3.

1 Classroom Management & Collaborative Learning

Candidates model and facilitate effective classroom management and collaborative learning
strategies to maximize teacher and student use of digital tools and resources.
The artifact that represents the mastery of standard 3.1 is the Multimedia Design Web quest that
was developed for ITEC 7445. Students worked in collaborative pairs to conduct the research
portion of the web quest. There are several students in this group who cannot read. Stronger
readers were paired with non-readers. Students were also allowed to have one student write the
dialogue, and the other create the illustration to portray the events. This collaborative model
allowed all students to participate fully in the web quest experience.
The use of digital tools allowed students to research topics on the internet with read aloud
software that gave equal access to the content. The read aloud software is installed on both the
computers in the classroom, and on all of the computers in the computer lab. We went to the
computer lab twice a week since there are only three desktop computers in my classroom.
Students had to take turns using the desktop computers on days when we did not go to the
computer lab. The incentive of working in the computer lab with a partner as motivation for the
students who have behavior or attention issues to stay on task. Being able to navigate through the
lesson independently, increased the confidence level of my students who are non-readers. There
are many students in todays classroom that are highly intelligent, but learn in alternative
formats. I developed this web quest to allow for differentiation of instruction that would address
these learning needs and allow the students to participate fully and feel successful.
Confidence is a big issue for this group of students. Many of these kids have speech language
issues, learning deficits, and are English Language Learners. These students often try to linger in
the background and not volunteer ideas or offer to answer questions. The installation of the
Promethean Board captured the attention of these students and motivated them to volunteer for a
turn writing on the Promethean Board, or navigate through a flipchart. Students who had never
volunteered before, were clamoring to be the first to use the board. The web quest was engaging,
because in addition to students being very interested in using the new technology on a daily
basis, the opportunity to work with a partner was naturally more engaging.
This project will impact future lessons that I teach. I will strive to incorporate collaborative
learning opportunities which will be engaging, and will address content standards at the reading
ability level of my students. The impact of this web quest may be measured by the increase in
standardized reading and writing test scores of the students in this class.