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Concepts for Transferability

Communications Humanities Math Science


Communications Group

Course: English 101
Name of Module Designer
  1. Thesaurus Re-Writes of Aphorisms and Proverbs

This activity would be useful when learning laws and properties in science. The words would be substituted for synonyms and thus make them more understandable, useful, and memorable. This also would be interesting to translate into a foreign language with or without synonyms.

I could have my students complete rewrites of various sayings or songs in which they would replace the common names or organisms with the scientific names. There are also other various scientific terms that can be used in place of more lay terms.

Margaret Johnson
Course: Soc. Studies 102
  1. Understanding Country Data

PowerPoint is the main technology used for this module. This PowerPoint module is informative and quiz-like: Who am I? The slides just after that are the answers. This idea is great and could be expanded to give some sort of randomness that the students can play around with - much like the old flashcards in elementary math courses.
Margaret Johnson
  1. Anytime Review

In an earth science class, an instructor could use this "electronic flashcard" idea to do a "name that rock" set, or "name this feature" kind of format. For introduction to physics, one could have practice problems come up first followed by the answer. What a great way to administer a practice quiz. Normally, a teacher would copy the quiz, hand it out, wait for everyone to finish, and then go over the results. Using this method, one would just let the slides run and students get answers after a set time period. This slide set could also be uploaded to the Web for direct student access later.

This module could be used for almost any science class to review the topics of the previous class period and to help students focus on the direction of the topic for the day.

In a mythology class, students create flash cards-why not online?

In a science class, this system could be used to remind students of the functions of cellular organelles; review terms and definitions; or review organs, organ systems, and their functions. Reinforcement is so important for students to remember material, and this would provide that during a time that would otherwise be wasted.

This is a delightful way to present Q&A for any subject. The ability to add visuals and even sound make a text review a thing of the past.

The Wacom tablet. http://www.wacom.com/productinfo/index.cfm is wonderful and actually easier to use than the writing tool that is included in PowerPoint.

That idea is as awesome as it is innovative.

This module could be used to create an interdisciplinary chemistry/social studies unit. Data concerning the environmental chemistry of the countries, their chemical exports, etc. would be included to make an interesting and enjoyable project.

This module concept could be used to create an "Anytime Review" of African American heroes in honor of Black History Month. Students could test their knowledge during transition periods of instruction.

Margaret Johnson
  1. Assigned Research Questions Using Internet

In math classes, students could search the Internet and find some interesting math-related topic. This could be the history of an important result (like pi) or the background of a famous mathematician. Discussions on a discussion board would then follow and would be part of their homework grade.

Good use of the Internet in the classroom involves organizing Internet resources in a sensible way for students. The questions here offer students a way to enter the door into the conversation about a region and a culture, providing credible and valuable sites and helping students avoid resorting to too-simple and inefficient solutions. These questions and activities would be eminently useful in literature classes. When we are studying the novels of Emecheta and Achebe, for example, the questions in these modules, focused on Ibo and other Nigerian cultures, would carry much more cash value for learners than a lecture.

This module would be especially appropriate for human genetics. The use of the Internet is particularly useful because there is a wealth of very good human genetics information on the Internet, and although this is a rapidly changing field, some of the sites stay current. Some of the information in textbooks is out of date the day they are published.

Margaret Johnson
  1. Virtual Museum Tours

Following this module, students can search for works of art on mythological themes.

This is a great idea! There are so many wonderful science museums that are simply too far away for most students to attend. Fortunately, many of these museums have virtual tours that are just a click away on their websites such as those for the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Students could go on these virtual tours and write a report or answer questions assigned to them about the exhibits. What a neat way to get students interested in the world around them and pique their curiosity at the same time. I could also see how this could lead into an Internet research project for which students could find out additional information about the living organisms that were on exhibit at the museum.

Margaret Johnson
Course: English Composition 101
  1. The Narrative/Descriptive Essay

Science - The idea of cutting and pasting text with a computer and projector would be easily transferred to any science lesson that requires prioritizing, sequencing, or organizing in logical order, such as size, texture, similar structure, or atomic characteristics. This is a great exercise that could be turned into friendly competition or a group assessment activity.

History - The transferability would also allow for a history class to place events in sequence or prioritize events. Cutting and pasting and the use of color allow for many ways to demonstrate learning to the class and assist in organizing ideas.

Simply taking text book segments and mixing the order would prove to be very enlightening and challenging for some students.

Math - (Various Essay Modules) These essay modules could apply to mathematics courses. Even in math courses that involve writing assignments, the assignments are typically not graded as rigorously for grammatical mistakes as they would be in an English course. Often they are limited to spelling and obvious mistakes in sentence or paragraph structure. The grade is based primarily on content and clarity of presentation. Courses that are more cross-discipline could possibly utilize this type of module; however, examples of previous writing assignments could be shown to the class and discussed much like sample essays in the composition modules. Word problems could also be shown through a projection system and then analyzed on the board. A color scheme could be used to diagram the work problem as a preliminary step to setting up equations.

Elementary Application - The activity in this module can be used in the elementary setting if it is modified to meet students' maturation and ability levels. There is minimal deployment of technology. In addition to having students use a word processor and projector, they would be encouraged to use graphics, to create a PowerPoint presentation that supports an essay that they have composed, and to work collaboratively to reflect on each other's work using a rubric.

Camille Willingham
  1. The Illustration or Example Essay

Camille Willingham
  1. The Process Analysis Essay

This module could be adapted to problem solving in the area of math. Technology implemented in this fashion is very prevalent in math. An instructor would present the students with real-world problems and use the technology to analyze, gather, and interpret data; construct scenarios; and ultimately solve the problems.
Camille Willingham
  1. The Cause and Effect Essay

This module could be adapted to problem solving in the area of math. Technology implemented in this fashion is very prevalent in math. An instructor would present the students with real-world problems and use the technology to analyze, gather, and interpret data; construct scenarios; and ultimately solve the problems.
Camille Willingham
  1. The Comparison and Contrast Essay

Teachers of classical mythology could place an online example of a student essay that compares the ancient treatment of a myth with a modern treatment of the same myth. Hints for writing, such as "Do not use contractions in a formal paper," could be included.
Camille Willingham
  1. The Definition Essay

Camille Willingham
  1. The Division and Classification Essay

Camille Willingham
  1. The Argumentative Essay

The concept in these modules is to use a word processor to rearrange scrambled items by using a cut-and-paste method and then to identify key elements by underlining or highlighting them in various colors.
Camille Willingham
Course: English 360
  1. Developing an Initial Professional Web Page

Math ­ Students could use Web pages to present problems or solutions to math problems. Students could work in groups (across the globe) to collaborate on solutions. Having to analyze and communicate these ideas in writing will enhance problem-solving strategies.
Kathleen McInerney
  1. Creating a Web Page of Literature Web Sites

Math - This module could be extended to any math course. An instructor could provide a page for students that would have links to tutorials, data sites, and summary pages. It would be useful for students to search for additional sites that provide help on a subject that is often difficult. Having them include reviews of the sites would give the rest of the class a student perspective on the usefulness of each site. This could be an assignment due prior to a midterm or final exam so that the rest of the class could benefit from the resources. Students should submit their pages to the instructor who could then post all the results at the same time. This would keep late-starters from just using links found by others. A project that incorporates the technology with the subject area could be created as well. Students could use the site to do virtual rehabs or community planning such as construction of neighborhood play lots. They could be on teams with students from other schools, states, or countries. There is so much real-world math in these types of projects. The website could be a portal for various aspects of the projects.
Kathleen McInerney
  1. Book Pitch w/ PowerPoint

PowerPoint can certainly enhance math concepts. Teachers can use it as a whiteboard for demonstrations. The use of animation can provide better understanding of geometric concepts and other mathematical relationships. Projects and tutorials can be designed with PowerPoint. Presentations can be shared via e-mail or CD-ROM to team members outside the classroom.
Kathleen McInerney
  1. Glossary of Literary Terms

Using the module as a model, a teacher of mythology could develop a glossary of terms-literary, anthropological, psychological, and even medical-that pertains to mythology.

This module would be most helpful to literature students. The technology used in the module is user-friendly and easily adaptable.

This module is adaptable to math classes. There are a ton of terms and concepts that students can learn through illustrations. Having students create their own glossary of terms presented in class would also encourage them to read the book more.

Kathleen McInerney
  1. Sound Track

Kathleen McInerney
  1. Evaluating Webfolios

The rubric for this module could also read "Study and Learn from the Masters," which is certainly a sound and time-tested approach to learning. This module asks students to study and learn from the webfolios of teachers (masters) in preparation for the student's construction of his or her own website. In short, this is essentially "learning by example."

One could just as easily transfer this idea to other subject areas (without the burden of creating something new) in terms of evaluating different-though similar-content by assigning a simple comparison-and-contrast exercise. For example, media students could examine foreign online newspapers and compare/contrast them with domestic papers. Here they would be studying the constituent elements of those newspapers and discerning key similarities and differences in a newspaper's approach to delivering the news. Other disciplines could just as easily use this comparison/contrast approach to a written evaluation of just about any "work" depicted on the Web.

Kathleen McInerney
  1. The Webfolio

This module is applicable to all professionals in all subject areas.
Kathleen McInerney
Course: Eng. 100, 101
  1. Subject-Verb Agreement

This is a simple, but effective use of Internet resources to add enrichment, re-teach basic skills, reference sites, and add online quizzes to every curriculum. This is a basic step that all courses and concepts should develop. A simple search and some time to evaluate quality sites are all that are needed.

Students having problems with subject-verb agreement or other grammatical matters could be asked to visit the http://www.funbrain.com web site.

This idea of doing a diagnostic test that gives the instructor immediate feedback for assessment data is a really good one and easily transfers to other discipline areas. Moreover, because the instructor has done the quiz on a computer, there are a number of advantages. For instance, the advantages include determining the student's computer skills, allowing the student to have immediate feedback on his or her work, and determining the kinds of errors in general that the students have made so the focus of the next class can be changed to accommodate their needs.

Quality off-the-shelf online quizzes are, thankfully, becoming more readily available on the Internet, serving to augment both course materials and assessment needs. Although the quizzes are almost always content specific, this type of technology is considerably helpful to the teacher and students because of its 24-hour convenience, specific content applicability, ease of use, and immediate feedback.

The use of technology in this module can be integrated across the disciplines that support the reading structure. It addresses the requirements of the Chicago Reading Initiative in all four frameworks. It will additionally aid students in addressing writing skills as required by the ISAT. The technology used is flexible and engaging, and it will be an excellent way to administer paperless pre- and post-tests as well as skill reinforcement.

Michele Graham
  1. Getting Acquainted with Blackboard Quiz

This one would be easy to adapt to any course that uses Blackboard for a course homepage. I currently use Blackboard as a telecourse supplement and plan on incorporating this quiz. In this quiz, the instructor directs students to very specific skills as well as anticipates problem areas.

This module helps students "get acquainted" with Blackboard by having them answer weekly questions (that progressively get more difficult) about information that is available to them in Blackboard and how to use Blackboard. While I do not use Blackboard, I do have class materials available in WebCT, and I could easily write quiz questions to encourage students to utilize these materials and become proficient in finding the materials and information that are available to them in WebCT.

To use the module's concept across the curriculum would be beneficial, in that students will have available to them assignments, quizzes, and exams. This will be a wonderful asset to students who are absent due to illness or any students who fail to get assignments while in class. For elementary and secondary schools, parents additionally will have access to class requirements if this technology is at their disposal.

Michele Graham
  1. Getting Acquainted with Inspiration Software

This module and the Inspiration software could easily transfer to just about any course. For the physical science area, probably the best use is having students develop flow charts (i.e., idea maps, concept maps) for the identification of rocks and minerals.

This is a dynamic piece of software that can be incorporated across the disciplines. It is invaluable in helping to improve students' mapping, outlining, and diagramming skills. It allows students to visualize the parts that help to present the whole.

Instead of teaching students to use software, the instructor would create concept maps using Inspiration for each unit of study. The concept maps would be used to introduce units and would be provided to the students for test preparation.

Michele Graham
  1. Online Diagnostic Grammar Activity

I have used online quizzes (using WebCT) in several of my classes in the past, but I have never thought to create an online diagnostic exam to deliver to my classes at the beginning of the semester. Such diagnostic exams could be created for every discipline area. This module is another step along the road of using technology in the classroom.

This module will greatly enhance the language arts curriculum. It can be incorporated with reading, grammar, and writing, which are important in The Chicago Reading Initiative. This use of technology will aid students in the acquisition of grammatical skills needed to address the requirements of the ISAT. Students can access this activity and receive reinforcement of taught skills and immediate feedback.

Michele Graham
  1. Attachments

Following the directions in the module, students can send mythology projects and written assignments to the instructor.

This deployment of technology will be beneficial in interchanging assignments and notations between students and teachers, as well as between/among students. It permits online access to information that can be easily placed in the document from Internet resources. It allows students to exercise accountability in submitting assignments on time. It will additionally minimize the likelihood of lost, misplaced assignments.

Michele Graham

Top

Humanities Group

Course: English 122, Comp II
Name of Module Designer
  1. Content Research & Analysis Using Full-Text Word Searches

This concept can be used in any subject area in which students are required to provide a written response in the form of an essay or position paper. The process allows the student to locate over-used words and replace them with appropriate synonyms.

In a mythology class, students could search translations of primary sources to quickly locate the names of characters and to study important concepts.

In a political science class, students could search speeches and political documents to reflect on implications of words and to compare historical documents.

In an English or speech class, students could study the repetition of key terms in professional essays and speeches.

Jerry Pinkham
  1. A Color-Coded Error ID System for Grading Student Papers

This module uses color to code a teacher's responses to the student in an editing process. It could be used in any discipline, even in the writing component of mathematics. Color-coding by using a highlighter is stronger visually than underlining in color, although that is a similar concept. The use of color is an interesting technique to use in distance education courses where all work is electronic.

When using this module, an instructor would devise a clear, consistent system for labeling that would be appropriate to the course. One might be labeling topic sentences, transitional words, a thesis sentence, references to body systems (circulatory, respiratory, nervous system), verb tenses in a foreign language class, etc.

When used in grading, the use of color allows a student to see patterns of error and to focus clearly on what is needed to improve the work.

The technique of highlighting, instead of being used by an instructor for grading, could be used by a student for writing as a means of coding specific parts of the answers.

When grading the aesthetic and technical areas of websites, an instructor could easily use the highlighting technique and the comment box option.

Jerry Pinkham
  1. Their Chance To Be Heard

This module involves having students use an anonymous ID for online discussions so they can freely express their ideas and opinions. This would be an asset for discussions in biology as well as in English. There are numerous current issues in biology that are controversial (cloning, use of genetically modified organisms or GMOs, use of ATVs and horseback riding in national forests or parks, etc). By having an anonymous ID to use, students would more freely express their opinions and would engage in some indepth discussions without fear of offending the instructor or fellow classmates. Perhaps they would not only voice their personal feelings, but would also consider the science behind these issues to help them make informed decisions.

This module is appropriate for human genetics discussions of ethical or controversial topics, such as testing for breast or colon cancer genes, privacy of genetics information, and human cloning restrictions. Some students are reluctant to express their opinions when most students are taking an opposing position. In addition, time is always a constraining factor.

This module is an example of using the Internet outside the classroom for the classroom. Students could discuss problems from math class, the content of essays assigned for reading in composition class, or speeches being analyzed in speech class.

Using a "chat room" in which individual students can participate under an "anonymous" ID gives great freedom to expression and builds students' confidence. It also allows for a high degree of candor and honesty of expression which in turn, would propel "passion" in the course. Passion is often not connected to conceptual development because it is too difficult to control or due to the limits of "sequential" access to many students by one teacher.

This approach is highly transferable since it uses technology in a way that the teacher moves out of the middle and the students begin interaction with each other.

Jerry Pinkham
  1. The Multimedia Term Paper: Term Papers That Talk, Sing, Dance, and Tell You Where To Go

This module is an obvious choice for any discipline. We have moved from writing across the disciplines to writing and technology across the disciplines, and the student work outlined here is useful for all. The rationale included is thorough and compelling.

This module can easily be adapted to many courses. In the area of earth science, the multimedia content would consist of downloaded maps, digital photos, animations of earth process, links, and video clips. Near midterm students could pick a location (state, country, region, province) with some type of unique geological significance. They could produce a "Geogram"-a multimedia term paper with location maps, coordinates, descriptions of local geology, etc. Near the end of the semester, the instructor could set up computers around the room, load the documents, and have students browse the various "papers." It would be a kind of multimedia poster session.

In social studies, students could submit multimedia term papers based on research of individual countries, including music clips, digital maps, and photos. Excel-based graphs and links to websites providing current data and news about the country could be included.

In chemistry, this project could serve as a diverse assessment option. It would appeal to certain students' learning styles and would add a variety of materials to the student portfolios.

In English 101, it is common to select exciting and dynamic speeches to demonstrate the argumentative mode par excellence. A multimedia computer presentation of a famous speech by Martin Luther King using photographs, sound and speech files, and video clips would give students a greater understanding of the argumentative rhetorical mode.

Jerry Pinkham
Course: FLCL 271H - Classical Mythology (honors section)
  1. Searching for the "Right" Translation of an Ancient Work of Literature

This mythology module can be easily transferred to a number of courses in social sciences, humanities, English, and the arts. It would also work well in a philosophy or religion course when comparing sources of the modern translations. It could also be used to compare various explanations of higher mathematical concepts.

Students could discuss their findings and their reactions on a chat site.

Antoinette Brazouski
  1. Studying the Influence of Classical Mythology on Art

The concepts in this module could be transferred to almost all disciplines. Students learn to use various tools-overhead, copier, and printer. They also use applications such as PowerPoint. The ability to use search engines on the Internet, download and save the images to a local computer, and use them in various projects is a valuable skill that will transfer to all knowledge areas.

This application of technology would be useful when the items being studied are not readily available. For instance, the availability of an electron microscope is limited; however, the images that one would see through an electron microscope are available on the Web. Therefore, the information can be accessed without using the expensive equipment. It is the same for atomic structures, far-away geological formations, climate, astronomy, and dangerous diseases.

Antoinette Brazouski
  1. Viewing a Production of an Ancient Drama

This module demonstrates the thoughtful use of video in the classroom and provides activities that promote engaged rather than passive viewing by students. This activity is more than simply a visual; it requires annotation and research. Anyone teaching any subject through the use of video and audio resources (whether theater, geography, or philosophy) could incorporate the activities outlined here to enhance student learning.
Antoinette Brazouski
  1. Comparison of Mythic Elements

This module could be used in any course that requires the comparison of various elements or components. For example, students might compare the romantic poets to contemporary writers. In a math class, students might compare the usage of current calculating technologies to older or even ancient methods. Searching skills as well as the ability to determine credible sites could be learned and/or improved. Once the information has been obtained, other software applications could be learned and used to present the findings (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.).

This module has some great ideas about integrating technology and traditional pedagogical techniques into a seamless whole, which is quite valuable for instructors who may be reluctant to eschew the old reliable ways. This also could be used in a philosophy of world religions class, using websites for the comparative mythology of Genesis and Mesopotamia, introducing students to using the Internet and assisting with comparing various mythological variants.

Antoinette Brazouski
  1. Studying Places Mentioned in Ancient Greek & Roman Myths

Using digital maps and site images, students could create a virtual "visit" to a place described in literature such as the Bible, a Greek or Roman myth, or a novel.
Antoinette Brazouski
  1. Studying a Musical Version of a Myth

This is a marvelously rich module, encouraging students to create connections among art forms and disciplines, to use multiple intelligences, and to translate through intertextuality. This type of translation is most effective in learning and requires learners to reinvent the original.
Antoinette Brazouski
  1. Making a Mythology Source Notebook

This module requires collections of information that involve student choice, bringing about a depth of knowledge about some aspect of a subject. Such activities are very memorable and meaningful to learners. This module would be useful in many classes including English, humanities, and physical science.

In a genetics class, a student could make source notebooks on various genetic disorders, complete with photos of the defining physical characteristics of the disorder.

In a Web graphics course, students could use Web bookmarks to create a source book of favorite page designs and navigation designs they like.

In Spanish, this module could be used to study the Meso-American myths.

Antoinette Brazouski
  1. Psychological Interpretation of Myth
Antoinette Brazouski
  1. Ancient Greek and Roman Myths in Everyday Life

Because Chicago students have been part of the Chicago Fine Arts Cluster, students have been researching myths, fables, and legends. This module will be beneficial in relating those myths to real-life experiences. This module uses technology to create lessons that are authentic. Students could work collaboratively, creating stories, poems, and PowerPoint presentations that reflect on myths and that show how allusions to those myths are incorporated into present-day life.
Antoinette Brazouski
  1. Reinforcement and Review

This module was designed to help students develop reviews over the material learned in mythology and to help them remember the information on a long-term basis. Students could work in groups in a collaborative effort to prepare a review of the material in each unit. They could then make this available to their classmates in a variety of formats (e.g., put it on website, discussion board, PowerPoint presentation, or e-mail).

Some instructors have students create sample questions and then use a few on the exam. Just for review, students can use free services that let users create multiple-choice quizzes online. This would eliminate the need to know a new programming language. For math classes, the only difficulty would be expressing the symbols and notation. If graphics can be uploaded, this would not be too bad. Otherwise, the student would be limited to text answers of symbols that can be generated by means of the <FONT> tag in HTML.

In certain units, such as organic chemistry nomenclature, the suggestions made in this module are very useful. The questions would be changed so as to apply to chemistry, and different websites would be used, but the basic use of the philosophy of the module and the technology applications are just as useful in chemistry as they are in mythology.

At the end of each unit completing a specific rhetorical mode, such as division/classification, comparison/contrast, etc., a PowerPoint slide presentation could allow students to match a list of characteristics of a particular rhetorical mode to the mode with which these characteristics are associated.

Antoinette Brazouski
Course: Humanities 123
  1. Art History Research through the Web

For this module, the students were to select three of several possible websites pre-selected by the professor. The students then were to answer a series of questions about each of those websites. That is, the students were then to critique the websites. This concept is transferable to math websites, chemistry websites, etc. It encourages students to look critically and to become discriminating in their Web use.

The website on which the module is based seems to be a good source for finding works of art on mythological subjects for a mythology class.

This module is beneficial in researching information and viewing works that students might not otherwise have access to in developing an appreciation of the arts. Students can compare and contrast art works and note lines of symmetry. They can research the periods of art and write essays. Pictures can be obtained from the Internet and placed in PowerPoint presentations to be shared.

The idea of having the students focus on the "process" is a good one. Often, students are asked to memorize function of a discipline. The requirements of having students evaluate how they move through a discipline-in this case art history-sensitizes the students to the validity of the discipline.

Polly Hoover
  1. Analyzing a Visual Arts Site as a Research Tool

This module focuses on using the Internet as a research tool for questions in the visual arts, but it is a great introduction to conducting research on the Internet through a comprehensive academic website in any discipline. It could be used to study business sites, library sites, or sites for mathematicians etc. It places the responsibility on the student to use the Internet as a research tool and has the student ask the questions and provide the responses.

By asking students to focus on the "work" within art, the instructor helps the student learn to set the parameters of understanding (and, as a consequence, he or she is motivated to extend the questioning into scholarship.)

This module would work for a chemistry class that requires students to use Internet resources in reports. The same questions could be used.

Polly Hoover
  1. Bricks Versus Clicks: Comparing the Actual with the Virtual

This module is a challenge to compare a "real world" object with its virtual Web representation. In the module, students compare the real works of art in a museum with their Internet counterparts. One could do a comparable comparison of the following:
  • an online version of a newspaper vs. the real print edition
  • an online magazine vs. its newsstand counterpart
  • a music CD vs. its downloaded MP3 cousin
  • a movie at the theater vs. an Internet-delivered film
  • a broadcast radio station vs. its Internet incarnation
  • a leather-bound book vs. its corresponding e-book
  • TV and print advertisements vs. web-based ad animations

This activity would be useful when comparing any two scientific properties, experiments, or inventors. Simply give a day to research the two, and allow the students to make informed choices. Remain student-centered.

This also would work well for historical places, foreign language background, research for a comparison/contrast essay, travel log in a writing class, virtual vs. actual lab experiments, or data gathering in statistics. This certainly opens a lot of doors for transferability.

Polly Hoover
  1. Narrative Time in Art w/ PowerPoint

Polly Hoover
  1. Introduction to Music w/ PowerPoint

Music could be used in most disciplines to improve listening skills and to relate material to other cultures and societies. Additionally, students must have computer skills that will enable them to navigate the Internet, locate appropriate sites, download, and listen to the selections. This is another module that broadens awareness of the vast resources available.

This module would adapt well for any foreign language class as a means of addressing music and culture.

Polly Hoover
  1. Intro/Overview of Projects for Class

The ideas and techniques used in this module could easily be transferred to use with portfolios in most any course.

As part of an electronic syllabus or course Web page, faculty will outline requirements for technology-enhanced work to be submitted by the students for grading. These might include online quizzes, presentations using PowerPoint with digital images and audio components, and a Web page to be submitted as part of the student portfolio.

Polly Hoover
  1. Blackboard Overview Quiz

This module has been successfully adapted for both Spanish and literature classes.
Polly Hoover
  1. Introduction to Homer w/ PowerPoint

This module uses technological "handouts" rather than paper handouts.

PowerPoint is an excellent medium for introducing a new concept to students. As the teacher and creator, you have complete control over the content, difficulty level, and conceptual material. Students are able to view the presentation (slides) at their own pace.

A math teacher could use this to prepare a lesson on area and circumference of circles. Students continually confuse the formulas, and this would provide an opportunity to review the concepts with visual examples that would be tied into the mathematical operations.

PowerPoint presentations can be used as the basis for lectures in any class. Photos, videos, and animations can be incorporated into PowerPoint along with the text.

Polly Hoover
Course: Spanish I, II, 103, Introductory
  1. Teaching Topic-Based Vocabulary in an Introductory Spanish Course

Accessing the Internet at www.quia.com, one could create a class page on the Web thereby creating quizzes for teaching and reviewing the vocabulary or concepts of any course.

In an English course, one could review rhetorical theory (e.g., essay, thesis, unity, the paragraph, the introduction, the body, the conclusion, transitions, coherence, narration, description, illustration, process, cause and effect, comparison/contrast, definition, argumentation).

In a geography class, an instructor could create online quizzes for new vocabulary introduced in each unit. Students would use these quizzes for enrichment and to study for in-class exams. This concept is student-centered and allows for individualized learning pace.

Lopez
  1. The Spanish-Speaking World

Lopez
  1. Video Assessment

Though designed for a Spanish class, this module would work well as a final practical exam in a chemistry lab. The students would design and implement a set of experiments for a particular lab scenario. Student groups could use the digital camera to document all the discussions and procedures that led to their final experimental design. They could also film their experimental set-up, implementation, and completion for use in their classroom presentation. The assessment rubric for this module works very well for lab classes.

In a newswriting course, students could rewrite their stories to use not only for print format, but also for use in a television broadcast simulation (read VCR taping). A new software program called "Serious Magic" supplies a ready-made newsroom background, sound effects, and the ability for students to read their stories from a computer-generated teleprompter. Using this approach, students can dress up as reporters and actually "hear and see" their stories, thus giving them a distinctly more objective perspective upon which to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their own work.

In a mass communication course, students could use VCR taping to prepare visual and audio "field research papers" on topics that lend themselves to be reported much better in visual terms rather than within a standard research paper format. This assignment is both challenging and educationally sound research work.

Lopez
  1. Using Children's Literature for Grammar, Reading, Listening, & Pronunciation

A teacher of mythology could develop a supplementary unit on books on ancient Greek and Roman mythology for children.
Lopez
  1. Student Journals as Final Projects

Putting all art and writing work into one portfolio is a good idea for several graphic and writing classes within a multimedia communications program. This module shows different types of media, all of which can be placed into a PowerPoint presentation.

The language production demonstrated in this module is outstanding. This activity could easily be used in an English classroom. It could also be modified to include neighborhood history and architecture as well as oral histories of family and neighbors. It could also be used in the elementary grades with great success. A form of this module would fit well in a methods of teaching English class.

Lopez
  1. Surveys of Latin American & Spanish Artists

The process of using the Internet as a resource for gathering information and then having an activity that uses gathered information in some created product is excellent. Certain modules in COM 115 Internet Fundamentals and COM 111 Introduction to Multimedia could be taught this way, creating a collaborative and learner-based experience.
Lopez
  1. Provinces of Spain, Web Research Project

This Spanish module could be adapted for a social studies class or for an English literature class in which a work of literature would have a strong emphasis on setting. Using Internet sites provided, students prepare PowerPoint presentations on a country of the world. Faculty needs to ensure that students (or groups) have requisite skills in PowerPoint and downloading images.
Lopez
  1. Survey of Spanish Literature, Incorporating Author Web Sites

This module is exceptionally transferable to English studies; students could follow this to study individual authors and to prepare presentations on those authors. Tech support is given throughout, which helps (and requires that) students avoid wholesale Internet plagiarism.
Lopez
  1. Frida Kahlo - An In-Depth Study

(Spanish 103, 104, Spanish for Native Speakers, & 4th year HS Spanish)

In this module, an instructor would use digital images to create a student tutorial based on animated "flash cards" in a "memory-style" game. A Flash program is used to make a concentration game, linking it to a subject area. The game is online, which allows students to access it from their homes. In the process, a student uses the Internet to gather information and then plays the game, using the gathered information.

For a math class, instead of using Spanish paintings, a similar game might include famous mathematicians and their names or famous works. Also, a math game could help students recognize words, definitions, symbols, and notations. Other applications of Flash could be used to illustrate examples of concepts, to demonstrate properties of mathematics or statistics, or to create an interactive review that provides feedback on weak areas that need more study.

Certain modules in COM 115 Internet Fundamentals and COM 111 Introduction to Multimedia could be taught this way, creating a collaborative and learner-based experience.

Science majors in a chemistry class have already begun to modify this module for their semester project. Their version will be a combination of Concentration and Jeopardy. Students will match answers with questions. The completed puzzle will reveal pictures of famous scientists.

Lopez
  1. Pre-Colombian Cultures of the Americas
    (Spanish 103/104, Intermediate-Advanced college course, Spanish 3/4 of HS)

This module asks students to research specific topics on specific Web pages that the professor has pre-selected. In a math statistics course, an instructor might find websites that discuss each of the following: binomial probability distributions, geometric probability distributions, and Poisson probability distributions. The student would access the websites and write a brief report discussing the similarities and differences among these types of distributions.

"As someone who teaches in Ecuador, I would be most interested in using this module, with a focus on Andean cultures, in my TESOL methods class there. It would offer many insights into the evolution/collision of cultures and languages for my students as they prepare to teach Ecuadorians and other South Americans. This module reminds me that, while I have been teaching classroom practice and issues of diversity, I have not included enough class time for my students to become familiar with historical cultural issues in language teaching."

Lopez

Top

Math Group

Course: Math 112 (Math for Elementary Teachers) OR Math 111 (Mathematics for Life)
Name of Module Designer
  1. Slope as Rate of Change

Dr. Marilyn Hasty
  1. Exploring Patterns

Dr. Marilyn Hasty
  1. Remainder Pattern for 9s

This is a module that could be incorporated into an activity in MATH 137 in which the class spends a fair amount of time on pattern recognition in the discussion of inductive and deductive reasoning. A calculator program could be used to show the result of division one digit at a time.
Dr. Marilyn Hasty
  1. Egyptian Mathematics

Dr. Marilyn Hasty
  1. Decimal Patterns Involving Nines

This is a module that could be used in an elementary mathematical modeling course and in a pre-algebra course. It asks students to search for patterns when doing arithmetic.
Dr. Marilyn Hasty
  1. Palindrome Years

This is a module that could be used in an Elementary Mathematical Modeling course (MATH 137).

The application here is basically the calculator. Many of the introductory students are afraid to explore with it, and this allows them to connect a familiar piece of technology with their creativity.

Dr. Marilyn Hasty
  1. Patterns in Powers

Dr. Marilyn Hasty
  1. Roots of Sums of Squares

This is a module that could be used for an Elementary Mathematical Modeling course. It could also be used in pre-algebra and elementary algebra courses. Students commonly have misconceptions that roots can be distributed. After this activity, students should no longer make that error.
Dr. Marilyn Hasty
  1. Decimals to Fractions

Dr. Marilyn Hasty
  1. Graphs

Dr. Marilyn Hasty
Course: Math 145 (Elementary Statistics)
  1. Guessing Correlations

Kevin Bodden
  1. Paper Thin

Kevin Bodden
  1. Simply Sampling

For this module, students use the Internet to find five geography-related news reports that use sampling. Using analysis questions from the course website, students (or groups) identify the sample, intended population, and sampling frame, as well as evaluate the validity of the sampling technique in each report. Then, they submit findings electronically.

The use of technology as presented in this module is adaptable to other areas of math as well. Students at all grade levels can search for and use real data while learning graphing, interpreting data, analyzing and constructing charts, etc.

Kevin Bodden
  1. Groovy Graphs

Having students find examples of good and poor graphs of data on the Internet would work well at a variety of grade levels. In fact, it would be interesting to have students take an example of a misleading graph and make a more accurate representation.

The idea of evaluating websites and the information they contain is much needed. Just because it is on the Web does not mean it is valid information. Discussing or assigning work that requires evaluation of fact and style of websites will provide a much needed educational skill. Texts should be evaluated as well.

Students could do Internet searches for various graphing techniques and then when it comes time to graph data in the lab, they could