Digital Collections

Google Docs & Collaborative Lesson Plans

I am just not all that impressed with Google Docs. It is very frustrating to use and there are not as many options as Microsoft Word. Making a table and making it look the way you want it to look is very labor intensive. When I am typing, I expect to immediately see what I have typed. With Google Docs I had to stop and wait for it to catch up; and if I watched the screen as I typed, typing was nearly impossible. I am still very undecided about the collaborative lesson plans. I can see that, in theory, it could be a good thing with everyone making contributions and working toward a common end. It would be interesting to watch the parts come together as other people are working on it. Sharing the responsibilities would enable each person to devote more time to their portion of the lesson plan, and the end result should be exceptional. It's a very interesting concept.

Reflections on WebQuests

I find the WebQuests to be interesting, but I am not sure I am totally sold on the idea. There seems to be a lot of teacher prep time involved and I'm not really impressed with most of the ones I have seen - but I am still looking!

Students who are deaf often feel isolated and if I used WebQuests in my classroom, I would probably have students work in groups of 2 or 3 at one computer so they could discuss the project as they search the websites I provide. I like the idea of including the websites for my students to use because it saves valuable classroom time and reduces the temptation for them to just search aimlessly around on the web. If it provides a successful learning experience when I try it, I will be better convinced that the time I spent preparing was worth it. I don't think I can really know its value until I try it.

Thoughts on Wikis

I found the "Practice Working in Wiki" to be very helpful. To have a practice page to work on before making our actual page was great for reducing some of the stress.

I am not sure how Wikis would be received in a class of elementary students who are deaf. Most of my students take serious ownership of their work and I am not sure how they would accept another student editing or even deleting something they had done. They very likely would not think to ask permission first if they thought they had a better idea or a better way to do it - they would just simply change it because, in their opinion, they made it better. It might be interesting to plan a project using Wikis and see how it is received.

Evaluating Websites for Reliability

The website I found for evaluating websites was Kathy Schrock's The ABC's of Web Site Evaluation. This site has a link for a printable article by the author, using the letters A to Z to list and explain criteria to be aware of when evaluating websites. There are also links to printable handouts of the Five W's of Website Evaluation, a lesson plan for website evaluation for grades 6 - 8, and an Internet Lesson Plan Guide. While the site is somewhat dated, the information given and the criteria listed is still relevant and quite detailed. With the printable lesson plan and handouts, this site is a great source for introducing website evaluation to elementary students.

I never really gave much thought to evaluating websites for reliability before - I guess I am just too trusting! I am always careful when making purchases online, but I really need to carefully consider the websites I choose for my students. Finding current and correct information for them is so important when they are doing research. Current information is not so critical when searching for interesting reading material for the beginning reader, but is very important for other subjects they are studying. This activity really made me aware of the need for evaluating the websites and gave me the tools I need to know the things I need to look for when evaluating the sites.

Reflection on Portfolios

I particularly like the idea of the working portfolio. It is great to have a place to file work that will be needed later and then be able to easily retrieve it.

I also like the idea of using portfolios to assess the progress of special learners whose progress cannot be measured using state testing methods.

My Learning Goals for this Course

My computer skills are quite limited - I use it for emails, blackboard, and I have posted some artifacts on PLP. I know that there is much more available that could be useful to my students (and to me), but I don't know how to access it and present it to them in ways that would be meaningful. I want to learn ways that computer technology can enhance learning, especially reading skills, for my deaf students. I hope that by the end of this class, I will be more knowledgeable about the available applications and have the confidence to use technology in my future classroom, as welll as in my personal life.

My Intro

Informal introduction to class

I am originally from Kentucky. I began my college experience several years ago (in Kentucky), majored in Elementary Education, but I left just before my senior year. I got married, traveled with my husband for several years while he served in the U. S. Army, had two children (a daughter and a son), and finally settled in Knoxville, TN.

I have been working at Tennessee School for the Deaf for more than 20 years and several of my co-workers encouraged me to pursue my degree. Since earning a degree in education always seemed like unfinished business, I decided to go for it.

Due to my work schedule, nursing my husband through two serious illnesses, and other family obligations, I have been able to take only one or two classes each semester. I am persistent and I expect to receive my BS in Deaf Education in May 2011.