GROUP DISCUSSION #1 FAIR USE ISSUES

FAIR USE AND COPYRIGHT ISSUES

The two recurring themes throughout Group #2’s discussion of Fair Use and Copyright involving educational media centered on “giving credit where credit is due” and adhering to usage limitations. The group had commented that we must all incorporate these Fair Use and Copyright guidelines in order to abide by the law and attribute the work of others when deemed necessary. Fostering the “10% use” policy in our students will be a challenge; however, when we, the educators, implement these guidelines which deal with our and our student’s biggest information source—the Internet, we will use other people’s work or ideas in the right ways.
Although music, videos, or information in the form of cell entries are accessible to Internet users, we must educate our students about these acceptable guidelines by emphasizing them as we require our students to organize PowerPoint presentations or create websites. We will emphasize these guidelines in ways such as having a small lesson on copyright rules and fair use practice before the project is given and establishing a written agreement which contains an understanding and reminder about proper use of downloading files.

GROUP DISCUSSION #1 DR. WHITE / NICENET

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ADDRESSED TO DR. WHITE

1) For me the assignment theoretically is a good one.... we are being mentored by instructional technologists other than who we have at UOG. However, the correspondence was not as automatic as we wanted it to be.
2) In Moodle, as long as you are a part of a class, you get a copy of all correspondence as a courtesy.
3) Dr. White's answers were the ones that I was expecting.
4) For me, his answers were as expected. The only thing different that I did not expect was when he answered Zander's question about what to do when your students are not at the same level of technological expertise.
5) His answer was that it did not seem to matter to his students. Most of the concerns and issues that his students had were with the assignments themselves, not technology.
6) For the interview... Dr. White responded well however not immediately.
7) Arlene: as i was saying, maybe Dr. White's response was like that because of the age level of his students. I think he teaches college-level kids so they are (or supposedly) more self-reliant.
8) The answer would be different if you were talking to an elementary school teacher, I'm sure.
9) Yes, also... his students are technologically adept
10) I think the question I submitted to Dr. White was structured better when he reworded. The reworded question was exactly what I meant for him to answer. He answered well based on his experience with his students, I believe. What I was expecting from him was explanations of different strategies a teacher can use to enhance the lesson delivery to Language Learners, in this case the English Language Learners (ELLs). I should have been more specific with my question. My mind is set on ELLs every time I develop activities in this class. That is why I expect the responses from Dr. White to have some Technology Assisted Curriculum lessons for language skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). The response from Dr. White to my question was specific to the end product.
11) One particular comment from David White, "While online delivery does provide blogs/dicussion tools these don't really give a personal touch to human interaction as does a face-to-face setting," gave me a sense that he still wants that human contact. As an educator in the Instructional Technology field, I interpreted his comment as yes, this field is important; however, human contact is still needed. Did anyone interpret it differently?

Also, I appreciated his comment that technology should never allow a student to loose interest in the assignment. If they are not familiar with the internet, they need to get on the ball.

12) Unfortunately, I did not get receive David's response in my Nicenet account. I only received it via Norman's email. I checked often enough, yet, I never found this response. (I clicked on every single link and found no messages or responses to our group questions.) The only response I viewed on my Nicenet account was that of his conversation with two other students (one which was from another group) and his reply when Dr. Cyrus initiated a question. He replied to my comment which referred to Dr. Cyrus questions.


NICENET AS A TOOL

1) for me, nicenet is just like a bare-bones kind of Moodle. Same usage and same advantages.
2) It is a great tool...more than just a communication tool it can store resources and attach links that would enhance the learning experience.
3) but unlike Moodle (where you as the instructor have to pay for service) Nicenet is free
4) which means the service can just come and go...
5) Security seems to be ok (with the enrolment key and everything) but again, since the service is free, they can just turn it off at a moment's notice.
6) Nicenet as a tool: This is a better tool to use in research. One doesn't have spend time researching secondary information as this tool afford the opportunity to get information from an expert. This tool is free of charge too. It is user friendly - easy to find information as the topics are listed on the side. One can easyly retrive and edit information.
7) : Nicenet is good for communication use, all outgoing and incoming documents are saved. You have the first hand response from the person you're getting in touch with. The only cons I would say is that, the communication is not happening at the same time. It would be nice if the two parties involve are happeing at the same time. For this, the timing and the process is not much different from the regular email.
8) Pedagogy and Research: As I mentioned earlier, I was looking specifically of how Lesson delivery with Assisted Technoloy can enhance the language skills with the diverse learners. ELLs are coming from differnt backgrounds and different level of educations. Technology can be use as a common denominator in lesson delivery and the experts from all parts of the world can help teachers in providing more information on strategies and methods by using nicenet tool to access the experts.
9) I did find that Nicenet was easy to navigate through; however, when I did not receive David White's response to our questions, I became weary of the tool. I replied to his response but it did not pertain to our questions. I only received it via Norman, our facilitator.

I prefer the Moodle. The Moodle has more visual appeal and information all on one screen. Although Nicenet's features were on one screen as well, I prefer Moodle's setup.

And I agree, because Nicenet is a free service, it is not as reliable as the Moodle.

LESSON PLAN #2

FORMS OF ENERGY: an interactive lesson plan using Google Pages, Google Documents and Spreadsheets.

LESSON PLAN #1

CONSTRUCTING BAR GRAPH
Grade 5 Math

ANALYZE LEARNERS

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
The students for whom this lesson is intended are 5th Graders of St. John’s School, Guam, USA. They are average learners whose ages range from 10 to 11 years old. A few of them are identified as having learning disabilities, whereas others are considered advance in reading and mathematical skills. Generally, they are from good socio-economic families. The majority are Asian (Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, & Filipino) and the rest are Caucasian (American, Australian, Italian) and Pacific Islanders (Guamanian). For most of the time, these students are well behaved. However, they tend to lose attention and interest amidst long teacher monologue. They find hands-on activities and visual presentations engaging.

ENTRY COMPETENCIES
The 5th grade science students are able to do the following:

• Understand the theme and objective of a reading selection.
• Observe and interpret charts and graphs.
• Comprehend definitions and categories
• Grasp relationships from parts to whole, from specifics to general
• Make conclusions from given facts, inductively or deductively
• Compute Mean, Median, and Mode

LEARNING STYLES
Overall, these students are visual and kinesthetic learners. They understand and respond better to illustrations and to hands-on activities. They prefer group activities and group interaction. They have relatively satisfactory listening skills. They respond to pencil paper evaluation.


STATE OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the 5th Grade Science students will be able to:
1. collect responses and tally the frequencies.
2. construct these data using bar graph.
3. compute for the mean, median and mode of the collected data.



SELECT METHODS, MEDIA, AND MATERIALS


SURVEY PAPER: The teacher needs to prepare a survey paper containing the questions that will solicit responses on how long do Grade 5 St. John students spent time studying Math at home.

FREQUENCY CHART: The teacher needs to print frequency charts to tally the student’s survey responses.

COMPUTER: The teacher needs to set up the computer that has the Excel program and open it ready for data entry taken from the frequency chart.

PRINTER: Computer Colored Printer is set up in order to create a hardcopy of the charts generated from the Excel Program that contain the data inputted by the students.

PENCIL & ERASER: The students have to provide these when they will collect the responses from their survey questionnaire.


UTILIZE MEDIA AND MATERIALS

PREVIEW MATERIALS: The teacher will check the computer set-up in the classroom. The Excel Program should be in running condition to generate the chart and graph output from the students’ survey. The teacher will check if the Word Processing program is working in order to produce the Survey Questionnaire and the Frequency Table Chart. Lastly, the teacher will check the appropriate schedule for the Grade 5 students to survey each other.

PREPARE THE MATERIALS: The teacher will create the survey questionnaire and the frequency table chart needed for the activity. The computers should have the Excel programs running for data entry. The printer should have ink and papers necessary for the printing of the hardcopy of the Bar Graph and Chart. The teacher will prepare a Rubric for grading their Graphs, Table, and Computations.


PREPARE THE LEARNERS: The teacher will review the students on how to compute mean, median and mode. Furthermore, the teacher will explain the process on how to create a bar graph from the data provided in a frequency table using the Excel Program. The students will be divided into groups of 2.

PROVIDE THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE: The teacher will guide the students the process of generating graphs from the Excel program. The students will create a sample bar graph from a sample data.


REQUIRE LEARNER PARTICIPATION

LARGE GROUP ACTIVITY: The class will start with a quick review on how to compute mean, median and mode. Then, the class will discuss the importance of visually presenting the data collected from a survey and the purpose of bar graphs. The class will make a sample bar graph from the Excel program. The class will print these sample bar graphs on paper. The teacher then will discuss the survey activity and the content of the questionnaire. The students will also be guided on how to consolidate the data into the frequency chart. Lastly, the teacher will explain the rubric of how they will be graded in their graph, table and computation.

SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY: After introducing this activity, the students will go to their assigned groups. They will perform the survey and consolidate the data they collected into the frequency chart. They will input these data into the computer’s Excel program and generate the bar graph. After careful review, they will print these for their hardcopy. From the table, they will compute for the mean, median, and mode.

PRESENTATION: The groups will present to the class their respective graphs and central tendencies computation.


EVALUATE AND REVISE

ASSESSMENT OF LEARNER ACHIEVEMENT: The 5th Grade Science students will be graded according to the Rubric prepared for their Graphs, Table, and Computations.

EVALUATION OF MEDIA AND METHODS: To evaluate the effectives of Media and Methods, the teacher will make a Q&A session with the students after doing the presentation.

REFLECTION #2 NET STANDARDS

Modern Day Lesson Plan

“Noverem Me, Noverem Te”

Knowing me, knowing you. This Latin phrase had been the underlying theme in writing this second sample lesson plan. I have come to believe that the students of today need to be given what is due them. I have known the complexity of their environment and of their experiences. From these, I am compelled to draw myself into a paradigm shift where in order to ensure successful learning I make my teaching strategies align to the NES*T STANDARD: Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum (3A). This states “teachers implement curriculum plans that include methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning. Teachers facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards.”

I believe that this standard applies fittingly with this assignment. Lesson plans need to be design to achieve adequate learning using technology – a tool for which students today find more relevant and engaging.

In comparison to the first sample lesson plan, this assignment has underscored the importance and effectiveness of technology. Foremost, this lesson plan can be accessed anywhere, anytime, and anyplace. The Google Page is very “user-friendly”. The links are seamless. The support tools like Google Docs and Spreadsheets make on-line learning more engaging. The Internet offers websites that contain a lot of resources that augments the lesson. Lastly, I can link a photo storage site (multiply.com) that can allow my students to see pictures that documented their work.

I can make my lesson plan more challenging through further investigation and application of their learned concepts. I can make them draw inferences as to how potential and kinetic energy can be useful in their daily life. They can research for more practical uses of these forms of energy.

What I like best in this assignment is that I become more confident in working with the Google Pages and linking it in various ways. What I like least in this assignment is that it is time-consuming.

In whatever I had gone through in doing this assignment, I know I learned from it a lot. The process challenged my commitment as a teacher to serve my students who are technologically adept. It is in knowing them that I discover more of myself.

REFLECTION #1 NET STANDARDS

GR. 5 LESSON PLAN
“Constructing Bar Graph”
NETS Standard & Personal Evaluation

My lesson plan which is design to teach culturally diverse Grade 5 students how to construct a Bar Graph using an Excel program relates to NETS Standard Part III on Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum. It states “teachers (1) facilitate technology enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards, (2) use technology to support learner-centered strategies that address the diverse needs of students, (3) apply technology to develop students' higher order skills and creativity, and (4) manage student learning activities in a technology-enhanced environment.” ("NETS for Teachers") In this lesson plan, students are taught to use Excel Software in generating a bar graph that visualizes their collated data from the survey on the number of hours students spent everyday on studying Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies. The students are group evenly according to their diverse needs. They will discover as they consolidate their data their study habits and will address whatever their needs to improve it. They will analyze their data and will creatively present their graph that would best highlight their observation. And lastly, all these learning activities are done in the computer lab that has all technology solutions they need.

This lesson plan reflects my holistic learning style. I am a visual learner. I need to see the abstract concept illustrated into the graph. I am also an auditory learner. I need to hear the explanations and discussions regarding the concept I am learning. I learn from talking to my peers and to listen to their ideas in the same manner as my students will learn from their survey activity and from their discussion on the relevance of the gathered data presented in the bar graph. I, too, am a kinesthetic learner. I learn well when I use equipments that will enhance my understanding on the concept I am studying. I will definitely learn using the computer.

For future applications, this lesson plan can be a good template for my lesson in generating graphs for Science fair data and in generating graphs for statistical data in Math. Bar Graph is a generic presentation tool that compares data in terms of category. With the use of Excel, I can easily let my students use other graph to suit their purpose and need.

The use of the powerful Excel Program is what appeals to me in this Lesson Plan. The students will gradually know the many capabilities of Excel that they can make use of in their daily life experience. Once my students know Excel, they can generate charts, spreadsheets, statistical, scientific, and mathematical reports, and design their own charts that simplify calculations. I always cherish and value an opportunity to teach my students that will improve their study skills.

I used the ASSURE LESSON PLAN Model to generate my lesson plan. It is very exhaustive and too detailed. Personally, I wanted a simpler format in a lesson plan that is straightforward and not too time consuming to make. In the real world, lesson plans should be simple, complete, and concise. Although I understand that the ASSURE Model is appropriate for a lesson plan that integrates technology, I know that it can still be simplified.


___________________________________________________________________
"Curriculum and Area Standards - NETS For Teachers." National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)_. 2005. Intenational Society for Technology in Education (iSTE). 27 Feb 2007 .

DISCOVERY CHANNEL WEBSITE

INTRODUCTION

"Discovery Education Science Connection is the only online supplemental science resource that helps educators assess where each student is in the learning process and then recommends specific multimedia content to assist with targeted instruction.

Science Connection is the comprehensive, easy-to-use solution for middle school science educators interested in reaching students and/or classrooms with different levels of baseline concept knowledge and different learning modalities.

Engaging, award-winning interactive content, intertwined with formative assessment, becomes the means to unlock student potential and help schools meet rigorous state standards."
(http://discoveryscienceconnection.com/sitenew/index.cfm)

WEB PAGE EVALUATION

Based on Cornell University’s 5-Point Criteria on evaluating web pages or documents, the educational website Discovery Science Connection is evaluated as follows:

ACCURACY
- “Provides information of the author.”
The site displays in its homepage an information in the footer that Discovery Education Online is a division of Discovery Communications, Inc. (http://corporate.discovery.com/) – a reputable multimedia and entertainment company.

- “Provides email, contact address, and phone.”
This website has a Contact Us Link which gives the appropriate information (address and phone numbers) to establish contact with them. It even has a template that we can easily use to make comments that can be submitted to them.

AUTHORITY
- “Provides credentials of authors.”
Discovery Education is a division of Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI) which is “the number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. It has over 100 networks of distinctive programming represent 29 trusted brands including Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet.
All the documents (text, image, and motion) that this site presents are all under the DCI’s ownership. These documents are published on-line in the Discovery Education site.

OBJECTIVITY
- “What goals/objectives does this page meet?”
This site aims to give online supplemental science resource that helps educators assess where each student is in the learning process and then recommends specific multimedia content to assist with targeted instruction.
With the availability of resources (still images to videos), this site is able to satisfy the need to enhance the teaching experience. Students, as a result, find their learning relevant and engaging.

- “How detailed is the information?”
The content that the site gives is very extensive. The illustration and explanation is presented to suit well the level of the students. The information is very interesting and interactive. The teacher and the students will be satisfied with the many options this site presents.

- “Determine if page is a mask for advertising.”
The site is free from distracting advertisements. Discovery Communications Inc. had been excellent in providing pure educational information that the student and teacher needs.

CURRENCY
- “When was it produced? How many dead links are on the page?
Are the links current or updated regularly? Is the information on the page outdated?”
This website is current. There are NO dead links whatsoever. All links are current and being maintained regularly. The Discover Educators’ Network (DEN) has real-time updates on blogs and social networking between teachers. The information are relevant and the updated.
There are extensive and interesting interactive presentations of scientific concepts that are relevant to daily life experiences.

COVERAGE
- “Are the links (if any) evaluated and do they complement the documents' theme?”
The links are logically designed and placed that are fool-proof and user-friendly. They are easy to navigate. The links have colors that are related to the concepts.

- “Is it all images or a balance of text and images?”
The site is artfully and functionally created. The use of text and images are well – balanced and with purpose. The over-all presentation is scholarly which affirmed the objective of the site.

- “Is the information presented cited correctly?”
Teachers that contribute to the site are given appropriate citations on their work. These creations have added to the vast resources that are available in the site.

- “If page requires special software to view the information, how much are you missing if you don't have the software?”
The site does require the basic video compatibility – Microsoft Media Player, Quicktime, Adobe Flash Player, and Shockwave Flash. All these are not hard to download (best of all, they are free).
There are, however, links that need a special plug-in which so far in MacBook could not find a suitable plug-in. (I am still in the process of searching for one.) Without this plug-in, a user cannot access a specific presentation. This presentation could have enhanced the explanation of the concept as it is interactive. However, its inaccessibility would not hinder learning.

- “Is it free or is there a fee, to obtain the information?”
There is a fee that is incurred. Discovery Education is a referred site from my Live Text / United Streaming account. However, the fee for like $110+ is reasonable enough with the convenient accessibility, relevant topics, and interactive presentations.

- “Is there an option for text only, or frames, or a suggested browser for better viewing?”
There is no specific option for text only, or frames, or a suggested browser. The site, nevertheless, maintains efficient and effective navigation procedures. I am one happy and satisfied user.

EDUCATIONAL RELEVANCE
This website has stepped up as an excellent on-line resource of science teachers. It is very relevant to a teacher who wants to be effective in integrating technology in the curriculum. It is a resource that aims to achieve relevant teaching and to ensure successful learning that meets national standards.
Discovery Education is a website that exemplifies the best in 21st education!