The Transforming Classroom The Transforming Classroom

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Using technology to support academic curriculum standards.
On
COMPUTER-USING EDUCATORS, INC.
The Transforming
Classroom
CUE MEMBERS TAKE AIM AT A SHIFTING TARGET : THE FUTURE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
INSIDE: The latest in legislation • Spanning the
adoption gap • Online communities • The art of
classroom tech — literally
Spring 2005 | Vol. 27 | No. 1
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mission
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SPRING 2005
Contents
Up Front {4}
President’s Desk {6}
Cover Story
C
CUE promotes and supports the
effective use of technology in the
educational community.
Editor
Brian McDonough
Layout
3Ten Media
The Transforming Classroom............................................................ 12
CUE members aim at a shifting target: the future.
BRIAN McDONOUGH
Departments
Contributing Writers
Barbara Bray, Brian Bridges, Mac Carey, Ray Chavez,
Bridget Foster, Dave Johnston, Tim Landeck, Doug
Prouty
Tips & Tricks...................................................................................... 8
Creative use of your classroom tech is truly an art.
LINDA OAKS
Advertising
Paid advertising accepted in accordance with editorial
policy. For ad deadlines or additional information, please
contact CUE Inc., 2150 Mariner Square, Ste. 100, Alameda,
CA 94501, 510/814.6630.
OnCUE journal (ISSN 0739-9553) is published and
bulk-mailed four times during the academic year by
Computer-Using Educators, Inc., and is one of the benefits
of membership. Membership for CUE is $40/year, U.S. regular rate, and $30/year, U.S. student rate. Corporate memberships are available.
Tech Coordination ............................................................................ 16
Te a c h i n g t o t h e c o n v e r t e d : G e n e r a t i o n Te c h s .
DOUG PROUTY & TIM LANDECK
Professional Development ................................................................ 18
Y o u c a n b u i l d a n o n l i n e l e a r n i n g c o m m u n i t y, b u t w i l l i t l a s t ?
B A R B A R A B R AY
Entire contents Copyright 2004 by CUE, Inc., unless
otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. To reprint articles
that are copyrighted by the author, you must contact the
author for permission. All other items may be reprinted
for educational use, but not for sale, with the provision
that proper credit is given to OnCUE and to the author,
if any.
Columns
Legislative Beat ................................................................................ 10
Rounding up the latest budget, grant and funding developments.
2004/2005 CUE, Inc. Board of Directors
Jan Half, Member at Large
Katherine Hayden, President
[email protected]
[email protected]
DAV E J O H N S TO N
Chuck Holland, V.P./Treasurer
[email protected]
Michael Morrison, Member
[email protected]
T h e K 1 2 v o u c h e r p r o g r a m , C TA P 2 a n d t h e E E T T G r a n t .
Barbara Keenoy, Secretary
[email protected]
Scott Smith, Member
[email protected]
Harvey Barnett, Member
[email protected]
Debra White, Member
[email protected]
OnCTAP............................................................................................ 11
PA U L H A A S & B R I A N B R I D G E S
Hall Davidson, Member at Large
[email protected]
Mike Lawrence, Executive Director
[email protected]
Computer-Using Educators, Inc.
2150 Mariner Square Dr., Ste. 100
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone 510/814-6630 | Fax 510/814-0195
The CUE Review .............................................................................. 20
Software that supports technology integration.
SANDRA BURDICK
YOUR VOTE COUNTS!
Ballots for the 2005 CUE Board of Directors Election will be mailed to all
CUE members in March and are due at the CUE office by April 26.
For more information, visit: www.cue.org/election/2005.
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Spring 2005 OnCUE
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UP
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FRONT
by Mike Lawrence
Executive Director
[email protected]
L
et’s start with a question — how many of you
belong to the Auto Association of America? You
know, “Triple A,” your local Auto Club? Come
on, let’s see the hands ... yep ... yep ... yep ....
most of you, right? And how many of you carry
your AAA card in your wallet or purse? Lots of
you, I’d wager. My card says I’ve been a Triple A
member for more than a decade, and I can
immediately think of at least four or five emergencies in those years in which the roadside
assistance was invaluable to me. Furthermore,
the incremental car rental and hotel discounts
this membership has provided over the years
assuages any lingering questions I may have
about writing that renewal check every year.
Why do we join this association? Why do
we take out our checkbooks and renew our
membership every year, almost without fail?
Benefits!
Benefit
Performance
Coming soon to your membership
package: More reasons to love CUE.
So why am I’m going on about AAA in my
first OnCUE column?
Like AAA for those who drive, CUE is the
must-have membership for those who teach.
In addition to its regular top-flight conferences and events, CUE will soon begin partnering with educational agencies, vendors, retailers
and other groups to provide essential tools and
resources for 21st century educators at dramatic discounts, and in some cases, included in
your annual membership! To be an effective
educator in the Golden State in 2005 requires a
different skill set than the ones taught in our
master teachers and credentialing programs in
the last millennium. They were excellent then,
and have adapted well to the new requirements
in recent years. But short of going back and recredentialing ourselves, we need to update the
skills and resources now required of us. My
promise to you is that CUE will be the one of
the essential tools to get you there.
Just like roadside assistance, CUE will be
there to give you “just-in-time” solutions to
questions you face on a daily basis and in crisis
situations.
Do you ever wonder:
“Where can I find standards-based
resources, aligned to my curricular topic?”
“Who has a great video clip about the unit
I’m teaching THIS week?”
“Why can’t I get this printer to work?”
“Where can I find the best discounts
on printer ink, scanners or other classroom
supplies?”
“I can’t make it to Palm Springs this year —
can CUE come to me?”
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these, be sure
to keep your CUE membership updated.
Stay tuned — exciting things are coming. ✪
For more information, visit www.cue.org/mycue.
Spring 2005 OnCUE
www.cue.org
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Scientifically Based Research Applied to CAHSEE Preparation
The CAHSEE Tutor Software was designed to help students prepare for the California High School
Exit Examination at their own individual pace. This Windows and Macintosh standards assessment
and interactive test preparation software will help students master 100% of the California Content
Standards that are tested on the Mathematics and English-Language Arts CAHSEE.
100% Correlation to the California Content Standards
TestTools, Inc.
(800) 851-5080
www.testtools.com
Specifically Created by Teachers to help California Students Prepare for the CAHSEE
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PRESIDENT’S
DESK
by Katherine Hayden
Let No Child Slip
Through the NETS
S
SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS ARE ADDRESSING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND LEGISLATION THROUGH INCREASED ACCESS
TO STUDENT DATA, BUT FORGETTING THAT THE SAME LEGISLATION CALLS FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT TECHNOLOGY SKILLS AT THE END
OF EIGHTH GRADE, STARTING IN 2006.
The use of technology for organization and
assessment helps educators plan lessons to meet
individual and group needs, but it doesn't prepare students for being technology proficient.
Technology skills are addressed through planning and implementation of activities providing
opportunities to use a variety of technology
applications to support learning. A review of the
National Education Technology Standards
(NETS) for students and for teachers provides a
way to identify important uses of technology for
learning experiences that will prepare students
for success <http://cnets.iste.org>.
The student NETS are categorized in six areas:
1. Basic operations and concepts;
2. Social, ethical and human issues;
3. Technology productivity tools;
4. Technology communications tools;
5. Technology research tools; and
6. Technology problem-solving and decisionmaking tools.
These skills are not addressed through
electronic assessment or by a teacher using a
data-driven, decision-making software package. Students must have access to technology
applications that will provide real-world
opportunities in their learning. It’s important
to plan for all aspects of how technology can
support all needs of our students through a
focus on the NETS proficiencies for students.
Spring 2005 OnCUE
As administrators and teachers look for professional growth venues to support integration
of technology effectively, OnCUE, CUE advocacy updates and listservs provide access to
current information and resources. Staying upto-date on technology issues helps everyone
plan efficiently. Attending the annual CUE conferences and professional development events
sponsored by CUE and many CUE affiliates
will provide additional opportunities for connecting with other educators, presenters and
vendors, for sharing resources and strategies
for assessment and for technology integration
in curriculum based activities.
Today, more than ever, teachers and students can use technology to access immediate
information that can help drive the learning
process. Online tools include artificial intelligence features capable of scoring and assessing
writing, math skills and other relevant assessment information. We must keep in mind,
however, that student success depends on realworld skills, including the use of technology.
Without it, students may be left behind. ✪
Katherine Hayden <[email protected]>, president of CUE’s Board of Directors, is an assistant
professor of Educational Technology at California
State University, San Marcos. She served as president of San Diego CUE for two years.
www.cue.org
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Membership Application
SORRY, NO PURCHASE ORDERS ACCEPTED
Benefits
• Voting privileges.
• ISTE/CUE Student Membership
• Continuing Education Credit for
attending CUE conference.
• Membership to one Affiliate and/or
any number of Special Interest
Groups.
• Proactive legislative service
• CUE E-mail Updates for advance
notice and up-to-date information.
• Group Membership discounts. Please
call the CUE office for information.
• Discounted registration fees on CUE
conference and other state and local
CUE activities.
• Save on select technology products
with proof of membership.
• Annual subscription to OnCUE,
published four times a year.
• Recognition programsand LeRoy
Finkel Fellowship.
• Free One-Year CTC Membership
Affiliate Option for California Residents
CUE supports 20 regional Affiliates and four SIGs. As a CUE member, you not only
gain access to a network of computer-using educators in your area, but are free to
join an affiliate, and any number of our special interest groups. To add more than
one affiliate, there is an additional $10 fee.
❒ ACT CUE
[email protected]
Kern County
❒ Mission Trail CUE
www.slonet.org/~mtcue
San Luis Obispo County
❒ Beach Cities CUE
www.bccue.org
Los Angeles South Bay Area
❒ North Coast CUE
http://ntap.k12.ca.us/cue
Mendocino, Lake, Del Norte, Humboldt
counties
❒ Cahuilla CUE
www.cahuillacue.org
Coachella Valley
❒ Orange County CUE www.occue.org
Orange County
www.capcue.org
Alpine, Amador, Colusa,
El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento,
Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties
❒ Central California CUE www.cccue.net
San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Mariposa,
Merced, Tuolumne, and Calaveras
counties
❒ San Diego CUE
www.sdcue.org
San Diego County
❒ Tri CUE
[email protected]
Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito
counties
❒ Central Valley CUE www.cvcue.org
❒ Wine Country CUE
❒ CUELA
❒ None
❒ East Bay CUE
Special Interest Groups
❒ Administrators’ SIG
Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Madera
counties
www.lausd.k12.ca.us/
nonprofit/cuela
Los Angeles County
www.ebcue.org
Alameda and Contra Costa counties
❒ East San Gabriel Valley CUE
www.esgvcue.net
East San Gabriel Valley
❒ Gold Coast CUE
http://goldcoastcue.org
Ventura County
❒ iCUE Silicon Valley
http://homepage.mac.com/icuesv
San Mateo and Santa Clara counties
❒ Imperial Valley CUE
www.ivcue.org
Imperial County
❒ Inland Area CUE
[email protected]
San Bernardino and Riverside counties
except Coachella Valley
CUE Membership Number
SS# (last 4 digits) B-date(MM/DD)
Name
Home Address
City
State
Zip
Evening Phone
Day Phone
E-mail Address (include to receive CUE e-mail updates.)
School District (spell out complete name)
❒ Kern CUE
www.actcue.org
West San Gabriel Valley and
Independent Schools of Southern
California
❒ Capitol CUE
I am using this form to ...
❒ Become a Member ❒ Renew Membership ❒ Corrections/updates
www.sonoma.k12.ca.us/winecue/cue.html
Sonoma and Napa Counties
Support for technology-using school
administrators.
Michael Simkins
[email protected]
❒ TEC/ASTUTE
Professional development across the
teaching continuum
Pam Redmond [email protected]
Robin Chiero [email protected]
❒ Library Media Educators’ SIG
A support group for learning resource
professionals.
Lesley Farmer [email protected]
Job Position:
❒ Elementary School
❒ Middle School
❒ High School
❒ Community College
❒ University
❒ Site or District Administrator
❒ Computer-related business
❒ Parent
❒ Other
How Did You Hear About CUE?
❒
❒
❒
❒
❒
❒
❒
❒
School/Co-worker
CUE Affiliate Event
OnCUE Journal
CUE Website
Other Educational Conference
CUE Conference Publication
Advertisement
Other: ___________________
Annual Dues Payment
❒ Group Membership $________
❒ US $40 – U.S. & Canada Regular Membership
❒ US $30 – U.S. & Canada Student Membership
(Class schedule is attached to verify my full-time student status – 6 semester
or 9 quarter unit minimum.)
❒
US $65 – International
❒
US $20 – Emeritus
Multi-Year Regular Membership
❒
US $75 – 2 years
❒
US $110 – 3 years
❒ A check (payable to Computer-Using Educators) enclosed
❒ Charge my: ❒ VISA ❒ MasterCard
Account Number
Exp. Date
Signature (required for credit card orders)
❒ Technology Coordinators’ SIG
School, district and county coordinators’ support.
Doug Prouty [email protected]
Check payable to / Mail to: Computer-Using Educators, Inc.
2150 Mariner Square Dr., Ste. 100
Alameda, CA 94501
For more information, please call the CUE, Inc. office at 510.814.6630
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TIPS
&
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TRICKS
by Linda Oaks
Creative Classroom Computing
M A K I N G T H E M O S T O F Y O U R C L A S S R O O M T E C H N O L O G Y I S A N A R T — I N M O R E W AY S T H A N O N E .
reative printing options result
in art projects that can make
educational tools or supplement lessons.
You’ve mastered word processing,
spreadsheets, presentations and your
new digital camera, and you say you’re
ready to try something new? It’s time to
move from printing on paper to fabric,
vellum, magnets and even wood and
clay! There are new techniques and
products available to turn your creations into three-dimensional delights,
and their applications for the classroom are varied and limited only by
your imagination!
C
Fabulous Fabric
Fabric transfers, available at most
office supply and fabric stores, let you
print out a washable transfer for wearing. The drawback is that you must be
able to print a “flipped” design, and the
result has a glossy appearance. An
alternative is fusible transfer sheets.
After printing on these, you can simply
iron the design to fuse it to your fabric
— no flipping required. Read the package carefully — some are washable
(more expensive) and some are not.
If washing is not an issue or you
need to create a classroom quantity of
printed fabric, there are a couple of
very inexpensive alternatives. Both
require light-colored, lightweight
material (muslin, cotton). Do not use
stretchy fabrics or those with fuzzy textures — they could damage your printer. Use a straight paper path for best
results. Use inkjet printers only.
Method 1: Purchase a roll of freez-
er paper from the grocery store. Cut
paper and fabric to printer size. Use a
dry iron to iron the fabric to the shiny
side of the freezer paper. Put cellophane tape over the leading edge and
print. Let the ink dry and peel off the
freezer paper.
Method 2: Use card stock paper and
repositionable spray adhesive instead of
freezer paper. Spray the card stock and
press on the fabric. Once again, tape the
leading edge and print. I find this
method more reliable.
If color ink is too expensive, try
printing only in black and white and
have your students use fabric markers
to add color or their own original
drawings. In the classroom, you can
use your fabric products to create
quilts across the curriculum — memory pillows, gifts, awards, flannel stories
or bulletin boards.
Magnificent Magnets
Magnets are my favorites for educational manipulatives and organizational tools. If you have a magnetic
white board in your room, you can create easily displayed and manipulated
visual tools. If you need a magnetic
surface, craft stores now carry magnetic paint. A few coats make any surface
magnetic. If you need a smaller surface,
inexpensive metal roofing sheeting can
be purchased at hardware stores and
cut to size. For individual use, a cookie sheet works very well.
Printable magnetic sheets that can
be run through inkjet printers can be
purchased at office supple stores. They
only come in white, but the quality is
excellent
and
the
result
is
★ The Crafty PC at
very lighthttp://www.thecraftypc.com
weight and
pliable and
★ PC Crafts at
http://www.pccrafts.com/files
easily cut
with scis★ Mom’s Corner for Kids at
sors. The
http://www.momscorner4kids.
drawback is
com/fonts/index.htm
expense:
about
$1
per sheet. Luckily, Realtors, pizza parlors and other businesses in my area
are always dropping off calendar or
sales magnets at my house, and I use
these to create many of the magnets I
need. Measure the magnet, print to fit
that size, and attach with a flexible
adhesive (permanent spray adhesive
works well).
As an alternative, office supply
stores carry peel-and-stick business
card magnets that are well-priced and
easy to use. Peel off the protective
paper and stick on your printed material. These magnets are stronger than
the previously mentioned kinds but
can still be cut to size. If your software
has templates for business cards, you
can quickly create class sets of manipulatives and office supply stores carry
printed business card sheets that can
add color and pizzazz to awards.
In the classroom, magnets can be
used to display student projects, organize attendance, as classroom helpers or
for grouping or sign-ups. They make
excellent math and reading manipulatives, student-of-the-week awards, parent reminders (call in absences, Web
internet ideas
C O N T . on 15
Spring 2005 OnCUE
www.cue.org
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Free Resources For Educators
WWW.BORDERLINK.ORG
College Culture
College Culture is a series of video programs developed to inform and prepare today’s high
school students and their families for the college experience. Post-secondary education concerns
and uncertainties are addressed by actual college students, parents of college students, school
counselors, and college recruiters. The programs discuss a variety of significant college issues
such as SAT test preparation, financial aid preparation, scholarship searches, succeeding in
college, housing issues and more.
Useful Testing Information
Useful Testing Information is a website to help students, parents, and educators navigate the increasingly
complex world of student assessment and college readiness. This website provides testing information for the
California STAR Program, California High School Exit Exam, College Entrance Testing, Test Taking Strategies,
and Classroom Assessment. Each of the above components includes a brief introduction followed by
background information Many of the links provide useful information that is applicable to audiences
beyond those listed.
Get to Work!
Get to Work! was developed by the BorderLink Project to help individuals get ready for their first job or to
change positions in the middle of a career. Whether a first-time worker or an experienced employee, this
web site offers advice and resources about how to get to work.
SAT/ACT Test Prep Mini-Course
The SAT/ACT Test Prep Mini-Course is a series of online workshops that were developed to help high school students get
ready for college entrance exams. From test-taking hints to the review of specific English and math concepts, the workshops
are intended to help students get ready for the SAT and ACT. The workshops are available online for student use 24 hours per day.
English Learner Mentoring
The English Learner Mentoring program is a series of online professional development modules
designed to provide educators with information, strategies and tools to help improve the quality
of instruction for English Learners. The English Learner Mentoring website includes the following
modules: Belief Systems, Theoretical Foundations, Effective Classroom Instruction, Lesson Plans,
Assessment, Supervisor Perspective, and Accountability.
BorderLink Project Overview
The BorderLink Project was a federally-funded Technology Innovation Challenge Grant (1999-2004) that focused on
applying existing and emerging technologies to formerly insurmountable classroom learning and instructional obstacles
in remote and geographically-isolated high schools. The Imperial County Office of Education, in partnership with the
San Diego County Office of Education, used grant funds to level the playing field for all high school students in both
counties. The mission of the BorderLink Project was to “use technology to remove barriers to post-secondary opportunities
for students in remote and isolated schools.” Please visit the BorderLink Project website at www.borderlink.org for
additional educational resources.
Another service provided by
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LEGISLATIVE
BEAT
by Dave Johnston
Pick Your Battles
Wisely
he opening salvos in the battle over
this year’s state budget make it clear
that it will be a very interesting
process to watch. Despite a lower initial deficit — only $8.6 billion this year — there
will be heated debate over the best way to reach
a balanced budget. Both sides are cranking up
the rhetoric and threatening to go to the
voters with initiatives to bypass their “uncooperative” colleagues across the aisle.
T
“Pick your
battles big
enough
to matter,
small enough
to win.”
Jonathan Kozol
Budget Update
Gov. Schwarzenegger’s January budget
proposal reflects an increase of about $2.9 billion for K-12 education, which sounds pretty
good until someone points out that this is still
$2.3 billion less than the governor promised
last year.
Schwarzenegger’s budget included several
controversial education initiatives which,
although not directly related to technology,
have brought education issues to the public’s
attention:
• ACAX1 1 Richman would eliminate publicemployee-defined-benefit pension systems in
favor of 401(k) defined-contribution plans.
• SCAX1 1 Runner would implement merit pay
for teachers and extend the time to reach
tenure to 10 years.
• ACAX1 2 Daucher would increase school district fiscal accountability and disclosure.
There’s some good news for education
technology. The proposal includes funding for
the California Technology Assistance Project
(CTAP) and the Statewide Education
Technology Services (SETS), at just over $16
million. That includes ADA growth and a 3.93
Spring 2005 OnCUE
percent cost-of-living adjustment.
CTAP is also slated to receive just over $2
million in funding to support school districts
applying for Enhancing Education Through
Technology (EETT) grants. While EETT was
funded at just over $91 million in California this
year, the federal budget just passed reduces funding for 2005/2006 by 28 percent. Our state’s portion will drop to $65.5 million next year — still
a sizable sum, but not what we had hoped for.
Funding was included in this year’s budget
for the California K-12 High Speed Network
(K-12 HSN). This network replaced the Digital
California Project network and connects
schools to the Internet, Internet2 and other
resources. The January budget proposal allocates $21 million to continue this important
work for another year.
The budget includes continued funding of
$5 million for the Principal Training Program
(AB75), training administrators in a variety of
topics. The third module of AB75 training covers technology and its use in student data management.
Funding for the California School
Information Services (CSIS) project is included
at $3.899 million. This project supports the
exchange of student data for state reporting
and student records transfer.
It’s About the Data
With increasing pressure to trim expenditures, decision makers in Sacramento are looking
programs having a measurable impact. The education technology programs remaining in the
budget are being asked to provide more data to
prove their worth.
The CTAP regions recently completed a new
application process to select a lead educational
agency for each region. This process included a
more stringent evaluation. Each CTAP region is
now required to have an external evaluator. The
evaluation is focused on the impact of CTAP
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LEGISLATIVE
services rather than simply counting participants.
The CSIS budget item includes $150,000 for the
Sacramento County Office of Education to "contract for independent project oversight" of CSIS with quarterly reports to
the Legislature, the Department of Finance, the
Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of
Education, the governor, the Legislative Analysts Office and
the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team.
The data collected is becoming increasingly focused on
the classroom impact. It is no longer simply a question of
whether the program is a good use of technology. Education
technology programs now need answer questions like these:
How does this program affect teachers and students in the
classroom? How does it help students achieve mastery of the
content standards? Is there research that proves this is an effective strategy for improving student achievement?
We CUE members, as education technology leaders, need
BEAT
11
to help make certain that we have data to show that our uses
of technology are effective and make a difference in the classroom. With diminishing resources, we have to be able to convince others that technology, used wisely, does have a positive
impact on student achievement.
Pick Your Battles Wisely
As a parent or a teacher, you learn that you have to pick
your battles. It is difficult to have a good relationship with
children — or anyone, for that matter — if you are unwilling to compromise. The same is true of advocating for your
favorite education technology program. Technology cannot
be the sole solution to all problems.
In the good old days of plentiful funding, we advocated
for a variety of education technology programs to meet the
varied needs of our constituencies. With the tight fiscal
times we now face and the increased demands placed on
C O N T . on 22
The much-anticipated Education Technology K12 Voucher
Program grant has been delayed once again, this time due to a
variety of appeals. Previously, the court settled on lawyer fees and
the window for consumers to submit their vouchers closed on Jan.
8. CTAP will notify districts when it’s clear the RFA will be
released.
previously spread out over two years. However, AB 2706 requires
that the entire funding amount be awarded during the first year of
the grant.
Small school districts have a slight advantage in the new
RFA. Small districts are eligible for three bonus points based on
responses to a short survey in the RFA. A small district is
defined as a unified district with fewer than 1501 students, an
elementary district with fewer than 901 students, or a highschool district with fewer than 301 students. Unlike the previous grant, large districts that partner with small districts will
not be awarded bonus points.
Competitive EETT Update
Last January, the CDE revised and reposted the Competitive
EETT RFA to make it compliant with AB 2706, which was signed
into law last year. While the formal deadline for submitting applications is April 6, all eligible districts should be aware of the
modifications.
Previously, junior high and middle schools were given
funding priority. Due to the vast numbers of middle-school applications, students in grades four to eight in non-junior high
schools had few chances to be funded. AB 2706 eliminates the
junior-high priority, so that all eligible districts, including those
without middle schools, may apply for their students in grades
four to eight.
The Competitive grant is funded at $300 per student and was
Formula EETT Reduction
In mid-December, Congress drastically cut funding for the
EETT program (Title II, Pard D) by 28 percent. Beginning with
the 2005/2006 school year, your district’s formula EETT grant
will be reduced by 28 percent. The amount available for the
Competitive EETT grant will be reduced by an equal amount.
We’d like to close by thanking Mitch Hall for his service
both to CTAP Region 3 and to the State Coordinating Council.
We wish Mitch well during his retirement, although we suspect
we’ll see him around.✪
For complete information, contact your local regional office
through the CTAP Web site <www.ctap.k12. ca.us>. Paul Haas is
chairman of the State Coordinating Council and director of CTAP
Region 2. Brian Bridges is project coordinator for CTAP Region 6.
OnCTAP
Microsoft Grant Update
By Paul Haas and Brian Bridges
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The future is a target that won’t stand still. CUE members and friends adjust their sights.
THE TRANSFORMING CLASSROOM
by Brian McDonough
C
Computer Using Educators has been serving teachers and
administrators — has helped educators serve one another —
for a quarter century now. One might have hoped that in those
27 years — 25 years of CUE Conferences — events would
have overtaken the organization and made it as obsolete as
Pencil Using Educators would be. Anyone who's been in a
classroom or a district office knows that, despite valiant efforts
and real dedication at all levels, that's just not the case. There’s
as much need for CUE during what might be seen as an intermediary stage as there was at the beginning. Ahead of our 2005
conference in Palm Springs in March, OnCUE talked to a
number of members and conference presenters about the challenges ahead and what CUE can — and should — continue to
bring to the table.
There are a lot more computers in classrooms these day,
Executive Director Mike Lawrence notes, but that's not the
end of the story. “Most teachers I encounter have had some
training in the basic skills of using technology,” he says, “but
I believe our next challenge will take us to more specific
training.”
Part of the challenge has been fitting what technology
can do with what teachers have always done. These days,
there seems to be an increasing awareness of how technology can not just supplement teaching, but transform it.
“With content standards, we have been able to focus on
the use of technology to help students meet those standards,” notes Gerald McMullin, technology coordinator for
the Castro Valley Unified School District. “That makes a
stronger case for technology than, say, simply completing a
multimedia project, where it’s harder to evaluate if the student actually learned the content.”
McMullin, president of East Bay CUE, adds that those
who have embraced tech have to help lesson plans catch up.
“If you are a technology advocate, you need to be at the
table when the core curriculum is discussed.”
The Story So Far
There’s been action. There’s been wiring. There have
been seminars. Grants have been written, hardware has been
bought, software has been unboxed. There’s been experimentation. Seminars. Symposia. Yet still, the job's not done
— and in some districts, it’s less done than in others. And
you’d be hard-pressed to find even the best-outfitted schools
using what they’ve got to its best potential.
“I believe it’s more than ‘build it and they will come,’”
says L. Antwon Lincoln, technology curriculum specialist
for the Paramount Unified School District and an adjunct
professor at CSU-Long Beach. “That mentality is not working like we originally envisioned it.”
Lincoln, a CUE Conference presenter, says that making
the technology really work is the next step. “I believe we
need to take it a step further ... ‘Support them and they will
overcome.’”
But while hardware makes its way onto campus and
teachers try to find time to learn what to do with it, their
students are far ahead. “We’re living through an information
revolution,” says Bob Blackney, Chino Valley USD’s technology director. “While students generally take it as second
nature that information is readily available, many adults still
struggle to adapt to an information age.”
Which was why technology advocates have felt like voices in the wilderness. Lynell Burmark, a former CUE executive
director and a presenter at this year's conference, says the audience is changing. “I think the difference today is that they
come already predisposed to adopt technology,” she says.
“Their questions now focus less on whether we should use
technology than on how we can use it most effectively.”
Tech advocates started out as voices in the wilderness, but
in recent years, they’ve been getting a better reception, says
Jason Ediger, coordinator of education technology for the
Orange County Department of Education. “The time of
urgency is past,” he says. “I almost feel that people understand
that technology is important, and as more digital natives enter
the teaching profession, they will demand digital tools.”
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While there’s some hope that newer teachers entering
the profession will bring the perspective of the Internet age,
Ediger isn’t sure he’s seeing the creativity Burmark describes.
“I see the new crop of teachers coming into the profession,
and they're asking about email, laptops and Internet access,”
he says. “My first impression is that they’re primarily asking
about access to professional tools to do their job. I’m not
sure that they see the massive impact that technology could
make on their instructional practices.”
13
ment is at the heart of the change we need,” Burmark says,
hitting on a theme that educator after educator brought up
in the discussions informing this article.
Tomorrow’s Tech Today
What are the tools teachers should be getting ready for?
The general assessment of emerging technologies on their
way to campus is that, finally, “doing more with less” won't
have a downside. Ediger’s watchwords are “small” and
“mobile” — handheld devices that will support quick, conChanging Tools, Static System?
venient applications. “Wireless devices and an infrastructure
Despite the ongoing effort, there are still obstacles, both that will support immediate access to publishing tools, conto tech adoption and to education in general.
tent and assessment,” he says. “Moblogging is an example of
“Unfortunately, the thing that schools and districts are this in the near term.”
being held responsible for is not the thing that will translate
Lawrence concurs. “I think the most exciting recent
to real-world success, or that technology is best at deliver- developments in technology would be the proliferation of
ing,” Blackney says. “The higheasy-to-use multimedia pubstakes testing craze is based on diplishing tools such as blogs, podD
E
A
D
E
N
D
S
sticking a student’s knowledge as
casts, DVD publishing and conan indicator of greater understandtent-management systems.”
Tech advocates have been feeling their way
ing, rather than evaluating a stu“I’m extremely excited about
in the dark for years, dealing with unpredictable
dent’s knowledge in context.
the
direction Apple is going
budgets, chilly receptions from decision-makers
Although we may evangelize, techwith the design of their iMac
and stakeholders, and a rate of advancement
of technology that’s hard to keep up with. With
nology will be judged by how it
line,” Lincoln says. “I’ve always
a few decades of this mission under the belt,
increases test scores and not by the
believed that until technology is
veterans are able to look back and learn from
quality and volume of information
presented more like an applifailures.
it delivers in the classroom.”
ance, as opposed to a clunky
Lack of vision: “Our biggest failures usually
“I think the challenge now is to
box ... the computer will always
revolve around attempting to maintain traditional
structures in the face of change,” Bob Blackney
continue this beyond the surface
be an intimidating machine.”
says. “Much like the recording industry attemptunderstanding — that technology
“I’m more excited about softing to maintain the structure of selling records
is good for teaching and learning —
ware than hardware,” Burmark
when music can be distributed via the Internet.”
to achieve the deep understanding
says. “I just did a Google search
“Technology proficiency is more than underthat it can be integrated in a way
on ‘Einstein’ and got 10,800,000
standing word processing, databases and
that changes the very nature of
hits. After a good laugh, I logged
spreadsheets,” Mike Lawrence adds. “These
are
core
literacies,
but
we
need
to
address
classroom experiences,” Lawrence
onto netTrekker, where I got 192
media literacy, also referred to as visual literasays. “The idea that we can achieve
hits, 142 of which were illustratcy ... Our society is largely visual in focus – it's
core curriculum standards using
ed sites. No porn. All educatorhow we learn.”
technology in new and innovative
approved.”
Lack of professional development: “I was
ways should be the focus, not makMcMullin looks less at the
watching a video on the digital divide and
heard a quote,” L. Anton Lincoln says. “‘In our
ing sure that each tech proficiency
ever-changing tools than at the
effort to wire the classroom, we forgot to wire
standard is addressed in the lesunderlying value. “I see informathe teachers.’”
son.”
tion as the emerging technology,”
Lynell Burmark says training is vital. “Deliver a
“The area that needs more
he says. “Schools will move
piece of technology to the classroom and it will
attention is the motivating aspect of
toward content-management
just be put to use?” she asks. “Not likely.”
using technology in an educational
systems and/or data warehouses
Lack of integration: “Mistakes include using
technology for drill and kill,” Jason Ediger says.
setting,” Lincoln adds. “You motithat allow information to be
“And
treating
technology
as
a
separate
subject,
vate teachers by speaking at the
processes and presented.”
and not putting technology in a student's natural
foundation of what makes a good
And they’ll do it with Star
learning environment.”
teacher.”
Trek props.
“I think professional developC O N T . on 14
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C O N T . from 13
“Each student will have access to their own processor-based
computing tool,” Lawrence says. “We will see constant wireless connectivity.”
Blackney predicts a shift in teaching methods. “The
educational pendulum will eventually swing away from the
current testing mania and refocus on practical application,” he
says. “When that occurs, technology will play a greater role.”
Looking Within
Looking at the mission ahead of tech advocates leads
one to consider CUE’s function as an agent of change. With
its original challenges not fully met, and new issues always
arising, CUE needs to be adaptive.
Lynell Burmark considers how CUE pursued its goals in
the years she led it, and how those strategies might be
repositioned. “One of the things I did was to organize highvolume purchase agreements, with deep discounts for CUE
members,” she says. “In those days it was for hardware, but
I'm thinking, today, those discounts could spill over to software and training. We could pull together our members who
have expertise with that kind of thing and design a leadership role for CUE to play.”
Bob Blackney says keeping up with society’s shift to a
24/7 information culture will be a considerable challenge for
the organization. “Professional organizations will be challenged to take advantage of the network to accomplish their
goals,” he says. “The core function of CUE is to disseminate
information, not to hold a conference.”
Ediger agrees that CUE should make better use of the
information dissemination tools at its disposal. “CUE could
better model what it promotes,” he says.
Mike Lawrence says CUE is committed to keeping up
with technology and the evolving priorities of educators.
“CUE’s role can and should change and adapt to the
needs of its membership,” Lawrence says. He offered some
hints of what’s on the horizon in his introductory letter to
this issue of OnCUE.
that in California, that progress will be delayed by funding,
which will be a political issue and not a policy issue.”
“I remain pessimistic,” McMullin admits. “I believe that
the powers that be still view technology as a special interest
that competes with other interests. Technology is not yet
viewed by all stakeholders as an integral part of a teacher’s job.”
Ediger is also downbeat — “unless we can change the
current economic model.” Spending needs to shift, he says.
“We need true, affordable digital learning resources, and
textbook money to be spent on the devices that provide
access to these resources.”
“I believe that as time moves on, the money will return
... but where will we invest that money?” Lincoln wonders.
“Our biggest investment should be in training teachers to
use technology in the classroom.” Get the teacher up and
running with technology, he says, and they’ll be able to find
creative ways to use it even during leaner times.
Burmark also sees the funding coming back eventually.
“I’m optimistic that funding will be there for technologies
that can be proven to improve teaching and learning,” she
says. The fact that even against these odds, so many continue to participate in CUE, attend its conferences and push for
tech integration on their own campuses and in their own
districts, speaks directly to the force that can overcome the
obstacles before them.
“The money is there,” Lawrence says. “We as administrators and educators just need to seek new avenues to connect
these sources of funding with our work, or seek out
unexplored opportunities.”
Which sounds like a pretty good mission statement for
CUE’s next 25 years.
The Future’s So Bright …
With so much left to do, it’s no surprise that many veterans of this cause are pessimistic about the short term, in
which money is a key issue, even when they remain hopeful
about the eventual transformation of the classroom.
“I’m optimistic that educational technology is a force that
cannot be stopped,” Blackney says. “Though I am convinced
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TRICKS
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C O N T . from 8
site address, homework hotlines …), vocabulary activities
and many more.
Wonderful Wood
If you need the look of wood for your project, consider
printing on wood veneer. You can use the rolls or sheets but
don't use the iron-on variety, and use only inkjet printers.
Set your printer to manual feed using a straight paper path.
After printing, spray your design with an art fixative, wait 15
minutes and spray a second coat. You may also want to apply
a clear wood varnish.
Another way to get a design on wood is to print the simple design and transfer it to wood using tracing paper. You
can also chalk the backside of your design and trace it with
a pencil. Your design on wood can then be colored using
paint-stain pens or burned with a wood burning tool (not
recommended for classroom use).
Creative Clay
Your text and images can be transferred to polymer clay
and make interesting social studies artifacts. Be sure you flip
your design if it contains text or obvious one-way designs.
Print out your design on a laser printer or copy it on a copier that uses toner. Soften and evenly flatten light-colored
polymer clay, which can be found at craft and art supply
stores. Place your design print-side down on the flat clay and
burnish it with the back of a spoon. Dampen the design with
a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol and burnish with the
spoon again. Allow to dry. Repeat the process two more
times. Finally moisten the paper again and peel it off the
clay. Be careful not to touch the design at this point or it will
smear. Bake the clay pieces in a regular oven according to
the directions on the package. Allow to cool.
create the second piece of paper, which can then be seen
through the transparency. Dazzling foils or seasonal backgrounds from gift wrap or gift bags can be utilized in the
same way.
Another way to get inexpensive color is to print on preprinted tablets or cutouts usually used for classroom decorations or notes. If they have a flat edge, you can send them
through your printer (separate the tablets first, of course). If
they don’t have a flat edge, you can still print on them. Use
repositionable spray adhesive to attach them to regular
printer paper and send them through that way. Be sure to
mark with a pencil where you are putting them on the paper
so you will not have to figure out the position each time.
You can also print directly on the hundreds of scrapbook paper designs available on vellum, on tissue paper
(mounted on printer paper) and envelopes. ✪
Linda Oaks is an elementary teacher for the Rowland Unified
School District.
CALL FOR PRESENTERS 2006
CUE is looking for members and friends to share their learning, teaching and technology experiences with their fellow
members. Presenters who can address the uses and integration of technology in all disciplines and at all educational levels are encouraged to apply for a presentation. We are looking
for sessions to meet the needs of beginning, intermediate and
advanced technology users. CUE’s annual conferences are
among the oldest and largest education-technology events in
the United States.
DEADLINES
Getting Color Without Using Color
Creating color projects in the classroom can quickly
become cost-prohibitive. But color is a great motivating factor and the result is much more inviting. So how to get it
without breaking the bank? Printing black-and-white
images or text on colored paper is an obvious choice, as is
printing on multicolored desktop publishing paper, available
at office supply stores. If you need just a couple of copies, try
Kinko’s or Office Max, which sell individual sheets as well as
packages.
There are other options. I often print on overhead projector transparencies. The students draw, paint or otherwise
www.cue.org
Workshops/Seminars: June 17, 2005
Concurrent Sessions: Sept 1, 2005
NOTIFICATION
Applicants will be notified in writing on November 1,
2005. Please contact CUE for further information.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
Submit proposals online at www.cue.org/conference/present.html. We will begin accepting 2006 CUE proposals
online April 1, 2005. Contact CUE at (510) 814-6630.
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COORDINATION
by Doug Prouty & Tim Landeck
Teaching to the Converted
W H I L E E D U C AT O R S C O N S I D E R H O W T O D I P T H E I R T O E S I N T E C H N O L O G Y, T H E I R S T U D E N T S A R E A L R E A D Y S O A K I N G I N I T.
echnology begs us to change the
school curriculum and learning
environment. Take today’s children away from technology and
you take them out of their natural environment. Outside of school, children use
technology continuously for communication, recreation, entertainment and
learning. Young children have cell
phones that can check email, send
instant messages, access the Web and
just talk.
Educators are trying to keep up
with technology, but at best we manage
a linear rate of change. Meanwhile,
children’s use and comfort of technology is advancing exponentially. It’s time
for the schools to do a better job of
keeping up with their students. Tech
advocates still have a long way to go
and a lot of work ahead. Even in 2005,
most of our classrooms and teaching
practices have room for updating.
Almost any classroom today could be
better used as a tool to enhance learning. We need a culture shift and that is
going to take a dedication and time.
T
Temporary Injunctions
In the mid ’80s, we didn’t allow calculators in the classroom. In the ’90s,
math departments debated whether to
allow calculators during tests. Now
you can’t enroll in certain high-school
math classes without a sophisticated,
Web-enabled graphing calculator.
What if all “essential” technologies
were to follow that pattern? A new
technology is initially banned from the
classroom. Next, the education world
decides it’s valuable, and we allow it.
Spring 2005 OnCUE
Finally, it becomes required. But how
long will that adoption lag? Already
many college campuses require freshmen to arrive with wireless laptops.
It is a common site to see a box of
confiscated cell phones at the front
desk of a high-school office. Often, a
cell phone that’s visible or rings in class
gets confiscated until the end of the
day. Is the cell phone that next “essential” technology? It is safe to predict
that cell phones, or a similar ubiquitous, Web-accessible communications
device, will be required in many of our
classrooms in the near future. PDAs
and other handheld devices can now
use the wireless networks that many
schools have and could reduce the
need for expensive desktop or laptop
computers.
The number of science classes in
which probes connected to PDAs gather
and analyze data is rapidly increasing,
yet still at a linear rate. These handheld
devices are just beginning to be utilized
in the classroom. Elliot Soloway’s
research and presentations offer exciting
possibilities for handheld computers
<www.handheld.hice-dev.org>. Maybe
one day, smart phones will be as vital to
students as ballpoint pens.
The Lemon Grove school district
in San Diego County <www.lgsd.k12.
ca.us/lemonlink> requires students to
have a touch-screen, handheld terminal that wirelessly accesses the network
at school and from home. Teaching
practices, classroom procedures and
physical environments have been
changed to make use of this one-toone computer-to-student model. Most
importantly, hours of teacher training
and conscious efforts to change the culture have been employed. As a result,
students in Lemon Grove are highly
motivated to learn, and the district ties
this program to their improved test
scores. If this type of technology will be
prevalent in our schools, the next question is, “What becomes important and
necessary curriculum?”
Maybe by Rote, but not by Wrote
Nick is in the fourth grade. This
year, he has been working on his cursive
handwriting. Every night he is expected
to copy and practice from the workbook.
He has difficulties with fine motor skills
and really struggles just to print.
Recognizing this handicap early on, he
has been working with typing programs
such as Typing Tutor and Mavis Beacon.
Like many of us, he can type faster than
he can print. So how necessary is it that
he learn cursive? Will this be a necessary
skill in 15 years? Would his homework
hours be better spent working on other
skills? Someone’s discomfort with this
suggestion can illustrate just how difficult it will be to update the curriculum.
The need for high academic standards is a given, and if testing is the
best way to measure, then standardized
tests need our support. But our standards shouldn’t be sacred cows that
can’t be adjusted to accommodate technology — and the future. Project- and
problem-based learning has been
stalled by the need for students to perform well on standardized tests. We
hesitate to incorporate technology
because we’re not sure how to use it to
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Technology is second nature to today’s
students, yet educators insist that they
do things the way we used to do them,
with the same tools we used.
meet standards or afraid it will decrease
student achievement.
The opposite may be true — the
student of today is a multitasker by
nature. He or she does homework,
manages three online chat sessions,
talks on the phone with a friend, channel-surfs the television, and asks why
you’re staring like that. The technologies are second nature to them, yet
educators insist that they do things the
way we use to do them (turn it all off
and focus on one thing!) with the tools
we used (no calculators allowed!).
Motivating students and accelerating and accentuating their learning are
three of the primary roles that technology can play in education. We understand that the jobs of tomorrow may
not be invented, but we can predict the
skills that will be necessary to succeed
in those jobs. These skills could
include the ability to easily multitask,
quickly type, and demonstrate skills in
information literacy (accessing and validating information), collaboration,
communication and problem solving.
Getting There
A key to success is to find technologies that permit the learning of these
essential job skills. Pick one technology
inroad for your campus and focus on it.
Email is the one application that educators miss most if it becomes unavailable.
Maybe your school’s Web site can focus
on the use of Webquests this year. Or
perhaps concentrate on research assignments that are process-driven and
revolve around essential questions
2006 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
CUE is proud to recognize and support its members in their
endeavors. Nominations are now being accepted for the following
awards.
Gold Disk — A Gold Disk is recognition of the recipient’s contributions to CUE and to technology in learning. CUE members who have
made a significant long-term commitment to CUE and its programs can
be nominated to receive the Gold Disk.
Platinum Disk — CUE’s Platinum Disks are presented to members of the
educational technology community who have made significant ongoing
contributions to the advancement of technology in education. CUE members (and others in extraordinary circumstances) who have made an outstanding and continuing contribution to CUE, and to accomplishing its
mission and goals can be nominated to receive the Platinum Disk.
Technology in Learning Leadership Award (TILL) — This affiliatednominated award recognizes local, state and national leaders in educational technology. Members of the broader educational technology
www.cue.org
<www.questioning.org>, thus requiring
the use of technology throughout the
stages of the assignment.
Whatever the technologies that
you or your organization use or forbid
to be part of the learning process, it is
critical that technology be adopted at a
rate that more closely mirrors that of
the technology revolution itself. For
the sake of our students, we cannot
allow the adoption lag to continue. ✪
Tim Landeck <[email protected]> is
director of technology services of the
Alisal School District in Salinas, Calif.
Doug Prouty <[email protected]>
is an education technology coordinator in
the Contra Costa County Office of
Education.
community (not necessarily members of CUE) are eligible for recognition in this category for their contributions to advancing the mission of
the organization.
Outstanding Teacher Award — This affiliated-nominated award recognizes a classroom teacher who has a noteworthy contribution to educational technology in the classroom setting. Using technology to support
standards-based curriculum is the key element of this award.
LeRoy Finkel Fellowship — The purpose of the fellowship is to promote
leadership in the field of educational technology. Award recipients will
strengthen professional skills, develop a technology-based curriculum
project, and share their ideas and strategies through OnCUE and CUE
Conferences. Applicant must be a CUE member that is a currently practicing classroom teacher, technology coordinator, media librarian, school
administrator, or college faculty member from a California public or private school. All applicants must be committed to curriculum-based uses
of technology.
Applications available at www.cue.org or by calling 510.814.6630.
Deadline is Dec. 1, 2005.
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PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
by Barbara Bray
Seeing the Face of Online Learning
I F Y O U B U I L D A N O N L I N E L E A R N I N G C O M M U N I T Y, W I L L T H E Y S TAY ?
larger number of students and
teachers are participating in
online courses than ever before.
The dropout rate is higher for
online courses than face-to-face courses. To encourage ongoing participation,
university courses and many K-12 classrooms are adding online opportunities.
In some cases, when students and teachers in a face-to-face class go online to
share ideas, reflect on what they are
learning and even co-develop projects,
they go a step further and become part of
a learning community. This community
does not happen easily. It takes a good
facilitator, regular prompts with requirements to post and share, and emails and
other communication tools with which
the facilitator knocks on the learner’s virtual door, encouraging him or her to log
in. After a class is over, the community
may fall apart because the facilitator is
no longer running the show.
So what does it take to sustain an
online learning community?
A learning community is characterized by a willingness of members to
share resources, accept and encourage
new membership, regular communication, systematic problem solving and a
preparedness to share success (Moore
& Brooks, 2000). The formation of
community requires a sense of social
presence among participants (Garrison
and Anderson, 2003). According to
McMillan and Chavis, there are four
elements and key attributes that distinguish a sense of community.
These elements and their attributes may prove useful in guiding the
development of online learning com-
A
Spring 2005 OnCUE
munities, keeping in mind the varying
presence of each element in any given
community, and that shared emotional
connection is considered the definitive
element of true community (McMillan,
1996). Rovai (2002) stated that community can be defined in terms of four
dimensions: spirit, trust, interaction
and commonality of expectation and
goals — in this case, learning.
I realized the importance of an
online learning community many years
ago as a member of several listservs.
Online environments are conducive to
the way I learn and think. The Internet
connected me to others who think like
me or have similar interests. I continually ask my community for resources or
to brainstorm ideas. My online community is growing, connecting people
in ways I never thought would happen.
Even though I and other early adopters
may have these connections, there are a
lot of teachers who are not ready to
join in online.
Online Courses
Let me first start with several necessary components of an online course
to ensure regular participation.
• Start with a face-to-face meeting.
• Make sure students agree to meet a
minimum level of participation.
• Post clear objectives and expectations,
a timeline and due dates.
• Ask participants to share information
about themselves.
• Use a variety of synchronous and
asynchronous tools.
• Pose open-ended questions to encourage ongoing discussions.
• Encourage participants to collaborate
and post replies to others in the
course.
• Check in and provide feedback
regularly.
Types of Tools
In a traditional classroom, the
teacher may use a variety of formats
including lectures, demonstrations,
whole- and small-group discussions
with different presentation tools i.e.
overhead or LCD projector, whiteboard, and maybe a document reader
and hands-on activities. Online tools in
a course or learning community may
add email, threaded discussions, chats,
online whiteboards, blogs, videoconferencing, comment forms, lesson
builders, voice over IP, and even audio
files like podcasting. With these tools,
the teacher is more of a facilitator
encouraging learners to exchange ideas
and learn from each other. Using a variety of technologies can make an active
learning community a reality. However,
in most cases, when the course is over,
the discourse in the community ends.
Your job as facilitator is done, leaving the learner nowhere to go next.
Actually, most learners leave after they
receive a grade or credit. Class is over,
the door is locked and no one’s there to
open the door.
What if you opened the door and
let the class happen without you?
Would it happen?
Research Study
This column is the beginning of a
research study on online learning com-
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PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
19
What makes effective online learning?
Is it a course, being part of a community,
both — or something we haven’t
even thought of yet?
munities. I invited members of several
of my online communities to help me
investigate what makes effective online
learning. Is it a course, being part of a
community, both, or something we
haven’t even thought of yet?
Observations collected so far:
1. Not everyone'’s learning style is
right for online collaboration, learning and communication.
2. Project-based online courses tend to
be more valuable and less intimidating than traditional lecture formats.
3. Learners take ownership for their
learning when collaborating with
another learner to develop a project.
4. Learners take pride in products
they publish for a global audience.
5. Online courses are more effective if
synchronous and asynchronous are
combined.
6. Encouraging people to be successful
online learners takes a lot of work
on the part of the facilitator who
can make or break an experience.
7. Finding the right tension between
engaging online media (high bandwidth) and more text-based lower
bandwidth online experiences will
be necessary until we have universal
high bandwidth.
8. The quality and the relevance of the
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online experience is critical to the
success of the online experience.
Looking for Answers
Questions we have been bouncing
around:
• Do teachers and university faculty
understand how to move from
teacher to facilitator in an online
environment?
• Is online learning more effective
than face-to-face? What is best
taught online? What is best taught
face-to-face?
• What are the most powerful elements in the online format?
• Is ongoing, online staff development
a better alternative to on-site workshops? Are they important as a follow-up to workshops?
• What motivates learners to go
online?
• Would learners join and stay in an
online community without a facilitator?
Today’s students participate in multiple learning communities: cell phones
with text messaging, interactive video
games, blogs and instant messaging links
them to friends in their school and people around the world. If we continue to
teach online courses in traditional manners, students will drop out. So what do
we design? Teachers are looking beyond
what they were taught to motivate and
engage their students. Several projects I
am involved in also include data collection on the effectiveness of online communities. Our research will take time to
design assessments, interview partici-
pants, and collect data and evidence, so
check future columns. If you have information, questions or would like to take
part in any of this research, contact me
<[email protected]>. ✪
Barbara Bray writes a regular column on professional development for
OnCUE,
coordinates
PDQs
for
Techlearning.com, moderates an active
listserv (join by emailing subscribe-techstaffdevelop.com) and is president/CEO
of My eCoach <www.my-ecoach.com>.
References
Brook, C. and Oliver, R. (2003). Online learning communities: Investigating a design framework. Australian Journal
of Educational Technology, 19(2), 139-160
<www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet19/brook.html>.
Moore, A. B. & Brooks, R. (2000). Learning communities and
community development: Describing the process. Learning
Communities: International Journal of Adult and Vocational
Learning, Issue No.1 (Nov), 1-15.
<www.crlra.utas.edu.au/Pages/files/journal/articles/iss1/1
Moore&B.pdf>.
Palloff, R. M. & Pratt, K. (1999). Building Learning
Communities in Cyberspace: Effective Strategies for the
Online Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Rovai, A. (2002). Building Sense of Community at a
Distance. International Review of Research in Open and
Distance Learning, 3(1).
<www.irrodl.org/content/v3.1/rovai.html>.
Linda Ullah, [email protected], director of the Krause
Center of Innovation, Foothill College, referred a Web site
with advice on taking online classes <www.foothillglobalaccess.org/main/getting_started.htm>.
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REVIEW
by Sandra Burdick
The CUE Review
he Internet is perhaps the
largest grab bag on the planet.
You never know what you will
get when you start surfing for
information. Reviewers for the
California Learning Resource Network
work tirelessly to provide educators
with some knowledge of what they will
be getting from that grab bag of
Internet resources listed on the CLRN
site. The following Internet resources
can assist teachers to help their students learn a skill, do an experiment,
solve a problem, do research or prepare
a position statement. All of the Internet
resources listed are subscription-based,
with the exception of IMMEX True
Roots Problem Set published by
IMMEX, which is a free site. Full
reviews of all resources are available on
the CLRN site <http://clrn.org>.
T
Title: Computer Literacy and
English K-5
Publisher: K to the 8th Power Inc.
Grades: K-5
Media Type: Internet
URL: www.kto8.net
Subject Area: English-Language
Arts
This Internet-based program consists of more than 300 lessons, 500-plus
interactive educational games and 5,000
pages of instructional material designed
to reinforce classroom academics while
teaching technology literacy. Students
will be able to operate a mouse, identify
Spring 2005 OnCUE
the parts of a computer, master simple
keyboarding skills, open and close
files, copy and paste text and pictures,
use online dictionaries, perform
Internet searches and will be taught to
respect intellectual property rights and
the proper use of copyrighted materials. Student will do all of this while
learning the standards for EnglishLanguage Arts.
Title: TeachingBooks.net
Publisher: TeachingBooks.net
Grades: K-12
Media Type: Internet
URL: www.teachingbooks.net
Subject Area: English-Language
Arts
The program makes available
original, in-studio movies of authors
and illustrators, audio excerpts of professional book readings, guides to
thousands of titles and a wealth of
multimedia resource on children’s and
young-adult literature. Students will
see and hear favorite authors in their
studios, learning directly from the
authors as they discuss what excites
and interest them and their work
process and work environment.
Students will be able to research
authors and do author study programs,
to find primary resource materials
about authors, and ask questions of
authors that may be reflected in original author programs.
Title: Geography Feature
Publisher: IKnowthat.com
Grades: K-4
Media Type: Internet
URL: www.iknowthat.net
Subject Area: History-Social
Science
Geography Feature provides
Internet access to the Puzzle Maps feature at Iknowthat.com, where children
explore the basics of geographical features and terminology. Color maps are
included. Activities involve land and
water forms, as well as geographical
boundaries of continents, oceans and
the United States. Students practice fitting puzzle pieces together to complete
each map. Students will be able to use
the basics of interpreting and recognizing maps as they play with both physical features and political boundaries in
different environments.
Title: HistorySolutions.com
Publisher: History Solutions Inc.
Grades: 8,10,11
Media Type: Internet
URL: www.historysolutions.net
Subject Area: History-Social
Science
Students learn historical content,
critical thinking skills, historical perspective, conceptual thinking and
expository writing. Each unit contains
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CUE
six lessons. In Historical Simulation, students act as advisors to historical figures,
weigh options, consider consequences
and try to make the “historically accurate” decisions. Students create notes in
Interactive Cognitive Organizer. In the
Primary Source Analysis Workplace, students interpret documents. In the
Prediction Center, students attempt to
predict how certain events will affect the
United States. The quiz at the end of
each unit checks mastery of the contentbased simulations. Students work in the
Writer’s Workshop, where they are guided through the writing process for
expository essays based on the content
in the historical simulation and evaluate
their essay.
reinforcing mathematics skills and concepts at their own level and pace. It can
be used as an on-grade resource for
middle school and algebra students, or
as a remedial resource for high school
students. Practice and Review units are
included so students and teachers can
measure progress.
Title: SuccessMaker: Math
Concepts and Skills
Publisher: Pearson Digital
Learning
Grades: K-7
Media Type: Internet/Software
URL: www.pearsonedtech.com
Subject Area: Mathematics
Title: MiddleMath On-Line
Publisher: Pacific Metrics Corp.
Grades: 6-12
Media Type: Internet
URL: www.middlemathon-line.com
Subject Area: Mathematics
MiddleMath On-line provides an
interactive, standards-based resource
targeted to the California mathematics
frameworks, standards, the STAR test
and the High School Exit Exam. The
program includes an assessment feature that can be used to monitor student performance and progress.
Students receive feedback after two
mistakes on a given problem. The program provides students with a tool for
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This resource provides practice,
special tutorials and other learner
support and intervention in core mathematics skills. The program combines
individualized practice in computation
and problem-solving skills with visual
support. Exercises from kindergarten
through level three include instructional
and reinforcement messages delivered in
digitized audio. Students receive practice
and individualized feedback to each of
their responses and sessions are tailored
to fit the student’s state of knowledge,
acquisition rate and retention. Exercise
types include matching, selecting (single
answer and multiple answers), moving
(click and drop, point and click, and create, move, and erase), fill-in-the blank,
drawing lines and drawing a column or
row in a bar graph.
REVIEW
21
Title: BrainPOP
Publisher: BrainPOP
Grades: 3-12
Media Type: Internet
URL: www.brainpop.com
Subject Area: Science
This resource provides explanations and demonstrations of science
concepts with short animated movies.
The movies use real-world examples,
characters, language and visual style to
simplify abstract concepts and make
them applicable to everyday life. The
movies begin with an interactive quiz
that can be repeated for reinforcement
after the movie is plays. Students can
perform the accompanying experiment
either at school or at home. Younger
students can complete a printable
activity page. Subject Area: Science ✪
The
California
Learning
Resource Network (CLRN) is a
statewide education technology
service of the California Department of Education and administrated by the Stanislaus County Office of
Education. Permission is hereby granted to
California educators to copy this material
for instructional use. The document may
not be distributed for profit. © California
Department of Education.
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LEGISLATIVE
BEAT
C O N T . from 11
teachers and students in the classroom, we need to focus our
efforts on fewer programs that have a greater effect.
Professional development sessions that were bursting at
the seams just a couple years ago now get canceled regularly
for a lack of participants. Some teachers and administrators
feel that technology just takes time away from the “real work”
they need to do. Our offerings must closely align with what
teachers need tomorrow or next week, rather than next year.
We need to focus our energies and fiscal resources more
carefully. We need to collect good data on this impact and by
doing so, we will have an easier time in gaining new funding
or hanging on to the funding that we already have. We know
that technology makes a difference in education. Now is the
time to show that. ✪
Dave Johnston <[email protected]> is vice president of North
Coast CUE and a member of the CUE Advocacy Committee.
Marshall Gratton
Educational Consultant
Pitsco LEGO Educational Division
2419 Carol Ann Drive
Tracy, CA 95377
Toll Free: (877) 860-3200
Direct: (209) 834-1378
www.marshallgratton.com
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Calendar
2005
March 17-20
California League of Middle Schools Annual
Conference. Town & Country, San Diego, CA
Peter Murphy, [email protected], 800-326-1880
April 9
CV CUE - Technology in School Success. Rio Vista
Middle School, Fresno, CA. Keynote Speaker: Hall
Davidson. For more info, call Mike Farley at 559834-3305. www.cvcue.org
April 23
California Association for the Gifted (CAG) Tech
Saturday. Santa Rosa, CA. www.cagifted.org
April 24-25
CLMS/CLHS: California League of Middle and High
Schools School Safety Symposium Hyatt Regency,
North Lake Tahoe. www.clms.net and www.clhs.net
June 4
Multimedia Film Festival. Foothill College.
8:00 AM - Noon.
http://homepage.mac.com/icuesv/main.htm
Nov. 17-20
California School Library Association (CSLA) —
Annual Conference. Ontario Convention Center.
www.schoolibrary.org
June 27-30 NECC
Philadelphia. www.iste.org/necc
2006
July 12-15
CLHS - Reaching Reluctant Learners: Recharge
Teachers and Re-engage Students
Maui, Hawaii - Indian Wells, California - July 31August 2. www.clms.net/forms/ pres.hawaii.htm
October 22
CUELA Tech Fair 2005. Los Angeles (location to be
determined). www.cuelosangeles.org
Nov. 3-5
California Reading Association (CRA). Ontario
Convention Center. www.californiareads.org
March 3-5
California Association of the Gifted (CAG).
www.cagifted.org
March 9-11
CUE Annual Conference, Palm Springs, CA,
www.cue.org
June 26-29
NECC, San Diego.
www.iste.org/necc
Calendar items may be submitted to the
CUE office via fax or email.
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
ALAMEDA, CA
PERMIT NO. 81
Computer-Using Educators, Inc. | 2150 Mariner Square Drive, Suite 100 | Alameda, CA 94501
phone 510/814.6630 | fax 510/814.0195 | email [email protected] | website www.cue.org