Instructional web activity

Created by Erik Heinemann, a chemistry teacher in the Anne Arundel County (Maryland) Public Schools

Instant Messaging:

kewl or unkewl?

Objective: Teachers will determine if the use of IM is a good idea for education or a bad idea.

Objective: Teachers will design an assignment that uses communication technology with their students.

Introduction: Teachers and schools have continually blocked certain ports in the school’s network so that students are not able to access email or IM from school computers. This is due to the concern that students are spending too much time playing online instead of completing assignments at school. Many schools also have policies in place for cell phone, text messaging and other forms of mobile communication and their prohibited use. Yet many experts and analysts continually express the growing trend among young adults and teens as more and more of them are using IM on a daily basis.

At the same time, there is a growing concern, especially among English teachers, that the use of IM by the students and the lingo shortcuts that exist are appearing in formal academic writing and causing headaches.

There are also news stories in recent years that have implicated the misuse of communication technologies as teachers have used email and IM to set up unethical encounters with students at hotels and other locations.

In short, there seems to be a lot of bad press about IM. As a result there are many teachers who will shy away from using it in classrooms. The argument exists that if the students are that interested in IM; why not use it to create a more engaging class setting?

Activity: Determine if IM is good for you. Look into the subject by reading one of each section of the following:

Safe Passage for Teachers—Instant Messaging – a website presenting “good” uses of IM in schools

Teaching with technology – a website arguing the need for technology

AND

Messaging Mania – a site demonstrating some of the problems

IM: Friend or Foe of Student Writing – a site that expresses great concern with shortcut lingo

Assignment: After investigating the subject a little, think about your own classroom and the students you teach. Design an activity that would be enhanced by instruction outside of school through the use of IM and possibly email. In addition to the activity itself, design a quick set of standard that you can used to evaluate the effectiveness of the lesson. Present this activity to your students and use your evaluation to test if IM is as bad as you think or if it can be used in a positive fashion that engages the students in learning.

Submission: after presenting the activity to your students, use your evaluation to judge the effectiveness of the use of IM and organize a presentation for you colleagues. Create a website and post it on the server so that your colleagues can see it. Send your instructor a link to the website you’ve created describing the activity, the evaluation, and reporting on the effectiveness of the activity.

Rubric:

	Unacceptable	Developing	Accomplished
Activity	The activity uses IM in a way that does not really enhance the activity	The Use of IM enhances the activity but leaves room for students to perform the activity without engaging in communications outside of school	The use of IM is designed to involve the students in communication with peers or instructors to enhance the learning.
Evaluation Tool	The evaluation tool is presented	The evaluation tool is simple to read and can actually be used	The evaluation tool is simple and was used in evaluating the activity.
Presentation	The presentation to colleagues shares the experience, but does not share the evaluation tool and other information	The presentation describes the activity and evaluation tool but lacks in the use of the tool to express the effectiveness of the activity.	The presentation describes the activity, demonstrates the evaluation tool that was used and reports on the teachers use and effectiveness of IM in the educational activity.

Related links: Caught in the Net – a news report on how the use of IM has surpassed that of email, especially among teens.

Nu Shortcuts r 2Much 4Teachers – middle school teacher perspectives on IM shortcuts that appear in academic assignments

Dangers of Chat and I.M. – it is important to teach students of the dangers of IM, this site provides some information on that subject

IM can Pose Privacy Dangers – a site showing some privacy dangers for anyone using IM

NETS

STANDARDS: II. Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences

Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology. Teachers:

A. Design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners.

C. Identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability

IV. Assessment and Evaluation

Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies. Teachers:

A. Apply technology in assessing student learning of subject matter using a variety of assessment techniques.

V. Productivity and Professional Practice

Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice. Teachers:

A. Use technology resou8rces to engage ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.

C. Apply technology to increase productivity

D. Use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community in order to nurture student learning.

National Education Technology Standards for teachers – click here for a complete list of standards

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