Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Part A
Goal:
The goal of this project is to allow students to learn and master specific content as required by
the 6th grade North Carolina Standard Course of Study in Math using resources that incorporate
21st century technology. Specifically, the students will use online discussion boards through the
classroom webpage created by the teacher to learn, review, and post thorough solutions and
responses to the following mathematical content: solving simple 1-step and 2-step equations as
well as using and evaluating algebraic expressions.
Currently, students learn these concepts through the traditional teaching and learning process
which includes direct lecture, collaborative group work, and independent practice. The
incorporation of discussion boards will allow the students to learn how to effectively
communicate online as well as effectively post responses, solutions, and questions on their own.
This could then eventually lead into a classroom where all communication, including verbal, will
only take place online instead of out loud.
This project will involve 8 sixth grade math students, which range in age 10 to 13 as well as the
classroom teacher who will be in charge of closely monitoring all online activity as well as
academic progress of each student.
Teacher’s Role:
The teacher will be initially in charge of delivering the content to the students using traditional
means of education within the classroom. This includes direct lecture, cooperative group work,
and independent practice. Using a remediation math class that certain students are enrolled in as
a result of their previous state math assessment score to help them sharpen up on their math
skills, I will be responsible for introducing the use of discussion boards to the students as well as
proper “netiquette” to become an effective communicator. This will then lead into me, the
teacher, demonstrating how to effectively type an algebraic expression into a discussion board as
well as posting an accurate solution and explanation for students to watch and observe.
After all students have been effectively introduced to the online discussion board and how to
effectively type in problems and solutions, they will be assigned practice problems in small
groups to become familiar with the process. This process will involve the students also officially
posting these practice sessions online. When the students are observed to understand the process,
they will then be each assigned a problem to type in, solve, and post a solution and response to
within the assigned discussion board. The teacher will then observe and approve all posts
manually for the students to look over. The teacher will also require each student to post a
response to a minimum of at least two other students’ solutions, either offering them assistance
or praising them on correct solutions.
The teacher must approve any and all posts to the discussion board manually. This is a
requirement as per the school’s current AUP policy to protect against any improper language
being presented. The discussion board must also be ran through the teacher’s classroom website
as provided by the local school board of education due to security purposes. However, students
will be presented with other discussion board mediums, such as wetpaint to receive a broad
education of discussion boards and when and how they are used.
Students’ Role:
The student’s will be required to initially learn the content by traditional means in the classroom,
including completing written notes, cooperative group work, as well as independent practice.
They will then be required to participate in an overview of online discussion boards and what
their function is. Students will be guided to look over a wetpaint wiki as an example as well as a
discussion board that has been setup in advance on the classroom website by the teacher. Each
student will be required to participate in practice sessions of how to properly use and post to
discussion boards as well as proper “netiquette” to communicate effectively. Each student will
also be responsible for understanding their set requirements of each assignment that involves the
use the discussion board and completing each individual assignment. Assignments will include
the posting of their assigned problem, its proper solution/answer, as well as a minimum of two
posts to other students’ problems and solutions. These responses are required to be either
additional assistance to help a specific student correct what they had posted as an incorrect
response, or praise for a student posting everything correctly, including a correct
solution/answer.
Technology’s Role:
The role that discussion boards have includes the implementation of what is known as a
“disruptive” technology. These technology’s are becoming more and more popular to this
generation’s students outside the classroom which is beginning to spill into today’s classroom.
Teachers must be able to effectively adapt to the current changes and this project will allow for
adaptation to begin within my own classroom. Today, students are already used to
communicating online with their peers, including the use of AOL Instant Messaging, as well as
Facebook and MySpace. However, many students also may lack in the use of proper “netiquette”
using these forms of disruptive technologies. The use and implementation of discussion boards
and forums within my own classroom will allow for the students to effectively learn how to
properly communicate in the online world, using proper “netiquette” as well as effectively post
their own responses including their answers as well as comments or suggestions to their peers. In
the end, students will be permitted to use the internet to communicate, but they will also leave
the classroom being trained on using proper language and grammar to communicate. Students
will also be able to leave the classroom understanding that this is just one form of technology
now being used widespread in colleges and universities, public schools, as well as many
employers. This technology will provide the students with some training now to prepare them for
their future education, jobs, and careers.
Students will be provided with a rubric of what they are expected to complete and how exactly
they will be evaluated. This rubric will be provided to them at the beginning before being
assigned to post to a discussion board as well as during each discussion board assignment.
Students will be assessed on their effective communication online, properly being able to post,
properly being able to type their problem as well as accurate solution/answer. Finally, students
will also be required as a part of their assessment, to post to a minimum of two other students’
problems and solutions, either giving them help on how to correct an incorrect solution or
providing them praise on their correct solutions. The teacher will closely monitor the activity
online within the discussion board, approve or deny each student’s posts manually and
effectively communicate with the students through the discussion board instead of verbally. Each
student will be provided feedback on their postings no later than the beginning of the next class
session.
Overall, students are being observed on not only properly solving problems, but also on
effectively communicating with people in other ways other than verbally being provided a
disruptive technology.
Range of student skills anticipated, and how this range of readiness skills will be addressed:
It is anticipated that students will not understand much of how a discussion board or forum
operates and is used. In addition, students are anticipated to lack in proper netiquette as observed
in many traditional classes and reading what they have written on paper, especially to other
teachers, administrators, as well as peers. These skill deficits will be addressed in training
sessions on proper netiquette as well as proper operation of discussion boards. The teacher will
provide step-by-step guidance at all stages until the students are observed to be understanding of
the processes. Any student who may be knowledgeable of how to properly use a discussion
board, including making posts to one will be used to provide assistance to their peers when
necessary. All students will also be closely monitored within their online activity and postings
and any additional one-on-one or group assistance will be provided as warranted.
Staffing Needs:
As the class that will be introduced to and using the discussion board is very small, staffing
needs will not become an issue. There will be only 8 students in this specific math remediation
class which allows for more small group and one-on-one attention. However, there will be
collaboration between the teacher, myself, and the media center coordinator as well as the
technology coordinator of the school throughout the project. The media center coordinator is in
charge of signing out laptop carts for use in classrooms in which I will be required to sign out
one laptop cart (each cart contains 15 laptops). The technology coordinator will provide any
assistance when difficulties arise in the use of the internet or discussion boards as well as provide
assistance to those students who may be having difficulties logging onto the school system.
Part B
Describe how your project illustrates your current ideas about the value of using technology for
teaching and learning, in at least 100 words, citing sources for your thinking. Compile one to
two paragraphs that describe each of the following, ensuring that – for each topic – your
response is approximately 50 to 100 words:
• Your growth related to the use of technology in the classroom (How have your ideas
about using technology changed over the semester, and as you have done your
Advanced Project?)
• Your specific plans for continued growth (What will you do to continue improving,
learning, growing? In other words, what is your Action Plan for your own
professional development in this arena?)
• Resources that you anticipated using/needing, for your continued growth (What types
of resources will you plan to assemble/tap/build, to pursue your Action Plan?)
As I have continued through this current semester, both within this class as well as in the
classroom in my second year of teaching, my use of technology within the classroom has
certainly changed. In addition to being introduced to and using various technologies in class, I
am also slowly being required to use some of those technologies myself as a part of my
employment. This includes to the use of Google Docs as well as blogging within a specific
Moodle course for professional development. As I complete this Advanced Project that involves
the use of discussion boards, I continue to reflect on the potential value of discussion boards
being used with the students. Often times, students are afraid of talking out loud and disclosing
their thoughts with all of their peers listening. This becomes intimidating to some, if not most or
all students and in fact can have a negative effect on the learning of material. Being required to
post on a professional development Moodle course discussion board as well as maintain a blog, I
have realized the importance of being able to discuss my thoughts openly within these discussion
boards and blogs and actually receiving positive feedback from various peers whereas when
talking out loud, some comments may have not come across as positively toward me. The
implementation of discussion boards may allow for some or all of my own students to
communicate more effectively as well as learn in a more positive learning environment while
also learning how to effectively use and participate in an online discussion forum.
My specific goals for growth include continuing research and appropriate implementation of
more technologies within my own classroom. These technologies include, but are not limited to
e-Instruction learning systems, transforming some lessons from time to time to online lessons
within the classroom, based on availability of mobile technology carts as well as voluntary
student participation online within the classroom website’s blog and discussion forums outside of
school for students to use as an after-school help area. Finally, it is my goal to continue learning
how to fully utilize the many technologies that have been introduced in this course throughout
the semester. This includes, but not limited to Google Docs, Wet paint Wiki, and Voice Thread.
These specific tools can become very useful, especially within a classroom full of very diverse
learners.
Resources that I anticipate using or potentially needing access to continue with my action plan
would include internet access that also does not or will not in the future, block out Wet paint
Wiki as well as Voice Thread in addition to Google Docs. As technologies continue to evolve
year to year, school systems continue to adjust accordingly as best as they possibly can with their
resources and the current website platform continues to update monthly, providing me with
access to build more into the classroom website. I will need to continue monitoring these
changes and adapt them as efficiently as possible. Such changes that have recently occurred is
the right to build and maintain a classroom discussion board as well as blog system that is
aligned with the current school system AUP.
Essential Question: What are the proper steps and procedures required to solve for a certain
variable in an algebraic expression? What is proper “netiquette” when communicating online with
peers in a set discussion board? What is a discussion board and what can they be used for?
Prerequisites (Prior knowledge) Students understand what substitution means in
mathematical sense as well as how to properly add, subtract, multiply, and divide
integers, decimals, and fractions. Students have a very basic background on solving
elementary level algebraic expressions but need additional review and assistance on
solving at the middle school level where more than one variable is used as well as
decimals and fractions. Students also understand how to properly access my classroom
website.
• 5.01: Simplify algebraic expressions and verify the results using the basic properties of rational
numbers: (a) Identity; (b) Commutative; (c) Associative; (d) Distributive; (e) Order of
Operations.
• 5.02: Use and evaluate algebraic expressions.
• 5.03: Solve simple (one-and two-step) equations or inequalities.
Post-test: Correctly solve, showing all necessary and required steps to 5 algebraic equations, a
combination of 1-step and 2-step problems. These problems will contain a variety of integers,
decimals, and fractions. Students will be required to submit all work within the online discussion
board but may work out the problem on scrap paper prior to posting.
(Performance Assessments: )
• Students demonstrate their work online in a class-assigned discussion board. The teacher
immediately monitors student activity within the discussion board.
• Students will be required to submit work daily for the entire week on the discussion board
prior to each class session ending. They may also follow-up with more communication at
home within the discussion board.
• Students will be required to find and type up a brief description of at least 2 other online
discussion board-like platforms. Examples will be provided to the students and the students
will be asked to write about how each platform could be useful within the classroom.
(Other Assessments: Peer, Self)
• Students are required to evaluate a minimum of two other students’ discussion board problems
with their solutions posted.
• Students are required to provide a response indicating whether they agree with the solution or
not and why (constructive feedback)
(Assessment Adaptations)
• Students will require adaptation from writing math problems and solutions on paper to
displaying them in typed text on a computer.
• Students will require close monitoring to address any technical issues that may occur online.
• Students are to be provided a rubric at all times so they are aware of what they are required to
complete to receive a certain grade.
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Learning Activities
Instructional Strategies/Learning Activities:
e.g., demonstration, discussion, small groups, role play, etc.
• Step 1: Teacher-led demonstration.
• Step 2: Independent Practice
• Step 3: Online posting of individual problems with their solutions.
• Step 4: Online discussion between peers and teacher.
• Step 5: Verbal discussion to close lesson.
Instructional Sequence:
(representing the content: teaching/learning activities, connecting to students’ prior knowledge, etc.)
Teacher activity (The teacher is doing….) Student activity (The student is doing…)
• Introduce 2 real-world application problems • Students record problems on paper.
of solving algebraic equations. • Students use prior knowledge to verbally
• Prompts students to solve problems work out the problems with assistance from
correctly. teacher.
• Prompts students and proposes idea of • Students brainstorm ideas of how to
showing all work and solutions to problems correctly represent problems & their
in an online discussion board. solutions on a computer and online.
• Teacher introduces students to classroom • Students follow along, practice, and ask for
online discussion board. additional assistance as needed.
• Teacher demonstrates creating threads and • Students work independently to correctly
responding to a post after typing problems and proficiently type problems and their
on the computer. solutions on a laptop.
• Teacher demonstrates, with students • Students follow along with online discussion
following along on laptops, proper board introduction and ask questions as
techniques of typing problems & their necessary.
solutions. • Students begin their independent work,
• Teacher assigns each student 2 problems to solving their assigned problems, followed by
work out and type into a practice discussion correctly typing their work and final
board with its solutions. solutions into their discussion thread within
• Teacher prompts all students to review other the discussion board.
students’ posts and give comments and/or • Students seek additional assistance from the
additional help. teacher, as needed.
• Teacher assigns students with 5 problems • Students make sure to respond to a minimum
each day to type into the discussion board as of two other students’ posts, providing
a thread, and type in their solutions. Students constructive feedback.
are also instructed to reply to a minimum of • Students follow along with teacher and look
two other students’ posts. Teacher provides and observe the various examples of other
individual assistance as necessary. types of discussion boards available online
• Teacher introduces students to several that is safe.
examples of discussion boards, including • Students briefly research a minimum of two
Wet Paint wiki, Writeboard, and Moodle and of the provided discussion board platforms
assigns each student to briefly research a and provide a 1-2 paragraph paper about
minimum of two discussion board platforms each type of discussion board and how it can
and write 1-2 paragraphs about their be useful in the classroom and in the real
selection and how they can be useful to the world.
classroom. Final written products will be • Students submit their final papers as a
submitted online as directed. discussion board thread.
• Teacher continuously monitors discussion • Students participate in daily closure
board activity throughout the week. discussion, giving effective feedback to the
• Teacher leads daily closure discussion. teacher while also reviewing the lesson.
Adaptations to the Instructional Sequence to Differentiate: Teacher allows students to peer-tutor or
help their peers when struggles arise. The teacher also assists with one-on-one assistance. Teacher
also demonstrates step-by-step on front whiteboard as well as through the use of a laptop and
boxlight.
Discussion and Assessment of Learning:
(Pointing out to students how what they are learning is related to the driving question; assessing students’
learning as a result of the lesson)
• The teacher leaves constructive feedback for every student within their online discussion threads and
posts.
• The teacher is able to assess level of mastery of content area as well as 21st Century skills (online
discussion boards), which is now becoming useful both in the real world and working world.
Closure:
Extensions for early finishers:These specific students will be asked to, in addition to researching discussion
boards, to research about blogs and describe the difference between discussion boards and blogs and how
each could be used specifically in our own classroom.
Alternate strategies for struggling students or those who learn differently:Teacher may activate class-wide
peer-tutoring as an assistive tool. The teacher may also work one-on-one or in small groups with students
while having high achievers work independently.
Procedures:
(already established procedures to be used and procedures to be taught for this lesson)
• Students already have a background on proper steps to proficiently solve simple 1-step & 2-step
algebraic equations.
• Students will learn how to properly handle school-issued laptops and efficiently log-in to their
school account.
• Students will learn how to properly access classroom website and discussion board.
All postings must be approved by the webmaster (teacher) prior to it becoming visible online. This
will ensure safety and security within the online world and follows the current school AUP policy.
Lesson Development Resources
Technology Tools and Materials:
(classroom set-up, preparations, resources, etc.)
• Teacher laptop with box light for effective presentation to students.
• Teacher will need to verify students have their correct school log-in user name and password
prior to the lesson beginning to avoid delays during the lesson.
• Class set of laptops and charging station.
• Class discussion board and problems created in advance, with all glitches worked out as
humanly as possible.
• Additional examples of other discussion board platforms (i.e. writeboard, Wet Paint)
(Parent/Community Resources)
• Parents/Guardians will be notified that they may access the online discussion board at anytime
to review and even provide additional assistance at home with their child if they continue to
struggle at home.
(Contact Information)
• Parents/Guardians and students can access website, discussion board, and be able to send a
direct email from the site to me at anytime. I can then respond when available or immediately
after class.
• Parents/Guardians have been previously notified that they may also contact me by phone
before and after school as well as during my planning period.
• The website address, as provided to parents/guardians and students previously is as follows:
http://www.johnston.k12.nc.us/smithfieldm
Click on Teacher Websites
Click on Sixth Grade
Click on Christopher Maue
Rubric for Assessing Students on their Daily Work:
Proper Citations You properly cited You cited sources for You properly cited You failed to
Provided your sources for BOTH discussion your source for ONLY cite any of
BOTH discussion board products. one of your your sources
board products. This However, you forgot discussion board for any of the
citation should at one of the following: products. This citation discussion
least include the website address, included at least the board
website address and company name, or website address, products.
company name as date you found this company name, and
well as the date you information. the date you found
found this this information.
information.
Screen Shots of Students Accessing the Classroom Discussion Board:
This is the homepage. Students will now click on “Overtime Class Discussion Board”
As an example of students completing this week long project, “Student #1” discussion board has
been made available for access. Student #’s will be used to protect the identity of all students.
This student observes their problems that have been assigned directly beneath where it is labeled
“Student #1.” They will simply click on “Student #1” to access and post a thread, or answer.
For the student to post a thread, or their solutions, they will simply click on [New Thread]. They
will fill in all required information in the fields provided and put their problems with their
solutions and checks in the message box.
Student will click on Save and then Done when they have typed in all of their problems,
solutions, and their checks. They will then notify the teacher of the submission so that the teacher
may review and approve the posting of the threads.
Student threads, once approved for posting, will then appear on the website under their student #.
All students must provide feedback to all others by click [Post Reply] in the upper right corner.
A window will pop up for them to enter their reply, or constructive feedback. This works the
exact same way as when a student posts a thread. Again, the teacher will monitor online posts
and approve all posts as they are sent through the website to the teacher.
All replies to a students’ thread will be posted immediately below their original thread posting
and visible to everyone. This completes all necessary steps to successfully participate in the
assigned classroom discussion board assignment. This was an example of what students would
be required to do. This actual assignment has not been completed in my own classroom yet.
(2003). Grade 6 Mathematics Standard Course of Study. Retrieved November 28, 2009,
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/mathematics/scos/2003/k-8/32grade6
(2000). RubiStar: Create Rubrics for your Project-Based Learning Activities. Retrieved
(n.d.). Wetpaint Social Websites. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from Trinity Ventures,
http://www.wetpaint.com/page/about
(n.d.). Writeboard Collaborative writing software. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from
37 Signals: http://writeboard.com/