1. 1. WHAT IS AVID AND WHAT DOES IT OFFER? Avid is an elective class offered to students who would like to prepare for four- year colleges and universities. Students must have satisfactory citizenship, good attendance, and a 2.0 or better G.P.A.. Avids Student Success Initiative (SSI) addresses the gaps in student performance and successes at school and assists students by developing the skills that enable them to deal effectively with academic and cultural challenges. Avid Methodology allows almost all students to have access to a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. The teaching methodology which is most effective in this quest is: Collaborative, subject specific learning groups Inquiry Method Writing as a tool of learning
2. 2. COLLABORATIVE LEARNING GROUPS T R A D I T I O N A L No interdependence No individual accountability Homogeneous One appointed leader Responsibility for oneself only Social Skills ignored Teacher/tutor ignores group functioning No group processing C O L L A B O R A T I V E Positive Interdependence Individual Accountability Heterogeneous Shared Leadership Shared Responsibility Social skills necessary for task completion Teacher/Tutor observes and intervenes Group Process their effectiveness Avid groups are referred to as collaborative rather than cooperative because they do not follow all of the organizational rules. The purpose of collaborative learning in AVID is to bring students together to take responsibility for their own learning and for students to learn the value of collaboration for the successful completion of a task, the usefulness of team roles, and effective representation
3. 3. AUDIENCE I will conduct this Career Exploration lesson on my 6th-8th grade AVID students. Ive seen a great amount of success by teaching these lessons to my students in the past and therefore would like to share my Integration Project with my professor, fellow classmates, co-workers, and other education professionals.
4. 4. TOPIC: CAREER EXPLORATION Career Exploration is one of my favorite lessons to teach. As educators, we cant expect our youth to dream, if they dont know what to dream about. My Career Exploration lesson gives my AVID students a broader exposure to the working world that they will one day enter. It helps them connect the dots between school and career in ways that will keep them motivated to graduate with the necessary skills needed for the future.
5. 5. Microsoft Office E-mail Blogs Skype Twitter SmartBoard Search Engine (Google)
6. 6. MS Office is a suite of products developed by Microsoft Corporation that includes Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Publisher, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Each program serves a different purpose and is compatible with other programs included in the package. The suite of programs is compatible with both the Windows and Macintosh operating system. Microsoft Office is the most common form of software used in the western world.
7. 7. Electronic mail, most commonly referred to as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks.
8. 8. A blog is a personal online joournal or diary that is updated frequently. The definition is vague in regards to the substance or content that a blog may embody, due to it really being whatever you want it to be. It is merely a collection of posts on any topic that you choose.
9. 9. Skype is a telecommunications application software product that specializes in providing Video chat and voice calls from computers, tablets, and mobile devices via the internet To other devices or telephones/smartphones. Users can also send instant messages, exchange files and images, send video messages, and create conference calls. Skype is available to download onto computers running Microsoft Windows, Max, Linux, as well as Android, Blackberry, iOS, and Windows Phone smartphones and tablets.
10. 10. Twitter is an online social networking service that enables users to send and read short 140-character messages called "tweets". Registered users can read and post tweets, but unregistered users can only read them.
11. 11. The Smart Board interactive whiteboard operates as part of a system that includes the interactive whiteboard, a computer, a projector and whiteboarding software - either Smart Notebook collaborative learning software for education, or Smart Meeting Pro software for business. The components are connected wirelessly or via USB or serial cables. A projector connected to the computer displays the desktop image on the interactive whiteboard. The whiteboard accepts touch input from a finger, pen or other solid object. Smart Board interactive whiteboards are also available as a front- projection flat-panel display interactive surfaces that fit over plasma or LCD display
12. 12. A program that searches for and identifies items in a database that correspond to keywords or characters specified by the user, used especially for finding particular sites on the World Wide Web.
13. 13. LEARNING THEORIES & INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN My approach for this lesson is closely related to Vygotskys (later influences were contributed by Bruner) Social Constructivist approach. My teachings are endogenic and student centered in which I consistently encourage each of my students to express their own opinions and nurture their own ideas through the use of technology. My lesson places a high emphasis on knowledge but even more importance on my students rational capacities and ability to deliberate their knowledge. I believe that helping students to develop a deep love and respect for themselves, others, and their environment occurs through an open sharing of ideas and a judicious approach to discipline. Ive learned that by instilling fair and consistent rules initially and stating the importance of every activity, students are shown respect for their presence and time. Using strategies such as class meetings, positive discipline, and democratic principles show children how to become responsible for themselves as well as their own learning. Social Constructivis t
14. 14. UNIT LESSONS ABCs of Skills How do I become a__? (Job Search)
15. 15. ABCS OF SKILLS ABCs of Skills Career Education Focus: 1. Listing skills necessary for a career 2. Understanding diversity in the workplace 3. Applying skills to a career 4. Learning how to incorporate technology for job and skill inquiry. Related Standards: English/language arts, technology, social studies Lesson Objectives: 1. Differentiate between knowledge and skills 2. Compile a list of skills 3. Examine the usefulness of skills
16. 16. CONTINUED Estimated Time: Lecture/Discussion: 15 mins Activity 1: 45 mins Activity 2: 45 mins Activity 3: 2 hr 55 mins Assessment: 10 mins Reflection: 15 mins Total time: 5 hrs 5 mins Correlation of Theory/Instructional Design: This lesson inspires the students to relate prior knowledge that they know about themselves to potential jobs that fit their skills sets. The lesson is student centered and encourages the students to think and act as individuals in a productive society. Materials: ABCs worksheet, My Skills worksheet, Internet, Blogs, Skype & Twitter
17. 17. CONTINUED Procedures: Explain to students that in addition to knowledge gained through the classroom, skills are also very important in achieving success in a career. Ask the students if they can name the differences between knowledge and skills. Tell the students that everyone has different skills. There are some things you do better than your friends and there are some things they do better than you. Even though you can practice some skills and improve them, others are part of your personality. You may have a friend who is naturally good at multiplying. No matter how much you study and take notes in math class, they are still able to do it faster than you. That doesnt mean you arent good at multiplying, though. Tell students that they will be using todays worksheets to learn about skills, and that they may discover they have more skills than they realize. Activity 1: Divide the students into small groups for the first worksheet. Email the ABCs worksheet. Explain that they are to come up with skills that start with each letter of the alphabet. Although the students are working as a group, each student in the group should complete their own blog. They will need the completed assignment for the second activity. Activity 2: If the students have moved to work as a group, have them return to their original seats to complete the My Skills worksheet. Email the My Skills worksheet and explain to students that they are to use the skills from the first worksheet and pick at least four of those skills that they
18. 18. CONTINUED Activity 3: Prearrange for a professional (firefighter, city official, fellow teacher, principal, doctor, etc) to Skype with your class about their job. The professional should present a 20 minute presentation and allow 15 minutes for students to ask questions and respond via the video conference. After the conference call, discuss the content and technology of the presentation with your students. Use the Smart Board to display instructions for how to write a professional letter(15 min). Allow your students to type a professional thank you letter to the professional via Microsoft Word (45 minutes). The students will pick a partner and email their partner their letter for review (25 minutes). The students will then email a final letter to the teacher for review (1 hr). The teacher will combine all completed letters in one email and email the professional with the attached thank you letters (20minutes). Reflection: Lead a class discussion on lessons learned. Were you able to develop a skill for each letter of the alphabet? Were you surprised at the number of skills you possess? How did the use of technology assist in making this assignment efficient?
19. 19. HOW DO I BECOME A __? Career Education Focus: 1. Developing research skills 2. Identifying requirements for potential careers 3. Identifying actions that can be taken now to prepare for careers 4. Developing effective social media and networking skills Related Standards: English/language arts, technology, social studies Lesson Objectives: 1. Understand the importance of proper planning 2. Research potential careers 3. Learn to plan now for future careers 4. Learn how to connect different social networking devices (Posting blog links on twitter) Materials: How Do I Become A? worksheet, Internet access, twitter, & blog
20. 20. CONTINUED Length of time: Class Discussion: 25 mins Activity 1: 1 hr 30 mins Reflection Activity: 45 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Correlation of Theory/Instructional Design: This assignment uses a systematic instructional design method. By researching skills, each students acquisition of knowledge and skill are more efficient, effective, and appealing.
21. 21. CONTINUED Procedures: Conduct a class discussion about how to plan to achieve your desired career. Today students will be learning about part of the planning that goes into selecting a career. Begin the discussion by asking students to name an exotic place they would like to visit. Let the group offer a few suggestions and choose one that is far away and not easily accessible (i.e., Hawaii, Italy, etc.). Ask the students how they would plan a trip from the classroom to this destination. Explain that to get there in the shortest time, they need a map to pick the route that is best for them. Explain to students that just as they need a map when they take a trip, they also need a map to plan their journey from middle school to achieving the career they desire. Tell the students that, for example, a student may know they want to have a career where they do something with computers. Explain that depending on what they want to do, there are different routes for them to take after high school. For example, if they want to design Websites, they may want a two-year degree at a vocational school. If they are interested in pursuing more, they may obtain various certifications. If they are interested in possibly managing or owning a technology company, they would want to get at least a four-year degree at a university.
22. 22. CONTINUED Activity 1: Email students the How Do I Become A...? worksheet. Explain to students they are to use an Internet search engine like Google to research the education requirements and necessary skills for a career they are interested in pursuing. Encourage students to also browse job search engines and career websites to view required skill sets for positions. Motivate those who dont have an idea for a career to pick something that interests them and research it. . Students are to post their answers on their blog, post the blog links on twitter, and reply to each others blogs via twitter or blog comment section. Reflection Activity: Students will review each others blogs and comment on at least four of their classmates posts.