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Data,
Information, Knowledge, Wisdom
by David Moursund
Data, information, knowledge, and wisdom form a
scale, although a rather peculiar scale. The points
on the scale are not closely related even though
they are often talked about at the same time. In
this month's editorial, David talks about the scale
and how it is being affected by information
technologies.
Back
to Table of Contents.
L&L
Volume 26 Index
The index to volume 26 of Learning &
Leading With Technology
is useful as a professional resource and provides an
overview of
the kinds of articles found in L&L over the
volume year.
Back
to Table of Contents.
Computer-Based
Concept Mapping: A Tool for
Negotiating Meaning
by Lynne Anderson-Inman and
Leslie Ditson
In this feature article, Lynne and Leslie
describe strategies for using computers to enhance
teaching and learning through the process of
electronic concept mapping. Each strategy provides
teachers with step-by-step guidelines for
integrating computer-based concept mapping into the
curriculum and documents how research on the
strategy is yielding promising results.
Read past articles by Lynne:
• “Computer-Based
Concept Mapping: Active Studying for Active Learners”
• “Beyond
Notecards: Synthesizing Information With Electronic Study Tools”
Subject: Concept Mapping
Grade Level: All
Technology: Inspiration®
(Inspiration Software, Inc.)
Back
to Table of Contents.
Creating
a Pictorial Seating Chart
by Richard Mowe
Keeping track of who's who in the classroom,
especially for teachers who have several sections
of a particular class or classes, has just gotten
easier. In this feature article, Richard (a St.
Cloud State University professor) describes how he
combines digital photos with word-processing tables
to create effective seating charts.
Subject: Classroom Management,
Technology
Grade Level: All
Technology: digital camera (Casio),
Microsoft
Word
Back
to Table of Contents.
Engaging
All Students: Real-World Problem Solving
Helps Students “Do” Science
by Ellen Frye
Many students avoid science classes because the
traditional structure seems overwhelming or dry.
But you can engage students in high-level
engineering problems that teach them that they are
good at science.
Subject: Mathematics, Science,
Technology
Grade Level: 9–12 (Ages
14–18)
Technology: a full range, depending on the
project
Standards: NETS 3, 4, 5, and 6. (See
http://cnets.iste.org
for more information on the NETS project.)
Additionally, read Engineering Problem Solving for Mathematics,
Science, and Technology at http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/~teps/
or order a paper copy for $15 from Thayer School of Engineering,
attn: TEPS, Dartmouth College, 8000 Cummings, Hanover, NH 03755-8000.
Back
to Table of Contents.
Aesop
Enters the Mathematical World
by Janet M. Scholz
Tired of story problems that bore your students?
For this mathematical exploration, Janet adapted
“The Hare and the Tortoise” to interest
students in
mathematical modeling.
Subject: Prealgebra to Precalculus
Grade Level: 7–12 (Ages
12–18)
Technology: TI-83 graphing calculator and
TI-Graph Link (Texas
Instruments)
Standards: NETS 3 and 5. (See
http://cnets.iste.org
for more information on the NETS project.)
NCTM 1, 2, and 8. (See www.nctm.org
for more information on NCTM standards.)
Back
to Table of Contents.
Making
It Work: Using Technology in a Classroom for Young
Children with Multiple Disabilities
by Barbara Pratt
Technology can do wonders for students with
special needs. In this article, Barbara describes
how technology has improved her students'
development in many areas and how it has improved
her teaching and time management. She describes the
various technologies that she uses and provides
links for more information on them.
Subject: Early Childhood, Special Needs,
Multiple Disabilities
Grade Level: Prekindergarten through Grade 2
(Ages 3–7)
Technology: Intellikeys, Intellipics, and
Overlay Maker (Intellitools);
BIGmack
(AbleNet); American Sign
Language Dictionary and Boardmaker (Mayer-Johnson); Bailey's Book House and
Millie's Math House (Edmark); Best of kidTECH and Five Little
Ducks (SoftTouch/kidTECH); Kid Pix and Printshop
(Brøderbund, a division of
The Learning Company); Reader Rabbit's Toddler (The Learning Company); Touch window (KeyTec)
Standards: NETS 1 and 2. (See
http://cnets.iste.org
for more information on the NETS project.)
Back
to Table of Contents.
Electronic
Versus Paper: Do Children Learn from Stories on the
Computer?
by Melanie Fernandez
Many educators believe that children should be
read to from a bvery early age. But does the reader
have to be human? While working with young
students, Melanie began studying their reactions to
and learning from electronic storybooks. The
electronic books held students' attention, and
students retained more information from them.
Subject: Reading
Grade Level: Prekindergarten through Grade 2
(Ages 3–7)
Technology: Electronic storybooks
Standards: NETS 1. (See http://cnets.iste.org
for more information on the NETS project.)
Back
to Table of Contents.
Exploring
Data Warehouses
by Glen Bull, Gina Bull, and
Hollylynne Drier
Finding good data can be a challenge for even
the
most experienced researcher. In this month’s
Mining
the Internet column, Glen, Gina, and Hollylynne
show how to find and use good, educationally sound
data sets that are made available by corporations
and educational institutions.
Subject: Mathematics, Science, Data
Processing
Grade Level: All
Technology: Internet/Web, spreadsheet
software (e.g., Microsoft
Excel or Works, AppleWorks)
Back
to Table of Contents.
Assessing
Current Technology Use in the Classroom: A Key to
Efficient Staff Development and Technology
Planning
by Christopher Moersch
Christopher has created a framework for
assessing teachers' current technology use and for
planning staff development to raise their levels.
And he used the Levels of Technology Implementation
(LoTi) framework to assess teachers in the Los
Angeles Unified School District. Follow his model
in assessing your own teachers. Contact Christopher
at chris@learning-quest.com
to learn more about the research instrument.
Subject: Technology Staff Development
Grade Level: K–12 teachers
Read:
• “Levels
of Technology Implementation (LoTi): A Framework for Measuring Classroom
Technology Use”
• “Levels
of Technology Implementation Framework”
• “Sample
Statement from the LoTi Questionnaire”
Back
to Table of Contents.
New
Software Releases
by Judi Mathis Johnson
This month, Judi tells you about:
- Pablo by kidBoard;
- Madeline Classroom Companion: 1st &
2nd
Grade Reading by Creative Wonders, a division of
The
Learning Company;
- Grammar for the Real World by Kaplan and
Knowledge Adventure (call 800.542.4240 for more
information); and
- Inside the GRE, GMAT, & LSAT by
The
Learning Company.
Back
to Table of Contents.
Software
Reviews
by Uche Ukeje and Judi Mathis
Johnson
Uche and Judi review Microsoft's Encarta
Africana.
Microsoft
Corp., One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA
98052; 800.426.9400.
Subject: Social Science
Grade Level: 4–college (Ages
9–adult)
Cost: $69.95
Hardware: Windows PC with Windows 95 or
higher
Software: Two CD-ROMs
Back
to Table of Contents.
Still
More Potential than Performance: Virtual Reality
Research in Special Education
by M. D. Roblyer and Mike Cass
Virtual reality has been described as having
great potential for entertainment and education. So
how close are we to achieving this potential? In
this month's Research Windows column, the authors
explore recent studies of how virtual reality is
being used with students with special needs. They
then close with a discussion of what the future
might hold.
Subject: Special Needs, Virtual
Reality
Grade Level: All
Back
to Table of Contents.
After
the Internet…the Encyclopedia?
by Ashley Blum and Laura
D'Ignazio
(with thanks to
their dads, Scott Blum and Fred D'Ignazio)
L&L and its
contributors spend a lot
of time discussing multimedia from an educator's
viewpoint. In this month's Multimedia Sandbox,
however, we get a refreshing look at the topic from
real users—and the real subject of all of
our discussions—two fourth graders.
Subject: Space Science, Multimedia
Grade Level: 2–6 (Ages
7–11)
Technology: 1999 Grolier Multimedia
Encyclopedia (Grolier
Interactive), Web
Back
to Table of Contents.
Research
It Online: Internet Sites of Reference "Book"
Publishers for the Busy School
Librarian
by Carol Truett
Carol put together a wonderful list of Web sites
to help reference librarians and school media
specialists find the resources they need. Visit
them all and keep your online research skills up to
date.
Back
to Table of Contents.
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