Rasha Myers
As a teacher embarks on a mission of including technology into classroom curriculum, he or she needs to be able to rely on some basic principles. The following list provides 27 different resources covering research-based tutorials, educational games and simulations, methods for using multi-media, videos, as well as remediation. This list is compiled in hopes that it will help teachers find helpful software to aide student learning. The evaluation of these sites was based on accuracy of claims, authority and trustworthiness of each site producer, objectivity in that there is a lack of bias where sources can help a wide range of learners, and finally, timeliness as teachers are generally pressed for teaching time.
The Kentucky Virtual Library provides access to online catalogs, databases and tutorials. How to do research is an interactive tutorial designed for all students, but primarily, elementary aged students. This research based tutorial provides steps and detailed actions on how to conduct effective research. This tutorial contains accurate information provided by a reputable library association. Libraries have the ultimate authority on providing information. They are charged with providing objective, accurate and relevant information. No date is provided, as to when the content was published however, it contains timely and relevant information. Timeliness is evidences by references to internet key word searches and mention of ensuring that the sources chosen are not bogus.
Adapted Mind, an online adaptive learning platform, provides several tools for students, parents and teachers. During interactive tutorials children and parents are introduced to math concepts.Children then have the opportunity to test their math and reading skills alongside fun characters. Algorithms are used to determine the child's level and introduce increasingly difficult problems. Adapted Mind was developed by Harvard and Yale graduates. Sharing this information provides teachers, parents and interested students with a perceived guarantee that the tutorial information is correct.
Penn States plagiarism tutorial provides a definition of plagiarism, provides an overview of consequences associated with committing plagiarism and explains how to avoid committing plagiarism. This tool allows users to improve paper quality and avoid committing plagiarism. Pennsylvania State University has a reputation of excellence. The information provided is relevant, updated as recently as 2014 and is accurate.
Through the use of Bill Nye’s Climate Lab Game Zone simulation, students explore the Earth’s changing climates. Students are tasked to create a clean energy future through the creation of wind turbines, designing better fuel efficient vehicles, and inventing green machines for the future. This simulation could easily be implemented into lessons that support the standards of learning of life science, grades 6th-8th. Through Bill Nye's ClimateLab Game Zone, students can problem-solve and enhance their learning opportunities through active engagement. The simulation vocabulary is grade appropriate, safe and focuses on a specific set of learning objectives. These characteristics make Bill Nye's ClimateLab Game Zone a good appropriate learning simulation for teacher's to use in their classrooms.
The Stock Market Game is an educational simulation for student’s grades 4th-12th, college students, and adults. Through the use of the stock market game, students can explore the ups and downs of the real stock market. They receive $100,000 to invest over a 10-week period, during which time they buy and sell stocks at real-market value. The simulation can be easily connected to US government, math and financial literacy standards of learning requirements. Students quickly buy into the competition that the stock market game provides, and teachers have found it to be a great motivating activity for getting students engaged, critically thinking, and working collaboratively. The stock market game simulation was created by the SIFMA Foundation, an independent 501©3 educational organization. The stock market simulation is completely powered by the students and their decisions. There is not violence present and provides students safe online learning environment. It also promotes higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. These characteristics along with its user freely platform, standards of learning connections, the ease at use cross curriculum's, and time frame of use warrants it a great resource to implement into the classroom.
The Disaster Dynamics: Hurricane Landfall simulation teacher’s students, "about interactions between natural hazards and human decisions in a Gulf Coast barrier island community. It is a strategy, and negotiation computer game intended for use in undergraduate classes and is designed for four players who are connected to one another via the Internet" (McGinnis, 2006, para. 1). This simulation could be used primarily in high school STEM classes, but English classes might find they can incorporate persuasive writing assignments for students to discuss why their choices were the best. 1. The Disaster Dynamics: Hurricane Landfall offers students an opportunity to explore a simulation that requires them to think critically and engage in problem-solving skills. Furthermore, it offers, “active engagement, learning centered on concepts and deep understanding, helpful feedback, and support [an] extend learning experience” (Maloy, 2011, p. 163). All of these characteristics support the resource as one that is beneficial to the learning of students when implemented in the classroom.
"In this simulation, kids participate in all the stages of an ancient Egyptian mummification, from removal of the organ to placing the mummy in the tomb, and they reenact these funerary customs the same way (or extremely close, anyway) that the Egyptians did" (Neferchici, 1996, para. 2). This simulation would be best used for an 8th grade to 10th-grade students in a world history class. However, this simulation could also be used in a science class as it incorporates the need for students to understand the organs of the body and the chemical process of embalming a human body. English might also find that they could complete the simulation activity and then have students write an analyzing paper about the process of the simulation and how each part contributes to the success of the whole mummification process. SimMummy: A Mummification Simulation is a fun hands-on simulation for student’s grade 6th – 7th. Students will gain a deep understanding of not only world history standards of learning but also life science. Further learning can take place as the simulation can easily be incorporated in multiple lessons of the duration of the class and is something that students can expand on over a period. The time frame to complete the lesson is appropriate, and the learning objectives easily pair with the standards of learning required by the state.
This 3D simulation game provides students the opportunity to experience life during 1774. Students have the opportunity to simulate as a freed slave, white woman, a white man or enslaved house servant. Each simulation also has an individual lesson attached and allows teachers to easily differentiate instruction to better cater to their classroom. Furthermore, each lesson contains a glossary of key vocabulary words and a time line for students to examine. The base of the game’s setting is Williamsburg, Virginia, but the “routines that are portrayed would have been familiar to people living in other British colonies in North America” (DeAngelis, “A Day in the Life”). 1. The exploration that Betwixt Folly and Fate provides students warrants it to be a great simulation to implement into any middle school or 9th grade US history classroom. The lessons contain direct connection to the standards of learning and offer teachers and students a fun and engaging opportunity to enhance learning. The simulation also offers teachers multiple other activities that are easily implemented into the classroom. The ease of the simulation, extended resources, direct connection to the standard of learning objectives, and the ease of implementation all support a great classroom resource.
URL: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/dayinthelife/index.cfm
Through the use of Hands2Mind – Hands on Learning for Growing Minds software, teachers can provide their students exploration into a variety of content areas. There is multimedia software for math, literacy, and science. Each area has a large makeup of interactive multimedia lessons for a variety of age ranges. Teachers must have their school districts obtain site licenses for the information to accessible by students, but the money is well spent. "Students learn better when their hands and minds work together. Study after study has proven the power of hands-on learning. But more importantly, countless students have proven it, too. Thousands of high-achieving students in classrooms across the country have been taught using our hands-on resources. These students go on to become productive citizens…solving problems, thinking critically, and intelligently participating in society” (Chiasson, 1990). The advanced qualities that Hands2Mind provide students make it an appropriate implementation option for any classroom looking to enhance student learning through multimedia software.
Storyline Online allows teachers to offer students a fun way to listen to stories inside or outside of class. "Reading to children has been repeatedly shown to improve their reading, writing and communication skills, logical thinking, concentration and general academic aptitude…as well as inspire a love of reading" (Roy, para. 1). Reading levels are of great concern for many school districts, and this fun easy to implement multimedia tool can be used in any classroom as an extension activity or standalone activity. Teachers can easily have students practice their writing skills after listening to a story that provides students the opportunity to continue their growth of knowledge in reading and writing. Storyline Online is a safe, user-friendly, contains age appropriate items, and provide students a highly enriching reading experience. Teachers can incorporate this multimedia item at their convenience and the information presented comes from published books and are closely aligned with the standards of learning. All of these components make it a good resource for classroom implementation.
Dipity “is a free digital timeline website. [Their] mission is to organize the web’s content by date and time. Users can create, share, embed and collaborate on interactive, visually engaging timelines that integrate video, audio, images, text, links, social media, location, and timestamps” (“Dipity”). By implementing Dipity into a classroom, the teacher is allowing students to create a visual for them to learn about any topic that the class might be studying. This multimedia tool is easily implemented in any classroom and can bring learning to life. Although Dipity offers already made timelines, the software also offers the option for a user to create a timeline. This requires students to think critically, problem-solve, and become creative with their assignments. Dipity supports extended learning and requires the students to engage in the assignment. Thus, the students are powering their learning process. These characteristics support Dipity in being a good multimedia tool for classroom implementation.
Prezi, a multimedia cloud-based presentation, story-telling software that allows students and teachers to create and exhibit interactive presentations. The software offers numerous templates, animations, and transitions for students to explore. Users can import documents, pictures, and video clips to enhance their presentation. Students in any class setting can benefit from using Prezi and teachers will find it to be a great learning tool. Overall, Prezi is a great multimedia software for creating interactive presentations, portfolios, or storyboards. The ease at which Prezi takes to implement into the classroom, the user-friendly settings, the creativity it brings into the learning environment, the simplicity it contains for implementing in any subject area, and the engagement it provides students makes it any easy resource to add into students learning. Incorporating this multimedia software will allow for new doors to be opened up for students and teachers to evaluate students in a different manner than normal standardized tests.
URL: https://prezi.com/
PowerPoint, it is a great starting point for introducing students to multimedia software. Students and teachers can create presentations for any subject and at any grade level. Users can incorporate animations, transitions, video clips, tables, SmartArt graphics, charts, and embedded items. PowerPoint is included in the Microsoft Office bundle and allows for engaging learning to take place within the classroom. Furthermore, PowerPoint can be used on Smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops allowing for flexibility and implementation for any classroom to be easier. PowerPoint engages students, provides them a learning opportunity centered on the concepts specific to the classroom, and allows them to gain a deeper understanding of the material. It also supports problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Using PowerPoint beyond the classroom is very common and having students learn the skills early on will open up many opportunities for them in the future. The diversity of characteristics that PowerPoint brings to students learning makes it a great multimedia resource for every grade level and every subject area.
Teacher Tube is like You Tube except for teachers and classrooms. This is an amazing site because schools don't typically block this content. This website is educationally based and has thousands of videos relating to school content. This specific website is not used or aligned to any particular objective or standard. Yet, you are able to type in a standard to search for related content. This is a video based website and all information found should be verified through credible sources. All students using teacher tube should be monitored for any type of inappropriate material. This program can be used throughout the year for either the teacher or the students.
Youtube is a website based around videos. The great thing about youtube is that it is well established and has millions of videos. The bad thing about youtube is that content can be inappropriate so schools tend to block this website from the schools web server. I have used youtube many times for school projects and assignments and it is wonderful. I typically have to hotspot my own computer so my students can watch the content. This specific website is not used or aligned to any particular objective or standard. Yet, you are able to type in a standard to search for related content. This is a video based website and all information found should be verified through credible sources. All students using youtube should be monitored for any type of inappropriate material. This program can be used throughout the year for either the teacher or the students.
PBS Learning Media is an interesting and creative website where students are able to watch videos online. There are several video and video clips posted online so students are able to watch. Often times you are able to find them connected to a standard or specific topic being covered. The videos are fun and engaging. This specific website is not used or aligned to any particular objective or standard. Yet, you are able to type in a standard to search for related content. This is a video based website and all information found should be verified through credible sources. All students using PBS Learning should be monitored for any type of inappropriate material. This program can be used throughout the year for either the teacher or the students.
URL: http://www.pbslearningmedia.org
CNN Student News is a highly engaging ten-minute daily clip of the worldly news. I love this website. My students watch it every single day. I love this website because it keeps my students informed about what is going on in the world whether it is about the war, a tornado that has hit, flooding or a disease that is spreading. This is a great way to get students engaged in talking about what is happening. They are able to form opinions on the topic, collaborate in discussions, write about how they feel or elaborate on the topic or just be knowledgeable about what is going on and have an insightful conversation with their parents. This is one of the best web video websites out there. This specific website is not used or aligned to any particular objective or standard. This is a video based website and all information found should be verified through credible sources. Teachers should watch the video before allowing students to watch to make sure all content is appropriate and not above their age or grade level. Teachers can use this website everyday for students and align the material to standards.
Study Island is game for students where the focus is on reading and math. The game is extremely interactive and focuses on their specific grade level helping them learn Common Core and preparing them for online end of the year summative assessments.
"Study Island's technology-enhanced item types are designed to promote higher-order thinking and inquiry. Built using the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) guidelines, these rigorous questions ensure that students are exposed to content in a way that will properly prepare them for national and state summative assessments, including PARCC and SBAC" ("Study Island", 2014). This website offers active engagement for all learning styles. Any teachers using this program would have full authority over the students. The students would use this program throughout the course of the year. The students are expected to maintain an eighty percent or higher accuracy unless otherwise specified by teaching staff.
Ticket to Read is an interactive program to help students learn how to read. This program is geared towards general education students and ELL students. Ticket to Read also aligns to Voyager intervention books for the lower readers. This is a nice combination for those students who need the extra work and are highly engaged by technology. This program makes automated quizzes for the kids to take and allows the teachers to check. This program also includes hundreds of reading passages for the students to read and continue growing and learning. This website offers active engagement for all learning styles. Any teachers using this program would have full authority over the students. The students would use this program throughout the course of the year. The students are expected to maintain an eighty percent or higher accuracy unless otherwise specified by teaching staff.
Moby max is a fun game for older students. Second graders through fifth graders typically play these games. The games focus on reading and math. The students are able to focus on math facts, number sense, reading fluency, language, literacy skills, informational texts, vocabulary, etc. As they play the game and get better at their skills they are able to unlock games to continue engaging them and staying focused on the skills they are learning. Students love this program. This website offers active engagement for all learning styles. Any teachers using this program would have full authority over the students. The students would use this program throughout the course of the year. The students are expected to maintain an eighty percent or higher accuracy unless otherwise specified by teaching staff. Moby max is aligned to Common Core State Standards and prepares students for online test taking.
Starfall is geared towards younger students. Students typically in Kinder or first grade use this computer program. These programs focus on phonics, phonemic awareness, the alphabet, reading programs and math. The great thing about this program is that students at this young age are engaged by the bright colors, technology, sing along songs, nursery rhymes, etc. This program also gives great ideas for resources and lesson plans for teachers. This website offers active engagement for all learning styles. Teachers are unable to login in and account for each student so the students have the authority when using this program. Teachers are required to monitor students while using this program. The students would use this program throughout the course of the year. Students use this website as a fun, engaging way to read or learn how to read.
Cool Math Games is a fun site for students to play on while being engaged in math. They are able to pick from all mathematical topics: pre-algebra, algebra, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, fractions, etc. Students are able to play these games and be completely engaged without the stress of being graded on it. The downfall is that this game is more structured around the games and not focused on teachers being able to check the work. This is more of a rewarding game students get to play after they work on the other programs. This website offers active engagement for all learning styles. Teachers are unable to login in and account for each student so the students have the authority when using this program. Teachers are required to monitor students while using this program. The students would use this program throughout the course of the year. Students use this website as a fun, engaging way to read or learn how to read.
Ascend Math is a remediation tool that is described to be an intensive math intervention. The program keeps track of improvements made as well as student weaknesses. The process begins at a student’s lowest level and builds from there. This program works with Response to Intervention, summer school courses, second language learners, special education needs, and more. Students can use this program during or after school hours. The site provides demos that show the accuracy of how students are assessed for weak areas in the content area. The site is free from overbearing advertisements and provides many pieces of evidence to show the program’s effectiveness. There are many examples of differing methods for student learning and growth, therefore showing objectivity. Since the program allows students to decide upon a time that works for him or her, the remediation can occur quickly.
Daily Teaching Tools provides a large number of ideas for the teacher to implement in the classroom for all students or only to struggling students. The site provides links to websites that keep kids in grades ranging from kindergarten to twelfth interested in writing due to the game-like nature of each choice. The accuracy of the site is viable since the teacher uses the materials regularly, has been teaching for 33 years, and collects resources from other teachers that have also used the technology successfully. The site is not intended for profit on the founder’s part. There are several advertisements in the margins, however they are all based around teaching. In investigating many of the available resources there does not seem to be a sale’s pitch or bias. The material is regarding fun and interesting ways to improve skills. Some of the links may be time consuming, but students can work during any time of the day that is available.
Catch up Math is a proven program that helps middle school, high school, and college students improve their math skills. Even though elementary school is not offered, the site provides help for students with basic mathematics issues. The site is reputable in that it provides a trail to make sure it is the right system for any individual, and there is little advertising listed on the site that is not a part of the program. Timeliness is based upon the efforts of the student and time provided by the school. Video demos reveal the program’s authority and accuracy in that lessons are based around the Common Core State Standards. The program works with a number of different technology devices like ipads and netbooks. Many schools stand by the helpfulness of this program.
