Homework and Practice

Homework is not a new idea and practice is not a new approach but how can we use these tools effectively?

Research validates the feeling that the amount of homework assigned to students must be appropriate for their grade level. Teachers and schools need to set reasonable guidelines for the length of time students are expected to practice outside of class. While parent involvement in monitoring and facilitating good work habits should be encouraged, students must be responsible for completing assignments and developing solutions.

The purpose of assignments must be clearly communicated. Practice problems are linked to skills students have become familiar with in an instructional setting. Students can be asked to think about background knowledge they can apply to a new topic or be asked to comment on how their skills or understanding have been expanded after studying a new concept. The intent determines the intensity and focus students need to apply to the task.

Research has also shown that developing competence in a new skill requires multiple practice sessions spread over time. Students must work with new processes until they can apply them quickly and accurately. Technology tools can be employed to help students track their progress by charting precision and speed. Excel graphs allow students and teachers to monitor achievement and adjust assignments.

Don't forget the importance of feedback. Students must feel their work has value and derive maximum benefit from assignments if they receive suggestions for continued mastery. Microsoft Office features can be used to analyze student work and refocus efforts. Interactive/adaptive activities can automatically adjust to meet individual needs. Collaborative tools that allow students to support one another can help everyone move forward.

What specific technology based tools would you recommend? How can we help teachers integrate and appropriately utilize these tools?

Let's rethink the possibilities.

Based on content found in:

Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement written by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock

Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works written by Howard Pilter, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn and Kim Malenoski

Stickies on the Web

Ever look at your Bookmarks or Favorites list and wonder why you took the time to mark that particular site.

For those of us who need little reminders or just love Sticky Notes, MyStickies is a web-based application that allows you to add a sticky note to any web page. When you revisit the page, the note is right where you left it. This makes it easy to remember why you marked the page in the first place and what was important on it.

Included with the MyStickies account is an area where you can go to review your notes, go back to "stickied" sites, modify text in a note, and delete unwanted notes. For the people who want to remember why they chose that site but don't care for the "Sticky Note Effect," each account has an unlimited number of Sticky Pages that act as a scratch pad, allowing you to make your notes, lists, or reminders in one spot and not clutter up your web page. Tags or categories can be added to each sticky note and then viewed later by category.

The future of MyStickies for me is to share tags, notes, and sites with all my friends - and remember why!

September 11, 2001

Much has been said and written about September 11, 2001, that fateful day when the Twin Towers fell. I remember where I was and what I was doing that morning that changed my sense of security and safety forever. Where were you and what were you doing that morning? How did you feel, what thoughts did you share with your fellow workers, family and friends? We've all been asked these questions many times over.

It's now been seven years and although we shouldn't forget the loss of life and livelihood for so many people across the nation how should we continue to remember that day?

How do we teach our students about September 11, 2001? I watched part of "102 Minutes That Changed America" last night on the History Channel which focused not only on the towers but on the people. Through technology, people with camera phones, people in other highrise buildings with digital cameras and the news media I watched a different perspective about September 11th. I could see and feel what those people felt who were on the ground watching the towers burn and then running for their lives still recording when the towers fell and I could see the masive rush of debri that covered the people as they ran. I felt that day along with millions of other people who watched this special on the History Channel last night.

What technology do we have today to teach students about September 11th and other events around the world? I went to the History Channel site this morning to see what else was posted about 9-11 that could be used with students. (http://www.history.com/minisites/9-11)
There was a short 5-minute segment that could be used in science and construction classes about the design of the building that would also teach students about heat from fires and structual stability; there's an interactive map with various locations marked that would show students the tragedy from several different locations along with other information. Could we see, feel and learn this from a textbook? Could we manipulate the data from a textbook? How many of our students are visual and kinesthetic learners?

How do students spend time today? Wikis, blogs, social networking, facebook, myspace, camera phones, google earth, they play games online with other players around the world, they are connected 24/7 and they are learning. I think a better question should be - how will students use technology to share with us what they have learned?

We have the technology to bring the tragedy of September 11th to life. How are we using technology to bring the world of education to life for all students?

How are you bringing the world to your students?

Google Maps for Your Mobile Phone

Go to http://www.google.com/mobile, select your phone, click maps, enter your phone number and click send link to your phone. As an option, you could visit m.google.com from your phone. Once the application is downloaded to your phone, you can find out where you are on a google map, get driving and transit directions or get phone numbers and addresses for local businesses all from the phone you can't leave home without. Now you can leave that gps home in your drawer. You can view maps and satellite imagery. It's free from Google but your mobile service provider may charge you. Take a look at your plan. It's available in over 20 countries. Use it and enjoy!

Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition

Research shows that reinforcing effort and providing recognition are also effective instructional strategies under certain conditions.

Rewards should:
- be contingent on performance standards
- be abstract/verbal rather than tangible
- be timely and
- include feedback.

In addition, students must believe they can succeed and understand the relationship between effort and success. Teachers need to provide examples of situations where they or someone known to the students succeeded because of their willingness to commit the effort needed to accomplish their goal.

Students also need opportunities to track the relationship between effort and success. Comparing scores on an effort rubric and a related achievement rubric can help create a visual representation of the positive effect of effort.

So how can technology help?

Microsoft Word features can help teachers provide feedback, create personalized certificates of achievement and rubrics to set clear benchmarks. Students can use Micosoft Office tools to analyze their work and track progress.

Response systems and carefully selected online games or surveys can be used to allow students to compare their progress against a larger group and/or provide immediate feedback.

Video conferencing is a good way to get input from an "expert" in the field or learn more about the effort required to become knowledgable/successful in a chosen area.

Technology tools can also be utilized to share work acknowledging that a student has met their goal.

What recommendations would you make about the power of reinforcing effort and providing recognition?

Let's rethink the possibilities.

Based on content found in:
Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement written by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock
Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works written by Howard Pilter, Elizabeth R. Hubbell, Matt Kuhn and Kim Malenoski