Using Technology as an embedded learning tool – a wall-less brick & mortar classroom Sandy Anaka Jill French Nechako Lakes SD#91 Oct , 2008

Our task is to demonstrate how to use technology as an embedded learning tool into what we call….. a blended learning environment? face-to-face classroom setting plus computer mediated learning (Charles Graham)Charles Graham

Our Goals for this Presentation…. why using technology in diverse ways is important how you can gradually shift towards increasing your use of technology to provide numerous support links to help you this presentation is available online at…..

Why… changes is society changes in learning leads to some changes in teaching practices

How… Our team will demonstrate how to weave technology into the entire day: daybook online lessons posted online weblinks visited daily visualization tools for math concepts student accessed skill development sites for specific projects (webquests, research, Internet safety)

We will also be discussing how technology can help make our classrooms … not only more accessible, but transparent to parents. the value of school-to-home parent pages online the value of daily lessons, units and assignments, support material and social networking tools posted online

Benefits increased engagement levels easier access to materials transparency of learning (support material, daybook etc) new ways to teach, model, extend student learning supports independent learning (e.g. wiki) provides diverse types of reading (e.g. instructions, information) provides new ways to learn about your students and to inform your teaching (blog) provides new ways to teach, model, extend student learning

Challenges time –classroom –personal learning sufficient equipment reliable equipment technology support (everyone busy) displacement of other resources using computers in diverse ways

Online learning … synchronous: information or learning occurring at a specific time examples: –Elluminate (e.g. V-class) free for 3 participantsElluminate benefits: –ideas and thoughts can be exchanged immediately

Online learning cont’d… asynchronous: information and learning not dependent on a specific time examples: –video cams (San Diego Zoo)San Diego Zoo –current events (CBC news)CBC news –follow a researcher (Catt Trax 2 )Catt Trax 2 –conference session videovideo benefits: –information accessed at own convenience

Technology Used to Support Activities Hardware SMART Board digital projector computers digital cameras Software All The Right Type Adobe Photoshop, Go Live Macromedia Dreamweaver Elluminate (free access online) Office - PowerPoint (OpenOffice), ExcelOpenOffice Other Internet web space (e.g. FirstClass provides this)

Process of embedded technology for instruction The value of school-to-home . The value of daily lessons posted. online daybook with an interactive daily schedule –example daily scheduledaily schedule –benefits »schedule is archived »accessible to parents (homework, child away)homework »accessible to teacher to revisit a lessonlesson »accessible to students to revisit a lesson

Cross Curricular Holistic instruction –for example: CattTrax2: BC researcher exploring global connection i.e. economic, environmental (project)project Sturgeon Recovery –benefits: constructed knowledge (wiki)wiki non-linear learning

Classroom Support Online own class website eg: Mrs. French’s ( French’s online resources (teachers, and students)teachersstudents benefits: –safe storage –transparency –disseminated information –asynchronous access –supports independent learning (e.g. PS)PS

Internet useage: Value of documenting I am wondering if these links are reflect what you mean.. weblinks visited daily: (vocabulary building )vocabulary building use of the internet for research (Web in the Classroom SD44)Web in the Classroom SD44 (new) safety issues (Web Aware) (new)Web Aware

For specific projects: Support critical thinking projects: webquests –Water QuestWater Quest –QuebecQuebec –data base (new)data base

Curricular importance Social studies CBC News at Ancient Egypt Project at The Webquest page of First Nations at

Language Arts Assignments Assignments, e.g.: –novel study (assignment, template, rubric)template –story writing (assignment, template, rubric)templaterubric benefits: –enhances the ability to explain the activity (hyperlinks provide further information) –can be linked to mini-lessons chapter summarieschapter summaries –exhibit work e.g. student stories vocabulary: easy access for daily vocabulary building –vocabulary building Daily Buzz WordDaily Buzz Word dynamic: new word daily social construction

Language Arts - mini-lessons Access to mini lessons quickly & efficiently mini-lessons onlinemini-lessons spelling rules Benefits: students can access at any time teacher faces students, easily monitoring participation level minimal time used to access, discuss lessons

Language Arts examples from the Classroom e-journals Story writing (will link to some) Representing new knowledge Show What You Know: Power Point PresentationShow What You KnowPower Point Presentation Socially Constructed Knowledge blog “Northern Muses”Northern Muses wiki “comesee”wikicomesee

French Interactive sites: support teaching (resources, lesson plans)resourceslesson plans support learning (resources)resources online pronunciation (essential phrases)essential phrases online translation tool (paralink)paralink Examples from the Classroom: Preparing for an Immersion Class (Scenario #1)Scenario #1

Science Sturgeon Recovery Project real life, current and relevant science units –Sturgeon UnitSturgeon Unit benefits: –current, relevant text can provide the information –Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery InitiativeWhite Sturgeon Recovery –connections to local field trip opportunitylocal field trip –review material e.g. JeopardyJeopardy

Science Protecting our Salmon at Salmon Resource Page for Schools at It’s a Jungle Out there! at

Math Visualization tools demonstrates the importance of a variety of media to develop deeper understanding: Tessellations using Paint Home Page for Teaching Tessellations at visualization tools (addition with regrouping)addition

Math Supporting students’ learning in math: math term definitionsdefinitions post lessons and quizzes onlinelessonsquizzes menu for concept practice onlinemenu see the ‘story in data’ weekly graphweekly graph –pie charts or a variety Create a Graphpie charts –pie charts compared to other graphsother graphs

Math Supporting learning instruction: diverse tools helps address different learning styles: visual learners access by students and parents at any time practice from concrete mid to abstractconcretemidabstract

Fine Arts Supporting Fine Arts content: music (theory, how to play)music theoryhow to play Drama (Readers’ Theater)Readers’ Theater Benefits: to provide instruction to provide support material to support independent learning

Fine Arts content: Visual arts lessons:lessons Photoshop scanners

Supporting Independent Learning… Student accessed skill development sites: language arts (others)others reading: (Buzz Word)Buzz Word writing: (nouns & verbs)nouns & verbs math: (expanded form) (others)expanded formothers social studies: (World Fact Book) (others)World Fact Bookothers science: (science glossary) (others)science glossaryothers typing: (bbc) (others)bbcothers

Making the shift.. TRADITIONALIndependent Learning daybookdaily schedule math sheetsmath practice math textbooksJenny Eather science sheetsscience themes ss vocabulary listsJeopardy French listssample #1 …for a few more see Slowly ShiftingSlowly Shifting

Further Resources (I will make direct links to these so they are not listed here but a more complete list is provided for each) Learning Theories Instructional Strategies / /

Resources continued Other Professional Development Other Professional Development links Tutorials Blended Learning Environment (video)video &hl=dehttp://video.google.de/videoplay?docid= &hl=de

Social Networking Tools Global Learning Communities Curriki Taking it Global Learning Circles (video clip) clip Global Campaign for the right to Education more……….

Social Networking Tools Technology software available online SMART Technologies Elluminate: Wiki: open-source software Moodle: open-source software Blogging: open-source software Blogger.com

Happy trails.. If you are interested in anything you have seen and would like support from a peer, please us at or we will try to provide the help you need. We leave you with this thought …. if it seems that everything is a struggle and you feel as those you are working way harder than you think you should be… then take heart …. others take on challenges as well. Herding cats Jill Sandy