Distance Education Lesson

Introduction

For some time now, I have been involved with the JASON Project, an international scientific research and learning expedition headed by Dr. Robert Ballard. For about three months, our students are involved in curriculum written by the JASON Foundation, paralleling the types of research to be conducted by the scientists on-site. Then in the spring, our students travel to The Science Place Museum in Dallas, where a live-time satellite hook-up allows them to witness the on-site researchers in their work, and ask questions. Until I took this ETEC 597: Distance Education course, the JASON Project was my only experience with DE. It is a wonderful experience, but not very personal or personalized. This imaginary DE lesson is part of my idea of the ultimate interactive distance education JASON experience! (Besides actually going with the team, that is!)

Lesson Subject

This year's JASON X Expedition takes us to the Amazonian rain forest. In keeping with JASON X, this lesson involves the comparison of biodiversity, and the exploration of the importance of biodiversity in our world. The actual "unit" could take anywhere from four weeks up to the entire year. My dream vision would be a year-long project, with two-way synchronous video conferencing at least once or twice a week and Internet communications daily (either through Internet / WebBoard postings or WebBoard chat).

Audience and Site Information

My personal experience with teaching the JASON Project curriculum has been with 3rd - 6th graders. The JASON Project really is not geared for any lower than 3rd grade, but we've found it fairly easy to modify the JASON curriculum to meet the needs of 3rd graders. For this reason, my example DE lesson is for students in 4th or 5th grade. We would have three sites for this DE learning experience, with groups of children in Richardson, Texas; Cuzco, Peru; and Edmonton, Canada (these cities were picked according to convenient time zones and variation of environment).

Resources

The technology resources would include:

~ a fiber optic or satellite link, with full-motion video and sound (and NO compression!)
~ the class-to-class link would include both teacher and student cameras, as well as computer, VCR, and document views
~ each group of students would have access to Internet connection and a WebBoard-type chat system
~ presentation software, such as PowerPoint
~ spreadsheet software, such as Excel

The curriculum resources would include:

~ JASON X curriculum
~ class sets of Jaguar, by Roland Smith

Objectives

These objectives are correlated to fourth and fifth grade TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) objectives.

Language Arts Objectives

To listen and speak to gain and share knowledge of his/her own culture, the culture of others, and the common elements of cultures (TEKS 4.4; 5.4)

To read with fluency and understanding in texts at appropriate difficulty levels (TEKS 4.7; 5.7)

To acquire an extensive vocabulary through reading and systematic word study (TEKS 4.9; 5.9)

To express and support responses to various types of texts (TEKS 4.11; 5.11)

To inquire and conduct research using a variety of sources (TEKS 4.13; 5.13)

To write for a variety of audiences and purposes, and in a variety of forms (TEKS 4.15; 5.15)

Science Objectives

To conduct field and laboratory investigations following home and school safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices (TEKS 4.1; 5.1)

To use scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations (TEKS 4.2; 5.2)

To learn how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct science inquiry (TEKS 4.4; 5.4)

To demonstrate knowledge that a system is a collection of cycles, structures, and processes that interact; and that complex systems may not work if some parts are removed (TEKS 4.5; 5.5)

To demonstrate knowledge that some change occurs in recognizable patterns and cycles (TEKS 4.6; 5.6)

To demonstrate knowledge that certain past events affect present and future events (TEKS 4.10; 5.11)

Math Objectives

To make generalizations based on observed patterns and relationships (TEKS 4.7; 5.5)

describe relationships mathematically (TEKS 5.6)

To solve problems by collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data (TEKS 4.13; 5.13)

Social Studies Objectives

To use geographic tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data (TEKS 4.6; 5.6)

To demonstrate understanding of the concept of regions (TEKS 4.7; 5.7)

To demonstrate understanding of the location and patterns of settlement and the geographic factors that influence where people live (TEKS 4.8; 5.8)

To demonstrate understanding of how people adapt to and modify their environment (TEKS 4.9; 5.9)

To apply critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology (TEKS 4.22; 5.25)

Technology Applications Objectives

To demonstrate knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections (TEKS 4.1; 5.1)

To comply with the laws and examine the issues regarding the use of technology in society (TEKS 4.3; 5.3)

To use a variety of strategies to acquire information from electronic resources, with appropriate supervision (TEKS 4.4; 5.4)

To acquire and evaluate electronic information in a variety of formats, with appropriate supervision (TEKS 4.5; 4.6; 5.5; 5.6)

To use appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems (TEKS 4.7; 5.7)

To format digital information for appropriate and effective communication (TEKS 4.10; 5.10)

To deliver a product electronically in a variety of media, with appropriate supervision (TEKS 4.11; 5.11)

To use technology applications to facilitate evaluation of communication, both process and product (TEKS 4.12; 5.12)

Activities

This unit, especially if a year-long project, would contain many interdisciplinary learning activities, including:

~ planning and conducting a local biodiversity survey, gridding off a section of local woodland and analyzing number of species and specimens found
~ organizing data from the biodiversity count into a spreadsheet or database
~ uploading results from biodiversity count to be analyzed and compared to results from other sites
~ group research projects on rainforest animals
~ student presentations (PowerPoint or other software) on knowledge gained during the unit
~ novel unit reading groups, reading this year's JASON novel, Jaguar, with periodic WebBoard literary discussions
~ researching early settlers of the local area and presenting information to the other sites
~ compare and contrast early settlers of the three DE class locations
~ researching and sharing early myths and stories of each locale
~ compare and contrast myths and early stories of the three DE class locations

**PLEASE NOTE: all student groups mentioned above would include a combination of students from all three sites, and their presentations would utilize all facets of the available technology.

Evaluation

Evaluation would take place in numerous stages and forms. Ongoing traditional evaluation of student work would indicate each student's mastery of subject content, communication skills, and use of technology. Throughout the time span of the unit, students would give constant feedback concerning the peer presentations and use of technology, providing both evaluation of past work and direction for new activities.

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