Technology Guidebook for
Educators
Mary A. Klinger, Ed.D
August 24, 2013
Technology Guidebook for Educators
Table of Contents
What is Technology Integration?..................................................................................................................... 5
Bloom’s Taxonomy and Digital Learning ................................................................................................... 7
Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy ................................................................................................................... 11
Evaluating the Integration of Technology ................................................................................................. 11
Technology Use vs. Technology Integration ......................................................................................... 11
Technology Integration Matrix .............................................................................................................. 12
Education 2.0 versus Education 3.0 ....................................................................................................... 13
What do you want to do with Technology? ........................................................................................... 14
Resources to Facilitate Educational Technology ....................................................................................... 15
Learn it in 5 ............................................................................................................................................ 15
The Networked Teacher ........................................................................................................................ 15
History of technology in education........................................................................................................ 16
8 W’s of Information Age Inquiry ......................................................................................................... 16
Student Engagement .............................................................................................................................. 16
Digital Resources ........................................................................................................................................... 17
Classroom Management ............................................................................................................................ 17
Class DoJo ............................................................................................................................................. 17
Collaboration, Communication, and Creativity ......................................................................................... 17
AudioBoo ............................................................................................................................................... 17
BuzzMob................................................................................................................................................ 18
Edmodo .................................................................................................................................................. 18
Ipadio ..................................................................................................................................................... 18
LocaModa .............................................................................................................................................. 18
Padlet & Linoit ...................................................................................................................................... 19
Posterous ............................................................................................................................................... 19
Popplet ................................................................................................................................................... 20
Wideo..................................................................................................................................................... 22
Content Area Resources ............................................................................................................................ 22
3rd World Farmer .................................................................................................................................. 22
City of Materials .................................................................................................................................... 23
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
IWitness ................................................................................................................................................. 23
Mission US: Flight to Freedom ............................................................................................................. 23
Mission US: For Crown or Colony? ...................................................................................................... 24
Tiki-Toki ................................................................................................................................................ 24
Electronic Searching Tools ........................................................................................................................ 24
Gooru ..................................................................................................................................................... 24
Instagrok ................................................................................................................................................ 25
Miscellaneous Resources ........................................................................................................................... 26
I-nigma ................................................................................................................................................... 26
Scvngr .................................................................................................................................................... 27
Organizing and Keeping Notes .................................................................................................................. 27
Evernote ................................................................................................................................................. 27
Remind101.com ..................................................................................................................................... 27
Polling and Surveys ................................................................................................................................... 27
Cel.ly...................................................................................................................................................... 27
Infuse Learning ...................................................................................................................................... 28
PollCode ................................................................................................................................................ 28
Poll Everywhere..................................................................................................................................... 28
Socrative ................................................................................................................................................ 29
Survey Monkey...................................................................................................................................... 29
Presentation Tools for Students and Teachers ........................................................................................... 29
Air Sketch .............................................................................................................................................. 29
Educreations Interactive Whiteboard .................................................................................................... 30
LiveSlide ................................................................................................................................................ 30
Narrable ................................................................................................................................................. 30
Prezi ....................................................................................................................................................... 31
Slide.ly ................................................................................................................................................... 31
Vimeo .................................................................................................................................................... 31
Vittle ...................................................................................................................................................... 32
YouTube for Schools ............................................................................................................................. 32
Resource Collections ................................................................................................................................. 32
CK-12 .................................................................................................................................................... 32
Curriki .................................................................................................................................................... 33
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Graphite ................................................................................................................................................. 33
Learn Zillion .......................................................................................................................................... 33
Tumblr ................................................................................................................................................... 34
Virtual Field Trips ..................................................................................................................................... 34
Moscow-Vladivostok: virtual journey on Google Maps ....................................................................... 34
Steele-Carlin’s virtual field trips blog ................................................................................................... 34
Writing Resources ..................................................................................................................................... 35
Ask, Act, Achieve .................................................................................................................................. 35
BoomWriter ........................................................................................................................................... 35
PicLits .................................................................................................................................................... 35
Spelling City .......................................................................................................................................... 36
Teen Ink ................................................................................................................................................. 36
Unit Plan – Information and Technology Literacy ........................................................................................ 37
Description ................................................................................................................................................. 37
Key Concepts ............................................................................................................................................. 38
Unit Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 39
APPENDIX: Resources for Unit 1: Information and Technology Literacy ............................................. 41
Concept 1: Safe, Ethical, Responsible Use of Technology ................................................................... 41
Concept 2: Legal Issues in the Use of Technology ............................................................................... 41
Concept 3: Digital Etiquette and Cyberbullying ................................................................................... 42
Concept 4: Learning and Collaborating with Technology .................................................................... 44
Note: All sources are referenced within the document. Additional information for some resources can be
found in the Reference section.
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Technology integration is the use of
technology resources in daily
classroom practices, and in the
management of a school. Successful
technology integration is achieved
when the use of technology is:
 Routine and transparent
 Accessible and readily available
for the task at hand
 Supporting the curricular goals,
and helping the students to
effectively reach their goals.
When technology integration is at its
best, a child or a teacher doesn't stop
to think that he or she is using a
technology tool -- it is second nature.
And students are often more actively
engaged in projects when technology
tools are a seamless part of the
learning process.
(Edutopia, 2007)
What is Technology Integration?
One of the biggest challenges facing educators is distinguishing
between using technology and integrating technology. The key to
integration is that technology must become a tool that is as
commonly and easily used as a pencil or eyeglasses. This section
features resources that specifically define technology integration.
Models of technology integration include the SAMR and TPACK
models. These are explained on the Edutopia website.
The SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification,
Redefinition) model, created by Dr. Ruben Puentudura, guides the
process of reflecting on how we are integrating technology into our
classrooms. The ultimate goal of technology integration is to
completely redefine how we teach and learn, and to do things that
we never could before the technology was in our hands. For more
information, you can watch a series of podcasts by Dr. Puentudura,
visit his blog, or read Dr. Puentudura's paper on the model (PDF)
(Edutopia, 2007).
"Effective integration of technology is
achieved when students are able to
select technology tools to help them
obtain information in a timely manner,
analyze and synthesize the information,
and present it professionally. The
technology should become an integral
part of how the classroom functions -as accessible as all other classroom
tools." -- NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL
TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS FOR
STUDENTS, INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY
FOR TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
Technology Integration is the
use of technology tools in general
content areas in education in order
to allow students to apply
computer and technology skills to
learning and problem-solving.
Generally speaking, the
curriculum drives the use of
technology and not vice versa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/
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Image © 2012, by Dr. Ruben Puentudura
Technology Guidebook for Educators
The TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content
Knowledge) framework lays out the knowledge that
educators need in order to successfully integrate
technology into their teaching. The TPACK website
provides a large collection of free resources for
teachers and other instructional leaders (Edutopia,
2007).
A search for technology integration or educational
technology reveals mountains of information. Some
wise words about these topics are sprinkled throughout
this guidebook.
Image © 2012, by TPACK
Wise Words about Technology Integration
Using technology to enhance the educational process involves more than just learning how to
use specific piece of hardware and software. It requires an understanding of pedagogical
principles that are specific to the use of
technology in an instructional setting
(Diaz & Bontembal, 2000).
When you go to the hardware store to buy a drill, you don’t actually want a drill,
you want a hole, they don’t sell holes at the hardware store,
but they do sell drills, which are the technology used to make holes.
We must not lose sight that technology for the most part
is a tool and it should be used in applications
which address educational concerns.
(Fletcher, 1996, p. 87)
Technology integration is the incorporation of technology resources and technology-based practices into
the daily routines, work, and management of schools… This definition is not in itself sufficient to
describe successful integration: it is important that integration be routine, seamless, and both efficient
and effective in supporting school goals and purposes. Integrating technology is what comes next after
making the technology available and accessible. It is a goal-in-process, not an end state.
(U.S. Department of Education, 2002)
We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works. We notice things that
don't work. We don't notice things that do. We notice computers, we don't notice pennies.
We notice e-book readers, we don't notice books.
Douglas Adams
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Bloom’s Taxonomy and Digital Learning
Countless electronic resources help educators blend pedagogical principles and educational technology.
The connections using Bloom’s taxonomy are particularly interesting as they are applied to new ways of
learning. Several outstanding examples are featured in this section. All sources are noted below images.
Bloom’s
Digital
Taxonomy
prairieinspiration.wordpress.com
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
www.robeson.k12.nc.us
The Robeson wheel above specifically distinguishes between higher order and lower order thinking skills.
This is helpful for educators who would like to evaluate the use of technology in schools.
Allan Carrington, from University of Adelaide,
created another great wheel to check out. This
resource can be found at
http://intertecheducation.edublogs.org/2013/05/25/pe
dagogy-wheel-for-ipads-in-education/ . The
Padagogy Wheel is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution 3.0 License. A video
introduction of the wheel as well as a pdf version of
the graphic can be found at the same website.
Kathy Schrock’s website for Bloomin’ Apps features a variety of graphics charts showing iPad Apps (see
below), Google Apps, Web 2.0 Apps, and Android Apps to support Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy. She has
also posted charts for Bloom’s Taxonomy and PowerPoint as well as Bloom’s Taxonomy and Pinterest.
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html
Read more in The top 10 iPad apps for special education (Palmer,
2013)
www.smartenergysource.com
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html
apps.html
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy
Andrew Churches (2009) has developed a document titled “Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy” with detailed
directions for incorporating technology at each level of the taxonomy. Churches has included rubrics
specific to websites and apps with exemplars, connections to other taxonomies of learning, rubrics to
measure e-collaboration, data analysis, podcasting, and digital publishing, among others. Find the link in
the reference section.
Evaluating the Integration of Technology
Technology Use vs. Technology Integration
Adito Rao’s (2013) created a chart on his TeachBytes blog to illustrate the difference between using
technology and technology integration.
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Technology Integration Matrix
The Florida Center for Instructional Technology developed the Technology Integration Matrix which
provides five levels of Technology Integration (entry, adoption, adaptation, infusion, transformation) and
five characteristics of learning environments (active, collaborative, constructive, authentic, goal directed).
Each cell provides a description of the intersecting level of technology and characteristic of the
environment. Within each cell, there is a link to more information for math, science, social studies and
language arts. This chart is a comprehensive resource with resource links for each level of technology
integration.
http://fcit.usf.edu/matrix/matrix.php
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Education 2.0 versus Education 3.0
The chart below, originally designed by Dr. John Moravec, depicts the changes surrounding technology as
we have evolved as a wired world. Med Kharbach (2012) of the Teachbytes team explained, “We have
been educated in a 1.0 education model, we are teaching in a 2.0 model but our students are living in a 3.0
model. These three models chronicle the major paradigmatic shifts that education has witnessed over the
last century. They also represent, in an ironical way, the huge abyss between the actual needs of our
students and what is actually being delivered to them in schools” (par. 1).
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
What do you want to do with Technology?
This simple chart clearly highlights the do’s and don’ts of educational technology. Ferriter (2013) created
the chart to emphasize that technology itself does not motivate students. He explained, “Instead, they're
motivated by opportunities to make a difference in the world; they are motivated by opportunities to ask
and answer their own questions; and they are motivated by opportunities to learn together with like-minded
peers” (Ferriter, 2013, par. 5). He compared this kind of thinking to saying that kids are motivated by their
shoes or socks. You can read his blog at
http://www.teachingquality.org/content/te
chnology-tool-not-learning-outcome
(Ferriter, 2013).
www.emirates247.com
thecaepeschool.org
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Resources to Facilitate Educational Technology
Learn it in 5
At the award-winning Learn it in 5, you'll learn what Web 2.0
is as well as how to use strategies for using Web 2.0
technology in the digital classroom - all in 5 minutes or less.
These step-by-step how-to videos walk teachers through Web
2.0 technology, demonstrating how to use Web 2.0
applications like blogs, social networks, podcasts, interactive videos, wikis, slide sharing and much more.
This resource has been created by Mark Barnes. Be sure to check out the Digital Strategies blog. The site
also features 3 credit online courses for educators. The home page has new developments in technology
organized in libraries on the side. There are so many resources here and many videos to learn how to use
new technologies. The videos were produced by technology teachers for the purpose of helping teachers
and students move into 21st century classrooms. http://www.learnitin5.com/ Read more at
http://www.learnitin5.com/#ixzz2YsRsOVDm
The Networked Teacher
Image by Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
History of technology in education
This simple you tube presentation shows the development of tools for literacy from primitive cave
drawings to our modern day tools. http://youtu.be/UFwWWsz_X9s (SMARTEduEMEA, 2011).
8 W’s of Information Age Inquiry
This website presents a model of electronic inquiry. The model was developed by Annette Lamb in the
early 1990s. It was published in the book Surfin' the web: Project ideas from A to Z by Annette Lamb,
Larry Johnson, and Nancy Smith (1997) and in an article called “Wondering Wiggling, and Weaving: A
New Model for Project and Community Based Learning on the Web” (1997. Learning and Leading With
Technology, 24(7), p. 6-13). The eight W’s are watching, wondering, webbing, wiggling, weaving,
wrapping, waving and wishing. These are explained on the website and links are provided for each
category. Please see this resource at http://www.virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/ws.htm
googleenterprise.blogspot.com
Student Engagement
Would you like to know what kids say engages them in
learning? Eighth-graders say they are motivated by working with
peers, using technology, connecting to the outside world,
observing the teacher’s passion for the subject, getting out of
their seats, incorporating visuals in learning, opportunities for
student choice, vary the activities, and ask students for their
feedback. Review this study at
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-engagement-storiesheather-wolpert-gawron (Wolpert & Gawrom, 2012)
Introduction to Plagiarism
This introduction to Plagiarism is a great way to help students understand how to paraphrase and cite
information from sources. Register on Curriki and download this presentation at
http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Coll_cmytk
o/PlagiarismPacket?bc= (Mytko, 2008)
www.zomm.com
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Digital Resources
Classroom Management
Class DoJo
Class Dojo is a web-based classroom management
program. Teachers set up each class or group of students
and then add or subtract points any time. The program
works on a laptop, interactive whiteboard, or even a
smartphone, tablet or iPod touch. Students can create or
change their avatars from home too. (They love that!)
Teachers can enter specific positive and negative
behaviors. Each click on a student’s avatar makes a beep (although you can turn the sound off if you like).
The program keeps track of each student’s behaviors and creates printable reports. If parents provide their
email address, they can also access Class Dojo to see how their child is doing in class. The makers of the
program just created a set of resources (poster, parent letter, and images of avatars) for teachers. Teachers
can use Class Dojo to record attendance, to randomly choose a student from a group or to time an activity
and record the winner each time. An informative student video is nice to show students at the beginning of
the school year. I used this with students in Grades 3-5 and the students really enjoyed it. It is a little too
cutesy to try with students older than 5th grade.I plan next year to incorporate homework (reading) and
additional behaviors into the program because it was too much to run this program and a separate
homework program. The students were excited to see their points climb and we decided together on some
incentives students could work toward when they reached a certain number of points. There are some nice
charts on Pinterest showing some charts that other teachers have created. As with any other reward
program, the students will be motivated if they have a say in the rewards. http://www.classdojo.com/
Collaboration, Communication, and Creativity
AudioBoo
The free account allows teachers to create
a 3-minute Boo or audio file. Students can
search and follow other Boo-ers. There
are many categories This can be linked to
many online platforms. Audioboo can be used to feature music or spoken words. Students can create short
reports, tell stories, or record their own thoughts. This program works on IOS and Android devices or on
the web. I downloaded this on my i-phone easily and listened to several audioboos. The welcome message
encourages users to set up an account, so I did. I created an audioboo about RTII. The hardest part was
keeping it to 3 minutes. The message can be heard at https://audioboo.fm/boos/1536191-what-is-rtii It does
take a while to process the audio, but I listened to the preview and was very happy with it. It is a public
message service but you can click the DM button or ask students to “follow” your messages. Audioboo can
be linked to twitter, facebook, tumblr or blogger. It is possible to upgrade and create longer messages.
http://audioboo.fm/
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
BuzzMob
This app is all about connecting with others – your students or
your family... It is great for field trips, especially if someone gets
lost. Teachers create a “mob” and everyone connects to the Mob
by their phone. It uses GPS to connect to others. Following can be
turned on and off so you do not have your students following you to the doctor’s office. One teacher uses
BuzzMob to keep in touch with parents. http://www.buzzmob.com/
Edmodo
Edmodo is an amazing web-based
tool for educators and students.
Teachers can set up an Edmodo
page that is similar to the
Newsfeed on a Facebook page,
but it is only for his or her
students. The teacher can post assignments, quizzes and files here and provide links needed for homework.
Teachers can place a poll on the class page too. Other school news can be posted as well as student grades.
Since each student has his or her own password, the site is secure. If the password is compromised, the
teacher can easily set a new password for the student. Students’ posts must be signed and teachers can
delete posts if there is a problem. Parents can also have access to the class page if desired. Students can
access the class Edmodo page on their cell phones and teachers can send a real time message to a student
during class. You cannot re-order the items you post though so you must think carefully about what you
want students to see first. Teachers can send files, links or documents to everyone or just to certain groups.
Teachers can edit posts or make a post into a pop-up. https://www.edmodo.com/ For more information,
please see https://sites.google.com/site/kratzwilkesfinalproject/home/edmondo
Ipadio
This tool allows for easy 2-way communication between many people,
using text or spoken responses. Users call in and create phonecasts or
explanations. For example, a teacher can ask, “How do you solve for x?”
and students can call in and answer the question through their phones.
These are useful for ELL students also because they can answer in their native language. Phonecasts can be
posted to blogs or can be embedded. Videos and audio can be posted directly from mobile devices.
http://corporate.ipadio.com/default.aspx
LocaModa (formerly called Wiffiti or wireless graffiti)
This tool can gather and display feedback through text
messages. Companies can send messages from a cell phone
to public displays, such as Times Square. Teachers can use this to display students’ tweets about a certain
topic. The Educator’s account gives teachers the ability to have students respond anonymously. It is a good
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
way to fit in distributed summarizing and feedback throughout the lesson. Teachers can embed or share the
links to the Wiffiti board. The free accounts for teachers feature anonymous user names, photos and text to
the screen, in-line questions, and G-rated filters. Additional features are available in the Lite version.
http://locamoda.com/
Padlet & Linoit
Students do not need to submit an email address or to
have a user name and password. Padlet (formerly called
Wallwisher) and Linoit are similar. These two sites
allow students to post digital sticky notes to a “wall” or
“canvas”. Great for KWL, vocabulary, videos,
questions and other information. Notes can also have a
hyperlink. This works on almost any device although ipads and computers work best. These sites allows
students to go on a photo scavenger hunt and post pics as they find each item. First, create an account. You
can modify the background and adjust privacy settings. You can make this available only to students in one
class (but then the students may need to create an account)
and you can set the program so that you can approve sticky
notes before they appear (Padlet only). I created accounts in
both of these sites and love how easy it was to get started.
http://padlet.com/ and http://en.linoit.com/ See the great
ideas on this site: http://taccle2.eu/interesting-things-to-dowith/32-interesting-ways-to-use-padlet-in-your-classroom
Listen to Tony Vincent from Learning in Hand to learn
more about these tools in Communicate, collect &
collaborate with sticky notes [podcast]. (See reference list
for url.)
Posterous
This is a quick and easy way for students to blog. Even 2nd grade students
can publish their work. Parents can download students’ work and save it.
In some schools, this website is blocked. A positive feature of the program
is that it can be password protected and teachers can change the settings to
require that comments be approved before posted. Students can add videos
and images and then share with other kids as a presentation or a slide
show. By the time I finished creating this Guidebook, the website indicated
the site was closed. I am still including it in case it returns.
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Popplet
This tool is especially designed for collaborative projects.
Registration is free although there is also a paid version.
This program offers nice options for visual learners. You
can create a mind map, timeline or gallery of your thoughts,
ideas, and pictures. You can share with others and kids can
gather and present ideas as a collaborative group. The tool
allows you to add images, video and free-form drawings.
Visitors to a poplet can add comments and tag them to their
school or group. Completed projects can be shared on Flickr, Facebook and YouTube. They can also be
exported as JPG and PDF files, saved for later presentations and printed. http://popplet.com/
Twitter
Twitter can be used effectively for education. It is a versatile social networking and microblogging
platform. Teachers and students first need to create a profile on Titter and then
learn how Twitter works. https://twitter.com/ See this example of a 4th grade
chats on twitter - http://tinyurl.com/Smackdown-4thchat Read this ASCD
blog by Jason Bedell (2011, Nov. 4) about preschool kids and up using
Twitter. Tech for Teachers: Using Twitter to Start Your Personal Learning
Network - http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol7/704-bedell.aspx
This anatomy of a tweet, shown below, by Sandy Kendall helps tweeters
know what each part represents.
Kendall, 2013
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
The following terms are good to know before venturing into the world of Twitter. (Kendall, 2013)
1- Avatar
This can be a photo or any other graphic that a user is known by. The importance of an avatar is that it
leads you when you click on it to a shortened version of that person's profile where you can learn more
about him\her.
2- Tweeter's name
This is the name of the person sending the Tweet. It might be their real name but several people prefer to
use pseudo names.
3- Twitter username or handle
This is a name by which a tweeter is known in the twitter community. For instance my Twitter handle
is @medkh9
4- Shortened URL
These are links that lead to external websites that Tweeters share in their tweets. By default, Twitter uses a
number of shortening services to shorten the URL of a website to fit in within the 140 character limit, Bitly
is one of these tools.
5- Tweet Text
This is the substance of the tweet or the message the tweeter is sending to his\her followers
6- Hashtags
Hashtags are used to create a community around a topic. I have already posted here a detailed guide on
what a hashtag is and how teachers can use them to create PLNs, check out the guide HERE.
7- Time\ Date
This indicates the time and date of the tweet, when it was sent.
8- RT
Indicates a "Re-Tweet", or re-posting of someone else's Tweet.
9- Mention of Another Twitter User
To mention another tweeter in your tweet all you have to do is incude @ followed by that person's handle
or twitter name.
Twitter is a powerful educational networking website that can also be used to connect teachers, students,
and parents.
Additional resources: (see reference list for further information on the articles)
 7 steps to grow professionally using Twitter. Karbach, M. (2013).
 60 inspiring examples of Twitter in the classroom. Crockett, L. (2013, Feb. 19).
 A simple guide on the use of hashtags for teachers. Karbach, M. (2013).
 Twitpic can be connected to a Twitter account to enable teachers to attach an image and build a
gallery of photos. http://twitpic.com/
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Vine can also connect to a Twitter account. Vine adds 6-second videos to a twitter account. It is
simple to use and works on any iOS device. Jeff Dunn suggested that teachers have one classroom
Vine account installed on one device to avoid the problems of finding inappropriate material.
https://blog.twitter.com/2013/vine-new-way-share-video
Vimeo
See Vimeo in the Presentation Section.
Voice Thread
Ed. VoiceThread is the secure and accountable environment ($79/year or
$15/month) which includes 50 student accounts. It is suggested that teachers set
up an account for each student. Students can use their phones to explain a
process or answer an open-ended question. This program works well when an
audio file is needed to accompany a presentation. Students could also be required
to create a voice thread as an answer to an open ended question or to record a
summary of a text. This tool is quite versatile. http://voicethread.com/ See also
http://ed.voicethread.com
Wideo
This online tool allows you to create, edit and share your own videos. You can choose
the font, images, animations and backgrounds you want. It is easy, fast and free. There
are great little Wideos to learn how to add certain features to your file and there are
many sample Wideos to view. http://www.wideo.co/explore
Content Area Resources
3rd World Farmer
This is an online simulation game
about global issues for Windows or
Mac. Flash is required. The game
addresses skills in reading,
vocabulary, money, cultural
understanding, global awareness,
analyzing evidence, decisionmaking, empathy, moving beyond
obstacles and persevering.
Reviewers found the situations challenging if one did not have a grasp of the contexts. The game seems to
leave players in a frustrating situation at the end of each level and there was not enough in-game support.
http://www.3rdworldfarmer.com/
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
City of Materials
This is an online sleuth game targeting science. Students need to
register and then input their password, which is emailed to them.
Players navigate through the office and take a seat at the desk. They
must first take a PI Quiz of five questions. Reviewers said there is a
lot of reading, which might slow some students down, but I do not
think it is beyond a 5th or 6th grade ability level. After passing the PI
Quiz, the player is encouraged to choose one case out of three. Maybe there are eventually more cases but I
only saw three at first. The player has to follow clues to solve the crime. The screen is a little challenging to
navigate at first but I’m sure kids would figure it out quickly. I liked that the players had to read to figure
out what to do and that they can go back to the directions (on the cell phone) if they forget what to do. The
game presents practice in these skills: following directions, reading comprehension, text analysis, using
supporting evidence, biology, chemistry, geology, substance properties, analyzing evidence, collecting
data, deduction, investigation, logic, drawing conclusions, thinking critically and combining knowledge.
http://www.cityofmaterials.net/MyAccountLogin.aspx
IWitness
This site has been named the AASL best web site for teaching and learning. It
is a free resource from the USC Shoah Foundation Institute: The Institute for
Visual History and Education. The focus is 20th Century history. There are over
1,000 short testimonial videos from Holocaust survivors and other witnesses.
Teachers can create classes and assign Information Quests or Video Activities
to students. Students use a word cloud to take notes and reflect upon what they
have learned. Teachers can build their own assignments for students. Students can summarize their learning
by creating a video. A ToolKit is available with a note-taking tool, encyclopedia and glossary.
http://iwitness.usc.edu/SFI/
Mission US: Flight to Freedom
Delve into the life of a slave; can you survive?
This is a free game published by
Thirteen/WNET for Windows or Mac geared
to Grades 5-8. The events may be emotionally
intense for younger students. The skills
addressed include reading comprehension,
vocabulary, cultural understanding, historical
figures, applying information, asking
questions, decision-making, developing
resilience, empathy, perspective taking,
embracing differences, learning from
consequences and making wise decisions. The game does require access to Internet 7 or above and
individual student accounts. It can be downloaded on individual computers to run faster. Adobe Flash is
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
required for the streaming version. The site includes teacher lesson plans and additional resources.
http://www.graphite.org/game/mission-us-flight-to-freedom
Mission US: For Crown or Colony?
This free online game is published by
Thirteen/WNET for grades 6-8. Players take on
the role of Nat Wheeler, a printer’s apprentice in
1770 Boston. They encounter Patriots and
Loyalists and must choose the side they believe
in. The skills addressed in this game include
reading comprehension, using supporting
evidence, vocabulary, historical figures and
events, asking questions, decision-making, critical
thinking, listening, conveying messages
effectively, integrity and learning from consequences. The reviewers felt the fame was biased toward
patriots even though it did encourage participants to make their own choices. Students can revisit aspects of
the game by keeping multiple saves. It runs on Windows or Mac. The game does require access to Internet
7 or above and individual student accounts. It can be downloaded on individual computers to run faster.
Adobe Flash is required for the streaming version. The site includes teacher lesson plans and additional
resources. One reviewer felt the graphics were dated. http://www.mission-us.org/pages/mission-1
Tiki-Toki
Students can use this free website to create multimedia
timelines. The website promotes collection of data, logic, making conclusions, and digital creation. It is
especially well suited to Social Studies and presentation skills. With an educator account, teachers can
provide a class code and view all students’ timelines in one place. Students can add photos and videos,
although the more advanced options require a paid subscription of $100 per year.
http://www.graphite.org/website/tiki-toki
Electronic Searching Tools
Gooru
This site is a free search engine with resources specifically geared to
5th-12th grade STEM subjects. The resources are aligned to
California’s Common Core standards in Math and Science so far. The
website allows teachers to search for different topics by standard or
topic and organize online resources into collections or quizzes.
Teachers create class pages and place links and activities for the class. Users create a collection on a page
and add resources. The website features a video introduction to Gooru. The program has been developed
by a non-profit organization. http://www.goorulearning.org/#discover
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Instagrok
This student-friendly search engine builds a web-like display of information, website links, images and
video. Students type in what they want to learn about and an interactive map appears. If students click on
“More”, they can see connections to key facts, websites, videos, images and concepts. There is also a topicrelated quiz and glossary. The first several facts I
clicked on went to a page in Wikipedia, although I
also saw sites that are more reputable. The program
filters out non-academic connections. That is a real
plus for educators! This tool seems to be well suited
to research projects. You can specify the levels to
adjust the resources for more or less advanced
students. The reviews of the program that I saw
were all 5-stars. Shawn Jacob, a high school English
teacher from Michigan, said Instagrok helped his
students be critical thinkers who made connections
instead of just searching.
The cost is $35 per year, although there is a 14-day
free trial. Teachers can have a section for each
classroom. Students must create accounts and join the class. The teacher page shows what each student in
the class has been searching for, lists the websites they have visited and records the amount of time they
have spent on Instagrok. Teachers can read students’ journals and add comments.
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Miscellaneous Resources
Fake Facebook Page, tweet builder, or iphone text screen
Create a fake Facebook, Twitter, or iphone text screen to show a conversation between several characters
from a text or historical figures. Then, students may have to tell what is wrong with the conversation,
historically or based on the character’s traits. Students could also create their own pretend facebook pages,
etc. as a response to a text. http://myfakewall.com/, http://thewallmachine.com/,
http://www.classtools.net/fb/home/page, http://www.fakebookstatus.com/,
http://fakebookquotes.appspot.com/, http://www.fakeipohnetext.com, http://faketweetbuilder.com
I-nigma
This allows the user to make QR-codes to label books, to create an
advertisement, link to a youtube video, etc. You can also go to qrstuff. Take
a screen shot of the QR-code that you have linked to a website. http://www.inigma.com
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Scvngr
This free app that lets users create or follow digital scavenger hunts, start to finish. A teacher would create
a scavenger list and students would have to do research or move about an area and then post images or
information for each part of the scavenger hunt. Teachers can assign points or automatically give points to
students who take photos of particular objects, etc. The
main problem is that it is location-based which means
students get points based on what they are near. In this
case, a digital scavenger hunt that only takes place in one
room (your classroom) is tough. http://www.scvngr.com/
Organizing and Keeping Notes
Evernote
This app has a free version as well as a Premium $45/yr version. It works on iPhone,
iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire and Nook HD. Users can record and store
notes and reminders. Images can also be uploaded. Documents and printed notes can
be shared between all of your devices and can allow for collaboration. You can tag your notes to make
sorting and finding notes easier. You can also store pictures, screen shots, and documents. You can share
notebooks with students and with colleagues. You can add different apps onto the ‘trunk’. Similar apps
include Notability, Audio Notes and Sound Notes. Reviews felt the tool is only valuable if it is used
effectively. http://evernote.com/
Remind101.com
This simple app allows a teacher to communicate with
students or parents through text messages. The teacher
creates a group and then students join the group. The teacher
does not need to have the phone numbers because participants join the group be sending a text or email to
the teacher’s Remind 101 number. The teacher can send a message to everyone in the group. All phone
numbers are kept private. https://www.remind101.com/
Polling and Surveys
Cel.ly
This free tool does not need to be downloaded or joined. This can be
used to poll groups with no member limits. Students join through a
special code and all phone numbers are secure. There are unlimited
members. This can bring together students, parents and teachers. After
you set up your account, you can start a cell, or group, and organize your
group. Users can send messages to each other. http://cel.ly/
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Infuse Learning
Teachers can submit open-ended questions and students have to
respond with their answers. For example, a teacher might ask students
how they calculated the slope. This is great for polls but does a lot more. There are many types of questions
teachers can ask. Teachers can see the responses in real time and save results. The program has the ability
to set the language of the questions and audio. Students can respond in drawing or they can click the correct
answer choice. Great for student feedback. http://www.infuselearning.com/ This YouTube video
demonstrates this product in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-skvqjepU1Q&feature=youtu.be
Mentimeter
This is a multiple choice polling option. The free program generates a QR code
for each poll. This application does not keep track of who answered what.
Students need to go to the website www.vot.rs and enter the voter id generated
when the question is created. Then students choose an answer. A live graph
appears on the teacher’s account. I created an account here easily and created a
question. Love it. https://www.mentimeter.com/
PollCode
This simple online resource allows the user to create a one-question
survey. Register for free and create your poll question. The design
page allows poll creators to select the font, font color, font size, and
background for the poll question. The poll can be set to include a “view” button, allow multiple answers,
allow users to leave comments, and regulate how often poll responders can answer the question. The poll
creator can see a live graph showing the responses. http://pollcode.com/
Poll Everywhere
This site is designed very
well. This app can be used
with Twitter. K-12 teachers
can register for free if they are polling up to 40 students. To add other polling features such as grading or
competition modes, it would cost one teacher $50 per year for 40 students. The highest priced package is
for an entire school district and is very pricey at $2,000 per year. After creating questions, the teacher
projects the questions on the screen. Students can answer by texting or by sending a message from a web
device from PollEv.com/your name. The FAQ section is informative and will answer most of your
questions. http://www.polleverywhere.com/
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Socrative
Socrative is a free online student response system. On the teachers’
side of the program (t.socrative.com), the teacher sets up an account
and then enters questions for students to answer. Students can
answer on a laptop, i-pad or cell phone. Teachers can set up multiple
choice, true/false, or short answer items. Students go to the students’
side of the Socrative web site (m.socrative.com) and input the
provided room number. As students enter their answers, these are
shown immediately on the teacher’s site. The teacher can download or email a report of the student
responses. One additional option is called the Exit ticket. This allows teachers to receive daily feedback
through pre-set questions. Students are asked to put in their
name. The first question could be a multiple choice question
asking “How well did you understand today’s material?” The
second question could be a short answer question asking
“What did you learn today?” The third question might ask
students to “Please solve the problem on the board.” This tool
allows teachers to have instant and regular feedback from
students. http://www.socrative.com/ I have used this tool in
high school and found it to be very easy to work with.
Survey Monkey
Survey Monkey is an online tool for polling or creating surveys. The
basic account is free, but advanced collection of data, over 10
questions, or over 100 responders requires a paid subscription of $17
per month. Survey Monkey can do a lot more for the Platinum
subscription of $65 per month. I used this tool for my dissertation
research. This tool is probably the most advanced survey tool on the
market next to clicker systems. http://www.surveymonkey.com/
Presentation Tools for Students and Teachers
Air Sketch
This apps allows you to use your iPad as a presentation tool.
You can project a pdf document and then annotate on it in
real time right from your iPad. The tools include a pencil,
pen, marker, brush and highlighter. This free app does not
require any software installation or subscriptions. You do
need wireless networking with Internet Explorer 9 or above
and a username and password. You cannot use 3G. Imagine drawing on your iPad as you talk with students
in class and then handing your iPad to a student to add their input. This tool also allows you to share your
sketches with remote colleagues in an online meeting through any desktop sharing program. You can save
and restore snapshots of your sketches using the camera. http://www.qrayon.com/home/airsketch/
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Animoto
This website allows users to make and share videos. Images
can be uploaded from Instagram, Facebook, Picasa and
several other hosting services. One educator recommended
uploading slides of a math problem and then asking students to describe how to solve for x or to ask
students what they think the main idea of a paragraph is. Although this program does allow music to be
uploaded, this is not needed. There are free pro accounts for educators, but these need to be renewed every
six months. The Pro version is $249 per year. http://animoto.com/
Educreations Interactive Whiteboard
This app for the iPad is free! It is geared to Grades 6-12 and
recommended for presentation skills, digital creativity, multiple forms
of expression, conveying messages effectively and making new
creations. Work cannot be saved until it is complete and cannot be
edited after it is finished. However, there are plenty of options for
making fun presentations.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/educreations-interactivewhiteboard/id478617061?mt=8
LiveSlide
This tool is coming in August 2013
from Atlas. I added my name to the
waiting list and there were 1,906 people
ahead of me! Teachers can create a
deck of slides to be used in a lesson. These can be images or a blank screen. The teacher can draw right on
a slide and it will show up on everyone’s screen. Students can draw too. When students are working on
LiveSlide, teachers get live information about whom is doing what, Teachers can insert a live poll to
evaluate students’ understanding. Slides can be replayed at any time. It seems like the program will not be
free though because there is a 3-month free trial for those who are on the waiting list.
https://atlaslearning.net/liveslide
Narrable
Narrable's website features four Core Values: preserve
legacy, encourage authenticity, empower sharing, and
respect perspective. Narrable is an online resources that
allows the user to create picture presentations with
voice narration. Members can add pictures from
Facebook or from a computer. Voice narrations can be added to each picture using your computer, tablet or
cell phone. A free account allows you to create 5 solo narrables and you can upgrade one solo narrable to a
group narrable for $25. The Storyteller level is $5 per month and allows an unlimited number of solo
narrables as well as the same $25 upgrade to one narrable. The Pro plan is $250 per year but has unlimited
solo and group narrables. You can upload pictures from your computer. Choose a slide. Give each picture a
voice or use a few pictures. (Similar to Voki) Record audio. You can type in who is talking. It gives you a
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countdown. You can preview thte audio and then save it. Kids can work in a team. You can share this. Kids
could share presentations or stories on a classroom website or blog. https://narrable.com/
Prezi
Ideas matter. Prezi is a free and versatile
presentation tool. It is similar to
PowerPoint, but the information is laid
on a large mat. The designer builds a
path for the viewer to follow. Images,
videos, and text can be added and
changed as needed. The most unique
feature of Prezi is the ability to zoom in
and out. The finished presentation can
be embedded or emailed. The website
has excellent introductory tools to help users become accustomed to the format. I have personally used this
presentation tool often and have found it refreshingly different. The tool has been updated several times and
it gets better every time. http://prezi.com/
Slide.ly
This free online tool allows users to upload their own
pictures from their computer or from social media sites,
arrange the pictures, add music and share with others.
There is a library of popular music that can be added.
Users first click on “Create”. They choose photos from
Instagram and other social sites or from Google images.
Up to 90 pictures can be uploaded on the free version of
Slide.ly. Users can then select music from several different category movies, all time classics, all time
classics, classical or can upload tunes from a computer. The finished product can be shared or embedded.
http://slide.ly/
Vimeo
If you love videos, Vimeo is the place for you! You can create videos and
share videos. You can discover videos from other sources, give the authors
feedback, follow other members and add their videos to your collection.
This is a free service although you can upgrade to Vimeo Plus for under $10
per month. The website makes a point to be friendly and respectful by
welcoming you when you first join and using kind words often. There is a
free Vimeo Video School to help people get started in making videos. You can only use Vimeo for business
or commercial purposes with the Vimeo Plus account. Vimeo is also available in Spanish, German and
French! You can only have one account, but the basic account provides 500 MB of upload space, 1 HD
video upload per week, up to 10 video uploads per day and the ability to download converted files. The
basic account consists of 1 channel, 1 group and up to 3 albums. Vimeo Plus provides 10 times more space
for videos (5 GB per week) and unlimited HD embedding. You can avoid banner ads with the Vimeo Plus
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
account although people who watch your videos will still see the ads unless they are also Vimeo Plus
members. Vimeo videos can be downloaded which is an advantage over YouTube videos and comes in
handy when the server is down. https://vimeo.com/
Vittle
Similar to Air Sketch, Vittle allows you to make videos from
your photos, printing and voice. It works like a miniwhiteboard that records what you write and say. You can
resize and move things around on the screen, zoom in and out,
and annotate or sketch as you create. The basic version of
Vittle is free on iTunes. http://www.qrayon.com/home/vittle/
YouTube for Schools
Find free educational videos from You Tube EDU. The
videos are posted by well-known organizations such as
Stanford, PBS, Ted, Khan Academy, Numberphile, and
Steve Spangler Science. Comments and related videos are
disabled and all searches are limited to YouTube EDU
videos. School administrators and teachers can log in and
watch any video, but students can only watch You Tube
EDU videos or videos the school has added. There are
playlists of videos to accompany educational standards, organized by subject and grade. The website asks
you to log in with your school’s Google account instead of a personal account.
http://www.youtube.com/schools?feature=inp-rsschoo&utm_medium=Ad&utm_source=slashedu&utm_campaign=YT4s
Resource Collections
CK-12
This is an amazing set of open education resources. After
setting up a free account, educators or students can search
for content on a variety of subjects and levels. Lessons or
materials can be selected and added to a “flexbook” and
can be saved for future reading. Material is presented in
print and video and often includes quizzes or a progress chart. I searched for history and geography and
found a wealth of resource material. There are archived webinars to explain how to build a flexbook and to
explain how the website works. There are also pre-selected flexbooks that meet national or state standards
which can be found by clicking “find a flexbook” and selecting the standard desired. There is a standard
correlation report that will show where the standard is addressed. There are full textbooks available! All
material has been peer reviewed. All content can be customized for your class needs. It is possible to delete
concepts or chapters, change the title of the flexbook, or edit the lesson objectives, vocabulary, etc. You
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can also embed videos or images. All content is licensed under Creative Commons license and can be used
by anyone. You can share the flexbook through Facebook or Twitter or Email. You can share the flexbook
with all members of a group. http://www.ck12.org/my/dashboard/ Also see www.ck12.org/about and
www.ck12.org/teacher
Curriki
Curriki is a collection of open education resources. The
program name is a combination of curr (curriculum) and iki
(wiki). These free resources have been created and provided
by educators, curriculum directors, curriculum partners and
school districts. Teachers may use any of these resources and
adapt them for their own classrooms. There are over 45,000
free lessons, assessments and multimedia resources across
all subject areas. After joining Curriki, teachers can build their own library of resources and share them
with others. On Curriki, Teachers can find experiments, games, graphic organizers, worksheets, problem
sets, webquests and even books! There are fiction and non-fiction books, excerpts and textbooks. There are
full lesson plans, rubrics, study guides, syllabus, and units. The resources include animations, articles,
diagrams, glossary, vocabulary, videos and webcasts. Most items are free to download.
http://www.curriki.org/ More information can be found at
http://www.corp.att.com/edu/docs/curriki_faq.pdf
Graphite
Graphite is a free service established by Common Sense Media
and Bill Gates to provide educational reviews of almost 20,000
web sites, apps and services. Each listing shows the price, grade
levels, subject, set-up time, and platform for the product. Tech
skills, communication skills and creativity opportunities are noted.
The descriptions also show pros and cons as well as rating of the
learning dimensions (engagement, pedagogy, support). Users can set filters in type of program (apps,
console and PC games, websites), subjects (language & reading, math, science, social studies, arts,
hobbies), grades, and price. The website also reviews movies and books.
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/blog/teachers-meet-graphite
Learn Zillion
This database features over 2000 excellent lessons in English
language arts and math. Science and social studies lessons are
in the plans for the future. All lessons are connected to Common Core standards. Each lesson is very
clearly presented with a Core Lesson and a summary review. Teachers can choose a lesson or quiz (some
quizzes are still in development) to assign to students. Lessons can be searched for by strand or standard as
well as by grade level and subject area. The Common Core Navigator shows the grade level and standard
for ELA and math. Each area is a hyperlink to the standards. These video lessons are truly amazing! A
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teacher should use these every day! Although the video lessons are provided free of charge, the company
does contract with school districts for PD with premium and customized features and advanced data
analysis. http://learnzillion.com/lessons
Tumblr
This is a site that allows users to gather their favorite blogs and read
through them every day. It is similar to a combination of blogging and
social networking. When the student click on “find blogs” he will see a
list of 55 categories of blogs to choose from. This is an extensive group of options from Art to Books to
Fashion to Music to Poetry to Young Adult. So many choices! Some of the blogs are in appropriate for kids
so teachers must be selective. After selecting blogs, users can unfollow if they are not what you expected.
Users do not add their own comments, it is just a great site for reading and exploring different blogs. I
started my first Tumblr page called “First Tumble” and started following about 20 blogs, of which I almost
instantly unfollowed 3. Students can also chat, link, quote, and upload photos, audio and video. I would like
to know whether there is a way to filter out inappropriate blogs but I was not able to see a way to do this.
Try out the blogs you choose to make sure they are appropriate. https://www.tumblr.com/ Doug Aamoth
wrote a guide about Tumblr for Time Tech that provides more information.
http://techland.time.com/2013/05/19/what-is-tumblr/
Virtual Field Trips
Moscow-Vladivostok: virtual journey on Google Maps
This virtual field trip takes students on the great Trans Siberian Railways, across 2 continents, 12 regions,
and 87cities. The field trip was created by Google and the Russian Railways. Students can see the mountain
ranges, the Yenisei River and other scenic areas along the Trans Siberian Railway. During the trip, virtual
travelers can enjoy Russian classic literature, images by photographer Anton Lange, and fascinating stories
about the most interesting sites on the route. Let's go! The first part of the field trip is 7:07 long. Then it
automatically moves to the next part. You can follow the journey on a satellite or terrain map.
http://www.google.ru/intl/ru/landing/transsib/en.html
Steele-Carlin’s virtual field trips blog
Sherril Steele-Carlin’s (2012) blog on Education
World provides links and rationale for virtual
field trips. She explained, “Virtual field trips
tailored to every grade level are springing up all
over the Internet” (Steele-Carlin, 2012, par. 4).
Visit her blog at http://www.educationworld.
com/ atech/tech/tech071.shtml. Searching for
virtual field trips will turn up many opportunities
such as the one shown here from NASA.
Stransbury (2013) also created a site with virtual
field trips (see references list).
quest.nasa.gov
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Writing Resources
Ask, Act, Achieve
Ask Act Achieve is sponsored by the Ohio
Department of Education to guide students as
they create a research project. The tool takes
students through the process of developing
topics, finding valid information, planning and
organizing their writing, tracking sources, and
presenting their work. Teachers can find Student
Research guided, presentation tips and a
teacher’s guide at the website, although I was
asked for a password before I could access the
Teacher’s guide. http://go.infohio.org/
BoomWriter
This free website allows groups of up to five children to read, write,
compete, and then publish their work. Students can read the beginning
of a real story and then write a new ending. Participants read the
different endings and vote on the one they feel is the best ending. The
winner’s writing becomes the next chapter and the contest continues
until the story is finished. It’s a great way to engage kids in their writing
and to help them appreciate a writer’s style. http://boomwriter.com/
PicLits
This fun tool allows students to create a writing
piece with pictures. Students choose a photo and
then click and drag words into photos. They can
also choose freestyle and type words to add. The
program automatically checks spelling. It is
great for students who have limited language
use. All images have been chosen by their photo
editor to be safe and appropriate for kids. There
are weekly piclit contests too! The finished
product can be made into posters for your
classroom. It is supposed to let you email, blog,
or tweet piclits although I was not able to.
http://piclits.com/compose_dragdrop.aspx
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I created this piclit.
Technology Guidebook for Educators
Spelling City
Use the app on iphone or ipad to practice vocabulary and spelling or go to the website
http://www.spellingcity.com/app/ Premium membership is required for some activities.
Teen Ink
The program targets writing and
sharing writing with others.
Although the program is free,
some resources and summer
programs are costly. Teens can
post their writing and receive
feedback from other kids. The
site is moderated for inappropriate language so it is a safe place for teens to chat and share their thoughts.
This website helps students develop skills in discussion, writing, cultural understanding, painting,
photography, script writing as well as a virtual team of skills in thinking, reasoning, creativity, selfdirection, emotional development, communication, collaboration, responsibility & ethics and technological
skills. There is also a Teen Ink monthly print edition, written by teens, for $35 annually. I love this site!
There are poems, fictional pieces and nonfiction. There are book reviews and discussion forums. There is a
page for art and photos as well as videos. There are even examples of college essays and links to college
reviews. WOW! The only disappointing part of this site is that I was not able to sign in! I did send a
question to the developers to see whether teachers could create an account. http://www.teenink.com/
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Unit Plan – Information and Technology Literacy
Description
As a part of the Technology Guidebook for Educators, I created a Unit Plan to address safe and responsible
use of technology. This was in response to a common theme I found as I gathered resources for the
guidebook and as I listened to teachers. There appeared to be a need to help students understand the rules
and responsibilities of using digital devices. During the first year of BYOD in our high school, teachers
were finding that students tended to use digital devices inappropriately. Some teachers felt the technology
was a distraction to learning. Yet, it is hard to deny the engagement that technology brings to educational
experiences. I have a personal commitment to integrating technology in my high school classes this year
and sharing my work with other teachers. I am especially interested in structuring the classroom toward the
natural use of digital devices, especially cell phones.
To develop the unit plan, I first researched relevant standards and unit plans. Pennsylvania Common Core
Standards for Reading in Science and Technical Systems (PDE, 2012) addressed some of the concepts I
wanted to touch on, specifically citing textual evidence and integrating information. Pennsylvania Common
Core Writing in Science and Technical Subjects (PD, 2012) presented two standards relating to the intent of
my unit plan.
CC.3.6.9-10.E. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or
shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and
to display information flexibly and dynamically.
CC.3.6.6-8.G. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search
terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the
data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for
citation. (PDE, 2012).
These two sources did not provide standards for safe and responsible use of digital devices. The 2009
Pennsylvania Science and Technology and Engineering Standards included some general statements that
tied to social and cultural systems.
 3.4.7.B1. Explain how the use of technology can have consequences that affect humans in many
ways.
 3.4.6.B3. Interpret how societal and cultural priorities are reflected in technological devices.
 3.4.5.B3. Describe how community concerns support or limit technological developments.
 3.4.8.B4. Explain how societal and cultural priorities and values are reflected in technological
devices.
 3.4.6.D2. Use computers appropriately to access, organize, and apply information.
 3.4.7.D2. Select and safely use appropriate tools, products and systems for specific tasks.
 3.4.6.E4 Examine how communications information technologies are used to help humans make
decisions and solve problems.
 3.4.7.E4. Illustrate how information can be acquired and sent through a variety of technological
sources, including print and electronic media.
 3.4.8.E4. Describe how the design of the message is influenced by such factors as the intended
audience, medium, purpose, and nature of the message. (PDE, 2009)
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I continued to search because I was looking for more specifics. The Maryland Technology Literacy
Standards for Students were adopted by the Maryland State Department of Education in 2007. The
standards of Digital Citizenship, Technology for Learning and Collaboration, Technology for
Communication and Expression, and Technology for Information Use Management were just what I was
looking for. I also found guidance from North Carolina’s Essential Standards in Information and
Technology. The topics I found most applicable were Sources of Information, Technology as a Tool, and
Safety and Ethical Issues. By organizing and combining these resources, I was able to develop an outline of
the Key Concepts for the Unit, as shown below.
Key Concepts
Information and Technology Unit
1. Information and technology resources must be used in a safe, ethical and responsible way.
a. Explain the purpose of and follow the acceptable use policy
b. Demonstrate proper care of equipment (such as following rules, handling equipment
with care, appropriate printing of resources)
c. Explain privacy issues related to use of the Internet
d. Use safe and correct security procedures (such as protecting password and user ID)
2. It is important to be aware of legal issues when using technological resources.
a. Comply with copyright laws and fair use provisions when using digital content
b. Use electronic resources appropriately (such as paraphrasing)
c. Cite electronic sources of text and digital information properly
3. The use of technology requires digital etiquette
a. There are positive and negative effects of using technology.
b. There are guidelines for use of digital devices.
c. Cyberbullying is an issue of concern with digital devices.
4. Use a variety of technological tools and skills for learning and collaboration.
a. Use a range of teacher-selected technological options to learn new content or reinforce
skills
b. Explain how selected technology tools are being used to support learning
c. Create new documents and responses to complete learning assignments and demonstrate
understanding
d. Use suitable electronic resources to refine presentations and edit texts for effective and
appropriate use of language conventions, such as capitalization, punctuation, spelling,
and pronunciation
e. Use technological tools to gather information, share ideas and respond to questions
within the classroom
f. Work cooperatively in class in online collaborative projects or information exchanges
g. Articulate the advantages of collaboration supported by technology tools
h. Select relevant information from appropriate technology resources
i. Read to gain information from electronic materials, such as brochures, books,
magazines, articles, web sites, and other online materials
j. Apply evaluation strategies when using electronic resources (such as
publication/copyright date, fact vs. fiction, source, credibility, ease of use)
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
The unit plan is based on the Learning Focused Format. Each key concept became a concept in the map and
the indicators were used to develop Lesson Essential Questions. The key learning and essential questions
are shown on this page.
Unit Plan
Topic: Information and Technology Literacy
Grade Level: 8-10
Key Learning: Information and technology resources are used in a safe, legal, ethical, and
responsible way as a tool for learning and collaboration.
Unit Essential Question: How do I use technological tools
appropriately for learning and collaboration?
Concept:
1
2
Concept:
Safe, Ethical, Responsible Use of Technology
Legal Issues in the Use of Technology
Lesson Essential Questions:
Lesson Essential Questions:
What are the expectations of the school district for the
responsible use of technology in school?
How do the copyright laws affect me as a user of
technology?
How do I demonstrate proper care of technological
equipment?
How do I paraphrase information appropriately?
How do I cite the source of a digital image, video, text,
etc.?
How do I ensure my own privacy and the privacy of
others when using technological tools?
Where can I find open source materials on the Internet?
What safety measures must I take when using
technological tools?
Concept:
3
Concept:
4
Digital Etiquette and Cyberbullying
Learning and Collaborating with Technology
Lesson Essential Questions:
Lesson Essential Questions:
What are the positive and negative effects of technology?
How do I adapt to new technological tools?
What guidelines should I follow when using a cell phone
in school?
How do I select the right technological tool for the task?
How do I demonstrate what I learn through technology?
What rules of etiquette are expected when using social
media, YouTube, or other digital forms of
communication?
How do communicate clearly when using technology?
What is expected when I collaborate with others online?
When is teasing over the line?
How should I respond to cyberbullying?
How do I conduct an effective online search for
information?
How do I evaluate electronic resources?
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
References:
Lenhart, A. (2010, April 20). Teens and mobile phones. Pew Internet. Retrieved from
http://pewinternet.org/Press-Releases/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx
Maryland Department of Education. (2007). Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students.
Retrieved from
http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/technology_literacy/vsc_technology_literacy_standards.pdf
Nielsen, L. & Webb, W. (2011). Teaching generation next: Using cell phones to enhance learning. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
North Carolina Public School. (n.d.). North Carolina Essential Standards: Information and Technology
Essential Standards. Retrieved from
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/acre/standards/new-standards/info-technology/grade6.pdf
Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). 2012. Standards for Reading in Science and Technology.
Retrieved from
http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/PA_Common_Core_Standards_for_Reading_in_Science_And_
Technical_Subjects_8-7-12.pdf
Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). 2012. Common Core Writing in Science & Technical
Subjects Standards. Retrieved from
http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/PA_Common_Core_Standards_for_Writing_in_Science_and_Te
chnical_Subjects_8-7-12_rev_2.pdf
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
APPENDIX: Resources for Unit 1: Information and Technology Literacy
Concept 1: Safe, Ethical, Responsible Use of Technology
School District Resources:
School Policy #220 Student Expression
School Policy #244 Acceptable Use of Computer Internet/Network
School Policy #244.1 Personal Electronic Devices
School Policy # 244.2 Acceptable Use of Social Media and Digital Communications
Student Handbook - Student Code of Conduct
Digital Citizenship and the 21st Century Digital Compass Activity
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®)
National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)
Adapted from ISTE http://digitalcitizenship.net/uploads/FoundAct2.pdf
Digital Life - Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/digital-life-101-6-8
Google in Education – Understanding You Tube and Digital Citizenship
http://www.google.com/edu/teachers/youtube/curric/index.html
Safe Online Talk – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/safe-online-talk-6-8
Top Secret (online privacy) – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/top-secret-6-8-0
With Power comes responsibility – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/power-comes-responsibility-6-8
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act
http://www.coppa.org/coppa.htm
Teaching Generation Text: Using Cell Phones to Enhance Learning by Lisa Nielsen and Willyn Webb,
2011 (sections of this text are applicable to each concept of the unit)
Concept 2: Legal Issues in the Use of Technology
FCC and the Children’s Internet Protection Act
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Various links and resources including a short video titled BYOD in the 21st Century
http://www.themobilenative.org/
A Creator’s Rights – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/creators-rights-6-8
Rework, Reuse, Remix – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/rework-reuse-remix-6-8
Copyrights and Wrongs – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/9-12-unit1-copyrightsandwrongs.pdf
Plagiarism.org (Plagiarism and Citing Sources)
http://plagiarism.org/
How to avoid plagiarism – Tips for students (2:50) from Bainbridge College
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsAQOnjk_To
Creative Commons & Copyright Info (5:20) *goes into detail about CC licenses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YkbeycRa2A
What is Plagiarism? (Xtranormal Video 2:41) by tulsaccprof
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNg94ebLGzY
Copyright Law and You (4:32) includes fair use limitations by Tara Miller
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XES6jSAzxmk
Review and discuss school law cases involving use of technology
Killion v. Franklin Regional School District (Pa. 2001)
Wisniewski v. Board of Education of Weedsport Central School District (2008)
Concept 3: Digital Etiquette and Cyberbullying
Facts about Cell Phones and Teens – Pew Internet (April 2010)
http://pewinternet.org/Press-Releases/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones.aspx
Zach Miners, A. (2009, June 23). One third of kids use cell phones to cheat in school. US News.
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/on-education/2009/06/23/one-third-of-teens-use-cellphones-tocheat-in-school
Walters, A. (2011, Sept. 21). Text in the Classroom: Not a Distraction. Edutopia.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/texting-classroom-audrey-watters
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Cell Phones in the Classroom: Distraction or Tool?
http://readwrite.com/2010/11/15/cellphones_in_the_classroom_distraction_or_tool#awesm=~oePnFboOtb4
0E8
Letter to Congress from Arne Duncan
http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010-execsumm.pdf
Webonauts Internet academy (possibly too juvenile for high schoolers)
http://pbskids.org/webonauts/
Cell Phone Etiquette – eZeliving 5:04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot__bkUepQk
Edmodo Scavenger Hunt by Katie Regan (2012) Series of 17 short videos showing how to use Edmodo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnAQFiyChH0&list=PL6E99ABACEA24CAF7
Digital Etiquette (formerly posted by Brain Pop)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dumMk6da-U
Discussing Digital Drama
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/discussing-digital-drama
The Reality of Digital Drama – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/the-reality-of-digital-drama-6-8
Rebecca Black Video Case Study – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/rebecca-black-video-case-study
Emma’s Story – Cyberbullying by a Friend – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/emmas-story-cyberbullied-by-a-best-friend
Cyberbullying - What is crossing the line? – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/cyberbullying-crossing-line-6-8
Cyberbullying from Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/cyberbullying-be-upstanding-6-8
Google in Education – Understanding You Tube and Digital Citizenship
http://www.google.com/edu/teachers/youtube/curric/index.html
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Cross. A. (2001, December 5). Facebook Etiquette - Revealing the unwritten, and often complicated, rules
of Facebook etiquette.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05/01/revealing-the-unwritten-and-often-complicated-rules-offacebook-etiquette/
Vinh Tien Trinh, B. (2012, May 1). Rules of Facebook etiquette: Tips to help keep friends.
The Huffington Post Canada.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/05/01/rules-of-facebook-etiquette_n_1469032.html
Pozin, I. (2013, January 9). Social media etiquette: 12 step checklist. Forbes.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2013/01/09/social-media-etiquette-12-step-checklist/
Kolovic, S. (2013, February 19). Student sues college after being expelled for Facebook posts.
http://www.scholarships.com/Blog/college-news/student-sues-college-after-being-expelled-for-facebookposts/3353/
Slaughter, C. (2013, February 13). Student social media etiquette.
http://www.scholarships.com/Blog/college-news/student-social-media-etiquette/3363/
Weinberg, T. (2008). The ultimate social media etiquette handbook.
http://www.techipedia.com/2008/social-media-etiquette-handbook/
Education Insider. (2010, October 13). Social Media Etiquette for College Students
http://education-portal.com/articles/Social_Media_Etiquette_for_College_Students.html
Review and discuss school law cases involving cyberbullying
J.C. v. Beverly Hills Unified School District (2009)
Concept 4: Learning and Collaborating with Technology
Strategic Searching from Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/strategic-searching-6-8
Scams and Schemes from common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/scams-and-schemes-6-8
Identifying High Quality Sites – Common Sense Media Lesson
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/identifying-high-quality-sites-6-8
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Additional References:
Bedell, J. (2011, Nov. 4). Tech for teachers: Using Twitter to start your personal learning network. ASCD.
Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol7/704-bedell.aspx
Churches, A. (2009). Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. Retrieved from
http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/bloom%27s%20Digital%20taxonomy%20v3.01.pdf/65720266/b
loom%27s%20Digital%20taxonomy%20v3.01.pdf
Crockett, L. (2013, Feb. 19). 60 inspiring examples of Twitter in the classroom. 21st Century Fluency
Project. Retrieved from
http://fluency21.com/blog/2013/02/19/60-inspiring-examples-of-twitter-in-the-classroom/
Diaz, D. P. & Bontenbal, K. F. (2000). Pedagogy-based technology training. In P. Hoffman & D. Lemke
(eds.), Teaching and Learning in a Network World, pp. 50-54. Amsterdam, Netherlands: 105 Press.
Edudemic. (n.d.) Game-based learning [poster]. Edudemic. Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/07/gamebasedlearning-infographic.jpg
Edutopia. (2007). What Is Successful Technology Integration? Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-description
Ferriter, B. (2013, July 11). Technology is a tool, not a learning outcome [blog]. Center for Teaching
Quality. Retrieved from http://www.teachingquality.org/content/technology-tool-not-learning-outcome
Fletcher, G. (1996). Former director of the Division of Educational Technology, Texas Education Agency,
Executive Vice President of T.H.E. Institute quoted in T.H.E. Journal, 24(4), p. 87.
Florida Center for Instructional Technology. (2013). Technology Integration Matrix. Retrieved from
http://fcit.usf.edu/matrix/matrix.php
Kendall, S. (2013, Jan. 27). How to decode a tweet. EdTechSandyK [blog]. Retrieved from
http://edtechsandyk.blogspot.ca/2013/01/how-to-decode-tweet.html
Karbach, M. (2013). 7 steps to grow professionally using Twitter. Educational Technology and Mobile
Learning [blog]. Retrieved from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/05/7-steps-to-growprofessionally-using.html
Kharbach, M. (2012). Education 2.0 versus Education 3.0. Teachbytes. Retrieved from
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/06/education-20-vs-education-30-awesome.html
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Technology Guidebook for Educators
Karbach, M. (2013). A simple guide on the use of hashtags for teachers. Educational Technology and
Mobile Learning [blog]. Retrieved from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/05/a-simple-guide-onuse-of-hashtag-for.html
Mytko, Christine. (2008). Introduction to plagiarism [PPT]. Retrieved from
http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Coll_cmytko/PlagiarismPacket?bc= (You need to register on Curriki
to download this resource.)
Palmer, R. (2013, July 10). The top iPad apps for special education. The Journal. Retrieved from
http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/06/30/the-top-10-ipad-apps-for-specialeducation.aspx#XuduBCeLe4mQeGdg.99
Rao, A. (2013, March 19). What’s the Difference Between “Using Technology” and
“Technology Integration?” Teach Bytes/ Retrieved from http://teachbytes.com/2013/03/29/whats-thedifference-between-using-technology-and-technology-integration/
Schrock, K. Kathy Schrock’s guide to everything: Bloomin’ Apps. (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html
SMARTEduEMEA. (2011, October 3). The history of technology in education 3:42 [video]. Retrieved
from http://youtu.be/UFwWWsz_X9s
Steele-Carlin, S. (2012, Feb. 28). Get outta class with virtual field trips. Education World. Retrieved from
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech071.shtml
Stansbury, M. (20013, April 7). Ten of the best virtual field trips. Retrieved from
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2013/04/07/ten-of-the-best-virtual-field-trips/?
Tolisano, S. R. (2013). Retrieved from www.langwitches.org/blog based on image (CC) by Alec Couros/educationaltechnology.ca/couros/799 Retrieved August 11, 2013 from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/langwitches/3458534773/
U.S. Department of Education - National Cooperative Education Statistics System. Funded by the National
Center for Education Statistics. (2002). Technology in Schools: Suggestions, Tools, and Guidelines for
Assessing Technology in Elementary and Secondary Education. Retrieved from
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2003/tech_schools/index.asp
Vincent, T. (2013). Communicate, collect & collaborate with sticky notes [podcast]. Learning in Hand.
Retrieved from http://learninginhand.com/blog/2013/6/2/communicate-collect-collaborate-with-stickynotes
Wolpert-Gawrom, H. (2012, April 26). Kids speak out on student engagement. Edutopia [website].
Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-engagement-stories-heather-wolpert-gawron
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