Unit 2 - Facilitate

Unit 2: Technology to Facilitate Classroom Learning (3 weeks)

Now that you're officially set up for the course, it's time to start learning some new things. Most of you aren't necessarily education majors and those of you who are education majors probably haven't had a course on using technology for teaching. Your experience as a learner using educational technology ranges widely depending on where you went to school, your personal interest in technology, and the courses you've taken. My goal for this semester is to help you have a broad understanding of how educational technology tools can support you as a learner and how they can support teaching and learning in K-12 classrooms. 

If you haven't had a chance to purchase your book - you'll need it for this unit. Make sure to use the discount code and the purchasing procedure explained in Unit 1. This unit is due at the end of the day on Friday, September 22. Unit 3 will be posted by noon on Monday, September 25. 

In the Unit 1 reading response form, each of you shared takeaways that you believed were important for classmates to know. Recognizing the value in all your contributions, I've compiled a Google Slide presentation that includes everyone's responses (if yours is not listed, it means your response was not submitted properly- please email me ASAP). This task will serve as a review activity, helping you revisit the key points of the Unit 1 readings. 

Items to Complete in Task 1:

1. Go to this link and review classmates' responses to the question, “What's something your classmates should know about the text/topic?".

2. Please post thoughtful 2-3 sentence responses to 3 classmates. Consider the following:

   • Did the student capture something important? If so, why?

   • What resonates with you about their key takeaways?  Do you have shared experiences/perspectives?

   • If you have a different viewpoint, respectfully share your own ideas. Engage in thoughtful, constructive dialogue.

3. If you notice any classmates who have shared great insights, don't forget to uplift them with words of encouragement! You'll see several students who have contributed greatly to this task.

4. On your slide, feel free to respond to your classmates' comments.

** If you would like to edit your response, please email me your revised version at hyejin.hwang@uga.edu so I can update it in our Google Slide.

To facilitate means to make something easier. Isn't that one of the main roles of a teacher? To make learning easier and more accessible to learners? Among many facilitation tools, you'll start out looking at Google Tools. Then in Task 2, you'll explore a few facilitation tools that are used frequently in PreK-12 and higher education classrooms. 

Part 1: Read "What is GSuite for Education" by Kasey Bell

Before you start this task, take a few minutes to read the first 4 pages of this document, "What is GSuite for Education" by Kasey Bell from Shake Up Learning. This is still relevant even though the name has changed to Google Workspace for Education. It's a nice overview of Google tools for education. 

There's no quiz to check if you read it. Honestly, who would know if you skipped it? But if you take the 5 minutes necessary to read the linked article, everything else you do in this task will make more sense. I promise that I truly only link to articles that help glue everything together. So please - just read it. Didn't you tell yourself at the end of last semester that you'd actually start doing the assigned readings? :)

Part 2: Complete the Fundamentals Training

1. Go to the Fundamentals Training Page. 

2. Click the blue "Get Started" button. Only complete Unit 1 "Get Ready to Use Technology in the Classroom", not the entire training.

3. Work through Unit 1 (from "Introduction" to "Think Beyond the Textbook") and complete the Unit 1 review quiz. Don't forget to take notes when you come across something interesting; you'll need them later.

4. Take a screenshot of your Unit Review results. Don't worry if you don't get a perfect score - as long as you pass,  you'll earn full credit for this part of the task.

5. Post the screenshot on the Facilitate page you created on your course portfolio website (under the Insert menu, use the Images - Upload button to upload your screenshot). 

6. Write 1-2 paragraphs about your key takeaways. What did you learn from the tutorial, and why did you find it informative? Do you have any related experiences? Under the Insert menu, use the Insert Text Box option to write your sentences. 

   • Important: Don't write generically just to complete the task —take this as an opportunity to thoughtfully process your learning experience in your own words. I expect to read authentic reflections on how this activity shaped your thinking and perspectives about educational technology.

7. Make sure to click the Publish button - If it's not published, I can't see it!

Part 3:  Complete an additional Fundamental Training Unit.  

1. Visit the Fundamental Training Page again. Pick one of the Units (#3-13) that piques your interest. 

   • Don't pay any attention to the suggested time required - most take much less than half the time listed. Choose a unit that's of interest to you - NOT the one that looks like it will be the quickest to finish. You're already here - so you might as well learn something you can use. 

2. Work through all of the sections of the selected unit and then complete the unit review quiz. Again, take notes on key takeaways or insights.

3. Take a screenshot of your Unit Review results and post it on the Facilitate page you created on your course website (aim to get 100% on the quiz. You can retake it until you get a perfect score if you like).

4. Write 1-2 paragraphs about what you learned from the tutorial.

5. Make sure to publish your website to update what you've added!

** If you're an education major, you might want to consider exploring some of the other areas of Google Workspace for Education training and even completing some of the certification tests. Adding "Google Certified Teacher" to your vita is not a bad way to stand out from the crowd when you're applying for jobs!

Now that you know a bit more about Google Workspace for Education tools - what else is out there? For this task, you'll pick a facilitation tool from your textbook and explore it in-depth. Then, you'll build an artifact with the tool you explored and post it to your Facilitate webpage. 

There are hundreds of tools to explore in your textbook. I've identified several types of tools below that I think fit under the "Learning Facilitation" category - but you are more than welcome to choose a tool from your textbook that is found in a different tool chapter.

Part 1: Get an overview of different types of facilitation tools

Before you start - I want you to read the overview for several types of facilitation tools in our textbook. It's going to take me longer to type out the list than it will take you to read them - so don't freak out:

Part 2: Selecting and exploring facilitation tools

1. Now that you've read about 12 different types of facilitation tools, select a type that is most interesting to you. Explore at least two of the tools listed for your facilitation type. For instance, if I was interested in assessment, there are 12 different assessment tools explained in the textbook - from pages 62-65. I might choose to explore Edulastic and Ziplet (p. 63, 65). 

2. Spend some time reading the descriptions of the two tools you selected and then explore more in-depth. 

3. Think of an artifact you can create to show what you've learned about the tool. 

   • Example: I might create a 10-question interactive quiz about my major using Ziplet and test it out. 

4. Once you've created your artifact - add a link, video, or screenshot image (whichever makes the most sense for the tool you selected) to your Facilitate page and write 1-2 paragraphs describing what you created and what you learned. 

   • Example: I might record the screen of the Ziplet quiz page, insert the video on my Facilitate page, and write what I've learned.

5. Make sure to include the name of the tool you selected and a link to it. And don't forget to click PUBLISH!

Part 3: Share your work with peers! 

1. Copy the link/screenshot/etc. that you have posted on your website and paste it to this shared Padlet wall. Use the format "last name_first name" as the post title (e.g., Hwang_Jinny).

   • ** If your website is only viewable to me, don't post your website link on Padlet. Instead, please upload the screenshot images and paste your reflection text to your Padlet post.

2. Add a comment to more than two of your classmates. Remember to include your name to get full credit. 

   • Please show in your comment that you have thoroughly looked at the classmate's work. A simple "Good job!" will not be so meaningful, right?

It's time to think about what you've learned so far this semester. Since we're online - writing about our thinking is one of the best ways to communicate what you've learned. You'll use Google Docs to write a bit about what you've done in this unit and connect it to your readings from Unit 1. 

Create a new Google Doc and respond to the questions listed below (Part 1). Your finished piece will be 3-4 paragraphs. You could type this directly on your Facilitate page but using a Google Doc and then embedding it gives you more editing options. Also - you don't have to address every single question that I ask - these are just suggestions of what to talk about in your writing (if you've never created a Google Doc before, here's a good guide).

Part 1 - Write a Reflection 

In a new Google Docs file, write a reflection (3-4 paragraphs) about how the tools help facilitate learning and teaching. Think about the articles you read in Unit 1 and readings from our textbook. Where do you see themes/ideas from that article connecting with tools that you've learned about in this unit? (There's no shame in looking back at your article to help with this. Quotes are a good way to add a few sentences!)

Here are some ideas for what to think and write about:

1. • Based on the ideas found in your readings - what should teachers/students consider when using Google Workplace tools and/or the tool you chose in Task 2?

   • What would be an interesting way to use one of the GSuite tools and/or your Task 2 tool with a group of learners that would support what you read in your article?

   • Think about the ISTE standards you've read about. How can the Google Workplace tools and/or your Task 2 tool support that standard?

   • What is still confusing for you about the articles, the ISTE standards, or one of the tools that you used? What's an idea from the readings and/or a tool that you can see using beyond this semester?

Take 10 seconds to read this writing tip: "Don't Just Write Words. Write Music" - it's some of the simplest (and most useful) writing advice I've ever seen.

Part 2 - Look Back at Your Work

Once you're finished writing, proofread and revise your writing considering the following questions. These will be used as a grading criteria to evaluate your writing:

• In your writing, do you effectively demonstrate the knowledge and skills you have gained in the course so far? (4pt)

• Does it look like college-level writing? (2pt)

• Does it look like a final draft (no typos or grammatical errors)? (1pt)

• Are there 3-4 paragraphs? (0.5pt)

• Do you reference readings and tools you've used? (0.5pt)
  
  

Part 3 - Submit

Now let's insert that Google Doc into your website. 

1. Follow this instruction to post your Google Doc to your “Facilitate” page.

2. You'll need to do this each time you embed a new Google Doc (or Slides or Spreadsheet) on your website.

3. Make sure to change the Google Doc share setting to “anyone with the link” before embedding the document. Again, publish your website so I can view the final updates you've made!