Week 8 - Technology Integration I - ISTE Assignment

ISTE: please see below link for my Week 8 assignment on Technology Integration I :

ISTE - Teaching E.L.L. Students with Messaging Apps and New York Times Videos

Week 7 - Motivation Analysis Report on a Game or Interactive Learning Program

 

My 3 years old son, Kyle, enjoys watching “Super Why!”, an animated learning series program that helps children learn to read through interactive classic stories adventures.  The literacy-powered superheroes: Alpha Pig with Alphabet Power, Wonder Red with Word Power, Princess Presto with Spelling Power, Super Why with the Power to Read, and Super You (the Home Viewer – ex: my son) with the Power to Help are the “Super Readers”.  They can jump into the stories to find the answers to question about everyday problems using their special reading powers.

With the interesting story, super heroes characters and the problem that happened in our real daily life, all these makes Kyle engaged in this interactive learning program.  Just as Expectancy-Value Theory, able to be a superhero in this interactive TV program to help solve problem would be the motivator of children to learn alphabet skills, word spelling, comprehension and vocabulary, etc.  The children believe in their own efficacy that they can complete the task successfully with the Super Readers.  It is an intrinsic motivation because Kyle enjoys the whole learning journey with super heroes to solve the problems together. 

Super Why! is a successful interactive multimedia learning program.  Not only they have TV series, they also have interactive learning games and activities that can motivate users to play with letters, sounds and words using the following Six C’s strategies:

Choice – In the online games, there are options of spelling, reading games, etc.  Children can chose a game that they enjoy playing, thus motivation to learn increases. 

Challenge –The challenge in the game activities consists of easy and difficult level to increase learning challenge based on students’ ability.  Just beyond the children’s skill level would be perfect to maintain motivation toward continue learning. 

Control – if children are involved in the process, they will be more responsible and independent learners.  In Super Why!, as content are interactive, children can decide their own process.

 

Collaboration – if children watch the program or play the games together, this can help enhance their thinking and learning further as they can share their knowledge or thinking to each other through social interaction. 

Constructing Meaning – when children understand their goals, their motivation to learn increases. 

Consequences – children get to help solve the problem of a super heroes TV program and thus motivation increase as it creates a confidence on their achievement.

         I can apply the successful factors and motivators of Super Why! to classroom by giving students an open-ended group presentation project.  In order to enhance students' motivation, I will start with giving students options to make their selection of their own tasks.  I will explain to the students the objectives, then monitor the progress of each group and provide feedback based on their progress.  This can help increase motivation and thus make the effect of learning more powerful.

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Week 6 Assignment about Bullying

Please see below dropbox link on my report about Bullying Case: Kennedy Leroy:

Assignment 6 - Intervention Strategy on Bullying Video

Week 4: Critical Reflection Paper

In this week assignment, I watched this movie: Waiting for the "Superman", directed by Davis Guggenheim and produced by Lesley Chilcott in 2010. 

This documentary film criticizes how the American public education system fails.  It reveals parents’ everyday pressure in striving to gain access to good charter schools for their children. 

 In preparing for writing reflection paper for this movie, I had also read the following articles: 

Are U.S. Students Ready To Compete?

 Why Are Finlands Schools Successful?

 How To Fix Schools: A Manifesto by Joel Klein, Michelle Rhee and other Education Leaders

The Myth of Charter Schools

 How To Fix Our Schools: It's More Complicated, and More Work, Than the Klein-Rhee 'Manifesto' Wants You to Believe

 

and coincidently, my husband has shared this interesting video to me this week.  I found it very entertaining while pointing out the problems of U.S. education: 

I Just Sued The School System !!!

Introduction about myself

Please see below a short video for a brief introduction about myself:)

 

In case if above video doesn't work, please click to below link and enter password: 321
Video about myself (Password: 321)

Week 3 Research: Educational Theorist - John Dewey

I have posted my first Research (Week 3 Assignment) on below link:
Research Video on John Dewey