In this phase, our collaborative work started with meeting through Google Hangouts on Saturday for about an hour (11:30 - 12:25) creating/ sharing a Google Doc. As we worked, we referred back to the “DT Project: Next Gen EL Pedagogy” document. Using the checklist as a guide, we went over the necessary components. Finally, we created a new shared Doc to outline the needed tasks and divvy up the work.
After our collaborative work, my individual contribution was to create a Prezi to explain the umbrella problem: “How can we close the achievement gap between English Learners and other students?” Our narrower focus question is: “How might we better engage parent of EL students so that they can more actively support the learning of their students?” I will include facts, data, anecdotes, and other relevant awareness outlining that lack of parental awareness as a significant problem with EL student performance. Once I finish my portion, I will share it with David who will combine it into one cohesive piece. My challenges for this module was time. On this particular Saturday, my office held our ESL registration which was a 2.5 -3 hour time commitment. Due to this, we moved our usual 10am meeting to 11:30am. Thankfully, my team members were flexible and able to accommodate this change. The experimentation phase involves developing a prototype to address the problem and getting feedback from end-users to modify the prototype. With colleagues at my site, I can see that experimentation is critical to getting to a working prototype. An example of a problem is improving student attendance in an open-enrollment school. By getting feedback from end-users, the students’ themselves, we would have valuable input to adjust the prototype to make it more successful. Since our schools are out of session, we do not have access to actual end users. If we did have access to end users, the process would yield more accurate results. In doing this process with input from each other, instead of end users, we need to be mindful that the results may not be exactly the same. We are answering from our point of view or imagining what an end user might say. Collaboration is critical to Design Thinking When collaboration is an additive in lieu of individuals simply working in groups then meaning is being made collaboratively as all partners actively learn from one another. There are times when working in group where partners simply divvy and delegate tasks. There is little discussion that occurs and little meaning that is created beyond the isolated units of assigned tasks. However, if the overall collaborative project is clear and purposeful and all members work together well to create meaning then the collaboration is indeed an additive. If members can work in isolation or are indifferent to the cohesion of the end product then we arrive at individuals simply working in groups. Reflective Questions/Answers Kelly’s question 1: How do you believe the following quote resonates with ed tech teachers- “In the end, it's the message, not the tool that’s key in writing”? Sheila’s answer to Kelly’s Q1: I believe that for most teachers in the beginning the focus is on the technology. It’s a novel approach to doing things the “old-fashioned” way. But what happens once the newness has worn off? Ed Tech teachers, however, are comfortable with the technology. For them, they grasp that the technology is a tool and treat it as such. Kelly’s question 2: What are two ways that using google slides made it easier for the teacher to teach writing to her students? Sheila’s answer to Kelly’s Q2: Using Google Slides allowed the students to organize their thoughts. Students used color, style, background and font to convey emotion and differentiate between important words and ideas. Britta Riley: A garden in my apartment Sheila’s question 1: How can open source collaboration, as explained by Britta Riley, be used to solve difficult problems? Kelly’s answer to Sheila’s Q1: Working through problems open source collaboration solves problems that affect individuals as well as universal problems as well. Essentially they are looking out for the concerns of all. Sheila’s question 2: What are the benefits of using co-developers to build and develop new products? Kelly’s answer to Sheila’s Q2: There are several benefits to using co-developers to build and develop new products. Working together on an open source development allows for a grassroots effort to make a greater change for the environment. In essence, it cuts the middle man out as the problem is shared . Through social media anyone can help find a solution to a problem. This leads to the next benefit in the shared joy of finding a solution to a problem together and celebrating that solution through social media. The partnership that is formed and shared allows for others to see from beginning to end the problem and solution. In Summary, Module 4 contained several key lessons. One is that technology is a useful tool for encouraging creativity and collaboration. While for many teachers technology can be seen as just a computer that may seem to have just one purpose. However, for our students a computer is now a way of life for them. Through the use of the computer writing can be taken to a whole different level, developing both speaking, listening, writing and reading skills. We have only just begun to see the benefits of how technology can be used as an effective learning tool in the classroom. References: Jester, R. (2002, March). If I Had a Hammer: Technology in the Language Arts Classroom. The English Journal, 91(4), 85-88. doi:10.2307/822464 Britta Riley: A garden in my apartment. (n.d.). Retrieved June 17, 2016, from https://youtu.be/YhvfOlPYifY
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Sandra
6/24/2016 09:41:06 am
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Sheila L. DavisPassionate Adult ESL Instructor and TOSA at Grossmont Adult School. Current Adjunct at San Diego Community College District. Seeking the best ways to utilize technology in the classroom and in professional life. ArchivesCategories |