“Motivating Students in the Digital Age”

1. “Motivating Students in the Digital Age” Preparing Future Faculty(PFF) Howard University Graduate School February 17, 2011 Dr. Marilyn Irving Professor Associate Dean for Research and Sponsored Programs

2. Agenda • Introduction • 20th Century versus the 21st century Classroom • Respect for Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning • Using Technology in the Classroom • Levels of Technology Implementation(LoTi) • Reflection/Closure

3. Questions to be addressed • How do I encourage students to be active/interested? • How do I augment my assignments with appropriate digital resources and online learning? • How do I get my students to prepare for class? • How do I motivate my students who are not interested in the subject? • How can I make sure my students have done the reading? • How will I know if my students are learning?

4. 20th Century versus the 21st Century Classroom 2oth Century 21st Century • Time based • Focus: memorization of discrete facts • Lessons focus on the lower of Bloom’s Taxonomy-knowledge, comprehension and application • Textbook-driven • Passive learning • Learners work in isolation • Teacher centered • Outcome based • Focus: what students know, can do and are like • Learning is designed on upper levels on Blooms’- synthesis analysis and evaluation (include lower levels of curriculum) • Research Driven • Active learning • Learners work collaboratively • Student centered

5. 20th Century versus the 21st Century Classroom 20th Century 21st Century • “Discipline problems” • Fragmented Curriculum • Grades averaged • Low expectations • Teacher is judge • Curriculum/School is irrelevant to students • Print is the primary vehicle of learning • No “discipline problems” • Integrated curriculum • Grades based what’s learned • High expectations • Self, peer and other assessments • Curriculum is connected to students interest • Performances projects and multiple forms of media used for learning

6. 20th Century versus the 21st Century Classroom 20th Century 21st Century • Diversity in students is ignored • Literacy is the 3R’s- reading, writing and math • Factory model, based on the needs of employers for the Industrial age • Driven by the NCLB and standardized testing mania • Addresses student diversity • Multiple literacy's-aligned to living and working in globalized new millennium • Global model based upon the needs of globalized high tech society • Standardized testing has its place

7. Respect for Diverse Talents and Ways of Learning Many roads lead to learning Different students bring different talents and learning styles to college Students need opportunities to show their talents and learn in ways that work for them Technological resources can provide for different methods of learning through powerful visuals, virtual experiences and through tasks requiring analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, with real application to real life situations.

8. How do I encourage students to be active/interested? • Set clear, high and realistic expectations • Let your students know exactly what you expect • When introducing the technology assignment, use a projector or interactive whiteboard to model the process • Assign engaging projects and assignments • Students who are bombarded with drill and practice assignments with no relevance to real life will not be engaged and motivated to learn • For example, if students are studying Egypt in Social Studies, have them do a PowerPoint and create a slide show about Egypt • Add video clips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBek7aMyx3w

9. Using Technology in the Classroom • Enhance your classroom by the use of technology to embellish your lesson on any topic • Incorporate the use of digital boards • Digital cameras • Interactive Whiteboards • Hand held devices

10. Using technology in the classroom • Chat room • Student Blogs • Research current events • Allow student to record their experiments and labs and upload for others to view • Allow students to connect with other students via teleconference (Skype) in various cities, states, countries etc.

11. Using Technology in the Classroom (Cont’d) • Technology not only supports presentations and record-keeping but enables communication between teachers, administration and parents • Teachers use technology to create lesson plans, take attendance and record grades

12. How do I augment my assignments with appropriate digital resources and online learning? • Use visual supports • Be sure to use examples that are familiar to the students • Tell students which information is important to remember • Write important information down for example on a transparency, poster, or Power Point • Increase interest by using sound effects and animation on power point slides

14. How do I augment my assignments with appropriate digital resources and online learning? (Cont’d) • Electronic Mail • Computer conferencing • World-wide web increase opportunities for students and faculty to converse and exchange work much faster than before

15. How do I augment my assignments with appropriate digital resources and online learning? (Cont’d) Using PowerPoint • goes beyond presenting simple slides of lecture notes • can integrate images, multimedia clips Blackboard provides a teaching and learning environment that allows for content management and sharing, online assessment, student tracking, assignment management and virtual collaboration.

16. Levels of Technology Implementation (LoTI) • Level 4a • Integration(Mechanical) • Level 4b • Integration (Routine) • Level 5 • Expansion • Level 6 • Refinement • Level 0 • Non Use • Level 1 • Awareness • Level 2 • Exploration • Level 3 • Infusion

17. Levels of Technology Implementation (LoTI)

18. How will I know if my students are learning • Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing assignments. They must talk about what they are learning, write reflectively about it, relate it past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves.

19. Recent Trends • State pushes for digital school books • http://www2.highlandstoday.com/content/2011/feb/02/LANEWSO1-state-pushes-for-digital-school-books • Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School received 520 iPads to enhance the learning experience • http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/pinellas-brings-cutting-edge-technology-to-the-classroom/1151319 • Technology Helps Students Learn at their Own Pace • http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=94287

20. References • Belasco, James A., Teaching the Elephant to Dance, 1991. • Grant, Jodi, Director of the After School Alliance; Fourteen Million Kids, Unsupervised. • Jerald, Craig D.; Defining a 21st Century Education, 2009. • Kellner, Douglas; New Media and New Literacies: Reconstructing Education for the New Millennium. • McLeod, Scott, Dangerously Irrelevant. • Time, Learning and Afterschool Task Force, A New Day for Learning. • Wesch, Michael, Ph.D. See his works at Digital Ethnography. (Separate footnotes to be added for each web page and video cited) • Price, Kay M. ; Karna, L. Nelson. Planning Effective Instruction. Belmont,CA : Wadsworth Cenage Learning, 2007,2011

21. Reflections • Did I plan a strategy to grab my students attention? • Did I plan a way to clearly state the objective of the lesson/activity in terms students understand? • Did I plan specific examples to explain the value of the lesson/activity? • Did I plan to build or activate necessary background knowledge? • Did I plan a way to get my students involved right from the start?