K-12 Application Software
Technology, Teaching, and Learning
An Online Graduate Course
Course Description
This course highlights application software used in the K-12 curriculum. An emphasis is placed on student use and teacher productivity. Teachers will work with integrated application programs and their components, graphics programs, and desktop publishing software to integrate the applications into various curriculum areas.
Course Objectives
Educators will develop the ability to integrate application software into the curriculum.
  • The student will compare and contrast the ADDIE and ASSURE Models.
  • The student will create a lesson plan integrating instructional hardware and software.
  • The student will design instructional activities for teachers and K-12 students.
  • The student will produce a professional development session based on adult learning theory.
  • The student will evaluate various communication tools and instructional design models, evaluate them, and relate them to classroom learning situations.
  • The student will incorporate the appropriate skills to conduct a successful mentor activity.
  • The student will assess the relevance of various professional journals and organizations, then join the most appropriate.
  • The student will revise and implement software, hardware, and Web site evaluation forms.
  • The student will locate and evaluate software appropriate to curriculum area.
  • The student will review and critique emerging technologies.
  • The student will incorporate emerging technologies into K-12 activities.
  • The student will compare and contrast various types of multimedia software.
  • The student will generate a digital media piece to promote a specific subject area topic.
  • The student will produce and revise multimedia presentations for education settings
  • The student will evaluate the importance of implementing assistive technology to meet the needs of all learners.
  • The student will incorporate technology into the curriculum to promote inclusion.
  • The student will design activities that incorporate adaptive hardware and software for students and teachers with special needs.
  • The student will design online tutorials for students and teachers to use as a lesson or review of at least 3 software skills.
  • The student will generate activities that will develop K-12 students' abilities to use application software as a tool.
  • The student will design activities to assist students in developing the skill to select appropriate application(s) for given task or problem.
  • The student will identify and critique productivity software resources.
  • The student will compose educational resources using application programs for professional productivity, word processing, spreadsheets, database, HTML, desktop publishing, Web editors, and others.
Curriculum Design
This course will emphasize integrating application software into the K-12 curriculum and teacher productivity. Students will work with integrated application programs and their components, graphics programs, and desktop publishing software.Modules will be completed one per week. This is an online sixty-hour, three credit graduate level course that is completed over a thirteen-week period.
Hardware and Computer Skill Requirements
Students may use either a Macintosh computer or PC with Windows 2000 or higher. Students should possess basic word processing skills and have Internet access with an active e-mail account. Students must have access to either Microsoft Office 2000, XP,2003, or 2007. Students also are expected to have a basic knowledge of how to use a Web browser, such as Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, or America Online (AOL). Internet Explorer is the recommended browser for this course. To download a browser at no cost, visit one of the following websites: Netscape.com; Microsoft.com, or AOL.com.
Course Materials
The required text for this course is “Teacher Centered Professional Development” by Gabriel Diaz-Maggioli (2004).The textbook and an extensive Recommended Reading List will be provided for all students. In addition, online readings and website reviews (including journal articles and best practices from the body of educational research) will be assigned during the course to enhance learning. These readings will be presented as annotated websites within the course content.
Module Outline
Module 1: Instructional Design
Objective: Students will incorporate instructional design models when designing professional development activities.
Contents:
1. Compare and contrast the ADDIE and ASSURE Models.
2. Design and facilitate a professional development session based on either the ADDIE or ASSURE model.
Module 2: Conducting Professional Development
Objective: Students will demonstrate ability to design and facilitate a professional development session based on best practices.
Contents:
1. Plan a professional development session based on adult learning theory.
2. Compare and contrast delivery modes.
3. Design professional developments to develop a community of learning.
Module 3: Mentoring
Objective: Students will plan, model, and critique a mentoring program.
Contents:
1. Outline characteristics of essential mentoring skills, stages, and models.
2. Facilitate a mentoring partnership.
Module 4: Importance of Professional Growth
Objective: Students will critique various methods of professional development.
Contents:
1. Review the relevance of various professional journals.
2. Compare and contrast professional organizations and join the most appropriate.
Module 5: Evaluating Technology
Objective: Students will compare and contrast various types of educational technology components.
Contents:
1. Revise and implement software, hardware, and Web site evaluation forms.
2. Locate and evaluate software appropriate to curriculum area.
Module 6: Emerging Technologies
Objective: Students will formulate methods to integrate emerging technologies into the K-12 curriculum.
Contents:
1. Review and critique emerging technologies.
2. Incorporate emerging technologies into K-2 activities.
Module 7: Using Digital Media to Make Curriculum Relevant
Objective: Students will design a digital media piece to promote a specific subject area topic.
Contents:
1. Compare and contrast various types of multimedia software including presentation software, Web design, and graphics programs.
2. Generate a digital media piece to promote a specific subject area topic.
Module 8: Inclusion and Technology
Objective: Students will describe the role technology plays in classroom inclusion.
Contents:
1. Recognize importance of implementing assistive technology to meet the needs of all learners.
2. Generate ideas for incorporating technology into the curriculum to promote inclusion.
Module 9: Online Tutorials
Objective: Demonstrate ability to design and create online software tutorials for both students and teachers.
Contents:
1. Critique online tutorials.
2. Design online tutorials for students and teachers to use as a lesson or review of at least 3 software skills.
Module 10: Productivity Resources
Objective: Integrate various online and student created materials to create a productivity software resource for teachers.
Contents:
1. Identify and critique productivity software resources.
2. Decide on quality appropriate resources to create a productivity resource for teachers.
Student Requirements
  1. Students write and submit weekly reflections. 30 points
  2. Students design, implement, and evaluate a professional development session. 100 points
  3. Students form and evaluate a mentor / mentee partnership with a colleague. 50 points
  4. Students evaluate software and Websites using a self created evaluation form. 50 points
  5. Students design a digital media piece to promote a specific subject area topic. 100 points
  6. Students create online tutorials and productivity resources. 100 points
Grading Scale
100-93 A
92-85 B
84-77 C
Student Academic Integrity
Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.
Bibliography
Online Resources
Five Easy Ways to Integrate Computers Into the Health Science/Physical Education Curriculum
Elements of Effective Mentoring
An Educator's Guide to Evaluating The Use of Technology in Schools and Classrooms
Challenges and Strategies in Using Technology to Promote Education Reform
Evaluating Instructional Technology
Evaluating Web Pages
Inclusion Daily Express
Adult Learning Theory
The Theory of Adult Learning
National Staff Development Council
Designing Staff Development That Makes A Difference
ADDIE Based 5 Step Method Towards Instructional Design
ADDIE Template
The ASSURE Model
The ASSURE Template