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Running head: TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 1
Teaching Kindergarteners to Use SeeSaw: An Instructional Design Project
Chris Fishpaw
ISTC 667
Summer 2015
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 2
Teaching Kindergarteners to Use SeeSaw: An Instructional Design Project
Section I
Introduction
I work as a kindergarten teacher at an inner city elementary school in Baltimore City.
My school recently adopted a 1:1 program providing an iPad for each student. Although they
were purchased to disseminate reading and math services, the administration soon recognized in
piolet classrooms that they were solely used for this purpose. The administration believes that the
technology can be integrated for higher-order learning objectives, rather than just for “skill and
drill” learning activities. This was communicated to the staff as a top priority instructional goal.
Upon reviewing apps, I found SeeSaw, a user-friendly app that would allow students to keep an
online journal or portfolio of their learning. With some instruction, my kindergarteners would be
able to use SeeSaw to create entries to document, reflect upon, and evaluate their learning across
content areas. The app even allows students to share learning with each other and includes social
networking features such as commenting and “liking.” Parents can even sign up and
communicate to their child as they post entries. My goal for the overall instruction would be that
the students would be able to use SeeSaw to keep an online journal or portfolio that includes text,
pictures, voice recordings, and videos.
Once the problem has been identified and a goal has been drafted, an instructional
designer can set out to compile an instructional solution to meet the instructional goal. The
instructional design model I am choosing for this project is the Pebble-in-the Pond Model
(PITP). PITP model focuses on the instructional problem and goal first. Then as a second ripple,
the design focuses on defining a progression of problems leading up in complexity to the
instructional goal or end problem (Merrill, 2007). The third ripple represents a task analysis of
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 3
the progression of problems including what knowledge should be learned through instruction and
what students have to do to demonstrate this knowledge (Merrill, 2007). For this project, I have
identified an instructional goal and created a progression of problems, including a task analysis
of each progression, located in Appendix A. The final ripples involve choosing and
implementing instructional strategies (Merrill, 2007).
Front-End Analysis
Needs Analysis. In order to begin the instructional design process, the designer must
consider the needs for the instruction. Rossett (1995) (as cited in Brown & Green, 2011) gives
five step approach to conducting a needs-analysis. I like the approach because allows the
designer to gather information on important factors including the difference between optimal
performance and actual performance. It also considers possible feelings surrounding the
instructional problem as well as possible causes and solutions. The fact that the administration is
requiring teachers to think of ways to engage students with technology outside “skill and drill”
applications. After reviewing SeeSaw as user-friendly way to integrate the iPad into a
kindergarten classroom, teaching procedural lessons on how to use the app defines the initiating
situation for this needs assessment as a mandated new learning. Rossett (1995) suggests that the
purpose of the needs assessment should involve defining the optimal performance level and
gathering information about feelings surrounding the new app (Brown & Green, 2011).
The next steps of the Rossett (1995) needs analysis would be to locate sources of
information and select tools for collecting data. First, in order to define an optimal level of
performance with using SeeSaw and technology in general, I would have to locate and interview
experts. SeeSaw employs actual teachers as ambassadors for their product and one is even a
kindergarten teacher (http://web.seesaw.me/). In addition to going directly to the company, I
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 4
could also interview instructional technology leaders in my district, my school’s administration,
and other colleagues to formulate criteria of an optimal level of performance. Using
questionnaires to communicate with parents and students can help me to collect data on the
general feelings surrounding the instruction on SeeSaw. Parents can offer insight into how
technology is accessible and used at home and students can answer general questions about their
excitement toward using the technology. For sample interview questions and parent/student
questionnaire questions, see Appendix B.
After conducting the needs assessment, the final step would be to use the data to make
decisions. For the scope of the project, I am going to suggest the end pebble in my Pebble in the
Pond Organizer, located in Appendix A, to be the optimal level of performance:
Students will be able to use SeeSaw to keep an online journal or portfolio that includes
text, pictures, voice recordings, and videos.
Also, having a general idea about student access to technology in the home and how it is used. I
am going to suggest that most of my student’s parents have smartphones and many students even
have tablets that they use for entertainment, such as playing games and watching video. Most of
my students are comfortable with using mobile technology such as iPads.
Learner Analysis. It is important to paint a holistic picture of the learners that will be
receiving instruction through the instructional design. Thus, collecting information such as
background, learning style, special needs, and even motivation can help influence instructional
design. Smaldino, Lowther, and Russell (2008) (as cited in Brown & Green, 2011), give three
aspects for instructional designers to focus on when conducting a needs analysis: general
characteristics, specific entry competencies, and learning styles. General characteristics include
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 5
their demographic background, age level, abilities, socioeconomic status, cultural identification,
etc. (Brown & Green, 2011). Much can be obtain through student accumulative folders and our
online student management system, each are maintained by our administration and our district.
For information including abilities and cultural identification, parent questionnaires can provide
information that district and administration do not collect and maintain, for example questions
see Appendix B.
Next, I should collect information about specific entry competencies and individual
learning styles. My instructional goal states that the students will use technology, specifically the
SeeSaw iPad app, to maintain a journal. Because my students are at a kindergarten level, I will
have to rely on the students’ family to provide information about specific entry competencies.
Appendix B has a parent questionnaire that includes technology and prior learning, and it can be
used to build a profile of a student’s technology and preliminary academic abilities. I could also
interview prekindergarten and headstart teachers to collect information about prior technological
and journaling experiences. As for learning styles, it is important to gauge how learners prefer to
learn in order to match them with attractive and successful instructional activities (Brown &
Green, 2011). Appendix C has a developmentally appropriate learning inventory that could be
given as a one-on-one interview between the teacher and the child.
A qualitative approach to compiling the learner analysis data into a usable documentation
for designing instruction would be to write a fictitious profile of a typical learner. Creating a
profile is a creative and qualitative approach that takes data collected and generalizes the
information into a profile of a typical learner (Brown & Green, 2011). Although a profile would
give a designer someone to design instruction toward, it is not as clinical as a quantitative
approach such as charting the information (Brown & Green, 2011). While I did not engage in a
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 6
formal data collection for a learner analysis, for the purpose of this project, I can compose a
generalized learner profile based on my knowledge of a typical student in my classroom.
Dante is an African American kindergartener who is 5 year old. His family is eligible for
the federal Free and Reduced Meal program, so they are considered impoverished. Dante
lives with a single parent (or guardian) and often relies on older siblings to help with
homework and find meals because of his parent’s work schedule. He likes to go play on
his tablet and watch movies, so he is comfortable with technology. In school, Dante is a
social and kinesthetic learner, meaning he likes talking to peers and using manipulatives
to aide in learning reading and math. He also likes to participate in music and movement
activities and his favorite subject is physical education because he gets to play games
with his friends. Dante draws pictures to help him tell stories orally. In his journal, he
responds to prompts by drawing first and then uses a combination of simple sight words
he has mastered and phonics to sound out words he is trying to spell to compose simple
sentences.
Learning Context Analysis. After gathering and making preliminary decisions based on
instructional needs and the types of learners the instruction will be directed, it is important to
also consider the context in which instruction will take place. There are three major factors
instructional designers must consider when doing a learning context analysis including the
teacher’s philosophy, basic student needs, and student stimulation needs (Peters, n.d.). My
teaching philosophy involves developmentally appropriate instruction in a social learning
environment. Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is a pedagogical approach at the heart
of early childhood education and is influenced by child development theory (Rosen &
Jaruszewicz, 2009). Lessons at the cognitive abilities of a young child, environments that allow
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 7
students to explore, and inclusive classrooms that celebrate individual and cultural differences
are considered to follow DAP (Rosen & Jaruszewicz, 2009).
Other factors to consider involve student needs both basic and stimulation (Peters, n.d.).
First, Maslows’ Hierarchy of Needs states that mental health required for learning cannot be met
before physical and emotional health (Brown & Green, 2011). Poverty can be both physically
and emotionally stressful for a child. Our school provides breakfast and lunch, manages a
Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports, and encourages teachers to maintain nurturing and
inviting environments. Other physical factors to consider would be noise, temperature, and
natural light (Peters, n.d.). My open-space classroom is located next to the school cafeteria and a
busy hallway. I generally plan rigorous instruction during mornings and late afternoons when the
hallway traffic and lunch schedules are no longer contributing to noise levels. Student
stimulation can also be a factor (Peters, n.d.). Because kindergarteners are generally social
learners, I group students by tables of four to allow them to express their ideas and listen to
others as they communicate learning. Students also have access to an AppleTV that displays on
an interactive whiteboard. This is used for app demonstrations, lesson modeling, and student
presentations. In addition, visual learners can access process charts of procedures and even key
terms from content learning lessons. Finally, kinesthetic learners have access to iPads, writing
utensils, and learning manipulatives. For reference, I have created a diagram of my classroom
layout in Appendix D
For the scope of this project, I can provide information on the instructional environment;
however, an instructional design process on a larger scale may require data collection from
administration, instructors, and the individuals for whom instruction is intended. Data collection
could be in the form of interviews, surveys, material inventories, and even observations of the
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 8
physical space. A report could be compiled in the form of a qualitative profile, for which the
designer can gear instruction toward. This may be similar to the fictitious learner profile.
Another approach would be to chart available materials, outline physical layouts, and compose a
matrix including location of materials, procedures of obtaining them, and schedule of classroom
use.
Standards
Standardization of education is important for many reasons. First, they give an outline of
what should be taught in schools. Although, teachers choose many different routes through their
unique instructional approaches, the standards provide a common destination for student learning
achievement. Second, because of standardization we can assume that all professionals have a
common end goal even across a massive amount of educational systems. Third, instructional
researchers has gone through extensive research and scrutinized the standards to what they are
today.
At my school, I am required to consider the Common Core standards for academic
instruction in language arts and math and ISTE standards for technology integration. ISTE stands
for the International Society for Technology in Education and is the leading professional
organization in the study of technology integration. If my goal is to have my children keep an
online journal and portfolio of mixed-media documentation of their learning, then I will have to
consider Common Core writing standards and ISTE standards for students. According to the
Common Core standards, kindergartners write for three reasons: to inform about a topic, to
narrate an experience, and to state an opinion. I have selected standards for the scope of this
instruction to consider purpose in studnet journal writing. Common Core also suggests that the
students publish works digitally, which is the purpose of using SeeSaw. Finally, ISTE standards
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 9
state that students should understand how to use technology. I have selected a standard to focus
students on the ins and outs of using SeeSaw.
Common Core Language Arts Standards
(http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/K/) CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which
they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an
opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory
texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about
the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.3 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several
loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide
a reaction to what happened.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.6 With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to produce and
publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
Not related to the instructional goal but used to embed the process of teaching procedures
in an academic task, I am aligning my math activity to a beginning of the year lesson in
recognizing and describing two dimensional shapes in the environment. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.1 Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the
relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front
of, behind, and next to. (http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/K/G/)
ISTE Standards for Students
(http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards/standards-for-students)
As kindergarteners, my students are just starting their development of creative,
innovative, inquiry, and global thinking with the integration of technology. As it pertains to
the ISTE standards, the scope of this instruction in SeeSaw will help my students in Standard 6
Technology Operations and Concepts. The scope will be teaching them how to use the app,
understanding the ins and outs of how it works to document learning, and how to troubleshoot
problems, in this case “start over” on a problem entry. The standards and indicators are as
follows.
6. Technology operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and
operations.
a. Understand and use technology systems
b. Select and use applications effectively and productively
c. Troubleshoot systems and applications
d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 10
In the future, as students become SeeSaw experts, they will also be developing in
Standard 2, Indicator b. Eventually, students will be able to not only review their previous
entries but that of their peers. They can even comment and receive comments from their
parents. Although the scope of this instruction is to teach them how to use SeeSaw in a general
way, there are many future possibilities of using this app to document learning.
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work
collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to
the learning of others.
b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety
of media and formats.
Evaluation Plan
A vital process of instructional design that informs the level of success of a design is
evaluation. Brown & Green (2011) define three types of evaluation: learner, formative, and
summative. Learner evaluation measures the success of a learner in meeting instructional goals
(Brown & Green, 2011). Although I cite learner evaluations as data I plan to collect during the
evaluation plan, I detail my plan for learner evaluation later in Section II. Summative evaluation
is the process of evaluating the overall success of an instructional design, and it is used to make
decisions for revising instructional design, future adoption of the design, and funding (Brown &
Green, 2011). Formative evaluation is the process of evaluating the instructional design at every
stage of its development, and it is used to provide feedback on how it is going and make revision
decisions to make the instructional design more successful (Brown & Green, 2011).
Although Brown & Green (2011) describes large-scale data collection, analysis, and
reporting approaches to instructional design evaluations, such processes are out of the scope of
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 11
this project. The purpose of my summative and formative evaluations would be to inform
revisions to the instructional process and to influence future adoptions of SeeSaw. I will be
conducting the evaluations and reporting to an evaluation team including my kindergarten
colleagues and my administration for feedback. As an approach to Formative Evaluation, I
choose Gooler (1980) (as cited in Morrison, Ross, and Kemp, 2007, in Brown & Green, 2011)
because their basic model can be adapted to the scope of this project. For my approach to
Summative Evaluation, I choose Smith and Ragan (1999) (as cited in Brown & Green, 2011)
because they advocate selecting indicators of success, which can be derived from a school
document used to evaluate iPad apps for potential teaching and learning (Appendix G).
Formative Evaluation Plan. Gooler (1999) lists eight basic steps to conducting
formative assessments, including purpose, audience, issues, resources, evidence, data-gathering
techniques, analysis, and reporting. Before elaborating on the model, it is important to note that I
plan to implement this project in three phases: planning the instructional design, implementing
the instruction, and summative evaluation. My formative approach will be conducted weekly
because I am required to report at a weekly team meeting, and it will be conducted during the
first two phases and inform the summative evaluation.
Gooler (1999) suggests conducting the basic formative evaluation steps in three phases
including planning, gathering data, and reporting the results. In order to plan for the formative
assessment, I need to define the purpose of the evaluation, the audience for whom requires the
evaluation, issues drafted as questions to be answered by the evaluation, resources for which
answer the questions, and types of evidence which will satisfy the questions (Brown& Green,
2011). The next phase of gathering data includes selecting data gathering techniques and
analyzing the data collected (Brown & Green, 2011). For the scope of this project, I will use
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 12
reflective questions (located in the issues section in the matrix below) and instructional design
artifacts for first phase of planning and use different reflective questions (see issues in matrix
below) and gather learner evaluation data during the second phase of implementation.
The final phase of the Gooler (1999) model is to compile a report including an executive
summary, the purpose of the evaluation, the methods I used to evaluate my data, the results I
found, and synthesize these into a conclusion and recommendations (Brown & Green, 2011).
This format will focus my discussion at my weekly team meeting. For the scope of this project, I
have provided more elaboration into my approach to formative evaluation throughout my
instructional design process in the following matrix.
Planning Phase Implementation Phase
Purpose The purpose of the formative evaluations is to make decisions for and
revisions to the instructional design.
Audience The audience for my formative evaluations will be my follow kindergarten
colleagues and school administration who meet once a week.
Issues Have all the tasks been analyzed
fully?
Is the task progression
developmentally appropriate?
Do the lessons incorporate all
knowledge and skill
components?
Is the instruction too easy or
difficult?
Does the instruction consider
learner needs?
Does the design satisfy the
instructional problem?
Did the instruction meet the
needs of the learner?
Is the instruction too easy or
difficult?
Does the instruction consider
learner needs?
Did the learners meet the
instructional goal?
How will I address any learners
not meeting the goal?
What were some successes from
the instruction implementation?
What were some issues?
How can instruction be changed
to solve these issues?
Resources Personal responses to above
questions, Evaluation Team,
Instructional Design Artifacts (See
below)
Personal responses to above
questions, Evaluation Team, Learner
Evaluations, Instructional Lesson
Plans, PITP Organizer
Evidence and
Data Gathering
Instructional Design Artifacts
Needs Analysis
Learner Analysis
Learner Context Analysis
Learner Evaluations:
Anecdotal Records and
checklists based on
observations
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 13
Task Analysis (PITP
organizer)
Instructional Lesson Plans
Evaluation Plan
Instructional Materials
Personal Reflection Responses
Team Meeting Notes
Student work
Rubrics
Confidence Surveys
Personal Reflections Responses
Team Meeting Notes
Instructional Lesson Plans and PITP
organizer with any revisions
Summative Evaluation Plan. Smith and Ragan (1999) states that the main reason for
summative evaluation is to “…make a judgement regarding the effectiveness, and perhaps appeal
and efficiency to the instruction,” (p. 352) (as cited in Brown & Green, 2011, p. 171) and
whether to continue with the design. The main question instructional designers should be
focusing on is if the instruction adequately solves the instructional problem as defined by the
needs analysis (Brown & Green, 2011). The model that Smith and Ragan (1999) propose
consists of eight steps: determining the goals of the evaluation, selecting indicators of success,
selecting the orientation of the evaluation, selecting the design of the evaluation, collecting data,
analyzing the data, and compiling a report of results (Brown & Green, 2011). Again, the
evaluation team will be used for the process of the summative evaluation. Because my
instruction involves procedural learning of how to use an app, Appendix G has an app evaluation
rubric that we are encouraged to use at my school to evaluate new apps for teaching and learning.
I will use this rubric to focus my summative evaluation plan, which is elaborated in the following
matrix.
Step Description Who’s inovolved?
Goals Did the instruction adequately solve the
instructional problem?
Was the instruction adequately aligned to
standards and did it adequately develop the
students in achieving the standards?
Instructor (me)
Evaluation Rubric
(Appendix G)
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 14
Did the instruction influence the students to
use the app for higher order objectives as
defined by Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy?
Does the instruction lead to a high level of
technology integration?
Does the instruction authentically introduce
the app?
Does the app collect rich data that can be use
in future instructional planning?
How was differentiation accounted for and
did it lead to high levels of student
achievement?
Did the instruction result in students using
the app for self-directed learning?
Are students motivated to continue to use the
app?
Indicators of Success A high level of students meet the objective of
using SeeSaw to keep an online journal and
use multi-media to produce insightful entries.
Skills reinforced are explicitly linked to the
Common Core Standards or grade level
curriculum.
Student use the app for higher order
objectives such as analyzation, evaluation,
and creation as defined by Bloom’s Revised
Taxonomy.
Student app use allows for redefinition of
instruction and the technology allows for the
creation of new tasks, previously
inconceivable.
Student interact with the app results in higher
student achievement, based on data it
generates for students and teachers.
Instruction allowed for differentiation to
meet students needs including intervention
provided and challenges for higher
performing students.
Instruction lead to the independent use of the
app and students recognize authentic events
to record entries.
Students are highly motivated to use the app.
Instructor
Evaluation Rubric
Orientation The orientation will be subjective and will rely
on qualitative methods of collecting data and the
perspectives of the evaluators to answer the
evaluation questions.
Instructor
Evaluation Team
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 15
Design Data will be collected and presented weekly at
team meetings during the formative evaluation
process. The summative evaluation will consider
all of the data.
Instructor
Evaluation Team
Evaluation Measures The evaluation measures will be the instructional
artifacts, team meeting notes, self-reflection
questions, student work, anecdotal notes and
checklists, student work rubrics, and student
confidence surveys
Students
Instructor
Evaluation Team
Collect/Analyze Data Data will be collected and reviewed weekly.
The instructor will answer the reflective
questions based on the data collected and
personal observations. The Evaluation Team
meetings will help to make decisions and make
revisions during the formative process. Notes are
kept during all team meetings this will also serve
as data. Although this is a subjective and
qualitative approach to summative evaluation
(Brown & Green, 2011), the evaluation team
will serve as other viewpoints.
Instructor
Evaluation Team
Report Results A summative evaluation report will be compiled
based on the collection and analysis of the data
and will include a summary, background
information, description of the evaluation study,
results, and conclusion and recommendation.
The team will meet to analyze data and evaluate
the success of the instructional design based on
the report and the goals of the evaluation.
Instructor will
compile report
Evaluation Team
will discuss the
overall
effectiveness
Section II
Introduction
In illustration of task analysis, planned instruction, and learner evaluation, I have
chosen to provide detail about a portion of my overall instructional design. In reference to the
Pebble in the Pond Organizer, in Appendix A, I will be focusing on the third instructional goal
which states that “students will be able to create a journal entry with a picture, annotation, and a
voice recording.” Although this project is focusing the overall goal of teaching students how to
use SeeSaw to keep an online journal or portfolio with mixed-media, it is often a good practice to
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 16
embed procedural lessons in actual applications. This practice not only gives meaning to learning
how to use an application but it models an instance when using the application would be
appropriate. For this lesson, I will be teaching the students how to use SeeSaw to create an
annotated picture journal entry with a voice recording as if it were replacing their math journal.
Normally students would respond to a math prompt by drawing a picture and composing a
simple sentence. For instance, if I were to prompt the children to find an object and describe its
shape, they might draw the clock and write, “The clock is a circle.” For this project, the students
would take a picture of the clock in SeeSaw, annotate a circle over it, and voice record their
explanation.
Task Analysis
After the front end analysis of determining the needs of instruction, the types of learner
who will be receiving the instruction, and defining the learning context, the instructional
designer is ready for the most important part of instructional design which is task analysis. The
instructional designer takes the instructional goal and plans a series of instructional steps or
objectives that progress to the overall goal. Then they determine the sub-steps or activities
needed for the learner to meet each objective (Brown & Green, 2011). Merrill (2007) gives a
good model for breaking down instructional goals into a progression of problems, breaking the
problems down further into tasks consisting of knowledge and skill components, and assigning
instructional strategies for teaching each task.
The PITP model for creating task-centered instruction begins with an instructional
problem or goal (Merrill, 2007). My problem for this project is that I would like my students to
use the SeeSaw iPad app to keep an online journal using mixed-media. Once the overall goal has
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 17
been defined, the designer needs to synthesize backward to define the prerequisite skills that
progressively lead the students to master the goal, called the progression of tasks (Merrill, 2007).
My PITP organizer (Appendix A) demonstrates how I plan to progress the students from
defining situations that could be recorded with a journal entry, using various features of the apps
to create journal entries, and finally, mastering the goal so that they are keeping the journal
independently.
The next step in the PITP approach to task analysis is to break each task down into
knowledge and skill components, which learners need to know and do in order to meet the
objective of the task. Merrill (2007) defines five kinds of knowledge, components that represent
the content of the instructional design that elicit a skill to be portrayed in a real-world setting.
“Information about” specifies a description of the subject the instruction is focused on and
requires the learner to remember details (Merrill, 2007). “Parts-of” specifies the various parts
that make up a subject and requires the learner to “locate the parts in the context of the whole”
(Merrill, 2007, p. 39). “Kinds-of” refers to the different values that could be classified by a
subject and requires learners to classify content by the subject being taught. “How-to” refers to
procedural step which require students to carry the steps out to complete the task (Merrill, 2007).
Finally, “what-happens” refers to the types of information involving a process including
description, conditions, and outcomes and requires students to make predictions or “find missing
or faulted conditions” (Merrill, 2007, p. 39).
For this project, many of my knowledge components are how-tos because of the
procedural nature of teaching the students to use an app. My language under the knowledge-skill
component analysis on my PITP organizer (Appendix A) reflects to types of knowledge
according to Merrill (2007). Below is the “pebble” or task that I will be focusing on for this
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 18
section. It is the fourth task in the progression of tasks. Below the task is how I have task
analyzed the “pebble” to determine the sequence of knowledge and skill components that need to
be mastered in order for the students to master the task. I have italicized language in each
knowledge component to align my component analysis with Merrill (2007) and each knowledge
component under “Needs to Know” is directly paired with a skill component under “Needs to
Do.” It is also important to note that these components are sequenced to allow the students to
progressively master the task.
Pebble (Task 4) Students will be able to create a journal entry with a picture, drawing
(annotation) and voice recording.
Code Knowledge Components Skill Components
1 Recall information about journals to identify a
learning situation that can be recorded (P1)
Justifies with reasons to initiate a
journal entry (See P1, Appendix
A for “Information about” need
to demonstrate this skill)
2 How to initiate a new picture entry Tap “I’m a student” then
camera icon to start a new
camera entry (P2)
3 How to change between front and back cameras (P3) Tap blue camera with circular
arrows to change between front
and back
4 How to take a picture Tap green camera to take a
picture
5 Information about what an annotation is State definition for annotation
6 How to annotate over the picture Tap color on rainbow ribbon
to change colors (P2)
Draw using finger or stylus
by sliding it over the picture
(P2)
7 How to add and review voice recording Tap microphone icon to add
a voice recording
Talk clearly into iPad
Tap red square icon to stop
recording
Tap red microphone to
continue recording and red
square icon to stop
Tap green check “save”
voice recording
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 19
Tap play button to review
voice recording
8 How to start over (P2) Tap the “X” at bottom then
“yes” to start over (P2)
9 How to save completed work for approval (P2) Tap green check and check first
name to submit entry for teacher
approval (P2)
Instructional Strategies
Once the designer has defined the progression of tasks and broken each into a sequence
of tasks including knowledge and skill components, the designer can begin planning instructional
strategies to teach each task. In continuation of aligning my instructional design with the Task-
Centered Instructional Strategy approach of Merrill (2007), he defines four types of instructional
strategy, including presentation (tell), demonstration (show), recall/activation (ask), and
application (do). When applied to knowledge components, each of these strategies describe an
instructional outcome (Merrill, 2007). Pebble 4 from my PITP organizer consists of “how-to”
and “information-about” knowledge components. “Information-about” knowledge components
describe two types of instructional outcomes, including the instructor presenting the information
on the subject (tell) and the students recalling the information (ask) (Merrill, 2007). On the other
hand, “how-to” knowledge components describe four possible instructional outcomes, including
the teacher presenting the steps of a procedure, the teacher demonstrating the task, students
recalling the steps and sequence of a procedure, and students performing the task (Merrill, 2007).
When planning for the appropriate task-centered instructional strategy, it is important to
note that although these outcomes are sequential, the teacher tells and shows before requiring the
students to recall and do, they are spread out over the progression of problems (Merrill, 2007).
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 20
For instance, in task two of the progression of tasks I might demonstrate (show) and guide
students to initiate a new entry; however, by task five, they should be demonstrating this step
independently. In my PITP organizer (Appendix A), I note when knowledge and skill
components were introduced in previous pebbles by placing their corresponding pebble in
parentheses. This aspect of the task-centered instructional strategy resembles the gradual release
of responsibility model (GRRM). The GRRM is a scaffolding strategy where instructors scale
back supportive strategies as students become more independent with learning tasks (Fisher &
Frey, 2008). Instructional strategies chosen to guide students to independence vary from more
supportive such as modeling and guided instruction to less supportive such as collaborative and
independent work (Fisher & Frey, 2008). The task-centered instructional strategy of Merrill
(2008) and the GRRM of Fisher & Frey (2008) are developmentally appropriate for instructional
designing for kindergarteners because it may take several experiences with scaffolding for a
kindergartener to keep an online journal independently.
Another way teachers are encouraged at my school to scaffold students’ thinking as they
tackle learning is to guide student thinking by though intentional questioning. At my school we
are encouraged to plan lessons and evaluate technology integration using Bloom’s revised
taxonomy and write question scripts to scaffold learning with intentional questioning. The
practice of intentional questioning involves guiding student thinking and letting them form their
own conclusion, rather than telling them the correct answer. Moreover, questions can range in
the level of difficulty if aligned to the learning objectives of Bloom’s revised taxonomy. Bloom’s
revised taxonomy organizes learning objectives, activities, and phrases by level of increasing
difficulty, eliciting deeper thinking. At the lower levels, students understand, remember, and
apply learning (Bouchard, 2011). These form the basis of foundational skills instruction.
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 21
However, if a teachers would like students to analyze, and evaluate subject matter and create
solutions, they would plan lessons with higher-order learning objectives (Bouchard, 2011). These
objectives can also influence the questions teachers ask. For instance, “What is the capital of
Maryland?” aligns with the lower-level learning objective of remembering. “Would this learning
experience make a good or poor journal entry?” aligns with higher order learning objectives of
analyzing and evaluating.
Process charts are an instructional strategy with a cognitive processing theory basis.
Cognitive processing theory deals with how students acquire knowledge, process new learning,
transfer knowledge between short and long term memories, and retrieve knowledge for current
learning (Driscoll, 2005). Process charts take the burden off of students short term memory and
allows them to practice and refer to new learning until it becomes internalized (Yilmaz, 2011).
Essentially, it provides another scaffold for visual learners because it provides a visual cue
connecting learning to prior knowledge and activates schema (Yilmaz, 2011). Examples of
process charts that I would refer students to throughout the lesson are located in Appendices E
and F.
Below is a lesson plan with the integration of Merrill’s (2007) task-centered instructional
strategy with the scaffolding considerations of GRRM, Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy, and process
charts as a cognitive processing strategy. KC refers to knowledge components and SC to skill
components. The numbers are the codes used to refer to the KCs and SCs of pebble 4 listed in
the table in the Task Analysis section.
Merrill’s
Instructional
Outcome
Lesson Plan
Ask
KC/SC: 1
Students will gather on the carpet for whole group instruction. Teacher will
begin a discussion to activate prior knowledge. The teacher will ask:
Why would someone keep a journal?
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 22
What types of writing do we use to write journal entries?
o What’s the purpose of a narrative entry? Opinion entry?
Informative entry?
Today’s math objective was to identify and describe shapes found in our
environment. Would this make a good entry in our journal? Why or why
not?
Students can be directed to process charts to help them recall information about
journaling. These process charts were made with the students during previous
lessons. Examples of the process charts for types of writing and information
about journaling can be found in Appendix E.
Tell
KC/SC: 2,4,
and 8
Stating the learning objective focuses the students on what is expected of them
after the lesson: Students will be able to create a journal entry with a picture,
drawing (annotation) and voice recording.
Present the lesson on adding a picture entry. State each step of the procedure.
Use the accompanying process chart “How to add a Picture on SeeSaw” for
visual learners, Appendix F.
“To add a picture, I am going to find what I am going to take a picture of. Next,
I am going to tap the camera icon to start new camera entry. After that, I will
see a screen where I can see what the camera sees. This is like the camera app
we use! When I have my picture lined up on my iPad, I will tap the green
camera icon to take the picture. If I do not like the picture, I can tap the blue
“X” to start over.”
Show
KC/SC: 2,
3, 4, and 8
Using the AppleTV to mirror the SeeSaw app onto the Interactive Whiteboard,
the teacher can demonstrate the process of adding a picture entry and taking a
picture. This would also be a good time to point out a feature unimportant to
this lesson to let the student see what it does, in case they bump the icon. While
demonstrating, the teacher will narrate what he is doing for auditory learners.
“To add a picture, I am going to find what I am going to take a picture of. Next,
I am going to tap the camera icon to start new camera entry. After that, I will
see a screen where I can see what the camera sees. This is like the camera app
we use! Do you see this blue camera icon? It allows me to switch back and
forth between my front and back cameras. Why would we use the front camera?
When I have my picture lined up on my iPad, I will tap the green camera icon
to take the picture. If I do not like the picture, I can tap the blue “X” to start
over.”
Ask
KC/SC: 2,
3, 4, and 8
Before having students try the process this far, check for understanding. The
teacher should ask the following questions:
How do I start new picture entry on SeeSaw?
How do I take a picture?
How do I start over if I don’t like the picture?
How do I change between the front and back cameras?
What do we need to find to take pictures of for our journal? (Objects
that resemble basic shapes).
Do: Release the students to begin their picture entry using SeeSaw. Set a timer for 5
minutes. The children know that when the bell rings, they need to freeze and
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 23
KC/SC: 2,
3, 4, and 8
listen for directions. As the students are finding objects, the teacher will provide
additional assistance for students or administer the learner evaluation up to this
point in the lesson. See the learner evaluation section for details. When
providing additional assistance, the teacher should not tell them what to do, but
instead refer them to the process chart and ask questions to focus their attention
to the problem at hand. The goal is for the students to use SeeSaw
independently and the GRRM Model has them eventually taking ownership of
the process.
Tell:
KC/SC: 5,
6, 8
Just a note, SeeSaw allows the user to stop before the user is finished with an
entry and come right back to it.
Once everyone is assembled on the carpet for whole group instruction, the
teacher can restate the learning objective refocuses the students on what is
expected of them after the lesson: Students will be able to create a journal entry
with a picture, drawing (annotation) and voice recording.
The teacher will explain that the will add an annotation to their picture. Present
the lesson on adding an annotation to the entry. State each step of the
procedure. Use the accompanying process chart “How to add a Drawing on
SeeSaw” for visual learners (Appendix F).
“An annotation is when we draw on the picture to point out its important parts.
I am going to look for the important part of my picture. I am going to pick a
good color from the rainbow ribbon. I am going to outline the shape in my
picture with my finger. If I like what I have drawn, I can tap the green check. If
not, I can tap the blue X to start over or the curved arrow icon to undo or take
away my last mark.”
Show
KC/SC: 5,
6, 8
Using the AppleTV to mirror the SeeSaw app onto the Interactive Whiteboard,
the teacher can demonstrate the process of adding an annotation to a picture.
While demonstrating, the teacher will narrate what he is doing for auditory
learners (see above).
Ask
KC/SC: 5,
6, 8
Before having students try the process this far, check for understanding. The
teacher should ask the following questions:
What is an annotation? How can it help us with our journal entry about
shapes we found?
How do I add an annotation?
How can I change the color that I am drawing with?
How can I undo the last mistake I’ve made?
How can I start over?
What do I tap to finish my annotation?
Do:
KC/SC: 5,
6, 8
Release the students add annotations to their pictures on SeeSaw. Set a timer
for 5 minutes. As the students are annotating their shapes, the teacher will
provide additional assistance for students or administer the learner evaluation
up to this point in the lesson. See the learner evaluation section for details.
When providing additional assistance, the teacher should not tell them what to
do, but instead refer them to the process chart and ask questions to focus their
attention to the problem at hand. The goal is for the students to use SeeSaw
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 24
independently and the GRRM Model has them eventually taking ownership of
the process.
Tell:
KC/SC: 7,
8, 9
Once everyone is assembled on the carpet for whole group instruction, the
teacher can restate the learning objective refocuses the students on what is
expected of them after the lesson: Students will be able to create a journal entry
with a picture, drawing (annotation) and voice recording.
The teacher will explain that they will add a voice recording to their entry.
Present the lesson on adding a voice recording.. State each step of the
procedure. Use the accompanying process chart “How to add a Voice
Recording on SeeSaw” for visual learners (Appendix F).
“I want to let everyone know that I know all about this shape. I know that
shapes have attributes. I am going to record myself explaining the attributes of
the shape I took a picture of. First, I will tap the microphone icon on the tool
bar to add my voice. The voice recording will start automatically, so I have to
be ready to speak clearly. If I want to stop or pause my recording, I will tap the
red square icon. I can continue recording by tapping the red microphone icon or
save what I have by tapping the green check. I can even press the “X” if I really
messed up and want to start over again. Once I have saved my voice recording,
I can review it to make sure I like it. I do this by pressing the play button. After
I make sure that I like the whole entry, picture, annotation and voice recording,
I am ready for the teacher to see it. I will press the green check, find my name
to submit my entry to the teacher.”
Show
KC/SC: 7,
8, 9
Using the AppleTV to mirror the SeeSaw app onto the Interactive Whiteboard,
the teacher can demonstrate the process of adding an annotation to a picture.
While demonstrating, the teacher will narrate what he is doing for auditory
learners (see above). Be careful narrating when the iPad is recording or it can
be used as a non-example or even a time when I need to start over!
Ask
KC/SC: 7,
8, 9
Before having students try the process this far, check for understanding. The
teacher should ask the following questions:
Why would someone want to add a voice recording to a journal entry?
How do I begin a voice recording?
How do I pause or stop?
What should I do if I don’t like what I recorded?
How do I save my voice recording?
Why should someone review their recording? How do they do it?
If I like my entry, how do I submit it to the teacher?
Do
KC/SC: 7,
8, 9
Release the students add voice recordings and submit their entries. Set a timer
for 5 minutes. As the students adding recordings, the teacher will provide
additional assistance for students or administer the learner evaluation up to this
point in the lesson. See the learner evaluation section for details. When
providing additional assistance, the teacher should not tell them what to do, but
instead refer them to the process chart and ask questions to focus their attention
to the problem at hand. The goal is for the students to use SeeSaw
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 25
independently and the GRRM Model has them eventually taking ownership of
the process.
Do
KC/SC: 1 -
9
Once everyone is assembled on the carpet for whole group instruction, the
teacher can restate the learning objective refocuses the students on what is
expected of them after the lesson: Students will be able to create a journal entry
with a picture, drawing (annotation) and voice recording.
To review the lesson and the procedures of adding a picture entry with
annotation and recording, the teacher should select a few students who are
comfortable sharing their entry. They can mirror the iPad to the AppleTV and
explain how they made the entry.
Ask
KC/SC: 1 -
9
In order for students to begin evaluating each other’s work, ask the following
questions:
Did the student take a good picture? Does it display a shape? What
should have the student done to try to take the picture again?
Did the student annotate their picture? Does the annotation look like a
shape? Does it represent the object they found? Did they choose a good
color for annotation? How could they tried annotating again?
Did the student add a voice recording? Do they name their shape and its
attributes? How could they try to record again?
Do
KC/SC: 1 -
9
Release the students once more to practice looking for more shapes and creating
entries for them. Set a timer for 10 minutes. As the students are working, the
teacher will provide additional assistance for students or administer the learner
evaluation up to this point in the lesson. See the learner evaluation section for
details. When providing additional assistance, the teacher should not tell them
what to do, but instead refer them to the process chart and ask questions to
focus their attention to the problem at hand. The goal is for the students to use
SeeSaw independently and the GRRM Model has them eventually taking
ownership of the process.
Learner Evaluation. In addition to summative and formative evaluations to inform
effectiveness of instructional design, another way to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction is
through learner evaluations. Learner evaluations are important because they measure the success
of a learner in meeting instructional goals. Brown & Green (2011) categorize learner evaluations
by two categories: criterion-reference and norm-referenced. Norm-referenced measures are used
to rank or compare learner performance across a large number of learners (Brown & Green,
2011). Although Common Core and ISTE standards are referenced nationally and a norm-
referenced assessment could inform a designer on the success of learners’ performance compared
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 26
to others nationally, such an assessment is out of the scope of this project. Criterion-referenced
measures learner performance based on the criteria of success of meeting instructional goals
(Brown & Green, 2011). Because the focus of my project was for my students to use SeeSaw to
keep an online journal and this practice is not considered standard, it would be best to plan for a
criterion-based evaluation.
Learner evaluations are not only influenced by instructional goals but also by the
instructional outcomes. Brown & Green (2011) describe three kinds of outcomes: changes in
knowledge, changes in skill, and changes in attitude. Because my focus is the integration of
SeeSaw into classroom routine, the ability to use the app stems from skills and attitudes. Because
kindergarten is a formative grade in establishing basic skills, it is considered developmentally
appropriate practice to make observations and keep anecdotal records (Rosen & Jaruszewicz,
2009) to track the development of school readiness skills such as behavior, emotional regulation,
socialization, literacy, numeracy, etc. Anecdotal records are statements made by a teacher about
what has been observed and should be free of bias and subjectivity (Brown & Green, 2011).
When skills must be met across the classroom and because of the time-consuming nature of
recording anecdotal notes on each child, I often develop and administer checklists. Checklists
allow me to quickly make note of learners who have met a specific skill, based on observation. It
also helps me to quickly focus on students who still need to be observed, as contrasted by
anecdotal records which would need to be analyzed and organized. I have created a checklist for
my instructional goal of pebble 4 in Appendix H, and it is most likely to occur during the “Do”
portions of my lessons. For this focus lesson, I used the knowledge and skill components of my
PITP organizer as my criteria for meeting the task. Because skill attainment is not as definitive as
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 27
“meets skill” and “not meets skill,” I have space to collect anecdotal notes for observations of
concern.
Although it is important to evaluate the skills attained by my students, it is also important
to consider the quality of their work. One obvious way to measure whether or not my students
met my instructional goal of using SeeSaw would be the products of the instruction, or the
entries made. Rubrics are criterion-referenced evaluations that allow instructors to evaluate
student products, and can be drafted to measure changes in knowledge, skill, and attitude (Brown
& Green, 2011). In addition to rating the quality of the students’ work, this method would be a
great way to measure student success against the national standards I chose. The rubric I will use
to evaluate the students for this lesson sequence is located in Appendix J.
In addition to measuring the change in the skill of my learners, it is also important to
evaluate how attitudes change. The GRRM states that as students feel more confident in their
abilities they become more independent in completing tasks (Fisher & Frey, 2008). A simple
self-evaluation where students rate their confidence on a survey can help me group students or
plan one-on-one time to reteach the process or provide encouragement. Because it is not
developmentally appropriate to bog students down with extensive self-reporting inventories,
interviews, and extensive surveys and questionnaires, I developed a quick survey where students
choose a feeling relating to their performance to help me take a quick “temperature” check on
their confidence with using SeeSaw. These surveys could help me to determine which students
are not feeling confident using the app. It will also help me to address misconceptions when
children list that they are confident using the app; however, the quality of their work is not
reflective of their confidence. The survey for this lesson sequence is located in Appendix J.
Conclusion
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 28
My goal for the overall instruction would be that the students would be able to use
SeeSaw to keep an online journal or portfolio that includes text, pictures, voice recordings, and
videos. For this project, I worked as an instructional designer and applied theories of
instructional design to practice. Instructional designers start with a problem that can be solved
through instruction. My problem was that my administration wanted teachers to integrate
technology more meaningfully and to elicit higher-order learning objectives. The process began
with a front-end analysis including a needs assessment, to gain a scope of the problem and draft
instructional goals; a learner assessment, to draft a profile to cater instructional design; and a
context assessment, to get a since of the available environment. A task analysis helped me to
draft a task progression, where I planned tasks that would progressively instruct the learners to
the instructional goal using the Pebble in the Pond and Task-Centered Instructional Outcomes
approach (Merrill, 2008). Planning for instructional outcomes helped me to define knowledge
and skill components that when into a cyclical “Tell-Show-Ask-Do” approach to teaching a
lesson (Merrill, 2008). Finally, I created an evaluation plan not only to inform the effectiveness
of students meeting my instructional goal, collected through various learner evaluations, but also
a formative evaluation to assess my instructional design throughout the whole process and a
summative evaluation to evaluate the whole design and make future plans.
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 29
References
Bouchard, G. J. (2011). In full bloom: Helping students grow using the taxonomy of educational
objectives. Journal of Physician Assistant Education (Physician Assistant Education
Association), 22(4), 44-46. doi:10.1097/01367895-201122040-00007
Brown A. & Green, T. G. (2010). The essentials of instructional design: Connecting fundamental
principles with process and practice (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice
Hall.
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd Ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and
Bacon.
Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Releasing responsibility. Educational Leadership, 66(3), 32-37.
Merrill, M. D. (2007). A task-centered instructional strategy. Journal of Research on Technology
in Education, 40(1), 33-50.
Peters, K. (n.d.). Learning context analysis [Online Lecture Video]. Retrieved from:
https://blackboard.towson.edu
Rosen, D. B., & Jaruszewicz, C. (2009). Developmentally appropriate technology use and early
childhood teacher education. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 30(2), 162-
171. doi:10.1080/10901020902886511
Yilmaz, K. (2011). The cognitive perspective on learning: Its theoretical underpinnings and
implications for classroom practices. Clearing House, 84(5), 204-212.
doi:10.1080/00098655.2011.568989
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 30
Appendix A
Pebbles Project Graphic Organizer
Instructional Problem: I teach kindergarten at a school that is implementing 1:1 iPads. They are
used for the dissemination of reading and math learning services that are “skill and drill.” We are
encouraged to think of ways to challenge students higher order thinking and creativity using the
devices; however, many productivity apps where students can create content to apply learning are
too difficult for kindergarteners to use. I would like to move journaling to digital form so students
can see their learning progress and become more reflective about their learning
Instructional Goal: The students will be able to use SeeSaw to keep an online journal or portfolio
that includes text, pictures, voice recordings, and videos.
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 31
Knowledge/Skills – P1
(Refer to Merrill, 2007, p.39)
S/K – P2 S/K – P3 S/K – P4
Needs to know:
Kinds of journals o Scrapbook o Diary o Photo album o Blog
Kinds of writing kept in a journal (aligns with Common Core Writing Standards) o Stories and Memories o (narrative) o Important
information and school work (informative)
o Ideas and opinions (opinion)
Information about why students keep journals o To remember o To keep a story o To share learning
with others o To help us think
about problems o To reflect on learning o Brainstorm new ideas
Need to do:
List types of journals
o Scrapbook
o Diary
o Photo album
o Blog
List what to keep in
journals
o Stories and Memories
o Important Information
and school work
o Ideas and opinions
List reasons for keeping a
journal
o To remember
o To keep a story
o To share learning
Needs to know:
Recall information
about journals to
identify a learning
situation that can be
recorded (P1)
How to initiate a new
drawing entry
How to change colors of
pencil
How to clear last mark
How to start over
How to “save” a drawing
How to add text to
drawing
How to save completed
entry for approval
Need to do:
Justifies with reasons to
initiate a journal entry
(See P1)
Tap “I’m a student,” then
pencil icon to start a new
drawing entry.
Pick a color from the
Rainbow ribbon by
tapping on the color.
Draw using finger or
stylus by sliding it over
drawing area.
Use the “undo” icon to
remove last mark
Tap the “X” at bottom
and then “yes” to start
over
Tap green check when
finished drawing
Tap the “T” to add text
Type text using on screen
keyboard
Tap green check when
finished typing
Tap green check and
check first name to
submit drawing and text
for approval by teacher
Needs to know:
Recall information about
journals to identify a
learning situation that
can be recorded (P1)
How to initiate a new
video entry
How to change between
front and back cameras
How to begin recording
How to stop recording
How to review video
How to add text (P2)
How to start over (P2)
How to save completed
entry for approval (P2)
Need to do:
Justifies with reasons to
initiate a journal entry
(See P1)
Tap “I’m a student” then
camera icon to start new
picture entry. (P2)
Tap blue camera with
circular arrows to change
between front and back
Tap green camera to begin
recording
Tap red square to stop
recording
Tap play button to review
what was recorded
Tap “T” to add text (P2)
Type text using on screen
keyboard (P2)
Tap the “X” at bottom and
then “yes” to start over
(P2)
Tap green check and
check first name to submit
video and text for
approval by teacher (P2)
Needs to know:
Recall information about
journals to identify a
learning situation that
can be recorded (P1)
How to initiate a new picture entry
How to change between front and back cameras (P3)
How to take a picture
Information about what an annotation is
How to annotate over the picture
How to add and review voice recording
How to start over (P2)
How to save completed work for approval (P2)
Needs to do:
Justifies with reasons to
initiate a journal entry
(See P1)
Tap “I’m a student” then
camera icon to start a new
camera entry (P2)
Tap blue camera with
circular arrows to change
between front and back Tap green camera to take
a picture
State definition for
annotation
Tap pencil to add
annotation (P2)
Tap color on rainbow
ribbon to change colors
(P2)
Draw using finger or
stylus by sliding it over
the picture (P2)
Tap microphone icon to
add a voice recording
Talk clearly into iPad
Tap red square icon to
stop recording
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 32
o To think through
problems
o To reflect on
learning
o To brainstorm new
ideas
Tap red microphone to
continue recording and
red square icon to stop
Tap green check “save”
voice recording
Tap play button to review
voice recording
Tap the “X” at bottom
then “yes” to start over
(P2)
Tap green check and
check first name to
submit entry for teacher
approval (P2)
S/K – End P
Needs to Know:
Recall information about journals to identify a learning situation that can be recorded (P1)
How to initiate a new entry (P2)
How to add a drawing (P2)
How to add text (P2)
How to add video (P3)
How to add pictures (P4)
How to add voice recording (P4)
How to create entries with multiple “inputs” to communicate ideas
How to start over (P2)
How to save completed work for approval (P2) Needs to do:
Justifies with reasons to initiate a journal entry (See P1)
Tap “I’m a student,” then appropriate icon to begin a specific entry (P2)
Drawing Entry (P2) o Tap pencil icon to start a new drawing o Pick a color from the Rainbow ribbon by tapping on the color. o Draw using finger or stylus by sliding it over drawing area. o Use the “undo” icon to remove last mark o Tap green check when finished drawing
Video Entry (P3) o Tap video icon to start new video entry. o Tap blue camera with circular arrows to change between front and back o Tap green camera to begin recording o Tap red square to stop recording
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 33
o Tap play button to review what was recorded Camera Entry (P4)
o Tap camera icon to start a new camera entry o Tap blue camera with circular arrows to change between front and back (P3) o Tap green camera to take a picture
o State definition for annotation
o Tap pencil to add annotation (P2)
o Tap color on rainbow ribbon to change colors (P2)
o Draw using finger or stylus by sliding it over the picture (P2)
Voice Recording (P4)
o Tap microphone icon to add a voice recording
o Talk clearly into iPad
o Tap red square icon to stop recording
o Tap red microphone to continue recording and red square icon to stop
o Tap green check “save” voice recording
o Tap play button to review voice recording
Tap “X” and Yes button to start over (P2)
Tap green check at top right and then check name to submit entry for teacher approval (P2)
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 34
Appendix B
The following are questions to be considered for the parent questionnaire. A parent questionnaire
is needed for the learner analysis.
Cultural Questions
1. What is your ethnic background?
2. What language(s) is spoken in your home?
3. Where have you lived during your life?
4. What is your level of formal (in-school) education? What do you feel is the purpose of
education?
5. What religion do you practice? How does your religion influence what you do in your
life?
6. What holidays and traditions do you celebrate (be sure to specifically name these)?
7. Optional: What has been your source of money and employment over the years? Do you
consider yourself lower, middle, or upper class in terms of economic status?
Learning in the Home
1. What is the role of the parent?
2. What is the role of the child?
3. What are your child’s interests?
4. How is your child socially?
5. How do you think your child learns best? Visual, auditory, touching and doing, moving,
creating
6. How active is your child? Explain.
7. How often do you read to/with your child?
8. Describe some activities you do with your child.
9. Describe some activities that you do with your child that might have gotten them ready
for school.
Technology in the Home
1. Do you have a computer in your home? How many?
2. Do you have any other computing devices including tablets, smartphones, eReaders, etc.?
What kinds? How many?
3. Do you have internet access?
4. Do you feel comfortable using computers?
5. Do you consider your spouse or yourself tech-savvy?
6. Do you allow your child to use technology in the home? How often?
7. Does your child watch TV? How many hours a day? What types of programming?
8. Do you think technology is critical to learning? Why or why not?
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 35
Student Interview Questions
1. Do you play video games or computer games at home?
2. How often do you play?
3. Do you have a tablet/smart phone at home? What do you use it for?
4. Do you like using computers/tablets/smart phones? Why or why not?
Interview Questions for finding the Optimal Level of Performance
1. How does your students/should students use SeeSaw in the classroom?
2. Describe some activities.
3. How do you align using the app to the standards? Common Core? ISTE?
4. Do you say the app elicits higher-order learning objectives as defined by Bloom’s
Revised Taxonomy?
5. Does the app lead to a high level of technology integration? Does it redefine instruction
and classroom learning?
6. Do your students/Do you think students will use the app independently? Does it guide
self-directed leanring? Do your kids/Do you think students independently find authentic
uses for the app?
7. Does the app collect rich data that can be use in future instructional planning?
8. How would you account for differentiation when integrating the app into instruction?
9. Are students motivated to use the app? How do you keep students motivated using the
app?
10. How do you introduce the app to the students? How should it be integrated into the
curriculum? How does it fit into the daily schedule?
11. What are your rules and procedures for using the app?
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 38
Appendix E
Types of Writing Process Charts
Journaling Process Charts for Pebble 1
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 40
Appendix G
Evaluation Rubric: Assessing the value of iPad Apps for teaching and learning Domain 1 2 3 4
Links to Common Core or Grade Level Curriculum Rating:
Skills reinforced are not clearly connected to Common Core Standards or grade level curriculum.
Skills reinforced are a prequiste or requirement of the Common Core standards or grade level curriculum.
Skills reinforced are clearly linked to Common Core Standards or grade level curriclum
Skills reinforced are explicitly linked to the Common Core Standards or grade level curriculum
Blooms Taxtonomy Rating:
Remember: App allows students to exhibit memory of previously learned materials by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts and answeres to describe; name; find; list; tell. Understand: App allows student to demonstrate understanding of facts and ideas and explain, compare, discuss, predict, translate, outline, and restate
Apply: App allows students to use new knowledge and solve problems to new situations by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques, and rules in different a different way to show; complete, use, examine, illustrate, classify, and solve.
Analyze: App allows student to exmaine, and break information into parts by indentifying motives or causes, make inferences and find generalizations, and compare, examine, explain, identify, catagorize, contrast, and investigate. Evaluate: App allows students to present and defend opinions by making judgements about information, validity of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria to justify, assess, prioritize, recommend, rate, decide, and choose.
Create: App allows student to plan, invent, compse, design, construct, imagine.
Level of Technology Integration Rating:
Substiution: Technology acts as a direct tool substitue with no
Augmentation: Technology acts as a driect tool substitute, with
Modification: Technology allows for significant task redesign.
Redefinition: Technology allows for the creation of new tasks,
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 41
functional change.
fuctional improvement.
previously inconceivable.
Authenticity Rating:
Skills are practiced through rote or in isolation.
Skills are practiced in a contrived game/simulation format.
Some aspects of the app are presented in an authentic learning environment.
Interactivity is specific and results in improved student achievement. Produces data electronically for teacher and student.
Interactivity Rating:
App allows students to continually guess until the right answer appears.
Interaction is limited to student guessing the right answer rather than reinforcing the concept.
Interactivity is specific and results in improved student achievement. App may include tutorials.
Interactivity is specific and results in improved student achievement. Produces data electronically for teacher and student.
Diferentiation Rating:
App settings cannot be adjusted to meet stuent needs.
App offers limited flexibility by providing basic level options of easy, medium, or hard.
App offers more than one level of flexibility to adjust settings to meet students needs.
App offers complete flexibility to adjust settings to meet student needs.
Student Use Rating:
Students need constant teacher guidance to use the app.
Students require frequent teacher guidance to rexplain how to use the app.
Students require occaisional teacher review to use the app.
Students work indepenednetly to launch and navigate within the app.
Student Motivation Rating:
Stuents avoid using the app.
Students show limited engagement with the app.
Students use the app with some enjoyment and engagement.
Students are highly motivated to engage with the app.
Revised from the Department of Education WA (2012) Evaluation rubric: Assessing the value of iPad applications for teaching and learning. Retrieved from: http://det.wa.edu.au/ipadsforeducation/detcms/navigation/applications/
TEACHING KINDERS TO USE SEESAW 43
Appendix J
The following is a rubric to rate and evaluate student work.
2 1 0 Score:
Process Student followed
process to create
journal entry
Student need help
creating journal
entry.
Student did not
complete journal
entry.
Math Objective Student chose object
resembling basic
shape and described
attributes.
Student chose object
resembling basic
shape, but provided
incomplete
attributes.
Student recognized
wrong shape for an
object and/or
provided attributes
that did not belong
to shape or none
provided
Picture Quality Student took a clear
picture of object.
Student took picture
of object from far
away or picture was
blurry.
Entry lacked a
picture.
Annotation Student annotated
clear shape that
object resembles.
Annotation was
sloppy.
No annotation.
Voice Recording Student talks clearly
and meets math
objective.
Student does not
talk clearly and/or
does not meet math
objective.
No voice recording
or cuts off.
Total: /10
The following is an example of a way to survey the students about their confidence level with
using SeeSaw.
How did you feel about using SeeSaw today? Shade in
your feeling.
happy
sad
mad
Why do you feel this way? (Teacher can record response.)
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