Using Technology to Meet the Needs of a Multi-level Classroom Todd W. Jorns Senior Director for Educational Technology Illinois Community College Board

Multi-level Classroom Deliberately-formed multilevel classes are created based on these assumptions: that all human beings have strengths as well as challenges; that all have something to contribute to enrich the group’s learning; that communities are actually strengthened by the diversity of their members.

Multi-level Classroom Working collaboratively across their differences in class helps students to work more effectively with all kinds of people in their day-to-day lives and is an important work skill. People become increasingly literate and knowledgeable about the world by actively engaging with others, talking, discussing, and sharing their own experiences and perspectives.

Multi-level Classroom Creates a climate where students learn with and from each other. Breaks down the isolation that many feel upon entering a program/classroom. Helps participants identify and act on issues that are central to their lives.

Multi-level Classroom Learners may work in small groups or pairs. At the same skill level or at different levels with the more advanced students taking on a teaching role which helps with learning retention. Grounds their own learning and develops their leadership skills. Ensure the process of building community and building basic skills are not in opposition to one another, but complement and enhance each other.

Effective Strategies Encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning. Teacher becomes the guide on the side. Assist students in becoming assertive consumers of their own education. Provides transferable skills for students to become more active in getting what they need out of a class and life as well.

Effective Strategies The simple use of newsprint may be one of the more effective strategies for working with multilevel groups. A multilevel group establishes a pattern of talking, posting ideas on newsprint, reflecting on these ideas, and then adding to them. This collective pad of paper seems to help students improve their literacy skills (wiki).

Effective Strategies Long- term projects allow students to assume responsibility for leadership roles and other tasks. Students can participate in a variety of ways and all contribute to a unified effort with an actual end result (team work). Technologies: Newsletters, video projects, or publications of student writings (wikis or blogs).

Effective Strategies Choose movies, TV shows, commercials. Select materials with a strong narrative, vivid characters, humorous, slapstick and that connect to students own background. Develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities around the video segment. Technologies: DVDs, Podcasts & Vodcasts.

Effective Strategies Access to Internet-based resources allow students to find answers to their questions. Expands learning beyond the boundary of the classroom. Students use reading, writing, and math skills in real-world settings. Make meaning out of large amounts of information. Technologies: Electronic field trips & guest lecturers.

Effective Strategies Any skill is learned best when imbedded in content (of interest to the learner and has meaning in the context of that learner’s life). Learning occurs when it is active, not passive (activities that encourage action, challenges, and interaction with others). Technology broadens the opportunity for teaching in context and for learning in an active way.

Technologies Paper & Pencil/Pen Books Calculators Computers Educational Software Word Processing Spreadsheets

Technologies Internet (search es, info gathering, etc.) Electronic field trips/Digital guest lectures Webinars Web 2.0 Tools (wikis, blogs, podcasts, etc.) Videoconferencing (Telepresence)

Internet Information gathering Fact checking Communicating ( , IM, etc.) Socializing & dating Entertainment & games Online banking, shopping & greetings And more…

Wikis A wiki is computer software that allows users to easily create, edit and link web pages. Ideal tool for collaborative work done by both students and teachers. Students collaboratively work on the content of a wiki using only a web browser. Students can use wikis to collaborate on group reports, compiling data or sharing the results of their project or research.

Blogs Blog is short for Web log. A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links. A blog is often a mixture of what is happening in a person's life and what is happening on the Web, a kind of hybrid diary/guide site. There are as many unique types of blogs as there are people.

Podcast (iPOD broadCAST) is an audio broadcast that has been converted to an MP3 file or other audio file format for playback in a digital music player or computer. The "pod" in podcast was coined from "iPod," the predominant portable, digital music player, and although podcasts are mostly verbal, they may contain music. Video Podcasts - vodcasts

Social Networking Sites A Web site that provides a virtual community for people interested in a particular subject or just to "hang out" together. Members communicate by voice, chat, instant message, videoconference and blogs The "social networking site" is the 21st century term for "virtual community.” FaceBook, MySpace, Second Life, etc.

Benefits of Technology Increases flexibility for multi-level classroom Provides access to expertise Facilitates discussion among learners Reduces feeling of isolation Increases learner autonomy Supports collaborative learning

Benefits of Technology Increases technological literacy Practice important skills Learn wonderful things Engage students Complement & extend instruction Should be fun!

Multi-level Multi-learning Classroom! Think Different!

Questions Todd W. Jorns (217)