English

==Subject: English  - Grade 8 ==  = TECHNOLOGY: =
 * Computer lab
 * http://www.wikispaces.com
 * Internet
 * List of OERs
 * printer

CURRICULUM STANDARDS:
** BENCHMARK D: ** Use documented textual evidence to justify interpretations of literature or to support a research topic. ** STANDARD: WRITING PROCESSES ** 10. Use available technology to compose text. 17. Prepare for publication (e.g., for display or for sharing with others) writing that follows a manuscript form appropriate for the purpose, which could include such techniques as electronic resources, principles of design (e.g., margins, tabs, spacing and columns) and graphics (e.g., drawings, charts and graphs) to enhance the final product. STANDARD: WRITING APPLICATIONS ** ** INDICATORS: ** 4. Write informational essays or reports, including research, that: a. pose relevant and tightly drawn questions that engage the reader;  b. provide a clear and accurate perspective on the subject; c. reate an organizing structure appropriate to the purpose, audience and context; d. support the main ideas with facts, details, examples and explanations from sources; and e.document sources and include bibliographies. ** STANDARD: RESEARCH ** ** BENCHMARK C: ** Organize information from various resources and select appropriate sources to support central ideas, concepts and themes. ** INDICATORS: ** 2. Identify appropriate sources and gather relevant information from multiple sources (e.g., school library catalogs, online databases, electronic resources and Internet-based resources). 4. Select an appropriate structure for organizing information in a systematic way (e.g., notes, outlines, charts, tables and graphic organizers). 5. Compile and organize the important information and select appropriate sources to support central ideas, concepts and themes. ** TRIED AND TRUE –OR- NEW AND INNOVATIVE: **
 * BENCHMARK F: ** Prepare writing for publication that is legible, follows an appropriate format and uses techniques such as electronic resources and graphics
 * INDICATORS: **
 * STANDARD: WRITING PROCESSES **** INDICATOR: ** 1. Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas. 6. Organize writing with an effective and engaging introduction, body and a conclusion that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing. 12. Add and delete information and details to better elaborate on a stated central idea and to more effectively accomplish purpose. 15. Proofread writing, edit to improve conventions (e.g., grammar, spelling, punctuation and capitalization) and identify and correct fragments and run-ons. 16. Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist and feedback) to judge the quality of writing. 17. Prepare for publication (e.g., for display or for sharing with others) writing that follows a manuscript form appropriate for the purpose, which could include such techniques as electronic resources, principles of design (e.g., margins, tabs, spacing and columns) and graphics (e.g., drawings, charts and graphs) to enhance the final product.
 * DESCRIPTION:**
 * The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to building learning networks and expose them to Open Educational Resources (OER sites). Students will be introduced to the concept of using a wiki site to organize and prepare their writing for publication.
 * Students will post and share information, sources, and valuable sites that can be referenced to gather the necessary information for their writing purposes.
 * Students will be directed to use the wiki site to draft their writing. They will be taught how to review personal past revisions using the links. They will also be taught how to use the history portion of the wiki site to track their usage/access of the site. This will be done to increase personal awareness of writing histories.
 * A schedule will be presented to the students to guide them in accessing the postings of other individuals in order to ensure they take advantage of this aspect of the wiki site. This was an identified shortcoming of wiki usage and is therefore to be guarded against.
 * A systematic approach will be used in using the wiki and OER’s. Students will be guided through each of the actions involved in constructing their final piece of writing. Students will be monitored and assessed at each step of the process. Individualized or small group instruction will be provided for those needing additional help.
 * Discussions of decision making will be held to draw upon the theory of Context Task Analysis and work to ensure students are developing the desired cognitive problem solving skills.
 * The core of this writing assignment is for each student to compose an informational essay. In order to do this, each will need to access resources on the Internet and gather facts, examples, and support for their topic. Students will be provided with a list of Open Educational Resources where they can access a variety of multimedia-based information. These highly valuable instructional resources have the potential of engaging and sustaining the attention of digital natives.
 * SUPPORTING EVIDENCE: **
 * In the Gegner et. al. article it was determined that the use of online comprehension aids help make scientific articles easier for students lacking adequate comprehension skills to read, increases learning from these sources, and results in student development of positive beliefs in the acquisition of information from such articles. There is a positive value to multimedia online reading comprehension aids in the form of annotations, narrated animations, glossaries, motivational content, and self-check questions throughout the resource. Online student literacy is improved since cognitive processing is guided and supported; this is consistent with the cognitive theory of multimedia learning as determined by Mayer 2001, 2005a. This theory states that extraneous processing can be averted, essential processing can be managed, and generative processing can be fostered. Generative processing is defined as the process of mental organization of material and relation of it to prior knowledge. Three cognitive goals of online aids should include: signaling, highlighting of the essential material in order to focus attention to the core material and reduce extraneous processing; pre-training, training in the names and meanings of the key concepts in order to ease engagement with the essential processing; and personalization, the notion of the author taking on a more visible role and exercising conversational style that entices deep generative processing. The personalization principle posits that students learn better when they perceive information as being stated directly toward them.
 * Ma and Yuen provide support for the ideas that community learners devise learning strategies that work in concert with wiki leaning environments. It successfully aids and enhances student development of writing process skills and results in improved student performance. Students are exposed to social interaction, emotional support and a wide variety of resources. The shared development of knowledge is viewed as an added bonus of the wiki community. Several other studies were cited in support of the wiki as an informational technology that fosters learning and results in improved cognitive processes and learning. Pedagogy is identified as a key to utilizing wikis to develop a wide range of skills. Wiki characteristics that supplement learning news writing include: learner-center system design; facilitation of the drafting process; complete support to revision in the writing process; and continuous organization of content. More than a third of the participants in this study indicated a strong positive attitude from using the system. Nearly half of the participants, however, did not make good use of the community resources due to reported time constraints and cautioned of this. It also determined that individual students continued to further revise their work even after the work was graded; this leads to further effective writing performance. It concluded that wikis positively support the generation, revision, and organization phases of the writing process; in addition, this conclusion is supported by prior studies.
 * Technology currently offers a breadth of potential, instructional opportunity yet a gap exists between this and the manner in which it is currently being used. The use of learning design offers a systematic approach to foster the creative development of instructional activities that exercise sound and appropriate practice in using technology. Learning design focuses on the actions involved in constructing a learning activity and identifying the learning activities. This approach highlights decision making and provides a framework for monitoring and assessing the designed sequence of instruction that results in channeling students through a sequence of activities thus ensuring academic success. Design must account for individual learner differences in competence by incorporating scaffolding of skills and various supports at key points of instruction. This approach can help ensure the proper selection and utilization of technology as an instructional aid.
 * Richardson found that a National School Boards Association survey (2007) found that nearly 80 percent of young people network online and 70 percent discuss issues related to education and school. By choosing not to incorporate technology, we are failing to empower students in its usage. Suggested activities include publishing student work online, fostering connections with others of similar interests, teaching collaborative technological and networking methods, online network literacies, and responsible owners of online spaces. Suggested ideas for building personal learning networks include: reading and participating in blogs related to personal interests, starting a Facebook page, exploring Twitter, and using your real name. Some of these suggestions are controversial and should be exercised with great thought, care, and appropriate permission(s).
 * In addition to the national standards for technology instruction, students must learn “soft skills”. Harris & Rogers “define “soft skills” as work ethics, positive attitude, social grace, facility with language, friendliness, integrity, and the willingness to learn.” The study examined these skills closely to determine if they were built into the national standards and whether or not any were considered by college engineering faculty to be desired of high school students. Although the size of the study was small, at 16, it yielded interesting results that need to be considered when deciding upon instructional goals and methods at the compulsory level. Some implications of this study include: fostering “soft skills” in the classroom, structuring activities that require students to work in teams, and teaching students to organize their thoughts and problem solve; these are considered to be prized and desired benefits of technology programs.
 * Hawkins Mattke and Cates presented implications for designers and developers of online open educational resources (OERs). An OER is similar to information that can be obtained from websites with the exception that it is, “digitized materials offered freely and openly for educators, students and self-learners to use and reuse for teaching learning, and research.” Breck was found to further state, “It is the granting of freedoms to share, reprint, translate, combine, or adapt that make [OERs] educationally different from [resources] that can merely be read online for free.” This flexibility makes these a highly valuable instructional resource. A classification system was used to analyze various sites for categorization, types of offerings. Quality and richness of the offerings was also used in the categorization process. The use of OERs has been judged to be a “best practice”. The authors suggest that the instructor/facilitator utilize OERs that offer more technologically sophistication and variety.
 * This lesson would be considered New and Innovative. Although research supports the use of Wikis for developing student writing skills, improving student performance, promoting social learning, and fostering “soft skills”, the usage of Wikis in the public school setting is not a common practice. Students would need to be introduced and trained in how to access wikis, utilize them, and manage their time in order to effectively make use of the shared information that can be achieved through their usage.