This was kind of an interesting week. One, I had a migraine that lasted about 2 days, so I was a little bit behind. Then, trying to determine what class I wanted to push online took a few days of soul searching. Finally, trying to create an adequate survey at surveymonkey.com to meet my requirement of 10 questions took some time (here's the link I think I'll be using with my 8th graders this fall).
I think trying to have the kids at GHCS work in a more online environment will be easier than my kids at the public school. However, I see the kids at the public school more. I hope that by converting some of the requirements to online that I will be able to get my 8th graders more involved with what's going on. Also, it will help the school meet the state requirement that all students must have an online learning experience by the end of 8th grade. I think I'll also have them use Google Docs as their resource when working online, then when we are ready to present, I will have them convert it to PowerPoint to make it easier to present in class.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
My Midterm Team
Michelle, Janice, Holly, and Ann were great teammates. Unfortunately for them, I was on the team. I suppose part of the problem is that I was on vacation with the nearest internet access 10 miles away at the local public library. While I was able to get on twice during the week, I wasn't always checking my university email. Then, I fell in the shower and hurt my back. I'm sitting at my computer right now with an ice pack on it still, five days after the initial pain struck.
They were concerned about me, but didn't let that hold them back from completing the midterm in fine fashion. I was able to complete and post my section to the Google docs page, Professor Khala, and Janice only one day past the official deadline. Which was the first day I actually was able to sit at my computer chair without pain.
They were concerned about me, but didn't let that hold them back from completing the midterm in fine fashion. I was able to complete and post my section to the Google docs page, Professor Khala, and Janice only one day past the official deadline. Which was the first day I actually was able to sit at my computer chair without pain.
Higher Level Thinking
I first learned about Bloom back in my undergrad work in the early and mid 90's. Everything we worked on tried to put our objectives into the upper levels of Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. Even today when I create my own lessons and units, even though there is always a portion that must be at the initial Bloom's levels, I always look at what I'm doing on a continuum.
Students need Knowledge, Comprehension, and the skills to Apply what they know and understand. It's when we have practiced application of skills that I have the students make the next step. The step I really enjoy is when the students have learned how to do some basic research and note taking, then have had the opportunity to create presentations in several different formats, then I give them the option of taking their culminating project for the year or middle school into whichever they feel most comfortable. Each different choice has its own rubric and what must be included for that particular tool, but I have found that the kids really enjoy having the choice as to what path their project takes. And of course, right there is an Evaluation of tools and their own personal skills.
Here's my taxonomy table (minus the table):Bloom Categories and an Activity to Meet It
- Knowledge
Verb: Define
Activity: Define ethics, libel, and taste
- Comprehension
Verb: Report
Activity: What was the Sullivan ruling and why is it important?
- Application
Verb: Research
Activity: Students will research and report on sensational news stories to assess the pressure of commercial interests and the lure of sensationalism to the detriment of newsworthy stories that are being ignored.
- Analysis
Verb: Analyze
Activity: Students work in small groups to analyze a scenario in regards to ethics and taste.
- Synthesis
Verb: Create
Activity: Students create their individual guidelines for questionable language, subject matter, and photographs.
- Evaluation
Verb: Write
Activity: Students write a persuasive essay about whether they believe that commercialization of the Internet may make it a culprit in trivializing important and serious information and discourse in society.
Monday, July 14, 2008
SurveyMonkey.com as an Assessment Tool
Surveys as a Tool for Assessment
WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.COM
This online tool comes in a free or fee based format. It is available to anyone with online access.
Features
The user can set up questions in a variety of formats - multiple choice, open-ended, and multiple selections included. The questions can be randomized. If respondents are taking the survey as an assessment, if enough questions are written, each participant will receive a different list of questions to respond to resulting in less likelihood of cheating.
In an online environment, having students from different language backgrounds is not uncommon. SurveyMonkey allows the designer to set up the survey in a variety of different languages that will meet the needs of the participants. The user of SurveyMonkey can set up cut off dates, maximum number of participants, or require a password to take the survey.
SurveyMonkey is also 508 compliant meaning that it has met standards set by the U.S. government to allow users with disabilities to participate in surveys created in SurveyMonkey.
When analyzing the results, SurveyMonkey offers a variety of options:
1. If the survey is completed as a large group activity, it can post results in graphical and numerical form in real-time. Immediate remediation can take place if there is an obvious area that many are making incorrect responses to.
2. The responses of individuals can be mined. This allows easier assessment.
3. Results can be filtered based on responses to individual questions. This may allow the instructor the opportunity to see which groups of respondents responded in a particular manner to a certain response. It can lead to improved teaching and evaluation of grouping of students.
4. Results can be downloaded into spreadsheet or database format allowing for greater manipulation of the statistics. This would also allow the user to more easily user a program such as Excel as a grading tool.
Limitations
Pricing is relatively inexpensive at $19.95 per month for the monthly pro option r $200 per year for the annual pricing. There is also a free basic membership that has a more limited feature menu.
SurveyMonkey's free package would likely meet many of the requirements of the educator. However, it allows only 100 respondents per survey. In a situation like a teacher who teaches the same subject to multiple classes or in a large introductory class in a university, this could very well limit the usefulness of the free option.
Also, there is a limit of only 10 questions per survey for the free package. This option also does not allow the user to create surveys that will skip to the next question if enough correct or incorrect responses have been met. It will not download results into database or spreadsheet format. Responses cannot be filtered using custom criteria set by the developer in the free format.
Sample Survey
A sample survey is available here. The links on the page are not active.
Use in an Online Environment
Surveys are very useful in that it allows respondents the opportunity to post at their leisure. While there is a time frame, the respondent can thoughtfully reflect on the items.
In the area of compiling results, SurveyMonkey is a very powerful tool. It will do the "heavy lifting" for you.
Finally, there is no special software or hardware needed by either the creator or participants of the survey making it very user friendly.
Lopez-Pacheo, A. July 7, 2008. The Financial Post (Canada). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.uwstout.edu:2066/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&
risb=21_T4155880992&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_
T4155880997&cisb=22_T4155880996&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=10882&docNo=2.
WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.COM
This online tool comes in a free or fee based format. It is available to anyone with online access.
Features
The user can set up questions in a variety of formats - multiple choice, open-ended, and multiple selections included. The questions can be randomized. If respondents are taking the survey as an assessment, if enough questions are written, each participant will receive a different list of questions to respond to resulting in less likelihood of cheating.
In an online environment, having students from different language backgrounds is not uncommon. SurveyMonkey allows the designer to set up the survey in a variety of different languages that will meet the needs of the participants. The user of SurveyMonkey can set up cut off dates, maximum number of participants, or require a password to take the survey.
SurveyMonkey is also 508 compliant meaning that it has met standards set by the U.S. government to allow users with disabilities to participate in surveys created in SurveyMonkey.
When analyzing the results, SurveyMonkey offers a variety of options:
1. If the survey is completed as a large group activity, it can post results in graphical and numerical form in real-time. Immediate remediation can take place if there is an obvious area that many are making incorrect responses to.
2. The responses of individuals can be mined. This allows easier assessment.
3. Results can be filtered based on responses to individual questions. This may allow the instructor the opportunity to see which groups of respondents responded in a particular manner to a certain response. It can lead to improved teaching and evaluation of grouping of students.
4. Results can be downloaded into spreadsheet or database format allowing for greater manipulation of the statistics. This would also allow the user to more easily user a program such as Excel as a grading tool.
Limitations
Pricing is relatively inexpensive at $19.95 per month for the monthly pro option r $200 per year for the annual pricing. There is also a free basic membership that has a more limited feature menu.
SurveyMonkey's free package would likely meet many of the requirements of the educator. However, it allows only 100 respondents per survey. In a situation like a teacher who teaches the same subject to multiple classes or in a large introductory class in a university, this could very well limit the usefulness of the free option.
Also, there is a limit of only 10 questions per survey for the free package. This option also does not allow the user to create surveys that will skip to the next question if enough correct or incorrect responses have been met. It will not download results into database or spreadsheet format. Responses cannot be filtered using custom criteria set by the developer in the free format.
Sample Survey
A sample survey is available here. The links on the page are not active.
Use in an Online Environment
Surveys are very useful in that it allows respondents the opportunity to post at their leisure. While there is a time frame, the respondent can thoughtfully reflect on the items.
In the area of compiling results, SurveyMonkey is a very powerful tool. It will do the "heavy lifting" for you.
Finally, there is no special software or hardware needed by either the creator or participants of the survey making it very user friendly.
References
SurveyMonkey.com - Powerful tool for creating web surveys. Online survey software made easy!
(2008). Retrieved July 15, 2008. http://www.surveymonkey.com/Home_Pricing.aspx.
SurveyMonkey.com - Powerful tool for creating web surveys. Online survey software made easy!How do I access cheap online surveys?
(2008). Retrieved July 15, 2008. http://www.surveymonkey.com/Home_FeaturesDesign.aspx.
Lopez-Pacheo, A. July 7, 2008. The Financial Post (Canada). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.uwstout.edu:2066/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&
risb=21_T4155880992&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_
T4155880997&cisb=22_T4155880996&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=10882&docNo=2.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Here's a Concept Map
OK, here's one I set up based on what sort of things I think we'll definitely need to be doing in this class.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Response to From Puzzles to Problems article by McLinden and Trochim
Whoa! Only 4 people participated in the pre and post testing? And only 9 worked with the clustering of the 66 ideas developed by who knows how many people in the training development team?
Sounds like the authors know their math, but the selection size is WAY too small. Well at least there were more than 20 participants in the study at some point.
Were the authors surprised that many of the participants did not feel competent some months after the training because there wasn't' enough opportunity to practice their new skills? I would say that it is a regular result of training that if you don't immediately begin using the new skills regularly, they will be mostly lost.
Sounds like the authors know their math, but the selection size is WAY too small. Well at least there were more than 20 participants in the study at some point.
Were the authors surprised that many of the participants did not feel competent some months after the training because there wasn't' enough opportunity to practice their new skills? I would say that it is a regular result of training that if you don't immediately begin using the new skills regularly, they will be mostly lost.
My Favorite Five Emerging Technologies
My Favorite Five of the 30 Emerging Technologies by Dr. Curtis Bonk
One of the most important areas to me is the use of assistive technology in helping students to achieve. Not only can technology helped differently abled students to have success, but these same tools can be used with primary grade students to help them have more success.
Digital libraries is a huge resource that is wildly under-utilized by learners. Free resources like Michigan's e-Library (http://mel.org/SPT--BrowseResourcesNewMeL.php) is full of full-text books, regional, national, and international newspapers and periodicals, historical resources like photographs and diaries, fiction book resources, and medical, legal, research, and educational databases just to begin. For residents of Michigan, MeL is probably one of the best things provided by our state government, but probably less 5% of the residents will even use it once (IMO).
Games and simulations are tools that can be used cost-effectivelly and more safely than their real world counterparts. A principal I work with was very excited when he heard about the opportunity for students in the middle grades to be able to do dissections on the computer. This would save money and it would keep possibly harmful chemicals away from the students. Additionally, each year, students in my 7th grade classes participate in a stock market simulation (vse.marketwatch.com). They track their stocks, make trades, and present their learning to the whole group at the end. It provides me a very authentic use of spreadsheets and graphing with which to teach students the reason why we have Excel on our computers.
I believe that the use of intelligent agents will greatly expand. Right now, many people use RSS (really simple syndication) feeds from news and information sites to give them the latest updates. As more and more pertinent infomration becomes available online, the growth of this type of tool will explode.
Peer-to-peer collaboration may very well allow our students to continue working on projects outside of the school environment. Many students are already adept at using chat rooms and other interactive resources to communicate. To go the next step and start having htem collaborate on projects in such an environment will not be a difficult transition (getting them to do it, that's another story). Tools like Google docs already allow users to assign rights to edit documents. This is a simple way to begin the transition to peer-to-peer collaboration.
The author of the paper, Dr. Bonk, believes that the tools most likely to impact online learning over the next 2 years are reusable content objects (e.g. PowerPoint presentation used in more than one class), wireless technolgoy, peer to peer collaboration, digital libraries, and simulations and games. By far, the tool that will influence course webisties is intereactive simulation.
One of the most important areas to me is the use of assistive technology in helping students to achieve. Not only can technology helped differently abled students to have success, but these same tools can be used with primary grade students to help them have more success.
Digital libraries is a huge resource that is wildly under-utilized by learners. Free resources like Michigan's e-Library (http://mel.org/SPT--BrowseResourcesNewMeL.php) is full of full-text books, regional, national, and international newspapers and periodicals, historical resources like photographs and diaries, fiction book resources, and medical, legal, research, and educational databases just to begin. For residents of Michigan, MeL is probably one of the best things provided by our state government, but probably less 5% of the residents will even use it once (IMO).
Games and simulations are tools that can be used cost-effectivelly and more safely than their real world counterparts. A principal I work with was very excited when he heard about the opportunity for students in the middle grades to be able to do dissections on the computer. This would save money and it would keep possibly harmful chemicals away from the students. Additionally, each year, students in my 7th grade classes participate in a stock market simulation (vse.marketwatch.com). They track their stocks, make trades, and present their learning to the whole group at the end. It provides me a very authentic use of spreadsheets and graphing with which to teach students the reason why we have Excel on our computers.
I believe that the use of intelligent agents will greatly expand. Right now, many people use RSS (really simple syndication) feeds from news and information sites to give them the latest updates. As more and more pertinent infomration becomes available online, the growth of this type of tool will explode.
Peer-to-peer collaboration may very well allow our students to continue working on projects outside of the school environment. Many students are already adept at using chat rooms and other interactive resources to communicate. To go the next step and start having htem collaborate on projects in such an environment will not be a difficult transition (getting them to do it, that's another story). Tools like Google docs already allow users to assign rights to edit documents. This is a simple way to begin the transition to peer-to-peer collaboration.
The author of the paper, Dr. Bonk, believes that the tools most likely to impact online learning over the next 2 years are reusable content objects (e.g. PowerPoint presentation used in more than one class), wireless technolgoy, peer to peer collaboration, digital libraries, and simulations and games. By far, the tool that will influence course webisties is intereactive simulation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)