Teaching Practice Under the Sea: The Electronic Portfolio and Me STUDENT WORK
Sea Products Taste Test
The Seafood Taste Test
Upon conclusion of our Ocean unit, we had a sea products taste test. The taste test consisted of 13 items. As each item was tasted by everyone, a vote was taken (“would you eat this product again?”) Numbers were recorded for later use. After the taste test, students put the information into an Excel spreadsheet then converted it to a bar chart.
3-D Student Work
Students made a 3-D model, photographed their project, then scanned the image creating a Jpeg file. The Jpeg file was then uploaded to their PLP.
3-D Student Work
Photographing and scanning 3D projects enables students to include work in their portfolio which otherwise could not be saved for future review.
Kid Pix Student Work
Students learned to use Kid Pix for drawing. They created images of creatures from the sea and included these in their PLP.
Sea Products Taste Test Bar Chart
This is the bar chart students created from the taste test results using an Excel spreadsheet.
Journals of Experience
Journal Entries:
November 21, 2002
Today was the first workshop for our PT3 project. I am still a little confused on what the project is about. I was late to the meeting because of class so I missed the introduction. Debra invited me to be apart of this workshop. The workshop was about incorporating technology into the classroom. I found this workshop really interesting. We were shown how different types of technology enhance the way teachers teach their lessons. We focused on one particular piece or technology, I-movies. As a pre-service teacher I will be working with two other teachers to create a service-learning project using I-movies.
During this workshop we looked at other websites teachers have produced by using I-movies. The I-movie is only part of the website. The teacher puts their lessons plans for a unit they are teaching on the web. Then they can also put a two-minute I-movie on the web explaining their unit they are teaching. The I-movie can be used for many different things. For example, one I-movie the teacher can explain her unit she/he is teaching. Another I-movie can be of the students doing work during the unit or the students participating in a class discussion. I found the I-movies to be very neat. During this workshop we were given an opportunity to use a video camera because we would have to learn how to use one in order to film videos for the I-movie. A group of us walked around campus filming different things. Our first film did not come out to bad, but there is a lot of room for improvement. Part of this workshop was teaching us how to use a video camera. This was really helpful and taught me a lot about filming and recording movies.
The purpose of the workshop was to introduce all of us in the PT3 project to the different technology we would be using. In order to use the I-movie programs I have to work on a Macintosh computer. This is new to me because I am not familiar with a Macintosh computer. The Macintosh computers are different than the PC I use. However, I am not worried about it. This we give me an opportunity to learn how to use them. I really enjoyed this workshop. I learned a lot today and hope I will continue to learn more.
January 16, 2003
Today I traveled over to NEC during winter break to participate in a workshop on PLPs. This workshop was designed to teach us about Personal Learning Portfolios. In order for us to complete the I-movies properly we have to keep track of all of our work by using the PLP. This is where I can keep my journal on workshops I attend, the work I do with the students in the classroom, and any other work I need to display for the project.
For my project I will be working with two teachers from Center Woods Elementary School. They will be creating I-movies of their students and learning how to use the different types of technology in their classroom. For example, the unit they will be teaching their students will be how to use a computer, the Internet, word documents, and developing a PLP (Personnel Learning Portfolio) with each student. The purpose of this unit is to help incorporate the different types of technology into the student’s curriculum. When this unit is over the students will be expect to know to run their PLP. Student will also use their own judgment on what they want to put in their PLP. I think this is a good idea. This unit teaches the students how to use the many different types of technology that is an important part of our world. I hope the students enjoy this unit.
January 22, 2003
I spent another day of my winter break at NEC learning how to develop an I-movie. I really like working with computers and am interested to see what different programs are out their for students to use. I was not fortunate enough to have the same technology students have today when I was growing up.
The same lady who conducted it last time conducted the workshop today. Today she taught us how to make an I-movie. It was really interesting to learn how to put it together. I really liked how you can move different sections of your movie around to put the sequence of events in a different order. I also like how you can add effects to the movie and insert music, sound, or text into the movie. This can make the movie more interesting. I did not get to make or work with a sample I-movie today. I worked along side the two teachers I will be working with. They seem to really understand how to work the I-movies. I think they will do a great job constructing their I-movie and teaching their unit to their classes.
February 5, 2003
Today Meaghan Dube and I went to Center Woods and to meet with our mentors for the PT3 project. All of us went over the emails Debra sent to us. Meaghan and I are scheduled to go into our mentor’s classrooms twice. We can do most of the other work outside of the classroom. We found it hard to make time to go into the classroom because of our busy schedules. Before todays meeting I was concerned it would not be possible to find time to complete this project, but after working everything out I was able to find time to complete certain aspects of the project. Now I feel it will all work out. I think this is going to be really fun.
Dube and I tried a week ago to meet with Cindy and Larry. However, this did not work out because of an emergency meeting they had. Both last week and today I was very nervous because I did not know what to expect. I had never been to CWES so I did not know my way around the school. Everything was fine we meet Cindy in the main office and she walked us down to her classroom. When we walked into her classroom I was amazed. All of her bulletin boards were bright, colorful and decorated in a way to educate her students. We all sat down at the middle table where we held our meeting. The meeting was successful. We outlined the project and discussed all of our roles. When Dube and I left we both felt really excited to start this project. I hope it comes our really well.
February 12, 2003
Today Meaghan and I spent the afternoon video taping Center Woods School and the classrooms of our mentor’s. We had tried to tape earlier in the week however, were unable to because we ran out of blank tapes. So today was our make-up day. Dube and I had a blast video taping the different parts of CWES. Our job was to capture Center Wood’s image. We videotaped the outside of the school and then the inside. We first video taped the entrance to the school so everyone would have an idea of what the school looked liked. Then we went around the inside of the school taping what we felt were the most interesting parts of the school. We taped the different murals they had on the walls and the different inspirational posters they had hanging up. We really enjoyed this part of the project. We hope that we had enough footage for our mentors to use for the I-movie.
Our next project of the day was to was to video tape our mentor’s introductions into the project. It took us a few different times to get it right, but in the end they did nice job introducing their unit on PLPs. They were both really nervous of speaking in front of a camera. They both agreed they did not like to do that, but then again who really does. Both mentors were happy with how their part of the video came out.
I really enjoyed taping the school. It was fun to walk around the school and see what their school was made up of. This school really encourages their students to work together so everyone can succeed.
February 27, 2003
Today was another workshop. I was unable to attend some of it due to class, but I did attend most of it. At the workshop our mentors had started putting together some of our video we taped. They were creating their opening I-movie. They did an excellent job putting it together. They used different parts of our footage to create the movie. During this workshop they were working on adding text and effects to the different senses in the movie. I hope it comes it well. Dube and I made an appointment with Cindy to go into her class and teach one of the lessons she wants her students to learn in this unit. The lesson she is interested in us teaching is having the students create rubrics so they can assess their work and determine if it is appropriate to put on their PLP. The students know what a PLP is and how to use, but they do not know what type of work they should display on their PLP. We will be in charge of teaching them why they should use a rubric, what they rubric should contain, and how they should use it to assess their work. I am looking forward to going in the classroom. Cindy helped Dube and I create a rubric, which the students will be creating. The rubric we designed will be used to help teach the students what it should look like. The students will be in charge of telling us what they want on their rubric and together the class, Dube, and I work together to create a rubric they can use. I am looking forward to doing this lesson in the classroom. Between now and then Dube and I will be getting together to assure that we have everything ready for the lesson next Wednesday.
March 3, 2003
Today was another workshop. My mentors continued working on their I-movies and linking the standards to the website. My goal for today was to create my introduction to the project, which will appear on my PLP. I got some of it completed, but have not yet finished. I am planning on finishing it soon. Meaghan, Cindy, and I complete working on the lesson plan we would be teaching to the class. I really enjoyed having Cindy go over the different types of things she looks for in her student’s paper. This gives Dube and I an idea of what the rubric should look like. I think by spending an hour discussing everything with our mentor we should be ready to teach the class. I am a little nervous at the moment, but hopefully after I make up my notes for the class and I print out an example for the students to look at I should be all set. Dube and I are going to meet Tuesday night to make sure we have everything prepared for Wednesday morning when we go into the classroom to teach the students how to use a writing rubric. The objective of this lesson plan is for the student to be able to assess their writing so they determine what work is of great quality or just ok quality. I can’t wait until Wednesday!
March 21, 2003
Dube and I spent two hours tonight in the library working on completing everything for the lesson we are going to teach tomorrow. We found the lesson plan format we used in Principles and Practicum and used it to guide us in designing the lesson for tomorrow. We have all of the ideas and suggestions our mentors gave us, but we were in charge of creating the lesson plan. We also created an outline so we can follow it to make sure we do not forget anything important while teaching this lesson. We spent a lot of time creating a rubric to use as an example and designing what the rubric the students are going to be creating should look like. We will let the students determine what they want on the rubric. We will have to guide them if they need help. We printed out an example of a rubric to handout to them. We also printed off a blank rubric for them to use as a way to create the rubric along with us. We will write everything on the board so students can copy it down on their blank rubric. We have an hour to accomplish everything; I think we can do it. Dube and I are looking forward to the class participating and developing the rubric. Dube and I are there to guide and teach them new ways to assess their own work. I hope the students enjoy having us in the classroom. I also hope we can effectively teach the lesson so they understand it.
March 12, 2003
Today was the day Dube and I were given the opportunity to teach our mentors class about writing rubrics and helping the class create a rubric of their own. The rubric is for them to use as a way to assess their work they are putting on their PLP. Over all it was a success. We covered everything we had put on our outline. We started the day by asking the students what a quality paper was? Three hands in the crowd immediately went up. As we asked more questions more and more students started to participate. By the end of the class we had every student answer at least two questions. The students had prior knowledge of a writing rubric because their teacher uses one to grade their work. Our first objective was to have the students decide what a quality paper would contain such as: proper punctuation, capitalization, and mechanics. The students gave so many answers we ran out of room on the board to write them all. We then moved on to designing our rubric. The students choose to have sections of their rubric be labeled as: Great, OK, Needs Improvement. Then they created four sections, which would be making up a quality paper such as: grammar and spelling. From there we worked with defining a great, ok, or needs improvement paper. Each section had a definition of what the paper should contain. The students did a wonderful job creating and designing their rubric. They all participated in making the rubric they would use to assess their work they would be putting on their PLP.
I really enjoyed working with the students. Dube and I had a great time at the school. The students were well behaved and eager to learn about rubrics and design one they could use in class. I hope the mentor will continue to let her students create different rubrics for her class when she might need one for their work.
March 28, 2003
This is the last time I will be able to work with my mentors and Meaghan Dube on this project. Unfortunately, due to my class schedule I will not be able to attend any of the workshop, but I will continue to work on my part of the project. I know that my mentors have been working very hard in and outside their class to finish this project. I would like to thank them for the learning experience they have given me and for knowledge have come away with. Both of my mentors were awesome to work with. I wish I could have spent more time helping them with the I-movies and putting the website together. I cannot wait to see the finished product.
Author:Cyndi Hurlbut
and Larry Restuccia School:A Collaborative Project with Center Woods Elementary School and New England College Organization:Center Woods Elementary School and New England College Credits:Debra Nitschke-Shaw, Director of Teacher Education
Meaghan Dube, preservice teacher, New England College
Lindsey Inman, preservice teacher, New England College
Students made a 3-D model, photographed their project, then scanned the image creating a Jpeg file. The Jpeg file was then uploaded to their PLP.
Photographing and scanning 3D projects enables students to include work in their portfolio which otherwise could not be saved for future review.
Students learned to use Kid Pix for drawing. They created images of creatures from the sea and included these in their PLP.
