1. I have taught several elementary levels and they all have had something in common: About 80% of homework is not complete or turned in at all. I seldom use it for a grade but I think it cold be a great tool for review and clarification on skills taught. As a teacher I have tried a few rewards and consequences to improve student behavior with regards to homework completion. My first two years left me broke with all the "goodies" I bought to reward them every week or so. Then I tried cost-free incentives such as lunch in the classroom on Fridays for those who completed homework for the week and loss of recess time every day the student did not bring it in. Well, it helped improve to about 50% completion most of the time. Then that campus began a school-wide incentive where students collect coupons they can redeem for a fun day at the end of the six weeks. In order to participate, they must have enough coupons collected and no office referrals. Every day they turned in homework they got a coupon, so that was a good incentive. It helped a bit more. Then I created a homework sheet that included informing parents about homework completion and requiring parent signature daily. If parents did not sign by the end of the week, I contacted them, usually to find they had not seen the homework sheet. Once all my parents were aware of that homework sheet, it improved homework completion to about 90% most of the week.
www.deannadeals.blogspot.com
Chapter 15: EPSS
2. In addition to the definitions of EPSS presented in chapter 15, the following definitions were listed on www.wikipedia.org :
In Electronic Performance Support Systems, published in 1991, Gloria Gery defined EPSS as:
an integrated electronic environment that is available to and easily accessible by each employee and is structured to provide immediate, individualized on-line access to the full range of information, software, guidance, advice and assistance, data, images, tools, and assessment and monitoring systems to permit job performance with minimal support and intervention by others.
Also in 1991, Barry Raybould gave a shorter definition:
a computer-based system that improves worker productivity by providing on-the-job access to integrated information, advice, and learning experiences.
From a business perspective, a former Nortel Networks executive, William Bezanson (2002) provides a definition linked to application usability and organizational results:
A performance support system provides just-in-time, just enough training, information, tools, and help for users of a product or work environment, to enable optimum performance by those users when and where needed, thereby also enhancing the performance of the overall business.I agree with all the definitions I've read, but I prefer Gloria Gery's definition because it includes two points that I find very beneficial: support should be "easily accessible" and work should be done with "minimal support and intervention from others".
As with every vision, time is of essence. The birth and evolution of an idea takes time to become widely embraced or rejected. EPSS requires that others "buy in" before they can embrace and use it. I believe that once it becomes more popular due to the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of its use, we will see much more of it in the near future.
www.lawrence-najjar.com
Chapter 16: Knowledge Management3. Knowledge management is a tool that is frequently used by the classroom teacher in Texas, where TAKS is a "big deal". It is like the marathon we train for all year. Therefore, certain monitoring strategies are in place to determine how to reach the goal of Exemplary. One of them is the benchmark testing. When results come in, the data is disaggregated to determine the skills students are struggling to master. First students are sorted into mastery levels. Within the groups that have not yet mastered the TAKS as a whole, intervention is planned according to objectives and skills they are still weak in. Those who have not shown mastery on all, or almost all, objectives tested are assigned more intense intervention methods.
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The school district purchases software that will target certain reading and math skills. This is used in combination with after-school tutorial. Many websites are utilized to help students improve certain skills, such as Brainpop, Schoalstic, Discovery, and Time4Learning.
Weekly progress monitoring includes teacher observation and formal assessments of skills taught. Results are added to profile and used to determine continuing intervention before the next benchmark is administered.
Chapter 17: Informal Learning
4. Through my adult life I have experienced informal learning about the Bible, science, and technology, among others.
Bible: I was always interested in the Bible, but never really asked questions. When I was offered a Bible study I readily and eagerly accepted. It was a formal study, but my friend encouraged me to do research along the way to add validity to what I was learning. It was exiting to see how all the questions I had could be answered by the bible, answers that were supported by historical and scientific facts, for example. Also, starting conversations about bible topics with others helped me to learn how others' lives have been enriched through a bible study. As points to ponder are brought up, I embrace them and do some research investigation to find a bible-based, satisfactory explanation and/or conclusion.
www.freefoto.comScience: Academically, science was always my second worst subject on report card day. It took me three years to finally decide to take my Biology I &II in college. I absolutely dreaded it! After I got married it was nice to have an easily accessible resource for my science questions: my husband. We would have long conversations about different science topics. If he was not sure about something, though, he encouraged me to look it up online. Three years after I got married I had to teach 5th grade Science, a TAKS-tested subject. The pressure was on. I decided to study ahead before every lesson so that I had time to research what I didn't quite understand. Of course, I continued to depend on my husband to explain what I still didn't understand after reading. Now I enjoy learning about science and having discussions about it with my students.
Technology: I am also married to a technology specialist, which helped me learn so much more than I would have in a formal setting. Not only did he answer questions for me, but I got to "explore" the use of the internet, for example. I knew he was close by to troubleshoot. Watching him troubleshoot helped me to learn some of that as well. I became more confident and was in turn able to help some of my colleagues who were also hesitant to "dive into" technology. I have learned to explore new technology without the fear I used to have. I enjoy technology much more now and am pursuing a career as a media specialist, which ten years ago I would have never thought of doing.
www.microsoft.com
Informal learning really is very natural, and I really wish there was a way to integrate more of it into the public school system--embrace it and enjoy it.
Great post! Especially enjoyed the cartoon you included. Made me smile.
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