Eye to the Future

I am standing here on the edge of my Lesley education, looking out at my Master’s degree which is only one course and a few months away. Entering into this program was one of my plans for the future. Looking over the list of courses in order to pick my final one, it was wonderful to see new courses being added by Lesley. The University is actively planning for the future as well.

What course did I choose? Building Online Communities/Facilitating Student Discussions - This course focuses on building the skills and understanding of what is needed to create a supportive and constructive online learning environment through appropriate facilitation techniques and strategies in the K-12 environment.

For an edtech geek like me, this is exciting stuff! To be real, I do not envision myself teaching my middle school students completely online. However, there are components of this that can be brought to my classroom. It would be fantastic to introduce these students to online learning through some activities and projects. Imagine if I could have all the middle school students in my school participating in one online community learning together even as they learn separately in their own classrooms. Quite a powerful lesson that brings to mind the idea of the Flat Classroom.

Additionally, with the rise of prolonged absences (illness, etc.) in schools, the ability to keep teaching and learning in an online community setting could be invaluable. This could be expanded upon and I could create learning opportunities that are fun and engaging over summer break. Students needing extra help could be part of an online learning community with mentors or tutors. Are there activities that students wish to participate in that the school just can’t fit in to the regular day that may transfer well to an online community setting? Would an online debate with another school be possible? As you can see, my ideas for this concept and the future are varied.

Yes, my degree is in sight. This goal for my future is almost complete. Honestly, I will miss the classes at Lesley, the camaraderie of classmates/instructors, and the trading of ideas. My future is brighter and clearer due to having participated here. If your “eye to the future” includes education and you are thinking of taking the plunge, from my own experience I can strongly suggest that you give yourself the green light and jump in!

Note: If you would like to connect – I’m on Twitter as MrsDi

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Conceptual Understanding in Mathmatics

Throughout the math courses I've taken in the K-8 math program here at Lesley University, there is a very common recurring theme that is modeled for us week after week, and concept after concept, and that is the importance of building conceptual understanding with each math concept. This is easier said than done for someone who has been taught all the traditional algorithms, and I can apply them like no one's business, but until I explored some of them at a conceptual level, I was only applying procedural knowledge, rather than doing any higher level thinking. A good example is that I can divide fractions very well, and I always remember how because of the good old saying" Yours is not to wonder why, just invert and multiply." But in a number theory class when we had to use geometry and area models to show we knew WHY rather than how, I was immediately out of my comfort level. Conceptual understanding should be a base that helps bridge the gap between the concrete and the abstract. If we jump right to the abstract, then we are doing a very large disservice to students.
As a math teacher, I was already aware of this, and thought I was doing a fair job teaching conceptual understanding first,and in some cases I was, but there are so many fantastic ways to explore math that appeal to all types of learning styles and provide a very rich, multi-modal way of building on prior knowledge to form new understandings. Just when I think I have great teaching activities, I discover yet another way in one of my classes to explore math. In my Geometry class we were recently exploring copying angles, and I could certainly do this with a compass, but we had to use paper-folding to accomplish this and then explain why it worked. What a challenge! But I learned so many new things by doing the paper folding and it increased my understanding immensely.
As a math teacher, I spend a fair amount of my time searching for,and differentiating activities to reach all learners in my class. I have found that each Lesley class I have taken has handed me a multitude of fantastic activities built upon the premise that conceptual understanding is key, and I get to experience these activities first myself as the student before sharing them in my classroom. What a fantastic learning opportunity this has been. When I look back at my own growth as a teacher in the year I've been in this program, I'm amazed and extremely thankful that I chose the K-8 math class series. Jen Nelson

Technology & Active Participants in Learning

Did you ever see that commercial where the kids are told what to do, where to sit, what to study, and they have no choices except for what goes on their sub sandwich? Beyond just being able to improve their life by picking out pickles over tomatoes for a sandwich - I strongly believe that our children need to have some measure of control over their own learning. This can be difficult, however, when we have a set amount of content that must be given to them in a short period of time. How can we provide opportunities within our instruction to allow students to be true active participants in their learning?

In ECOMP 6016 (Teaching & Learning with Digital Media) we explored a variety of technology based projects that included the use of audio and video. Ranging from simple to complex, these types of projects can bring a new and exciting way for students to express and present ideas. It gives them a measure of control over the process with very personalized exploration and presentation of learning.

During this class I participated in a technology enhanced activity that utilized a flatbed scanner. Taking this activity further and directly into a classroom, I scanned in Kindergarten artwork (Fall Fiesta autumn trees) and uploaded it to Voicethread. Each student then sat with me and recorded an audio reflection about their artwork. Feel free to visit at http://voicethread.com/share/230542/ (classroom songs were added at the end as an experiment). The end result is something each student can take true ownership of and easily share beyond the classroom.

Taking inspiration from another 6016 activity, I gave my middle-school students creative control over a media project and this brought forth some fantastic work as they created multi-media stories about some group building exercises (they were away at a camp for a few days). They combined pictures, music, text, voiceover, and personal creativity to produce vignettes that will be available for families and classmates to view and share. This type of activity is creative, motivating, and empowering for students.

Technology is not the magic bullet to solve our education problems, but integrated well into curriculum it can provide an enhancement to instruction that engages students. Through my TIE courses here at Lesley I am learning how to best bring technology into the curriculum effectively, how to use it for assessment, and how to motivate students with its use. Almost every homework assignment that I complete for a Lesley course brings inspiration and new ideas to me to transfer directly into my own class environment. My students are enjoying the creative control they are given and are stepping up to the challenges. I am not the only one to benefit from my Lesley TIE classes as my students are reaping the rewards as well!

Differentiation of Math

As a classroom teacher one of the challenges I face is finding the time and resources to differentiate instruction in a way that is truly effective so that all students are able to learn at their level. My typical math classes of about 26 students consist of a diverse range of learning styles and needs. There are usually about 6 students on IEP's, 8-12 Title One students, several Hi-Cap students and students who are in the range of being at gradelevel. The challenge this presents for math is finding activities that are both engaging and appropriate so that students are able to work the zone of proximal development.
In the Math Masters Program, every concept we have explored has been approached from a very multi-modal aspect. The activities are geared specifically toward building conceptual understanding. Many of the activities we do provide a variety of ways to make connections and build upon prior understanding. A great example is; currently in my Geometry class we are studying about angles and constructing perpendicular and parallel lines to create a transversals. Instead of simply using a compass, we approached the concept from several aspects. We used paper-folding, which was a very tactile,concrete way to see the "why". We also did a compass construction and had to tie those two methods together by explaining why the compass construction worked, and then we used a computer program to create and construct the same figures and properties.
By exploring this concept in multiple ways, it showed how you can approach differentiation in the classroom by using non-traditional methods of exploration that build on conceptual understanding, and appeal to different learning preferences and needs. My own understanding of the concept has deepened immensely by having experienced a familiar concept in new ways. This particular lesson has given me a whole new set of activities for which to approach differentiaion when I teach Geometry.
I would like to add that the experience I've had in Geometry class has been typical of my experience in all the math classes I've taken. There are so many approaches to learning math that are rich, engaging and multi-modal and they are an absolute necessity for differentiating instruction compared to some of the more traditional methods that have been taught in classrooms in the past. These experiences have directly effected how I design my lessons, which has had an immediate effect on student learning. It's been a very exciting and rewarding journey over the past year. As always I look forward to the classes ahead.
Jennifer Nelson

We all can't wait until Monday!

After completing a self-evaluation three weeks ago, I have found that my science instruction has not followed the model of inquiry very closely. I have been engaging my students in traditional, old school, recipe-like labs that require the students to follow a list of instructions in order to reach the predetermined goal. These types of lessons are filled with mostly right and wrong answers. The activities do not give the students a chance to develop, explore, or test their own ideas. My students are missing out on inquiry, missing out on real science.
Fortunately, I am now learning how to adapt my large inventory of science activities, which I’ve been using up until this point, so that they can start to shift towards learning through inquiry. This semester’s class is focusing on improving classroom “facilitation” (not instruction-move away from “teaching”). There are two strategies that I’ve already incorporated.
The first strategy is one that I call “What & Why?” It’s a form of questioning used to probe for student ideas. I have started to use this when my students are in the predicting stage of their investigations. More specifically, I ask them “What do you think? & Why do you think that?” when making their predictions. I’m trying to stress that their reasons for their prediction are just as important as their hypothesis. I’ve seen this become a great asset to discussions before and after the experiment/test portion of the investigations. Just last week, I had a discussion with my classes about the results from their “Metric Mass” investigation. They were faced with surprising evidence that contradicted their predictions. They could actually share why they were wrong by looking back at their written reasons. They could see how different their ideas were before testing their hypothesis.
The second strategy I’ve applied to my “facilitation” of inquiry is one that encourages formation of student ideas. I introduced a new “Journey North” project by passing out an unknown object (Emperor Tulip Bulb) to pairs of students. (Thanks Sally Crissman!) I did not tell them what it was, but I asked them to record any questions they had in their new science journal. We discussed the questions they had without answering them. I took one of the questions, (What is it?), and turned it into a “What & Why” prediction. This was followed by a “Where & Why?” prediction about where I got the objects. The students recorded and shared a wide variety of ideas about what the object could be. They thought it could be an onion, garlic, potato, seed, nut, plant, man-made object, radish, or a turnip. Only three students were convinced it was some kind of a bulb. As the students passed in their journals and exited the classroom, they begged me to tell them what it was. I said, “We’ll find out on Monday.” I spent about $17 on the above produce that I plan to share on Monday. They will be able to see if their predictions were correct… without me telling them. We all can’t wait until Monday!
-Mark H.

Examples for direct classroom use

A quick background – I am a mother of 3 school age children, went back to work recently after being a stay-at-home Mom, found my dream job as a Technology Integration Specialist (K-8) and don’t have the ability to physically attend classes for my desired Master’s degree (not enough hours in the day!). The solution – Lesley University’s TIE Master’s program where I found superior professors & classmates from around the world and courses on topics that I can implement right away in my classrooms.

We are teaching our students about the idea of “global community” and “flat classrooms” in which the physical walls of the classroom can be broken down through use of technology so that students can see and interact with others across the world. Imagine how empowering this is to a student when they realize their voice and their work can be seen and heard by an audience greater than what we find in the confines of the physical classroom!

Let me share a couple of examples with you. In ECOMP5004 (Technology in Language Arts) we did a version of the Monster Exchange. Paired up with a partner, each of us created a monster. I used the drawing tools in PowerPoint. Next we wrote and revised descriptions of our monsters and exchanged them (our pictures were not posted yet). From the written description, I had to draw my partner’s monster. I posted my picture, she posted the original, we compared them, and reflected on the process. She did the same for mine.

This is something I can implement in a classroom immediately. Having the first hand experience of being a student in the process gives me insights that will be invaluable in bringing the activity into a classroom. This was a fantastic assignment that brought strong literacy skills together with technology.

A second example comes from ECOMP7010 (Emerging Technologies). I am fascinated with Google Earth and all the potential this resource has for use in the classroom (such as Google Lit Trips). However, it was a bit daunting to try tackling the learning of such a vast resource on my own. An assignment in this course provided me a structured activity to explore and create. Along with the guidance of my professor and input from my peers, I tackled Google Earth. I can now teach my students and help staff members create Google Earth trips and all are enthusiastic about getting started!

Challenge yourself to learn about the educational technology that fascinates you and learn in a constructive, positive environment. Learn to use technology to enhance curriculum rather than just decorate it. Check out the TIE program at Lesley. It was one of my best decisions.

Factor Lattice models

Last spring in my number theory class, one of my favorite activities we did was creating 3 dimensional factor lattice models. I'm just about a week away from implementing it with my current students. You use toothpicks (primes) and clay (vertices)to create a 3 dimensional model for a number. I wanted to share this activity because many of us from grades 4-12 are beginning our school year by either teaching or reviewing factors,prime factors and greatest common factor, least common multiple. The activity I will share with you is such a fantastic tool for exploring and making connections across concepts within math and allows students the opportunity to experience these concepts in a very tactile way. There are also endless patterns within the models for students to discover, and a nifty way to tie in technology.
You begin by choosing a number,and finding it's prime factors. Next you start with a vertex from which each prime factor(color-coded toothpick)will extend in a different direction. (Two prime factors will result in a 2 dimensional model, and 3 will result in a 3 dimensional model.) From there, each toothpick represents a multiple of the prime, with a vertex connecting them. Once your model is complete, you can use the primes and vertices to multiply and label all remaining vertices. When finished, the number of vertices is the number of factors, and each factor is labeled on the model. From there you can determine the GCF and LCM of the number by navigating through it.
Students can then create a digital model using Microsoft word, and write about the process. My class did these last year, and we displayed them in the office hallway showcase and had many visitors that wanted to hear about them. The really great thing was that the students could talk about them in detail and relate the math concepts they learned. It was truly a learning experience that allowed all students to explore and experience math in a new way.
I realize that the directions for making these models is not complete in my post, but I just wanted to give enough of a description so that the general idea was clear. If anyone would like step by step directions for this along with a photo of an example, I'd be happy to send that via e-mail.
And finally, I would like to say that this project is just one example of the kinds of exploratory learning we have done during classes in the math program and how beneficial they were to my own understanding, and how easy they were to incorporate into my own classroom. My e-mail for anyone interested in the activity is: jnelson7@lesley.edu Happy Teaching! Jen Nelson