EDT-210 Technology in Elementary Education Fall 2008 • Course Syllabus • Section 001
Fall 2008 Tuesday/Thursday 1:05-2:10 FCS-194 Education Computer Lab School of Education Course Website: https://ctools.umich.edu/portal & www.umdedtech.wikispaces.com
Dr. Stein Brunvand School of Education e-mail: sbrunvan@umd.umich.edu Blog: www.umdedtech.blogspot.com Telephone: 313-583-6415 Office: D-7 School of Education Office Hours: Tuesday 10:00-1:00, Thursday 11:00-1:00 or by appointment
Course Overview EDT 210 provides students with basic knowledge of technology in an educational setting. This includes the operation of various pieces of hardware and software as well as skills for evaluating and integrating technology into the classroom. Course Objectives The following course objectives are taken from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) technology standards for teachers. To learn more about ISTE and these standards visit http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/t_stands.html or go to the Michigan Department of Education website (http://www.michigan.gov/mde). • demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems. • demonstrate proficiency in the use of common input and output devices; solve routine hardware and software problems; and make informed choices about technology systems, resources, and services. • use technology tools and information resources to increase productivity, promote creativity, and facilitate academic learning. • use content-specific tools (e.g., software, simulation, environmental probes, graphing calculators, exploratory environments, Web tools) to support learning and research. • use technology resources to facilitate higher order and complex thinking skills, including problem solving, critical thinking, informed decision making, knowledge construction, and creativity. • collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, preparing publications, and producing other creative works using productivity tools. • use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. • use technology tools to process data and report results. • use technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world. observe and experience the use of technology in their major field of study. • use technology tools and resources for managing and communicating information (e.g., finances, schedules, addresses, purchases, correspondence). • evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on their appropriateness to specific tasks. • use a variety of media and formats, including telecommunications, to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences. • demonstrate an understanding of the legal, ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology. • exhibit positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity. • discuss diversity issues related to electronic media. • discuss the health and safety issues related to technology use. Course Schedule • Introduction to Educational Technology • Communicating with Technology (blogs, listservs, e-mail, discussion boards) • Using the Internet (social bookmarking, web searches, website evaluation, RSS) • Collaborative Tools for writing, presentations, planning and more • Software applications in Education/Technology Integration • Web page design and development
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Teaching with Multimedia Integrating Technology into the Curriculum Electronic Portfolios
Weekly Discussion Topics Students are expected to participate in weekly online discussions on a variety of topics related to educational technology. We will be using the discussion tool in CTools to facilitate these discussions. Discussion topics will always be posted on the Friday before their assigned week so that students have a chance to review topics before responding. Students are expected to respond to the initial topic by the start of class each Thursday. Responses need to be thoughtful and on topic. A response of “I agree” or a restatement of another student’s response is not acceptable. Students are encouraged to read each other’s postings and reply where appropriate. Participation in the weekly online discussion will count towards your overall participation grade. Responses submitted during class time will not be read or counted for participation credit. Week 1: September 3rd-5th No Discussion Week 2: September 8th-12th National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Teachers and Students Week 3: September 15th-19th Alternatives to Office Week 4: September 22nd-26th Communication Tools Week 5: September 29th-October 3rd Instructional Software Week 6: October 6th-10th Class Homepages Week 7: October 13th-17th Blogging Week 8: October 20th-24th Collaborative Tools Week 9: October 27th-31st Podcasting Week 10: November 3rd-7th Digital Games/Multi User Virtual Environments (MUVEs) Week 11: November 10th-14th Digital Videos Week 12: November 17th-21st No Discussion (Thanksgiving break) Week 13: November 24th-28th Wikis Week 14: December 1st-5th Online Safety Week 15: December 8th-12th No Discussion (Classes end on December 9th) CTools A course website has been created in the online course management system known as CTools. You are automatically granted access to this site as a result of your enrollment in the course. In order to access the site you need to go to www.ctools.umich.edu and login using your uniquename and Kerberos password. Your uniquename is usually some combination of your first initial and last name. This is assigned to you and can also be referred to as your username or login ID. Your Kerberos password should have been mailed to you when you were initially accepted into the university. It is the password you would use to access your UM-D mail account through the Webmail service or to register for classes online. It may not necessarily be the same password that you use to login into the computers in the labs. If you don’t know your Kerberos password you can contact the ITS offices located at 1140 Computing Wing. Their phone number is 313-593-5519 and you may need to go there in person to get your Kerberos password. You can also change the password at several of the computer labs across campus at special terminals within the labs. You will want to ask the lab attendants which terminal to use for this purpose. The final option is to change your password online at http://www.its.umd.umich.edu/48/. Course Notes There will be a set of notes for each week of the semester that will be shared electronically with students through the online collaborative writing tool called Zoho (www.zoho.com). Students can view the notes, edit them and save them to their own computers. Each class a student will be assigned as the designated note taker. It is that student’s responsibility to add to the class notes for their assigned day and write a brief summary of what took place on their assigned day. These summaries should be completed within 24 hours of the end of class on the assigned day. Students will sign up for their notetaking day during the first class. UMD Ed Tech Blog & Wiki I maintain a blog at www.umdedtech.blogspot.com and a Wiki at www.umdedtech.wikispaces.com. I encourage all students to subscribe to each of these online resources so that they can get regular updates when new posts or content is added to either of these sites. Important Dates Thursday, September 18th: no face-to-face class (Jury Duty for Professor Brunvand)
Thursday, October 16th: no face-to-face class (Professor Brunvand presenting at a conference) Thursday, November 27th: No class (Thanksgiving) Thursday, December 11th: Final Exam period (3:00-6:00) in 194 FCS Learning Activities 1. Creating a Word Document (20 pts.) 2. Creating Graphs/Charts in Excel (30 pts.) 3. Web site/Software evaluation (40 pts.) 4. Concept Mapping (20 pts.) 5. Creating a Website (40 pts.) 6. Creating a WebQuest (40 pts.) 7. Podcast & Lesson Plan (50 pts.) 8. Digital Video Project (50 pts.) (Video projects will be shared during the final exam period.) 9. e-Portfolio (100 pts.) Due Date Policy All assignments must be turned in by the start of class on the day they are due unless otherwise stated by the instructor. Extensions or make-ups for assignments will only be given with proof that a medical/family emergency or other extenuating circumstance prevented the completion of the assignment on time. Late assignments will be accepted no later than a week beyond the original due date unless otherwise authorized by the instructor. Any graded assignment collected after the due date will receive a 20% reduction of the grade. If you know that you will not be able to turn in an assignment on time contact the professor by voice mail, e-mail or in person before the due date and state the reason for the delay. The professor will consider the circumstances and make a decision to accept the assignment without penalty or enforce the penalty policy described above. Evaluation A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF
94-100% of total points 90-93% of total points 88-89% of total points 84-87% of total points 80-83% of total points 78-79% of total points 74-77% of total points 72-73% of total points 70-71% of total points 67-69% of total points 65-66% of total points less than 65% of total points
Students will be expected to take part in classroom activities and discussions as well as online blogging discussions. Final grades will be determined from the completion of the above assignments, yielding a total of 390 points. An additional 20 points will be awarded for class participation during discussions and other activities for a total of 410 points. Grades will be assigned based on the percentage of total points earned.
Attendance Policy It is expected that students will attend each scheduled class. If you cannot make a class session you will need to inform the instructor of your absence prior to the class session. Any case of absence, other than one that falls within the University's recognized legitimate absence policy will result in a loss of 5 points from your total grade points. If it is necessary for a student to miss a class, the student should arrange to obtain class notes from another student or from the course Web site. The instructor will entertain specific questions in a meeting with the student if requested. However, lecture/demonstrations will not be repeated. It is the student's responsibility to make up missed assignments completed in class. Teaching for Understanding The School of Education at the University of Michigan-Dearborn has adopted the Teaching for Understanding model as a framework for educating future teachers. It is a distinct method of teaching and learning, rooted in a specific way of looking at and explaining the world. Teaching for Understanding begins with the assertion that knowledge is constructed. This means that people shape, form, or “construct” their own worlds. People determine what is “real,” what is “necessary,” and what has meaning. In Teaching for Understanding teachers and students change the ways in which they approach information, each other and the learning experience. No longer “fountains of knowledge and information,” teachers are called on to be learners in their own classrooms. No longer “empty vessels” of passive
receiving, students are called on to be teachers of self and of others. Cooperative relations among students and an interactive relationship between students and the instructor are a means for students and the instructor to construct knowledge. Teaching for Understanding includes the following approaches to discourse and social interaction. Classrooms are places where: • Students and teachers acquire and construct knowledge collaboratively • Orthodoxies of pedagogy and “facts” are continually challenged • Conceptual understanding of subject matter is a goal • Teachers function as guides, coaches and facilitators by posing questions, challenging thinking, and leading in the examination of ideas and of relationships between concepts and experience. Based upon the Teaching for Understanding model, courses in the School of Education promote active student learning and the construction and development of knowledge through lectures, readings, small and large group discussions, small group activities, field based learning, and projects that require the application of knowledge. Academic Integrity The University of Michigan - Dearborn values academic honesty and integrity. Each student has a responsibility to understand, accept, and comply with the university's standards of academic conduct as set forth by the Code of Academic Conduct, as well as policies established by the schools and colleges. Cheating, collusion, misconduct, fabrication, and plagiarism are considered serious offenses. Violations will not be tolerated and may result in penalties up to and including expulsion from the University. At the professor's discretion, any or all papers, projects and assignments completed in this course may be submitted to a plagiarism detection service. Disability Resource Services The University will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students need to register with Disability Resource Services (DRS) every semester they are taking classes. DRS is located in Counseling and Support Services, 1060 UM. To be assured of having services when they are needed, students should register no later than three weeks after the first day of classes. Textbook There is no required textbook for this section of EDT 210. Readings may be assigned throughout the semester as part of our weekly online discussions but these readings will either be handed out in class or made available via the cTools website (www.ctools.umich.edu), course Wiki (www.umdedtech.wikispaces.com) or course Blog (www.umdedtech.blogspot.com). Required Supplies You will need to purchase either a USB drive to store and transfer files throughout the term. Blank CDs are not an acceptable storage option since the computers in the classroom lab do not have CD burners. I would recommend purchasing a drive with at least 512 MB of storage or more. These can be found at most office supply stores or even Walmart, Meijers and Target.
Checklist for Next Class Please make sure you have done the following things before our next class. 1) Tested your username and Kerberos password by logging into ctools http://www.ctools.umich.edu/. You may need to go the ITS offices in the Computing Wing in order to get your Kerberos password. 2) Create an account with the social bookmarking service Furl at http://www.furl.net/. 3) Create an account with the collaborative writing tool Zoho at www.zoho.com. We will be using these services throughout the term so you will want to get your accounts set-up. Don't worry about learning all the features and tools of each of these since we will do that in class. You can feel free to experiment and check different things out but the main thing is that you have an account that you are able to access when you come to class.