Collaborative Module Design Project-High School Transition Course

      For many students, the summer between eighth grade and ninth grade can be the scariest time.  You are preparing yourself for a new school, and a new kind of learning.  In middle school, you do not earn credits for your classes, where in high school, passing a class is an important part of graduation.  With the new state initiative of requiring four years of math, I feel that we could better help our students by providing some kind of assessment to them over the summer months to transition them better into ninth grade.  This could alleviate some of the problems that we encounter in ninth grade, such as improper leveling or students being flagged with learning disabilities.


      For our Module Design Project, Elizabeth Ferry and I created an online course to test students over the course of the summer between their eighth grade and ninth grade years.  In my district, many students make the transition to their ninth grade year without passing all of their classes.  There are also students that are not correctly placed into the correct classes (Honors vs. College Prep)  This transition course would help us eliminate some of those issues that we have in the first few weeks of school.

      We began this project by first deciding what topics to focus on.  We decided to focus on two modules to begin with.  We focused on fractions for module one and decimals/percents for module two.  I feel that these are important modules to focus on because the material is covered in eighth grade and is covered again in the college prep class, but is not covered in the honors class.  Therefore, if the students excels on the topic, they could be a candidate for the honors level Algebra course.

      After deciding the topics, we began to look for online resources that would work well with the topics.  We viewed different tutorials, websites and games to incorporate into the website that students would be viewing.  This took a lot of time, as we did not want students to be bored or get lost.

      Once we had decided on websites, tutorials, and online worksheets to use, we added these to our transition course website with instructions for the students to complete.

      At the end of each module, students must complete a Google form that tests their competency in the appropriate module.  The Google Forms can be found here (as well as a link on the website):
Module One-Fractions Assessment
Module Two-Decimals and Percents Assessment


The students must also blog about their experience with the topics and give feedback to the moderators and teachers.  They must answer the following questions in their blog post:

• What resource did you feel was most helpful with this unit?
• What questions or difficulties do you still have with the topic?
• Are there any additional resources that you found on your own that were helpful to you when reviewing or learning the topic?  Please provide the names or links to the resources.

 The link to the blog can be found here: High School Transition Course Blog

The link to our transition course website can be found here:

High School Math Transition Course

      I feel that this design project could definitely be broadened and used in multiple districts.  With SBAC becoming a completely computer based test, asking students to complete a summer assessment online would not be too much out of the box.  I think that this would be something students could access, at home, on tablets, phones, or at the library.  It is also something that could be expanded for different levels and different classes.  I think that we have an interesting idea here.

Personal Case Study

      During this past trimester, I learned a lot about different types of learning. Throughout these past weeks, my minds has become overwhelmed with all of the new and interesting information that I have taken in. After learning about many of these online learning techniques, I think I will be on my way to teaching a blended learning class soon enough.
      In my school, the 10th grade History and English classes are using tablets in their classrooms as a blended learning initiative.  There are also Algebra 2 and Chemistry classes that are using IPADS in the classrooms to incorporate blended learning.  I feel as though this idea of blended learning is on its way to all classrooms and the more prepared we are, the more resources we have, the better off we will be in the end.  I am ready for the task at hand.  Bring on the technology classroom!!
      I always thought I was such a "technological" teacher because I use a SMART board in my classroom.  After taking these courses and learning about the different types of online learning techniques that are out there, I know that I can be doing so much more with my students.  Do I feel like I am prepared to be the most successful online educator?  I do not think I would be the most successful, but I think that just like any other teacher, I would learn with the students and grow with them.
      Even as I learned tools in this class, I began to grow with them.  From my first storify clip, I remember just taking quotes, articles, and videos and compiling them together.  I did not understand that I needed to summarize what I had read and completed.  After looking at classmates storify clips and learning about what was expected, I started to include stories and videos that I had read and that had interested me.  I also began to include a commentary that gave an explanation of what I was discussing for that week.  As I began to become more and more familiar with the tools, I got comfortable and I even had co-workers viewing my work.
      Another huge turn that I took in this class was my use of twitter.  I began this class with having only tweeted a few times (Maybe 10 at most!).  I began this class with 20 twitter followers. (I was following 28 people.)  I now have increased to 37 followers, where I now follow 48 people, and I have tweet a total of 88 times.  I try to tweet a few times a week to keep up to date with everything.  It is also a really cool feeling when someone retweets your comments or favorites your tweet.  In some way, it makes you feel like you said something right!  It is also interesting to see where the people that follow you are from.  I have people that follow me from all the way in Germany!  It is amazing where technology has taken us.
      However, not every part of technology has worked well with me this year. With Bring Your Own Device in full effect at my school, I am always trying to incorporate ways for the students to use their devices in an educational way in class.  I am somewhat at a stand still.  I think Bring Your Own device has good and bad qualities.  Some students are very well behaved with their devices and use it only for educational purposes; while others think it is a time for listening to music, playing games, and talking to friends.  How can I change the attitude of students and get them to put away the devices at certain times?  This is the crossroad I have come to.  When is it OK to take out the devices?  I recently read an article that was posted on twitter about tips for classroom management with mobile devices.  It gave me an inside look as to some ways I can change how I approach the Bring your Own Device Policy.  If you are interested, please feel free to read the article here: 5 Tips for Classroom Management with Mobile Devices.
      In the end, I feel that there are going to be struggles, as there would be in any classroom.  However, I am ready to learn and really can not wait to incorporate all of this information into my classroom.


Below are links to all of my Storify clips:

Blending Technology Into Teaching
Online Learning
Cognitive Impact of Online Learning
Learning Management Systems
MOOCs
Cloud Based Learning
Student Voice
Differentiation
Academic Mindsets
Assessing Deeper Learning
Global Learning and Student Work Curation

#Walk My World Reflection

During this trimester, I tried a new venture through twitter called walk my world.  This gave an inside look at what my days were spent doing.  Although some weeks were to be devoted to a specific topic, I found myself simply wanting to share what was going on with my world to others in the twitter.

Please check out my storify to see more:
Walk My World Reflection

ED 722- Week 11: Global Learning and Student Work Curation

      This week's reading's fell on a perfect week for me.  Today is Pi Day and as a Math teacher, we tend to celebrate Pi Day all week long.  With the subject of curation, I really got into the idea of how I portrayed my students' work, how they portrayed their own work, and how others would view their work.  When students realize that others will view their work, they often put more effort into the process.  Many times I have thought of hanging student work around the room, such as quizzes or tests with high grades, but I often do not get the time.  I have used exceptional projects from previous years to show as examples, but I have never thought of ways to present them for others in the school to see them.  The last time I had to use projects to show student work was when NEASC came to my school!!
      However, there is a program in my district that allows teachers to send in exemplar lesson plans that includes student work.  They are then awarded by the Board of Education and complemented for their job well done.  If there was a way for student work to be show at some type of showcase, like they do for Art classes, I think this would be great for the students, parents and teachers.  It would give teachers a chance to show what they are doing in class, parents a chance to see what s happening in class, and students that self motivation to continue to do well in class.
      I also found it really appealing that some of the readings this week took the two courses that we are enrolled in and sort of weaved them together.  The readings gave an inside look at students becoming more globally aware of their work.  When work is posted online, students realize that many others in the world can view their ideas.  Therefore, they put a lot more effort into their assignments and take more time to create a detailed and exciting project.

To see more, please view my storify:

Storify-Global Learning and Student Work Curation

Revised Distance Learning Medium-Using Twitter in the Classroom

     Eight weeks ago, we were required to record a video about a tool that we used and explain how it could be utilized in the classroom.  I decided to try to explain twitter since we were utilizing it so much this trimester anyway.  It took a lot out of me to record the video for that first assignment.  I tried using Google Hangouts, which led me to a great video but a cracked voice.  I then tried an app on my IPAD called explain everything which then gave me great voice, but awful video.  Thankfully, my professors felt my frustration and we had a second chance to fix our presentations.

     I knew that this was coming up, so I was sure to email Ian with my frustrations.  I was sure that my chromebook was not going to work for me, and I was not sure of any other apps that would work on my IPAD.  I have a desktop computer at home, but it is very old and runs very slowly.  I have realized the only time that it runs at a decent rate it when I use Google Chrome to use the internet.  Ian suggested downloading screencast-o-matic and recording on my desktop.  My computer is so old, I didn't even have speakers!!  I ventured out and got a microphone, knowing that I may need it again for another class.

     As I began using screencast-o-matic, the browser kept freezing and I could not get the websites to work.  I tried with internet explorer and I tried with Google Chrome  I was so frustrated again!  But I remembered an email that Ian had sent me.  He had suggested a screen capture program called SnagIt that worked through Chrome.  I decided to download the trial version.  Once it finished, I began recording.  I messed up a few times and had to get myself situated but eventually, I prevailed.

     So I give you......the new and improved video:

Using Twitter in the Classroom

Micro-Talk Reflection on Change.org

      After creating my micro-talk on change.org, it gave me a new perspective on the different opportunities. When we were first given the opportunity to choose a topic, I chose this topic because of the ties it had to social media. I am very interested in social media and how it connects so many people in the world. I am also very concerned with the degree of our students and where social media takes them. Therefore, I thought that I would cover a topic that directly tied itself to social media.  
I really thought that this topic was going to be more directly related to social media, but I was very wrong. When i started to research the website, I realized that change.org, was a petition site that was used for people to gain access to the world. It was used to get others to agree with "your side" of the situation and then it was sent to the company or even the government for review. I never realized that petitions had made such a huge jump. I remember petitions as something simple that you sign on paper. This site has take petitions to a whole new level and brought it across the world. I was impressed! They did use social media to bring people together as well. They broadcast their petitions on twitter and facebook. Others use their social media sites to send their petitions out, even if they are not part of change.org. Social Media has brought about a great way to connect with others in different countries to broadcast your ideas and topics.
      I urge you all to visit their site at www.change.org if you have not yet done so and visit the different petitions that they have.  It does not take a lot of time to view the petitions and it takes no time to sign a petition and get involved.  We all have views on different issues and at change.org, we can make a difference.
      As my classmates shared their comments with me, many of them went to the site to see what it was all about.  A few had even signed petitions!!  Many of my classmates agreed that this is a very interesting subject to use in the classroom.  It would give students the chance to "Be an element of change" as classmate Elizabeth Ferry stated.  Many of my classmates were interested in how to go about investigating the topics and the petitions and I thought that was really great.  It was nice that they had a lot of questions about the topic.

I also enjoyed watching my classmates micro-talks.  Learning about the different resources that are available really opens up your mind.  You never realize what is out there until someone tells you about it.  Hearing about all of these different opportunities is exciting.  It gives teachers chances to travel and use new programs at discounted rates or even for free.  Many educators are not aware of all of these resources that are out here for us to use.

Assessing Deeper Learning-Week 10 ED 722

      How can we assess our students for deeper learning?  This topic can really open up a whole new can of worms and really can be a class in itself.  I was very interested in the idea of personalized learning.  At my school we have personalized learning experiences, where students can create their own classes and try to look for outside agencies to intern at.  Although I have not been a part of a PLE, it sounds like a really amazing idea and I am interested in the process.

      Another up and coming idea of assessing students is digital badges. A digital badge is digital recognition for a skill after completing an activity, module, or course. Badges is a new way for students to be motivated to complete the tasks as well as a way for teachers to assess them.

For more information on badges and personalized learning, see my storify below:

Week 10-Assessing Deeper Learning Storify

ED 722- Week 9 Academic Mindsets

      This week's DLMOOC really got me to think about mindsets and how we can really get set into the way we think.  Growing up I was pushed into the upper level classes and always felt like I was not as smart as some of the students I has classes with.
      Many of my classmates from high school are doctors, lawyers, and stock brokers.  To know that makes me feel like I somehow did not fit into those classes.  My parents wanted me in the "smarter" classes so I took them.  I had this fixed mindset that I was supposed to be there.  Some of the classes I struggled with and some I did not, but when I got to college, I had a shock.  I was somewhat unprepared for what I walked into.  I ended my first semester with a very low GPA and it took me an extra year to get into the education program because I had to get my GPA up.  Because of the fixed mindset I had in high school on taking these upper classes and sort of "skating by", I never realized that it would come back to get me.
      This is something I try to explain to my students.  I try to tell them that high school is much easier than college.  Even as freshmen I have students that are in a fixed mindset of, "If I can't do it, I won't and I am not going to try."  I continually make an attempt to get them to succeed but they do not have the support from anywhere else, so it is a very difficult process.  I learned a lot from this week's readings and it really got me to think about ways I can try to engage my students.

Here is the link to my storify:
Week 9 Storify-Academic Mindsets