***ASSIGNMENT UPDATE (mid course reality check)***

Due dates on the reading assignments are as follows:

Assignment #1, #2, and #3 should have been turned in by 7/16

I will however extend this due date to 7/21 so that all may get caught up.
I will extend the due date for assignment #4 to 7/24, as well.

Here are the links to these 3 reading assignments (details in how to number the assignment parts are given).

#1 - http://tech4tesol.blogspot.com/2008/07/assignment-1.html
#2 - http://tech4tesol.blogspot.com/2008/07/assignment-2.html
#3 - http://tech4tesol.blogspot.com/2008/07/supporting-writing-with-classroom.html
#4 - http://tech4tesol.blogspot.com/2008/07/assignment-4.html

#5 - http://tech4tesol.blogspot.com/2008/07/assignment-5.html


When turning in your assignment by email please labeled the attached file as follows:

“Last Name, First Initial – Assignment # - Part # (if relevant)”

Example: Smith, A. #2 Part 1.b

Please send these as WORD or RTF documents. I may not be able to open documents that are Zipped or Compressed or in other formats.

Also note the 2 Discussion assignments:
Discussion #1 you should participate in by 7/21
http://tech4tesol.blogspot.com/2008/07/project-based-learning.html

Discussion #2 you should participate in by 7/21 but I will extend that to 7/24
http://tech4tesol.blogspot.com/2008/07/discussion-2-blooms-taxonomy.html

Your final project should be turned in by 8/4 for Mon./Wed. section 21 and by 8/5 for the Tues./Thurs. section 22 students.

Also: Note
Reading Assignment # 5 – due date 7/25
#5 - http://tech4tesol.blogspot.com/2008/07/assignment-5.html

Also – See final project post due the next to last class. We may review some of the projects at the last class. (original post @ http://tech4tesol.blogspot.com/2008/07/final-project.html)

Final Project: Basically, you will create a web-enabled student project that would take 3 or more sessions to implement. The project should take advantage of at least 3 Web resources, some of which we will discuss and review in class. Some examples are:• Blogger• YouTube (TeacherTube – SchoolTube – Blip TV, etc.)• Podcasts• Bit Strips• Picasa Web Gallery (or similar resource)• VOKI• Animoto• Survey Monkey• Scribd• Our Media• Google “Pages”• Google “Docs”The unit (thematic, project-based) should feature a:
· Standards-based problem, challenge or task
· A student product
· dissemination (publishing) scheme
· feedback methods
· collaborative aspect
· assessment scheme

You will present the unit as 2 blog posts:
A) A practice (mock) message to the students in which you place an example(s) of digital resource(s) (including media) as a prompt/focus and or as background content for the unit. This should include your directions to the student about how to approach and use the media item and then how to respond to it.

You may wish to create an example of the type of product you’d like the students to produce as part of your presentation in this blog post.

B) In a 2nd Blog post you will provide a lesson (unit plan) as well. This should include standard lesson plan items like the goal, motivation, implementation plan, and assessment component.
Let’s look at your blog as a work space that will allow you to present material to students in an exciting way, have them respond to you and or one another (through the comments function, etc.), a way to ‘publish’ and or exhibit their work (and receive feedback on it), among other functions.Your assignment is to create a multi session unit of instruction that you present using your blog. You may want to give students an example of what their finished work would be like.The unit you create should embrace dimensions of Project-based Learning. It should allow for a degree of student autonomy, to contribute to the definition of his/her own investigation/learning experience. It should culminate in the creation of a product (or performance) that forms the basis of assessment of student achievement. Such projects often include aspects of collaboration.In presenting the project use at least 3 types of Web-based technology, which may include:The blog toolHyperlinksDigital MediaDigital tools (survey instruments, etc.)Search enginesOtherA simple project might require students to take a broad subject you suggest (or one that the class brain storms together) and drill down to a more specific area of study (i.e. sports> baseball > history of the game). This might be facilitated by more brainstorming (listing all possibilities and then having students select from a class generated list) or by having students use a search engine to discover sub-topics under the starting topic, list and present you with a few of these, and then accountably select one.A second phase of this project would likely have students gathering information to use in their project (report). They might do online research, interview others, take a survey, etc.The final portion would involve the production of a product in which they present what they’ve learned. This might be a slide show, digital document, recording, etc.While such projects have been done without the use of technology traditionally, many educators believe that technology greatly facilitates and enhances them. As you plan your project, ponder how technology might do this and identify which resources and methods you’ll use. In your final piece you do not have to do everything with technology (personally), but you should describe in your lesson plan what you would do and use and how you would implement it. The presentation of the lesson should be done as a blog post and should embrace the technology examples as mentioned above.Your technology use will likely conform to the following:Presenting the project to studentsUsing technology with the students as they do the project and produce their productAssessing the projectGiving feedback to the student, fostering constructive criticism between students, structuring Accountable Talk as part of the students finishing the project.Publishing the students’ workSharing the students’ published work with peers and othersReporting to parents