Tech @ TCFL

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Tech @ TCFL

Issue #1, April 2016

TECH @ TCFL

Eladio Jimenez Made

Tech integration theory

Issue 1, April 2016

Part 1 of the SAMR model review

Context Give me an S! for susbstitution.

2 Digital Portfolio. Your evidence everywhere.

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Use of technology in the science lab.

Closing the gap.

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Dr. Ruben Puentedura is the Founder and President of Hippasus, a consulting firm which focuses on transformative applications of ICT to education.

He has

implemented these approaches for over 25 years at a range of K-20 educational, health and arts organizations. He is the creator of the SAMR model.

APPS SPOTLIGHT

4 Things should be made as simple as possible, not simpler. Albert Einstein.

Welcome!

One of the best things about working at The Community For Learning is the chance to innovate and grow along with a group of professionals that take the teaching profession seriously and continuously seek to better their craft. This newsletter tries to honor their commitment, by creating a space where sharing solutions and experiences is the key.

As we embark on this journey, which stemmed from one of the many spaces of growth that we share, we hope to contribute to making our student’s experiences richer and broader. At the same time, teachers will find in these pages tools and tips to ease some of the challenges of the teaching profession.

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Tech @ TCFL

Issue #1, April 2016

Give me an S! for substitution.

The use of technology is an integral element in any educational system that prides itself with preparing students for life outside the classroom. The pervasiveness of technology makes it impossible to keep it out of our student’s hands and minds.

It is not a surprise, then, that many schools have decided to implement plans to ensure that the integration of technology in the learning process is a reality in their campuses. Many, however, have failed and the reason is rather simple, their plan only aims at including technology, not at making technology the tool for learning that it is supposed to be.

It is in light of this reality that TCFL has taken steps to ensure that the technology integration process is a success. TCFL wants to ensure that sound pedagogy is behind all integration and that tech does not become the end but the means to better learning.

According to Dr. Puentedura’s model, SAMR, the integration process follows 4 stages: 1. Substitution 2. Augmentation 3. Modification 4. Redefinition

Tim Holt’s representation of the SAMR model. Some will appreciate the reference (Not thinking about the martian!)

Continued on page 4

Digital portfolios: Your evidences everywhere!

As the digital format becomes the norm and skill based evaluation takes the stage in today’s classroom, combining both is what makes sense. A student’s portfolio is the best way to show the process they have followed toward mastery of the content and skills that are fostered in the class. In this article we introduce some tools that can be used to create digital portfolios.

1. Google Docs. Of course we would go for google first, it can do anything! Research, share, and embed videos or pictures.

Whether a word processor document or a slide presentation, google docs has it all.

Access to data anytime, anywhere is vital for teachers today.

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Continued on page 5

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Tech @ TCFL

Issue #1, April 2016

Use of technology in the science classroom.

Closing the gap.

November of 2015 was the time selected for the 3Rd Annual National Science Conference. Sponsored by the Ministry of Education’s Science Department and with the participation of great science teachers of all generations and regions of the Dominican Republic.

The Community For Learning was honored to be present at this conference. Dennis Negron and Eladio Jimenez were invited to present the results of some of the “experiments” performed in the science cases with the use of technology. Based on recent research that suggested the possibility of the use of technology in lieu of physical lab equipment to foster student’s learning, they used a video analysis tool to develop student’s understanding of the motion of a pendulum and the mathematical models that better explained this type of movement.

Students used Tracker to analyze a video of a pendulum and create the graph that showed the

position of the pendulum by time. Using this information, students were to come up with the equation that would predict the position of the object at any given time.

To ensure that most variables were covered, another group served as control group and were asked to perform the same task but only using the tools that were available, physically, at the lab.

While it is true that both groups were capable of getting to the underlying concepts that described the motion of the pendulum, those students that had the opportunity of using Tracker went further in their understanding of the physical phenomenon.

Many of the teachers present at the conference were skeptical about the potential of virtual tools as a Continued…

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Tech @ TCFL

Issue #1, April 2016

Use of technology… (continued)

Give me an S! (continued)

substitute of any physical tool, however evidence found in the research conducted by Dennis Negron, showed that not only can they, the virtual tools, aid learning but in some cases, such as those where students had prior knowledge of the scientific phenomena, it can enhance the learning beyond what the physical laboratory would allow.

The first of the steps in the SAMR, substitution, implies very little change in the classroom mechanics. Teachers continue to do things the same way. Their strategies are the same, activities are the same, learning targets are still the same, it is as if nothing changes.

Since then, there has been an increase in the use of technology in the science lab; from the use of 3D sketching software, simulations to analyze natural phenomena and the use of online truss calculators to help analyze the structural health of a bridge design, to mention a few.

Would you like to test some technology in your classroom?

Let us know, we are here to help. resource@tcfl.edu.do or eladiojimenez@tcfl.edu.do

There is but a tiny little change, the means for delivery of the product changes from physical to digital. Those teachers that have always assigned students to write a poem for the astronomy lesson (Frank and Valerie I’m not talking about you) continue to do so, but the students are now turning their poems in through Google Classroom instead of printed or hand written.

The teacher who has students create presentations with trifold does not have to change that.

There is still a presentation, but instead of cardboard trifold, students use PowerPoint to create it. Again, there is no change in the “what is being done” but in the “how it is done."

Most teachers start at this stage, not changing the content, simply the form. What will you change?

Want to know more about the SAMR model? Check this link out http://goo.gl/cp2kzz

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Apps spotlight

Google Classroom All in one solution for the 21st century teacher.

Foster collaboration and independent work via this Google solution.

Need inspiration? Check what Lincoln and other teachers have been doing.

Evernote An alternative to Onenote and possibly more versatile.

Crossplatform online service, great tool for sharing thoughts and keeping your work organized.

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Tech @ TCFL Digital Portfolio (continued) 2.

Blogging sites. Blogger, Wordpress, Weebly, Wix, Edublog and other such sites allow for students to create a fully customizable space where they can show their work to the world, or just to you if they so choose.

3. Notetaking apps and services. Whether you prefer Onenote or Evernote, these apps allow you to organize your data in a breeze.

Sharing your evidence with concerned parties is also very easy as long as they also have an account with the service.

Issue #1, April 2016 You can find all of the services mentioned in this article at the following web addresses: 1. docs.google.com 2. blogger.com 3. wordpress.com 4. wix.com 5. edublogs.org 6. weebly.com 7. evernote.com

4. Three Ring. If you want to use any mobile device to capture data for the portfolio then this is your app.

8. onenote.com

5. SeeSaw. Allows for children as young as five years of age, to show their voice through a portfolio, very intuitive and easy to use.

10. web.seesaw.me

6. If you are looking for a more professional feel that can serve for both the classroom and the business world, then you might want to look at Pathbrite, Exibi or GoEnnounce. These services will allow you to create a very visually engaging portfolio.

Creating digital portfolios can be challenging for many students and it is important to give them resources that can help them get inspired. The Creative Educator website offers an article with some tips to get started with your first portfolio. (find it here: http://goo.gl/H9Nmc8)

9. threering.com

11. pathbrite.com 12. exibi.com 13. goennounce.com

Take a look at these tools and let us know which one works for you. Email us at resource@tcfl.edu.do or at eladiojimenez@tcfl.edu.do

If what is needed is inspiration to create a cool portfolio, then take a look at the article on Creativebloq about designer’s portfolios and see what a great portfolio looks like. (Check it out here: http://goo.gl/q0rpjS)

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Tech @ TCFL

Issue #1, April 2016

How to contribute to the newsletter.

Do you want to contribute to the newsletter? Do you have any experiences from your classroom that you would like to share? Do you have any questions that might interest the whole of the community? Do you want to learn about a specific app? Do YOU want to discuss any app or service?

If you answered yes to any of the previous questions then you have all you need to contribute to this newsletter.

Let us know via email how you would like to contribute and we

will help you in making that happen. resource@tcfl.edu.do or eladiojimenez@tcfl.edu.do.

If you would like to write a piece for the newsletter and you are not sure whether it is fit for this format, let us know, we will make it work. This space is to support all of us. Don’t hold back, contribute!

#edcampRD is around the corner, May 7th @ TCFL. What will you share?

Views and opinions are the sole responsibility of the author and do not represent that of The Community For Learning.