PLC Groups

         Professional Learning Communities (PLC)

What is it? What is its purpose? How does it work?

A PLC is an ongoing process used to establish a school-wide culture that develops teacher leadership explicitly focused on building and sustaining school wide improvement efforts. PLCs are composed of teachers, administrators, and support staff routinely participate. Through participation, collaborative teams focus on improving student learning.

       When teachers come together and brain storm, they can accomplish more than trying to stay in isolation without any feedback from fellow peers in the same field. PLC groups have a goal of meeting the needs of the entire student body. The teachers in these groups share a common goal which is to give their students a quality education. This will be accomplish through the sharing of lesson plans, teacher feedback, teaching methods, etc. The key is communication with coworkers to meet the common goal of educating our youth.  

Spelling City

Spelling City 

                 SpellingCity Tutorial - English
Example of how a teacher may explain how to use Spelling City for the classroom.

                

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=hoxrNR8Ia7g

          One minute message #2: SpellingCity
      A quick video on the activities that can
                  can utilized in Spelling City

                                      

                                        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5HzU2bHNew

    How To Add Spelling List to Spelling City

                                            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuseQXKHJf4

Working in a Group on a Technology Project

                                      

                                Working in a Group
                                    on a
                        Technology Project

           Working with a group was good in some ways and in other ways it was a little frustrating.   Working from a computer was even harder because we had to read through all the different folders and watch  the different videos before getting started. This was very time consuming as sometimes the links did not work right away. It was hard to get everyone to communicate and collaborate. There were only of few of us who got together to give each other feedback. I thought the presentation part was fun because it gave us a chance to show our creative side.  It was also a chance to gather new ideas for some possible teaching lessons for the future. It was also interesting to learn the different ways Google Docs could be transformed into a teaching tool in the classroom. Overall, the experience was good because we have to learn how to work with others and communicate as best we can. By the end of the project, we all came together and completed out task. Our presentation came together and everyone did their part. All the different parts of the project in this assignment could be used in my specific teaching area which is grades kindergarten through sixth grade. The Chalk Talk would be a good tool during a writing assignment where the children are to write a paper. The children could individually brain storm the specific points they wish to communicate in their research papers. The presentation feature in Google docs could help children learn how to collaborate during a group project and combine their work and ideas in a fun, colorful, and informative presentation format. The spreadsheet could be could be a way for the children to organize their data in several subject areas to gather, formulate, analyze, and present data in an organized manner. I thought there were several features that Google Docs has that could connect students in other states or countries in the world. The Google translator was one feature in which the children could send correspondence back and forth and be able to understand one another. One class in one state could write a blog to share about their classroom activities and another class in another state or country could have the same type of blog to share what is going on in their classroom. Each class could send comments back and forth as feedback and support.

Google Docs

Google Doc Usage in the Classroom

          Google Docs is an interesting tool, but I have found that some of the typing is light and some is dark when I view some of my blogs. I have not discovered why. I have had to copy and past the type to a Microsoft Word document and bold it . Then I have copied and pasted the paragraph or sentence back in then cut out the old part that was to light. There may be an easier way, but I haven't discovered it, yet.  I have discovered how to make a spread sheet and a presentation, but I will need to play some to learn more details. Google Doc is able to do real time updates. I discovered how to upload a video from You Tube by clicking on the symbol that looks like a movie director's device used to say, "Cut" !

Standards in Education

Standards in Education

    Making a Better World for Today's Youth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OomftMDRiUA



                                      Technology Course Intro - ISTE Standards

          When I was in school, computers were not used very much. I did not know anyone who had a computer. In 1981, I graduated and went a year and a half to college before getting married and starting a family. I used a type writer to write papers. The first time I took a computer course was when I went back to college for a couple of semesters in 1999. Things sure have changed since my high school days. Now all I have to do is get on the internet and I can research anything that I want to know. I am finding this out even more since I have gone into the teaching program. I never realized that I could find lesson plans by goggling. There is so much information on the internet. Students must be lead in purposeful activities in the classroom that lead them to research and question the sources of information they are given so freely.
 
          Since our world has developed into a technology driven society, teachers must meet specific standards to ensure they are prepared to teach technology in the classroom. These standards are set up to ensure that teachers are effective in preparing our youth to further their education after high school, meet future career goals, and understand day to day technology. When teachers have met these standards, they will have shown their competency  in constructing, enforcing, and evaluating learning experiences that will interest and motivate our youth in digital age of learning. In order to ensure that students are well prepared throughout their educational experience they also have  certain requirements and goals to achieve.

          As I researched National Education Technology Standards (NETS) standards and North Carolina (NC) standards for teachers and students, the main difference was the one for NC student technology expectations. It was broken down into what is expected for each grade level. The early learners have to get the essentials down first as they learn to identify, understand, remember, use different technology, summarize, classify, Then as they progress then they begin to learn to put there basic knowledge into use. Students slowly learn to design, analyze, evaluate, clarity,compare, explain, and use technology appropriately.

          The International Society for Technology in Education and the National Education Technology Standards (ISTE/NETS) are the model standards all great teachers and students must aspire to meet. When teachers have met these standards, they will have shown their competency  in constructing, enforcing, and evaluating learning experiences that will interest and motivate our youth by using technological tools.
Effective teachers must meet the following standards:  

• Lead and inspire students to be creative and learn. 

• Develop and design technological learning experiences and assess students understanding in case teaching methods must be adjusted.
•  Model current technology skills and a willingness to learn new technology to enhance teacher practices and student learning.
• Model  and promote legal and ethical technology usage. 

The goal in the ability of students to meet NETS Standards: 

• Strive to  become inventors of new and unique ideas and to be more creative
  
  
• Become better communicators and team players
• Understand how to research and validate information
• Become critical thinkers, problem solvers, decision makers. Become youth who think for themselves and come up with solutions to the problems of the future.
• Practice responsible and appropriate digital technology citizenship as they learn the legal and ethical consequences of illegal usage of computer technology.
   
  
• Demonstrate sound understanding of technological  concepts, systems, and operations. 

World in Hand Clip Art:
http://www.google.com/imgres?start=160&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=1054&tbm=isch&tbnid=GrxAc7cD7xoD1M:&imgrefurl=http://teachingsagittarian.com/2009/11/net-s-what-does-that-really-mean-for-teachers/&docid=iP8Yx9Wlai8usM&imgurl=http://img.skitch.com/20091124-mb3962usbdfxt8u29k68xt8xtt.jpg&w=340&h=268&ei=LuNMUL62LouO8wSu4IHQAw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=417&sig=115780788475162239442&page=5&tbnh=158&tbnw=218&ndsp=44&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:160,i:247&tx=65&ty=78

ISTE_NETS_Standards_for_Administrators: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:nvy1V26XwE8J:classroom.ldisd.net/webs/iste/upload/iste_nets_standards_for_administrators.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShD5FCdBqUCTNaPlhythDhPiHK0ZRn3WxWik83nrK6ly-pI_zpaXUuOHlMTecCQMCoYJUqDrGpFuviLEy-j2cRcv5G1pxjXeaq8AAUPaSLhuAEauoVWXuAoEbvJOPeZR9-C8h_1&sig=AHIEtbRJ-ge5qB2gIHGpYaujlo8Kei_FNQ

ISTE 2013 Forraging the Learning Frontier: 
http://www.isteconference.org/2013/program/nets.php

TPACK

                    Reflecting  on TPACK

Give me a T...T!

         Give me a P...P!

                   Give me and A...A!

                           Give me a C...C!

                                    Give me a K...K!



What does it spell?!   TPACK

             What does each letter mean?

 T=Technological

P=Pedagogical

 A=And or (Grade Goal for students =)

C=Content

 K=Knowledge

                      What is it All About?

       Educators are interested in TPACK because it is a way for teachers and students build a significant and efficient

technological alliance. TPACK strives for teachers to not just know about computers, but they must develop a pedagogic or an art of teaching their subject well as they integrate computer technology into their lesson plans.

       TK=Technological Knowledge. The ability to use the software, computers, etc. software, computers, etcetera.

       CK=Content Knowledge is the content knowledge teachers must have to teach in their field of specialty such as Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Math, Reading, and more.

       What teachers are trying to convey to their students stems from Dr. Lee Shulman's idea of pedagamy of how to teach which is (PCK).

           

        (PCK)-Pedagogical Content Knowledge is where the pedagogical knowledge of a subject and content knowledge meet to allow teachers to effectively teach that specific content knowledge.

       TCK=Technological Content Knowledge in which a teacher may know the technology to support research in that field of study.
       TPK=Technological Pedagogical Knowledge is knowledge in which a teacher knows how to use technology to support teaching.
       The whole idea of TPACK is to accomplish a more productive way of teaching in a way that the students will learn while using technology they already use and learning how to use new technology. Technology, Pedagogy, and Content are a very complicated way to support good teaching. This entire package is called context by supporters who would defend TPACK.
       If a child is in Elementary School,the way TPACK will look would be different than someone who is in a higher education program. So ultimately, TPACK seeks to understand how the 3 domains of Technology, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge interact with one another in creating subdomains that are essential to understand and support effective technological integration. 

Slide Share for TPAK:

http://www.slideshare.net/Sr_Geralyn/tpak-14358504

References:

Inspector Gadget Clip Art: http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=1054&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=bSRfY7vho5ErNM:&imgrefurl=http://martine-gordon.blogspot.com/2010/06/tpack.html&docid=cBgZWK3RQF-FzM&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vTqm45ZEeag/SwZ8mr42SoI/AAAAAAAAACw/CSDBsbqksIo/s1600/TPACK%252BModel.JPG&w=960&h=720&ei=sddLULvTIY249gSGuYGADw&zoom=1&iact=hc&dur=420&sig=115780788475162239442&page=1&tbnh=160&tbnw=226&start=0&ndsp=33&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0,i:95&tx=161&ty=154&vpx=212&vpy=351&hovh=192&hovw=257

TPACK Large Clip Art: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://randysresources.wikispaces.com/file/view/tpack2.jpg/81246499/tpack2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://randysresources.wikispaces.com/TPACK&h=533&w=710&sz=127&tbnid=NRlyFSlIuqXV4M:&tbnh=85&tbnw=113&zoom=1&usg=__zfrzz2b1cwte4QSLoCSm8MFTmtY=&docid=EvzD72lkBde8oM&sa=X&ei=JPJLUKmAFZOo8QTTqICYCA&ved=0CFIQ9QEwBw&dur=436

Dr. Lee Shulman photo: http://www.google.com/imgres?start=86&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=1054&tbm=isch&tbnid=6JNUyxX3g6krBM:&imgrefurl=http://edt514tpack.wikispaces.com/Who%2BCan%2BUse%2Bthe%2BTPACK%2Bmodel&docid=JI8wWceZmElKBM&imgurl=http://edt514tpack.wikispaces.com/file/view/Dr._Lee_Shulman-sm.jpg/90772047/Dr._Lee_Shulman-sm.jpg&w=415&h=402&ei=qQxMUJXPCIbs9ASwgYEo&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=378&sig=115780788475162239442&page=3&tbnh=159&tbnw=164&ndsp=46&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:86,i:12&tx=128&ty=77

TPACK Model Clip Art: http://www.google.com/imgres?start=806&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=1054&tbm=isch&tbnid=kozbgsYpMbq_nM:&imgrefurl=http://audioboo.fm/boos/881627-unpacking-tpack&docid=p5SuGv4IBp3wGM&itg=1&imgurl=http://d15mj6e6qmt1na.cloudfront.net/files/images/0285/8450/36E84B40-3C19-4A73-8026-500EE573F502-2124-0000015F277590B9.jpg&w=634&h=638&ei=-Q9MUPywEIOk8gTe94HQBA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=462&sig=115780788475162239442&page=20&tbnh=157&tbnw=156&ndsp=40&ved=1t:429,r:47,s:806,i:159&tx=66&ty=109

http://www.citejournal.org/vol9/iss1/general/article1.cfm