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Katie TarnowskiEDU 528 Advanced Project
A.Abstract of Project
This advanced project is a project-based learning instructional plan. I am continuing my lessonidea from project 2, where I adapted my classroom lesson plans to incorporate web 2.0technologies. In my lesson plans for project 2 (already posted on the EDU 528) wiki, I focusedon the topic of occasion/position sentences, the beginning component of the writing program,Step Up to Writing. My advanced project will be a continuation of the unit, using different web2.0 technologies to expand students’ thinking on the topic of Step Up to Writing.The blog that was created for my English classroom is intended for students in sixth grade.***
 Please note that my students have only accessed the writeboard components embedded within the blog website. I have not completed everything I would like to include into the blog website yet. When everything is completed, I will then give access to my students. I havemodeled what possible discussions/posts would look like if I were to fully incorporate this intomy classroom.
 
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Goal of the project-This project is a resource blog for students in my sixth grade Englishclass. As they learn the writing program, Step Up to Writing, they are many questions that areasked by the students. By creating a blog about the writing program, students are able to accessinformation on Step Up to Writing on their own time, participate in active blogs between other classmates, and practice their writing skills all within one area.
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The teacher’s role-The teacher will use this website as a guiding tool while teaching theStep Up to Writing program. As each component of the writing program is being taught, theteacher can access the website and have all of the materials for the program in one place. Theteacher can give students access to the website to let students use as a resource, but must monitor all action that is taking place on the website within the blogs. The teacher will evaluate thestudents’ blog posts and grade each post using the blog rubric, provided on the blog site.
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The student’s role-The students will use the website as an informational tool whilelearning Step Up to Writing. Many times, when students are writing at home or at school, theyhave questions about the format or technique of the writing program. By accessing the website,students will have all of the information they need with them. Students will be givenassignments to participate in questions of the day (by topic), dealing with a different componentof the program every week. Students will also post projects and questions about the projects in aseparate section of website.
 
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Technology’s role-Technology is at the base of this unit on Step Up to Writing. The blogthat the students have access to was created inwww.edublogs.org. Students will not only be ableto access the website at home, on days when my English class has access to mobile laptops (2 to3 times a week), students will be working in class on the website. Students will be expandingtheir knowledge on how to use a computer (keyboarding skills), they will also be learning abouthow to access information by using the blog that was created.
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How students are grouped-Within this unit plan, students are working independently thefirst day and groups with classmates on the second day to work on hands-on activities. Duringwhole group instruction, students are sitting at their desks with laptops, following along on the promethean board what is being taught.
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How outcomes are assessed-Students will be assessed after each topic is taught. Eachassessment is explained in detail under the Unit Plan. Students’ work on the blog will beevaluated based on the rubric that I have created. The blog rubric uses a 4 point scale andstudents will grade their own work then submit to me. I will evaluate the work that they have produced onto the blog and grade them accordingly.
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Range of student skills/how the range of readiness skills will be addressed-All studentshave had access to a computer early in the year during English class. Students are at a beginner level, just learning how to type on a keyboard and access different programs on the computer.The website that the students will be working on is very user friendly. Everything is clearlylabeled and the links within the website can all be accessed. Within the blog, students can openup multiple internet windows and access the information without leaving the blog homepage.Students can work on their projects while still maintaining access to the information.
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Staffing needs-For this unit plan to be successful, I will need access to the mobile laptops2 to 3 times a week. There are two sets of mobile labs within my school so that can easily beachieved. I will need permission from the school-wide technology office to allow usage of the blog within my classroom and outside my classroom, on my school website.
 
B.
Our world is rapidly changing. We are becoming more and more dependent on technologyevery day. I believe it is incredibly important to incorporate technology into the teaching andlearning process. The students that I am currently teaching are growing up in a generationwhere technology has always been present. Technology surrounds their home life and sociallife, it is important to continue consistency and use technology in the classroom. There is awealth of knowledge to be learned from technology, integrating it into the classroom canmake learning more hands-on and informational.
As the semester has progressed, my ideas about technology have evolved. There are so manydifferent types of technology that we have access to on a daily basis but don’t take advantageof. The technology we do have can be adapted and used in various ways as a learning tool. Iwould never think to use students’ cell phones as a polling machine nor have students use acomputer to assist with their special needs. Technology surrounds us and we need to takeadvantage of its many uses.
As I have completed this advanced project, I have discovered how easy it is to accesstechnology and adapt it to fit my needs (creating a blog for my class). My students now haveadditional resources to use in my class that they can access at any time to assist with their writing. As the school year progresses, I will continue to introduce and adapt technology tofit into my classroom. I also plan to find more outlets for my own use for teaching. Teacher  blogs/resources have helped when I needed assistance and Delicious has kept all of my classwebsites in one place for me. I hope to find additional websites to improve my teaching over time.
Persistent access to computers both in and out of school will be vital for continued growth inthe field of technology. Getting access to assistive technology such as a portable magnifyingglass, Intellikeys alternate keyboard and talking books/dictionaries will assist all studentswithin my classroom, improving their learning and their knowledge of technology.This advanced project is an extension of Project 2. In Project 2, I made reference to mystudents using a blog to communicate with one another, share ideas and comments, as well ashaving resources for Step Up to Writing available all in one place. The first section of my unit plan (occasion/position topic sentences) was Project 2. It has been condensed for Project 3.
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