1. Podcasts
Student-Created Podcasts
One goal of the Canyons School District has been to establish a podcast presence on iTunes U and YouTube. As our team’s podcasting project lead, I have been working with elementary schools to create a library of podcasts. Fifth- and sixth-graders from Sprucewood Elementary have spent the past two years creating three weekly podcasts. Each of Sprucewood’s podcasts has been created with specific goals and audiences in mind:
Through the podcast creation process, students have developed skills in using digital tools, working with multimedia, information evaluation, planning and designing, critical thinking, creativity, communication, personal and group expression, collaboration, and digital citizenship. Four of Sprucewood’s students presented at last year’s UCET conference (live) and ISTE conference (via Skype), and five students will present at these conferences this year. This will provide a great opportunity for these students to develop their presentation and leadership skills.
Community Podcast
In addition to school podcasting projects, I have also begun work on a podcasting project with young women, ages 12 to 18, from the LDS Church in South Salt Lake City, Utah. For the last two years, these young women have been visiting senior citizens in the community as a way to reach out to them and help ease the loneliness many of them experience. After hearing their amazing life stories, it was decided that we should begin recording and podcasting our visits as formal interviews. Our plan is to have a monthly podcast that can be shared via iTunes, on our My Story website, and with local historical societies.
One goal of the Canyons School District has been to establish a podcast presence on iTunes U and YouTube. As our team’s podcasting project lead, I have been working with elementary schools to create a library of podcasts. Fifth- and sixth-graders from Sprucewood Elementary have spent the past two years creating three weekly podcasts. Each of Sprucewood’s podcasts has been created with specific goals and audiences in mind:
- “The Falcon Report” is a student-created news broadcast that informs students and faculty about current school events, student achievement, and reminders about student expectations.
- “The Principal Podcast” allows Principal Garth Anderson an opportunity to speak directly to the school community about upcoming events, student achievement, and helpful educational hints for parents.
- “Falcon Facts” is a podcast specifically tied to the Core Curriculum. Students create podcasts in a variety of styles that present concepts they have learned in the classroom. These podcasts can focus on any curriculum topic -- math, literacy, science, social studies, art, et cetera.
Through the podcast creation process, students have developed skills in using digital tools, working with multimedia, information evaluation, planning and designing, critical thinking, creativity, communication, personal and group expression, collaboration, and digital citizenship. Four of Sprucewood’s students presented at last year’s UCET conference (live) and ISTE conference (via Skype), and five students will present at these conferences this year. This will provide a great opportunity for these students to develop their presentation and leadership skills.
Community Podcast
In addition to school podcasting projects, I have also begun work on a podcasting project with young women, ages 12 to 18, from the LDS Church in South Salt Lake City, Utah. For the last two years, these young women have been visiting senior citizens in the community as a way to reach out to them and help ease the loneliness many of them experience. After hearing their amazing life stories, it was decided that we should begin recording and podcasting our visits as formal interviews. Our plan is to have a monthly podcast that can be shared via iTunes, on our My Story website, and with local historical societies.
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2. Canyons School District Elementary Keyboarding
Because of my background as an elementary computer lab teacher, I was assigned by the Director of Information Technology (IT) Services to be the project lead over the Canyons School District keyboarding program. I considered this an important assignment because of how valuable proper keyboarding skills are for students. Keyboarding is a basic technology skill that links directly to literacy skills. Students with keyboarding proficiency have increased productivity, creativity, and communication skills. Keyboarding instruction prepares students for their future academic pursuits and careers.
I was placed in charge of selecting keyboarding curriculum and designing a district-wide elementary program that would enable teachers to be effective keyboarding instructors. This was an in-depth process that required many hours of work. Following is a list of some of my activities as keyboarding project lead:
I am now continuing my work with IT, EBL, and CTE to refine our plan and determine how to successfully make keyboarding a part of our district’s overall curriculum vision. I have recently been asked to participate as a member of a keyboarding curriculum task-force that will determine how keyboarding will best fit into the District’s new sixth-grade schedule when grade reconfiguration occurs in the 2013-2014 school year.
I was placed in charge of selecting keyboarding curriculum and designing a district-wide elementary program that would enable teachers to be effective keyboarding instructors. This was an in-depth process that required many hours of work. Following is a list of some of my activities as keyboarding project lead:
- I researched a multitude of keyboarding programs - online software, desktop software, and book-based programs.
- I met with certified keyboarding specialists from the Canyons School District.
- I traveled to Utah County to meet with Susan Boothe, author of Keyboard Chatter, Keyboard Craze, and Keyboard connection, to gain insight into the Nebo School District’s successful keyboarding program.
- I collaborated with the Canyons Evidence-Based Learning (EBL) department, the Career and Technical Education (CTE) department, Education Technology Specialists, administrators, and teachers to formulate a keyboarding plan.
- I created a wiki outlining the parameters of and rationale for Canyons District keyboarding instruction.
- I presented a proposal for a Kindergarten through sixth grade keyboarding plan to the Canyons District K-16 Directors, heads of departments, and Assistant Superintendents at their “Nuts and Bolts” meeting.
- I presented the keyboarding plan to the elementary principals and received their feedback, making alterations to better suit the needs of the schools.
- I planned detailed keyboarding teacher training taught by the Educational Technology team.
- I scheduled, planned, and carried out the District 6th Grade Keyboarding Assessment, which included planning teacher training, creating assessment materials, and collecting, compiling, and reporting assessment data.
- I created a survey to collect feedback from teachers and administrators about the success of the keyboarding program.
- I worked with IT to create an online, electronic database for collecting, reporting, and evaluating keyboarding assessment scores.
I am now continuing my work with IT, EBL, and CTE to refine our plan and determine how to successfully make keyboarding a part of our district’s overall curriculum vision. I have recently been asked to participate as a member of a keyboarding curriculum task-force that will determine how keyboarding will best fit into the District’s new sixth-grade schedule when grade reconfiguration occurs in the 2013-2014 school year.