Integration of Art Technology in the Science Classroom

FRIT 7739

FEBRUARY 15, 2016Beaufort County School DistrictH.E. McCracken Middle School

Part 1: Identification of Learning Problem

General Audience

The primary audience consists of science teachers employed by Beaufort County School District

using a one-to-one device model in their classroom. This includes laptops, iPads, and tablets.

The three to five years is the average year of experience.

Problem Identification

Beaufort County School District is instituting a one-to-one technology model in all middle and

high schools and iPads in Elementary schools beginning the 2014-15 school year. Each student

will be issued a Dell Venue Tablet, keyboard, and charger and will be able to take the device

home each day. With the influx of technology into the classroom many teachers are finding

themselves frustrated and feeling lost. The teachers are being pressured by the school district as

well as the administrators to use the devices in the classroom to increase engagement and

academic progress. One of the main complaints from teacher is that they do not know how to use

the devices to differentiate instruction using the devices in the classroom. Another concern is that

many of the students are performing low academically and struggle with understanding and

explaining science content. In addition, for the past two years there has been an influx of non-

English speakers into the district’s schools. This creates a communication and leaning obstacle

for both the teachers and students. They are unaware of resources and that can be used in the

classroom settings. Many teachers have expressed a desire to learn more about how using the

devices can help with lessen their workload instead of increasing their workload. This training

has been devised as a means to educate teachers throughout Beaufort County School District on

way how to integrate art into their classroom with the use for technology.

Instructional Goals:

In this session teachers will explain the potential value of teaching and learning science through

drawing by creating a list of ways in which they can incorporate drawings in science.

Part II: Learner Analysis

Introduction

My targeted group is first year and experienced teachers in Beaufort County School District. The

age ranges from twenty two to above fifty-five. With Connect 2 Learn, the one to one

technology ratio for students, being implemented district wide in the 2014-2015 school year, it is

important that all teacher go into the classrooms with forehand knowledge about how to use

these technological devices in their classrooms. Beaufort County School district consists of 34

different schools. The educational level of the teachers include Bachelor’s degree to Doctorate

degrees. While all the teachers are knowledgeable about the content in which they teach, many

are concerned with how they can effective implement technology into their instruction while also

meeting students at their academic level. The younger teachers have expressed having some

ideas about using technology in the classroom, but little knowledge on how to effectively

manage the students’ use in a classroom setting. The older teachers are hesitant not only to learn

how to implement technology into the classroom, but also bringing technology into the class at

all. Many teachers are hesitant of incorporating art into the classroom as it relates content

because of the seemingly irrelevance to standardize testing. This information was obtained by

observations of teachers at staff meeting and professional development sessions throughout the

school year.

Entry Skills and Prior Knowledge

Bachelor’s Degree from Accredited University

Knowledge of Beaufort’s County School District’s Appropriate Use Policy

Basic use Microsoft Windows software

Basic use of IPad

Content Knowledge

This information was obtained by my observations of teachers with the district. In order to

become a certified teacher it is a requirement to obtain at least a Bachelor’s degree. Also,

teachers are informed on the district’s Appropriate Use Policy each year prior to the start of

school. Through my observations, I realize that at least 90% of teachers are confident about

their content knowledge. Because teachers have had Ipads for three years prior to the one to one

student ratio, they are aware of the basic use of many Ipads and apps. Previously, Ipads were

implemented in the class four years ago as class sets that the teacher kept locked up until they

needed them. The use of technology has changed in middle and high school since switching to

the Dell Vue tablets and imposing a twenty dollar technology fee. Through interviewing the

Science department head I realized that two out of five science teachers have art infused lessons

for their students.

Attitudes towards Content & Academic Motivation

Because Beaufort County School District’s goal is to become a paperless school, teachers have

no choice, but to learn how to implement technology into their classroom. I actually witnessed

the district’s Director of Instruction tell the teachers during a technology training that if they are

opposed to implementing technology into their classroom then they should find another district

to teach in. Therefore the teachers that wish to continue working in the district must educate

themselves accordingly. The attitude of the more mature teachers is that of frustration and

confusion. About 80% of teachers over the age of forty find it unnecessary training and

implementation. They are not only annoyed with the overuse of technology in the outside world;

they are perturbed with the interference of technology into the learning environment. These more

mature teacher view technology as an added distraction instead of an additional tool. In

comparison, about 75% of younger teachers (teachers with less than ten years of experience) are

excited and open to learning new ways and strategies of implementing technology. These

teachers view the district’s initiative as a way to connect students’ learning to the things they like

to do best. So while all teachers realize the content is necessary, not all teachers will come into

the training with an open minded. There is an obvious achievement gap. The ESL students are

unfamiliar with the science terms and struggle using the vocabulary to explain what they have

learned or what they have done in class. In addition, there is a high rate of students who are

reading below grade level and are unable to comprehend what they see and read in their

textbooks. This along motivates teachers to try something different, however; they are hesitant

because it goes against what the students how the students will be tested on standardized testing

in the spring.

Education Ability Level

The entire certified staff of Beaufort County School district has at least a Bachelor’s degree. All

the teachers are knowledgeable of Microsoft Office basics because they are all supplied with a

Dell computer that is used for communication and lesson presentations. The teachers are also

knowledgeable of ActivInspire because all the classrooms are equipped with Promethean boards

and limited white board space to write on. The ability levels on the Ipads and Dell Vue devices

differ because all though the entire certified staff was trained on using the basic functions of the

IPad and Dell tablets, not all of the staff members use the devices on a regular basis enough to

become comfortable with them.

General Learning Preferences

Because I have no control over the teachers that register for the training, I am unable to

determine what the exact learning preferences will be ahead of time. The learning preference that

they staff development will be created will be visuals combined with hands-on. Generally,

content teachers like to be shown strategies and examples for their specific content area. They

also appreciate time to develop and find additional ways to tailor their new learning to the needs

of their students.

Attitudes Towards Teachers and Schools

Because the session is designed for teachers, the entire staff believes that the quality of a

student’s education depends on the content and ability levels of the teachers. A great majority of

the teachers feel that the district’s personnel are not in touch with the needs of the students or

teachers. Very few teachers if any were given an input on whether they believed this

implementation would work or what tools were needed in order for this project to be a success.

Group Characteristics

Beaufort County School District employs many employees that are not natives of Beaufort

County or South Carolina. Many of Beaufort County’s teachers come from states such as Ohio,

Iowa, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia. The actual percentages were not

given. However, from observations of introductions in staff meetings and district level trainings I

was notified of these particular states.

Part III: Task Analysis

I conducted the task analysis using topic analysis. I wanted to focus on particular components

that are needed in order to help teachers manage integrating art into their science lesson in

addition to ways in which they can use the technological devices to differentiate within the

classroom. To help me analyze the topic I thought back on my previous year with having ipads in

the class for the first time and thought about my personal struggles with reaching students who

were academically behind. I started my topic analysis by identifying what I would have liked to

see in my classroom as a student who found science uninteresting. To ensure that I did not miss

any steps I met with my school’s Science department chair and we both discussed things that

new teacher and career teachers have expressed wanting to know more about. We also discussed

challenges that science teacher’s face with just getting students to understand the content. One

important thing that I had to remember when creating my task analysis was that not all teachers

have the same skills sets. In addition, not all teachers are artistically gifted. While some teachers

will be able to great detailed pictures, there will be some teachers who are stuck on stick figures.

Task Analysis Outline

1. Breakdown of South Carolina Science Standards

1a. Identify the “Big Ideas”

1b. Identify key concepts

2. Traditional teaching model

2a. Teachers will share how he or she would normally teach the concept

2b. Teachers will identify key activities that he or she would incorporate in a lesson.

3. Explanatory Narrative Drawings

3a.What are narrative drawings?

3b.How research supports the use of the drawing in the science classroom.

4. Apps

4a. Educreation

4b. ShowMe Interactive

4c. Lensoo Create

4d. Explain Everything

5. Creating Narrative Drawing

5a. Teachers will use one of the apps provided to create their own narrative drawing.

6. Conclusion

6a.The teachers will share their drawing and reflect on how they could use narrative

drawings in their class.

Part IV: Learning Objectives

Terminating Objective 1: Teachers will explain the potential value of teaching and

learning science through drawing by creating a list of ways in which they can incorporate

drawings in science.

o Enabling Objective 1a: Teacher will identify and develop Big Ideas for teaching

the Science standards.

o Enabling Objective 1b: Teachers will develop explanatory “narrative drawings”.

o Enabling Objective 1c: Teachers will create exemplar drawings to use in their

class using different apps and technology software in which students can make

their thinking visible through drawing.

Classification of Instructional Objectives

Content Performance

Recall Application

Facts

Concepts 1A 1

Principles

Procedures 1A, 1B, 1C

Intrapersonal

Attitude 1C

Instructional

Objective

ISTE Standards for Teachers

1 Standard 3A: Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current

knowledge to new technologies and situations.

Standard 3D: Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools

to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and

learning.

1A

1B

1C

Relationship between Instructional Objectives and Standards:

Part V: Assessment

Lesson:

Terminating Objective 1: Teachers will explain the potential value of teaching and

learning science through drawing by creating a list of ways in which they can incorporate

drawings in science.

o Enabling Objective 1a: Teacher will identify and develop Big Ideas for teaching

the Science standards.

o Enabling Objective 1b: Teachers will develop explanatory “narrative drawings”.

o Enabling Objective 1c: Teachers will create exemplar drawings to use in their

class using different apps and technology software in which students can make

their thinking visible through drawing.

Assessments:

Activity 1:

Focusing on the science standard selected during the warm-up activity work through the Big Idea Tool. **Reference the handouts Label the paper BIG IDEA ASSIGNMENT (use only one side of the drawing paper) Work alone or with a partner

Activity 2:

For this assignment, you should visualize yourself using drawing to teach your "least favorite" standard to a student who has minimal English speaking skills. At bare minimum, what would you need to be able to draw simply and quickly while teaching about this subject when working with an ELL student?

On a single page, create an inventory or your own design with drawings and their named labels. For example, if you were teaching about chemical reactions, you would need to be able to draw various pieces of science equipment or a simple DNA molecule icon for teaching genetics.

Don't forget to practice your typography (types of fonts - letter styles) and drawing icons (arrows and mathematical symbols.)

UDL Principle: Develop the lessons that will be included in your selected unit including assessments.

Part VI: Content Sequencing and Instructional Strategies

Sequence Description Objectives

1 Identify most favorite and least favorite Science

Standard

Develop visual image to use as an introduction

to least favorite unit using minimal words to

use as exemplar in the classroom

1a

1b

1c

This sequence is a learning related sequence. It is based on the order in which the teachers need

in order to learn the skills that are detrimental to the topic. The learner will learn skills in a

scaffold manner.

V11: Instructional Design

Goals

Teachers will explain the potential value of teaching and learning science through drawing by creating a list of ways in which they can incorporate drawings in science.

Objectives

Objective 1a: Teacher will identify and develop Big Ideas for teaching the Science standards.

Objective 1b: Teachers will develop explanatory “narrative drawings”.

Objective 1c: Teachers will create exemplar drawings to use in their class using different apps and

technology software in which students can make their thinking visible through drawing.

Learning Strategies

Lesson Opening:

Teachers will pick up hand-outs from table. Sign-in to receive credit for class attendance. Log into www.educreations.com on your iPad or Dell device as a STUDENT.

o Join the class “Conference” with the code: RMDMUGD Select one science standards: most favorite.

Discussion:“ The importance of Art”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKOcLX9GPSADiscuss with a table partner the BIG IDEA of this video.

Technology In science:http://ambitiousscienceteaching.org/

Types of TechnologyApps

Break Out Session #1

Share TimeDuring this time we will share our Big Idea drawings. Each person (team) will present their drawing to the class.1. Does the drawing represent a “Big Idea” that fully represents the standard selected?2. Based on the drawing will students be able to form “pictures” in their brains that represent their current knowledge of the topic?3. How would you adjust your Big Idea to meet the students at their current level of understanding?

Breakout #2

UDL

Develop the lessons that will be included in your selected unit including assessments.

Assessment

Activity 1: Focusing on the science standard selected during the warm-up activity work through the Big Idea Tool. **Reference the handouts Label the paper BIG IDEA ASSIGNMENT (use only one side of the drawing paper) Work alone or with a partner

Activity 2:

For this assignment, you should visualize yourself using drawing to teach your "least favorite" standard to a student who has minimal English speaking skills. At bare minimum, what would you need to be able to draw simply and quickly while teaching about this subject when working with an ELL student?

On a single page, create an inventory or your own design with drawings and their named labels. For example, if you were teaching about chemical reactions, you would need to be able to draw various pieces of science equipment or a simple DNA molecule icon for teaching genetics.

Don't forget to practice your typography (types of fonts - letter styles) and drawing icons (arrows and mathematical symbols.)