Mirna's Musings and Meditations on Multiple Matters

Another project

2008-07-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

For what it's worth, I created a Moodle page for my Wednesday Title 1 workshop that leads one through a digital storytelling project. It's available on the SJUSD Moodle. Enjoy and feel free to copy/borrow/use anything that might help you.

YeeeAAAHOOO!

2008-07-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

I'm finished. I hope you'll enjoy my project on studying abroad.

Still a work in progress

2008-07-08T12:28:00.001-07:00

I'm curious what this will show you. I'm not quite ready to publish. Still have some polishing to do.

Goody! It works. Click on the link and you can see the project so far.

Digital bummer, dude!

2008-07-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

Have run into the inevitable, unavoidable roadblocks that are inherent in using technology. No matter which avenue I choose, I'm having difficulty putting the finishing touches on my project. First, QuestGarden wasn't registering the changes that I had made to my rubric and twice erased it in spite of my clicking the 'save' button (that only made the whole thing disappear). So then I tried to open a new project under a different name to transfer info and when I would have both windows open, eventually they would become the same page instead of one of each. Frustration reigned!

Of course, it was around that point that I discovered a different template which probably would have been a better fit and DEFINITELY would have been less complicated than the template I chose. Refusing to surrender, I'm forging ahead. There may be fewer details in this but I'm bound and determined to have a complete project today (might not happen until 4p.m......).

2008-07-07T12:03:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's the day and so I'm scrambling to finish. While QuestGarden is nicely sequential, I really prefer the way I could have created this on TaskStream. It's a little more sophisticated. Either is better than ALI which doesn't let you upload files, other than a single media one.

Even though I'm putting all the pieces together and trying to make sure that I have all the dots connected, I'm realizing that this won't really be complete until it has had its first run through with a class. The first time a project is actually put to use is when you see if all of your brilliant plans actually work out the way that you want them to. Watching the kids work through it shows you where you missed the mark. Teachers are masters of flexibility and figuring things out on the fly; we'll be able to jerry-rig solutions to problems and then rewrite the lesson plans to avoid the stumbling blocks of the first time through.

When I try a particularly ambitious inaugural project, I front-load expectations by letting the kids know that they are my guinea pigs. It seems to make them rise to the challenge of being the pioneers of the project. When they finish, they are quite proud of what they've accomplished.

Mixed Blessing

2008-07-04T22:48:00.000-07:00

While I'm thrilled to be celebrating my first 4th of July as a citizen, I still HATE neighborhood fireworks. &^%$#@! Piccolo Petes are driving my dog nuts in spite of the tranquilizers that he's been given.

Check these out!

2008-07-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

Neat website I found when I was trying to articulate the higher ordered thinking skills that my project would incorporate and it shows how different strands can integrate technology into the curriculum.

Last week, Jon showed me a Technology Integration Matrix that had student samples woven into it.

Processing, processing.....

2008-07-01T06:31:00.001-07:00

I’m working out the details for my ‘Move Abroad!’ project. Strangely enough, I had originally thought that I would create the whole project and then fit in the standards. However, that only succeeded in giving me writer’s block. I dallied and dithered and then tackled the standards. Wouldn’t you know, that succeeded in opening the floodgates:

CA- Curriculum Frameworks

Subject : Foreign Language
Stage : STAGE I

Element : FUNCTION
Expectation : express likes and dislikes,
Expectation : make requests;
Expectation : obtain information;
Expectation : understand some ideas and familiar details;
Expectation : begin to provide information.

Element : CONTEXT
Expectation : when reading using authentic materials, e.g. menus, photos, posters, schedules, charts, signs and short narratives;
Expectation : when writing notes, lists, poems, postcards, and short letters.

Element : TEXT TYPE
Expectation : use short sentences, learned words and phrases, and simple questions and commands when speaking and writing;
Expectation : understand some ideas and familiar details presented in clear, uncomplicated speech when listening;
Expectation : understand short texts enhanced by visual clues when reading.

Element : ACCURACY
Expectation : communicate effectively with some hesitation and errors, which do not hinder comprehension;
Expectation : demonstrate culturally acceptable behavior for Stage I functions;
Expectation : understand most important information.

Element : CONTENT
Expectation : the self: family, friends, home, rooms, health, school, schedules, leisure, activities, campus life, likes and dislikes, shopping, clothes, prices, size and quantity, and pets and animals.
Expectation : beyond self: geography, topography, directions, buildings and monuments, weather and seasons, symbols, cultural and historical figures, places and events, colors, numbers, days, dates, months, time, food and customs, transportation, travel and professions and work.

ISTE NETS for Students:
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students: c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.

3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.

4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students: a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation. b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behaviour. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.

As I'm thinking of all the points that would need to be covered in planning a trip abroad, I keep coming back to standards. It's funny.I was convinced that I had a wonderful project, that I was going to blithely create it and then go back and add the standards. And then I developed writer's block.

Now it’s time to begin fleshing out the actual lessons and thinking of what the final product presentation will look like. Here are my next starting points:

1. Figure out a destination: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html Use the CIA site to determine a French-speaking city where you’d like to live and study. Search for languages in the Country Profiles section.
2. Book a flight: www.Travelocity.com or www.Expedia.com or www.priceline.com or another internet site.
3. Check out educational opportunities by Googling ‘study abroad.’
4. Find a residence: http://www.hihostels.com/web/index.en.htm

ALI vs. QuestGarden

2008-06-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I decided to play with ALI and post what I had done with digital storytelling on it. I had counted on it being somewhat intuitive to use (hey- it's Apple, after all). Well, work in progress didn't offer a lot of options so I went for the media ensemble thinking that I would be able to add multiple files to it. Not so. Only one file, so I opted to add my movie there. As far as the word files went, I had to cut and paste it into an explanation spot which didn't give me any control over layout. I'm not that happy with the final product....but maybe I should read through all the directions first? We'll see if there's a way for me to make it look the way that I see it in my mind. To be continued.....

Due to the above experience, I've decided to use QuestGarden for my cohort project posting. It's going to be a trip itinerary. The idea is that the foreign language student will research traveling to and staying in a place where they can find opportunities to study and practice their target language. They will be given a budget and then will need to design the trip and find out just what they can do within that budget, having been given certain tasks to accomplish.

Right now I'm already running into some difficulties. My working title is being reduced to only the first letter, 'O'; I don't know if it's because I'm using some other symbols which aren't supported by an English-only alphabet. I'd like this project to be called:

Où est-ce que tu vas parler français? ¿Adónde vas hablar español?

I'll have to check to see if I got the Spanish portion right. Now, to start thinking about the standards and steps. I've identified that they need to research location, airfare, lodging, meals, education, entertainment. Am I missing anything? Oooh, passport, visas, etc. Yup, this will be quite involved. I'm thinking that it would end up being a semester project and I'll definitely have to scale things back for the initial lesson. I seem to always think big. No way will I make this a 3-5 hour project.

By the way, is anyone reading this? No one has voted on the Euros! ESPN360 is going to be on during class today. It's Germany v.s. Turkey....

Met with the Cohort

2008-06-24T18:32:00.000-07:00

Met with my fellow teachers today for our second face-to-face. A little dismayed at the decision to (optionally) extend the workshop by a week. I already tend to put in more hours on projects than is prescribed (I tend to be a perfectionist on projects...too bad I don't feel the same way about my housekeeping skills). I've set aside the four weeks to work on this and have a full slate for the rest of my summer. As my children have gotten older, I have fewer opportunities to coordinate between free time and all my families' activities (my eldest just graduated from UCSB; one down, three to go).

Very happy to have the border drawn more clearly today (thanks, Matt!) between Tuesday's Cohort and Wednesday's Technology Curriculum Development Team. Tuesday is to please me (specific) and Wednesday is to please everyone (generic). I'd still like to do something somewhat generic for my Tuesday project because I am no longer a 'classroom' teacher. As a Title 1 Technology Coach, my first priority is to my teachers, the staff at Encina (the ones in the trenches). I think that my background teaching various subjects (ELA, foreign language, social science, K-2 classroom, K-6 reading) has given me good insights as to what will work (or not) in the classroom. Sometimes my plans reach a little high, but that's okay; there's nothing wrong with challenging our students. Foreign language is my first love (I was a linguistics major) and so I will make my Tuesday project one that is basic enough for an introductory level foreign language class.

I had written a conference proposal on using technology in the FL classroom and so I want to keep in mind the steps to success so that it will work well for others. Haven't heard yet whether the proposal was accepted but it will be good to work out the unit plan in any case.

Cohort project

2008-06-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

I've decided to do a French project for this class...as an 'homage' to my late schedule. I want to explore using something like Tourweaver to create a virtual world.

What to do? What to do?

2008-06-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I've really invested myself into being a French teacher. Most of my media is linked to me as 'Madame Jope.' Now, however, I have to give up teaching French (for the second time, no less!). This time, it's my choice to give it up. I just don't know if I want to give up the name as well.

Why am I leaving a subject that I enjoy so much? It's a good reason; I'm going to be the tech coach at Encina! Vive la technologie!