1

The best of MERLOT for Teacher Education

A walk through the vineyard

MERLOT International Conference

August 3-6, 2004

Costa Mesa, California USA

2

Websites of interest to all teacher educators

• For each site we will share– URL - address of site being discussed– Brief description of the site– Discoveries from reviewing the object– How the web site has been used in class– Expected and unexpected results

3

Ms. Lindquist: The Tutor

http://www.algebratutor.org/

• Interactive tutorial in algebra. • Based on the NCTM standards. • Provides tutoring for middle school, high

school, and college students• Serves as a model for interactive questioning

for preservice teachers

4

Ask a biologist http://askabiologist.asu.edu/

• Puzzled about a topic in biology? Need a biologist to answer your question? Ask A Biologist

• Arizona State University's Life Sciences Visualization Group

• Articles include a glossary and images to illustrate key biological principles.

• Profiles about people who actually conduct the biological research.

copyright ©1998-2004CJ Kazilek (a.k.a. Dr. Biology)

5

Ask a biologist http://askabiologist.asu.edu/

– Discoveries from reviewing the object - adaptation, population diversity, experiment vs observation

– The web site has been used in Biology class for K6 teachers

– Result - students do experiments and graph results

copyright ©1998-2004CJ Kazilek (a.k.a. Dr. Biology) Life Sciences Visualization Group

Elena Ortiz-BarneySchool of Life Sciences

Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ 85287-4501

6

Misunderstood Mindshttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/attention.html

Provides interactive simulations to better understand writing, reading, math, and

attentional disabilities.

7

What is it like to have learning disability?

Expected Learning Outcomes

1. Increase understanding of how having a learning disability impacts academic performance.

2. Increase understanding of how academic performance impacts student behavior.

8

Assignment

1.Complete at least 1 of the simulations in each of the four sections; Reading, Writing, Math, and Attention. List the simulations you completed.

2. Respond to the following: 

a. What are some of the emotions/feelings you had while doing these simulations? Give examples.

b. How might the learning difficulties you experienced in these simulations impact a student’s

• academic performance,• motivation, • behavior?

3. What is the connection between a student’s academic performance and their

behavior?a. What are the implications for you as a future teacher? b. What will you do as a future teacher to address this issue?

4. As a future teacher, how will you use this site? 

9

RUBRIC

Criteria Points

1. Did I list the simulations I completed?

/42. Did I respond to each of the four questions? Was I specific and support my answers with specific examples?

/20 (5pts/question)

3. Do my answers demonstrate an understanding between student performance and my role as a teacher? (Questions 2b, 3a/b)

/15(5pts/question)

4. Does my writing demonstrate clarity, organization, and proficiency in basic writing skills? (spelling, grammar, fluency)

 

/10

5. Is the overall quality of my work at a high standard? /10

TOTAL /59

10

“When I first started the simulation, I thought that it would be easy just tracing the first 5 letters of the alphabet but once I started I realized how much time it was taking me and how much control and concentration that I needed in order to complete the task. I was getting frustrated after five letters and I can’t imagine having this problem day in and out being expected to write all of the information that children are expected to write. I remember volunteering in a kindergarten classroom and now that I think about it we helped the students write their letters but I remember getting frustrated that some of the students took a really long time and some of the students were unable to stay on the dotted lines. That was quite a few years ago, but after doing this simulation it really put things into perspective.”

“This activity was so confusing and had so many rules that I almost didn’t even do it.”

Student Comments

11

This simulation made me think about group activities. Until I read the ending to this simulation, I was all for group activities. Now, I might rethink and also allow for individual time to work so that there are fewer distractions for students who already have attention problems.”

”I ended up performing this simulation twice because the first time I didn’t have very many of the shapes in the right place. The second time was much better but teachers don’t always give students a second try and there isn’t always enough time to start a project or assignment over once it is already started.”

“This would be great for teachers and parents to try if they are working with or have a child having difficulties.”

“I know that from the quick little passage that I read that I would not want to read anything because it takes too much time and energy to read. I would get frustrated and want to give up.”

Student Comments

12

Circle of Inclusion, Forms and Articleshttp://www.circleofinclusion.org

• This web page is an excellent resource for useful forms and articles related to inclusion (primarily in early childhood) for children with moderate to severe disabilities. This is an excellent resource for parents considering inclusive placements for their young child or for early childhood inclusion facilitators.

13

Writing Better Learning Objectiveshttp://www.webcthub.mcg.edu:8900/Hub/NEWHUB/Hub/objectives/objectives_frameset.htm

• A PowerPoint presentation with sound (Impatica) tutorial on writing clear and measurable learning objectives. There are also practice templates to download.

14

QUESTIONS?

• What were your teacher education picks this year?

15Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

http://www.thinker.org • The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) is

the City's largest public arts institution. Comprised of the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, FAMSF has a very impressive web site. Not only does it have online exhibitions from all of these museums, it also hosts The Thinker Image Base of over 75,000 online images from the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor. There are Quick Searches for the entire site, a Thinker Search Engine for the 75,000 image database and links for Education, Current Exhibits, and online stores for all the museums. Recent Announcements are kept up-to-date and there is quick access if you wish to contact them or get involved.