Using Think.com in Student Projects Steven Caringella CUE Palm Springs

Using Think.com in Using Think.com in Student ProjectsStudent Projects

Steven CaringellaSteven CaringellaCUE Palm SpringsCUE Palm Springs

Presentation Resource SitePresentation Resource Site

Caringella.edublogs.orgCaringella.edublogs.org

Presenter BioPresenter Bio

Steven CaringellaSteven [email protected]@musd.orgFifth Grade Teacher at Zanker, Milpitas Fifth Grade Teacher at Zanker, Milpitas

UnifiedUnifiedTechnology CoordinatorTechnology CoordinatorPart-time instructor, Krause Center for Part-time instructor, Krause Center for

Innovation at Foothill CollegeInnovation at Foothill CollegeProfessional development training in Professional development training in

educational technologyeducational technology

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

What is Think.com?What is Think.com?What is inquiry-based and What is inquiry-based and

project-based learning?project-based learning?


How was Think.com used in How was Think.com used in the Environmental Concerns the Environmental Concerns project?project?

How can Think.com be used How can Think.com be used in inquiry-based cross-in inquiry-based cross-curricular projects?curricular projects?


Think.com presentation, live on Think.com presentation, live on the Web.the Web.

Tools for online research, Tools for online research, reflective blogging, reflective blogging, communicating and collaboratingcommunicating and collaborating

https://https://www.think.com/en_uswww.think.com/en_us

What is Think.com?What is Think.com?

Think.com is a password-Think.com is a password-protected, student-safe online protected, student-safe online learning community.learning community.


What is Think.com?What is Think.com?

Allows students to publish, Allows students to publish, blog, share documents, blog, share documents, communicate, and collaborate.communicate, and collaborate.

Free access provided to Free access provided to schools by the Oracle schools by the Oracle Education Foundation.Education Foundation.

Think.com and Student ProjectsThink.com and Student Projects

Think.com is ideal for use in Think.com is ideal for use in inquiry-based, cross-curricular inquiry-based, cross-curricular student projects.student projects.

Central to the success of the Central to the success of the Environmental Concerns in the Environmental Concerns in the Community project.Community project.

Think.com and StandardsThink.com and Standards

Think.com can be used to help Think.com can be used to help students meet California content students meet California content standards.standards.

Think.com meets ISTE National Think.com meets ISTE National Technology Standards.Technology Standards.

http://http://cnets.iste.orgcnets.iste.org/students//students/

Technology Productivity ToolsTechnology Productivity Tools

Students use technology tools to Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. productivity, and promote creativity.

Students use productivity tools to Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce prepare publications, and produce other creative works.other creative works.

Technology Communications ToolsTechnology Communications Tools

Students use telecommunications Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences. other audiences.

Students use a variety of media Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.to multiple audiences.

Technology Research ToolsTechnology Research Tools

Students use technology to locate, Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. a variety of sources.

Students use technology tools to Students use technology tools to process data and report results. process data and report results.

Students evaluate and select new Students evaluate and select new information resources and information resources and technological innovations based on technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.the appropriateness for specific tasks.

Problem-Solving ToolsProblem-Solving Tools

Students use technology Students use technology resources for solving problems resources for solving problems and making informed decisions. and making informed decisions.

Students employ technology in Students employ technology in the development of strategies for the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world. solving problems in the real world.

How to Access Think.comHow to Access Think.com

Teachers at accredited Teachers at accredited primary and secondary primary and secondary schools can apply.schools can apply.

Oracle Education Foundation Oracle Education Foundation requires site principal’s requires site principal’s approval.approval.

How to Access Think.comHow to Access Think.com

If you are the first at your site If you are the first at your site to use Think.com, you become to use Think.com, you become the site lead.the site lead.

You can then add other You can then add other teachers at your site.teachers at your site.

Online safetyOnline safety

Teachers who use Think.com Teachers who use Think.com with their students must with their students must monitor student content.monitor student content.

Teachers must teach students Teachers must teach students how to stay safe online.how to stay safe online.

Must have parental consent.Must have parental consent.

Inquiry-Based LearningInquiry-Based Learning

A learner-centered process that A learner-centered process that begins with questioning and begins with questioning and investigating.investigating.

Children have a desire to Children have a desire to discover and finds things out.discover and finds things out.

Exploring, asking questions, Exploring, asking questions, searching for new searching for new understandings.understandings.

Project-Based LearningProject-Based Learning

Students investigate a real-Students investigate a real-world problem, working world problem, working collaboratively.collaboratively.

They use technology tools, They use technology tools, gain skills and knowledge, and gain skills and knowledge, and end with a learning product.end with a learning product.

Environmental ConcernsEnvironmental Concerns

http://ourenvironmentproject.orghttp://ourenvironmentproject.orgWinner of the 2006-007 KCI Winner of the 2006-007 KCI

Rambus Silicon Valley Award Rambus Silicon Valley Award for excellence in innovationfor excellence in innovation

Environmental ConcernsEnvironmental Concerns

Students used Think.com Students used Think.com during research, for reflection, during research, for reflection, to communite and collaborate, to communite and collaborate, and as an eportfolio.and as an eportfolio.

ECIC OverviewECIC Overview

……created and implemented by created and implemented by Mary Howland, Beth Mary Howland, Beth Fensterwald, and Steven Fensterwald, and Steven CaringellaCaringella

Earn While You Learn Fellows, Earn While You Learn Fellows, Krause Center for Innovation, Krause Center for Innovation, Foothill College, CAFoothill College, CA

ECIC OverviewECIC Overview

Multi-classroom: Students from Multi-classroom: Students from three Northern California schools three Northern California schools collaborated using Think.com.collaborated using Think.com.

Cross-curricular: One school Cross-curricular: One school focused on science and two focused on science and two schools focused on language schools focused on language arts.arts.

Essential QuestionEssential Question

How do we How do we become aware of become aware of environmental environmental concerns and concerns and how can we make how can we make a difference?a difference?

Almaden SchoolAlmaden SchoolFourth graders from Almaden Fourth graders from Almaden

School collected water quality School collected water quality data from a local creek.data from a local creek.

River Glen ElementaryRiver Glen Elementary

Seventh graders researched Seventh graders researched environmental problems, then environmental problems, then wrote persuasive essays wrote persuasive essays advocating change in advocating change in treatment of the environment.treatment of the environment.

Zanker ElementaryZanker Elementary

Fifth graders Fifth graders conducted conducted research, research, then used it to then used it to write write persuasive persuasive essays.essays.

Zanker ElementaryZanker Elementary

The students The students also produced also produced public service public service announcements announcements using digital using digital video.video.

Communicating With Think.comCommunicating With Think.com

Students from all three schools Students from all three schools wrote bios about themselves, wrote bios about themselves, then “met” each other online.then “met” each other online.

Throughout the project, Throughout the project, students read, reviewed, and students read, reviewed, and evaluated each others’ work.evaluated each others’ work.

Collaborating With Think.comCollaborating With Think.com

Almaden Fourth graders wrote Almaden Fourth graders wrote letters and posters in response to letters and posters in response to the River Glen newsletters that the River Glen newsletters that they viewed and discussed.they viewed and discussed.

http://ourenvironmentproject.org/http://ourenvironmentproject.org/almadenschool/FellowsStudentalmadenschool/FellowsStudentWork2.htmWork2.htm


Fifth and Seventh grade Fifth and Seventh grade students included the Fourth students included the Fourth graders’ water quality data in graders’ water quality data in their research.their research.


Zanker Fifth graders created Zanker Fifth graders created web resource lists during web resource lists during research that were shared by research that were shared by team members for the essays team members for the essays and the PSAs.and the PSAs.

Reflective BloggingReflective Blogging

Throughout the stages of the Throughout the stages of the project, students reflected on their project, students reflected on their learning process by writing learning process by writing reflective blog entries.reflective blog entries.

Think.com as eportfolioThink.com as eportfolio

Throughout the project, Throughout the project, students uploaded finished students uploaded finished learning products, reflected on learning products, reflected on them, and received teacher them, and received teacher and peer review and feedback.and peer review and feedback.

Learning Products Included…Learning Products Included…

Field journalsField journalsWater dataWater dataWebsite linksWebsite linksInformational articlesInformational articlesPoemsPoemsPersuasive essaysPersuasive essaysLetters and postersLetters and postersDigital video clipsDigital video clips

Think.com Project IdeasThink.com Project Ideas

Think.com provides project Think.com provides project ideas that can be used in the ideas that can be used in the K-8 classroom, that meet ISTE K-8 classroom, that meet ISTE standards.standards.

http://www.think.com/istehttp://www.think.com/iste

Think.com DemonstrationThink.com Demonstration

Tools used for online Tools used for online research, reflective blogging, research, reflective blogging, communicating and communicating and collaborating, and creating collaborating, and creating eportfolio web pages.eportfolio web pages.


Krause Center for InnovationKrause Center for Innovation

Northern Northern California California Institute that is Institute that is dedicated to dedicated to helping teachers helping teachers integrate integrate technology into technology into the curriculum.the curriculum.


http://http://www.krauseinnovationwww.krauseinnovation center.org/kcicenter.org/kci

Donor-funded center.Donor-funded center.Potential donors should Potential donors should

contact Gay Krause.contact Gay Krause.


Offer technology classes for Offer technology classes for educators.educators.

Earn While You Learn: Three Earn While You Learn: Three week institute in July.week institute in July.

Earn While You Learn Earn While You Learn Fellows: Collaborative project.Fellows: Collaborative project.

Earn While You Learn 2007Earn While You Learn 2007

Deadline to apply is March 15.Deadline to apply is March 15.First three weeks in July.First three weeks in July.Create a technology-enhanced Create a technology-enhanced

project.project.Earn a $4000 stipend.Earn a $4000 stipend.Receive college credit.Receive college credit.More information on the KCI website.More information on the KCI website.

Think.com Try AccountThink.com Try Account

Http://think.comHttp://think.comClick on Try It FirstClick on Try It FirstKey code for Try Account is Key code for Try Account is

“tryus”“tryus”

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Using Think.com in Student Projects Steven Caringella CUE Palm Springs