Case 2: Toolkit for Teachers as Modern Learners

This case will be completed in 3 main parts. The first two parts need to be completed in class today and
will be completed as a group. The final part will be completed independently and submitted in an
upcoming lab (check schedule in BB for the exact due date).
Part 1.
Divide into your assigned group of approximately 6 individuals.
Each group will be assigned a technology tool. Each of these tools have been identified by Will
Richardson (2015) as essential tools that should be found in a teachers toolkit. All five essential
tools are: Twitter, Blogging, Feedly, Evernote, and Pinboard (social bookmarking).
After being assigned one of these teacher tools, group members will investigate the tool and
then discuss and record answers to each of the following questions:
o What is the purpose of this Web 2.0 tool?
o What are the strengths of this tool?
o What are the weaknesses of this tool?
As a group, brainstorm, identify, discuss, report and record examples of how this tool could be
used in each of the following teaching and learning settings:
1a. In an elementary setting, provide examples of how an elementary level teacher would be
able to use this tool to facilitate her/his role as a teacher.
1b. In an elementary setting, provide examples of how this tool could be used to promote
student-centered learning and facilitate problem-solving skills in elementary learners.
2a. In a middle school setting, provide examples of how a middle school level teacher would be
able to use this tool to facilitate her/his role as a teacher.
2b. In a middle school setting, provide examples of how this tool could be used to promote
student-centered learning and facilitate problem-solving skills in middle school learners.
3a. In a high school setting, provide examples of how a high school level teacher would be able
to use this tool to facilitate her/his role as a teacher.
3b. In a high school setting, provide examples of how this tool could be used to promote
student-centered learning and facilitate problem-solving skills in high school learners.
Part 2.
Based on the results from Part 1, access the course BB wiki (see Week 6 on BB to access the wiki) and
post/integrate the results of your Part 1 discussions (probably best done if only one of your group
members completes this). There will be several groups contributing to the same wiki during the same
class period. The goal is to produce a well written wiki that addresses each of the questions (e.g., What
is the purpose of this Web 2.0 tool?) and provides a number of examples of how it could be successfully
used by both teachers and students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. All groups must
contribute to their assigned wiki.
Part 3.
Review the contents of the completed wiki.
Review the ISTE standards for students and also those for teachers (see www.ISTE.org for a full
list of both student and teacher standards).
Write a 1 page, single spaced document that addresses each of the following:
o In what ways did the wiki facilitate/inhibit how your assigned tool was reported and
studied?
o In what ways could you see a wiki being used to facilitate student learning?
o In what ways does the tool your group investigated align with the ISTE standards for
teachers? In what ways does the tool align with the ISTE standards for students?
o Do your suggested activities/examples of the use of this tool align with the ISTE
standards? Why or why not?