Making History Come to Life

Hannah Kim
EDUC 422
November 21, 2006


Levin, H (2003). Making History Come to Life. Learning & Leading with Technology,
Vol 31 Number 3.

• After reading this article it is hard not to realize the power of using video with students. Describe a way you could use video in a similar way with students of your own.

Using digital storytelling is a powerful tool that allows students to become actively and productively engaged not only in technology, but also with academics. One way in which I could use video as an elementary school teacher would be to have both parents/guardians and students involved in a project that involves research and community involvement. For example, students would work in groups and they would be videotaping interviews with family members or professionals in the community. The students would come up with their own interview questions, but of course the project would be centered around a theme (ie: careers). In this way, students would be encouraged to use technology as a means of getting parents/guardians and the community more involved in education. There are many other ways in which video could be used for educational purposes, but it is up to the teacher to make a lesson interesting for the students.

Bull, G. & Kajder, S. (2004). Digital Storytelling in the Language Arts Classroom. Learning & Leading with Technology Volume 32 Number 4

Hannah Kim
EDUC 422
November 14, 2006

Bull, G. & Kajder, S. (2004). Digital Storytelling in the Language Arts Classroom. Learning & Leading with Technology Volume 32 Number 4

• What will you use from this article to frame your use of storytelling?

This article provided relevant and useful tips on how to create an effective digital story. For example, the author suggests that “the story should be in the foreground and the technology in the background.” In other words, the focus of using digital storytelling is not to show off the use of technology, but rather, using technology as a tool and a way to enhance the art of storytelling. Furthermore, digital storytelling is a means of engaging students who struggle with reading and writing.

Also, the author describes the seven elements of effective digital stories:
1. a point of view
2. a dramatic question
3. emotional content
4. economy
5. pacing
6. the gift of your voice
7. an accompanying soundtrack

I feel that all these elements will be useful to keep in mind when creating any type of digital story. Following these guidelines would allow me to stay focused on the story and to use technology to my advantage without retracting from the main idea of the story.

"Digital Video Goes to School

Hannah Kim
EDUC 422
November 9, 2006

Hoffenberg and Handler (2001). Digital Video Goes to School. Learning & Leading with Technology, Vol 29 Num 2

• What skills are students developing in the process of making a video?
-Students develop such skills as: technical skills involved in making and editing videos; visual literacy skills; higher level thinking skills of analyzing and synthesizing the information that they want to present and focus on in their video.
• What type of video formats fit well as a culminating activity?
-There are several video formats that fit well as a culminating activity. Those are: video newscasts; documentaries; infomercials; video clips to be used on web pages or multimedia presentations.
• What curriculum characteristics make sense for video?
-Videos are good to use when capturing: emotion; heritage or culture; memorable experiences; changes over time; a process; a phenomenon in nature; a slowed process to be viewed frame by frame in order to better understand it.
• Briefly describe the guidelines for video use.
-Some basic guidelines to follow when making a video are:
1. Plan ahead.
2. To start a video, choose a familiar subject.
3. Consider the audience and purpose of the video and spend time developing a storyboard.
4. Also, consider the types of shots that will be used in order to best express the message.

In Search of Appropriate Usage Guidelines

Hannah Kim
EDUC 422
October 12, 2006

In Search of Appropriate Usage Guidelines
Volume 29, Issue 2, Page 50 by Mary McNabb. Journal date: 2001.

1. Children’s use of computers:
-Children’s time on the computer should be limited so that they can be involved in physical and social activities in order for them to have a healthy development. Also, social involvement is important in developing interpersonal skills and social competence.

2. Computer usage by children can improve learning under a limited set of conditions:
-This improvement in learning is achieved when “alignment of curricular goals and technology uses and assessment measures that captures the evidence that learning has occurred.”

3. The Children’s Internet Protection Act of December 21, 2000 (effective April 20, 2001) basically says that public libraries have to enforce technological protection measures to protect children from such things as obscenity, child pornography and harmful material on the internet. The Children’s Internet Protection Act is important for teacher’s to know about because with the increased attention in teaching students about technology in today’s curriculums, we as teachers need to be aware of what’s out there and also be aware of the appropriate uses of technology to “foster children’s social, emotional, and physical health as well as the development of their creativity and intellect.”

Find the Best Software: Using Bloom's Taxonomy and Multiple Intelligences to Select and Use Software by W. McKenzie

Hannah Kim
EDUC 422
October 12, 2006

Find the Best Software: Using Bloom's Taxonomy and Multiple Intelligences to Select and Use Software by W. McKenzie, W. Published in 2003. Learning & Leading with Technology, Volume 30, Issue 8, Page 54

1. What considerations need to be made on selecting software for the classroom?
Categorizing software is an important consideration when selecting software. The different categories that can be used are: Tutorial; Guided Practice; Independent Practice; Assessment; Heuristic; Productivity; Simulation.
By using this kind of categorizing of software system, one can assess the strengths and weaknesses of the different software.

2. Describe what you feel is most important to consider after reading this article?
The usefulness of any particular software used in a classroom is dependent upon the context in which the software is used. So, depending on what kind of a project or assignment that the teacher wants the class to work on, a specific software that was designed for that kind of a project would be best used. Therefore, it is important to research different educational software and assess them by noting the content, design, etc.


3. How might software address multiple intelligences?
According to the different categories in which software fall under (ie: Tutorial; Guided Practice; Independent Practice; Assessment; Heuristic; Productivity; Simulation), each software will address certain intelligences. For example, Productivity software incorporates many different intelligences such as Logic, Verbal, Musical, Naturalist, Intra- and Inter-personal, Visual, Existentialist and Kinesthetic.
A useful tool that could be used in determining what software addresses multiple intelligence is the Multiple Intelligence Software Evaluation Rubric that is provided in this article.

4. Find at least one site on the Internet that explains multiple intelligences and why they are important to consider. Provide the URL(s) and describe what they include.
Dr. Thomas Armstrong’s website explains the definitions and significances of multiple intelligences. He describes 8 different intelligences and also how to teach using multiple intelligences.
The website URL is: http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/
For the multiple intelligences section: http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.htm

ISTE Article: "Treasure Hunts for Better Reading"

Hannah Kim
EDUC 422

ISTE Article : “Treasure Hunts for Better Reading”
Royer, R., & Richards, P. (2005). Treasure Hunts for Better Reading. Learning and Leading with Technology, 33, Retrieved October 5, 2006, from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume_33_2006_2005_/May_No_8_/LandL_May_2006.htm.

1. Understand Statement: develop an enduring understanding
Introduction: hook the students in and motivate, and give directions
Questions: questions that focus on main idea
Putting It All Together: create a presentation that shows that students understand the understanding statement

2. Right there: the answer is found within one sentence
Putting it together: the answer is found within a few sentences
Author and me: a combination of information found in the text and the reader’s background needed to answer the question
On my own: answer comes from the student’s background knowledge

3. Discovery Eduction: discoveryschool.com gives examples and ideas for teachers about WebQuests.

Schrock, K. (1995-2006). Teacher Helpers: Web Quest in the Future: The Teacher's Role in Cyberspace. Retrieved October 5, 2006, from Discovery Education: discoveryschool.com Web site: http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/webquest/webquest.html

“Visualize, Visualize, Visualize: Designing Projects for Higher-Order Thinking”

Hannah Kim
EDUC 422
Professor Joan Hanor
5 September 2006

“Visualize, Visualize, Visualize: Designing Projects for Higher-Order Thinking”
By Pearl Chen and Dianne McGrath
Chen, P, & McGrath, D (2004). Visualize, visualize, visualize: designing projects for higher order thinking.
Learning and Leading with Technology, 32, Retrieved September 5, 2006, from http://www.iste.org//Template.cfm?Section=December_January_No_4_&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&ContentFileID=2417


1. As a visual learner myself, I am able to relate to the ideas that the authors presented in this article. I think that it would be helpful for a teacher to not only have students answer questions out of a text book, but also to visually explain the answers by making a graph, drawing a picture, etc. in order to go more in depth into the material. Not only will students be encouraged to get more involved in actually understanding what they’re supposed to be learning, but they will also learn to question, criticize and to research.

2. Project-based learning (PBL) is defined as a learning method that provides students with an effective method that not only helps students to “process knowledge content in a deeper and more mindful manner, but also learn valuable thinking skills, something about their learning processes, and about how to learn (pg. 55).” The PBL method will challenge students to not only be involved with what they are learning, but also to understand how their own minds think and also to effectively apply what they learn. The critical thinking exercises would help the students to think deeper than just trying to find the right answers to questions. The exercises would help the students to question why and how they came up with the response that they did.

3. An example of higher-order thinking could be seen through a classroom project that moves beyond the stage of a “simple project” to that of a project which includes, as the authors say “specific cognitive and metacognitive learning goals (pg. 54).” In other words, a project could move from a “simple project” to a “higher-order thinking” project by utilizing the different tools provided by the authors in Table 1 to aid students in going beyond what a project physically requires.

4. Curtis, D (2001,November, 1). Start with the pyramid. The George Lucas Educational Foundation, Retrieved September 5, 2006, from http://www.edutopia.org/php/article.php?id=Art_884&key=037
-In this article, the author gives examples of classroom projects which follow along with the PBL method. She says that project-based learning allows students to ask and answer questions that go beyond the scope of the immediate project. PBL also helps student to do in depth investigations of real world issues and apply them.

Pearlman, B (2006, June). New skills for a new century. George Lucas Educational Foundation, Retrieved September 5, 2006, from http://www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1article.php?id=Art_1546&issue=jun_06#
-In this article, the author is in support of PBL. He states that in the present day, student will need to develop skills such as learning and thinking skills, communication-technology literacy skills and also life skills. Students will need all these skills in order to be competitive in the 21st century.

Point/Counterpoint: Are Wikis Worth the Time? By Dean Shareski and Carol Ann K. Winkler

http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/Volume_33_2006_2005_/December_January_No_4_1/33406s.pdf


Hannah Kim
EDUC 422
3 September 2006
Assignment 5 – Journaling/Wiki

1. Post-Impressionism: In this article, I found information describing an introduction to this topic, links to different art terms relevant to post-impressionism, examples of artists and their works from this era, short critical and historical reviews, along with notes and references at the end. Although for general references this article could be useful, for in-depth information, more research would have to be done.

2. Interior Design: This article was also useful in giving a general introduction to the topic. The article started with a simple definition of what interior design is and continued with explanations of The Profession, Specializations, Styles and links to more information about the topic.

3. Science Fair: Although I am not very knowledgeable in the area of science, I know that someday as an elementary school teacher, I will be working with students and their science fair projects. This article gave an overview of the history of science fairs and was also useful in providing links such as to the Discovery Channel website to find good science fair project ideas.

After searching through Wikipedia’s database for different research topics, I have found that it was useful in providing general and concise information, but also directing you to different websites that could be of more service. As a public website that receives its information from anonymous submitters, there is always the chance that the information that you read could be illegitimate, but one must be careful not to rely on just one source of information. I believe that if used in the right way, Wikipedia could be a very useful in aiding your research of information.