Applications+engagement

Technology applications, when applied effectively, allow for increased student engagement, understanding and achievemnet, augments motivation to learn, encourages collaborative learning, and supports the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills (Schacter & Fagnano, 1999).

=﻿Organizing and Brainstorming software:=

[[image:tech4admin:inspiration.jpg width="101" height="110" align="left"]]Inspiration®
//Inspiration//® is a wonderful technology resource for visual mapping, outlining, writing, and making presentations. Students are able to brainstorm ideas, structure their thoughts, and visually communicate concepts to strengthen understanding. @http://www.inspiration.com/ @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspiration_Software

In the example provided, sixth grade Language Arts students were asked to create a story map of the novel they were assigned to read in class. The students read Julie Andrews Edwards's __//The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles,//__ were asked to plot major events in the story, and identify personality traits of the characters. After completing the webbing activity, students used the outline feature of Inspiration® as a guide for creating a script for their book review video/movie trailer.

Standards:
Virginia English SOL: 6.4.a Virginia Computer and Technology SOL: CT 6-8.9 ISTE NETS for Students: Creativity and Innovation =Data and Graphing software:=

[[image:http://ict.projectmaths.ie/_/rsrc/1265142409386/resources/geometers/SketchpadBinderLogoModule.jpg width="207" height="114" align="left"]]The Geometer's Sketchpad®
//Sketchpad//® //Dynamic Geometry//® software gives students a tangible, visual way to learn mathematics. Features of the program allow users construct geometric figures, employ transformations, animate objects, measure segments, angles, area, perimeter, etc., and potentially figure out hard-to-solve math problems. @http://www.dynamicgeometry.com/ @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Geometer's_Sketchpad

In the example provided, students were asked to manipulate the pythagorean theorem file and answer questions about the adjustments being made. Are there times when you notice a relationship between the squares of the two legs of the triangle and the square of the hypotenuse? Students are asked compare the measures of the angles each time they make a dynamic change to the triangle. Finally, the students are asked to make a conjecture about the squares of the legs and hypotenuse of the triangle and the measure of its angles.

Standards:
Virginia Mathematics SOL: G.6 and G.7 Virigina Computer and Technology SOL: C/T 6-8.8 ISTE NETS for Students: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

=﻿Microsoft Office® software:=

[[image:http://theindustrymeasure.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/logoExcel_160sq.gif width="136" height="114" align="left"]]Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is an electronic spreadsheet program that is often used for collecting, organizing, and manipulating data. The basic feature of the program is it's capability of calculating data in a variety of arithmetic operations, including finding the average, maximum, or minimum values of a specified range of data. Other uses of Excel include graphing or charting data to identify trends, as well as sorting and filtering the data. @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Excel @http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/tipsandfaqs/f/excel_use.htm

In the example provided, sixth grade Social Studies students use Excel as a tool to complete the Famous Americans March Madness bracket. As a review before SOL testing, students review famous Americans studied throughout the year and select whom they believe was the most influential historical figure in American history. After each selection, students must justify the match up winner with facts from notes and research obtained throughout the year. The teacher assesses the students, not on choice selection, but on the arguments and justifications included in the explanations.

Standards:
Virginia History & Social Science SOL: 1865 to the Present Virginia Computer and Technology SOL: C/T 6-8.8 ISTE NETS for students: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

=﻿Video editing software:=

[[image:http://it.seattleschools.org/BEXlevy/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/moviemaker.jpg width="117" height="111" align="left"]]Windows Movie Maker
Windows Movie Maker is a free video editing software program that includes features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track, and timeline narration. Users have the capability of importing video, audio, and picture files, arranging the media in any order, editing the clips with effects and transitions, to produce a final video in .wmv or .avi format. [] []

In the example provided, students researched the history and technology of space exploration and created a news cast video with commercials. Students worked collaboratively in small groups to research assigned space programs and celestial bodies using a variety of resources, including Discovery Education videos. Once the research was completed, students composed scripts for the news reports and the solar system commercials and filmed their segments for the final movie. A select group of students worked with the Movie Maker software to edit and enhance the video segments which included clips from the editable DE videos. The final product was an entertaining compilation reports and commercials.

Standards:
Virginia Science SOL: 6.8.a, b, i Virginia Computer and Technology SOL: C/T 6-8.7 ISTE NETS for Students: Research and Information Fluency

=SMARTPEN Paper-based Computing Platform:=

[[image:http://mobilitysite.com/blogimages/Cook/LivescribeLaunchesNewMobileComputingPlat_96E9/livescribe4.jpg width="125" height="89" align="left"]]Livescribe Pens
These smartpens are constructed of ballpoint ink cartridges, an embedded computer with a digital audio recorder, a micriphone, a speaker for playback, and a small OLED display. When used with special paper, the pen syncs audio it records as notes are handwritten. The combination of the audio and notes enables users to replay what was being said while the recording was made by simply tapping the appropriate location on the paper.

These pens are beneficial to students providing them unlimited access to teacher instruction any time, anywhere and provides students a more customized learning experience. Livescribe pens easily integrate into the curriculum allowing educators the ability to create pencasts, deliver instruction specific to student needs, and monitor, record and evaluate student performance. The pen is also a great tool used to improve communication with students and parents. @http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/ @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livescribe