Final Blog Post EDUC6713

Technology is an ever changing field. Teachers, by definition, support the pursuit of knowledge. Those teachers who are passionate about technology have found an endless source of topics to research. But this research needs to be systematic.

In some of the initial posts, some of my colleagues noted that they keep a list of technologies they plan on researching. I felt bad that I was not that organized. If someone sends me a link or tells me of a new technology, I bookmark it in Delicious, but only get back to it when I think I can incorporate it into practice.

I think in using the ideas from my colleagues and the GAME plan together, I now feel I have the tools to systematically pursue new technologies. I think I need to keep a more organized list of topics to research, align them to the NETS for teachers and rather than researching them at the 11th hour, always have one in the GAME process.

I am pleased with the results of the GAME plan I developed for this course: finding free online tools my students can use from home to help them process data for their 10 journal assignments in my Algebra classes.

I learned that there is no free online tool that duplicates the power of Excel or the Texas Instruments graphing calculators that we have access to in the classroom, but it does appear they may be some on the horizon. MashUp and Microsoft Fuse Labs are already on my GAME list to keep checking on. In the meantime, my students can use two tools to accomplish the task.

Our high school operates on a 4x4 block so I will have new Algebra courses beginning in January. I can immediately educate my students on these new tools so they will have access to data analysis tools in the classroom and at home; giving them the ability to be independent learners.

Using the GAME Plan with Students

The GAME plan is a straightforward systematic approach for
technology goal setting. I believe I could use it effectively with the technology my students need specifically for my course; like analyzing data, but I don’t feel a school can adequately educate the entire population in the ISTE NET-S without administrative leadership

I serve on our district technology committee; we have 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 1 high school and 1 vocational school. We have analyzed the ISTE standards, our state standards and organized them into district standards. Our biggest concern was that students coming through our program can have inconsistent exposure to technology. A student might be lucky enough to get teachers who are passionate about technology integration or unlucky and never have the opportunity to use technology. For teachers, it is really an issue of time. As a committee we wanted to organize best practices per grade level put them on a central server so teachers did not have to re-invent the wheel. For example, all fifth graders study the history of our town. We were willing to organize a folder with digital images so all teachers could access it. We were very excited to take on this project!

We went to the Assistant Superintendent/Curriculum Coordinator and she said we had to focus all our attention on our NCLB initiatives in Math and English, and so our project died.

Until a district wide systematic approach is supported by the administration at the top, where a student can create a GAME Plan that spans grade levels organized into an e-portfolio, I feel like I am just contributing to these inconsistencies. Our school needs to embrace the ISTE process and set the essential conditions to educate our students:

http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-for-students-essential-conditions.aspx

Perhaps when colleges start requesting links to students work, it will get more attention. I do what I can, I try to invite teachers to partner with my class when I am doing a lesson I have created at Walden University, promoting change one teacher at a time. It is usually the first time other teachers have been introduced to the ISTE standards.



To catch a few students, I can start having my students create several GAME plans over my 18 week course. I could present the NET-S to them at the beginning of the course; which most have never seen.

GOAL: For a long term Goal, they could decide how they would like to use technology to complete their 10 journal assignments: learning the graphing calculator, Excel or the free online spreadsheet, Google Dcos, I used for my game plan.

ACTION: They could pursue one choice for two journals.

MONITOR: They could analyze their comfort level, access and results and see if they would like to switch to another method for the next two journals.

EVALUATE: They could evaluate if they are happy with the product they choose.

This would model the process for them. Then when we have a class activity that aligns to a NET-S, they could complete another GAME process.
It is my hope that ISTE will help schools formally develop a process to help schools:

http://nets-implementation.iste.wikispaces.net/

They have a survey online asking what resources teachers think would be helpful:

NETS for Students Development Rubric (by grade)
NETS for Students Assessment Rubric
NETS for Teachers Comprehensive Rubric
NETS Scope and Sequence
NETS Learning Objectives (by grade)
NETS Curriculum Mapping
NETS Observation Check List
Implementation Videos
NETS-aligned Lesson Plans
Rubric for Evaluating Lesson Plans
Peer-reviewed Process for NETS-aligned Lesson Plans
Content-area Experts to Infuse NETS
NETS Toolkit for District Use
Database of NETS-Aligned Activities

I look forward to when they are available!

Results of GAME Plan – Piecing it Together

After an exhaustive search, I am now ready to recommend the best tools for my students to help complete their data analysis for their journal questions if they do not have Excel at home. It requires piecing together two tools. This is meant to be a step by step tutorial to create and print graphs for my student; please click on each image to enlarge.


The first tool, Google Docs: docs.google.com

I selected Google Docs because it does not require any downloads to the student’s home computer; all you need is a Google Account.





To analyze data: Go to Create New Spreadsheet

X   Y
1    5
2    9
3   13
4   17

Steps
1) Enter data and select the data (it will turn blue)
2) On toolbar, select Insert Chart
3) In CHARTS - Choose Scatter AND click on the graph image
4) Select INSERT button on the lower right.



5) But this will embed the graph in your data. Use the pull down menu to move it to its own sheet



6) Go to Edit Chart to add titles and labels
7) Add a title
8) Add a label for the Vertical Axis and Change Min and Max if necessary
9) Switch to the Horizontal Axis and repeat
10) Choose Update when complete



PRINTING
Now it would seem that printing would be easy….but
11) Using FILE print produces a blank page
12) Publishing gives you a URL to embed on a web page
13) Save Image is a Quick Time File



14) Instead right click in the graph area and SELECT ALL



15) Right click again when all is blue and Select Print Preview



16) At this point, you will be in the browsers’ menu. Set the orientation to Landscape if necessary
17) Select the print icon



Your Graph:



TRENDLINEAt this point you have a beautiful graph printed on its own page complete with title and labels. But you have not been able to find the equation of the line.

The second tool: A Simple Regression Utility at

http://people.hofstra.edu/Stefan_Waner/RealWorld/newgraph/regressionframes.html

by Stefan Waner and Steven Costenoble from Hofstra University.

18) Re-enter the data




19) Select the appropriate type of regression

20) Find the Trendline here



There you have it, in 20 easy steps!

I have learned that there is no single free online tool to accomplish the task we can in the computer lab. My goal now will be to continue to research until I can find a more streamline free approach.

My new learning goals will be explore the web site:

http://nets-implementation.iste.wikispaces.net/

to have a more systematic approach to linking all the NETS in my curriculum and to try and find a free online course management systems like Moodle to use with my spring semester computer programming course. I plan on using the GAME plan again and have already started my KWL chart.