Course Syllabus
Title: Reaching Today’s Students: Integrating Technology into the Classroom (Part 2)
Credits: 3 graduate credits
Instructor: Laurel Bongiorno, Professor
Meeting dates and times: Monday, June 22 – Friday, June 26, 2009 (8:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Location: Champlain College, Miller Information Commons
Course Description:
NEW technologies are presenting themselves every day. Students now have cell phones with internet access, avatars in games they play with students online in other countries as part of everyday life, video ipods that can download audio or video podcasts. Wikis and blogs are used regularly, and even parents have facebook accounts now. This fast-paced course explores these NEW technologies through experiential opportunities. The majority of this course, Part 2, takes place in computer labs and engages Institute Participants from the first hour they are on campus to learn new skills. Not only should teachers be familiar with NEW technologies, and have some working knowledge of it, but they should consider the implications for teaching and learning. What new skills and interests do students bring to the classroom? What aspects of these new technologies should they study and integrate into their teaching? Topical instructors, the majority of which have college and high school backgrounds, provide readings and websites to be considered prior to their hands-on technology sessions. Once a technology is practiced, the conversation is always brought back to the implications for teaching. Finally, like Part 1 of this course, an integral project in this course is the Action Plan Project. Each student creates a plan for how to use technology as a teaching tool in his/her own classroom during the upcoming fall semester. Support is provided for personal projects throughout the week by the course instructor, the Champlain College Media Services Operations Manager, and by a practicing teacher and alum of the Summer Institute 2007 and 2008. Students will use a wiki for communication throughout the week, and will engage in rich discussion both face-to-face and online. Students from the Governor’s Institute for IT will join us for a panel discussion, and Advanced Study Course students will take part in facilitating sessions throughout the week. During the summer, teachers will bring their projects to completion and will come back together in September to share their implementation results. This course offers high-level content throughout the week with a fully integrated connection between technology and teaching.
Goals:
The goal of the institute is to spark both interest and analysis on the topic of Reaching Today’s Students: Integrating NEW Technology into the Classroom, and to focus on implementing change in classrooms. The NEW technologies of podcasting, serious games, second life, videography, and social networking will be examined in connection with teaching and learning.
Learning Outcomes:
It is the overall objective of the course that participants will:
1. Participate in rich discussion around the topic of Reaching Today’s Students including integrating new technology into the classroom and even more in depth, what we can learn about our students from their interests in and abilities with these new technologies.
2. Rethink the use of technology as a tool within their own instructional setting, focusing on best practices
3. Create action plans and projects to incorporate technology into their classrooms as a teaching tool
4. Gain skills in new technology: podcasting, egames and serious games, social networking, video editing and Second Life.
5. Apply new skills in (#4) to teaching
General Course Information
Course Policies/Expectations:
The following are necessary for successful completion of this course:
1. Consistent and regular class attendance throughout the 45 hour institute.
2. Active participation in class discussions of articles, on-line postings, and hands-on technology sessions
3. Completion of readings, reflections, assigned postings, and action plan project
Attendance Expectations:
1. Consistent and regular class attendance
2. Active participation in class discussions of readings and literature
3. Active participation in on-line postings
Religious Observance:
The official policy for excused absences for religious holidays: Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice. Each semester students should submit in writing to their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester. Faculty must permit students who miss work for the purpose of religious observance to make up this work.
Contributions in Class:
Prior to the course, the student is expected to do the readings, write a NEW technology biography and to write an abstract describing one NEW technology item that his/her students are engaged with this year. In addition, students will take an active role in discussions about new information from assigned readings and hands-on technology sessions. Students will actively participate in hands-on technology sessions. Students will use the class wiki for discussion and posting assignments. Finally, in September the students will be expected to come back together as a group one final time to share the results of their technology project implementation.
Academic Honesty & Professionalism:
All students are required to be familiar with and adhere to the “Academic Honesty Policy Procedures” delineated in the following website. http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmppg/ppg/student/acadintegrity.pdf ).
Accommodations:
Accommodations will be provided to eligible students with disabilities. Please obtain an accommodation letter from the ACCESS office and see one of the instructors early in the course to discuss what accommodations will be necessary. If you are unfamiliar with ACCESS, visit their website at http://www.uvm.edu/access to learn more about the services they provide. ACESS: A-170 Living Learning Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405. PH: 802-656-7753, TTY: call 711 (relay), Fax: 802-656-0739, Email: ude.mvu|ssecca#ude.mvu|ssecca, Instant Messenger: UVMaccess. General office hours: 8:30am – 4:30pm Monday through Friday. Call to make an appointment.
Required and/or recommended readings:
If students have not read this article, read: Listen to the Natives, Prensky, Marc. EducationL Leadership, v 63 n4 p 8-13 Dec 2005-Jan 2006. 6 pp
PDF] ►Who'sonThirdinSecondLife
L BELL, K POPE, T PETERS, B Galik - W: Online, Jul/Aug2007 - basie.exp.sis.pitt.edu
PDF] ►Facing the Facebook
MJ Bugeja - Chronicle of Higher Education, 2006 - vpss.ku.edu
[PDF] ►Decoding MySpace
M Andrews - US News & World Report, 2006 - iusd.org
[PDF] ►Digital Game-Based Learning: It's Not Just the Digital Natives Who Are Restless
R Van Eck - EDUCAUSE REVIEW, 2006 - seriousgamesystems.com
PDF] ►Digital Images in the History Classroom
S van Hover, K Swan, MJ Berson - Learning & Leading with Technology, 2004 - morrisville.org
Borsheim, Carlin et. Al. "Beyond Technology for Technology's Sake: Advancing Multiliteracies in the Twenty-FirstCentury." TheClearingHouse.Washington:Nov/Dec2008.Vol.82,Iss.2; pg. 87, 4 pgs
Eash, Esther Kreider. "Podcasting 101 for K-12 Librarians." Computers in Libraries, v26 n4 p16-20 Apr 2006. 5 pp.
Lee, Mark J.W. "Talk the talk: Learner-generated podcasts as catalysts for knowledge creation." British Journal of Educational Technology. London: May 2008. Vol. 39, Iss. 3; p. 501
Villano, Matt. "Building a Better Podcast." T.H.E. Journal, v35 n1 p31-33, 36-37 Jan 2008. 5 pp. (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Additional Readings will be provided by instructors of Hands-On Learning Sessions
Supplemental Reading:
Marc Prensky's Digital Game-Based Learning (2001),
James Paul Gee's What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy (2003),
Clark Aldrich's Simulations and the Future of Learning: An Innovative (and Perhaps Revolutionary) Approach to e-Learning (2004),
Steven Johnson's Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter (2005),
Marc Prensky “Don’t Bother Me, Mom, I'm Learning!”: How Computer and Video Games Are Preparing Your Kids for 21st Century Success and How You Can Help! (2006)
Week-by-Week Reading Rubric:
Read for Monday: Prensky: Listen to the Natives – Connect to Technology Biography
Read for Tuesday: van Hover, Swan, and Berson: Digital Images in the History Classroom – Article Response
Read for Wednesday: Podcasting Articles – Choose one for Article Response
Read for Thursday: Van Eck: Digital Game Based Learning – Article Response and review Social Networking Articles
Electronic Submissions/Internet Use: - If applicable
Students will submit assignments as email attachments or on the class wiki.
Student Evaluation/Assessment
Grading: Attachments coming….
