Part I
Introduction In today’s modern world, technology is present in every segment of life, education included. Perhaps that is the reason why educators are trying to be innovative and allow their students to utilize technology in different learning processes. For this project technology selected is: Clickers – CIM Technology Solutions. Clickers represent interactive devices used to answer questions and to check students' understanding of material as teacher is teaching it, give quizzes or tests, spark discussion, solicit feedback, or poll students' opinions. Clickers would be a great asset for progressive students learning process and the outcome would be increased student engagement and performance in the classroom. Needs of target population In order for students to make progress in classroom, they have to be engaged and interested in teaching materials. In addition to that, students always need feedback and teachers need to know do students understand the concepts taught. So forth, using clickers in the classroom would help students to get immediate feedback and it would keep them engaged in lessons taught. Using clickers would: confirm student understanding of key points immediately, track individual responses, display polling results immediately, create an interactive and fun learning environment, improve student attention, increase student engagement with the content, which can lead to increased knowledge retention, sending responses by hand-held remotes is much more anonymous than hand-raising or, for example, the use of whiteboards to "show" a response, use software to record student responses, and those responses are stored in a database. Problems and Causes Students and teachers usually face several problems in the classroom. Unfortunately, the reality is that students have hard time paying attention in the class. Classroom teachers are in a constant battle to gain and maintain student attention. The only way to solve that problem is to get students engaged in the lesson taught. After all, students that can attend to the content and lessons are more likely to recall information at a latertime (Medina, 2008). In order to check if student understands the concept taught, teacher has to receive some feedback. Usually in one classroom there are more than thirty kids. So forth teacher does not have enough time to devote to each student and to make sure that each student understands the concept taught. Solution to the Problem Previously it has been stated that teachers and students do face problems in the classroom. To solve these problems usage of the clickers is necessary. Clickers would be great asset in helping students get engaged at the time that teacher is teaching a lesson. At that time, students would have an opportunity to ask questions as well and teacher would be able to give a feedback right away. Clickers would automatically show student’s performance in the class. So forth, teacher will know what would be her/his further course of action: repeat the lesson, expend on the subject, clarification of specific terms etc. Goals The goal of this project, application and usage of clickers in the classroom, is to increase student engagement and performance in the classroom. That would be demonstrated through: confirmation of the student understanding of key points immediately, track individual responses, display polling results immediately, creation of an interactive and fun learning environment. Organization Description The clickers will be used in a third grade classroom. The school is located in Washington, District of Columbia. Precisely, this is International School located within the World Bank. Children of the World Bank employees attend this school. Each classroom has thirty students maximum: fifteen girls and fifteen boys. In addition, there are two major programs distinguished by language: French and Spanish. Each program has three classrooms of third graders. For a start only one classroom of each program would be selected to use this technology. Selection would be made based on the classroom’s performance. The classroom with the lowest grades in each perspective program would be picked. The age of the children is seven and eight years old. Budget According to CIM Technologies vendors, the price of a set of 32 Pad CPS Pulse Systems is $2,050. As stated previously, each classroom has 30 students and two classrooms would be picked from two different programs. So forth two sets of 32 Pad CPS Pulse Systems would be ordered and the cost would be $4100. Considering that CIM Technologies is one of the World Bank vendors and contractors, shipping and handling fees would be waived. It should be noted that 4 extra clickers would be just spear sets used in case clicker breaks. Each classroom would get 2 extra clickers. Evaluation The evaluation of this technology applied in classroom setting will consist of two steps. First step will consist of student evaluation. Teacher will evaluate and observe students actions such as: Does student participate in lesson taught by asking questions, adding comments or adequate examples? Are students talking to each other about non lesson taught related topic instead of listening and asking questions about the subject taught? Second step consist of comparing data, such as grades of students, prior to using clickers in the classroom and after using clickers in the classroom. Data compared such as grades on test will allow teacher to know does application of clickers benefits the classroom or not. Plan for Implementation The clickers are such a great asset for the classroom because as technology device in can be used in every subject taught. In order for clickers to be used in an adequate way teacher comes up with the sets of questions that need to be answered for the subject taught. For instance for foreign language clickers can be used to check the vocabulary taught, in writing how to write basic sentences in appropriate way: subject, verb, object; in math it can be used for addition of numbers, in performing arts it can be used to answer question about names of ballet moves appropriate for third graders etc. Activities and Timeline Before starting, teachers would have to make sure the correct software is set up. In addition the necessary hardware consists of: Clickers, receiver, CPS software, USB hub - optional, class list in csv format – optional. The steps should take place as suggested bellow (according to CIM technology solutions): Setting Up The Hardware 1. Plug in the receiver to an available USB port on teachers computer. 2. You may want to plug the receiver into a USB hub, and then plug the hub into your computer if you are also using the SMARTBoard. 3. Open up CPS software. (All teacher laptops should come with CPS software as part of the image. If for some reason you are missing the software, of if it is out of date, then you can download the software from einstruction. Contact your CTI or computer tech for help installing it on your computer. 4. Select Verbal and the Start to engage in an immediate, generic session (see below for information on setting up your classes). Setting Up Classes In order to gather data attached to students, classes should be set up in the CPS Database. Doing so is a quick and easy process:
Objectives/Outcomes Clickers are great tool for every educator because it helps one achieve their teaching dream and that is to continuously improve education system by keeping up with modern technology inventions. It represents an asset in a process of students being taught different concepts and keeping them engaged in the classroom. The results of using clickers’ technology in the classroom are: creating stronger sense of community and collaboration among classmates, creating fun environment for learning that leads to stronger student engagement in the subject taught, accurate student data, in depth knowledge of the subject taught (when students realize that they do not comprehend the subject taught they will communicate with the teacher, and he/she will accustom to the needs of the students). In addition, clickers are motivational tools for students and teachers, because by providing feedback students to teacher and vise versa, the emphasis of what needs to be explained better about the subject taught in the classroom changes. Impact The new technology, clickers, will have an outstanding impact on its users. The primary target market that will experience direct impact are two classrooms of third graders – sixty students. The plan is to have whole class of third graders use the clickers – six classes with thirty students in each class. Each class of students would use clickers for the subjects that they understand the least. The two set of equipment would be rotated among six groups in the beginning. Each group would use the equipment for one month. So forth one hundred and eighty students will use this equipment. Ideally, the school will fundraise/apply for technology grants to get the set of clickers for remaining four classrooms. This technology will enhance student success. Conclusion Clickers – CIM Technology Solutions would be a great asset to third grade students. The learning outcome of the students would be much higher. That would be demonstrated through higher grades. By using this advanced technology, teacher would be able to increase student engagement and performance in the classroom. Part II: Implementation plan Introducing Clickers to students Objective: Students using Clickers in the classroom setting Procedure: Teacher’s Role: · Inform students that classroom has received new technology system, explain what Clickers are · Explain purpose of Clickers : asset for every subject taught every day · Show features, how they work – explain each button on the clickers and information about what each button does · Safety guidelines · Distribute clickers to students · Questions /Comments/Clarifications – Do students follow along? Individual and Group practice: · Introduce new subject/lesson with clickers (teacher) · Allow students to answer question by using clickers · Review answers by using clickers and sharing graph with students (teacher) · Elaborate on subject if needed, answer questions, clarifications about clickers and subject taught (teacher) · Additional Exercise: Knowledge check – ask questions, allow each student to answer question by themselves, review answers (teacher) Conclusion: · Review subject learned (teacher) · Review clickers application (teacher) Evaluation: · Give students test (teacher) · Give students feedback (teacher) French Lesson Plan TOPIC: Learning/Practice Vocabulary Objective(s): • One way to make learning vocabulary more interesting and interactive is with the use of flash cards, clickers in the classroom Focus/Essential Skills: • Fluency in French Performance Task: • Students work to complete the task Procedure(s): Teacher introduces and models the following: 1. Choose format: Index cards, blank business cards, anything of uniform size and moderately stiff, use regular paper, need to laminate each flash card or they won't last. 2. Write the French word/phrase on one side of the paper and the English translation on the other. 3. Keep a rubber band around the cards Students understand and demonstrate the following: · Makes their own flesh cards according to teachers demonstration · Students pair and practice- share knowledge of vocabulary · Student will take notes – vocabulary in their notebooks · Teacher and students will complete guided practice in the textbook- Assignment A · Students complete independently questions from the textbook – Questions Assignment A Notes/Lesson: Activity/Engagement: (optional) · Students break into pairs · Students are given word-phrase · Students order translate the word phrase given · Students answer “Interactive Learning” questions · Students show answers · All students are given the same word-phrase · All students input answers in clickers · Teachers shares the graphs with students and their answers Material(s): • Textbooks • Notebooks • Colored Pencils or Markers • Performance Task Activity (optional) Grouping: • Independent • Whole Group • Pairs Assessment(s): • Quick quizes • Interactive Learning Paper Activity • Performance Task (optional) Vocabulary • nouns Homework • Practice Vocabulary: Write three sentences in French with learned vocabulary. football le football rugby le rugby cricket le cricket tennis le tennis squash le squash basketball le basket volley ball le volley-ball badminton le badminton golf le golf Statistics are definitely not my area of strength, so I was super glad to get to learn about some of the resources available to help with them! I really like the link for Statistical Humor! Seriously though, I think http://lib.stat.cmu.edu is good for sending information electronically. In addition, after researching, reading, and experimenting with different statistical analysis programs I found that SOFA Statistics is good! I found this program to be extremely easy to use with details provided how to use it. I am looking forward to use it more.
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