Implementation

Never before has the breakdown of multisyllabic words been more accessible than it is now, using AI technology. When a student reads a passage aloud and comes to a multisyllabic word that they cannot read, we circle it. Then we transfer the word onto a morpheme breakdown sheet. Instead of simply having a student sound out each syllable, define the word, and move on, I am teaching their parents, alongside their student, how to break down each word into its smallest meaningful parts and document it on the worksheet so they can apply what they know about each morpheme to new words. 

For example, a typical coaching session for a homeschooling family may look like the following: I take a multisyllabic word that the student has trouble with during the lesson, such as segregation. I demonstrate to the student and parent how to break it down into morphemes using ChatGPT. This way, if the parent does not know how to separate morphemes correctly, the parent has this resource and can continue with the guided practice until the student either has access to AI or can complete it with a Google search on their own. 

The essential flow of the lesson would not be possible without fast AI responses. The following AI prompt produces all the components needed for this process: Break the word (enter multisyllabic word here) into morphemes, define each morpheme, and provide additional words with those same morphemes for no greater than (name your grade level). This process fits the ISTE standard 4.1a: Create a Shared Vision, because many parents are reticent to try out AI tools. They do not want to help their children too much or make them reliant on AI to solve their problems for them. This process demonstrates how AI can be a tool for scaffolding learning without having the computer read the missed word to them. 

Impact

This artifact is aligned with 4.1b “Coaches facilitate equitable use of digital learning tools and content that meet the needs of each learner” because it is highly individualized, and students eventually can use AI (or the internet) as a resource and learning tool. My classes are online, so we are using digital tools for the entire lesson, including a digital copy of the passage, screen sharing on Zoom, and annotation tools to mark both the text and fill out the digital copy of the morpheme breakdown sheet. This process gives parents (who are my colleagues) a tool to help their struggling readers access academic vocabulary with one-to-one support. It is difficult to plan which words a student will have trouble with before a reading session. With the help of AI and this artifact, we can tackle the morpheme breakdown on the spot. If we had to look for the morpheme breakdown in a resource manual for a word that a student had trouble reading, the student would lose momentum and comprehension of the passage. Now they can receive immediate feedback! 

This artifact is impacting student fluency because they are keeping a notebook of all the words that they have broken down for later reference. This artifact has already had a positive impact on my learners' fluency. Now my students are looking critically at multisyllabic words and breaking them down into their individual parts without relying on an adult to do that work for them. Although I have only been consulting AI with these Morpheme Breakdown sheets for the last month, I can already see a big difference when my students read aloud to me. Their notebook of morpheme sheets will help them tackle o multisyllabic words throughout their educational journey.  The parents I work with have expressed that they helped their student with this process. My students are engaged and motivated to find new words independently and have been emailing me their products. About five of my students can now seamlessly use this process to break down words efficiently and effectively. They enjoy the freedom of using AI to help themselves. 

Implementation

Since the conference, I have started compiling a list of resources I can refer others to that have impacted me as a technology coach for parents and teachers in the homeschooling community. I have been in touch with Mrs. Roberts, the author of Lit & Tech, and she has been available to answer my technology questions regarding Language Arts. She replies quickly and explains what I need to know about classroom editing tools. She helped show us how ChatGPT can assess a student's writing when a rubric and a grade are included in the prompt. There is definitely a problem if I am harder on a student’s essay than AI is. 

The student-teacher relationship is not just about meeting standards and grading. We are human, and if we are having a hard time with a student because of other issues beyond their writing mistakes, we may be tempted to take it out on them with our grading. It is the raw and honest truth about being a human judge. I was shocked to hear this, but now I know I can trust Mrs. Roberts to be honest about how trying judging writing can be. Many rubrics are subjective. We even have a rubric for my master’s class that states “no awkward language.” Sometimes what sounds perfectly natural to me comes off as awkward to my professor, or in reality, AI responds with the word “awkward” when I ask for help with phrasing.  I respond as myself, not how AI would respond. I want to read what my students have to say, even if it is awkward or human-sounding. Not the “fixed” version. If the language from a student doesn’t sound a little awkward, I know it wasn’t written by the student.

I am also making parents aware of how AI can serve as a teacher’s aide in setting expectations, even before their student submits homework for a grade. Parents are often harder on their own children than I am, buckling under the mounting pressure to have their student perform perfectly. AI can provide parents with informed feedback similar to what I experience in the Master’s in Educational Technology program at CSUF. 

Impact

This educational resource list has also improved my ability to access videos and resources to share with my colleagues and parents. It has also given me an organized place to quickly reference technology leaders in the industry as I come across them while pursuing my Master’s in Educational Technology at CSUF. Now that I have viewed and followed these leaders on media platforms, my queue is constantly being updated with additional technology resources that answer my quest for effective Language Arts tools. 

Because I teach multiple grade levels, I need to collect a wide variety of resources to share with my families. I am in constant communication with the parents, so  I have been sending the resources that suit their individual needs. The resource that has been the most widely shared is Leigh Langton, The Applicious Teacher. Her Snack Attack writing lesson can be applied across multiple grade levels and abilities. I have received positive feedback from the parents because the writing process sheets have fun shapes and are engaging to the young writers.  In addition, my homeschool families have teachers that they have to check in with once a month. I have shared the Snack Attack lesson and the Morpheme Breakdown sheet with several of them. They are excited to pass on these resources to their other families. These resources are making an impact on the families and are already traveling through our homeschool community (4.1.d). I plan to update this with specific responses from those teachers after they receive feedback. 

Reflection

Overall, I am definitely emerging as a change agent. In my homeschool community, the parents are the primary teachers of their own children. I decided to pursue a Master’s in Educational Technology because I believe that technology will accelerate learning for my students. My colleagues, who are mainly the parents, need a patient coach as they learn educational tools that can benefit their children. I coach the parents daily on how to use Google Docs and digital materials to help them transition into a more tech-efficient school day. 

As demonstrated by the Morpheme activity artifact, s, I can modify curriculum using digital tools such as screen sharing, magnifying words by blowing up a digital book, and using an additional camera in my hand for modeling writing. I share these strategies with parents to promote and facilitate equitable use of digital learning tools and content (4.1b)

I enjoy learning from innovative educators, who demonstrate high-impact teaching and learning strategies. I originally created the EdTech Resources document as a running record of resources I thought were high-impact and high-quality to use for myself. I quickly learned that sharing these resources, including encouraging parents to further seek out suggestions from these educators, can help them expand their own knowledge and ultimately become another informed educator capable of assisting their student(s) (4.1d). I plan to maximize the potential of having a Master’s in Educational Technology by continuing to learn through professional development courses whenever they become available, listening to podcasts of educational experts, The Digital Kindness Podcast, and Tech Expert Becky Keene of About - Phygital Labs .  In this way, I can connect my colleagues to the most up-to-date technology tools and resources to cultivate a supportive coaching culture (4.1c (4.1e)). This cooperative effort to develop best practices will accelerate the transformation to higher-achieving students. 

I am currently working on how I can accomplish even more regarding 4.1e Maximize Potential of Technology, which means I connect educators to experts and support providers. This is a challenge for me in my current position as an independent contractor because I am not with a district. However, I am a technical support provider with experience with tools that we use, such as Zoom functions.  I have trained my parents to use the hotspot function on their cell phones when the internet is down; we often solve Zoom dysfunction or audio glitches by combining a phone call with the Zoom call for a backup. I have shared which internet companies have provided the most reliable service in our area. I have even stopped several families from burning out their laptops by suggesting an additional plug-in fan. I have been teaching on Zoom full time for my sixth year and have learned many technical skills through experience.