Learner Description: A mixed ability, multicultural group of 21 fifth graders and 21 fourth graders.

Overview

The problem: How do we keep samples of student work when we have little space for storage?

The solution: Electronic portfolios

What will be taught?

Students will learn Hyperstudio, how to scan, and how to use the digital camera. They will learn formal letter writing, including editing skills and various grammatical components

How will it be taught?

Students will have access to a variety of technology. They will be taught through a variety of strategies:

• direct instruction
• peer editing
• observation
• cooperative groups
• modeling
• experimentation

Our technology technology facilitators will come in to demonstrate the many aspects of Hyperstudio.

What will the students do and learn?

Students will brainstorm ways of creating a portfolio that will take up little storage. They will then work in cooperative groups to figure out how to create an electronic portfolio using Hyperstudio and what to put in it. Students will compose a letter to teachers to inform them what will go in the portfolio and to remind them to save student work and take digital pictures.

Next, students will create a template for the electronic portfolios. Each group will create one card based on the topics that the students chose to put in the portfolio. Each cooperative group will then actually create a sample card. All the cards will be put together to create one template. Included on each card will be a reflection as to why the item was chosen.

Each student will then set up his/her own electronic portfolio putting in work he or she has chosen to include. They will scan in saved classroom products, type in written work, or take digital pictures of student work. The students will create a rubric to assess the final portfolio.

Students will finally set up a time to go to each of the third grade classrooms to teach them how to make an electronic portfolio using the template that our classes created. They will show their sample portfolios and then help the third graders get started on their individual portfolios

Rationale

Why would you teach this unit?

Our school uses portfolios but does not have an efficient way of storing them. Portfolios encourage students to reflect on their work. Parents will now have the opportunity to view their child's work and see the growth from grade to grade.

This is an engaged learning project using the following indicators:

The Vision of Learning includes:

• •Responsible for learning
• •Strategic
• •Energized by learning
• •Collaborative

The Tasks are:

• •Authentic
• •Challenging
• •Multi-disciplinary

The Assessments are:

• •Performance-based
• •Generative
• Seamless and ongoing
• * Equitable

Instructional Models are:

• •Interactive
• •Generative

Learning Context is:

• •Collaborative
• •Knowledge building
• •Empathetic

Grouping:

• •Heterogeneous
• •Equitable
• Flexivle

Teachers role:

• •Facilitator
• •Guide
• •Co-learner/co-invstigator

Student Roles:

• •Explorer
• •Cognitive apprentice
• •Teacher
• •Producer

Why is technology an important component of this unit?

• •The students will learn how to use the digital camera, scanner, and Hyperstudio.
• The students will use word processing for a purpose.
• The students will use technology to enhance portfolios kept in the classroom.

Why is this project authentic/meaningful, and challenging for students?

• The students will learn to take pride in their work. They will be selecting topics for the portfolio that are meaningful and important to them.
• By learning about the components of portfolios, they will be challenged to create their own portfolio features.
• The students will be interacting with other students, helping them to create meaningful memorabilia of their school year.
• The students are challenged by having to set the template up early in the school year so that work can be saved throughout the year.

Goals, Content, Cognitive and Social

What new attributes (knowledge, skills, attitudes) do you expect students to gain?

• •Students will learn how to collect work samples, sort through them, and choose the most meaningful.
• •Students will learn how to write a rationale for the work sample that they have chosen.
• •Students will learn how to improve technology skills of using digital cameras, scanners, and presentation software.
• •Students will learn how to communicate effectively with other students.
• •Students will learn how to write a friendly letter.
• •Students will develop peer and self assessment skills through the use of debriefing at the conclusion of the project and developing a class produced rubric.
• •Students will organize materials and put them together in a constructive format.
• •Students will practice editing skills.
• •Students will learn the importance of a deadline.

What state standards does the unit address?

LANGUAGE ARTS

Goal 3-Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.

Goal 4-Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.

Goal 5-Use language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information.

MATH

Goal 7-Estimate, make and use measurements of objects, quantities and relationships and determine acceptable levels of accuracy.

Goal 9-Use geometric methods to analyze, categorize and draw conclusions about points, lines, planes and space.

SCIENCE

Goal 11-Understand the processes of scientific inquiry and technological design to investigate questions, conduct experiments and solve problems.

Goal 13-Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH

Goal 24-Promote and enhance health and well-being through the use of effective communication and decision making skills.

FINE ARTS

Goal 26-Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced.

Learning Activities

• Students will learn components of Hyperstudio.
• •Students will brainstorm subjects to be included in the portfolio.
• •Students will use their literacy skills to compose a friendly letter and write summaries on each slide.
• •Students will gain cooperative learning skills by working with their classmates as well as other grade levels.

Student Assessment

The portfolio will be the ultimate assessment.

• •All the letters and summaries the students write will be evaluated.
• •Students will create a rubric to assess each card.
• •We will use observations and reflections.
• •Students will create a checklist to make sure all items are included.

Resources:

• •We will need computers equipped with Hyperstudio.
• •Throughout the year, students will assemble a collection of work samples.
• •We will need digital cameras and scanners.
• •We will use students, teachers, and administrators to help us.
• •We will examine other examples of electronic portfolios.

Management

TThe students will divide themselves into groups to make the template and compose the letters to other classrooms. We will use our classrooms for whole group instruction; the classrooms and computer lab for group work. The portfolios will be stored on the server. They will work whenever there is available space and staff will be available to help. In the beginning a schedule will be created for the classrooms to meet. A meeting with other classroom teachers will be arranged to set up times to instruct them on creating portfolios with their classes. Through the TIP program, additional help will be provided.

What was effective?

• •The students worked well with students at other grade levels.
• •The students learned how to use Hyperstudio, scanners, and digital cameras.
• •The students learned additional technology skills that we hadn't anticipated.
• •The students now have a space effective showcase of their work to share with parents.

What wasn't effective?

• •Finding the time to work with the third grade classes was difficult.
• •Starting midyear didn't allow enough time for completion for younger students.
• •Resolution of digital photos and scanned items is not always clear.

The students in our debriefing session said they found these things to be effective:

• •Pasting photos and text and using buttons was easy after students became Hyperstudio experts.
• •Students had lots of choices. They could put whatever they liked into their portfolio.
• •The portfolio is a nice keepsake. It will be fun for students to look back on what they did in fourth/fifth grade. Also, it will be nice for parents to see work samples.
• •The portfolio is nonlinear. It is nice to be able to go to any card from the home card.
• •Students enjoyed the time to work on the computer rather than writing.

The students in our debriefing session said that they found these things to be ineffective :

• •Directions were not always clear. For example, students didn't know where some things would fit (could an assembly be a presentation?). Also, the final card had unclear directions. What is the final essay?
• •Pictures were very grainy when scanned and inserted.
• •Sizing pictures was a problem because the boxes on the card were too small.
• •What does the "why" on each card mean? Is it why you put this into the portfolio or why you did the project?
• •Third graders did not have a lot of computer background and had a hard time remembering what they were told.
• •Scheduling enough time with the third graders was hard. Students sometimes had to miss parts of specials to make enough time. The 30 minutes of computer lab time was just not enough.
• •Some third grade classes didn't have Hyperstudio on their computers.

What would we do differently next time?

• •Start putting the template in all student folders at the beginning of the year.
• •Keep the momentum of collecting work throughout the year.
• •Decrease the size of the text box so that there is more room for the picture. The text box can be scrollable so it doesn't have to be large.
• •Instead of scanning class photo, perhaps use a digital camera to take a picture of the class so that we don't lose resolution when scanning and inserting.
• •Change the template to explain what the "why" on each card means.
• •Make a packet for the third graders with directions so that they have something to refer back to. Include visuals of the cards on these directions.
• •Perhaps add another miscellaneous card or maybe allow students to put more than one picture on the miscellaneous or assembly card.
• •Fix the science buttons that are not working correctly.
• •Save a portfolio from this year so that students next year will have an example to view.