ED 453 – Media & Technologies for Teaching, 6-12

Contents

1. Credit Hours
2. Prerequisites
3. Class Times and Locations
4. Description and Purpose
5. Learning Objectives (Based Upon Professional Standards)
6. Required Materials
7. Student Products and Performances
8. Instructional Methods
9. Evaluation

Credit Hours

• 3 credit hours

Prerequisites

• This is a Phase II course for the Secondary Teacher Education Program. Students enrolling in this course must be admitted to the Secondary Teacher Education Program by the time the course begins.
• It is expected that students who begin this course already have some experience performing fundamental operations with a microcomputer including the use of word processing software, World Wide Web browsing software, and electronic mail software.

Class Times and Location

• Mondays & Wednesdays, January 14 through May 12: 7:30 - 8:45 AM
• Reid Centennial Hall room 211

Description and Purpose

Media & Technologies for Teaching is a significant element of the Professional Studies Phase (II) of the LCSC Secondary Teacher Education Program.

This course is designed to give you, the teacher candidate, formal experiences in the development of a repertoire of pedagogical knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will enable the effective integration of media and technologies into teaching and learning in secondary education.  Course content and activities address the design and development of instructional media and technologies that would enhance learning environments in secondary education.

Professional Standards Addressed by This Course

Through successful participation in this course, you will develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions associated with each of the following professional standards for teachers.

This symbol indicates that as a focus of this course, knowledge, skill(s), and/or dispositions associated with this attribute are introduced and/or purposefully developed in this course.

This symbol indicates that knowledge, skill(s), and/or dispositions associated with this attribute are practiced within the context of this course.

This symbol indicates that knowledge, skill(s), and/or disposition(s) associated with this attribute are practiced in authentic and meaningful contexts during this course.

The Dedicated Professional. The successful teacher is one who demonstrates a sincere dedication to the profession of teaching and genuine care and concern for each child.

Attributes of the Dedicated Professional demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate shows care and concern for children and learning.
2. The teacher candidate conducts herself/himself in a manner which shows commitment to the profession of education.
3. The teacher candidate exhibits high ethical and professional standards.
4. The teacher candidate fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students' learning and well-being.

The Knowledgeable Professional. The successful teacher is one who is well-informed of the current body of knowledge regarding the processes of learning, strategies for instruction, and the structures of learning environments to support the intellectual, social, and physical development of all types of learners.

Attributes of the Knowledgeable Professional demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate understands how children, as individuals and in groups, learn, develop, behave, and are motivated to learn.
2. The teacher candidate understands a variety of instructional strategies to create learning opportunities that
   1. Support the intellectual, social, and personal development of learners,
   2. Encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation,
   3. Encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
3. The teacher candidate understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and how instructional opportunities are adapted to diverse learners.
4. The teacher candidate understands schools as organizations within the larger community context and the laws and norms that guide their operation.

The Content Specialist. The successful teacher is one who understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches. The teacher maintains currency in knowledge of the content area(s) and skills of the discipline.

Attributes of the Content Specialist demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) she or he teaches.
2. The teacher candidate maintains currency in knowledge of the content area(s) and skills of the discipline.

The Educational Designer. The successful teacher is one who utilizes knowledge of learning, students, and content taught so as to creatively plan learning experiences that integrate appropriate strategies, media, and organization.

Attributes of the Educational Designer demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate plans and creates effective learning experiences based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, community, how children learn and develop, and curriculum goals to make the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches meaningful for students.
2. The teacher candidate designs and develops learning opportunities which utilize well-selected instructional strategies and learning resources.
3. The teacher candidate designs and develops learning opportunities which are are appropriately adapted to diverse learners.

The Educational Facilitator. The successful teacher is one who effectively implements instructional strategies to facilitate learning in a variety of settings, with a variety of media, and for a wide range of diverse types of learners.

Attributes of the Educational Facilitator demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate utilizes a variety of instructional strategies (methods, techniques, etc.) and resources (media, technologies, etc.) to establish and facilitate engaging and meaningful learning environments which support the intellectual, social, and physical development of students.
2. The teacher candidate utilizes effective classroom organization skills to establish and facilitate engaging and meaningful learning environments which support the intellectual, social, and physical development of students.
3. The teacher candidate utilizes effective, communication techniques to establish and facilitate engaging and meaningful learning environments which support the intellectual, social, and physical development of students.
4. The teacher candidate uses an understanding of individual as well as group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment which encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation while fostering active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

The Educational Evaluator. The successful teacher is one who continually and accurately assesses the achievement of students and the efficacy of the learning environment.

Attributes of the Educational Evaluator demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate understands and uses appropriate formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of the learner.
2. The teacher candidate performs appropriate comprehensive assessments of the processes of instructional design, facilitation, and evaluation.
3. The teacher candidate adjusts and refines instruction based upon informed analysis.

The Reflective Professional. The successful teacher is one who continually engages in cycles of review and adjustment for the purposes of professional growth and improvement of instruction.

Attributes of the Reflective Professional demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community).
2. The teacher candidate actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

Required Materials

Student Products and Performances

Through successful participation in this course, you will have opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills regarding current strategies and practices of teaching. You will develop and demonstrate your knowledge and skills by engaging in activities to complete specific products and performances, as described below.

Professional Conduct: Professional behavior begins with attitudes about class attendance and participation.  Therefore, attendance is not only expected, it is required. Attendance and participation is important to enhance personal understanding of the information and materials presented and discussed in class. It is expected that when absence is unavoidable, you will promptly accomplish the objectives of the class session missed.  Notifying the instructor (preferably via electronic mail) prior to the class session to be missed is expected, if at all possible.  Absenses in excess of five calendar days will be factored into your grade in the course.

As a student in this course, you are encouraged to consider and exercise the ideas of other people who have published works as well as those of LCSC Faculty and other students. However, it is imperative that the use of any such creative/scholarly property in any item produced for this class be clearly accompanied by citation of its source. Similarly, the unauthorized viewing, alteration, or deletion of the work of others is inappropriate. Violations of the principles of integrity and honesty in course work can result in forfeiture of course credit and/or further disciplinary action taken by the college.

The following descriptions provide an overview of course topics and activities. Detailed specifications will be given at Activities/Assignments as each activity occurs. Brackets [ ] below designate point values associated with the activity.

Key topics to be addressed in this course include:

• The strategic integration of media and technologies into teaching and learning
• Roles and responsibilities of teachers and communicators in the Age of Information
• Media functions in education (and communication), including:
  • Benefits to teachers (communicators)
  • Benefits to students (audiences)
• The Transactional Model of Communication
• Dale’s Cone of Experience and media purposes in instruction
• Visual literacy and the PreK-20 curriculum
• Graphic design principles and strategies
• ISTE National Educational Technology Standards
• Ethical, legal, and social issues related to technologies for teaching and learning, including copyright, privacy, access, safety, citizenship, etc.
• Methods and strategies of instruction which capitalize on the integration of instructional media and technologies

Media and technologies (in alphabetical order) to be addressed in this course through the development of strategies, tool operation, and production skills include:

• Computer operation skills (including file structure knowledge and file management skills)
• Computer-based slide shows 
• Digital photography
• Digital scanning
• Digital video (production and post-production) 
• Graphic processing
• Instructional resource ports and Internet-based resource access
• Overhead projection
• Weblogs and podcasts
• World Wide Web page development and site management

Strategies and techniques to be addressed in this course that relate to the development and utilization of effective media include:

• Graphic design principles and strategies
• Media utilization techniques

Major production and performance activities:

Instructional Media: The World Wide Web Site. This project will engage you in the development of an electronic portfolio which will exhibit your skills to utilize a variety of technologies for teaching and learning.   The format of this electronic portfolio will be a functional site published on the World Wide Web.  As a result of successful participation in this activity, you will develop and refine the skills necessary to create a full-featured, World Wide Web site, - a powerful, teaching/learning medium.  As you build your website, you will develop and practice a variety of other relevant, media skills.  [400]

Instructional Media: Projected (Overhead) Transparencies. You will design and develop a set of overhead transparencies that demonstrates your skills to utilize this popular, inexpensive, and productive presentation tool. Your product will represent your competence in generating transparent, projected media and in utilizing the overhead projector effectively. This activity will promote application of appropriate graphic design strategies for instructional visuals. In addition to the design and development of the media, you will demonstrate your capacity to effectively display your product in a brief presentation.  [100]

Instructional Media: Projected, Computer-Based Slides. You will design and develop a computer-based slide show that demonstrates your design and development skills to utilize this popular presentation tool. Your product will represent your competence in using a wide range of features of the software for generating computer-based slides as well as in employing appropriate graphic design strategies for instructional visuals.  In addition to the design and development of the media, you will demonstrate your capacity to effectively display your product in a brief presentation.  [50]

Instructional Media: The Resource Port. With respect to technologies in the classroom, one function teachers serve is to help students search and review valuable sources for learning. The Resource Port represents the development of a WWW-based, learning tool to help your students gain access to current and appropriate, Internet resources. This activity will promote Internet search and retrieval skills as well as provide you with an exercise in developing an important type of instructional/learning tool.  Your resource port will be included in a webpage of your technology-based, portfolio project (described above as Instructional Media: The World Wide Web Site).  [100]

Instructional Media Production and Integration: Digital Video. Instructional video can serve as a tool for both teachers and students in the classroom. This activity will promote your skills to design and develop digital video as an instructional medium. In completing this assignment, you will be able to practice your skills in utilizing a digital video camcorder and computer-based, digital video editing tools. You will have opportunities to practice a variety of media and graphic design skills, including video recording, video transfer, and video editing. Your video will be included in a webpage of your technology-based, portfolio project (described above as Instructional Media: The World Wide Web Site).  [100]

Instructional Media: Weblogs and Podcasts. This project will engage you in the use of WWW-based media for the purposes of asynchronous communications and audio/video file distribution. Activities associated with this set of products and performances will serve to give you skills and experience in manipulating these current and popular means of digital communications as well as digital audio and video editing software tools.  [50]

Instructional Technologies: A Strategic Plan. As a reflective professional and educational designer,  you will create a strategic plan for how you will integrate media and technologies into your instruction in the classroom where you will teach.   Your plan will include what media and technologies you and your students will utilize, key issues in their effective integration, important topics that you will include, and, especially, what purposes media and technologies are meant to serve.  Your plan will address how your strategy reflects your roles as a teacher and your responsibilities to your students in an Age of Information.  Your plan will be included in a webpage of your technology-based, portfolio project (described above as Instructional Media: The World Wide Web Site).  [100]

Final Examination. The exam will be comprehensive, drawing upon topics and experiences from the entire semester. The various projects, readings and assignments completed throughout the semester will serve as the content of the final exam.  [100]

Instructional Methods

This is predominantly a laboratory course for the purpose of developing skills to apply technologies to teaching and learning. The use of and interaction with instructional technology is a key component of this course and will be incorporated extensively.

Other methods of instruction will be utilized and will vary according to the specific objective being considered. Lecture and discussion (in large and small group settings), independent study, collaborative learning, and practical application will all be utilized to serve course objectives.

Evaluation

Assignments, in the form of products and/or performances (stated above), will reflect your level of achievement of learning objectives. Overall performance in the course will be measured by points associated with each product/performance.

Criteria for evaluation of each product and/or performance will be specified at the course web site and/or in class at the time the assignment is made. Performance related to individual criteria from the Conceptual Framework will be evaluated using the following scale:

• ✚ – Exceptional or Innovative Performance: Beyond that which was required by specifications; Shows extraordinarily effective or innovative application of the knowledge, skills, or dispositions related to the performance
• ✔ – Proficient Performance: Completed to specifications; Shows successful application of the knowledge, skills, or dispositions related to the performance
• 〜 – Developing Performance: Needs further development to meet all specifications at a proficient level; Shows emerging or developing (but not yet proficient) application of the knowledge, skills, or dispositions related to the performance
• 0 – Inadequate Performance or Performance not made: Shows little or no application of the knowledge, skills, or dispositions related to the performance or product not submitted for review

Upon consideration of the specific criteria for evaluation, each product or performance will be assigned a number of points to be used in the calculation of a course grade. The ranges of total points for grade achievements are as follows:

You are encouraged to share your ideas and drafts of your work prior to product completion and performance dates. Your instructor is dedicated to helping you to achieve at a high level.

Best wishes and enjoy the challenge.