Technology for Teaching Learning I

Chapter 6

Technology Tools in Collaborative

Classroom Environment
Chapter 6

Technology Tools in Collaborative Classroom

Environment
 Introduction
Technology ushers in fundamental structural changes that can be integral to achieving
significant improvements in productivity. Used to support both teaching and learning,
technology infuses classrooms with digital learning tools, such as computers and hand held
devices; expands course offerings, experiences, and learning materials; supports learning 24
hours a day, 7 days a week; builds 21st century skills; increases student engagement and
motivation; and accelerates learning. Technology also has the power to transform teaching by
ushering in a new model of connected teaching. This model link teacher to their students and
to professional content, resources, and systems to help them improve their own instruction
and personalize learning.
Online learning opportunities and the use of open educational resources and other
technologies can increase educational productivity by accelerating the rate of learning;
reducing costs associated with instructional materials or program delivery; and better
utilizing teacher time.

Specific Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Describe flexible learning environment that enhances collaboration with the use of
technology tools
2. Reflect on the use of technology and on its relevance and appropriateness

Duration
Chapter 6: Technology Tools in Collaborative = 6 hours
Classroom Environment (4 hours discussion;
2 hours assessment)

Lesson Proper

5 Tech Tools for Classroom Collaboration

"Collaboration is essential in our classrooms because it is inherent in the nature

of how work is accomplished in our civic and workforce lives. Fifty years ago, much
work was accomplished by individuals working alone, but not today. Much of all
significant work is accomplished in teams, and in many cases, global teams."
The National Education Association, An Educator's Guide to the "Four C's "
Collaboration is one of the most essential ingredients to fostering 21st century
skills and deeper learning in the classroom. The Harvard education specialist Tony Wagner
has argued that, because knowledge is now available on every internet-connected device, the
ability to collaborate has become far more important for students than academic knowledge.
Did you know that it was a collaborative school computer club that brought together two
minds that would change the future of technology forever? Those two minds were Bill Gates
and Paul Allen, the founders of Microsoft. Collaboration doesn’t just fuel social and
emotional skills ...it fuels innovation.

Here are some of our favorite tech tools for facilitating collaboration and fueling
innovation in the classroom:

1. Google Apps for Education

The Google Drive apps enable students and teachers to collaborate more effectively on
papers, spreadsheets, and presentations. The beauty of the Google Suite for Education is:
several people can contribute simultaneously, so it’s truly designed for collaboration. There is
a limit of 50 simultaneous collaborators for Google Docs and Sheets, so there’s space for an
entire class. There is a limit of 200 total viewers and editors in Google Docs and Sheets.
Another great feature of Google Apps is that they automatically save your work, so students’
work will never be lost. There’s also never a need to keep several iterations of a document
because the revision history feature allows you to revert to previous versions of the document
(to find revision history: go to the File menu and select “See revision history”).

2. Kahoot:
Kahoot is a game-based classroom response system that gives educators an engaging way to
test the knowledge of their students. Teachers and educators LOVE Kahoot...and we even use
it at our GoGuardian team meetings and Harry Potter trivia contests (yes we are that nerdy).
Kahoot can be used to boost collaboration through encouraging students to be the leaders and
“quiz-makers”: to research, create, and present their own quizzes to the class.

3. FlipGrid:
FlipGrid is a video discussion community for your classroom that uses student voices to
promote collaboration, discussion, and engagement. With FlipGrid, you can type a question
and create a link for a “grid”. Students respond to the question in video format (kids get to be
the “talking heads”) and are added to the “grid” of all the responses. FlipGrid is a great way
to build the communicational skills of your students, while facilitating collaboration.

4. MindMeister:
MindMeister is a collaborative web-based tool that enables groups to brainstorm on one
“mind map” document during the early phases of group work. Students can continue to use
the document for collaborating during the course of a project. MindMeister teaches students
to work as a team to manage and plan projects effectively, and to break complex tasks down
into smaller, more manageable parts.

5. Google Hangouts:
Google Hangouts is a great way to bring remote groups of students together to communicate
and collaborate. With Google Hangouts, inviting a guest speaker into the classroom has never
been easier ….Google Hangouts enables anyone from around the world to “visit” a school.
You can also use Hangouts on Air to record video, so you can record the day’s class and post
a link to it on your class’ website for students that were absent. Google Hangouts is also a
great vehicle for connecting and collaborating with other classrooms...within your own
school or across the globe.
 Relevance and Appropriateness in the Use of Technology in Teaching and
Learning

Use of Technology in Teaching and Learning

Virtual or online learning: 48 states and the District of Columbia currently support
online learning opportunities that range from supplementing classroom instruction on an
occasional basis to enrolling students in full-time programs. These opportunities include dual
enrollment, credit recovery, and summer school programs, and can make courses such as
Advanced Placement and honors, or remediation classes available to students. Both core
subjects and electives can be taken online, many supported by online learning materials.
While some online schools or programs are homegrown, many others contract with private
providers or other states to provide online learning opportunities.
Full-time online schools: The following online or virtual schools enroll students on a
full-time basis. Students enrolled in these schools are not attending a bricks and mortar
school; instead they receive all of their instruction and earn all of their credits through the
online school.
State operated 
 The Florida Virtual School – An online school that provides full-time learning
opportunities to students in grades K-12. Districts can also work with Florida Virtual
School to provide blended learning opportunities to students by enabling them to
access online courses from school sites.
 Utah Electronic High School – An 18-year-old online high school providing a range
of courses to students year round. The school can award diplomas to students who are
home-schooled, have dropped out, or are ineligible to graduate from a traditional high
school for specific reasons.
 North Carolina Virtual Public School – An online high school offering 120 courses
to students both during and after the school day. The courses offered include
Advanced Placement and honors courses, world languages, electives, credit recovery,
and online college courses. The school also provides test preparation and career
planning services to students.
District operated
 Karval Online Education – A public K-12 online school for Colorado residents that
provides a free computer for the family to use while the student is enrolled and
provides reimbursement opportunities to offset Internet and other educational
expenses. Dual credit courses are available to juniors and seniors.
 Campbell County Virtual School – This school serves Wyoming students in grades
K-6. Families of enrolled students are loaned a computer and receive subsidized
Internet access, as well as materials including CDs, videos, instructional materials,
and hands-on tools and resources to complement the interactive online elements of the
program.
 Salem-Keizer Online – This online Oregon high school is an accredited program of
Roberts High School in the Salem-Keizer Public School District in Oregon. The
school provides 24/7 learning opportunities to students living within the boundaries of
the school district and who are not enrolled in their neighborhood public school.
Tuition is only required for students enrolled in summer school courses. 
Charter operated
 Guided Online Academic Learning Academy – An online public charter high
school in Colorado for students ages 14-21. The Academy offers more than 200
 courses to students as well as a variety of support services, activities to support
student-to-student interactions, and drop-in centers to facilitate enrollment,
counseling, assessments, and other services.
Blended learning: Blended learning opportunities incorporate both face-to-face and online
learning opportunities. The degree to which online learning takes place, and the way it is
integrated into the curriculum, can vary across schools. The strategy of blending online
learning with school-based instruction is often utilized to accommodate students’ diverse
learning styles and to enable them to work before or after school in ways that are not possible
with full-time conventional classroom instruction. Online learning has the potential to
improve educational productivity by accelerating the rate of learning, taking advantage of
learning time outside of school hours, reducing the cost of instructional materials, and better
utilizing teacher time. These strategies can be particularly useful in rural areas where blended
or online learning can help teachers and students in remote areas overcome distance.
State operated
 Michigan Virtual School – Michigan’s students are able to take online classes and
access online learning tools from their middle and high schools via this virtual school.
Michigan Virtual also provides full-time learning opportunities to middle and high
school students. Districts in the state work with the virtual school to grant course
credit and diplomas to students.
District operated
 Walled Lake Consolidated School District  – This Michigan district’s online summer school
credit recovery program was expanded to include online learning opportunities during the
school year. Students can now enroll in up to two online courses each semester while
continuing to attend school for at least four hours a day. Eleventh and twelfth graders may
also choose to enroll concurrently in postsecondary courses via a partnership with a local
community college. The credit recovery program reduced per-student costs by 57 percent and
the district estimates that by offering two online courses during the school year it has been
able to save $517 per student on instructional costs.
 Riverside Virtual School – This school makes interactive courses available to students in
Southern California and to other students in rural schools in the state. Students in grades 6-12,
including those who are homeschooled, may enroll full-time.
School operated
 San Francisco Flex Academy – This high school is a five-days-a-week hybrid school
that provides an online curriculum that personalizes learning and enables students to
move through courses at their own pace. These online courses are taken at the school
site and are supported by credentialed teachers.
 Rocketship – This elementary charter school network in California is a hybrid school
model. Each day, students attend the Learning Lab where they use computers to
support their individual learning needs. These Labs do not require certified teachers,
enabling Rocketship to reinvest the savings in training, Response to Intervention,
higher teacher salaries, facilities, and academic deans. While students are in the Lab,
teachers are engaging in planning.
 Carpe Diem Collegiate High School – Carpe Diem is a hybrid school in Arizona that
offers computer-assisted instruction and onsite teacher facilitators. This model enables
students to progress as they demonstrate mastery.
 iPrep Academy - This Miami-Dade County Public School offers a teacher-facilitated
virtual curriculum to 11th graders. Its motto is “learn anytime, anywhere at” and at the
students’ own pace. The curriculum includes Advanced Placement and honors
 courses, distance learning opportunities that enable students to engage with their peers
from around the world, and applies real word experiences to learning.
Open educational resources: Open educational resources are teaching, learning, and
research resources that reside in the public domain and are freely available to anyone over the
Web. They are an important element of an infrastructure for learning and range from podcasts
to digital libraries to textbooks and games. It is critical to ensure that open educational
resources meet standards of quality, integrity, and accuracy—as with any other educational
resource—and that they are accessible to students with disabilities. 
 Open High School of Utah  – This school uses open educational resources to create
an open source curriculum. To create this curriculum, teachers gather and sort through
open source materials, align them with state standards, and modify the materials to
meet student needs.  
 CK-12 – CK-12 FlexBooks are customizable, standards-aligned, digital textbooks for
grades K-12. They are intended to provide high-quality educational content that will
serve both as core text and provide an adaptive environment for learning. 
 Leadership Public Schools (LPS) – In each of the four LPS schools, teachers work
together to utilize open-source materials to meet the specific learning needs of their
students. Through a partnership with CK-12, LPS has developed College Access
Readers, a series of online books with literacy supports embedded in them to meet the
individual needs of students, from advanced to under-performing students. 
 Khan Academy – The Khan Academy is a not-for-profit organization providing
digital learning resources, including an extensive video library, practice exercises, and
assessments. These resources focus on K-12 math and science topics such as biology,
chemistry, and physics, and include resources on the humanities, finance, and history.
 Mooresville Graded School District – This North Carolina district launched a
Digital Conversion Initiative to promote the use of technology to improve teaching
and learning. In addition to the use of laptop computers and other technologies as
instructional tools, the Initiative led to a shift to digital textbooks which are aligned to
the state’s standards.
 Vail Unified School District – This Arizona district has replaced textbooks with a
digital learning environment that enables every school in the district to take advantage
of an online tool to create digital textbooks and support effective teaching.
Use digital resources well: Schools can use digital resources in a variety of ways to support
teaching and learning. Electronic grade books, digital portfolios, learning games, and real-
time feedback on teacher and student performance, are a few ways that technology can be
utilized to power learning.
 High Tech High – High Tech High (HTH) is a network of eleven California charter
schools offering project-based learning opportunities to students in grades K-12. HTH
links technical and academic studies and focuses on personalization and the
connection of learning to the real word. To support student learning and share the
results of project-based learning, HTH makes a wealth of resources available online,
including teacher and student portfolios, videos, lessons, and other resources.
 New Technology High School – At this California school, student work is assessed
across classes and grades, and feedback is made available to students via online grade
books. These grade books are continually updated so that students can see how they
are doing not only in each course, but also on each of their learning outcomes,
averaged across all their courses. Electronic learning portfolios contain examples of
students’ work and associated evaluations across all classes and grades. New Tech
High is part of the national New Tech Network.
  Quest to Learn – This school, located in New York, utilizes games and other forms
of digital media to provide students with a curriculum that is design-led and inquiry-
based. The goal of this model is to use education technologies to support students in
becoming active problem solvers and critical thinkers, and to provide students with
constant feedback on their achievement.
BEST PRACTICES FOR APPROPRIATE USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Digital Citizenship is a concept which helps teachers, technology leaders and parents
to understand what students/children/technology users should know to use technology
appropriately. Digital Citizenship is more than just a teaching tool; it is a way to prepare
students/technology users for a society full of technology. Too often we are seeing students
as well as adults misusing and abusing technology but not sure what to do. The issue is more
than what the users do not know but what is considered appropriate technology usage. 
Digital citizenship can be defined as the norms of appropriate and responsible behavior
with regard to technology use.  Dr. Mike Ribble, author of Digital Citizenship in Schools and
The International Society for Technology (ISTE) highlight the follow 9 key elements while
learning about connecting and interacting through digital means:
1. Digital Etiquette: electronic standards of conduct or procedure
2. Digital Communication: electronic exchange of information
3. Digital Literacy: process of teaching and learning about technology and the use of
technology
4. Digital Access: full electronic participation in society
5. Digital Commerce: electronic buying and selling of goods
6. Digital Law: electronic responsibility for actions and deeds
7. Digital Rights & Responsibilities: those freedoms extended to everyone in a digital
world
8. Digital Health & Wellness: physical and psychological well-being in a digital
technology world
9. Digital Security (self-protection): electronic precautions to guarantee safety
Generally, employees and students think of best practices only in the sense of electronic
mail and internet use. It must be understood that any Acceptable Use Policy also extends to:
computer hardware and peripherals; software; network access; storage devices: databases,
files, and other repositories of information in electronic form. Best practice applies to use
while onsite and when using remote access (from home, conferences, while traveling, etc.).
 
Information technology is provided to employees with the following expectations:
 Productivity will increase. Work products can be produced and services can be
delivered with more accuracy in less time with added value and, in most cases, at less
cost.
 Decision-makers will have rapid access to more complete and accurate information.
 Communication among staff, between the staff and their customers, and with the
public will improve. Services and information will be more widely and equitably
accessible.
Public employees and public organizations will be more accountable.
Electronic Mail
It must be understood that appropriate use of electronic mail should draw from standards for
student and employee communication which already exist. For instance:
 Do not send or attach documents containing pornographic, obscene, or sexually
explicit material.
 Do not transmit obscene, abusive or sexually explicit language.
  Do not use electronic mail for communications which are not directly related to
instruction, sanctioned school activities, or a person's job .
 Do not use electronic mail, for instance, for private business or personal, non-work
related communications.
 Do not access, copy or transmit another's messages without permission.
 Do not create, forward or share spam or chain letters.
 Do not use electronic mail for creation or forwarding of jokes or humor that can be
found offensive to others.
 Do not send electronic communications that contain ethnic slurs, racial epithets or
anything that could be construed as harassment or abuse of others based on race,
national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or religious or political beliefs.
Employees must be aware that electronic mail logs, the content of electronic mail,
Internet access logs, and the content of Internet sessions may be subject to inspection under
the open records laws and are not necessarily private. Employees should remember that
electronic mail, Internet access, and other resources are provided for the purpose of carrying
out assigned work.

Confidentiality and Security of Information

As a result of the passing of HB341 during the regular legislative session in the spring of
2006, the Kentucky Department of Education and all public school districts were required to
conduct a study of the requirements for data security and develop a notification process when
a breach of data security occurs. Employees and students need to understand special safety
cautions, which are again analogous to common practice:
 Students should not reveal their name and personal information to or establish
relationships with "strangers" on the network, unless the communication has been
coordinated by a parent or teacher.
 The school should not reveal a student's personal identity unless the parent has given
written consent.
 The school should not transmit a student's work or picture with personally identifiable
information without written parental consent.
 Employees should use discretion when accessing and potentially making electronic
and/or paper copies of sensitive data. This includes storing personally identifiable data
on personal or school-issued devices (e.g. laptop, thumb drive, smart phone, etc...)
 
Internet Activity
Employees and students must understand that internet searching and activity that involves
inappropriate material is prohibited in accordance with Senate Bill 230 and 701 KAR 5:120.
Activities that are considered inappropriate include but are not limited to:
 Visiting websites such as pornographic, obscene, sexually explicit, jokes, gambling,
gossip (e.g. Topix), etc., that are not work related.
 Downloading of inappropriate material including pornographic, obscene, sexually
explicit, music/audio that is copyright protected.
 Internet surfing for personal purposes such as shopping, banking, research for
personal purposes, online auctions (e.g. eBay), sports message boards, etc.
Use of Technology
Employees and students must understand that technology (e.g. computer, printers,
peripherals, external hard drives, thumb drives, etc.) used in the school and work
environment are for work and learning related purposes. Computers, while they may be
assigned to an individual in the case of employees or student in 1 to 1 initiatives are not
intended for uses that are personal in nature such as:
 Games are not to be installed or played on employee or student computers. The
Internet is not to be used for the playing of games or participation in contests.
 Computers are not to be used to store photos, video, music, audio files, etc. of a
personal nature. Doing so uses precious storage space that is needed for learning and
work related purposes and can be in violation of copyright laws in some cases.
In general, it is usually helpful to ask oneself these questions if you are not sure whether the
way you are using technology violates the Appropriate Use Policy:
1. Am I violating any other laws, regulations or policies? Have I protected individual
privacy rights?
2. Is this directly in support of my job duties and responsibilities? Does the way I am
using technology adversely impact the productivity of others without good cause?
3. If someone observed me doing this, either a colleague or member of the public, would
I be uncomfortable? Would it give the impression that I was not doing my job or that
this organization was misusing public funds?
4. If I'm saying it in email, would I say it in person?

References:
Bilbao, B. EdD et al. Technology for Teaching Learning I. (2019). Lorimar Publishing Co.
Smaldino. S. et al. (2005). Instructional Technology and Media for learning. 8th ed. New
Jersey. Pearson Prentice Hall
Eayde, M. & Lockyer, M. (2013). Tools for Learning Retrived
from:http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1413&context=asdpapers
https://education.ky.gov/districts/tech/Pages/Best-Appropriate-Use.aspx
https://www.google.com/search?
q=Technology+Tools+in+Collaborative+Classroom+Environment+&ei=XXxWYc2POtr7w
AO2jpyoCw&ved=0ahUKEwiNssLZnqjzAhXaPXAKHTYHB7UQ4dUDCA4&uact=5&oq=
Technology+Tools+in+Collaborative+Classroom+Environment+&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EA
MyBggAEBYQHjIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB4yBggAEBYQHjIGCAAQFhAeMgYIAB
AWEB5KBAhBGABQ-w5Y-
w5g8BxoAHACeACAAYABiAGAAZIBAzAuMZgBAKABAqABAcABAQ&sclient=gws-
wiz
https://www.ed.gov/oii-news/use-technology-teaching-and-learning
Activity Sheet
Name:_______________________________ Year & Section:________________________
Subject:______________________________ Score:________________________________
Activity 1
Direction: Design your own technology tools that can used in online class, then explain your
own technology tools.
Assessment
Each question will be graded based on this five (5) point rubric.

LEVEL DESCRIPTION

Well written and very organized.

Excellent grammar mechanics.
5 - Outstanding Clear and concise statements.
Excellent effort and presentation with detail.
Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the topic.

Writes fairly clear.

Good grammar mechanics.
4 - Good
Good presentation and organization.
Sufficient effort and detail.

Minimal effort.
Minimal grammar mechanics.
3 - Fair
Fair presentation.
Few supporting details

Somewhat unclear.
Shows little effort.
2 - Poor Poor grammar mechanics.
Confusing and choppy, incomplete sentences.
No organization of thoughts.

Very poor grammar mechanics.

Very unclear.
1 - Very Poor
Does not address topic.
Limited attempt.
Assignment (if any)

(No assignment for this chapter)

Feedback Form
 
Name of Student: ___________________________________________________
Program : ___________________________________________________
Year Level : ___________ Section : ___________
Faculty : ___________________________________________________
Schedule : ___________________________________________________
Learning Module : Number: _________ Title : ______________________
How do you feel about the topic or concept presented?
□ I completely get it. □ I’m struggling.
□ I’ve almost got it. □ I’m lost.
In what particular portion of this learning packet, you feel that you are struggling or lost?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________ 
Did you raise your concern to your instructor? □ Yes □ No
If Yes, what did he/she do to help you?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
If No, state your reason?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
To further improve this learning packet, what part do you think should be enhanced?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________ 
How do you want it to be enhanced?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
NOTE: This is an essential part of course module. This must be submitted to the subject
teacher (within the 1st week of the class).