Tech Savvy Learning Community -FCSU

Tech Savvy Teachers #2

2007-12-18T19:02:00.001-08:00

Tech Savvy Teachers #1

2007-12-18T17:20:00.001-08:00

TSLC Summer 2007

2007-07-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

The Tech Savvy Learning Community 2007 project is well underway and very exciting.
It's a pleasure to see us have conversations about 21st century learning and gaining some common language by listening to podcast episodes throughout the summer.
Our TSLC Moodle Site provides a private place for us to reflect as a community this summer.

Tech Tools for You

2006-08-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

Course Requirement Summary

2006-08-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a summary of the expectations for the course for those taking grad class. More details are available on your course syllabus in the Moodle Site.

* Complete the Orientation Activities (3 hrs)

* Complete your Pre-Institute Reading and Online Activities (12 hrs)

* Attend Tech Workshops and Tech Application Assignments (24 hrs)

Write a journal entry that outlines each tech skill you learned this summer, your growth with this tool, its potential application in our learning environment

* Project Design and Presentation (6 hrs)

Submit an unit design using an model that fits your project idea. I would suggest using either UBD design by Grant Wiggins or the Design Templates offered by the Buck Institutes.
http://www.bie.org/pbl/pblhandbook/tools.php#ppform

News from San Diego

2006-07-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Hi folks,
Due to a billing problem, my email has been down for a few days and anything that anyone sent me for the past few days is out in some blackhole in cyberspace. In any case, Sally Lawyer did reach me by phone today (even though it was the crack of dawn out here in San Diego..)and made me aware of a few gliches.
I will be back on the east coast on Wednesday, and will plan to spend a day (probably Thursday or Friday) at school to help anyone who might need face to face help.
What can you do in the meantime? If you can't get into the Moodle site or have trouble with any of the assignments, Here are two that I think you will find EASY and helpful. You can work on both w/o having to get into email.

------------ Assignment 3 --------
Below are several links to resources related to the IT Grade Cluster Expectations. Examine the resources listed below to familiarize yourself with the formats available and what works best for you. For this assignment I would suggest you keep the IT-GE's by Skill open (full size) in a separate window so you can refer to it. If you are not comfortable with switching back and forth between application, you can print it or try another format. Complete the IT Grade Cluster Expectations Self Assessment Assignment
The purpose of this self assessment is to help familiarize you with the IT GCE's and figure out which one of the IT GCE's are most likely to fit in your curriculum area. (If you feel uncomfortable adding your name to the bottom, please include a code nickname that only you will know. We will be looking at these together. )
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=428891198738Print a copy of the results for your records before you hit "submit"
AFter you are finished taking the survey -Write a brief journal entry here identifying which IT GCE's are most likely a good fit to integrate in your curriculum area (and at what grade level). Which IT GCE's do you as a teacher need more training on in order to better integrate what might be a natural fit into your curriculum area.
Cumulative results of the survey can be viewed athttp://www.surveymonkey.com/Report.asp?U=119873893494

--------------- Assignment 4 -------------------------------

We are going to explore Projects Based Learning as a pedagogy that supports 21st century learning. The Essential question for this section will be “Can project based learning support a standards based learning approach and how does it fit into a high-stakes testing climate?”
When you are done this assignment you will upload a paper that includes 3 parts.
A brainstormed list of projects that you that you keep building on throughout this exploration and throughout the summer. You should NOT have a project already designed. You might be coming into the class with some specific ideas, but be open to letting those ideas be shaped by the readings and exploration you do.
A Journal of thoughts, project ideas, important points you want to remember, resources you discover as you go through this exploration of PBL. Although your project has not been defined yet, consider these questions as you explore—when we get together face to face, you and y our partner will be asked to explore your brainstorming list with the following questions in mind.· Which of my project ideas are curriculum fueled and standards based
· Which of my project ideas asks a question or poses a problem that each student can answer.(Resource: Questioning Web Site)
· Which of my project ideas asks students to investigate issues and topics addressing real-world problems while integrating subjects across the curriculum.
· How do my project ideas fosters abstract, intellectual tasks to explore complex issues.

A reflective essay (1 page) about the Essential Question“Can project based learning support a standards based learning approach and how does it fit into a high-stakes testing climate?”Let’s begin our exploration
1. Read the Article - The Skills for a New Century
http://www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1article.php?id=Art_1546&issue=jun_06
2. Complete the Instructional Modules of the PBL Professional Development Instrutional Modules. http://www.edutopia.org/modules/PBL/index.php. Go through each of the 4 sections fairly thoroughly, exploring the hyperlinks. Be sure to spend some time on each of the Steps for Project-Based Learning
Essential QuestionPlanScheduleMonitorAssess Evaluate
3. Explore the Project Based Learning Home on the Edutopia Site.
http://www.edutopia.org/php/keyword.php?id=037
Start a PBL category on your FURL site. Bookmark or Furl this site, and any sub-sections of this site that you want to refer back to). Add comments and clippings from the pages that caught your attention.
Pay attention to any Instructions and Guidelines, Assessments, Video of student Presentation .
Found at (http://www.edutopia.org/other/reeder/compare.php)
Check out the electronic documentation for the CSI project. Your final project may include something like this.
http://www.edutopia.org/modules/csi/index.php

Welcome to the Tech Savvy Learning Community of 2006

2006-06-14T20:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to an exciting inquiry of 21st century learning. The fact that you have chosen to join us on this journey means that you have the type of pioneering spirit that is needed to teach and learn using 21st century tools. During this journey you will get a chance to explore and practice using many emerging technologies. Part of your journey will be to ask questions about the possible impact of these tools on teaching and learning.

Two important tools that will be central to this journey will be
1) This blog - http://tslc-course.blogspot.com/ which will be used to communicate news about the journey. I would suggest either checking here often for news (or) subscribing to the blog via email (this will alert you by email when a new message is posted here)

2) Our Moodle Site - http://fnwsu.org/moodle/course/view.php?id=3 an online environment that lends itself well to the process of learning and collaborating

More tools will be introduced as we proceed through our journey. Don't be afraid to call me at home or school if you need help. One thing you will be guaranteed if you join this group is as much support as you need to be successful.