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About Jeff Cooper...
Jeff Cooper (coops@pacificu.edu)is a Computer Resource Teacher who has taught English, ESL, Drama, Computer Applications and Desktop Publishing. Currently he is the Education Technology Specialist at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.
Jeff very interested in the integration of technology into curricula, and completed the LInC program at Fermilab, where he collaborated with e-educators throughout the year. He believes in shifting pedagogy away from teacher centered didacticism towards student centered projects.
Jeff also believes in breaking down classroom walls and using MUVEs (Multi User Virtual Environments) such as Tapped In to facilitate team teaching on a global scale. If you are interested in collaborating, Jeff urges, "Please don't hesitate to contact me (coops@pacificu.edu)."
I teach computers to 1st through 8th graders. There is no set curriculum so I am often at a loss as to what to have the kids do. It seems all the kids are able to use a computer adequately and would pass NCTE standards.
Is anyone aware of any curriculum that could be used? Stuff with suggestions on worksheets, testing, or other assessment strategies would be a nice part of the curriculum.
Jeff Cooper responded:
Find out what the students are doing in their other classes and integrate curriculum. Here are a few ideas:
Go to http://www.epals.com and register, then register up to 35 students yourself. Now the students have filterable email.
Create keypals with them, and have them look up projects online (at Epals, IECC, IEARN, Hilites, Global Schoolhouse, etc.).
Download "Real Lives" and run it. It is a fantastic program that allows students to "sim" lives in countries around the world from age 0 till death. Imagine hooking up with real kids at Epals and exchanging notes! There is a lot that we don't know, and we need to encourage students to become motivated self-learners. http://www.educationalsimulations.com
also contact Alan Hansen 888-832-1500 alanhansen@educationalsimulations.com
If successful with Epals and Real Lives, you might want to consider having your students create web pages and do projects with students across the country or overseas. Use tripod or geocities and kids can work on webpages together.
Go to Tapped In at http://www.tappedin.org and log in as a guest. There are over 15,000 educators registered there, and there are almost always daily meetings for K-12 curriculum ideas. Join an After School Online (ASO) session and/or check their archives. Someone is almost always at Tapped In to help you once you log in (think of how many other websites that applies to). Tapped In is a polysynchronous Educational collaborative.
By all means don't limit yourself to one activity for all the students... get them motivated... give them some choices.
These are just a few things to get started. You need to get the other teachers (as well as students and parents) involved if you really want to have a lab that is "humming."
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