What are the ISTE standards? – The ISTE Standards are a framework for innovation in education. These standards help educators and education leaders worldwide prepare learners to thrive in work and life. Source 

Throughout my masters program, I have learned about the ISTE standards. I have mostly heard about the ISTE standards for students. However, when I was on the website, I noticed that they also have ISTE standards for educators as well. The following are the standards for the students, followed by the standards for educators.

For students:

• Empowered Learner
  
• Digital Citizen
• Knowledge Constructor
• Innovative Designer
• Computational Thinker
• Creative Communicator
• Global Collaborator

For educators:

Scripts? While I was creating my redesign, I came across two different portions of the assignments where I wanted my students to type out a script. Now, normally I wouldn’t think too much of this, but once I started incorporating more and more details with my redesign, I knew how big of a deal these scripts would be.

This tiny addition to my redesign helped me remember the bigger picture behind all of this. Our goal is to not only teach them content, but to teach them how to function as a human in society and thrive throughout their lives. I started thinking through all of the simple everyday things I wish I had learned when I was in school that would’ve helped me as an adult. One of these things was learning how to speak to adults, or speak in a more well thought-out/professional manner. Another one of these things was to make lists or documentation for when things happen. (One prime example of how this helps is for what I’m currently working on – wedding invitations!) Let me explain further..

One of the tasks i’m having my students do in my redesign is to create a commercial as a travel agent promoting why we should travel to a particular location. Sure, students could’ve just created their video on a whim, but that wouldn’t yield the best outcomes. So instead, I had them type out a script, edit it, and speak from it for their commercials.

Another task I’m having my students do in my redesign is to reach out to professionals in a specific science field. Using a script helps my students to stay on task, and be less nervous when speaking with adults that they normally wouldn’t be speaking with. Not only that, but they are also responsible for filling in a spreadsheet with information on who they have contacted and when, what the contact was, if they need to follow up, etc. This spreadsheet is a simple way to keep all of their information organized. And I realized that this is a VERY beneficial life skill that the students could apply in many other facets of their lives.

Again, my epiphany here was just the realization that we could create these big elaborate lessons that our students MAY remember one day, but we also need to focus on simple ways to engage our students that will help them become the most successful members of society in their adult lives.

Honestly, teaching science makes me feel like I always get to play games in class. However, a lot of the “games” we play in class don’t have anything to do with technology. I turn a lot of assignments into a game or competition because it reels students in and keeps their attention. However, I never really took the time to sit and think about all of the instances of technological play & gamification I implement into my curriculum, but for graduate class I was forced to list the ways, so below are a few ways I use play & gamification in my classroom:

Sims: (No, not the computer game that you may have played circa 2001) Every time I sit down to plan a unit, one of the first things I do is search for some type of online interactive simulation. 9 times out of 10, these simulations are in a “game” type of fashion. For example: in my upcoming unit, Natural Selection, I have my students play this Peppered Moth  simulation where they are pretending to be a bird trying to eat moths. It shows them through a graph how many moths they eat depending on color and depending on the background color; basically showing that animals that can adapt to their environment will survive over ones that do not adapt.

Review Games: I play review games on the day before a test. In a typical year, I play things called Grudgeball, “musical chairs”, or madlibs. All of which I create around content questions. This year we are just using the typical Kahoot, or Gimkit to review since those are COVID friendly. However – if you are a Gimtkit fan, the new Drawing version is amazing! A kid basically gets randomly picked by the computer, 3 vocab words/concepts pop up on their screen, and then they have to start drawing it. All of the other kids have to guess what that person is trying to draw. I think this version is an even better way to review because kids have to really fully understand concepts to draw and guess them, instead of just seeing the correct answer as an option choice. (similar to how short answer questions show more knowledge than multiple choice.) If this version ever goes away, I think I will definitely try my own version of that using Google Jamboard!

Okay so according to Google, QR codes have been around since 1994, which makes this post seem incredibly outdated. But hear me out..

QR codes are such an easy way to add technological flair to an assignment or activity. They would serve as both a substitution and augmentation in the SAMR Model for tech integration. And lets be honest, anytime you are allowing students to whip their phones out during class time, they are ecstatic! But Amanda… not alllll students have a cell phone in junior high. Well, conveniently, the students in my district are all 1:1 with Chromebooks which could always be used as an alternative in case a student doesn’t have a phone.

There are quite a few websites that can generate QR codes for you, but I chose the following:
https://www.qr-code-generator.com/
It is SO user friendly, and only took a matter of seconds to figure out how to use. The benefit of this is that I decided it was so easy to use that I ended up making a follow up assignment where I will have students generate their own QR codes with the same website!

The idea behind the QR codes that I chose were so that I could find images of exactly what I wanted kids to find, and then they had to do their own research on the images. If I simply asked them to research “Bowman Lake Rocks,” they may come up with images or research that I wasn’t exactly going for. This way, I know exactly what should be pulled up in their browser since they are all scanning the same codes. Obviously another benefit of this has to do with the substitution aspect. This assignment COULD have been done without QR codes, but the substitution just makes it more fun and different for the students!

Click below to see a quick example of how this simple addition of a QR code has turned this into an engaging assignment for my kiddos.

Where are we going_ QR code assignment

I recently did some research and a presentation on the theory of Constructionism. While researching I found out that a similar theory exists – Constructivism. They are similar in a lot of ways but also quite different. I think of constructivism more as a theory for a teacher-centered classroom, and constructionism as a theory or practice for a student-centered classroom. Both involve students creating their own knowledge of new concepts based on previous knowledge or life experience that they can relate to. The benefit to Constructionism though, is that students actually create real tangible objects to help them make meaning of situations. When I think of this theory, I immediately think – STEM. As a science teacher, STEM activities are my favorite! I get to see the kids try, and fail, and try again, and make mistakes, and persevere, and problem-solve. For the kids, occasionally they get frustrated and ask why I can’t just tell them how to make something. But the whole idea is that they create something, and then understand why that object worked the way they intended it to or not. They are making meaning with something that THEY created – it’s an incredible full-circle way to learn.

While STEM is fun in the science classroom, it only gives students a tiny and occasional glimpse at this theory of model making and constructionism. While researching, I found quite a bit of information on the idea of a ‘makerspace.’ Now, I had briefly heard about makerspaces before (shout out to the Teachergram family for that!), but I had never really understood the point. After learning more, I realize just how incredible and beneficial this type of space would be for students to access regularly!

The idea of a Makerspace is a place for students to create. And I say that vaguely, because the beauty of a makerspace is that it can encompass so many versions of creativity! Peep the picture below.

On of the best parts is that Makerspaces typcically combine low-tech with high-tech methods for creation. As you can see in that picture, many times a makerspace will include things such as a 3D printer, but also a spare parts section where they can tinker with random objects to create their own product. These spaces truly allow students to engage in meaningful activities at their own pace, stemming from their own desires. (much different than the old school classroom model!)

The only downside is that districts would have to hire another teacher to man the space, and getting districts on board with that may be a challenge. But if it could be done, we could see a tremendous amount of growth within our students that we wouldn’t gain otherwise.

Technology Manifesto

Past me would be freaking out right now with the things I am about to promise. My first post shows that I had no desire to incorporate more technology into my classroom. It seemed like a pain, and that it would do nothing but hinder my students learning process, and be more work for me. But after taking this course and understanding that innovation is key to learning, I know these are the right promises to make.

I promise to always be inquisitive, but not skeptical, about technology until I try it out.

• This course has taught me that the scariest technologies can be incredibly intuitive. It has taught me that technology can enhance engagement in the classroom. It has taught me that technology can make simple jobs even quicker for me as a teacher. It has allowed me to collect data on students I would’ve never thought about collecting prior. It taught me the important pieces of education are not the same as they once were, and that we need to continue to shape education into the transformative model that it now is.

I promise to allow students to be a part of their assessment process by self-assessing and defending their knowledge in whatever mode they choose. 

• The webinar that I attended through this course was one of the most eye-opening experiences for me throughout my graduate school career. I absolutely despised Standards-Based Grading until I attended that webinar. I finally understand that it’s not about WHEN they learn, but IF they learn. I know that students will get there, I just have to allow them the time and space to do so. I also realized that by students defending their knowledge, they are going to show more mastery than any multiple choice test would show me.

I promise to relinquish my control and let my students be responsible for their own learning by creating more personalized playlists. 

• Another thing I realized during this course was that teaching is not about ME, it’s about THEM. And yes, I’ve known this all along, but there were still some pieces of my practice that I was selfishly doing because they worked best for me. Letting students explore concepts on their own, especially through technology, is a perfect way for them to grow and become technologically sound. Students need to know how to research reliable information. They need to know how to pace themselves through projects. They need to know how to record information, plan investigations, and collect data all by themselves through problem-solving skills. If I constantly give my students the tools to succeed without them having to find the tools on their own, they are going to be relying on people their whole lives to help them find a solution instead of going out to seek a solution on their own.

I promise to keep my teacher squad close and continue to share ideas.

• My teacher squad is the only thing to keep me sane most days. The tech talk I had with them sure brought up a lot of hurdles that we face on a daily basis. It showed me that we are always going to be up against something and the odds will never be in our favor. But at least we are in it together! I am thrilled to share my new technology ideas with them, as they always share theirs with me. I love that we are in a profession that is committed to always learning and growing.

I promise to Geek Out more over technologies that seem interesting so as to get a greater understanding of how it works. 

• The HOMAGO process is an incredible way to do a deep dive into content or a specific topic. I will be encouraging my students to geek out with me whenever the time comes, as often as it comes. I want them to know that they more they read and learn, the more they will understand the world around them. I want them to always be striving for more, and looking for new ways to explore something they already know. I want them to always set the bar higher for themselves, and never be complacent. Geeking out has taught me that all of these things are possible as long as you keep pushing yourself to be better.

I am thankful, once again, for the opportunity to learn from the content, and from my peers. And for that, I promise to be a life-long learner and technology user. 

I was VERY intimidated by this lesson at first. Data terrifies me sometimes! However, when I actually took the time to understand the tools we were supposed to use, I realized it was actually pretty cool, and easy!

• What would this visualization suggest to others about your lesson design?
  I personally think that the visualization does a great job of showing that I use a multitude of different modes of learning in my lessons. It also shows that the majority of the class is spent collaborating or discussing ideas with each other, and then also allows some time for individual practice. This is similar to a workshop model in ELA, and I like it!

• What do you see in this lesson that you would change?
  Eventually I want students to be able to ACTUALLY plan their investigations like the objective says. Typically, like the example I gave, I give students the starting points and variables to work with for their investigations. They are still responsible for setting up their investigations and carrying them out, but they never actually fully plan them from the start.

• How might you use these tools in the future?
  I think this could be useful for teaching teachers. I previously had a PDS student intern in the 2019-2020 school year. Not only would it be a beneficial tool to help with writing lesson plans, but it would also help with pacing of lessons. Many student teachers struggle with how long certain activities should take. I think it could be used to plan out lessons, OR to evaluate how a lesson went and be able to tweek it from there.

• How did the word cloud match the intended outcomes of the lesson?

Based on my objective for the lesson: Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object, I think my text analysis actually does a great job of matching the objective! Students are using words like, “heavier, increased, stopped, force, forward,” etc. All of those words describe an object’s change in motion based on the force and mass of an object.

Below is my infographic to answer the question:
What types of Online Work are Students Engaging in the Most?

I’m going a bit off the cuff here, because my research doesn’t fall in favor with the readings. The Decoding Adaptive article stated, “Content that is visually appealing or interactive, because it allows students to sort and match items or draw a diagram, is more likely to keep students engaged. In addition, content that offers students some control, by allowing them to choose their work or set their own pace, is more likely to lead to higher levels of motivation and achievement.” My research showed the exact opposite of that.

I used 9 different assignments: 3 note docs, 3 lab docs, and 3 interactive slides/worksheets/activities. I collected data from my 3rd hour class on all 9 of these assignments. I checked each assignment for the number of students who completed the assignments (out of 28 total students). After that, I averaged the numbers for each of the three categories to get my 3 data sets.

Now, I can say with full certainty that a large part of the discrepancy likely comes from the fact that we are 8 months deep into a pandemic and mental health is at an all time low. If our students’ mental health is inhibited right now, their motivation levels are surely plummeting as well. We can’t expect our students to be on their A game right now, when I’m nearly positive none of us teachers are. In a normal year, under normal circumstances, I would 100% agree that that is how our students learn the best – with autonomous, self-paced, interactive assignments. However this year brings a different scenario. I think now more than ever our students need us to assist them, give them step-by-step instructions, model for them, and occasionally help them towards the answers that they are struggling with. They need those small ‘wins’ in order to continue engaging in their online schooling.

I know in the long run, this data and research question will be irrelevant, but for now, it’s proving to me that my students are more successful when I lead them in a more teacher-centered style while we are remote. Hoping this is all over soon so we can all get back to our student-centered, autonomous, self-paced, interactive assignments!

The HOMAGO process has been surprisingly fun! I think it’s a great way to dive deeper into specific topics.

I really enjoyed the hanging out and messing around phases for researching new technology apps. It made me branch out and try new things that I would’ve likely never used otherwise. The geeking out phase was a great way to encourage me to really figure out the in’s and out’s of the app. I read multiple articles and blog posts, scoured Instagram hashtags, and watched a few video tutorials to see how people were already using the app. This was a huge help and really got my wheels turning about how I could use the app in my classroom, with my curriculum, to fit the specific needs of my students.

I honestly don’t think I use HOMAGO in my day to day life, or currently in my classroom. However, I do think that there’s a way to use it with my students that will be as beneficial to them as it was to me.

While I could definitely try to incorporate the entire HOMAGO process in my classroom, I honestly think the Geeking Out portion would be the best way to start adding this to my curriculum. My students have a space project that they do second semester. They get to choose any space topic they would like, and then they have to research anything and everything about it, and then give a presentation on it. During the geeking out process, for me, the best part was seeing the research that had already been done on the topic I was using. I think the feeling could be the same for my students. I really think that I could encourage them to take a few days and simply Geek Out on any articles, blogs, social media posts, images, etc. that have been shared about their topic. This would allow them to gain extensive knowledge on their topic – not just scientifically, but potentially politically, socially, etc. There are many people that have many opinions on the internet, and it would be good for students to go through all of that research, and dig to find out what is relevant, true, and important. It could also lead to students including controversial topics in their presentations which would be much more entertaining than simple science facts.

I could also see my students using this Geeking out process for other engineering projects as well – building mousetrap catapults, building boats, building rockets. All of these things have been done before, and it would be doing our students a disservice not allowing them to search what people have done before. Yes, I want them to be authentic and creative on their own, but I also want them to learn how to access appropriate information to create or replicate something that they know works.

All in all, I’m glad I was introduced to the HOMAGO process, and am excited to introduce it to my students as well!