part 1: tool analysis - kent state universitypersonal.kent.edu/~mcurran/papers/google reader.pdf ·...

Maureen Curran Google Reader: Tool Analysis, Demo and Classroom Use

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PART 1: Tool Analysis

What is the tool?

Google Reader is web-based software developed by Google that checks for updates

published on a website, specifically Atom and RSS feeds. This type of tool is known as a

“feed aggregator” or “feed reader”. The software pulls updates from multiple site

subscriptions together into a summary page for the user.

Where can you get it?

Google Reader is one of many tools available from Google labs at:

http://www.google.com/reader

This is web-based software, meaning it does not require a download and is easily

accessible from any internet browser. It may also be available on your mobile device if

that has a compatible browser.

How much does it cost?

Google Reader is free for Google account users. If you do not have a Google account,

you can create an account for free at:

http://www.google.com/accounts

You will need to supply Google with your current email address and agree to their Terms

of Service and Privacy Policy in order to create the account.

Note: Google requires all users to 13 years of age or older, so this tool would not be

appropriate for student use in an elementary school setting.

What does the tool do? What is the tool used for?

In the most basic sense, Google Reader organizes

website updates for sites that offer Atom or RSS

feeds, typically web logs or “blogs”, into a single

in-box like location for the user, eliminating the

need to hop from site to site looking for updates

from favorite web pages. The user must

subscribe to the blogs he or she wishes to follow,

either by using the search functions available, or


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by manually entering the exact URL of the feed they wish to follow.

RSS and Atom are two standard forms of XML coding used to syndicate

content. Available content feeds are usually indicated on the website by

an icon similar to the one pictured on the right. Along with site feeds,

many weblogs offer separate comment feeds, allowing the user to track

comments to individual posts.

In addition to user identified sites, Google Reader offers over 400 existing “feed

bundles”, or listings of sites grouped by a common interest, in popular categories such

as news, sports, entertainment, technology and a variety of hobbies. There’s even a

feed bundle available for EdTech!

When used in conjunction with the user profile, Google reader can be a collaborative

tool. Users can share favorite items and see the trends of those they follow. They can

comment on shared posts and share their own notes, as well. They can even create

folders to organize and prioritize their own feeds and bundles to share their favorite

sites with others.

When reading in expanded view the

user has tools available for ranking and

sharing. Users can star, like, share,

notate, email and edit tags for

individual posts. Over time, Google

reader will make recommendations for

new feeds based on user history and

site ranking. There is even an option to

“sort by magic” under Folder Settings, in

which Google Reader uses your reading

and rank history as a prioritizing guide

for the existing feed sort.

Google Reader is a powerful tool for organizing, reading, sharing and collaborating on

current news readily available online. The user makes more efficient use of available

time by seeing all of the desired information in one place, rather than browsing from

site to site.

How does the tool support learning?

Some schools are now using blogs as a means of reading, writing and collaboration

among students and teachers alike. Classroom 2.0 teachers are even using weblogs as a

means of teaching entire classes. Whether the students are following teachers or other

students or locating reliable sources of information to track online, Google Reader has

all the capabilities needed. It is free, easy to set up and learn.

Students and parents who have access to teacher maintained blogs are able to track and

follow up with assignments whether they are in the classroom or not. They are able to


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communicate and collaborate by writing their own posts and commenting on others.

Using Google Reader, then can easily track the sites and comments of teachers,

classmates and various news organizations or other types of sites specifically related to

classroom projects.

Google Reader saves time normally spent surfing, allowing the student to take in,

analyze and respond to more information, ultimately expanding their knowledge base.

How does the tool relate to learning theories?

In my opinion, Google Reader’s relationship to learning theories is somewhat indirect.

The tool itself is not the key, rather the structured content it produces.

Professor George E. Hein stated in his Constructivist Learning Theory paper that “each

learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning---as he or she learns” (p.1) and

that “there is no knowledge independent of the meaning attributed to experience by

the learner” (p.1). Google Reader is a feed (information) aggregator. When a student

uses this type of tool, they are searching through and responding to data from a variety

of sources, including mentors and peers. This type of collaboration and interaction

helps them to form their own opinions and knowledge about any given subject. Over

time, students should learn to filter the meaningful subject matter. They are learning

what is important to them.

Supporting Research Summary

The Use of Blogs, Wikis and RSS in Education: A Conversation of Possibilities

Authors Peter Duffy and Dr. Axel Bruns focus on the educational opportunities made

available by the inclusion in the classroom of collaborative social tools such as blogs,

wikis and RSS feeds. All three tools allow students to work together in information

gathering, content creation, and peer assessment. They promote personal and group

reflection, going beyond the traditional learning practices of gathering and reiterating

information. These technologies are strongly based on social networking and as a result

the learners, student and teacher alike, are socially constructing knowledge.

Web 2.0 in the ELT Classroom: An Introduction

Author Jerry Talandis Jr. points out that the internet is going through a major upgrade

and the emerging technologies are categorized under the heading Web 2.0, a social

constructivist model of learning. People no longer take in mass quantities of

information to reiterate for tests and matriculation. Instead, they collaborate as part of

social learning communities, using tools like wikis, blogs, and syndication to construct

knowledge. He points out that having the capability to find new information is almost

more important than what is currently known. Much of his article points out means of

implementing Web 2.0 technologies in English learning classrooms, but is applicable

across the broader spectrum of teaching and learning, in general.


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Why do you think the tool is appropriate for classroom use?

Google Reader can be used by older students to amass large amounts of information

from a variety of sources. It can be used in conjunction with classroom blog projects, or

students can use it as a means of sharing information with one another for a project on

a broader subject.

Google Reader also proves to be a useful tool for teachers as it allows them to read,

respond to and guide the writings of their students from a central location.

References

Hein, G.E. (1991). Constructivist Learning Theory. Institute for Inquiry. Retrieved

February 9, 2011, from

http://www.edtechpolicy.org/AAASGW/Session2/const_inquiry_paper.pdf.

Duffy, P. & Bruns, A. The Use of Blogs, Wikis and RSS in Education: A Conversation of

Possibilities. In Proceedings Online Learning and Teaching Conference 2006,

pages pp.31-38, Brisbane. Retrieved February 9, 2011, from

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/5398/1/5398.pdf.

Talandis Jr., J. (2008). Web 2.0 in the ELT Classroom: An Introduction. In K. Bradford

Watts, T. Muller, & M.Swanson (Eds.), JALT 2007 Conference Proceedings. Tokyo:

JALT. Retrieved February 9, 2011, from

http://jalt-publications.org/archive/proceedings/2007/E040.pdf.


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PART 2: Demonstration

What you need

Internet access and a valid email address, registered with Google Accounts. If you are

not registered with Google Accounts, please visit the link below before proceeding with

this tutorial and follow the on-screen instructions to register your email address. You

must be 13 years or older to register.

https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount

If you do not have an email address, you can visit any of the sites below to sign up for

free email:

http://www.yahool.com

http://www.hotmail.com

http://www.aol.com

Signing In to Google Reader

Click on the link below to go to the

Google Account Sign In page:

http://www.google.com/reader

• Type the email address you

used to register your Google

account into email textbox.

• Type the password you

created into the

appropriate box

• Click the “Sign In” button.

*Note – If you want to stay signed in, check the “Stay signed in” checkbox before you

sign in. I do not recommend this if you are using a public computer.


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The Welcome Page

Now that you’ve signed in, you should see a screen similar to this one:

Don’t worry if you can’t see everything in this graphic. We’ll take a closer look at the

sidebar (left column of links) and content area (right body of text) next.

*Note – Google offers several different free services to registered account holders. Many

of these are accessible from the small link bar that runs across the top of the page. Feel

free to explore these on your own.

Overview: The Sidebar

The Sidebar is fairly self-explanatory:

Expand or collapse this section.

Manually enter a feed URL.

Return to the Home page.

Display all new items in the content area.

Review your favorite posts.

Display your shared items.

Display notes you’ve written.

View your usage trends.

Browse new material.

Switch to comment view.

Modify your sharing settings.

Explore recommended items.

Display all of your subscriptions.


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When you make a selection from the sidebar menu, the content is displayed in the main

content area to the direct right of the sidebar. We’ll explore these further through a

series of steps in the next section.

Subscriptions

Let’s get started by subscribing to a blog. You’ll need to know the URL for

the blog’s RSS feed in order to subscribe. The feed URL can often be found

by clicking on the RSS logo (shown right) on the site.

For this exercise, we will subscribe to an educational blog about blogging!

Click the “Add a subscription” in the

sidebar and enter the following feed

URL:

http://edublogs.org/feed/

Now click the “Add” button.

Edublogs Weekly is now listed in your subscriptions. New items are now listed in your

content area. You can scroll through the posts or use the toolbar at the top to sort the

items based on age or feed. You can continue adding feed URLs for your favorite sites in

this manner or by entering a search term instead of a feed URL into the text box.

Google Reader will search for blogs using your specific terms and return the results right

in Google Reader. Try entering the search term “Math” and see what happens. Google

returns a list of available feeds about math:

You now have the option of exploring the individual sites by clicking on their titles or

subscribing to the site feeds by clicking the “+Subscribe” button. When you’re finished,

you can continue looking for more sites by clicking “Return to feed discovery”.

*Note – “Return to feed discovery” and “Browse for stuff” take you to the same location.

Try browsing featured bundles for subjects that are important to you or searching for

your friends. The more feeds you follow, the more recommendations Google Reader will

generate for you.


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Collaboration

• Click on “People you follow”

in the sidebar to expand that

section, if it is not already

expanded.

• Click on “Sharing settings” to

open them up in the main

content area.

• Click on “You are following 0

people” to open up the

people search window.

• Enter “[email protected]”

into the text box. “Search

People” should change to

read “Follow”. If it has not,

make sure there is no comma

at the end of the email

address. If there is, delete it.

Click the “Follow” button.

“Molly” (that’s me) should now be displayed under “People you follow” in the sidebar. I

have shared a post from my own blog here. Scroll to the bottom of that shared post and

click the “Add Comment” link. Type a short comment letting me know you were there

and click the “Post Comment” button.

Now I’ve shared something and you’ve responded! We’re communicating with each

other!

*Note – Try sharing a post from one of the blogs you found through exploring on your

own. Take it a step further by “sharing with a note” or emailing a news item to a friend.

Try finding your friends or colleagues using the same method you used to add me!


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Tips and Tricks

Once you start subscribing to multiple feeds, you’ll want to keep them organized in

some manner. This will help you to quickly weed out those you want to read from those

you don’t. One way to do this is by using folders to organize your feeds.

As you can see in the picture on the left, I have

organized my feeds into several different

categories, including some professional,

coursework, news and personal blogs. Each

folder can be expanded by clicking the “+” sign

to its immediate left. The number in

parentheses is the number of new items I have

not read yet. Some feeds generate a very large

volume of new items. To quickly determine

which items I want to read, I will often start by

selecting a folder, which displays all new items in

that folder in the main content area. Then, in

the upper right hand corner of the main content

area, I click the “List” link.

Now I can see more of my items at once:

I can jump to items I want to read right now. I can “star” intriguing titles to read later. I

can tell Google Reader that I am done with these items by clicking “Mark all as read”.

Try creating your own folders by clicking on

“Manage Subscriptions” at the very bottom

of the sidebar to open up the Subscription

Settings window. Begin by checking the box

next to one of the feeds you want to place

in a folder. Then click the “Change

folders…” button to expand a drop down

list. Click “New Folder in the list and enter a

name for your category in the text box.

Click “OK” to place the subscription you selected into the folder you just created.


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*Note – Organize all your feeds! Just go down your subscription list and choose a

category for everything you read!

Show What You Know!

1. Sign into Google Reader at: http://www.google.com/reader.

2. Subscribe to my blog. The feed URL is:

http://techinlearning.wordpress.com/feed/.

3. Search for a feed using keywords and subscribe to one of the results.

4. Browse the featured feed bundles and subscribe to one of your choice.

5. Follow me on Google Reader. My email address is [email protected].

6. Comment on something I’ve shared.

7. Add your feeds to a common folder. Select the folder under Subscriptions in the

sidebar. Click “Folder Settings…” in the main content area and then select

“Create Bundle”. Check the box labeled “Add to my shared items” and then click

the “Save” button.

8. Using the email address you used to access your Google account, send me an

email stating you have completed these tasks. Please include your full name and

tell me what MY Google Account profile picture is.

Note – For further help using Google Reader, please visit Google Reader Support at

http://www.google.com/support/reader/?hl=en. Please include notes about any

difficulties you experienced with this tutorial in your email so that they can be addressed.

Peer Review: Task Assessment Results

Student 1, Sarah Houser, received 7 of 8 available

points for the task. She completed everything, but did

not leave a comment on the blog post I shared through

my Google Reader account.

Sarah shared the feed bundle displayed on the left and

sent me the email shown below.


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I also used the following rubric to assess Sarah, which I sent to her through Vista Mail:

Student 2, Kristin Seibert, received only 4 of 8 possible

points. Kristin did not share the feed bundle she created.

She may have had some issues with creating the folder, so

that portion of this document was revised for clarification.

Supporting documentation, on the right, shows that she

did follow my Google account.

Kristin also located and commented on my shared item:

Google Reader Demo Task Assessment

Criteria

Points

Available

Points

Earned

Account set up & registration

• Student was able to register a current or new email address and

successfully sign into Google Reader

(1) (1)

Adding new feed subscriptions

• Student successfully created a feed bundle including at least the

following 3 feeds:

o http://techinlearning.wordpress.com/feed/

o A feed of their choice, found by keyword search

o One of Google Reader’s pre-packaged feed bundles

(3) (3)

Sharing & Collaboration

• Student successfully followed the instructor on Google Reader.

Their name and email address appear in the instructor’s “Following

Me” list and the student was able to correctly identify instructor

profile picture at the end of the task.

• Student commented on an item the instructor shared

• Student successfully shared the feed bundle they created

• Student emailed the instructor as directed

(4) (3)

Total Points (8) (7)

Comments: Sarah – thanks for taking the time to complete this assignment. The only piece

missing was the comment on the item I shared. Everything else looked great! I added your feed

bundle to my subscription list, as well. Thanks again for helping me out with this.


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Kristin was assessed as follows via Vista Mail:

Google Reader Demo Task Assessment

Criteria

Points

Available

Points

Earned

Account set up & registration

• Student was able to register a current or new email address and

successfully sign into Google Reader

(1) (1)

Adding new feed subscriptions

• Student successfully created a feed bundle including at least the

following 3 feeds:

o http://techinlearning.wordpress.com/feed/

o A feed of their choice, found by keyword search

o One of Google Reader’s pre-packaged feed bundles

(3) (0)

Sharing & Collaboration

• Student successfully followed the instructor on Google Reader.

Their name and email address appear in the instructor’s “Following

Me” list and the student was able to correctly identify instructor

profile picture at the end of the task.

• Student commented on an item the instructor shared

• Student successfully shared the feed bundle they created

• Student emailed the instructor as directed

(4) (3)

Total Points (8) (4)

Comments: Kristin – Thank you for taking the time to try out my Google Reader assignment. I

was able to see everything but your feed bundle. I know another student had difficulty creating

a folder, so I’ll be providing some additional clarification in the final project. Again – thank you

for your assistance.


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PART 3: Classroom Use

An Introduction to Classroom Use

Before we look at Google Reader, we need to understand what RSS is. Depending on

the source, RSS can be an acronym for both Rich Site Summary and Really Simple

Syndication. Either explanation refers to the same idea: the syndication of web content

via XML. News sites, blogs, event venues and all kinds of websites offer RSS feeds that

allow users to access regular updates or new headlines via feed subscriptions.

Feed subscriptions are managed with feed aggregators. Google Reader is an RSS feed

aggregator, sometimes referred to as a feed reader. It is a web-based application that

pulls RSS feeds, specified (subscribed to) by the user, into a central portal that allows

the user to get up-to-date information from a variety of web-sites in one location. It

reduces browsing time by organizing updates into a list that the user can access simply

by logging into his or her Google account.

Google Reader is not just an aggregator. It also provides additional capabilities and

functions that, when put to use by individual users or groups of users, contribute to the

creation of a collaborative and communicative environment. A user can organize feeds

into folders, mark (“star”) important feeds, share specific items with fellow Google

Reader users, email specific items to friends or colleagues, create commentary on items

and share notes with other users. Google also allows the user to create feed bundles, or

groups of specific updates, to share with other users. The user determines the level of

interaction simply by deciding which of the available tools to utilize, and who, if anyone,

to share with.

In the classroom, as is often the case in professional life, students are often asked to,

either individually or collaboratively, produce new materials or reflect on existing

materials and suggest improvements. They learn through reviewing, reflecting and

revising, regardless of the subject matter. Teacher roles fluctuate between providing

information, guiding the learning process, reviewing student work and providing

constructive feedback. All of these things can be accomplished in a central location

using Google Reader.

Teachers subscribing to news feeds using an RSS aggregator can provide up-to-date

headlines for Social Studies or Current Events projects. Students who blog as part of a

writing course can give and receive feedback from fellow classmates and the instructor

through Google Reader. Teachers can guide the learning process or lead group projects

in any subject by providing feed bundles to students, who in turn can use the sharing

functionality of Google Reader to collaborate with one another, moving the project and

learning process forward. Outside of the classroom, students and parents alike can use

Google Reader to get up-to-date news from the school administration or teacher

websites.


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Known Barriers to Classroom Use

Unfortunately, when planning for ongoing projects that require technology uses outside

of regular school hours, teachers and administrators have the difficult task of assessing

the home and public resources available to their student body. Is it fair to require a

student to participate in an online collaboration as part of a homework assignment if

they do not have access to a home computer or home internet access? If the student

does not have access to these technologies at home, is there somewhere nearby, such

as a library or community center, that offers free access? Can additional access be

granted to use school resources outside of regular class time? All of these things must

be considered before requiring student participation.

Google Accounts has also set a minimum age restriction. Students must be 13 years of

age or older to register for a Google account. This means that lessons requiring the use

of Google Reader would not be appropriate for use in younger classrooms. This

software is better suited for older students. Teachers can always use Google Reader as

a means of gathering information to share with students at any grade level.

Standards, Learning and Accessibility

Google Reader is more of a means than an end. It can’t be used in the classroom to

create a finished product by itself. It can show the process, growth or progress of a

product through the list of feeds, notes, blog entries and interchanges shared between

students and peers. What it does is allow people to collect, annotate and share

information with others. It is a research and communication tool, not a production tool.

However, the information gained through its use can be used to produce reflective

writings or other products.

Since Google Reader is a technology tool, it can be used with a wide variety of subject

matter. It is restricted in scope only by the creativity of the user and, as such, can be

used in different ways to meet established curriculum standards.

With specific regards to the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)

established by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Google

Reader can be used in conjunction with lesson plans for many subjects to meet at least 3

standards:

1. Communication and Collaboration

2. Research and Information Fluency

3. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making

Consider a lesson in which a teacher asks students to write an argument for or against a

debatable topic. Following a pre-research brainstorming session, the students are

broken into groups to further investigate certain aspects of the debate at hand. They

then log into Google Reader, where the teacher has shared a bundle of on-topic

resources for the students to research. Students can sift through the information

provided by the teacher and also use the search function to find additional related

feeds, which they can share with the other groups. After completing their research,


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students use the information they gathered to draft an argument supporting their

stance and publish it to a blog. Peers can then use Google Reader to read and react to

each other’s blog posts.

The lesson has met the first standard by requiring the students to use a digital

environment to communicate and work collaboratively while contributing to the

learning of their classmates through the sharing of research. The second standard is

met by requiring the students to use a digital tool to locate, organize, evaluate,

synthesize and report on information found online. The last standard is met by the

nature of the project. Students are required to plan and conduct research in a manner

that allows them to develop a sound solution to the proposed problem.

To be effectively used in the classroom, Google Reader requires the sharing or exchange

of information, either from teacher to student or among teacher and students. In short,

it requires communication. Egbert states that “Learning takes place when the

communication is based on true social interaction” (p.67). That means that the

communication has to flow both ways and that the communicators must share a

common goal, i.e. solving a problem that they don’t already know the answer to.

A second type of student learning supported by Google Reader is collaboration. This is

similar to communication, but goes a little bit further. Egbert states that in addition to

the back and forth flow of information, collaboration requires students to “plan and

accomplish something specific together” (p.68). In the example above, the students

must decide on an argument then gather and analyze information to support it.

In addition to supporting multiple standards and types of learning, Google Reader does

not require any specific modifications to differentiate instruction. It is simply a means of

delivering information. If teachers need to accommodate students at different skill

levels, or from different backgrounds, they can supply feed bundles specifically suited to

separate learning tiers, if needed. The modification is done by the teacher, not by the

application.

Google Reader is an easy to use web application that allows teachers and students to

research, elaborate and share on a variety of topics. It clearly supports multiple

technology standards and varied types of learning and can be used easily in conjunction

with lesson plans on almost any subject matter.


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Lesson Analysis and Adaptation Worksheet

Social Studies / How should we deal with global health issues?

Lesson Plan : “Outbreak” located at https://docs.google.com/View?id=ddv49vkt_4gv4sxtcf

Grades 10 - 12

The Lesson… Indicators Comments Proposed Adaptations

Works

towards

appropriate

goals.

* Content and technology

standards are mentioned.

* Standards are for the

correct grade level and

content area.

* Objectives are aligned

with standards

* Tasks focus clearly on

obtaining the objectives.

ITSE NETS #4 Critical Thinking,

Problem Solving, and Decision

Making : Student groups will

plan and conduct research into

6 sub-categories under Swine

Flu case study and use the

information to prepare for

outbreaks, posting results,

feedback and peer reviews via

Google Sites. One group will

use Google Reader to follow

news about flu trends.

Include NETS #2

Communication and

Collaboration, #3

Research and

Information Fluency.

Instead of having

students post to one

Google site, have each

group journal via blog

and follow their peers

in Google Reader.

Students can share

resources via feed

bundle or share

feature.

Requires the

use of higher-

order thinking

skills and

“new”

literacies.

* Students are asked to do

more than memorize or

understand (e.g.,

summarize, synthesize,

predict, etc.)

* Media, visual,

communicative,

technological,

mathematical, and/or

other nontraditional

literacies are addressed.

Students must synthesize

information and decide on a

course of action regarding flu

outbreak preparedness for

their immediate locality.

Students use various Google

Apps to store and present

information, plan and produce

solutions communications.

Once solutions are

revised and finalized,

have students design a

presentation about

preparing for the flu.

The presentation could

be recorded to video

and shared via closed

circuit TV with the

entire school.

Integrates the

learning goals.

* Communication

* Production

* Critical thinking

* Creativity

* Content

* Problem solving

* Inquiry/research

The plan encompasses all of

these learning goals.

None suggested

Includes a

variety of

resources.

* Students have choices of

materials at different

levels.

* Materials are available in

a variety of modes (e.g.,

graphics, sound, text,

video) and media (e.g.,

books, films, photos,

computer).

Lesson includes text, audio,

visual or video. Historical

sources may come from

personal accounts, library

books, news casts or online.

None suggested


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The Lesson Indicators Comments Proposed Adaptations

Engages all

students

actively in

authentic

tasks.

* Students have roles/tasks

to perform throughout the

lesson.

* Connections are made

between the task and real

life.

* Students must actively

search for answers to

essential questions.

Indicators are met. Students

are broken into specialized

groups with specific goals to

achieve. Students are

exploring the real life issue of

personal health and safety and

coming up with viable

solutions.

Each group could be

further divided into

assigned roles (i.e.

researcher, writer,

interviewer,

cameraman etc) and

students can rotate

roles within their group

each week.

Uses

technology

effectively,

efficiently,

and as a

learning tool.

* The technology makes

the task more authentic.

* The technology makes

the task easier to

accomplish.

* The technology helps

students complete the task

faster than without it.

* The technology is

secondary to the content

and goals.

Use of Google Apps, including

sites, maps, reader, docs, etc,

speeds communication and

collaboration. Researching,

evaluating, revising and

producing a viable solution to

the flu outbreak is the focus of

this lesson. Technology is a

tool, not the main point.

None suggested

Addresses the

needs of a

variety of

students,

including ELLs

and students

with physical

and other

challenges.

* All students can access

task instructions.

* All students can access

task materials and

resources.

* Students have different

ways to accomplish the

same objectives.

Task instructions are made

available to students during

initial exposure topic. Plan

does not specify time frame for

research and collaboration. It

is not clear whether it is taking

place during class time or as

homework assignments or

both.

Students are provided

adequate weekly access

to school library and

technology center.

Local news casts should

be admissible as

sources in lieu of

internet news for

students who do not

have home access.

Includes

appropriate

assessments.

* Assessment is aligned to

the standards and

objectives.

* Assessments are fair for

all students and not based

on one ability (e.g.,

writing).

* Assessments allow

students to show what

they know/can do rather

than what they cannot.

Assessment is not clearly

stated. Through process of

collaboration, students are to

refine finalized collection of flu

data as support for follow up

projects, i.e. community

communications about flu

preparedness.

Self-Assessments: have

each group submit

answers to general

questions regarding the

research,

communication and

collaboration process.

Have group peers

assess each other in

regards to contribution

and performance.

What did they do well?

What did they feel they

could have been done

better? How would

they change their

process going forward

on new projects, given

their experiences with

this one?


18 | P a g e

To begin the lesson, the instructor should be familiar with the main topic, and have sub-

categories in mind, as well. During the initial brainstorming process, the instructor shall

guide the students towards some of the pre-determined sub-categories, if possible.

Once all of the research divisions have been finalized, the instructor shall break the

students into groups, placing stronger students with weaker ones, providing mentoring.

The teacher will take turns working with individual groups to ensure that all students

have a full understanding of the assigned tasks and are afforded the opportunity to

participate in different group roles throughout the project. Once all students have a full

understanding of where they are headed, the teacher can fall back from participatory

work, stepping in to guide students towards solutions as needed.

In the event of technological crisis, such as an internet outage or software problem, the

students can spend the time usually appropriated to the project a few different ways.

This would be a good opportunity for the groups to share where they are at in their own

research verbally. It would also be a great opportunity to seek out sources of

information that do not rely on technology, such as personal historical accounts of flu

seasons past or good old fashioned newspaper articles. Students can always take notes

with pencil and paper and upload to Google documents or research blogs during a later

class.

Google Reader is a great tool for classroom use. It’s free, easy to use, and provides

many ways of consuming and creating information in a collaborative environment. It

can be used by teachers with virtually any subject matter and is well suited for use on

classroom projects by older students as it creates an online environment conducive to

communication and student-centered learning.

References

Egbert, Joy L. (2009). Supporting Learning with Technology : Essentials of Classroom

Practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson Education Ltd.

What is RSS? - A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary. (n.d.).

Webopedia: Online Computer Dictionary for Computer and Internet Terms and

Definitions. Retrieved April 20, 2011, from

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/R/RSS.html

The ISTE NETS and Performance Indicators for Students (NETS*S). (n.d.). www.iste.org.

Retrieved April 13, 2011, from

www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Student_2007_EN.sflb.ashx

part 1: tool analysis - kent state universitypersonal.kent.edu/~mcurran/papers/google reader.pdf ·...

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