Pre+Portfolio+Section+1

**Section 1: Technology Integration and Effects on Student Learning ** = A. Research =


 * Artifact 1 **
 * Critical Information Literacy Project **

In the Digital Communication Course we read about the importance of having students think critically when reading anything on the web. I was able to find resources online that support this finding of having critical readers online for older elementary students. I developed a lesson plan for teachers to use with their students that integrates technology and writing. Students are to write a persuasive letter to their principal asking for longer recess. Once students have an understanding of what it takes to write an effective persuasive letter they will research online with a partner for facts to support longer recess. Students will evaluate websites for reliability and trustworthiness using a handout. After students have found reliable websites to support their opinion, they will fill out their writing organizer. They will also consider the biased websites ideas when filling out the organizer since that could be a potential rebuttal of the principal.Prior to having students work with their partners, the teacher will model how to think critically using my Be a Web Detective tool. Through this project, teachers and students will better understand the need for this skill in their everyday lives.

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See Critical Information Literacy Homepage for more. =====


 * Artifact 2**
 * Web 2.0 Blog**

Through the Web 2.0 blog for the Digital Communication Course I was able to find trends in technology education that would support Maryland’s curriculum. I was able to find resources for each Web 2.0 technology that explain how to best use these resources in an elementary school setting. I was even able to create products that I can use in my class and for parents which are posted on the blog.

Check out my blog, SOMETHING TO DO & SOMETHING TO LOVE.

(TF-II.B, TF-III.A, TF-III.E, TF-IV.C)
**B. Integration of Technology in the Curriculum**


 * Artifact 1**
 * Plan to Participant in Telecollaborative Project**

For the Digital Communication Course, I planned out how to participate in the tellecollaborative project, Monster Exchange. The webpage I created included a plan which addressed the state and national standards in reading and technology. Through this project, classes are paired up with other class anywhere in the world in order to share student monster designs. Students will follow the writing process in order to publish their directions which will be sent to their partner. The challenge is that both students need to write directions that are specific enough for their partner to redraw their unique monster drawing. Students will need to use their reading skills to be able to follow their partner’s directions to recreate the monster as close to the original. Using Kid Pix/Paint students will create their monster drawing. The directions will be written up using word processing software such as Microsoft Word. In the end the project will be evaluated based off three criteria which is explain on the closure/evaluation page. (see highlights)

Participant Project Webpage

(TF-II.A, TF-II.C, TF-III.A, TF-III.C, TF-III.E)
**C. Technology Resources**


 * Artifact 1**
 * Funding Project**

For the Role of the Technology Leader course I found three grants to obtain technology resources and/or technology staff development funds. Two grants were smaller and one was a larger grant. I analyzed the grants by what will be easier to write and how appropriate it would be for our school. I also considered some downfalls that may occur when applying for the grant such as the time of the year when applying. In the end I made a recommendation on whether I would approach my staff/technology committee of these grants.

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 * Artifact 2**
 * Web 2.0 Blog**

For the Digital Communication in the Classroom course I created a Web 2.0 blog. I played around and tried out various web 2.0 resources. Through most of the resources I was able to find a way that they are suitable for Maryland’s curriculum standards. However, I did analyze some resources on whether it would be appropriate for elementary school and the county such as Twitter and Twiducate. I believe that both were not appropriate for elementary school students because of safety concerns. Both websites did not enough safety and would require digital citizenship lessons at which may not be appropriate for younger elementary students.

Check out my blog, SOMETHING TO DO & SOMETHING TO LOVE.


 * Artifact 3**
 * Curricular Based Website Reviews**

In the Curricular Applications of Technology course I evaluated three different interactive curricular based websites in terms of how useful it would be to a teacher as well as how it meets the Maryland state curriculum. I explain the benefits of the websites and how it can be used such as: a whole group teacher driven activity, an extension activity, and a student resource to complete independently.

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**(TF-III.C)**
**D. Managing the Technology-Rich Classroom**


 * Artifact 1**
 * Participant Project- Lesson Plan, Timeline, and Back- Up Plan**

When designing a plan to participate in the Monster Exchange Telecollaborative Project, it was important to consider how to manage the project with students. As a classroom teacher I considered what issues may come up and ways to resolve the problem. In the back-up webpage __my contingency plan__ is explained. I analyzed the variety of resources that can be used to share the student illustrations and directions in regards to what may work better for teachers on my __lesson plan webpage__. In order to implement this project it is important to meet deadlines therefore, I created a timeline that fuses Anne Arundel County’s writing curriculum for third grade and Monster Exchange’s timeline. All of these web pages make it possible for a teacher to manage technology.


 * Artifact 2**
 * Curricular Unit**

In the Curricular Applications of Technology Course I developed a 13 day lesson plan using a variety of resources online for students and teachers to use. I also created an Interactive Whiteboard activity. Each day is broken down by what the objectives are, what the activity is along with evaluation, what resources will be needed such as links/software/hardware. I took the lesson from a third grade science pacing guide and integrating technology. Therefore, some of the activities are in the classroom using the science text and some are in the computer lab. In the activity portion of the lesson plan I explain how the lesson will be managed whether with students paired up, working individually in the lab, or as a whole group. The timeline given accommodates the amount of time necessary in a lab.

media type="custom" key="6652509" SMART Notebook Software or Notebook Interactive Viewer can be downloaded at [].

**(TF- II.A, TF-II.D, TF- II.E, TF- III.D)**
**E. Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues**


 * Artifact 1**
 * VBA Project**

My group created an interactive multimedia project that our students will use in the classroom. The project is geared toward students in second to fifth grade. The multimedia PowerPoint includes topics that teach students about the importance of online safety. Our presentation addresses netiquette, cyber bullying, internet safety, and how to search the web. Each part includes a tutorial to describe each topic to the children and a quiz to assess each topic. The three day lesson plan concludes with students creating online safety posters to post around the school.

We hope that our students will gain knowledge about the proper etiquette that should be used when sending email, talking in chat rooms, blogging or contributing on discussion boards. It is also important to have our students understand how cyber bullying takes place and the effects that it can have on others. Additionally, applying everyday safety rules to the internet just as they would keep there selves safe in the real world. Learning the proper way to search for information on the internet is another valuable skill that we want to instill in our students. We want to teach them how to interpret information and how to find factual information by locating reliable sites and cross checking information.

Due to the size of the micros enabled VBA project I was unable to upload it to the Wiki. **The macros enabled presentation can be downloaded at [] .**

PDF version of the project: media type="custom" key="6677645" Created by Patty Cunningham, Stephanie Kolakowski, and Christina Lassalle media type="custom" key="6677583"


 * Artifact 2**
 * Acceptable Use Policy & Memo**

In the Role of the Technology Leader course I developed a memo to my principal to explain the importance of having a school-wide acceptable use policy that supports Anne Arundel County’s acceptable use policy. I developed a new Passport to Technology that students/scholars will earn once their parents have gone over the policies, the child/scholar understands the rules and consequences, and the teacher has taught the required digital citizenship lessons. The digital citizenship lessons are county wide and provided on the website. The letter along with the memo will be sent home to the parents and student/scholar to clarify the rules and consequences that promote safe and healthy use of the internet/equipment. These rules are related to our school rules which are to be respectful, responsible, safe, and ready to learn. (4 R’s)

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 * Artifact 3**
 * Software Piracy/Tracking Memo**

In the Role of the Technology Leader course I developed a memo to my principal to clarify new school-wide procedures for keeping track of hardware and software in order to be equitable with the resources as well as ethical. The policies and procedures are broken down by who is in charge of the implementation, what the procedures will be, when it will take place, and where equipment/documentation will be placed. In the memo I developed a letter that will be sent out to staff to clarify these policies and procedures. media type="custom" key="6652549"

**(TF- VI.A, TF-VI.D, TF-VI.E)**
**F. Technology for Diversity**


 * Artifact 1**
 * Participant Project in Monster Exchange Telecollaborative Project**

Classes are paired up with other class anywhere in the world in order to share student monster designs. Students will follow the writing process in order to publish their directions which will be sent to their partner. The challenge is that both students need to write directions that are specific enough for their partner to redraw their unique monster drawing. Students will need to use their reading skills to be able to follow their partner’s directions to recreate the monster as close to the original. Students will use the internet to post and communicate their directions online. Through the Monster Exchange Project students will have an understanding that there are children all around the world similar and different from them but can communicate just the same.

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**Artifact** ** 2 ** **Universal Learning Digital Text Wiki Page for Presentation**

While the class read about Universal Design we were assigned chapters to share understanding. In my groups chapter we read an interview of two teachers who used digital text to help their diverse learners feel successful in reading by applying reading strategies through a program called The Thinking Reader. Most students were not primarily english speakers and through the program felt more confident about reading and sharing their reading. My group create a wiki page for the class to access information from this chapter while we did a reenactment of the interview. We emphasized that digital text through this program affirmed diversity and addressed language differences among students.

Instruction Goes Digital - Universal Learning Presentation

**(TF- VI.B, TF- VI.C)**

**G. Technology for Diverse and Special Needs**


 * Artifact 1**
 * Participant Project in Monster Exchange Telecollaborative Project- Lesson Plan/ Closure**

In the plan to participant in the Monster Exchange Telecollaborative Project I selected appropriate resources to differentiate instruction. In the lesson plan I included option hand-on lessons that show how important it is to be clear in your writing when giving directions. There is also a lesson to use to teach or re-teach sequence. __See the lesson plan__ with sticky notes and highlights for more details. In the closure I included links to games that reinforce the theme monsters. There is also a link to research monsters/super natural beings. I even found a video that students can watch to learn more about Chessie in the Chesapeake Bay. Students who are naturalistic and enjoy the Chesapeake Bay would get inspired to research more about this potential bay monster. __See the closure/evaluation page__ with sticky notes and highlights for more information.


 * Artifact 2 **
 * 5 Day Unit Plan **

In ET 640 I created a five day unit plan which used technology and strategies which support the needs of all diverse learners including assistive technology in my classroom. A class overview and matrix explained the diverse needs of learning in my class in the unit plan. Additionally, each lesson required technology as well as a method that emphasized universal design. My five day unit plan was a science unit on the topic physics. Each lesson had three variations of text based on reading ability. Extension and reteaching materials were available as well so that all learners could be successful. Link is below.

Five Day Unit Plan - Portfolio Files Make sure to unzip files


 * Artifact 3 **
 * Assistive Technology Presentation **

In ET 640 we researched and analyzed low to high tech assistive technologies. My group found reading and writing assistive technologies that ranged from low cost to high cost. These technologies empower learners with varying abilities to help them feel successful to read and write. We were able to share and go in depth about these technologies during our presentation below:

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**(TF- II.A, TF- III.B, TF- VI.B)**
**H. Instructional Design**


 * Artifact 1**
 * VBA Project**


 * As a group Patty, Stephanie, and I combined three separate Power Points into one VBA project. At first our presentation was linear but then realized that the project needed to be user friendly in design and offer many options. We had to discuss how to make the design consistent through similar buttons and in colors. This artifact shows the final design of flow between three tutorials and quizzes for an Introduction to Internet. After the project was created we reflected that adding videos created by ourselves would of made the project more real life and authentic in design (see final project write up for more details). **

media type="custom" key="6657009" 

Image from Tagexdo.com.