Technology and Student Learning

Are the students better writers because of using Google Docs and researching online? 

There are some advantages to the students using Google Docs and researching online such as the ability to store everything online and thereby work on a writing project from any computer with Internet access (classroom, library, home) without having to carry papers or a thumb drive. Multiple teachers (classroom, librarian, etc.) can have simultaneous access and leave comments that enable formative assessment. Students can easily change a document without "starting over." They can collaborate with other students and use tools such as Google translate or voice typing.

*See attribution below

Conversely, using Google Docs and researching online makes it very easy for students to plagiarize by copying and pasting. Students have a hard time recognizing the containers for their information when they research online. Students think everything they find is from Google. It is difficult for them to find and recognize the actual source of their information and assess whether or not that source is credible (as opposed to using a print book or magazine or encyclopedia). Also, students with poor keyboarding skills get bogged down at the typing stage.

How do I know when to use the technology or not use it?

If I think about using technology, I must consider the SAMR model and ask some questions: Is the technology only substituting for traditional tools? Will using the technology improve functionality and design? Will it facilitate publishing to an authentic audience?

Can looking at the data and analytics improve student learning?

While the learning goals should remain the same for all students,  looking at the data and analytics can help tailor the learning process and outcome for individual students.

via Deester @Pixaby

How do you keep in mind the academic goals when choosing an app or website to use with your students?

According to the Understanding by Design framework, I should have the learning goals firmly in mind first and foremost. Then I can brainstorm the best ways to teach the content as well as show and assess student learning.

How do you feel students learn best? Does it include technology? 

I believe that students learn best when they use multiple ways to engage in content - by hearing, seeing, touching, moving, singing, discussing, writing, gaming, etc. Technology can sometimes enable those forms of learning (e.g., gaming (Quizlet), discussing (Skype), moving, singing, seeing, hearing (Flocabulary), etc.).

*By Alejandrocaicedo (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Planning and Goal Setting

https://flic.kr/p/b7T49Z

Why am I doing this lesson?

Both the Common Core and Empire State Information Fluency Continuum (a  K-12 framework for library instruction) include standards that require sixth-graders to be able to assess the credibility of information sources. In this time of "fake news," the need to teach this skill seems relevant and perhaps even urgent.

What materials, devices, apps, websites do I need for the lesson to be successful?

1. Camera for recording a rap
2. Movie Maker for editing rap
3. Google Slides to make infographic
4. Computer with Screencastify extension and microphone to make screencast of live website evaluation
5. SeeSaw blogging platform
6. DAPA Website Credibility Evaluation Form
7. Student computers for viewing websites 
8. Laptop and LCD projector to evaluate a website as a whole group
9. Posters and markers for World Cafe small group discussions
10. Checklist for evaluating student projects
11. Website Credibility Student Survey

Which teaching strategies will be best to facilitate my student's learning?

• Based on my pre-assessment, I understand that the students have not done a lot of critical thinking about assessing information sources. They will need to have the analysis modeled for them before striking out on their own.
• Using a World Cafe method, the students will participate in small group discussions about the essential questions: What is credibility? Why should I assess the credibility of a website? How can I assess the credibility of a website?

What are the academic, social, physical, emotional needs of my students for this lesson to be successful?

I think the choices of projects to show the students' learning (see below) will appeal to a variety of learning styles. In addition, because learning is social, the students will do the majority of the learning activities via whole group discussion, working in pairs, or as a small group.

How is this lesson motivating and engaging for your students?

We'll begin with small group discussions about why we should care about website credibility. Hopefully the students have heard about fake news enough to realize that it is important to know how to judge the credibility of information sources.

By Institution:IFLA [CC BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons 

Who is the intended audience for your students work?

http://web.seesaw.me/blogs/

The students will be embedding their finished products into their SeeSaw blogs which Mr. Hill set up as part of Project-Based Learning. I plan to tweet about any exceptional products that I think other educators would be interested in seeing and include the blog post URL.  Also, I want to use their projects as examples to future classes and as a way to teach website credibility (e.g., post an infographic in the library and 6th-grade classrooms, play the rap video, etc.). So the intended audience is other educators and students.


The students will be able to choose how they want to show their learning about 4 criteria for evaluating website credibility. I will be discussing several options with them:

1. Write, perform and record a "DAPA rap" that talks about 4 elements of website credibility - date, author,  purpose, and accuracy.
2. Do a screencast of a live analysis of a website of choice.
3. Make an infographic clearly illustrating the 4 elements of website credibility using in Google Slides

SMART Goal:

As a result of learning about the 4 criteria for website evaluation, 100% of the students will be able to restate, illustrate, or demonstrate the use of those criteria via infographic, rap, or screencast. The goal will be measured via a rubric used to evaluate the student product (rap, screencast or infographic.) The students will see the rubric before they begin creating the rap, screencast or infographic.The teacher and students will assess the projects via a checklist. Students will also re-take the pre-assessment Google survey, and I will compare to the students' original analysis to see if they have included more of the 4 DAPA criteria than in the original pre-assessment survey.