NETWORKS THAT WORKA REVIEW OF 2 NETWORK RESOURCES FOR

TEACHERS

Informational Systems Management

Amy Raley ET 8005

Student Activities for Classroom Teachers: Lesson Gatewayhttp://lessongateway.com

Overview

This website collects and organizes internet links and sources for teachers to use in their classroom, and a brief description is given for each source.

Special Features

Sources are listed by “Most Popular”, “Most Reviewed”, “Highly Rated”, and “New

Listings” Sources are organized by subject and grade level Teachers are able to share, rate, and review resources Technology resources and links to free and open

source software, wikis, clip art, and online games are listed Teachers can also find links to assessments,

worksheets, classroom management activities, lesson plans, and professional development sites

Why this Network? Great tool for teachers who want to integrate technology into their daily lessons and classrooms Allows teachers to share their favorite links with other educators and to review/give feedback on suggested sites Website is easy to navigate and organized Free

How will I use this Network?

To search for internet sites and resources that I may use to teach mathematics

Get new ideas for teaching the same concepts Help streamline my search for new on-line

resources Share and post my own favorite sources Find more interactive activities to use in my

classroom Share with colleagues to promote more

technology-based instruction among the district

Impact on Professional Practice

Teachers can try new ideas to teach the same concepts

Teachers can get feedback on a particular site to determine if it is something they could use in their classroom

Lessons will become more “blended” as teachers incorporate on-line technology with face-to-face teaching (see slide on “What is Blended Learning?”)

Students will become more interested in what is being taught and result in a highly-engaged classroom

Teachers can meet the needs of diverse learners using 21st century technology

What is Blended Learning?

Definition:

Blended learning combines online delivery of educational content with the best features of classroom interaction and live instruction to personalize learning, allow thoughtful reflection, and differentiate instruction from student to student across a diverse group of learners (Watson, 2010).

As education continues to incorporate technology into their schools, classrooms will continue to become a venue for blended learning. Experts in the field describe blended learning as the “fundamental redesign of the instructional model with the following characteristics:

A shift from lecture-centered to student-centered instruction in which students become active participants

Interactive learners (this shift should apply to the entire course, including face-to-face contact sessions)

Increases in interaction between student-instructor, �student-student, student-content, and student-outside resources

Integrated formative and summative assessment”�

(Dziuban, Hartman, & Moskal, 2004)

Assessment FOR Learning: Sharing assessment strategies that help students learnhttp://salemafl.ning.com/

Overview

This network began out of Salem, VA, as a forum where teachers can share Assessment FOR Learning strategies.

Special Features

Defines Assessment FOR Learning (AFL) Explains the difference between formative

and summative assessment Rubric-maker resource Provides downloadable handouts from

workshops on AFL Features blogs and discussion forums for

teachers Hosts video links from YouTube and posted

videos made by teachers using AFL

Why this Network? Great tool for teachers who want to

integrate Assessment FOR Learning strategies into their classroom

Allows teachers to give/get feedback from fellow educators and to ask questions on how they use formative assessment Teachers can get new ideas and strategies that are proven to work from fellow teachers Can see videos of how teachers use AFL strategies effectively

How will I use this Network?

Get new ideas and strategies for using AFL Provide strategies that I use and that work

in my classroom Ask for advice from other teachers about

what works in a mathematics classroom Use and try things suggested on this

website and comment on their effectiveness in my classroom

Share new AFL strategies with colleagues

Impact on Professional Practice

Get more teachers using AFL strategies in their classrooms across the district

Increase student responsibility for own learning

Teach students how to self-assess and monitor their own learning

Learn how to obtain effective feedback from students about learning style and progress

Learn how to give effective feedback to students and parents (see slide on “Feedback”)

Feedback

Definition

The process where a person, along with another party, examine together that person’s performance, progress, success, and development in comparison with what is expected of them.

(logontocare, 2010)

One of the most important criteria of Assessment FOR Learning strategies is “providing effective feedback” to students. What are the characteristics of effective feedback?

Timely Students must be able to see how they are performing and have an

opportunity to correct any mistakes before a major assessment. Specific Tell the student specifically where they are making mistakes. Understood by the receiver Make sure the student understands what the giver of the feedback is

saying. Delivered in a supportive climate Be careful of what is said and how it is said as to not discourage

students from trying. Followed-up with an action plan

Formulate a plan to improve performance such as tutorials or extra practice.(Morfield, 2000)

•Lesson Gateway. (2009). Retrieved January 23, 2010, from http://www.lessongateway.com/.

•Watson, J.(n.d.). Promising Practices in Online Learning. Blending Learning:The Convergence of Online and Face-to-Face Education. Retrieved January 23, 2010, from http://www.inacol.org/research/promisingpractices/NACOL_PP-BlendedLearning-lr.pdf.

•Dziuban, C., Hartman, J., Moskal, P. (2004). EDUCAUSE review. Blended Learning. 2004(7).

•Habeeb, S. (2010, January). Assessment FOR learning: Sharing assessment strategies that help students learn. Retrieved January 23, 2010, from http://salemafl.ning.com/.

•Morfeld, C. (2000, February 1). Guidelines for Effective Feedback. Retrieved January 23, 2010, from suite 101website at http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/human_resources/32564.

•Logontocare. Retrieved January 23, 2010 from http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADRA_enUS350US350&q=EFFECTIVE+FEEDBACK+DEFINITION.

References