Wicked Problem Project

I had two problems that I was trying to solve.  First, I wanted students to be able to work collaboratively and paperlessly.  Second, I wanted teachers to become more organized, so they can focus on teaching and not on finding papers or assignments.

My solution for both of these problems could be solved using Google applications.  Specifically, Google Docs, Presentations, and Forms.  

Google apps is a great choice for technology because everything is stored online.  Students and teachers alike will no longer have to search for that elusive flash drive or worksheet.  Students can work at their own pace on various assignments which is different for most teachers.  Sometimes students were "left behind" because they didn't understand a concept. The technology will change the way I can present information to students which should help them be more successful.  

For technology and content, I think using Google apps will be brilliant.  Presentations could be made with voiceovers and videos, so students will have options on how they receive information.  Perhaps one student wants to listen to a podcast, while another wants to read the information.  They'll have this choice because as the teacher, I will be able to create presentations that can link to separate options.

Finally, for pedagogy and content, I think Google can help me do a lot more one on one interactions in the class.  Since students will be able to work at their own pace and get more help if needed, they will be more successful.  The content will be able to be presented in various ways, and students could view things that, maybe, my school doesn't have access to, like specimen for dissecting.  Students could still experience a dissection even though I don't have the proper supplies.  Abstract concepts could be presented in three-dimensional videos (the way they should be), so students could visualize.  I could also use Google apps to create vocabulary flash cards or presentations that could be used by students as well.  My classroom will be more organized if I used forms to organize assignments, so I'd have more time to work with individual students.

My students would get feedback more quickly, so they wouldn't have to wait days (days when they're probably forgetting what they learned) to get help if they're struggling.  When I'm more organized, I can give that individual time that they need or the explanation they may need help with or the demonstration of a concept which helps my students learn and retain more.  They love to work on the computers, so I feel as though I'd have a more positive learning atmosphere, and happier students, and when students are happy, they learn more!

Part C Implementation

Implementation

https://www.msu.edu/~heintzju/Part_C_Implementation.mp3

Part D-Findings and Implications

Formative: Did the project get implemented as planned?
We started out thinking that doing Google tutorial wouldn't give us enough information to fill ten minutes, but as we worked on the project, I thought we could possibly go longer than that time frame.  In order to create a good tutorial, we had to go into detail which took up some time.

Summative: Evidence of success in addressing the problem of practice
Our project was dealing with Google documents, so using a Google doc/presentation to complete the project seemed only logical.  I think the tutorial did a good job of teaching someone who had no idea how to use the documents feature of Google.


How would you approach another project of this type differently given what you’ve learned here?

A good tutorial needs to have a little more video.  When I view a tutorial, I'm following step by step the instructions in order to check that I'm doing everything correctly.  I'd like to do another project like this where I can teach other teachers or perhaps students how to do something for class.  For example, I've been thinking about making a tutorial for my students to create their own learning blogs (using Weebly, which is what I use for my class site).  In order to help students, it would have to be very straightforward and simple enough that they could follow instructions without me around.  I'd also like it to be something that they could refer to often if they were struggling.  


What are the lessons learned that others might benefit from knowing about?

Google really is awesome!  Even as I was investigating the very generic presentation we did on Google docs, I found so many other things.  For example, I had no idea you could change your parameters in a search to include specific types of sites.  I also learned that in Google, I can create a specific search and use that to include only the sites I want my students to see.  Voicethread is awesome too, and it's even more awesome on the iPad.  When I tried to use my cursor to circle things and draw arrows, etc. on the computer, they weren't great, but then I discovered VT had a FREE app on the iPad and I was circling and drawing with precision just using my finger or a stylus.  It was really great.  Jing is a lot of fun as well, although when I tried to use it to record myself making the form, I learned that it didn't give me a file that could work with VT.


In what ways will you endeavor to do the same project again, and what will you change or not do?

I would do a project like this again; I'm on a mission to become a Google expert.  I think it's one of the few programs that we as teachers can feasibly expect to have access to any place.  It really contributes to the "anywhere, anytime" learning initiative.  Many other programs that we use are great as well, but they're not necessarily as accessible as Google.  I'd like to find a program that is more a combination of Jing and Voicethread because it would allow me to talk over a video (instead of just pictures or slides); and of course, I'd like it to be free.  Maybe there is one, but I haven't discovered it yet.

Professional Learning Plan

This was tough!  I think I must have had too many choices!  Enjoy!

Group Leadership Project

Christina and I did our tutorial about how to use Google Docs in the classroom, either for student work or to help teachers.  Since we were encouraging the use of Google Docs, the logical choice was to do our presentation using Google Docs.  In order to talk over the project and use some visual aids, we also used Voicethread in order to record instructions and draw attention to specific items on the different pages.

While Christina and I were developing our project, I learned that I really dislike doing projects that have step-by-step instructions.  I think that I do that step-by-step process anyway, but I think when a project is done in that way it isn't always conducive to changes that may help along the way.  I don't mind having a starting point, but I felt like we were bound by what we'd decided at the beginning.  I'm sure I'm in the minority about tracking the progress of a project like this, but I like to have to freedom to try something, then say, "Scratch that; this isn't going to work" and begin with something else.  

That being said, I learned I really liked using Voicethread.  I started by completing my portion of the project using VT on my computer, then I learned that there was an application for the iPad, and I completed the rest of it on the iPad.  The iPad app was brilliant!  It made circling and writing on the presentation so much easier (by using a stylus) and the sound was much better!  I plan on using VT on my iPad much more.  My students are getting iPads for the classroom next year, and VT is definitely one of the programs I'm asking my administrators to put on them!

I will definitely be doing more presentations like this for my classes!  Our project really focused more on how teachers can use Google Docs for organization and collaboration, etc., but I think I'd like to do presentations like this for a class website.  It would be a great way to have students watch/listen to lectures, and using VT to write and draw on the presentation would allow me to bring attention to specific parts of the lecture.  For example, if I were composing a lesson on DNA, I could be sure to highlight/circle new vocabulary terms and perhaps break them down to help students remember them.  


Julie and Christina's Google Docs Tutorial

Mobile Learning Lab

I was really intrigued by the numerous ideas of using Flipcameras in the classroom.  There were so many great projects that could be used in many different curricula.  I liked the idea of making videos with students tutoring/teaching another student a hard topic, ie. some math topic.  I'm a big fan of my students creating videos of themselves performing labs.  I think this would be great to have students create vodcasts doing different labs over the semester or year and then having a library of them for future use.  I'd love to do a videocast that would demonstrate the safety rules in a lab, for instance.  Using iPads, iPods, et cetera makes doing research a snap.  There are a couple of free applications that are very beneficial to science in particular.  It's known that students learn as many new terms in biology as they do in the first year of a foreign language.  There is a free app called "Science Glossary" which gives definitions to numerous terms.  It would be beneficial so students wouldn't have to keep asking what things were; they could look it up in a snap and continue with the lesson.  They'd get to concentrate on the science, and not on the difficulty of the vocabulary.  

I'm a big fan of the Poll Everywhere.  I thought that would be a great way to do either a bellringer or exit ticket.  It would give me an idea of how students did with the previous day's lesson or the current day's lesson in a few moments.  It would also give students an opportunity to contribute to the class via text.  Even shy students who aren't usually very vocal in class (and sometimes get lost in the shuffle) would be able to contribute.

There is the inevitable challenge of students getting off task if they are allowed to use mobile devices.  However, I think if the rules are made very clear when the tasks are explained, then students will know the consequences of going off task immediately.  For example, if they are to be using their cell phones for completing a survey in class, then that's all they should be doing.  I feel that they need clear cut rules at the beginning.  If they're caught on Facebook, and it's not Facebook time, then they lose points for that day or assignment.  It will be easier to establish clear rules right from the beginning.  I'm amazed at how much knowledge my students can share when they're allowed to do research on their phones or iPods.  They like using the devices to help them find answers.  What they don't know is that I'm secretly trying to teach them how to problem-solve.  :)

PART B - Storyboard and Script

Julie & Christina's Google Project

Here's a very rough storyboard of our Google project.  Christina and I are both interested in moving beyond Google as just a search engine.  I'm most interested in using Google to help me go paperless in my classroom, since we have recently started a 1/1 Laptop program.  I want to be able to organize assignments, quizzes, and tests, and store all of them on the "cloud" so I won't have to juggle different drives, computers, etc.  Google has embraced the idea of helping out education, so I feel like this would be an ideal collaboration tool.

Christina and I are still deciding what the best representation of our project would be.  Ideally, making a YouTube video would just strengthen our case for Google or I like the idea of making a StAIR, which could be more interactive (though I'm not sure how well that would work).  I think our tutorial will be helpful for teachers who have a little background about Google, but don't really know all the possibilities of the site.