TECH SKILLS PROJECT

LIST OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

BASMA ABDULLA

List of Instructional Technologies

TECH SKILLS PROJECT

TECH SKILLS ASSIGNMENT
I have located and reviewed 5 instructional websites that I have been using in my
teaching, some habitually, others only a few times but would like to use them more often. I
have written a description of each one, including how I applied the tools to my teaching,
how it supports my students in learning, and mentioned which grade levels Ive used
those tools for, and which grades I believe it can also be suitable for. I mentioned how
using these websites modifies my instruction so that it is differentiated, and stated the
standards I am addressing and how assessments could be administered when using these
sites. At the end I have written a short reflection on how this assignment has influenced
my teaching.
Websites

1) BLACKBOARD
http://uki.blackboard.com/sites/international/globalmaster/Platforms/BlackboardLearn.html
I use Blackboard as a teaching and learning platform. Blackboard is a program that
allows teachers to add resources and materials that students can access from their own
accounts. It can be used for all grade levels - I have used it for 1st - 3rd grade classes in a
school that used it from kindergarten to high school, and am now using it at college level.
In 3rd grade with a little bit of training my students could access their accounts and check
their work. For the lower grades parents were in charge if ensuring they checked their
children's accounts for weekly plans, announcements, etc. Even though I am teaching at
college level now, my students still have low English fluency so it takes a bit of practice for
them to get comfortable using Blackboard.
Blackboard adds variety to teaching and grading as students can be assigned a diversity
of tasks to choose from and then submit. It provides an assortment of choices for teaching
and learning within it, ranging from blogs, discussion boards, journals, e-mail, surveys,
and if you run out you can even add links to other learning sites.

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The standards I am currently addressing for using Blackboard in teaching Foundations
English is based on the learning outcome that they have to be able to use technology to
learn and practice English. Therefore my requirements for them is to be able to access
English course materials, read and respond to announcements, manage their work in a
timely manner (since you can set deadlines and have the assignment closed after a certain
day and time), and participate in English course activities using Blackboard.
For testing and evaluations, you can create a test on Blackboard, or you can upload tests
that you've made on Microsoft Word, and it arranges it into a proper exam format, and
corrects it for you too. It has a full grade center, where you can assign certain grades for
certain tasks, and then you can arrange it so that blackboard calculates a certain
percentage from each task for the final grade (for example you can assign 70% for
coursework, and 30% for tests, and then label an assignment as coursework or test, that
way blackboard will calculate the final weighting according to what you specified). It
basically does the entire math for you.

TOOLS THAT I LOVE USING ON BLACKBOARD

Announcements
Calendar
Discussion boards
Grade center
Building content folders
Assessment tools (tests, surveys, and assignments)
PLUSES
MANY teaching and learning features to choose from
You can basically teach wholly from Blackboard because it is one website with a
variety of tools or connections to other tools for the teacher to use
DRAWBACKS
Not user-friendly, takes practice to master it

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2) ITUNES U

http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/itunes-u/
I just created a course on iTunes U as part of a Professional Development workshop, and I
loved it. I can't teach my course from iTunes yet, right now I'm building up my material so
that next semester I can use it as my demonstration tool, along with Blackboard, but
each for its own purpose.
You can create a course on iTunes U, and all the students need to do is download iTunes U
and use your class code (of course they would have to have an Apple ID but all my
students in Foundations do anyway because we use iPads so that's a given). When they
log in, they can find the material for the whole course in there - along with an outline,
course material, links, images, etc. and all of this helps them gain a better learning
experience.
Teachers can use this website to teach all grade levels, I found some courses for teaching
primary reading. Yet students might need to be at high school level or older if they wish to
maneuver this course without help.
This website can support different learning styles, as you can record an audio or video for
students to use, download a podcast that you made or was made by others, and put up
presentations and iBooks. This is a great website since students can follow along in your
course from their iPhones, iPads and iPods. The best part is they can follow along at their
own pace, without you confining them to specific deadlines, either slowing them down or
moving too fast for them. With iTunes U they are in control.
The main assignments I would use for iTunes U (in addition to having students follow
along the course as we cover topics in class) is for them to independently read short and
simple texts related to our topics, and then respond to discussion questions about general
meaning and details that I post. This matches our reading standard for Foundations
English.
For assessments, I plan to put up assignments on iTunes U, and then have them complete
the assignments as per my instructions. Responses to discussions and completing online
quizzes will also be part of my assessment methods.
TOOLS THAT I LOVE USING ON ITUNES U

List of Instructional Technologies

Posts that can be linked to any chapter.
A materials page that can also be linked to any chapter, and can have resources
ranging from Apps for students to download, to links, surveys, iBooks and even
videos.
PLUSES
ITunes Course Manager basically does everything for you to help you set up your
course, all you have to do is follow the steps and put up your material.
DRAWBACKS
Students might find it hard to navigate the first time they use it, especially if they
are not technologically inclined.
Students need an Apple ID.

3) WRIKE
https://www.wrike.com
Wrike is website that I have used as a collaboration tool. Ive used it with some colleagues
on my master's project, and with a colleague on Professional Development assignments. I
would like to use this to enhance students' learning specifically with projects. I feel like
this site can support students particularly with project work, but should be taught to them
for all their assignments. Students who need help with time management and deadlines
can benefit from this tool that allows them to follow along what their teammates are doing,
work together on projects, and check off as they finish tasks.
Because Wrike is a management tool, it provides variation for students' working
environment (rather than just tick off the tasks, they actually assign themselves a task
and a goal, and can see how their friends are doing in their tasks, and can comment and
provide support for each other). In addition, the work that goes into Wrike challenges my
students to step up and provide me with evidence of taking part in projects - naming
their responsibilities and assigning targets for themselves that they have to fulfill and
that their teammates can see.
The standard that using Wrike addresses is students ability to schedule and complete
independent work, and organize their work material. They are also forced to use English

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as a medium of communication between each other, which is another standard to be
tackled.
My assessment method for the use of this site would be my evaluation of them for group
work, not necessarily the project itself but how they contributed, and if they showed
awareness in their self-evaluation, and if they can show improvement in their next group
project.
MY FAVORITE FEATURES ON WRIKE
Time-management and tracking what others are doing a motivating factor as
students and team leaders can see what their team members have accomplished
and are encouraged to keep going.
PLUSES
Very easy to use; tasks, statuses and assignments are all clearly set up.
This would also be useful for teachers teaching the same class who need to
collaborate but cannot meet every day.
DRAWBACKS
Can really only be used for tertiary level, and even then only for collaboration on
projects.
Students need a little practice making to-do lists and working in groups before they
can fully benefit from this tool.

EDMODO

https://www.edmodo.com/
This is a communication tool that I have just started using. I have been using it for my
masters class, and briefly last semester with a college class.
The site allows students to connect with their teachers. It has a 'Facebook' feel to it, and
feels very user-friendly. Teachers can post assignments for students to follow along, and
students can collaborate on assignments and share resources on it.

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I use Edmodo the way I use Facebook - students can communicate to me from home. They
can post a question and all their friends can answer. They can share ideas that helped
them as they are working on assignments. I can quickly set up a poll for a swift survey.
The best part of Edmodo is you can download it on your iPhone; iPad or access through
your computer- which means it is efficient and real-time. Messages come up to students
like a real message. We as a class form a community and 'follow' each other. The platform
is very social in my opinion.
In terms of standards, students need to be able to effectively use the iPad to learn and
practice English. With Edmodo, they can access any course material I've put up, they can
participate, and they are using the keyboard to effectively write brief messages, and are
using shared folders. These learning outcomes are easily met through the use of Edmodo
as technological resource.
This is a tool I have only used with my college level students, but I believe anyone who
uses Facebook can easily manage Edmodo.
It adds a little variety to the way we can communicate - students who are forthcoming
enjoy using this tool, and I can enjoy different ways of interacting with my students (you
can post 'Emojis' to share your emotions, alerts pop up for important announcements, a
quick quiz is easily created as it has options and all you have to do is choose to make your
quiz (multiple choice, true / false, short answer, fill in the blanks, and matching). And the
'poll' option is the best because it is quick and efficient for a quick reflection at the end of
lessons.
MY FAVORITE FEATURES ON EDMODO
The progress chart. After completing quizzes and assignments on Edmodo, you can
track students progress and see their progress as a line graph. I think this is very
important since my main goal wouldnt be for everyone to get an A, but to show
that they are progressing.
PLUSES
Easy to set up for students
Simple to make different groups for different classes
DRAWBACKS

List of Instructional Technologies

Students have found it a little difficult to find resources in, and because it seemed
like Facebook to me I didn't spend much time showing them how to use it. This was
a mistake since it turns out none of my students use Facebook! But this is not
really a drawback, just an aspect I have to be careful with next time I use it with a
new class.

5. POLL EVERYWHERE

https://www.polleverywhere.com/
Poll Everywhere is a participation tool. You can either prepare questions in advance or
come up with questions right away. Students' learning is supported as they are
immediately engaged in the lesson. It is live - a real time presentation of answers. You ask
and show the question, and students can type in their answers, and the answers pop as a
word cloud (beautiful and eye-catching, students want to continue reading the words that
pop up and get excited when they see their own words on the screen).
In terms of showing diversity, you can vary the way students can respond - open-ended,
multiple choice, or even clickable images are options. You can even change the way
answers are presented, so when your students are answering they can see their answers
pop up on the white screen as a text wall, word cloud, cluster, or ticker (which looks like
two conversation bubbles).
I've only used this for my college students, but can easily tell that as long as students can
type, they can use this tool. And for younger students, clicking on images is a convenient
alternative to typing.
One of the benchmarks students are required to reach as they move through their
foundation class is writing. A learning outcome that could be accomplished with this tool
is having them write brief messages in answer to a question on a familiar topic. This is an
easy way for me to quickly assess how many common words and basic structures students
are confident to use as we work our way through learning English.
I have not yet used this tool to formally mark my students. I have either used it for
informal whole-class assessments like a brainstorming session at the beginning of a class,
where we gather ideas about a topic and that would be our basis for starting the lesson, or

List of Instructional Technologies

as a quick reflective tool with simple questions about a topic we just covered. But if I were
to use it as an assessment tool, I would upgrade to an instructor plan, which allows you to
generate reports on your students' responses. Students performances can be assessed, you
can use this as an attendance checker, and you can look through responses for trends and
common mistakes, and analyze your students' responses,
MY FAVORITE FEATURES ON POLL EVERYWHERE
The progress chart. After completing quizzes and assignments on Edmodo, you can
track students progress and see their progress as a line graph. I think this is very
important since my main goal wouldnt be for everyone to get an A, but to show
that they are progressing.
PLUSES
Showing students their answers in real time. They love seeing their thoughts and
words pop up in a cloud on a white screen, and words get bigger as they are
repeated so we can easily see what words are favorites among students, and what
concepts they all share. We can focus on certain new ideas without picking on
specific students who might be shy, and in any case my 'showy' students would say:
"That's me!" but the reluctant ones choose to remain quiet, and so this gives
students the choice to be anonymous or to share their thoughts without me having
to put anyone on the spot.
DRAWBACKS
There are certain options like increasing number of participants and showing
reports that can only be done with an upgrade.

Reflection
This assignment has completely motivated me for my workshop, which
will include all the websites I mentioned here. In addition to that, I
have also been driven to make mini-tutorials for my students so that I
would not have to re-explain the set up of a tool for them again and

List of Instructional Technologies

again - which happens because I am taking them through everything

step by step which means no active listening is happening, whereas
after they watch the tutorial they have to set up the tool or application
by themselves and this means they have to be active listeners. Plus
they can watch the tutorial as many times as they need without
having to face a change of tone from a teacher who has explained the
same thing quite a few times to many different students. This project
has inspired the idea for an ongoing project for myself, I will not stop
setting up tutorials for my students for as long as I continue to use
technology for teaching. I will also enjoy presenting everything I am
learning during my masters program for the benefit of my colleagues.
It is interesting that I have spent a lot of time showing my colleagues
something new, especially in the specific context of a foundations level
1 teacher, and I think that if I can add that framework to my tutorials
then it provides foundations teachers a perspective that they wouldn't
think of by watching general tutorials.