Week 7: How Much Is Too Much?

Description
Because I'm using my ELA classes to figure out my teacher PD course, it's important for me to gauge how my students are handling the digital work I assign. This week, one of my online-mythology students told me that he liked our work this week because I hadn't assigned so much as I had the week before.

Here are screenshots of the two modules:

I'm not sure what the parameters are regarding the number of assignments for online classes --one of the reasons I decided to pursue this Masters was for the student teaching for NCVPS which I hoped would help me in this regard. Honestly, though, I'm really more interested in how much I have to grade each week! haha...

Seriously, though, who wants to only read a myth, answer comprehension questions, and take a quiz/test? How boring?

But what if I'm making them spaz out because they don't know how to upload something they did on paper? Should I teach online students to use an app/website, or assume they can figure it out themselves? (the latter is basically how I deal with tech in my F2F classes -- I help as needed).


Feelings

Part of me thinks the student I talked with was just whining (he takes Honors and AP classes), but the other part of me wonders if I'm teaching this course at an Honors level, and other students may be having trouble, but not telling me.


Evaluation
I appreciate my students telling me that they are having trouble with something I assign. There are several students taking the online class who I've had in other English courses, so they know I pay attention to their concerns. Many of them, though, attend the other three high schools, so I need to make sure I'm making it clear that if they have concerns, they should contact me.


Action Plan

So, there are a couple of things I think I need to do for This Week In Mythology. One is to create a Google Form survey to see if there are issues with the number of assignments or the types of digital work I'm requiring. One question needs to be "If you'd like to talk to me further, please provide your email." I think this might give the more quiet students a way to let me take the lead for a conference, especially if they are anxious about talking to a teacher/advocating for themselves.

Another thing that would be helpful, since I'm working on Personalized Playlists, is to be sure I'm giving options for students to show they understand the reading do by using the Depths of Knowledge levels (sort of like Blooms). And, truthfully, this is probably what the students in this class are looking for. Since I've never had to take an online class as a high school student, I'd chance it to say that for an elective like Mythology, I wouldn't expect to be bored.

Week 6: It's Alive!

Description - This week, I created a playlist for my ELA students. It's a crude version of the personalized playlists that we learned about in EDU 656, but I think it worked well for my students' first attempt at stations work.







It's a modified Playlist because I need them to complete each activity. However, I told them the station rotation was up to them. As students were working, I called a small group of students over for the "McCabe-O'Clock" so I could talk with them about their reading journals and progress.



Feelings - I'm super excited about the beginning of the station rotation and playlist work. Just the fact that I had assignments in one spot and not many questions/interruptions as I met with two groups during the period made me feel pretty successful.


Evaluation - So far, in the two days we've worked like this, I think it's successful. However, I'm feeling alone in my search to make ELA more interactive and full of critical thinking. When I told a few teachers what I was up to, their response was, "That sounds like fun," not, "Hey...show me what you're doing, so we can come up with playlists together." The planning for separate activities is long --and I know I'll miss important aspects. I'm forging ahead though. But playlists are definitely in my Canvas course for teachers learning about blended learning. 

Analysis - 

         Just a little aggravated with my colleagues!

Conclusion - I'm working on the module for this coming week. There won't be as many activities as last week because my students haven't had a chance to finish them yet.


Action Plan - This week, I plan to track which activities are most important for digital work. I want to use the station rotation model that Catlin Tucker writes about here: http://bit.ly/2SFEnsZ

Week 5: Delve Into Apps

Description - This week at a department meeting, the assistant principal asked if we knew about the website CommonLit (https://www.commonlit.org/). She learned about it from the district's high school director and wanted us to start using it. So, the rest of the meeting was how we (ELA teachers) could use the website. At this point, I'm automatically thinking that this is the best way for me to get them to help me with my project!

I was so excited, I probably scared them even more than I normally do. I made this based on the apps and websites I talked to them about: 

When I created this Google Doc, I made it editable so my colleagues could add their own ideas. We had the meeting on Tuesday, and as of today, I'm still the only one who's even looked at the information.

Feelings - Okay, well, my feelings ranged from super-excited to Oh-well this week. These people just don't understand how horrible it is to love integrating tech so much, but never have no one else to share it with!

Evaluation - Even if none of my colleagues appreciates this chart, I think it really helped me think about how to use websites that basically do the same things. I'm going to add this chart to my Canvas class as a way to show how the teacher can make decisions for what technology will do for the class.

Analysis - How can you make sense of teachers who, in 2019, only think of tech as typing a research paper or taking a multiple choice test online?


Conclusion - So, I'm basically taking my colleagues out of the equation for my project. For the next few weeks, as I'm working on my Canvas course, my notes will have to be on my own tech integration.


Action Plan - For next week, my students will be working in learning stations. I want to add one station that has tech for reading and one tech station for writing.  I also want to do something with personalized learning/playlist activities (that I learned about from a teacher in Charlotte). This part might take longer, but I need to figure it out.

Week 4: Reading & Notes for Modules

#FluBites

Description - This week, since being on my flu-induced sick bed, I've spent reading more about blended learning. The classes I've had at LR have helped for when I feel stuck that I won't be able to pace out the modules in Canvas, or what I want to say about the decisions I think ELA teachers make in regard to utilizing technology. 

There are two books that I'm working with that broaden my thinking. One is Creatively Teach the Common Core with Technology by Catlin Tucker, a California teacher and Blended Learning coach. The other is Dr. Linton's book, The Blended Learning Blueprint For Elementary Teachers.

Feelings - I'm getting frustrated, truthfully; plus, I think I'm stuck. Although I'm reading and taking notes, I'm worried that my project will be a bust, since all I really know is what I'm reading. I did use my lesson plans this week to "process" the choices I made for the tech we used in class, but I don't always have the technology available (we aren't 1:1). This is where Tucker's books come in handy because her school isn't 1:1 either. But what if I'm just regurgitating her work?

Evaluation - Tucker's books show me specifically how to walk through a lesson utilizing technology to the fullest. Linton's book, while geared to elementary teachers, provides the thinking process I need to make critical decisions - she's like the theory behind blended learning, I guess. Again, though, how do I make the project mine and not merely revise what they are saying?

Analysis - I usually worry about big projects like this, especially that my voice doesn't matter in the crowd of researchers in educational technology.  I don't want to just repeat what others say; however, I don't feel like I'm the best person to preach Blended Learning. I can't use tech every day, and this makes me feel like a fraud.

Conclusion - Do I need to survey ELA teachers about the types of tech they already use/integrate?


Action Plan - I'm just going to keep working as best as I can and start getting the modules filled out some this week. Some of my module work will be adding different apps/programs that I've used with my students, and some will be those I want to try --or link to blog posts about how they should work.