Jennie M.

Caniglia & Susanna Hall IST 611, Assignment 1, Task 2 Linking Technology to Curriculum February 18, 2011

Poll Everywhere: http://www.polleverywhere.com/ Activity One: The wow factor: Live multiple choice polling in math class Core Curriculum Area: Mathematics Educational Level: Elementary, Grade 5 Description of activity and instructional strategies: 1. Create polls (day one): Students work in groups of 2-3 to create exciting multiple choice questions (i.e. movies, sports). Each group composes one poll question and submits it to their teacher, who uses Poll Everywhere (after class) to create polls and embed voting widgets on the class blog. 2. Take polls (day two): Each student logs on to the class blog using a computer. The teacher projects the Poll Everywhere site and guides the class to complete the polls one by one: the poll goes live, students vote using the voting widget, the poll is stopped, and the graphed results are discussed. The teacher keeps up the level of motivation and excitement and allows students ample practice with the technology. 3. Manipulate & present poll data (day two): Students return to their original groups, examine and discuss their poll results, and complete a worksheet. They draw their data in pie chart form, write the percentage results as fractions and decimals, and compare and order the data. Groups present their results to the class & the teacher checks for accuracy. New York State Core Curriculum Learning Standards: Mathematics, Grade 5: Work in collaboration with others to solve problems (5.PS.10); translate from a picture/diagram to a number or symbolic expression (5.PS.11); make connections. . .in their everyday experiences to mathematical ideas (5.CN.1); use . . . charts, tables, graphs. . .created using technology (5.R.1); write percents as fractions and decimals (5.N.11) AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner: Grade 5 Skill Benchmarks: Connect ideas and topics to their own interests (1.1.2); interpret information taken from maps, graphs, charts, and other visuals (1.1.5); use software or online tools to record and organize information (1.1.8). Assessment: Process: Students are graded for appropriate group work and participation during polling. Product: Each group creates an appropriate and usable poll question. Each group completes a worksheet which is graded for accuracy. Activity Two: Anonymity and sensitive topics: Free text polling in ELA class Core Curriculum Area: English

Educational Level: Secondary, Grade 8 Description of activity and instructional strategies: 1. Guest speaker (day one): Students listen to a presentation about teen sex abuse delivered by a guest speaker via Skype, the culmination of a unit on Laurie Halse Andersons Speak, which centers on the rape of the protagonist. The teacher sets up 3-5 polls asking openended questions about facets of the presentation, which will then be posted to the class website. 2. Student response (homework): Students provide feedback about the presentation by completing Poll Everywhere free text (open-ended) polls using cell phones or home computers. Poll Everywhere allows respondents to remain anonymous while discussing sensitive subjects. 3. Class discussion (day two): Teacher will compile student responses via spreadsheet. Responses will be projected on the SmartBoard for class discussion. New York State Core Curriculum Learning Standards: English Language Arts, Grade 8, Listening: Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression: Listen to class lectures, and small group and classroom discussions, to comprehend, interpret, and critique literary text; Recognize social, historical, and cultural features in presentation of literary texts. AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner: Grade 8 Skill Benchmarks: Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning (1.1.2); connect ideas to own interests and previous knowledge and experience (4.1.5). Assessment Product/Process: Process: Students will be graded for appropriate poll responses. Product: Each student will provide legitimate feedback to the presentation in the form of a free response that will later be shared with the class. Conclusion: Poll Everywhere motivates and excites at the Wonder and Investigate phases of the Stripling Inquiry Model--it is a tool through which students can generate and develop questions, question their peers, and investigate and evaluate their data (Berger, 2010, p. 12). The instant results of live polling also provide a wow factor that adds to a students sense of wonder at the beginning of the inquiry process. For older students discussing sensitive or controversial topics, Poll Everywhere stands out for allowing respondents to remain anonymous (more difficult with Facebook, Twitter, or blog polling). For grading purposes, polls can be easily set up so the teachers account shows student names alongside their comments, but only the teacher will have access to this information. Poll Everywhere is simple to set up, use, and respond to via web or text, even during a fast-paced class. It compiles data in clean chart format and allows registered teachers to easily view, sort, and share results from multiple polls. This simplicity allows teachers to focus on the quality of their instruction rather than getting bogged down with difficult technology.

References American Association of School Librarians. (2009). Standards for the 21st-century learner in action. Chicago: American Association of School Librarians. Berger, P. & Trexler, S. (2010). Choosing Web 2.0 tools for learning and teaching in a digital world. California: Libraries Unlimited. New York State Education Department (2005). English Language Arts Core Curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/ela/elacore.htm. New York State Education Department (2005). Mathematics Core Curriculum, Grade Five. Retrieved from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/math/standards/revisedg5.html.