Click on the link to view my prezi for 4th blog on what a 21st century classroom looks like!

http://prezi.com/gr7tpgrh4z7l/21st-century-classroom-blog-4/?kw=view-gr7tpgrh4z7l&rc=ref-4407156

Oops...here is the video link!


http://fcit.usf.edu/matrix/lessons/goaldirected_transformation_science

A.  This video is about a teacher who uses technology as a tool to  differentiate learning for his students during his math time.
B.  This teacher uses computer and ipod programs to differentiate the learning for his students.  He has found websites that allow his students to practice their skills in an engaging way so that he can spend time reteaching concepts to students who are not understanding the topic yet.  The math games allow for independent practice and there is a 80% achievement goal before students are able to move to another level.  The computer programs reinforce the skills of the lesson and they give immediate feedback to students, so they are able to retry until they get it right. Students are able to work at their own pace and the computer monitors their progress.  Less work for the teacher!
C.  It was great to see the differentiation in action.  Students were very motivated and responsible with the equipment.  They were excited when they made it to a new level and were on task the entire time. The teacher gives benchmarks every 6-8 weeks and he said that as a result of integrating with technology, his class has increased performance at a greater rate. They were using games called Planet Turtle and Game Box....which I plan to check out!
D.  I could absolutely use these types of games to differentiate with math.  We use ST Math at our school which essentially does the same thing.  The games on the video were very strategically chosen to practice the new skills, which is possible to do with ST MAth as well.  I love the fact that the teacher got uninterrupted time with the small reteaching group because the rest of the students were so ngaged. They are playing "games" which makes the learning more fun.
rating 5 out of 5

A.  This video was about integrating technology with integrated learning at  Ferryway School near Boston.
B.  The school followed 5th grade students through a 6 week Ironworks Project  based on their fifth grade science, history, math, language arts, and art standards.  The project was designed around a number of hands-on, standards based activities and experiences  that allowed students to stamp their "passports" after completing.  When their passport was completed, they were ready for the learning they would encounter on the field trip.  Students used the computer as a research tool as well as a presentation tool.  The culminating experience was a field trip to a local museum where they learned about history through the experience.  They took photos with a digital camera and when they returned, they uploaded the photos onto a wiki and wrote captions for the photos.  Everything was done in cooperative groups.
C.  The useful information I learned was the key to successful technology integration is having the adults and students work together as learners.   Luckily, the school has a technology instructor who works with the classroom teachers to incorporate the technology.  The students are then able to help each other as needed.  The children were learning with and through the technology.
D.  I could see the power of designing a PBL unit around this type of passport activity.  The students were engaged and excited to complete the activities.  I could easily see letting the students take the pictures on the field trip, having them  download them, share them in a creative way.  They then own the experience!  There were other elements in the video that were powerful...the student used response systems to answer a question whole class, and then they were asked to justify and explain their reasoning.  Very powerful!  
Rating 5 out of 5

A.  This video was about a school named Forest Lake Elementary in Columbia, South Carolina. They use technology to differentiate the learning for their students.
B.  This school seems to be on the leading edge for technology use as far as any elementary school I have seen.  They have a TV broadcast that students use to make school wide  announcements and show student projects.  There are interactive white boards, laptops, desktops, palm pilots for recording student reading, student response systems, video cameras, and the use of Skype for authentic audiences with their NASA partner. Students are all working on different tasks at different stations.  The teacher is acting as a facilitator and meeting individual student needs while others are working. 
C.  It was great to see a  model of instruction that showcases technology and differentiation.  They must be a well funded school to have all of the tech equipment that they have. It was useful to see what an elementary school classroom could look like in the 21st century.
D.  This would be a great video to show our school staff so that they were able to see what they could potentially do with their students.  It would take a LOT of teacher technology training school wide to get to the level of this school.  It was inspirational in that even taking one of the tech integration ideas would result in greater student engagement.
Rating 4 out of 5