Dream IT: A Technology Based Grant Proposal for Transformative Learning
Part III: Presenting the Total PACKage
CONTEXT * CONTENT * TECHNOLOGY * PEDAGOGY * TOTAL PACKAGE * SAMR MODEL
(Use the links above to navigate through Part III.)
CONTEXT * CONTENT * TECHNOLOGY * PEDAGOGY * TOTAL PACKAGE * SAMR MODEL
(Use the links above to navigate through Part III.)
CONTEXT
This proposal is written with a middle school multi-age classroom in mind. The class will have six through eighth graders as well as a large spread of abilities. This classroom is found in a charter school that receives a high number of special education students. The school also sees a high number of students who achieve well above their age and grade level. These facts can sometimes cause challenges in the classroom because the range of abilities becomes even larger than some single grade level classrooms in traditional public schools.
The technology infrastructure at this time is rather poor. There are 20 Chromebooks available for student use, but they must be shared with other middle school classrooms. Scheduling can become an issue because of this. While there is some support for use of technology in the classroom, some teachers are reluctant to use technology because of environmental and ecological factors. Because the school has an environmental focus, this can then become a larger philosophical issue among teachers. Typically, it is not an issue if a teacher desires to use technology in a meaningful way.
This classroom does not have a standard classroom textbook. A variety of nonfiction selections are used to help students gain access to reading for content. Students are also introduced to the value of primary source material and the skill of evaluating such sources. The philosophy of history education embraced in this room is that students should be as active as possible when studying history. Experiential learning is common place. In regards to the Civil War, a multi-week simulation is used. Students are placed in Northern or Southern contingents and given a field army and home identity. A number of activities and assignments are given where students must use these identities to help place themselves in the shoes of Civil War soldiers and civilians. This simulation has been successful on a number of levels including generating student interest and motivation, but has shown some limitations in student understanding. The idea of this proposal is not to completely replace this simulation, but to take it to the next level to address current needs, and thus increase student understanding.
This proposal is written with a middle school multi-age classroom in mind. The class will have six through eighth graders as well as a large spread of abilities. This classroom is found in a charter school that receives a high number of special education students. The school also sees a high number of students who achieve well above their age and grade level. These facts can sometimes cause challenges in the classroom because the range of abilities becomes even larger than some single grade level classrooms in traditional public schools.
The technology infrastructure at this time is rather poor. There are 20 Chromebooks available for student use, but they must be shared with other middle school classrooms. Scheduling can become an issue because of this. While there is some support for use of technology in the classroom, some teachers are reluctant to use technology because of environmental and ecological factors. Because the school has an environmental focus, this can then become a larger philosophical issue among teachers. Typically, it is not an issue if a teacher desires to use technology in a meaningful way.
This classroom does not have a standard classroom textbook. A variety of nonfiction selections are used to help students gain access to reading for content. Students are also introduced to the value of primary source material and the skill of evaluating such sources. The philosophy of history education embraced in this room is that students should be as active as possible when studying history. Experiential learning is common place. In regards to the Civil War, a multi-week simulation is used. Students are placed in Northern or Southern contingents and given a field army and home identity. A number of activities and assignments are given where students must use these identities to help place themselves in the shoes of Civil War soldiers and civilians. This simulation has been successful on a number of levels including generating student interest and motivation, but has shown some limitations in student understanding. The idea of this proposal is not to completely replace this simulation, but to take it to the next level to address current needs, and thus increase student understanding.