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Explore web sites
to get ideas about how to create student-centered projects to integrate
information and technology skills. These web sites would include
the following:
Impact
- a NC DPI program that helps teachers understand the importance of creating
unit plans that integrate content with technology and information skills.
The Big
6 Skills web site - another terrific place to find ideas in combining
problem-based learning, technology skills, and information skills.
The
Probe Method - an article on using themes and real-world problem solving
to integrate technology.
Inquiry-Based
Learning - another site with links to information on the inquiry-based
learning approach.
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Explore what other
teachers have done.
In
Time - explore this site created with federal PTTT grant funds.
Click on Find a Video and search for examples of units of study in your
grade and/or subject area. These videos come with written unit plans
for terrific ideas.
Local
Area Teachers - look at some unit plans created by teachers in the
Asheville area to get some ideas.
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Take a look at the
WebQuest
web site to get ideas on how to use web pages for an inquiry approach.
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Explore resources
that might be useful. The more familiar you are with online resources
before you begin, the more likely you will use them.
First, you
might want to use mybookmarks.com
to set up an account in which you can save (bookmark) sites you would like
to later use for instruction. With this method, you can open your
bookmards from home, work, or any computer connected to the Internet.
Click on each of
the following resources and explore them.
Library
of Congress
Educational
Resources
Electronic
Resources
More
Resources
Traditional
Resources
Search
Engines
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Now once you have
explored ways to integrate technology and resources available, you should
begin writing a unit plan. Use a pre-planning
sheet to get started. Fill in your name, grade level, and subject
that you teach. Fill out the rest of the sheet as you follow the
steps for using this web site.
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If you would like
some ideas and help on writing a unit plan, use writing
a unit plan for assistance.
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Look at the standard
course of study for the subject content, the technology skills, and
information skills for a specified grade level. Be sure to spend
some time looking at the information skills and technology skills for your
grade level. Don't assume you know what these standards are.
As you look at these standards, be thinking about which of these skills
you would like to incorporate into your unit plan.
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Decide upon the unit
of study for the unit plan. Write the unit description in the pre-planning
sheet.
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Decide upon your theme
or problem for the unit. Describe the theme or problem in the pre-planning
sheet.
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Write your unit objectives
based upon the standard course of study and put these objectives in the
pre-planning sheet. Be sure to identify the technology skills and
information skills to be covered.
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Decide upon the learning
activities that will accompany this unit plan. Write these activities
in the pre-planning sheet. Be thinking about the types of technology
that these learning activities require. Do you have the skills needed
to create the necessary materials for these activities? If you do
not, then you will need to learn these skills before going too much further.
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Begin to create the
materials that you identified. These materials may include web pages,
PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, databases, print material, bulletin
boards, posters, collages, and whatever. If you need help using software
to create materials, try some of these tutorials:
Using FrontPage
to Create Web Pages
Using
Composer to Create Web Pages
Creating
a PowerPoint Presentation
More
Tutorials
Pictures,
Graphics, Clip Art - use this site to find free pictures, backgrounds,
icons, bullets, graphics, and more in creating your materials.
Citing
Electronic Resources - if you need to cite resources in anything you
create, use this web resource.
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Decide upon the all
the resources and materials you will need for the unit plan (pre-existing
and teacher created) and write them in the pre-planning sheet.
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Finally, decide upon
the type of assessment you will use for your unit plan and write your assessment
plan in the pre-planning sheet.
