Purpose
The purpose for this site is to explore ways that my third grade students can be more globally aware. Throughout this inquiry, I investigate different ways to use technology to help students communicate with other students in different countries in a meaningful, authentic way. I also explore different ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. This includes technology I can use to teach and explain the unit and technology students can use to complete their projects.
Process
1. Investigate online resources for classroom pen pals and international collaboration.
2. Investigate different technologies students can use for their projects.
3. Create Lesson plans including separate handouts, presentations etc. Set up classroom blog and any other online resource that is to be used during unit.
4. Work on PLN by uploading lesson plans and including required sections.
5. Create presentation.
2. Investigate different technologies students can use for their projects.
3. Create Lesson plans including separate handouts, presentations etc. Set up classroom blog and any other online resource that is to be used during unit.
4. Work on PLN by uploading lesson plans and including required sections.
5. Create presentation.
Introductory StatementWHAT I WANT TO STUDY
I want to study how to help students understand other cultures by communicating and collaborating with members of other communities and cultures. I want to help students with this task by providing them with authentic ways to communicate with students from around the world using technology. I will be researching different instructional strategies that will help students become more globally aware. I will also be researching how to use different technologies to complete these goals. RATIONALE This inquiry will impact me by helping me become more efficient and effective when it comes to using different technologies in the classroom. My students will benefit from my increased knowledge by seeing more technology used in the classroom. They will also get to use more technology in the classroom since I will have a better sense of how to teach them these technologies. Students will also become more globally aware and perhaps more understanding of different cultures and ways of life. Throughout this unit, students will also get practice using technology to communicate with people around the world, to create a project for class, and to collaborate with their classmates. GOALS
STEPS TO MEET GOALS
STANDARDS Language Arts 6. With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others. Social Studies 4. Physical and political maps have distinctive characteristics and purposes. Places can be located on a map by using the title, key, alphanumeric grid and cardinal directions. 5. Daily life is influenced by the agriculture, industry and natural resources in different communities. 7. Systems of transportation and communication move people, products and ideas from place to place. 8. Communities may include diverse cultural groups. ImpactAT THE BEGINNING OF THE INQUIRY
I see this inquiry impacting me by opening my eyes to the amount of instructional technologies that are available to me as an educator. I think that there are probably a lot of resources that help educators teach global awareness that I have never heard of. I would like to take the time to see what is out there. I also want a better understanding about how to teach this concept to students in a way they understand. I am joining this inquiry because the reading intervention that I teach includes many books that take place in other countries. My third graders are always so interested in learning more about these people and places. After talking with them it is clear that they have little understanding of places and people that are different from themselves. It is hard for them to truly understand these concepts because they do not have a good foundation to learn about different cultures. However, since the students are are very curious to learn, I think this unit would be very engaging for them. I want to have a unit that helps students get a better understanding of what it means to be a global citizen so that our class discussions can have a deeper meaning. I hope to finish this inquiry being more efficient and effective in new instructional technologies-specifically those that help teach global awareness. I also hope to get a better sense of how students learn these concepts and how to teach them in an authentic and meaningful way. I hope that once I complete the unit and the students are able to participate in it, that they get out of it a better sense of global awareness. I also hope that they become more confident in using technology in the classroom. AFTER THE INQUIRY After completing this inquiry, I am glad to report that I feel better prepared to teach students about culture by incorporating different instructional technologies in the classroom. There are many different resources available online that do a good job teaching students about global awareness through active communication with students and teachers all over the world. By using these resources, students are able to define culture for themselves by learning through inquiry. Continue on to the reflection page to learn more about my learning process during this inquiry. |