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Standard I: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity (2008)
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
A. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
Because it seems that technology goes from unimaginable to commonplace in such a short time, the only way to truly prepare students for the future is to teach them creativity and innovative thinking. My students know that when I am faced with a problem, I tend to think of it a puzzle to be solved. I also strive to find creative ways to make ordinarily boring material more interesting for my students. My Animated Timeline of Computer History, Lunar Phases Animation, "Sullivan Remembered" Video Project, and Digital Audio Project provide just a few examples.
B. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
In my opinion, no learning activity is more valuable and engaging than those that involve real-world issues and authentic problems. My Computers Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow WebQuest invites students to explore the technological innovations of the past and use what they have learned to make predictions about technology in the future. When teaching students about protecting themselves online, I have them take the SonicWALL Phishing IQ Test in which they are presented with a series of real emails and are asked to determine which ones are legitimate and which are fake. They are always surprised by how hard it is to tell the difference. Finally, the Internet Content Filter Lesson which my peer group taught to another group of classmates asks students to examine the various sides of the Internet content filter debate.
C. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
The process of reflecting upon ones own learning is a powerful component in constructivist lesson design. In my Visual Ranking Tool Activity and Assessment, student groups are asked to research and rank ten events from computer history in order of importance using the Intel Visual Ranking Tool. Results between the groups are then compared to find the correlation and teams must defend their rankings. In the Internet Content Filter Lesson, student groups used an online collaborative tool of their chosing to investigate the material and arrive at a group consensus.
D. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
Being an online degree, participation in this program involves virtual collaboration and knowledge construction with peers nearly every day. Along with other classmates, I assisted in developing a Tips for Online Learning Success Wiki in which we each contributed our knowledge, experience, and advice on how to be successful in an online course. Our team also developed and implemented with our peers an online collaborative Internet Content Filter Lesson in which our students examined the pros and cons of Internet content filters, formulated an opinion on the topic and defended their position against the opposition.
As far as face-to-face collaboration, I have created this Staff Development Plan and this Professional Development Project as ways to assist other Sullivan School District teachers in their efforts to meet the technology goals as stated in our Technology Plan.
Jeffrey T. Young ~ jty6w7@mizzou.edu ~ Updated June 2009