learning.
After watching the four videos (Teacher, Student, Retiring Teacher, and New Teacher) my issues lie with the retiring and new teachers. Where does one put their energy into ensuring the students have access and are using technology in their daily classroom routine? Meaning - does a school technology committee or administrator put their Pro-D funds and/or time into giving more support to the new teachers coming in, the teachers who are already using technology in their classroom (but maybe need more support), or the teachers who are just a few years away from retiring? What basket does one put their eggs in?
The most disturbing interview was the new teacher and desperate need for support in the bringing technology into the classroom. This is a teacher that will no doubt be with students for the next 20 years or beyond. She definitely needs to feel less intimidated about the technology and understand the importance in today's 21st Century learning environment. The retiring teachers in the next 5 years can go either way - just finish their teaching as they have for the past 20 years, or continue to learn new things for themselves and for their students. The ultimate hope is that future retiring teachers will be the masters of technology who mentor the new teachers coming up.
This leaves the teachers in the middle - they know enough to get their students engaged in technology, willing to explore new ideas without worry of failure, and allow students to discover what 21st C tools are out their to use in their academic challenges.
A response to this issue has to do with time. Time to let those that are nearing their 19th or 20th C ways of teaching to retire and allow 21st C teachers to continue to learn and grow with the ever changing methods of teaching and become the new mentors. A bigger picture is to build a network of tech inspired educators willing to share the excitement that students show when they are fully engaged in 21st Century learning.
Building Your Own Case - Interview
Below is a transcription of the interview I did with my Teacher-Librarian. It was conducted in the school library on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 using an iPad Mini. There were six questions in total.