Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
The example also shows the use of a learning resource in an instructional setting.
The specific example is modified to fit the target audience.
2. Instruction on how to find learning resources in the NSDL, including key-
word and boolean searching, advanced searching, and browsing by collections.
Depending on the technical expertise of audience, the amount of modeling is
increased or reduced.
3. Participants identify an authentic instructional problem, need, or situation. They
then practice search techniques to locate resources related to their selected
objectives.
4. Participants design IA projects that address the identified problem. Examples
include laboratories, assignments, interactive group work, research, resource
lists, and homework.
5. Participants then implement their project in their classroom. Examples of imple-
mentation activities include working as a whole class group, having the project
be one learning center of many, and having the students go through the project
independently.
6. Participants reconvene in a second workshop to reflect on their experiences
designing activities using online learning resources and discuss various methods
and strategies for integrating online resources into their classrooms.
In addition, several aspects of the curriculum (e.g., the link to educational stan-
dards) were tailored to fit audience and institutional contexts. Finally, the amount of
modeling was increased or decreased depending on the technical skill level of the
audience.
Evaluation Findings
Evaluation findings for the model are presented from three f2f workshop imple-
mentations: teachers in a rural school district in the western USA in Spring 2004
( N
14), teachers from a charter school in the state of Utah, USA in the spring of
2007 ( N
=
20), and finally science and math teachers in northern New York State,
USA in the fall of 2008 ( N
=
=
19).
Spring 2004
This early evaluation of the workshop model focused on (1) knowledge of online
resources for education and the NSDL, (2) attitudes about IA and technology
use in the classroom, and (3) intended future use of IA in the classroom. Based
on these three categories, over 90% of participants knew what online resources
for education were prior to taking the workshops, while less than 20% were
familiar with the NSDL. After the workshops 100% of the participants increased
their knowledge of what the online resources for education were and what the
NSDL was.
Attitudes about technology in the classroom and reported intentions to use the
IA in the future were divided between teachers who reported (1) different levels
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