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Andrea M Davis 21st Century Skills Integration Unit Plan Bowling Green State University August 3, 2012
Running Head: 21st century integration As a future educator, it is my responsibility to provide daily lessons, projects, and
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assessments that effectively provide content and information to my students, actively engage them in the learning process, and motivates them to develop 21st century skills, including collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking abilities. As I am yet to begin my teaching career within a school, I decided that developing a collection of lesson plans that I can use within my content area in the near future would be the most beneficial process possible. Additionally, I decided to design four lessons that other teachers could use within their classrooms, with slight modification, for those days in which one unit has ended and it is not quiet time to begin another, or for when a substitute was in the classroom. The Partnership for 21st Century learning defines a particular set of skills necessary for students to possess, including creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving skills, collaboration, communication, and information literacy (The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2011). Todays global environment requires collaborative critical thinkers, creative innovators and true lifelong learners. Because the content business education covers so quickly transforms and often times has grey areas of uncertainty and unclearness, it is the teachers responsibility to incorporate engaging and authentic learning experiences, encourage collaborative practices among students, and provide examples that foster higher-order reasoning in the business education classroom environment. Each lesson within the unit plan specifically addresses one of these skills through the introduction of a business education or technology-related skill. With some modification to the content itself, teachers from any content area can use these lessons. Starting from the basic planning stages, educators need to evaluate ways in which they can get students interested in and actively partaking in the learning process. One such way is to effectively incorporate technology into the daily teaching and learning practices students encounter. By using technology, the nature of the task shifts from teacher centered to student centered as
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students generally exhibit an ease and familiarity in using most technology, and as a result, display an increased enjoyment in learning. When students experience a greater enjoyment from learning content because they are confident in their ability to accomplish the task when using technology, they will be motivated to do better, achieve higher, and actively engage in exploring the content further (Heafner, 2004). In each of the lessons, I made sure to incorporate a new technology that I learned about during this summer semester. The use of this technology not only will lead to higher student engagement in the lesson, but will also allow the modification of the lesson to meet the needs of individual teachers. In designing the unit plan layout itself, I contacted three secondary teachers, two education instructors from Bowling Green State University, and explored the web in order to find the consistent elements found in lesson plans from all different content areas, including business education. I devised a lesson plan that addresses the following areas: Teaching and Learning Standards Lesson Objectives Supplies/Resources Needed to teach the lesson Lesson Notes (if needed) Lesson Outline Lesson Materials that allow the teacher to check for student understanding Lesson Reflection
It is my hope that, with the successful completion of this unit plan, I have created resources that other teachers can also use in their classes, improve on their technological integration, and address key twenty-first century skills all educators must begin integrating into their curriculums from here on out.
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Resources Heafner, T. (2004). Using technology to motivate students to learn social studies. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education [Online serial], 4(1). Available: http://www.citejournal.org/vol4/iss1/socialstudies/article1.cfm Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2011). A Framework for 21st Century Learning. Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from http://www.p21.org/overview.
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4. Grade Levels: 6-12 5. Lesson Titles, 21st Century Skills Addressed, Lesson Lengths
a. b. c. d. Netiquette (Communication): 2 - 45 minute periods Digital Devices Exploration! (Critical Thinking): 1 - 45 minute period Google Apps: Crazy College (Collaboration): 2 - 45 minute periods Information Technology Tagxedo (Creativity): 4 - 45 minute periods
6. Unit Purpose: This introductory unit is designed to acquaint students with the some of the essential skills necessary to function in the 21st century workplace, including communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity skills. Lessons have been developed to meet the National Business Education Association Business Education Standards, National Educational Technology Standards, and state core academic standards, which can be evaluated on a content-by-content basis in order to be utilized in every classroom.
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Explain that new ways of communicating necessitate consideration of how people may react Describe good manners common to all messages in cyberspace Identify unspoken rules in various situations Define netiquette Create and log into a Gmail web account Choose a theme and apply it to a Gmail account Search for, save, and apply a personalized picture for a Gmail account Create a message signature based on specifications a Gmail account Compose professionally written email correspondences Define the term computer Define the four processes computers preform Distinguish between various handheld devices Classify devices as computers or non-computer Identify at least three applications they can utilize in academic settings Identify at least three uses of GoogleApps to academic and business purposes Create a Google Presentation Demonstrate aspects of positive collaboration Orally give a presentation in front of peers Construct a Tagxedo using various colors, fonts and layouts Save and edit a Tagxedo Identify uses of Tagxedo in various business functions Define Information Technology Create a Tagxedo page on Information Technology
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Unspoken Rules activity Various email assignments Formal and informal classroom observations and discussions (participation grades) Digital Devices Terminology Sheet Digital Devices Activity Sheet (Groups - Google Docs) Digital Devices Activity Reflection Sheet (Independently) Google Presentation Crazy Colleges Lab IT Tagxedo & Summary Project
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Lesson Notes: Provide appropriate accommodations for students on IEPs (typed notes, instructions, etc.) The following email assignments can be altered by teacher in accordance to time in the term, content area, etc. Lesson Outline: Project Email & Netiquette presentation Students take electronic notes as presentation is given Students complete Unspoken Rules activity (within presentation) Students create a Gmail account Students record information into their My Account Tracker spreadsheet Set theme Search for, select and apply an appropriate theme Create a signature containing name, grade, and optional quote Apply formatting to signature Add TEACHERS EMAIL ADDRESS to contact list Have students compose professional email (Email Assignment 1) o What is your name and preferred name? o What is your Gmail username? o Why did you take this course? o What do you want to learn about in this course? o Briefly explain what netiquette is and why it is important in todays society. Have students compose professional email (Email Assignment 2) o 5-7 sentence email: How has your week been going? What new classes are you in? Check for Understanding: Formal observation Unspoken Rules activity Email Assignment 1 Email Assignment 2 Completion of class notes (can be a continuous notes or participation grade if teacher so wishes) Lesson Reflection:
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State/National Content Standards: Information Technology 2.1 Differentiate between microcomputer, minicomputer, and mainframe operating systems including handheld devices (e.g., tablets, PDA, pocket PC) 14.4 Identify types of computers, how they process information and how individual computers interact with other computing systems and devices 16.9 Identify and describe connectivity devices State Academic Standards: Acquisition of Vocabulary Standard Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard Writing Convention Standard NETS Standards: Standard 1: Creativity and Innovation Standard 2: Communication and Collaboration Standard 3: Research and Information Fluency Standard 4: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Standard 5: Digital Citizenship Standard 6: Technology Operations and Concepts Lesson Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to: Define the term computer Define the four processes computers preform Distinguish between various handheld devices Classify devices as computers or non-computer Identify at least three applications they can utilize in academic settings Supplies/Resources Needed: Computer Projector Internet connection Microsoft PowerPoint or similar program Digital Devices Terminology Sheet Digital Devices Terminology Sheet Key Digital Devices PowerPoint Digital Devices Activity Sheet (Teacher should put form on GoogleDocs) Digital Devices Activity Reflection Sheet
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Digital Devices Activity Reflection Sheet Key Digital Device or Application Rubric Digital Devices, such as: o iPads o iPods o Flip Cameras o Notebook Laptops o Camera o Computers o Cell Phones
Lesson Notes (if needed): Provide appropriate accommodations for students on IEPs (typed notes, instructions, etc.) Lesson Outline: Day One o Review input, output, and the four processes of a computer o Students complete Digital Devices Terminology Sheet by researching answers online o Present Digital Devices PowerPoint to reinforce understanding and facilitate classroom discussion Day Two o Before class preparation: Split students into teams based on varying skill level, class dynamics and number of devices available Set up group stations throughout room with correct number and types of devices o Once split into groups, have students collaboratively share devices and complete the Digital Devices Activity Sheet using Google Docs Day Three o Have students independently complete Digital Devices Activity Reflection Sheet o Have students create a presentation on the digital device or application they created in the Digital Devices Activity Reflection Sheet (use Digital Device or Application Rubric form for presentation content) Day Four o Digital Device or Application presentations o Discuss with students their experiences with various handheld devices and their overall experiences with the lab activity Check for Understanding: Informal discussion with students Digital Devices Terminology Sheet Digital Devices Activity Sheet (Groups - Google Docs) Digital Devices Activity Reflection Sheet (Independently) Lesson Reflection: This particular lesson has the potential to be a success. In addition to being actively engaging to students as they are able to feel, touch, and play with actual digital devices, but they are also having to actively research and discover information prior to doing so. This lesson will peak student interest because they are able to explore digital devices they might not normally have access to while stilling learning the IT content.
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A teacher should always anticipate problems with any lesson. This lesson also may encounter, as described above, has the potential to be very time consuming. Additionally, some teachers and schools may not have adequate access to the digital devices needed for student exploration in this lesson. This problem can be resolved by having students bring in their own devices, or having them simply complete the data sheet and reflection by researching the Internet. Finally, as with any lesson, technology failures or network outages pose a threat to this lesson. In total, this lesson could fit very easily into the Information Technology curriculum. Teachers in other content areas may be able to utilize this lesson with some modifications in order to touch presentation skills, research skills, as well as in teaching students the advantages of certain computer applications to their particular content area (for example, students in a foreign language class could research language translators or international customs using the tablet device).
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Lesson Outline: Project this Introduction to GoogleApps video for students: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eRqUE6IHTEA Individually, have students log in to their Google Accounts (or create one) Have students pair up (or assign pairs) and create a list of as many uses they can think of Google Applications in the school setting, and in the business world Start discussion by asking each group to call out a use from their list as teacher writes or types list on the board; keep going around the room until no groups have something new to add to the lists Discussion implications of collaboration Discuss advantages of collaboration Google Presentation Crazy Colleges Lab Check for Understanding: Google Presentation Crazy Colleges Lab Lesson Reflection:
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State/National Content Standards: Information Technology 14.4 Use the Internet to access available resources 14.8 Demonstrate basic word processing skills 14.15 Apply the most appropriate applications (word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, collaborative groupware, Web) to record, analyze and present information 14.16 Integrate business software applications State Academic Standards: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard Writing Process Standard Writing Application Standard Writing Convention Standard Technology Standards: Standard 1: Creativity and Innovation Standard 2: Communication and Collaboration Standard 3: Research and Information Fluency Standard 5: Digital Citizenship Standard 6: Technology Operations and Concepts Lesson Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: Construct a Tagxedo using various colors, fonts and layouts Save and edit a Tagxedo Identify uses of the program in various business functions Define Information Technology Create a Tagxedo page on Information Technology Insert clipart and images Supplies/Resources Needed: Computers Projector Internet Connection Microsoft Word, or similar program IT Tagxedo Summary Project & Rubric
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Lesson Outline: Pull up Web browser and open up Tagxedo.com Discuss various advantages of using Tagxedos with students (entertainment, advertising purposes, etc.) Have students open up Tagxedo; walk students through Tagxedos functions Print Screen Tagxedos and paste into Microsoft Word; crop Tagxedo Discuss various Microsoft Word functions (open ruler, setting margins, line spacing, etc.) Have students complete the IT Tagxedo & Summary Project Students email Tagxedo to teacher as an attachment Check for Understanding: Informal discussion IT Tagxedo & Summary Project