MD3 Assignment #6711SM3

Assignment: Blog: Behaviorist Learning Theory, Instructional Strategies, and Technology Tools

#6711SM3

In the article, There’s no app for good teaching (Moorehead, 2014), eight talking points are brought up. 

1.         Keeping learning goals ahead of technology

2.         Opt for the open-ended

3.         Don’t let tech make learning easy

4.         Take feedback seriously

5.         Stay skeptical of individualized learning – for now

6.         Bring in student interests, authentically

7.         Start Conversations

8.         Make it open, make it better

Each one of these sections is extremely important in the learning of and teaching of technology.  Students are taught basic subjects that require a specific path or movement to be done, writing for example.  Propper spelling and sentence structure are grounded.  There is very little if any change.  Other subjects are the same.  But in technology, once the “rules” are addressed is an open playground for knowledge and learning. 

            Using technology in teaching and learning allows a student to explore different presentation avenues for a project.  It allows students to use their natural creativity in a new way.  It also makes the students experience what they are creating, learning and experiencing more authentic because they have ownership of the work. 

           

            An example I would like to give is with a project my students are doing in Personal Finance.  The Project is, The Million Dollar Scrapbook.  Students are instructed that they have a million dollars to spend.  They can not go over and there are limitations to what they can buy and how much they can spend on some items. (I will share the entire assignment at the end of this post). 

            I am giving students the option to create either an actual handheld scrapbook or a digital scrapbook.  I have given the okay for a web page, a blog, a powerpoint, a Google presentation so far.  The due date is November 25, 2019, but I am going to extend it, I have not announced that to the students yet. 

            Not only does this project fall in line with the course expectations, in a fun way, of budgeting, it also fulfills student standards of ISTE of critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research.  Students use technology to search, make informed decisions, research best prices and products and then making those informed decisions.

            Through this project they are also turning on their “Genius Hour” within themselves.  I do stand with my use of a project like this as a Genius Hour project (Juliani, 2016), even though it takes more than an hour.  During the last two class periods provided to work on this project, I have heard conversations about technology and how to find items.  I have seen the sharing of technical knowledge of searching the internet, how to detail a search query, what sites to use (like Zillow) to find what they want.

            As their teacher I have walked both classes through how to get to Google Docs.  My assignment is in Word and shared on our classroom(s) Edmodo.com website. It really surprised me for how many students did not know how to download a document provided and then upload that same document to their Google account.  But we did it.

            The items researched and found for this assignment and those in the past assignments are integrated into my lessons with my students. (Lockyer, 2013)  Some classes are easier to integrate into than others.  That other is Personal Finance.   Their technology use is limited to logging into the text websites, reading, clicking or typing their answers and going onto the next question.  There is not the ability to do anything else.  For this class and my other classes, I will share articles and links in the Edmodo.com classes.  I will request responses through there, ask for research to be done and shared, etc.  That is why I am excited that they are excited and engaged in this current project.

            In two weeks, all my classes are going to take part in the “Hour of Code” (hourofcode.com).  I am very excited to do this.  This will be a fun Genius Hour, extended by 30 minutes for our 90-minute blocks.  I will be very happy to share the results of those days.  I have chosen Monday, December 9 and Tuesday December 10 as the two days. 

References

Howard Pitler, E. R. (2012). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works (2nd ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD.

Juliani, A. (2016, February 8). Genius Hour: Getting Started with Genius Hour. Retrieved from Geniushour.com: www.geniushour.com

Lockyer, M. J. (2013). Tools for learning: technology and teaching. The University of Wollongong, Australia. Wollongong: University of Wollongong / Research Online. Retrieved 2019, from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9d23/8dc3405c19c9958ff8eea2e92910dc30a43a.pdf

Moorehead, L. (2014, September 3). There’s no app for good teaching. Retrieved from Ideas.Ted.Com: https://ideas.ted.com/theres-no-app-for-good-teaching/

Appendix

Here are the documents for The Million Dollar Scrapbook:

The Million Dollar Scrapbook

“How Much is One Million Dollars?”

The Million Dollar Scrapbook project will help you understand that question.

For this activity, you will pretend that you have been given $1,000,000 to spend. You choose your own 20 tangible items!                        You will complete this project individually.

Use your time wisely to complete this project – one million dollars is a great deal of money!  

Time will be given in class to work on this project, but you will still need to work on it at home as well.

Due: November 25, 2019 

(extensions must be requested in writing)

To successfully spend your million, you must follow these guidelines:

1.      You may put UP TO $50,000 away for college or trade school (required)

2.      Your home CANNOT cost over $250,000 (firm)

3.      You may give no more than $50,000 to a charity of your choice (specify the charity by name, address, phone number, and logo)

4.      Your car CANNOT cost more than $50,000 (firm)

5.      You may invest $10,000 in Stocks (specify what stocks with the symbol and title)

6.      The following is a list of items that you can purchase but in limited quantities:

a.                   house (1) (required)

b.                  car (1)

c.                   bedroom furniture (1 set)

d.                  living room furniture (1 set)

e.                   family vacation (1)

f.                    iPad (1)

g.                  iPod (1)

h.                  iPhone (1)

i.                    computer (1)

j.                    luxury items like an RV, quads and other such items (1)

k.                  game systems like Xbox or PS3 (1)

l.                    entertainment centers/system (1)

m.                sporting event tickets (2 tickets to 2 different events)

n.                  jewelry (4)

7.      After each purchase, you must write a paragraph explaining why you chose this item and how it will enhance your life

8.      You MUST buy 20 items - No more! No less!

9.      You may ignore sales tax and consider only the purchase price in your running total. DO NOT ROUND PRICES!!  You are documenting the actual price of the item(s).

10.  You MUST spend exactly $1,000,000 (within $100 and not going over!) DO NOT ROUND PRICES!!!

Additional Requirements & Guidelines for the Scrapbook

·         Page 1-Rubric, Page 2-Title Page, Page 3- Tally (Ledger) Sheet, Next 20 pages are your Purchases, Last Page(s) - Your Honest Reflection.

·         The scrapbook must be bound at the far-left edge (just like a book).  You may bind your scrapbook with yarn or brass fasteners or use a three-ring binder or folder, OR It may be in the form of a digital presentation of your choice (powerpoint, Google presentation, Prezi, Blog page, digital scrapbook, etc.). 

·         Your million-dollar scrapbook must be neatly and accurately completed.  It should have a professional appearance, quality writing, correct spelling, quality grammar, and organization.  

·         Use only one side of the paper!

·         Each page MUST be numbered in the same order that you listed it on the tally sheet and should include the following:

·         a picture of the item (closely resembling the item you want)

·         the amount the item cost

·         a paragraph about each item

·         (**** One Page Per Item, do NOT put two or more items on a page)

·         The last page in your “Million Dollar Scrapbook” is to be a reflection page.  The reflection MUST be three to five (3-5) paragraphs and include answers to these two questions:

·         1.   Reflection- How did doing this project make you feel? (BE HONEST!!!). 

·         2.   If someone asked – “How much is a million dollars?”, what would you tell them and why.

*NOTE: 

You may use MS Word to create your pages. SAVE YOUR WORK!!!!!

You may handwrite and paste pictures to your scrapbook page.  

            You may do your own artwork on each page. (No one else may do your work!).

I will provide some materials for you to create your book.  If you have a supply request, submit it in writing with your name on the page. I will see what I can do to get you what you need by the next class. 

            You can use any digital form to make your scrapbook.  It must be able to be viewed by the teacher to be able to be accepted. 

Million Dollar Scrapbook Tally (Ledger) Sheet

Item	Cost	Running Total
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

                                                                                                Total    ________________________

Million Dollar Scrapbook Rubric

Name: ______________________________

*Points will be removed for missing any of the required elements in each category as listed below.

Number of items – 20 items purchased                                            20 pts              __________

Pictures – accurately represents each of the 20 items                       20 pts              __________

Paragraph – 20 complete, power paragraph (one per item)             20 pts              __________

Purchase Price – Do Not Round Prices of the 20 items                   20 pts              __________

Page format – item, price, picture, paragraph, uses only one side, neat         10 pts              __________

Conventions – accurate spelling, punctuation, and capitalization     10 pts              __________

Tally Sheet – neat, accurate, totals $1,000,000 (don’t go over!)       20 pts              __________

Exact Amount Spent – can have less than $100 left over                20 pts              __________

Page Order – matches the tally (ledger) sheet                                  20 pts              __________

Binding – neat, will not fall apart, has professional quality              20 pts              __________

Reflection – 3-5 paragraphs, honest                                                  20 pts              __________

                                                                                    TOTAL          200 pts            __________

For every class day that the assignment is late, 5 points will be deducted from your final total.

(this does not include late submissions that have the teacher approval)

           

                                                                                    Late Days_____x5 pts =        - __________

                                                                                    Final TOTAL                          __________

#6771 #EDUC6771