MULTIMEDIA MILLENNIUM MEMORIES
An Introduction to the World of Technology

C & I 335 Major Project Proposal
by
Becky Trieger, Sue Cooper, Jennifer Haberkorn,
Paulette Sallas and Zan Brixey

PROCEDURES:

The first component will identify applications and hardware necessary to complete the unit of study. Appropriate web sites and software will be identified, computer generated templates for data entry will be created, and daily activities will be outlined. Once templates are made and loaded onto the computer, teachers (or students, depending on age and ability) will insert photographs or artwork which will serve as the prompt for student writing contributions. Individual student pages will be stored in folders for easy access by the children.

Software applications we plan to use include, but are not limited to, The Print Shop Ensemble III, Creative Photo Albums, HyperStudio, Kid Pix, Photo Shop, Flash-It,  PowerPoint, and Children's Encyclopedia CD. We expect to use the following hardware: a digital camera, Quick Cam, scanner, MAC/PC, audio recording equipment, printer, LTV hookup, television, and a traditional camera.

Each lesson will require the students to observe the demonstration of a particular IT tool (or actually use it if they are capable), add brief written commentary relevant to the page theme, edit, embellish and publish their work. The use of templates is intended to focus the student's learning on the technological tool rather than the theme of the scrapbook page. The templates will provide backgrounds and layouts so that the students can easily complete the page utilizing the tool or technique they are learning about (i.e. adding text by typing entry into a preset text box or adding a scanned image into a preset image box). If necessary, the teacher will add digital and scanned images into each student's folder to simplify the process for younger learners. Students can work in groups, individually or with the teacher depending on what is appropriate for a particular class.

Lessons listed below do not need to be completed in any particular order. The templates will be available so they can be utilized whenever appropriate during the course of the school year.

TECHNICAL TIPS:

The second component of the project will be a reference for teachers giving instruction on a variety of technologies, including both hardware and technology.

The rationale is as follows…The CEO Forum on Education and Technology (www.CEOforum.org) has been in the practice of assessing the nation's progress toward integrating technology into American classrooms through the year 2000. Although the percentage of schools using technology wisely has nearly doubled in a year, more than half still fall short. What it takes is not spending more dollars on technology, but training teachers how and when to use the computers and online resources now available in the schools. The training needs to be ongoing and not limited to “one shot workshops” which tend to lack any real follow-up.

With that in mind, this proposal will introduce “Techie Tips,” quick start guides that accompany the specific hardware and software that the teacher already has. Techie Tips will be created for each tool that is utilized in the project, to include step by step directions for the user to follow. It is hoped that not only will teachers and students utilize the guides but also parent volunteers and senior citizens, as well. To have a set of simple directions (not like the typical documentation that accompanies the tool) will be motivating to the user to venture into the unknown! It would be ideal to provide each teacher with a notebook in which to organize the Techie Tips, thereby ensuring the filing away of the directions for future use.

While workshops are fine in their own way, it would be gratifying for the techie users to have easy to follow directions at their fingertips, ready to use!

EVALUATION:

The final component of the project is evaluation. The students will use a checklist to create each page of their electronic scrapbook and a rubric for evaluation. Before they begin each entry, they will review the rubric and  suggestions and/or changes can be made before work starts. After the students are finished with a particular entry , they will use the rubric to assess their product. The teacher will also use the same rubric. A meaningful discussion can take place as the child and teacher share the rubrics. Upon the completion of all 8 lessons, a PowerPoint presentation of their scrapbooks can be shown at a celebration that includes fellow students, parents, and additional staff members interested in using this interactive approach for introducing IT tools.

The teachers will also keep narrative documentation of each lesson. This review could be divided into sections such as: ease of use of technology, success of student participation, content of lesson, time limits, and suggestions for  future implementation. These written observations could be shared by electronic mail with all project participants. Such commentary would be the foundation for  sharing and learning among us.

The "Techie Tips" section will be posted on the web. Feedback will be encouraged and collected by an email link. Comments could be discussed weekly and modifications made when needed.

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