32
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Exit Portfolio
By Deborah Criss
Table of Contents
Table of Contents______2
Letter to Reviewer______3
Resume______4
Internet Safety Voice Thread (EDIL 619)______6
Link and Location______6
Introductory Description______6
Internet Safety Handout______6
Reflective Statement______7
Dewey Decimal System Web Quest (EDUC 621)______7
Link and Location______7
Introductory Description______7
Reflective Statement______7
Action Research Project (EDUC 611)______9
Introductory Description______9
Paper______9
Reflective Statement______19
Interactive Instruction Lesson (EDEL 616)______20
Introductory Description______20
Project Location______20
Reflective Statement______20
Technology Integration Project (Created through EDUC 621)______21
Kid Blog Introduction______21
Kid Blog Lesson Plan for Grades 3-4______21
Kid Blog Reflection______24
Core Course Questions______24
EDUC 611______24
EDUC 621______26
EDUC 628______27
EDUC 680______28
Personal Evaluation of Portfolio______32
Letter to Reviewer
Deborah Criss
2012 Houston St.
Ashland, KY 41102
April 11, 2014
Christopher Miller
Professor of Education and Chair
Department of Foundational and Graduate Studies in Education
Morehead State University
503 Ginger Hall
Morehead, KY 40351
Dear Dr. Miller and Review Committee:
My name is Deborah Criss. I am a Morehead State Alumnus and am grateful for the opportunity to again come to Morehead to complete my Rank 1. The graduate classes I have completed were very relevant to today’s educational technology needs. My projects were beneficial to my current job assignment, and I feel they have adequately prepared me for a future in Technology.
Three technology based assignments were included in my portfolio. These assignments include a professional development for parents, a lesson on the Dewey Decimal System that I have used in my current role as K-5 librarian, and an interactive Power Point that I have used in my periodic position as high school credit recovery teacher. The lesson plan I included was also produced through requirements for a class assignment. It is an ongoing blog that students continue to add posts and responses to throughout the year. My final piece is my action research plan. I included this assignment because it pushed me to extend outside my comfort zone in planning and teaching, and evaluate myself on a higher scale.
Below you will find the contents of my exit portfolio. It is my pleasure to present it to you. I hope you will find it acceptable for the requirements of graduation from the program. Thank you for your time reviewing it.
Sincerely,
Deborah Criss
Library Media Specialist
Ponderosa Elementary School
Resume
2012 Houston St.Ashland, Ky 41102 / Phone 606-922-5964
Deborah Criss
Objective / Applying for graduation from Morehead State University with an Education Technology Master of Arts in Education and Rank 1 completion.Education / 1999 – 2004 Morehead State University Morehead, KY
BS: Geology
§ Minor in Environmental Science
§ Minor in Coaching
2005 – 2007 Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY
MS: Library Media Education
2012 – Present Morehead State University Morehead, KY
MA: Educational Technology (In Progress)
Professional experience / 2006 – Present Ponderosa Elementary School Catlettsburg, KY
Librarian
Duties performed include: teaching library skills, genres, and technology skills. Chairing book fairs. Also budgeted, ordered, cataloged, repaired, and shelved books. Teaching drama as part of Arts and Humanities curriculum. Creating and presenting professional development opportunities to district staff. Serving yearly on school committees and the Arts and Humanities professional learning community.
2011 – Present
School Technology Coordinator
Duties performed include: maintaining the school website, attending monthly meetings, technology integration assistance, and informing staff of technology updates.
2013 – Present
Student Technology Leadership Program Sponsor
Duties performed include: teaching technology skills, creating lesson plans, school radio broadcast supervision and maintenance, chaperoning Regional competition, and working with students once a week after school.
2013 – Present
Site Base Council Member
Duties performed include attending monthly meetings, approving school budgets, being a voice to parent and teacher concerns on the council.
2004 – 2006 Ramey-Estep High School Rush, KY
Part Time Librarian
Duties performed include: Ordering, cataloging, repairing, and shelving books. Took pictures at school events.
2004 – Present (periodically)
Credit Recovery Teacher
Duties performed include: Preparing lesson plans and assigning grades.
References / Matt Spade Principal Ponderosa Elementary School
16701 Ponderosa Dr. Catlettsburg, KY 41129
Work: 606-928-2330
Ann Brewster Principal Ramey-Estep HS
2901 Pigeon Roost Rd. Rush, KY
Work: 606-928-5801
Barbara Ballash Librarian Ramey-Estep HS
406 Bellefonte Princess Rd, Russell, KY
Work: 606-928-5801 Home: 606-329-0360
Awards received / Morehead State University: Regional Honors Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, Dean’s List
Western Kentucky University: Sarah Gilbert Garris Scholarship
Morehead State University: Outstanding Graduate Student (M.A.) in Educational Technology Program
Philosophy of Teaching / I believe young people are our future. They need responsible, passionate, good role models to educate and lead them. A teacher should be knowledgeable of the subject matter, possess skills to teach it in many different ways, and have a passion for student learning and comprehension. The teacher should be willing to motivate, and challenge students while understanding that not all students are on the same level or learn in the same way. As a librarian, I teach a lot of research skills. Several ways I am used to presenting activities and information include using worksheets, computers, iPads, PowerPoint, Online programs and hands on experience. My goals are to encouraging reading, a love of lifelong learning, and provide technology experience to students and colleagues.
Internet Safety Voice Thread Link
https://voicethread.com/share/4383320/
This link is also available on the website titled: Internet Safety Voice Thread.
Internet Safety Introductory Description
This presentation was created as a project related to my current job assignment as a librarian, professional development presenter, and leader in my school.
Internet Safety is a new pressing concern for our children today. There are many benefits to growing up online. However, there are risks associated with online behavior as well. Parents need to know how they can protect their children from online risks. Teachers have professional development to keep them up to date with the latest trends in education. Schools need to provide “parent development” to keep parents up to date with the latest trends and information as well. Presentations like this one can be offered through schools to parents to give them useful resources and information to make well-informed parental decisions regarding the Internet.
Voice Thread is a free online tool that can be used to create video presentations. With Voice Thread you can create and share conversations around documents, pictures, diagrams, and videos. You can talk, type, and draw right on the screen. I used Power Point slides, pictures, and recorded my script all using this program and the Internet.
Internet Safety Handout
Learn More about Online Safety
PBS Video: FRONTLINE: Growing Up Online http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/etc/synopsis.html
www.getnetwise.org
www.internetsafety101.org
O'Keeffe, Gwen Schurgin. The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families. American Academy of Pediatrics. (2011): Web. 23 June 2013. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/4/800.full
Internet Safety Reflection
What I like most about this presentation and Voice Thread in particular, is that it can be posted online for people to watch at their leisure. Maybe someone could not make the meeting, or wanted to watch the presentation again with their children at home.
Cyber bullying has become a big problem with the increasing popularity of social media and students being online. Education and prevention of Cyber bullying is something that I have become rather passionate about. As a School Technology Coordinator (STC) at my school, I am responsible for seeing to it that Internet Safety is taught to all the grades. As a librarian, who sees all the grades every week, I specifically can teach those lessons. This past year, I made sure Cyber bullying was addressed and students knew what it was, how to prevent it, but also actions to take when it does occur.
Voice Thread is the next program I plan to give professional development training on this summer to the teachers in my district. This presentation will be presented as an example of possible products the program can produce.
This assignment reflects the following standards:
Professional Leadership and Vision
Engages in Professional Development
Collaboration with colleagues and parents.
Implementation of Technology
Productivity and Professional Practice
Social, Ethical, Legal, and Human Issues
Dewey Decimal System Web Quest Link
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=185654
This link is also available on the website titled: Dewey Decimal System Web Quest.
Web Quest Introductory Discussion
Every year I teach a range of lessons on the Dewey Decimal System to all grades (K-5) at Ponderosa Elementary School. In EDUC 621 we were given the task of creating lessons using available technology programs. I decided I wanted to do a Web Quest because I had not done one in years. The last time I created a Web Quest, I got bogged down in HTML code and it was not worth the headache to create. In class, we were told there were many online programs that created the HTML code for us, we just had to plug in content and publish it. Through online research, I came across the (mostly) free program of Zunal. I say mostly free, because you can only create one project with each email registered, beyond that you must pay a fee. Zunal was very easy to register and use. Clip art, links, documents, videos, and pictures can all be uploaded to the site. I even gave a professional development presentation to my district on it last summer and received a lot of enthusiasm about the program.
This lesson started off as an entirely paper based lesson. Students were lectured about Melvil Dewey using page one of the Adobe document. Then students were given the handout of the 10 sections of the Dewey Decimal System to have as a reference, page 2 of the Adobe document. Students were then given page 3 of the Adobe document, “What Dewey Divisions?” The first 15 would be done together as a class, having students raise their hands to provide the answers. In this way I would gauge student understanding of the assignment. The task for the students to do on their own was to use the DDS handout to match the Dewey divisions to questions 16-30.
The current technology based lesson has students manipulating their way through the pages of an online WebQuest. Students are to follow 3 links to information relevant to the assignment as well as follow a link to print off their handout. Students are gaining the same information provided from the initial assignment about Melvil Dewey, the 10 categories of the Dewey Decimal System, and using that knowledge to classify subjects into their Dewey Division. Through the new incantation of this assignment, students also gain Internet skills, computer skills, and group work skills. The new assignment also better addresses student learning diversities by providing small group discussion, peer tutoring, and picture explanations for each Dewey division.
Web Quest Reflective Statement
This Web Quest was a great way to have third and fourth grade students become familiar with Melvil Dewey and the Dewey Decimal System. It also integrated computers and web skills. The web quest process has clear steps to follow and questions to answer. I was able to incorporate everything I use during my typical lessons into online media including content, learning targets, handout, and rubric. Having it online in this format made the content and delivery more relevant to my students. Students were also able to browse and work through at their own pace which kept them on task and able to take ownership of their learning. My students love to work with computers, and really enjoyed this Web Quest.
This assignment reflects the following standards:
Demonstrates Knowledge of Content
Designs, Plans, and develops teaching, learning and the curriculum
Plans and Designs Learning Climate
Implementation of Technology
Procedures for technology environments
Action Research Paper Introductory Description
As a librarian, I enjoy seeing students enjoy the books they are reading. However, it seems there are fewer and fewer students choosing to read for fun as they get older. I wanted to research what the reason for that is. Is it activities outside of school such as sports and video games taking time away from reading? Are the students just not finding stuff that they want to read? Can I generate interest in reading through lessons designed to introduce new reading material? This action research project was designed to study how students were selecting reading material, how I could impact their reading interests, and if the amount of time spent reading each week could be increased.
Action Research Paper
Impacting Student Reading Interests
The Effect of Reading with Students,
Reading Logs, and Book Previews
on Student Reading Interests
and Accelerated Reader Points
in a Fourth Grade Classroom.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to see how reading logs, and book previews impact student reading interests, time spent reading, and Accelerated Reader points over a nine week period in a fourth grade classroom consisting of 21 students. The main goals were to increase student reading interests, amount of time spent reading, and accumulation of Accelerated Reader points through student reading logs, book previews, and read arounds. This study showed no significant impact on student accumulation of Accelerated Reader points. Student reading interests were impacted during the week of the performed intervention, but then went back to previous interests levels. The study did not appear to steer students to other books with similar topics. The amount of time students read each week increased for the first four weeks of the intervention but then leveled off. Positive results were achieved with reluctant readers however. Two reluctant readers increased their Accelerated Reader points and one that had not yet read anything began reading.
Reflection
I’m an elementary school librarian in the state of Kentucky. I service grades K-5 for one hour each week in the library. During that time we do a30-40 minute lesson and then check out two library books for them to take home. At my school, students gain reading skills in each grade, most gradually graduating to chapter books by the third grade. In the 3rd grade, students are very avid readers. Most are getting at least one chapter book a week, reading that book, and taking an Accelerated Reader test on it. In the school wide Accelerated Reader contest, there is always at least one 3rd grade student in the top three for the school. But this hunger for books drops off significantly in the 4th and 5th grades. I see many students check out and in books without even opening them to read that week. Or worse, their book has a bookmark in it, showing they’ve been reading it, but they just remove the bookmark and turn it in—without finishing the book. Fourth and fifth grade students supposedly should be on a higher reading level than third grade students, yet many third grade students are accumulating far higher Accelerated Reading points than the upper grades. This has been shown by analyzing student Accelerated Reader points by grade. What is it that is leading to this drop in reading?