Creating a WebQuest for the ipad

I made a WebQuests for my Early Childhood Education students to learn about Diversity in the classroom.  In order to explain how I'm using the ipads I need to share with you a bit about my philosophy of teaching, how I teach, and why I do things.  I won't go into this much detail in future blogs, but until you get to know me better...here it is:

 

There is a huge learning curve when implementing ipads to the classroom. I needed to learn to use an ipad (so I made my husband get me one for my birthday...Thanks Honey!), I had to find out what the ipad is capable of, then evaluate my objectives (that are aligned with my standards), and find apps to help students practice or meet the objective.  After all that exploration I still had to write a lesson plan, then finally I had to actually teach my students (both about the lesson AND how to use the ipad (not all of them knew so don't assume they know how to use one). Whew! That's a lot of work!  You also need to realize that I need to do this for three sections a day...every day. It's no small task!  I'm going slowly because I want to do this right, I want to get comfortable with the tablets.  I have a huge task ahead of me and it is even more difficult because this technology is so new there aren't many resources for teachers to look for ideas, there are a few, for example I really like Tony Vincent's Learning in Hand http://learninginhand.com/.  It's been invaluable in getting me off the ground.   

I've created a few projects for my students using the ipads and one of my favorites is a WebQuest about diversity that I created for my Early Childhood Education class. WebQuests were created by Bernie Dodge, a professor at San Diego State University. "A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing,"  which was taken from: http://webquest.sdsu.edu/about_webquests.html

I send my students on a scavenger hunt on the Internet. Ask them to go to this website, obtain certain  information, answer reflection questions, then watch a video and reflect on the video,  finally I ask the students to summarize the information.

Here is my first WebQuest using the ipads. It meets my standards:

SP2.17 Student creates an environment that provides for the inclusion of all children, including children with disabilities, and children with diverse language, socioeconomic and/or cultural backgrounds

*This assignment will build a knowledge base in student about WHY this standard is so important

SP4.21 Student will evaluate and adapt a variety of curriculum models

*I'm preparing my students for future units by having them look at lesson plans on tolerance on-line, while they are evaluating the content they are seeing a lesson plan, which will build background knowledge on the components of a lesson plan.

My biggest concern about this web quest is that this assignment uses the ipads as just a computer but I'm going to have to do that because my kids need to see the many possibilities this tool presents to them so they can use it that way on the job in the future. The reason I have these tablets as a CTE teacher is to demonstrate to students how technology can be used in their future place of employment, because it will be! Kids today use ipads, kindles, smart phones, or other devices as toys. It is hard for them to make the switch to using these devices appropriately, but the classroom is the perfect place to start practicing.  I have to use apps, the internet, and the tools on the tablet.  This assignment uses the internet more than other apps. In the future I would like to explore apps I could add to this, they could be one of the sections for kids do work with. 

The lesson below starts with information from me to my students, I always create my own lessons so it's like me talking to my kids as they read it. Then I break my assignments up into sections, it's just a logical way to present information to my kids. I've selected websites intentionally that are easy to read so no matter what the reading level of students in my classroom they can be successful (this is also the reason I give them more than one link to gain information from). I want my kids to learn go evaluate information on the internet and not just consider what they see in black and white to be fact. There are so many levels to the lessons I create (as you can see). I'm sharing this lesson to show you one way I use the ipads. This is just a glimpse of one lesson, one unit, a few days, ipads are capable of so much more. I'm trying to make them a normal part of the classroom before we get into using apps because some students are not familiar with this technology yet. I have to remind myself regularly..."baby steps!"

 

*Note: I plan to work with a Social Studies teacher to fine tune this assignment and make it better, I have not done that yet.  I change every lesson every time I give it, I always make things better.  Due to the fact that this is the first time I've ever done this lesson I feel like it is in it's infancy and will be so much better as time goes on.

 

**The Objective is listed in the assignment below (for the kids to see since studies show they do better when they are aware of the objective and it is in student friendly language so they can actually understand it...I don't need to use big words to feel smart, my kids don't learn that way!).

 

Discrimination in Education WebQuest

Early Childhood Education

The United States has a history of discrimination and the overcoming of it. We've come a long way but hate is still a part of the world we live in. When you work with kids you have the opportunity to teach them acceptance and tolerance every day. Show them that differences are a positive thing and that we are better people when we learn about others and celebrate our differences.

The information below is a part of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s. Throughout history different groups have been discriminated against in every country, on every continent, the groups that are discriminated against change, but sadly the hate seems to stay the same. As a teacher you need to know what happened in the past so that you can help kids in the future and prevent the spread of hate towards others.

Teaching kids to celebrate differences and accept others for who they are is how you change the world one child at a time. We've just finished the Disney movie called, Ruby Bridges a true story of an African American little girl who was the first in her town to attend an all white school. Her family struggled with their decision and ultimately taught many people about acceptance. Ruby Bridges is proof of the impact one person; one child can have on the world.

This assignment will show you how other students have changed the world with their actions, like Ruby. How will you change the world for the better? Knowledge is a good start!

Objective: After doing this assignment you should be able to say the following statement (and have it be true), "I can describe what happened during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. I can explain who the Little Rock Nine are and describe what they did to change how we see schools today. I can evaluate actual lesson plans on teaching tolerance and explain what kids will learn about tolerance from the lesson. After building all this background knowledge I can evaluate what I have learned that I didn't know before and explain how I will use it in the classroom to make a difference for kids.

Part I: Change in the Courtroom

Many things that are normal in schools today were decided in a court room not too long ago. The following court cases were monumental (huge) in change in education. Remember: Just because people say that is “just the way it is” doesn’t mean it is always right, do the right thing and change can happen, as someone who works with kids it is your responsibility to make sure they are treated fairly and that you teach them to accept all people and celebrate differences.

Look up each court case below and answer the questions that follow in complete sentences. Please do this on a separate piece of paper.

Court Case #1: Plessy vs. Fergusun

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_plessy.html

1. What is this case about?

2. What did this case change?

3. What does separate but Equal mean?

4. Why is Separate NOT equal?

Court Case #2: Brown vs. the Board of Education

http://www.nps.gov/brvb/index.htm

1. Describe what this case is about

2. What is Segregation?

3. What is Desegregation?

4. What would the world be like if this court case never happened?

Part II: The Little Rock Nine

Watch this Video to build background knowledge about the Little Rock Nine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iH4Zx96xbY

1. What do you think about The Little Rock Nine and what they did?

After you watch the video please look at the information on the following two websites and answer the questions below in complete sentences.

• http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/civilrights/ak1.htm
• http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=723

1. Describe why The Little Rock Nine are an important part of History?

2. How did they change schools, people’s viewpoints, and/or America?

3. What should the teachers of The Little Rock Nine have done?

Part III: Discrimination and Equality today

As a teacher you will come across kids with many different backgrounds. You need to teach tolerance and acceptance because hate is learned. Kids may learn things at home but you will have the opportunity to teach about acceptance. Do not assume kids don’t need it, they do. Please look at this website, read the article, and answer the questions that follow (Please use complete sentences and write at least one paragraph for each question):

http://www.tolerance.org/blog/think-there-s-no-diversity-think-again

1. Summarize this article. What is it about?

2. Why is it important to teach tolerance and diversity?

You are going to look at lessons that teachers can do to teach diversity, acceptance, and tolerance. Then you will describe the importance of each. Looking at lesson plans will also give you background knowledge for when we learn about lesson planning.

Lesson #1: : http://www.tolerance.org/activity/what-can-we-learn-box-crayons

a. What do kids learn from this lesson?

Lesson #2: http://www.tolerance.org/activity/i-am-special

b. What do kids learn from this lesson?

Lesson #3: http://www.tolerance.org/activity/many-shapes-and-sizes

a. What do kids learn from this lesson?

Part IV: Reflection

Please write a one paragraph reaction to this assignment. What did you learn that you didn’t know before about diversity, acceptance, and teaching kids about acceptance? How will you use the information you have gained in this assignment to impact students in your early childhood classroom in the future? Why is this important?

In The Beginning

I am a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher in a large 4A Title I School. I teach Clothing Design, Early Childhood Education, and Human Development. There are an increasing number of ipad blog or informational websites sites for core subject area teachers such as Math, Science, and English...but there is not much for Career and Technical Education teachers...YET! I am creating the blog I wish I had so you will benefit from my experiences, no matter what you teach because teaching is teaching! I have received so many questions about how it is going or what it is like to teach with ipads that I decided to start blogging my experiences for teachers like you. As more and more tablets are delivered to teachers there will be more resources and more experts available to help. Until then I hope this helps you!

I received 30 ipads for my classroom about five weeks ago. There were many growing pains but my kids are now comfortable using them, they have become a normal part of the classroom. I've discovered many tricks and tips that I hope other teachers will use to make the introduction of ipads a smooth transition.

I've seen other blogs that tell teachers how to unpack their ipads and handle the technology side of the tablets. I'm very lucky that my ipads were delivered to me in a cart (COW-Computer on Wheels) ready to go, the technology department took care of all the set up so I can focus on teaching.

Here are a Tips to help you get started!

1. Security: Assign every student a number so if an ipad goes missing you will have a starting point to begin your investigation.

-This also helps students because their work may be ipad specific and they will need to use the same ipad every day

-Kids don't want to take an ipad that isn't theirs because they are afraid someone else will steal theirs and they will be responsible for it. If a student does take an ipad that isn't theirs by mistake then another student usually informs me (because they want their own).

-I have not had a problem with security

-Mark your ipads with a number in some way (technology did this for me on the ipads but then we got covers, black covers that a marker wouldn't show up on. I used white out to mark the number for each ipad.

2. Ipad Sharing: Ipads were not designed to be shared and I have up to five students a day on the same ipad! Some apps don't make students log on or off. This means that if one student in one class does an assignment then the student in the next class will have access to the answers! Their answers are public! This can lead to cheating, which doesn't help kids learn. To avoid this problem you simply find apps that perform the same function and put multiple apps on your tablet, for example, find more than one flashcard app or more than one mind map app. Then tell certain classes to access specific apps. I had one class do their work in Popplet and another use Graphio-both mind map apps that perform similar functions. Both classes made a mind map and met the daily objective without seeing another student's answer, kids may figure this out, my students have not though.

3. Apps! Apps! Apps! I've spent a lot of time researching apps (I refuse to pay for apps so every app I will ever list is free unless otherwise stated) below is a list of what I've used so far (as I find and use new apps I will share that on this blog):

-Edmodo: This app is like Facebook for school. Students can turn in their work, I can post assignments, give quizzes, polls, etc. Students come in every day and get their ipad then they get their Entry Task off of Edmodo.

-Dropbox: This is a "cloud." A cloud is a place on the Internet that I picture a filing cabinet...my very own. A cloud is a place on the Internet for you to store your documents and pictures. It's a great way to back up your files.

-Popplet: A mind map tool

-Grafio Lite: Another mind map tool

-Lino: A virtual cork board

-StoryBuddy Lite: Students can make a children's book, my students in Early Childhood Education made a "story" that was more like a Power Point on Child Abuse and Neglect so this app can have many functions in the classroom.

-Ted Talks: Bring a guest speaker into your classroom! Ted is a collections of speeches on specific topics by experts. My students have loved every one I've shown.

-Moodboard Lite: My students have used this as a mind map or it can be used like a virtual poster. My students in Clothing Design made a "poster" using Moodboard.

-Flashcards Lite: Students can study for tests and make flashcards for vocabulary using this app or

-A+ Pro

-Educreations: A virtual whiteboard. Your can use this like Power Point, they can use it as a mini whiteboard, you can record as you go, there are a lot of possibilities and I would consider this a staple in the ipad classroom. It's the best virtual white board I've come across.

-Cloud On: Looks like Microsoft! Has Word-like program, Power Point-like program, etc.

I do not use the following regularly yet but I'm excited to do so in the NEAR future!

-Evernote: Students should take notes using this app and not the notebook on the ipad because students can log in and out of Evernote. The notes they take on the ipad are public for all to see, steal, or alter. Evernote allows you to take pictures to help understand concepts and they can access it from anywhere they have Internet

-Use Evernote with Skitch because the two apps will talk to each other. I have not used Skitch yet because I just learned about this from a co-worker but I'm excited about it so I wanted to share it!

-Nearpod: You can create lessons using this app and a Power Point like slide show that you control from a teacher ipad will be shown on every student ipad! You can give polls, show videos, and so much more!




-Glogster: I've been told a Glog looks like an Infographic (look that up on a search engine, they are very cool and becoming more and more common). This knowledge makes me want to use this now! I just learned about Glogs and I'm excited to use them in the classroom!











-Word Cloud or Wordsalad: To be used with vocabulary




Haiku Deck: Also, a cool app for vocabulary. You can have students match a picture to the word to help them visualize concepts.




-Photocard: Students can send a post card to someone about something in class. They could pretend to be a character in a story, write to an author, explain a concept, the possibilities are endless!

Those are a few of the apps I've used and am looking forward to using. I'm going slowly because I know you have to slow down to speed up. There is a huge learning curve every time you implement a new piece of technology into the classroom. I'm enjoying it and I know I've come a long way. I have a long way to go but I'm over the first speed bump. I hope that by documenting my journey I help you with yours and if you ever have any questions please let me know, I am a teacher after all!

I'm including the next section so you can see where I began...

When I first received the ipads I wrote a journal of my experiences I thought it would benefit you to see how I felt, where my head was, etc:


Friday, October 26, 2012

I’m overwhelmed with the ipads. I want them to be amazing, and I want it now! They are going to make things easier but a second order change is never easy. I think my kids are feeling held back by me so I want to give them freedom to show me the projects they can create, I just don’t know how to do that…yet. I know that this will be a gradual process but I feel stuck right now. I want to sink into my old assignments and methodology of teaching but that would not allow the ipads to do what they were intended to do…change teaching, change learning, and prepare students for the world they will live in.




Lesson Planning Goals: I’m going to look at my objectives, big ideas, and power standards. From there I try to find apps/resources/etc. that will engage kids in the lessons.



Current uses:

1I post assignments on ‘Edmodo,’ students can do it in Google Docs. Pictures also can be uploaded into ‘Edmodo.’ Students can take a screen shot of their assignment OR take a picture of their assignments and turn them in that way.

2I had my Clothing Design students label and hand write types of hand stitches on ‘Educreations.’

aStudents then showed me-they can hold it up like a whiteboard. I can use this to make sure every kid answers every question, every time!

Uses: Vocabulary, lectures-ask for feedback

In Human Development my students watched a video/speech on ‘Ted Talks’ and then I asked them to sit in an aggressive way (the video covered types of body language and the messages they can send). Every single kid did it! Then I asked them to show me a passive way to sit, every kid sunk down in their seats.
 Students were more engaged if they have the video in their hand than if they watch it at the front of the room or even if I lectured. Interesting, didn’t see that coming!

Even students that never turn anything in were just so excited to have an ipad that they were engaged and eager to work on the tablet.

In Clothing Design some students were struggling with hand stitching and types of stitches and I have thirty students! I can’t get to all of them so I told students they could try to find an instructional video on You Tube (while they wait for me to get to them). This will actually SHOW visual learners how to do things step-by-step AND students can watch it as many times as they need to if they missed something. I want to look into recording my lectures so my kids can re-watch them whenever they need more help or have questions.

 Engagement: Every kid does everything I ask on the ipad , just because they like it. The ipads have increased student motivation tenfold in my classroom.

Struggles:
 I don’t know how I will be able to grade assignments that are on the ipad, I’ve found some solutions (see #1 of current uses), but I want more. Student work on ipads is stuck on the ipads! I am not going from tablet to tablet to grade student work! This is supposed to make my life easier. I use Edmodo but Edmodo doesn't currently support ios (ipads). I hope they will soon...until then....

I cannot monitor the use, while I am helping students the other students are using the tablet as a toy, this is a classroom management issue I will continue to address. The younger students are the guiltiest of this.

I can’t find the books I want for my content (Human Development, Early Childhood Education, and Clothing Design). My assistant said if I get him a list of books he will get them for me so hopefully this will be addressed soon. We paid for the ipads...I don't want to pay for books! I've contacted our librarian about checking out books electronically, that would be great!

I have trouble finding presentations in my content area on Discovery, PBS, Ted, or even CNN. I guess I could have the kids seek out current events and have them find things which will enhance problem solving skills. It's easy to find Math, Science, or English resources for lessons but as a CTE teacher I have to get more creative.

Thoughts:

I think I need to let go of the idea that I have to plan the lesson and have it more student driven. Let them show me what they can do on the tablet after I give them the objective and parameters. They can demonstrate learning in so many different ways. Student choice will also help them support their own learning style, increase motivation, increase students success AND self-esteem.

Therefore students are going to research careers and use the information they find to make a product to share with the class (I am going to give several samples such as Use Educreations, Cloud On, or Story Buddy Lite to make a Power Point like product. Students can video tape themselves talking about their project, make a poster and video tape it slowly (to use ipads in some way-this was only for students who really struggled with the transitions for the ipads and was not offered as an option right away), they could make a mind map about their career using Popplet, Grafio, or Lino. They could make a virtual poster using Moodboard.

So much more to come! I'm learning more and more every day!