ETIPS - Make Thinking Visible
Added Value
Technology use provides added value to teaching and learning. Educational technology does not possess inherent value but rather it offers immense potential when intentionally coupled with grounded planning and solid teaching. Technology should not be used as filler for lesson plans or as down time for the teacher but rather to enhance student learning on a particular topic. This resource area explores specific options for adding value to classroom through technology but is by no means an exhaustive list.
Classroom Use Examples for Language Arts
Pre-Reading Author/Setting Exercise Using Multimedia Presentation: PowerPoint
Students will more likely be active readers if they are aware of the identity of the author and if they imagine the world of the story. This pre-reading activity is designed to familiarize the student with the author and the world of the story, and to set the scene in anticipation of the main conflict of the story. The reader will be prepared to make application between the events of the story and events in her or his own experiences.
Introduction to Author/Text Using Web Site Evaluation Tools: Internet
In this exercise, students evaluate websites, analyze and reflect upon which to choose and why, and assess the value of each source. Additionally, the activity creates a useable set of resources for further work.
Analyzing Poetry Using Databases
Students create a database to help see connections within a group of poems and to identify different common devices of poetry. As a During and Post-reading Activity, this activity is designed to provide discussion to open students up though questioning, and to provide a graphic representation of knowledge of the poems and poetic devices.
Pre-Reading WebQuest
A WebQuest is an inquiry tool in which the learner uses resources on the Internet to grasp a significant amount of new information and make sense of it. The teacher carefully constructs it so that the task, the information sources, the process of the WebQuest, and the organization of the demonstration of learning are all guided and not random. This Pre-reading activity is designed to motivate and build background knowledge, including text specific knowledge.
Representing Learning of a Literary Text Through Hypertext Authoring: Hyperstudio
Students create a Hyperstudio media product featuring a literary text they have studied (a short story, a group of poems, a novel). This display will include the work studied as well as the students' interpretations, utilizing any available forms: written, drawn, photographed, filmed, and so on. The activity is designed to engage the reading activities of writing, artistic activities, and perhaps drama and application.
Interpreting Great Speeches or Texts Using iMovie
After close work with a "great" speech or document, students demonstrate their understanding of the text itself and the importance of targeted rhetorical strategies. To do so, they create a short iMovie in which they orally interpret the document, show their understanding of new vocabulary, and discuss their personal interpretations.
Literary Analysis and Critique Using Story Web: Inspiration
Given a focused inquiry question, learners look at a story at a structural level and not merely to follow its plot. The use of a story web ("Semantic Network Tool") obliges students to recall specific details from the reading, then structure that knowledge so that the relationship between the characters, their perceptions, and ultimate consequences can readily be seen.
Added Value with Technology for Language Arts
Educational technology can add value to teaching and learning when it makes possible something that otherwise would be less viable to do.
In Language Arts added value uses of educational technology can be thought of in terms of supporting a learner's ability to access data, process information, or communicate knowledge.
Explore the specific added value uses for Language Arts below.
Read classroom use examples of how technology can add value to Language Arts.
Investigate educational technology tools with which to add value to teaching and learning for Language Arts.
Access:
Educational technology can increase access to people, perspectives, or resources and to more current information. Many times, software's interface design allows learner interaction or presents information in a multi-sensory format.
Accessing data by using technology to:
Tap a larger context through the Internet
Create using more material: text, audio, video, multimedia, etc.
Access to community groups, leaders, specialists and peers
Improve content with spelling and grammar checks
Build vocabulary with online thesaurus
Educational technology can support students learning-by-doing or aid them in constructing mental models, or making meaning, by scaffolding their thinking. For example, a database can allow students to compare, contrast and categorize information through query features.
Analyzing information by using technology to :
Evaluate Sources
Compare data and get extensive feedback
Build presentation skills
Understand scope and sequence of ideas
Plot and sort information
Analyze results
Determine nodes and structure of work\
Revising information by using technology to:
Receive prompt revisions
Edit and format material
Order ideas
Film and view work with emphasis on revision
Evaluate connections between pieces of information
Draw conclusions based on inquiry questions
Organizing information by using technology to:
Determine usefulness of sources
Create files to store and manage information
Sequence and branch information
Connect information and create hierarchy of ideas
Organize and generalize about data
Categorize nodes of information and create links
Determine audio track and assemble clips
Communicate
With educational technology students are able to create more authentic and professional communication, and in the style and format appropriate for the topic, whether to their peers or outside experts.
Presenting knowledge by using technology to:
Post projects on Internet
Prepare bibliographies
Make projects accessible and "sharable" with email
Encourage creative reflection on material
Create concept maps and outlines
Present projects on desktop, LAN or website
Create videos of work
Language Arts Lesson Plans and Classroom Activities
MarcoPolo
URL: http://marcopolo.worldcom.com/
Grades: K-12
Description: MarcoPolo is a service of the MCI WorldCom Foundation and is designed to provide no-cost, standards-based Internet content for K-12 teachers. A comprehensive search engine allows teachers to search for lessons and content by any combination of subject, grade level or keyword.
The AskERIC Lesson Plan Database
URL: http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons
Grades: K-12
Description: The AskERIC Lesson Plan Database contains over 1100 unique lesson plans in many areas including Language Arts and Vocational Education. Viewers can browse by subject, search the database or explore other sources.
Sponsoring Organization: Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)
http://www.accesseric.org/sites/barak.html
The ArtsEdge Online Teaching Materials Area
URL: http:// www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/teaching_materials/artsedge.html
Grades: K-12
Description: This site includes curriculum units, lesson plans, web links and other ideas for integrating the arts into classroom teaching across subject areas. Included among the topics are Language Arts and ESL. The units and lessons are often correlated to national standards.
Sponsoring Organization: MCI WorldCom and MarcoPolo
http://marcopolo.worldcom.com/
Making Connections: Japan
URL: http://cfl.state.mn.us/japan
Grades: K-12
Description: Making Connections: Japan is a series of learning activities focused on knowledge and skills identified in one or two of the standards from Read, View and Listen with a theme related to the recent Japan trade mission. While the activities were developed to support student work in the Middle (6-8) and Intermediate (4-5) levels, most activities may be adapted for Primary (K-3) or High School as well.
Sponsoring Organizations:
Department of Children Families and Learning
http://cfl.state.mn.us
TIES
www.ties.k12.mn.us
Department of Trade and Economic Development
www.dted.state.mn.us/
EdSITEment
URL: http://edsitement.neh.gov/
Grades: K-12
Description: EdSITEment provides detailed lesson plans for integrating web resources into Literature, Language Arts, History and more. One such lesson is titled, "Mark Twain and American Humor.
Sponsoring Organizations:
National Endowment for the Humanities
http://edsitement.neh.gov/about_partners.html#neh
MCI WorldCom
http://edsitement.neh.gov/about_partners.html#mci
The Council of The Great City Schools
http://edsitement.neh.gov/about_partners.html#cgcs
MarcoPolo
marcopolo.worldcom.com/
ESL Cyber-Listening Lab
Description: ESL Cyber Listening Lab uses RealAudio to provide anytime practice to students with Internet access. The site includes interactive quizzes to promote and improve listening skills with quizzes ranging in skill level from short and easy to very difficult.
Online Writing Lab
URL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu
Description: This site contains handouts, online workshops and annotated PowerPoint presentations on subjects such as: ESL, research and documenting sources, business writing, evaluating sources, APA format, MLA format and much more. Teachers may find the material useful for supplementing units on the writing process.
Sponsoring Organization: Purdue University
http://www.purdue.edu/
ESL Cyber-Listening Lab
Description: ESL Cyber-Listening Lab uses RealAudio to provide anytime practice to students with Internet access. These interactive quizzes promote and improve listening and speaking skills for students at several levels of education.
Plagiarism.com
URL: http://www.plagiarism.org/
Description: Turnitin.com helps prevent plagiarism by offering its subscribers the most powerful tools for document source analysis being used in education today. We make use of two simultaneous scanning techniques to ensure that un-cited information in any submitted document is identified and traced back to its original Internet or database location.
Steinbeck: The California Novels
URL: http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/Steinbeck/
Grade Level: 9-12
Description: Steinbeck: The California Novels links to specific novels and virtual field trips of locations. It also provides historical information about locations and Steinbeck. It is easy to navigate.
Sponsoring Organization: Ed Stephan , Professor Emeritus Western Washington
University
stephan@cc.wwu.edu
Charles Dickens
URL: http://www.helsinki.fi/kasv/nokol/dickens.html
Grade Level: 9-12
Description: Comprehensive site with resources on all Dickens' works, his life and family, and London of Dickens' time.
Sponsoring Organization: Ritva Raesmaa
http://www.helsinki.fi/kasv/nokol/ritun.html, private citizen.
Bulfinch's Mythology
URL: http://www.showgate.com/medea/bulfinch/
Grade Level:
Description: ALL of Bulfinch's Mythology, The Age of Fable, with notes, and resources and links to anything one needs to know about mythological characters are available here.
Sponsoring Organization: Bob Fisher, private citizen
webmaster@showgate.com
PoemFinder
URL: http://www.poemfinder.com/
Grade Level:
Description: 750,000 indexed poems AND 70,000 full-text poems . . . requires membership, but free trials are available.
Sponsoring Organization: Roth Publishing
http://www.poemfinder.com/about.cfm?CFID=1263&CFTOKEN=21901486&
Poets.org, American Academy of Poets
URL: http://www.poets.org/index.cfm
Grade Level:
Description: Easy search tool . . . search by poet, search by poem; audio clips available and most entries have links for further resources on each poet.
Sponsoring Organization: The American Academy of Poet
http://www.poets.org/academy/
Paul P. Reuben Website/ PAL: Perspectives in American Literature - A Research and Reference Guide
URL: http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/table.html
Grade Level: 7 - adult
Description: Academic, heavily awarded, thorough search tool of American Literature by key words: author names, literary periods, themes, topics, motifs, dates, places, and titles. Very usable.
Sponsoring Organization: Professor Paul Reuben, California State University at Stanislaus http://www.csustan.edu/
Bibliomania
URL: http://www.bibliomania.com/0/5/frameset.html
Grade Level: 7 - adult
Description: Free, online, full text world literature and reference library with study guides to all major texts. Search for phrases and keywords by text or across groups of texts.' Contemporary articles in the onsite 'Well Red' magazine.