Creating+Innovative+Uses+of+Technology

= Creating Innovative Uses of Technology =

An Individual Project
= Greek Mythology: Blogs, Wikis, and Other Online Tools =

By:
 * Mindy Clawson **

= Lesson 1: Webbing Myths & Greek Influence Today =

Rationale of Topic & Technology Used:
This lesson is intended for 9th grade students in Honors English. Students will have one week to complete Lesson 1, which has three tasks total. These activities will be done primarily from home. The purpose for this lesson is to get students familiar with mythological characters and surrounding myths in Greek literature. Students will be reading “The Odyssey” in conjunction with these activities. The reading of “The Odyssey”, activities, and quizzes will take place in the classroom, while the exploration of other mythological characters will take place outside of class. Students will come to have a richer understanding of Greek Mythology. The technology that students will use for this lesson will include: computers with inter-net, the classroom blog, links to readings, online graphic organizers (at [|www.bubbl.us.com]), a tool for screen-capture, the classroom wiki, and independent research for images.

1. A brief description of the lesson plan:
Students will log in to the classroom blog. There they will scroll down to read the “Welcome” statement, which explains what the blog is all about and its purpose. They will then read the “Lesson 1” post, which contains instructions for three tasks. (1) Students will click on links to read two myths: “The Naming of a City” and “Arachne & Athena”. They will respond to the question on the blog and participate in the poll. (2) Students will then create a free account on an online graphic organizer/brainstorming website. There, they will create a web involving the myths that they just read. They will take a screen-capture of their final web and post it to the classroom wiki (on a new page). (3) Students will also check out the class wiki and read the “Lesson 1” directions to see examples of “Greek Influence” today in modern commercials, logos, etc. Students will research to find their own example of Greek influence and will post it to their individual page on the class wiki, including a paragraph explanation of what they discovered. In the end, their individual wiki page will contain a web (task 2) and an image with a paragraph (task 3).

2. The technology and resources involved (e.g. facility, network, equipment, software, online program, website’s URL):
Students will need to use a computer with inter-net access. This can be done from the school’s server, public libraries, or from home. They will access sites such as [|www.blogger.com] (for the classroom blog), [|www.bubbl.us] (for the brainstorming web), and www.wikispaces.com (for the classroom wiki). Students will also use a tool for screen-capture, such as Capture Me. Students will also access links to readings, which will be provided by the teacher on the classroom blog. Students will also conduct some independent research for their own images (using Google or Flickr).

3. What skills, knowledge, and pedagogy are required of teachers:
The teacher needs to be literate in all of the capacities in which they are asking their students to work. The teacher needs to be able to create and manage an online blog, create and manage a class wiki, research helpful websites for students, create hyperlinks for students within the blog, embed video (optional), embed images into a wiki, create a sample web on the bubbl.us website and capture the image to put into the wiki. The teacher will also need to check the blog often, responding to student questions.

4. What prior skills and knowledge are required of students:
Students will need to know the basic functions of a computer and be able to troubleshoot if there are problems (such as restarting the computer). Students will need to know how to type in a URL address to reach a given website and how to create free accounts. Students will have to know how to do independent research for images online. All students will be able to post questions on the classroom blog, email the teacher, or ask the teacher in class if they need help with any aspects of the lesson.

5. What are students asked to do exactly (product or process):
Students are expected to (1) Read given myths online, respond to the question(s) to the reading on the blog, participate in the online poll, which is located on the blog. (2) Students will follow instructions to create a graphic organizer “web” online and post it to the class blog. (3) Students will also conduct research to find an image of Greek influence today and post it to the classroom wiki, along with a paragraph that explains what they found. Students are expected to manage their time and complete these tasks outside of class within the one-week time frame that they are given. They are expected to ask questions and get clarification (if needed) before the due date. Students will be getting a richer understanding of Greek Mythology outside of class (characters, creatures, and myths) while reading “The Odyssey” in class.

6. What are the procedures of the project (steps to teach the technology skills):
(Task 1) Create a free account at [|www.blogger.com]. Access the classroom blog and familiarize yourself with its contents. Click on the links to read the required myths online and then respond to the question(s) to the reading on the blog. Participate in the online poll, which is located on the blog (It contains one simple question to answer).

(Task 2) Create a free account on [|www.bubbl.us] and www.wikispaces.com. You will use both of these websites for this task. When these are created, go to the bubbl.us website and play around with the tools there. Watch the tutorials if needed. Create your own “web” for one of the two myths that you read on the blog. Your web must include bubbles and information for the following: the title of the myth, the main characters and a description of who they are, the exposition, rising action, conflict, resolution, and what does this myth explain about the world around us? Save your file. You will then take a screen-caputre of your “web”. Log in to access the class wiki and create a new page, titled with your name. Insert your “web” images into your individual page, title it “Lesson 1: Task 2”, and hit “save”. Then go back to the main page of the class wiki, find your name on the list, highlight it, and create a link to your individual page that you created. Hit “save”.

(Task 3) Go to the class blog and view the images of Greek Influence in our society today. (Examples: Honda “Odyssey”, “Mercury” Tires, “Omega” watches, “Venus” razor for women, etc). Using a search browser of your choice (Google images, Flickr, etc), research and find an image of your own that displays Greek Influence on our society. It might have to do with a company logo, motto, or product. Post this image to your individual wiki page, below Task 2. Be sure to title this activity “Lesson 1: Task 3”. Type a short paragraph (5+ sentences) to explain what the image is and how it connects to Greek literature or culture. Hit “save” when finished.

7. What are the advantages of the project:
As this lesson is geared towards an Honors English 9 class, students are able to learn about Greek mythology and literature at a much deeper level. They are doing these activities outside of class, as time and resources within the classroom can be limited. Students are expanding their learning environment outside of the classroom walls and can engage in a learning community on the class blog and wiki. Students will get more content to help them with their understanding of references made in “The Odyssey”. (Content on the blog and wiki will change as we switch units in the classroom). Students are getting independent practice with several hands-on online tools and technologies. Students also have the freedom to work on these tasks when they have the time, as long as it happens within the one-week of allotted time. This will hopefully teach students skills in time management and independent research.

8. What are the disadvantages of the project:
The only disadvantage to this project will be that some students may have a difficult time accessing the internet outside of school. Open lab time is not aplenty at our school and others may have a challenging time getting transportation to public libraries on weeknights or weekends. Some students may have a difficult time with time management at first, but hopefully they will catch on and step up to the plate.

9. What types of effective instructional strategies are included:
Students are provided with clear written instructions, as well as guided practice. In other words, students will have examples in which to follow. For example, the students are asked to create an online “web” image using the bubbl.us website. The students will get to see an example for the layout on the wiki. When students are later asked to research and find an image that displays Greek influence in today’s society, there will be a few samples uploaded by the teacher for them to view.

10. What are the possibilities that the innovation can be transferred to other teachers, subject content, and different school settings:
Other English teachers could use these exact lessons and technology tools to supplement the learning in their classrooms. Using tools such as blogs, online “webs”, and wikis can be created for any grade level or subject area. A history teacher could have a class wiki where students keep track of important terminology and definitions, adding to their lists as the year progresses. A math teacher could have their students create an online “web” to explain and show their thinking process as they work through certain math problems or formulas. A science teacher could create an online blog to post “science in the news’ articles, along with a tool that shows the weather forecast each day.

= Lesson 2: Literature Connections & Survey =

Rationale of Topic & Technology Used:
Students will have one week to complete Lesson 1, which also has three tasks. These activities will be done primarily from home. Like Lesson 1, the purpose for this lesson is to further students’ understanding of mythological characters and myths in Greek literature, as well as to extend learning outside of the classroom. Each week while reading “The Odyssey”, supplemental materials on mythology and Greek civilization will be added to the classroom blog and wiki. Students will find it easier to understand the many references that are made in “The Odyssey” by learning outside of the classroom. The technology that students will use for this lesson will include: computers with inter-net, the classroom blog, links to readings, the classroom wiki, independent research for a poem or song, and an online survey (through [|www.surveymonkey.com]).

1. A brief description of the lesson plan:
Students will return to the class blog and read the “Lesson 2” post, which explains all three tasks for the week. (1) Students will follow the links to read the two required myths: “Glaucus & Scylla” and “Pygmalion & Galatea”. They will then respond to the question or prompt on the blog, which covers the reading. (2) Students will then access the class wiki and find directions for “Lesson 2” on the main page. They will read the Literature Connection examples that are provided by the teacher. (There will be two sample poems along with a paragraph each that explains how it relates to “The Odyssey”). Students will then conduct independent research to find a poem or song lyrics of their own that they can connect to “The Odyssey”. Once they choose a poem or song, students will paste it do their individual page of the class wiki, titled “Lesson 2: Task 2” and write a paragraph explaining the connections. (3) Students will return to the class blog to access a survey. The survey will be a series of questions that are intended to get feedback on how they are liking and handling the online technology components (blog, wiki, etc).

2. The technology and resources involved (e.g. facility, network, equipment, software, online program, website’s URL):
Students will have to have access to a computer with access to the internet. This can be done from the school’s server, a public library, or from home. Students will need the links to the classroom blog and class wiki, which they have previously used last week for Lesson 1. They will need to use [|www.blogger.com] (for the classroom blog), www.wikispaces.com (for the class wiki), links to readings (found on the blog), and a link to a survey (made on [|www.surveymonkey.com]).

3. What skills, knowledge, and pedagogy are required of teachers:
The teacher needs to be literate in all of the capacities in which they are asking their students to work. The teacher needs to be able to create and manage an online blog, create and manage a class wiki, research helpful websites for students, create hyperlinks for students within the blog, paste text (poems) into a wiki, and create a survey on the surveymonkey website. The teacher will also need to check the blog often, responding to student questions.

4. What prior skills and knowledge are required of students:
Students will need to know the basic functions of a computer and be able to troubleshoot if there are problems (such as restarting the computer). Students will need to know how to type in a URL address to find the class blog and wiki. Students will have to know how to do independent research for poems or song lyrics online. All students will be able to post questions on the classroom blog, email the teacher, or ask the teacher in class if they need help with any aspects of the lesson.

5. What are students asked to do exactly (product or process):
Students are expected to (1) Read given myths online, respond to the question(s) to the reading on the blog. (2) Students will follow instructions on how to create a Literature Connection. They will research to find a poem or song of their own choosing and post it to the class blog, along with a paragraph explanation. (3) Students will return to the blog to provide helpful feedback on what their experience has been like for the last two weeks as they’ve done online homework. Students are also expected to manage their time and complete these tasks outside of class within the one-week time frame that they are given. They are expected to ask questions and get clarification (if needed) before the due date. Students will be getting a richer understanding of Greek Mythology outside of class (characters, creatures, and myths) while reading “The Odyssey” in class.

6. What are the procedures of the project (steps to teach the technology skills):
(Task 1) Students will access the classroom blog again at [|www.blogger.com] and read the post for “Lesson 2”. They will click on the links and read the two required myths and then respond to the question(s) or prompt to the reading on the blog.

(Task 2) Students will access the class wiki again at www.wikispaces.com. They will read the directions for “Lesson 2” and will read the samples provided by the teacher (which will be two poems). Students will then conduct their own research to find a poem or song of their own choosing and post it to their individual page on the wiki. Once they choose a poem or song, students will paste it do their individual page of the class wiki, titled “Lesson 2: Task 2”. Students are to then write a paragraph to draw connections to the characteristics (traits), actions, motives, feelings of the characters or themes from “The Odyssey” (ex: travel, longing for home, adventure, bravery, pride, taking risks, facing danger, etc).

(Task 3) Students will return to the classroom blog and take part in the survey. This should only take them a few minutes to complete.

7. What are the advantages of the project:
Students are able to get a richer understanding of Greek mythology and literature by participating in the online homework lessons. They are doing these activities outside of class, as time and resources within the classroom can be limited. Students are expanding their learning environment outside of the classroom walls and can engage in a learning community on the class blog and wiki. Students will get more content to help them with their understanding of references made in “The Odyssey”. (Again, the content on the blog and wiki will change as we switch units in the classroom). Students have the freedom to work on these tasks when they have the time, as long as it happens within the one-week of allotted time. This will hopefully teach students skills in time management and independent research. Students also get hands-on practice with several online technology tools. Another advantage for the teacher, is that feedback will be provided through the survey this week, now that they’re wrapping up two weeks of working online. They will provide feedback on what the experience has been like for them so far. The teacher can then make appropriate adjustments, if needed, to improve the learning process.

8. What are the disadvantages of the project:
Again, the only disadvantage to this project will be that some students may have a difficult time accessing the internet outside of school. Open lab time is not aplenty at our school and others may have a challenging time getting transportation to public libraries on weeknights or weekends. Some students may have a difficult time with time management at first, but hopefully they will catch on and step up to the plate. It is possible, however, that some students will feel overwhelmed with the workload (being Honors students and probably taking other Honors classes). They will let the teacher know in the survey!

9. What types of effective instructional strategies are included:
Students are provided with clear written instructions, as well as guided practice. Each student will have examples in which to follow. For example, the students are asked to create a Literature Connection between “The Odyssey” and a song or poem of their choice. There will be 1-2 examples for them to view that the teacher posted. Students tend to do better when they can see examples and can clearly see the expectations.

10. What are the possibilities that the innovation can be transferred to other teachers, subject content, and different school settings:
English teachers (especially for English 9 or Mythology) could use these exact lessons and technology tools to supplement the learning in their classrooms. Using tools such as blogs, wikis, and surveys, however, can be created for any grade level or subject area. A science teacher could have students create an online wiki to plan an outdoor clean-up for Earth Day. Students can plan and get themselves organized, such as what materials they will need (rakes, rubber gloves, garbage bags, etc) and who will bring what. A music teacher could create a class blog to keep students and parents informed on upcoming festival and concert dates. A gym teacher could create an online survey to get statistics from students on their diet and exercise habits. The possibilities are endless!

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