Assignments

Class Assignments and Points Breakdown
UPDATED AFTER EMAIL ON FEBRUARY 3RD.. AFTER MEETING WITH ADVANCED PROGRAMS Wiki – 35 pts** → Wiki pages due by March 1. → Draft due by February 26. → Lesson taught, write-up completed by March 14. **CHANGED MARCH 9** → Submit for feedback before March 5. **MARCH 2** → Final plan completed by March 14. **MARCH 9TH** Reflection, discussion and class participation in each class: 60 pts**
 * Audio – 15 pts or Video – 15 pts
 * Unit Plan – 100 pts**
 * Professional Development Plan 50 pts**
 * Online Discussions before class started: 20 pts


 * Total points: 270**

Audio or Video Assignment
The goal of this activity is to have you experiment with creating digital content for your students.

• Identify a need that can be addressed in your classroom by using teacher or student created audio or video. o Write a short paragraph explaining the need. • Write a learning objective that can be easily assessed either using the audio or video or in response to it. • Design an audio or video file that you can use in that lesson. (This can be a video made by students or you modeling what you would want students to make) • Create an assessment to assess student learning in the lesson. • Create the video or audio file or an example of what you would like students to do.
 * Add your audio and video to your wiki - this will require identifying an appropriate and non-blocked hosting site.

Each audio or video file and lesson plan with assessment is worth 15 pts.

Wiki Assignment
Set up a classroom Wiki for one of your classes.

The wiki must have at least 5 pages. The wiki must have at least 1 embedded video or widget. One page must be rules for use of the Wiki both at home and at school.

** Unit Plan Project ** · A description of your class and resources available. · A clearly defined need that exists in your teaching setting in 1 or 2 paragraphs.
 * The unit must have:**

Design a teaching unit that uses at least 3 different kinds of technology. (It could be a much longer unit but I am looking for a unit that would use 3 different technologies).

· A stated objective that is measurable. · A plan for amount of time it will take you to teach the lesson. · A use of technology to improve student learning. · A clear explanation of what will happen in the lesson (It should have enough detail so that a qualified educator could teach it in your absence). · Materials created to guide students in the use of technology. · Materials created to assess the objective of the lesson. · Technology materials created for each of the three lesson. · The students actually touching the technology – not just a teacher centered lecture model.
 * Each lesson must have:**

One lesson must be taught in the next month.

Write a two page single spaced reflection which should address: · The appropriateness of the technology. · The appropriateness of the assessment. (i.e. how the assessment matched the stated objective). · How you would improve the lesson in the future. · How you might improve your teaching skills to have the lesson go better in the future.
 * For that one lesson, you must:**


 * Grading:**

The unit will be worth 100 points.

Points will be divided as follows: Overall Unit Description 10 pts Each Lesson – 20 pts 60 pts Self Assessment of the Lesson Taught 20 pts Peer Critique (completed online) 10 pts


 * Professional Development Plan Project **


 * Task:** You are to create a professional development plan related to your technology skills using the ISTE Standards for Teachers as a Model.

Under each category include the following sections: · Skills I already have in this category. · Issues in my classroom or daily work or my general skills as a teacher that relate to this category. (I.e. why do I need skills in this area) · Short-term professional development plans to address the needs. (include a due date or time line for addressing the concern) · Long- term professional development to address these needs. (Include a due date or timeline for addressing the concern.) · Self-Assessment or goal – How will you measure that you successfully achieved a goal. o Some suggestions could be: § Plan to do a collaborative project with another teacher and ask them for feedback. § Set a goal of what you will be able to do by a certain time. § Identify resources and how often you will use them.
 * Format**: Take each of the major categories of the ISTE standards for teachers.

Here might be a rough example: Under Standard V - Professional Practice · Need: You need to better communicate with parents. · Goal: You want to use a Wiki to improve parent communication. · Create something that you can measure: By this time next year, I will have been able to create 4 different Wiki pages and will feel comfortable updating it weekly. · Short term Plan: I will make a wiki and play around with it. · Long Term Plan: I will find and watch as least 4 videos, subscribe to a master teacher’s wiki, or participate in a learning community about wiki by checking it weekly or subscribing to their RSS feed. · Assessment: First you would see if you have 4 pages and you could survey parents to see if they use it.


 * Possible questions you might have: **

A short term professional development plan would be something like – I will watch a video on wikis so that I know enough in order to set one up. A long term professional development goal is that you will read a book on Wikis or participate in a professional development community to learn more about wikis and develop expertise.
 * What is the difference between long term and short term plans?**

The reason for naming both – you are very busy – when you have a problem that you can identify in your classroom the first step is learning enough to fix it immediately and develop a work around – but that is not truly professional development, it’s a band aid to a problem. If there is a real problem in your classroom or a deficit in your training – you need to think about how you will fix over time and commit to doing that.

It is possible that you may not have a need in one area, but we can always learn more and make plans for more learning. If you find this in more than one category – feel free to ask for suggestions, it means that you might be taking the technology category too literally or may not be thinking about ways you can both improve your classroom and your general teaching skill.
 * What if I don’t have a need in a category?**

Yes, if you still have classes coming that you would like to explore your technology use – beyond perhaps what the teacher suggests – That would be great! For example, if you had a science methods course, you might include in your plan that you will incorporate an article search that involves the use of technology in science as part of your plan. The idea is that a personal professional development plan goes above and beyond coursework you were already intending to take. However, it could include a plan to take an elective. For example, If you were a special education teacher and sought out a course in assistive technology.
 * Can you use your masters program classes – i.e.. can you plan to “double dip”?**

No, in fact, a professional development plan should be something you can achieve in a reasonable amount of time. More goals does not mean better. In fact, the better professional development plan is something that matches your identified needs.
 * Do I need something for every bullet under each standard?**

Use ideas from Chapters 5 and 6 on Web 2.0 and use the extensive resources and sites from the ELL book to establish resources you will use to meet your goals. Pay special attention to the ideas of community that are mentioned in both books – how will you use your fellow teachers, both inside and outside of your graduate program as resources.
 * How do the readings relate to this professional development plan?**

First, if you ever want to obtain a National Teacher Certification, this kind of reflective professional development plan would be useful to you. Also, some districts require or reward this type of plan. Third, it will help you show both parents and administrators that you are staying on top of new techniques in your teaching.
 * Why is it important to do a professional development plan?**


 * Grading:**

This assignment will be worth 50 points.

o Meaningful assessment of your classroom or personal needs. o Short term plans included. o Long term plans included. o Plans have an outcome that can be measured. o Outcome would foster self-assessment and improvement of teaching skills and strategies. o Plan incorporates (and cites) resources from textbooks or other articles.
 * Criteria:**