|
The Learning Guide leads you through the course readings, STARS assignments, and project requirements. The guide is divided into three sections. First, you'll learn about literature-technology connections and complete Project 1. Next, you'll explore technology tools and approaches to technology-rich learning. Finally, you'll examine online learning options and complete Project 2 and Project 3. A STARS activity is a short assignment related to your understandings of the readings. Although you have choices related to each assignment, you should be able to address all of the options. Your STARS assignments and responses are posted in Oncourse. For more information about how to address the readings, STARS, and projects, review the Requirements page. Move through the readings, assignments, and projects below as you move through the semester. Use the Course Calendar to check due dates and Course Checklist to keep track of your progress. Getting Started
|
Literature-Technology Connections Some people see clear connections among information resources. For instance, they see how books, videos, and websites can all be used as a part of a learning experience. A student might read the book "Lord of the Rings", watch the movie, then visit the Tolkien Society Home Page for information about the author. Another student might use the a book review website to select a good novel that explores an environmental issue. After reading a book such as Carl Hiassen's Hoot, the student might use a website pathfinder on environmental concerns to gain insight into the science of the book. In this section of the course you'll learn a process for locating resources and creating your own literature-technology connections. Complete the following readings and activities.
Read The K-12 Cybrary at Work by Lesley Farmer at Innovate (Vol. 1, Issue 3, Feb/March 2005). You will need to complete the free registration to access the article. Read The Future of Learning Technologies: An Interview with Chris Dede by James Morrison and Chris Dede at Innovate (Vol. 1, Issue 1, Oct/Nov 2004). You will need to complete the free registration to access the article.
Pathfinders are wonderful tools to help users. If you aren't familiar with this approach, go to the Pathfinders, Subject Guides, & Thematic Resources page. Or, take the L595: Electronic Materials for Children and Young Adults course.
Complete Project 1.
|
Technology Tools and Approaches From collaborative online projects to WebQuests, there are many ways that technology can be used in learning. The key is exploring all the possibilities the selecting approaches that fit the needs of your students. If students need to understand the culture of a book they are reading, consider email communications with children from another country. If students are exploring lesser-known historical figures, the Internet may provide resources not available in the school library. This section of the course will explore technology tools and approaches to technology-rich learning. Complete the following readings and activities. Technology Tools
Communication and Collaboration Tools Recently, blogs, wikis and other tools for communication and collaboration have become popular tools in schools and libraries. Use the following resources to learn more about the blog and wiki phenomenon.
Read an article about wiki. Also, explore the Wikipedia.
Internet Issues Although most people are excited about the potential of technology in learning, others have expressed concerns about the use of emerging technologies. For example, the president of ALA Michael Gorman expressed his opinion in an article in Library Journal titled Revenge of the Blog People. His comments have upset many blog lovers. The controversy over wikis is outlined in an article called The Wikipedia Wars by Kathy Ishizuka (School Library Journal, 11/1/2004).
Technology Approaches and Techniques
Explore the following examples:
|
|
From web-based tutorials to virtual libraries and schools, a wealth of options are now available for online learning. Let's explore some of these opportunities.
Read Online Learning and Virtual Schools (PDF document) by Lamb and Callison in School Library Media Activities Monthly (2005). Read Guidelines for Establishing Interactivity in Online Courses by Mark Mabrito and Escaping the Comparison Trap: Evaluating Online Learning on Its Own Terms by John Sener in Innovate (Vol 1, Issue 2, Dec/2004/Jan 2005). You will need to complete the free registration to access the article. Tutorials, Simulations, Games, and Case Studies Increasingly, educators are using technology-rich materials to present new information, provide practice, and assess learning outcomes. For example, video is a wonderful tool for teaching processes and procedures. Another approach is to provide online tutorials that take students step-by-step through a learning experience. Tutorials are designed to be totally self-instructional so all of the information, activities, and assessments are build into the activity. Although they can be created as web pages, Word and Powerpoint can also be used to build tutorials. Explore the following examples of online tutorials:
WebQuests WebQuests take an inquiry-based approach to learning. Students become engaged in an interesting problem or a meaningful task. They are guided through the learning experience and provided with quality resources to help them create a project or solve a problem. Generally these WebQuests are presented to students online, but they can also be provided to students as a Word document or PowerPoint document. In WebQuest, the student is at the center of the learning environment. As such, all the materials must be self-guided rather than teacher-directed.
Evidence-based Practice Are WebQuests really worth the time and effort? Do students really learn in virtual classrooms? Are online discussions effective? Before you jump into creating tutorials, teaching with WebQuests, or designing online courses, you should have evidence that this approach really works! The professional literature is full of research studies showing the effectiveness of technology-rich learning. Be sure you can justify your approach. Skim the National Educational Technology Plan from the US Department of Education. Note references to evidence-based practice.
Congratulations. You've completed the required readings and STARS. Devote the rest of the semester to completing the final two projects. |
Conclusion Use technology to help bring reading alive for your students and patrons. Making Literature-Technology connections is the first step in designing a technology-rich learning environment. By using the power of technology, you can create a wide range of learning experiences for your students. Keep in mind that it's not the technology that matters, but how the technology is used to enrich the learning experience.
|
CourseQuest
Learning Guide:
Use
the following videos to get to know the instructor and see an introduction
to the course. (These are Quicktime videos. 
Read 
Explore 
Read 
Read the book 
Read