3.5 Basic Troubleshooting
Candidates troubleshoot basic software and hardware problems common in digital learning environments. (PSC 3.5/ISTE 3e)
Artifact: Internet Lesson Plan
Reflection:
As a culminating project for ITEC 7430, I was tasked with creating a Web 2.0 immersion lesson that was aligned to both student content standards and student technology standards. I designed the lesson for and implemented the lesson with my third grade music students. I had these students utilize three separate Web 2.0 tools: Noteflight, an online music composition tool; AudioBoo (now audioBoom), an online recording/podcasting tool; and ThingLink, an online platform for creating interactive images to which you can link different “things.” One objective for this lesson was for students to demonstrate understanding of musical form by creating an original composition and pairing with another student or group to create a musical arrangement that featured both their compositions. Another objective for this lesson was to use digital tools and resources to create an original product within the context of music.
This artifact demonstrates my ability to troubleshoot basic software and hardware problems, because I had to have a plan for troubleshooting the many variables that went into a lesson plan with so many different Web 2.0 tools. For example, before the project implementation I asked our school’s media specialist and school technology specialist to unblock the websites involved in this project (Noteflight, Audioboo, Thinglink, and Sketch n Paint), even if they were not necessarily already blocked. I made sure the iPads were fully charged and the necessary apps were installed and unlocked before handing them to students. I also had some spare iPads on hand in case anything happened to the iPads the students were using. I spent time becoming personally familiar with these tools so that I could prepare for any troubleshooting that may be necessary as unforeseen problems arise. The network can sometimes unexpectedly go down for extended periods of time, so I developed different backup plans for each step. For Step 1 (composing), I would ask the students to use staff paper and pencils to hand write their compositions which they could transfer to Noteflight at a later time. For Step 2 (recording), I would have students use the built-in microphones on the student computers and/or iPads to create their recordings and then upload the audio file to Audioboo when the network comes back online. For Step 3, I would have students who wish to draw their image do so using paper and crayons, colored pencils, and/or markers. I have a scanner in my classroom, so I would scan these images and upload them to Thinglink when the network is back up. Students who wish to photograph a visual representation of their form can do so with the built-in cameras on the iPads without having to be connected to the network; these images could be uploaded to Thinglink at a later time. I made backups of all the students’ work on my computer’s hard drive at the end of each step so that if part or all of a student’s work is lost, including after the project is over, then we could recover the work and put the pieces together again.
I learned many things from the design and implementation of this lesson. I necessarily became more familiar with the Web 2.0 tools that were included in this project. I gained experience with planning for troubleshooting, which I had never before specifically included in a lesson plan. The implementation of the lesson also gave me unprecedented experience with acting as “facilitator” rather than the “sage on the stage,” as is common in ensemble-based music classes. However, as mentioned in the post-implementation reflection, my students had some trouble navigating the Noteflight tool. Although they were familiar with paper-pencil compositions strategies, they had no prior experience with digital composition tools. To improve the quality of the lesson, I would either choose an easier tool for my students to use or pre-teach the Noteflight tool so students would know how to use it during the lesson.
The work that went into creating this lesson had a tremendous impact on my students’ learning, enthusiasm, and creativity. This can be measured by comparing their end-of-unit data with that of other classes and/or previous years to show how much more these students learned about the music content standards and student technology standards as a result of this lesson/project. The impact on student learning can also be demonstrated in the anecdotal data regarding my students’ opinions about the project. For example, I heard several comments throughout the project’s implementation such as, “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done in music class!” and “I wish every class could be like this!”
As a culminating project for ITEC 7430, I was tasked with creating a Web 2.0 immersion lesson that was aligned to both student content standards and student technology standards. I designed the lesson for and implemented the lesson with my third grade music students. I had these students utilize three separate Web 2.0 tools: Noteflight, an online music composition tool; AudioBoo (now audioBoom), an online recording/podcasting tool; and ThingLink, an online platform for creating interactive images to which you can link different “things.” One objective for this lesson was for students to demonstrate understanding of musical form by creating an original composition and pairing with another student or group to create a musical arrangement that featured both their compositions. Another objective for this lesson was to use digital tools and resources to create an original product within the context of music.
This artifact demonstrates my ability to troubleshoot basic software and hardware problems, because I had to have a plan for troubleshooting the many variables that went into a lesson plan with so many different Web 2.0 tools. For example, before the project implementation I asked our school’s media specialist and school technology specialist to unblock the websites involved in this project (Noteflight, Audioboo, Thinglink, and Sketch n Paint), even if they were not necessarily already blocked. I made sure the iPads were fully charged and the necessary apps were installed and unlocked before handing them to students. I also had some spare iPads on hand in case anything happened to the iPads the students were using. I spent time becoming personally familiar with these tools so that I could prepare for any troubleshooting that may be necessary as unforeseen problems arise. The network can sometimes unexpectedly go down for extended periods of time, so I developed different backup plans for each step. For Step 1 (composing), I would ask the students to use staff paper and pencils to hand write their compositions which they could transfer to Noteflight at a later time. For Step 2 (recording), I would have students use the built-in microphones on the student computers and/or iPads to create their recordings and then upload the audio file to Audioboo when the network comes back online. For Step 3, I would have students who wish to draw their image do so using paper and crayons, colored pencils, and/or markers. I have a scanner in my classroom, so I would scan these images and upload them to Thinglink when the network is back up. Students who wish to photograph a visual representation of their form can do so with the built-in cameras on the iPads without having to be connected to the network; these images could be uploaded to Thinglink at a later time. I made backups of all the students’ work on my computer’s hard drive at the end of each step so that if part or all of a student’s work is lost, including after the project is over, then we could recover the work and put the pieces together again.
I learned many things from the design and implementation of this lesson. I necessarily became more familiar with the Web 2.0 tools that were included in this project. I gained experience with planning for troubleshooting, which I had never before specifically included in a lesson plan. The implementation of the lesson also gave me unprecedented experience with acting as “facilitator” rather than the “sage on the stage,” as is common in ensemble-based music classes. However, as mentioned in the post-implementation reflection, my students had some trouble navigating the Noteflight tool. Although they were familiar with paper-pencil compositions strategies, they had no prior experience with digital composition tools. To improve the quality of the lesson, I would either choose an easier tool for my students to use or pre-teach the Noteflight tool so students would know how to use it during the lesson.
The work that went into creating this lesson had a tremendous impact on my students’ learning, enthusiasm, and creativity. This can be measured by comparing their end-of-unit data with that of other classes and/or previous years to show how much more these students learned about the music content standards and student technology standards as a result of this lesson/project. The impact on student learning can also be demonstrated in the anecdotal data regarding my students’ opinions about the project. For example, I heard several comments throughout the project’s implementation such as, “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done in music class!” and “I wish every class could be like this!”