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** Stephanie Horton's ITC 525 Final Project **

Welcome to my wiki for the final project of my ITC 525 class!! I will be addressing the standards I used on the various projects for this course and how I plan to implement these projects in my third grade classroom. I will also be discussing what I feel most comfortable using in my classroom, in the way of technology, as well as, my own philosophy of technology integration. Everything is located on this home page except my reactions to the readings we completed, which you can access from the link on the left. Enjoy!! **__My personal philosophy of technology integration:__** I feel very strongly about technology integration. Because the students I am teaching are extremely familiar with technology, I feel that I am doing a disservice to them if I am not integrating technology into the curriculum. That being said, I found that during my first year of teaching I did not have the adequate resources to incorporate technology as much as I wanted to. Students are technology natives and enjoy using computers to complete projects I have discovered. When I have the chances to use technology in my classroom, I do so because I feel so strongly about using it and exposing the students to ways that they can use the computer for educational purposes.

__**How I will evaluate my students' computer literacy:**__ In my classroom, I would do a lot of informal evaluations while they are using the laptops or desktop computer in the classroom or computer lab. This way, the students are comfortable and completing the projects/assignments without worrying about being tested using the computer. I would also evaluate them by looking at their final projects and seeing what they did correctly and incorrectly. I would also keep track of who needed more help in order to complete projects.

**__Benefits to integrating technology:__** In integrating technology, I am exposing my students to different applications that they might otherwise not know about. It is also more interactive for students than paper and pencil and listening to a teacher in the front of the classroom. Technology allows students to collaborate in various ways online and allows them to practice their typing as well (which I found this year my students need a lot of practice typing correctly). Also, the younger students are exposed to technology, the better prepared they are for older grades when they are expected to use it. Integrating technology also allows students to problem solve, either together or on their own if they are having trouble figuring something out and I am helping someone else.

**__Technologies I am most comfortable with:__** I feel very comfortable with a wealth of technologies, due to my student teaching experience. I enjoy using Google Docs, Garageband, podcasts and Powerpoint the most. I liked having access to macs during my student teaching, but this year I adjusted back to PCs. I feel that there are so many more opportunities for technology integration through macs with the programs that already come installed- like podcasting, and garageband.

**__Barriers to integrating technology:__** The biggest barrier I have come across in trying to integrate technology is the lack of access to the technology! We only have two laptop carts for 6 grades, and one computer lab (which is also used for computer classes). I have one desktop in my room, but that doesn't help me when I want all of my students to have access to something online or a program on the computer. The other barrier I feel is the lack of knowledge that teachers have about various forms of technology. I know more than most teachers I believe, but I still stumble upon things that I am not sure about, and this definitely delays the students and myself!

__**Projects from ITC 525:**__

1. Animal Adaptations Powerpoint One of the first projects I created was a powerpoint about animal adaptations to use during my animal science unit.

__**The standards I addressed:**__ **PDE Standards:** [|**3.1.4.A1**] Classify plants and animals according to the physical characteristics that they share. [|**3.1.4.A5**] Describe common functions living things share to help them function in a specific environment. [|**3.1.4.C2**] Describe plant and animal adaptations that are important to survival. [|**3.1.4.C1**] Identify different characteristics of plants and animals that help some populations survive and reproduce in greater numbers.

**ISTE NETS** 1. Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students: a.apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes. b.create original works as a means of personal or group expression. d.identify trends and forecast possibilities.

I will address these standards through the powerpoint I created. The project I have them complete at the end of the powerpoint addresses the standards and allows me to see if the standards were actually met during the lesson through their final project. The NETS will also be addressed through the final project I have them complete, as they need to be creative with this, and create their own original work, based on my example.

__Ethical and Social Issues__: First, I would make sure that I gain knowledge as to how much the students know about the subject. I would also make sure that when they are asked to work with their desk set during the lesson that they are a group that works well together (which I would have thought about when I made the desk sets).

2. Diigo

Another project that I began during the first week of the class, but was added to throughout the course is my Diigo. I found many sites that I will be able to use as a reference, and many websites that are extremely interactive and will be used by my students next school year! Here is my link: My Diigo

3. Google doc Response Journal

Along with a partner, I also created a working Googledoc for students to use in order to respond to a reading prompt. In my opinion, Googledocs are a great application because students, as well as myself, can access it from home to work on in the evenings. Other students can also comment on it and view it, which allows the students different opportunities to view each other's work and options for editing it.

[|Reading Response Journal]

__Corresponding Standards: __ ===[|__Standard - 1.3.3.C: Identify literary elements (characters, setting, and plot) in selected readings__] === ===[|__Standard - 1.3.5.C: Compare the use of literary elements within and among texts including characters, setting, plot, theme and point of view.__] ===

__ISTE Nets: __ 2. Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media __Ethical and Social Issues:__ I will make sure that we talk about the prompt before I have them answer it, making sure that everyone understands what is expected and what the question is asking. There is also a rubric for the students to reference. Furthermore, I will discuss with the students appropriate comments to leave on the docs. I have discussed with the students 2 stars and three wishes that we use to help our fellow classmates when proofreading and editing. The stars are things that they did well and the wishes are what they wish they would have done differently.

Standards will be addressed through the prompt and thorough response by the students. The prompt asks the students to decide if the characters in the story are realistic or not and why. This story addresses the identifying literary elements and the second standard, which entails comparing characters.

4. Figurative Language Digital Story

With a partner, we created a digital story using an application named Dvolver about figurative language. After sharing this digital story with the students, the thought is that the students could make their own digital stories on other forms of figurative language, using the application if resources allowed. You can view this by clicking on the link.

Figurative Language

PA Academic Standards: [|Standard Area - 1.3: Reading, Analyzing, and Interpreting Literature - Fiction and Non-Fiction] [|Grade Level - 1.3.5: GRADE 5] [|Standard - 1.3.5.D: Describe how the author uses literary devices to convey meaning (e.g., personification, simile, alliteration, symbolism, metaphor).]

ISTE Net Standards: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students: __Ethical and Social Issues:__ I would need to make sure that the students are set up for success by teaching/ reviewing figurative language with them before showing the Dvolver. Also, I thought about having them complete their own Dvolver in partners, so I would need to make sure that I thought through who I would want each of them to work with. I would base this on their behavior in the classroom, along with their level of ability.
 * 1.** **Creativity and Innovation**
 * a. || apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes. ||
 * b. || create original works as a means of personal or group expression. ||
 * c. || use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues. ||

Standards are addressed through the Dvolver with the conversation between the two characters. Standards are also addressed through the Dvolver that they will make, addressing another literary element from the ones used in my example.