Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Evaluation: Internet Issues Presentation

Evaluation against Design Specification: Our lesson followed our final design specification perfectly. The lesson was 30-40 minutes long, it was original and in our own words, there were many visuals, and it was on 6th grade comprehension level (Rea asked her sister whether she could understand it). However, we do not know if the presentation was interesting and engaging because we did not supply a sheet for feedback, The 6th graders seemed attentive and they were asking question so I can presume it was interesting to them. We asked for "2 stars and a wish" and they said they liked the videos/Prezi, they also liked the quizzes, they wished that could go to break right now.

Impact on Society 
Our Internet Safety Presentation educated the 6th graders about the hazards online, how to avoid them, and what do if you have a problem such as a cyber bully. We also supplied tips about searching and citing sources. This presentation taught them how to be safer and more responsible on the computer. The One-To-One Laptop Program supplies each student with a laptop so even if only a few students remember to be safe online or not plagiarize it will have a large impact on the school community, creating a safer online environment  The students can take our tips and apply them to situations in their future.

Improvement on Presentation/Lesson Plan 
Overall, our lesson was successful in teaching the 6th graders how to be responsible didgital citizens. There are several ways we could improve to make the lesson more engaging and interesting to the students:

  • Include an original movie- This would make it more funny and creative. Sumic could have been more involved in the final presentation 
  • Make cue cards- At several points we had to come up with what we were going to say on the spot. Even though we knew all the information, this would have made presenting go more smoothly. 
  • Carefully examine the movies- One of the movies we showed the 6th graders was confusing to them. If we spent more time finding movies then we could have chosen ones that were at 6th grade level.
Evaluation using Design Cycle
  • Investigation- 6/6 My investigation was very detailed and covered all of the topics that were required in the presentation. I could have included more about Cyber Safety risks and what to do if you are in an unsafe situation. 
  • Design- 6/6 My design fit the guidelines given by the teacher and the design specification our group created. The majority of my own design was used in the final design. Perhaps I should have been more realistic about what we could accomplish in the set time. 
  • Plan- 6/6 The plan was adequate, it evenly distributed the work load and set deadlines. Maybe we should have extended the time for writing the script and making the Prezi.  
  • Create- 4/6 We were rushed in the end to produce the Prezi so we did not have time to make the movie. Because we were rushed there were some spelling mistakes in the presentation. If we could improve our organization and meet deadlines then we would be more relaxed and manage to create an original video. We should have made a rubric so the students could grade us and comment. 

Group Evaluation 
We could  improve our teamwork because certain members of the group were idle while others scrambled to do the work. This meant an uneven work distribution. If we had been more firm about exactly who has which duty then this could have been avoided. I participated well within the group, explaining to Sumic what needed to be done and helping Rea with Prezi. I think I could have been more forceful during class so we could accomplish more when we were together.




Monday, October 24, 2011

Plan: Internet Issues Presentation


The plan that we will use is the one that I included on my previous post. The materials and tools that we will be using are: video, laptop, Prezi, PowerPoint (for quiz), and Movie Maker for editing the movie. 

Our work is divided on the table below. 

Names
Oct. 28- Nov 1
(Add to Prezi)
Nov. 2- Nov.6
Nov.7- Nov. 9
Nov. 10-16
Emma
Search Strategies
Film
Activities
Practice Presenting
Rea
Website Credibility
Film/Edit
Activities
Practice Presenting
Sumic
Plagarism
Film
Activities
Practice Presenting

Design: Internet Issues Presentation

Subject: cyber security, cyber bullying, digital etiquette, searching strategies, plagarism, and website credibility

Grade: 6th grade

Description of Lesson:

  • Present on 3rd and  9th of November
  • 30-40 minutes long
  • Engaging and interesting to the students
  • Must be at 6th grade comprehension level
  • Should be original and in your own words
  • Videos and pictures to help in the visualization.
  • At least one activity for the students to engage in.
  • Needs to be educational since the 6th graders are not familiar with this topic.

Steps to Be Taken: 
My Original Lesson:

  • To start the class we tell them some little known facts about cyber-bullying, plagiarism, digital etiquette(such as the percentage of people cyber-bullied, consequences of plagiarism, etc.) 
  • Then we will launch a Prezi about what each thing is. Each of us will present one topic. 
  • Next, we will show them a video we created about what you can do to stop/prevent plagiarism and bullying from happening. 
  • Last, we will get them into groups and quiz them (jeopardy style) about what they learned. The winning team will get chocolate.
Final Design
  • We start with a movie about cyber bullying, cyber security, and digital etiquette. Rea with be the Cyber-Hero, Sumic will be the stalker/hacker/bully, and I will be the victim.
  • Next, we present a Prezi about searching strategies, plagarism, and website credibility. The topics will be divided evenly.
  • Finally, we have a quiz for the students and hand out candy for correct answers. 


Thursday, October 6, 2011

Investigation: Internet Issues Presentation


Identify the Problem: The 6th graders recently received 1:1 laptop program. They are new members of the digital community. This will provide them with unique learning opportunities by learning new technology, access to updated information, and communicating with people around the world. However, there are risks with using the internet. Online predators, viruses, and cyber bulling are only a few of the risks. This project will utilize community and service because we are going to educate the 6th graders and human ingenuity because we are going to create our own presentation. My questions about the project are: What are the legal consequences from plagiarism and cyber bullying? What can we do to promote good internet etiquette? 

Design BriefThe goal of the project is give the 6th grade students a presentation about: cyber safety and security on line, cyber bullying, digital etiquette, search strategies, plagiarism, and website credibility. I will teach an engaging lesson using multimedia such as videos, Prezis, and Glogsters. The lesson will be interesting and entertaining while informative so that the 6th, 7th, or 8th graders will retain the information. If they remember my presentation, they are more likely to  exercise caution on the internet. 

Research

What is Cyber-bulling? What can we do about it? 
  • Definition of Cyber-bulling: “involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others”
Examples of cyber-bullying would be posting harmful messages on Facebook.  It is when child, preteens, or teens harass each other through Internet, digital technologies, or mobile phones. The threats and harmful posts are usually repeated rather than being a onetime incident. Studies done by the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center shows that 50 to 60 percent of teens have been cyber-bulled. There is no specific “type” of cyber-bully. They could be doing it for fun, for revenge, for social standing, to torment others, etc. What is important is to know how to respond to cyber-bullying and how to prevent it. If you are cyber-bullied you should: 
- block the person or people who are cyber-bullying
- print off the messages and show a trusted adult
- talk to a good friend about it
- report the problem to a Internet service provider or website moderator 

What is Digital Etiquette? 
  • Definition of Digital Etiquette – It is a basic set of rules for courtesy and respect online. Practicing good digital etiquette means treating others the way you want to be treated.
Digital Etiquette insures that people do not get emotionally hurt. Exercising good digital etiquette means that instead of hacking into someone’s profile that is open, kindly close it. Being a responsible digital citizen is an obligation for model IB students.
How do we keep ourselves Safe on the Internet?
Be mindful of what information you post online. Once you post something it is very difficult to take it back, the world has already seen it. Think before you post anything derogatory about someone, there can be negative consequences. You could be hacked and even bullied yourself. Do not contact anyone you do not know personally. It is very easy for people to make fake profiles.
How do we keep ourselves from Plagiarizing?
Plagiarizing is an academic offense for stealing the ideas and words of other people. Colleges will expel you if you are caught plagiarizing. Be sure to provide citations for all research you do for school projects. Use in text quotations if you want to keep the original wording of the passage. If you are not going to use a quotation rewrite the text in your own words.
What are the Best Search Strategies?
The internet is full of resources, unreliable and reliable. How do we differentiate? There is an option on Google to choose which domain you want to search in.  The best domains are .edu, .org, and .gov. These are usually unbiased and reliable. Read the text critically to see which point of view the article is from before deciding if it is biased.
What are the Best Teaching Strategies?
There are many different learning styles such as visual, audio, kinetic. To be successful a lesson must include various different mediums so it will be interesting. I can use:
·         Prezi- linear flow, shows importance and idea connections
·         Glogster- colorful, poster format
·         Videos- fun and enjoyable to watch
·         Role playing- engaging, allows them to experience different situations

Design Specification:
·         30-40 minutes long  (nearly a class period)
·         Easy to comprehend for 6th, 7th , and 8th graders
·         Interesting and memorable so they will remember to follow the guidelines
·         Includes interactive activities that engage them
·         Short, funny video that concludes the lesson
·         Must appeal to the students
·         Includes a test at the end so students can review their lesson
·         Eye-catching visual with easy to read text
·         Includes new information that the students are not already familiar with
To Test My Presentation:
·         Perform in front of the class and have them give me feedback on what I need to improve before presenting to the students
·         Film myself performing at home and watch it to notice any mistakes or nervous ticks
·         Perform in front of my sister, a 5th grader to see if she comprehends the majority of the information and to see whether the activities are fun for her
·         Ask the students to “grade” me on the lesson so I know what I should work on if I were to do it again
Resources:

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Design Cycle

The design cycle is a method and model by which we investigate, plan, create, and evaluate in order to solve a problem. We follow the design cycle in Design Technology class so that our projects are organized and well documented. It prevents confusion and when followed correctly ensures thorough work. Each section of the design cycle comprises of multiple steps.

During Investigation, we research our topic and determine how we are going to solve it. We must restate the topic  in our own words to identify the problem. Then we write the design brief about what we are going to make, who is it for, and why we are going to make it. The design brief should be detailed and specific. From there, we begin to research our task. During the research stage, we can do a product analysis, brainstorm, research materials, construction techniques, interviews, surveys, or biographies. We do not need to do all of them just the ones that apply to the current project. References must be sited. Finally, we write a design specification. This is very important and should include what we learned from research  requirements, and constraints of the project.

Next, is the design stage. You must draw or make at least three unique designs and judge them against the design specification. The designs must be fully annotated with materials, parts, function, features, ergonomics,  aesthetics, and construction techniques. Then you choose the best design and justify your choice.

In the planning stage, you create a step by step guide with pictures so that others can attempt to follow your ideas. Write a materials list and indicate the tools and techniques you will use. Finally, write a timeline for getting things done or a Grantt Chart. Evaluate your plan about whether it is easy to follow, logical, and a good use of time and resources.

It's time to create! Make your product and keep a process journal. Write your problems, how to solve them, what you have achieved, and what you want to achieve in the next class. Try to make the best product you can.

Evaluation is the last stage of the design cycle. You will each stage of the design cycle. Where you efficient with your time? Did you work to the best of your abilities? Evaluate your work against the learner profile. Then test your product. Does it fit the design specification?

Good luck! :)