Step-by-Step+Instructional+Strategies

Goals and Objectives
GOALS: The goal for the project is to have a group of adult learners collaborate together to provide recommendations for the integration of iPads in the classroom. The group will develop a presentation that will be delivered to the school's board of directors and to the SMA company. The objective for the group is to engage in authentic problem-based learning assignments where they can connect real-world scenarios to learned concepts. The group will gain insight and develop their own understanding of the technology as they identify ways that the technology can be incorporated in to their schools. They will have the ability to work with the new technology as they complete the project.

OBJECTIVES: - In your group setting develop a recommendation for the use of an iPad within your learning environments. - Given an iPad and access to the internet, download apps related to the core subjects (language arts, mathematics, science, and history) on to the device and evaluate their usefulness as learning tools. - Using the internet based communication software Skype, communicate audibly and visually with two other classes to develop an electronic visual summary of your findings.

Essential Question
Will the use of the iPad by students in the classroom benefit learning and be useful for classroom activities? __Rationale:__ This is an authentic question for our adult learners because they include adult education students and some faculty members who are likely not only to use the device in the educational setting but also be part of the decision making process. As adult learners their ability to reason and draw conclusions as to the benefits of adding an iPad to the learning environment is more likely to be based on experience and logical decision making unlike younger groups that may make purely emotional decisions. Utilizing the reference list provided, references discovered through their own searches, and discussions amongst their own group and the two other groups in the program, the participants will likely learn not only how to use the iPad in an educational setting but whether or not it is a benefit that should be added to the classroom curriculum.

Three Classroom's Collaboration
The students will collaborate as a class to discuss their experiences in using educational apps on the iPad. The collaboration will be after they have used the iPad independently for two days so they can have time to explore the apps they have chosen and to make notes on their experience, either positive or negative. The four activities (described above) will then be completed by the group by either a concerted effort our by breaking down the tasks and dividing them among the subgroups. Regardless of the method chosen, by day four all of the data and products must be compiled as a group submission for review prior to the three-class colaboration period starts.

Each Classroom's Collaboration
The students will collaborate as a class to discuss their experiences in using educational apps on the iPad. The collaboration will be after they have used the iPad independently for two days so they can have time to explore the apps they have chosen and to make notes on their experience, either positive or negative. The four activities (described above) will then be completed by the group by either a concerted effort our by breaking down the tasks and dividing them among the subgroups. Regardless of the method chosen, by day four all of the data and products must be compiled as a group submission for review prior to the three-class colaboration period starts.

Equipment
- One iPad per group member. - Four computers with internet access (at least one with a web cam). - LCD Projector and screen or Large Screen TV (min 32").

__Introduction__
The participants will meet with SMA company representatives at the beginning of the week via Skype which they will be notified of the opportunity to gain 70 iPads for their learning environments under the conditions set forth. The representatives will communicate the following " Participants in this meeting must come together and form a technology committee which will be responsible for testing the technology, identifying the best usage of the technology. In order to reach these objectives each individual in this committee will receive an iPad in which you will complete a serious of activities as individuals and as a group. This project will serve as a tool to prepare each of you to implement the technology within your environments, therefore 100% participation is required to successfully complete this project within the next 7 days."

//After the company introduction, the instructor will assign the iPads and review the week's assignments. During the next two days, the instructor will monitor the student's as the explore the iPad and ask questions as to their progress and impressions so far (inforaml formative assessments).//

__Class Collaboration (Days 1, 2, 3, & 4)__
After utilizing the iPad for two days, including using the three content area apps, collectively develop a list of pros and cons as to the benefits of utilizing an ipad in an instructional setting and develop a draft recommendation to the board of directors to share with the other classes. Specific directions include: - Develop a five question survey to measure student interest in using an ipad for educational purposes. //(Utilizing survey rubric to provide a **formative assessment**).// - Construct and conduct a survey of at least ten students and summarize the results. - Specify resources used by developing an annotated bibliography (five resources, three from the provided list and two original). //(Utilizing resource list rubric to provide a **formative assessment**).// - Include a two paragraph summary of the iPad apps tested. First paragraph will briefly describe the purpose of the app and the second paragraph will briefly critique the usefulness of the app (informal assessment through observation [**formative assessment]** to ensure participants complete the assignment to the degree that it is helpful for their conclusions)..

Procedure: The students will collaborate as a class to discuss their experiences in using educational apps on the iPad. The collaboration will be after they have used the iPad independently for two days so they can have time to explore the apps they have chosen and to make notes on their experience, either positive or negative. The four activities (described above) will then be completed by the group by either a concerted effort our by breaking down the tasks and dividing them among the subgroups. Regardless of the method chosen, by day four all of the data and products must be compiled as a group submission for review prior to the three-class colaboration period starts.

__Class Collaboration (Days 5, 6, & 7)__
//Conduct informal assessments, i.e. asking probing questions, observing student behavior, etc., to ensure all students are participating and monitor communications between groups to ssisst in clarification of objectives where warranted (**formative assessments**).// Communicating via skype with video enabled, the classes will discuss their findings developing a contrast and compare visual aid to illustrate the findings. The last day will be used to collate the findings and draft recommendations in to a smooth copy recommendation to the board of directors. Specifically the group will: - Create a summary of the pros and cons described by each class in a visual format. //(**Formal/formative assessment** utilizing advantages and disadvantages rubric).// - Collaborate to combine their draft recommendations in to a final MS word document for presentation to the board of directors and SMA. //(**Summative assessment** utilizing project rubric).//

Procedure: After completing phase one, class colaboration activity, all three classes will communicate via skype using voice and video to discuss their findings. The groups must now come to a consensus on the pros and cons of using the iPad as a learning tool and create a graphic that represents their findings. The graphic must use electronic media and clearly show the strengths and weaknesses of the iPad. Suggested avenues include MS Word or Powerpoint, a word cloud where the more prominant words represent a stronger feeling or attitude, or some other representation that the participants find. In addition to the electronic graphic, the three-class group will combine their previously independent finding in to a smooth report in MS Word providing a recommendation to the board of directors and SMA company representatives. This report will summarize their findings including their practical experience using the iPad, the results of the student interest surveys, and a summary of the research utilized to make the recommendation.

Formative Assessment Strategies
====Formative assessment strategies include formal and informal observation, oral questioning, review of participant work, and periodic participant self-assessments. The rationale behind these strategies is to ensure that the participants maintain focus on the objectives and that corrections or interventions can be applied prior to further deterioration. The facilitator needs to know if the participants understand their objectives at any given point in time and then use that information to adjust instruction accordingly. The placement of our objectives within this assignment gives the periodic checkpoints that are conducive to a progressive learning environment and give the facilitator and students a way to measure effectiveness of the instruction and make adjustments where appropriate..====

Summative Assessment Strategies
====The summative assessment chosen for this project gives a measure, utilizing a grading rubric, of the participant's attainment of the learning goals and objectives. It also verifies whether the project succeeds in answering the essential question and if the end product is suitable for delivery to a school or business board of directors.Ultimately the summative assessment will serve to provide a measure of the students as well as the instructional strategies.====