Spotlight on the 1995
SIGTel
Online Award Winners
Technopals Novel
Study
Aaron
Benarroch
Cathi Hill
Brock Corydon
School
510 Corydon Ave.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J ON6 Canada
Paragraph Summary of
Lesson Plan
Students are provided computers and modems in their homes on loan for
a period
of five weeks. Assignments are provided to these students that
parallel and
enrich studies in the classroom. Assignments are completed from their
homes
and emailed to peers and teachers for evaluation. Students print their
completed
work from home on the schools printer in the computer lab. A team
consisting
of the classroom and computer teacher, principal, and support staff
communicate
with the Technopal Students from their home or school computers.
Technopals
Novel Study explores the use of telecommunications to stimulate
interest and
discussion in literature. Using journal responses, students react to
questions
and elicit reaction to the questions through e–mail. They also
communicate
electronically to individuals in other parts of the country who have
expertise
in the field they are studying.
Objectives of
Lesson
- To enhance home and school participation in school curricula.
- To increase the use of computers in elementary grades.
- To determine the influence of home/school participation in
learning and
achievement.
- To provide a more intensive approach to school projects by
extending the
school day.
- To enrich the novel study by using telecommunications as a means
of discussion
and analysis.
- To encourage cooperative learning by assigning students to
communicate their
thoughts through telecommunications.
- To go beyond the assistance of the classroom teacher to include
other staff
and individuals from around the world.
- To integrate basic skills and vocabulary building.
- To understand the basic elements of a novel by working through
character
and plot analysis.
- To stimulate interpretation of a story rather than retell.
Hardware/Software
Needed
We are currently using Windows for Work Groups 3.11, high-speed
modems, (14.4
kbps), and 486 processors with 8 MB of RAM.
Telecommunications
Resources Needed
or Recommended
We are using eight phone lines into the computer lab and a digi board
that
allows for multiple com ports on the WAN server. The multiple phone
lines ensure
easy dial up access to students parents and staff.
Importance (Role) of
Telecommunications
in this Plan
The Technopals Novel Study uses telecommunications to its fullest
potential.
Linking the home and school through technology allows students at a
young age
to realize the potential of telecommunications in learning. It
broadens their
perspective by enabling them to access resources beyond the walls of
the classroom.
Curriculum Area(s)
Involved
The Technopals Novel Study concentrates on reading, writing,
spelling, and
art. Social studies and science are often integrated into the
lessons.
Grade Level(s)
Targeted
Grades 3–6
Class Management
Strategies
Coordination of the novel study includes a staff team of classroom
teacher,
librarian, computer teacher, and principal.
Class Time
Required
Class time is used for teaching technology skills involved in
accessing the
Internet, information from a remote site, and sending and receiving
e-mail.
The novel studies are part of the daily lesson plans of the entire
class.
Print Materials
Needed
All assignments are sent electronically. A novel is required.
Procedures/Activities
Students are sent questions electronically twice a week. These
questions elicit
journal responses to the novel being read in the classroom. They must
consult,
by e-mail, with another Technopal to answer each question. Having
completed
the questions they then read the other students' answers and ask
additional
questions about their responses. Interpretation of the story may
include art
and students are asked to use a computer art program to draw their
responses.
Access to CD-ROM encyclopedias are available and may be used as an
additional
resource. Through the Internet, students are asked to seek opinions
from other
individuals that are knowledgeable on the subject being studied.
Method(s) for Evaluating
Student
Achievement of Objectives
Students’ assignments are evaluated by the teacher. The
efficacy of the
Technopals Project as a whole is being evaluated through surveys of
teachers
and parents and through an analysis of student logs which indicate
type of activity
and time spent on the computer.
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