Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:

a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity

Digital photography is a tremendous medium for expression. Students in our local community are encouraged to participate and create entries for this category in a local community college’s annual art show.  During the school year my computer lab students are allowed to work on any digital photography they wish once they have completed a unit in the study of photography basics and learn the tools we have available. This example reflects not only a student’s understanding of framing the subject, but also her implementation of Google’s Picasa with Adobe’s Flash software programs by her application of the trace bitmap feature to blend shapes and create mood. For this particular work, she was awarded Best of Show in her age category out of more than twenty local schools.

To develop websites with unique features, students are encouraged to create their own buttons with Flash. These three buttons demonstrate "hover over" and click creativity that students plan and develop. This project is a three part activity that includes application of the hover and go-to states possible with an interactive website button. Requirement for students was designing three states for the button: non-active, hover, and go-to after drawing an element with the Flash tools.

b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress

An integral part of my curriculum for eighth grade students is designing a website for the CyberFair contest sponsored by Global SchoolNet. Students work together collaboratively by choosing their entry category and developing a project they research and with which they make a connection with the community. Tasks for this project often require working outside of classroom hours and learning new digital tools to enrich their presentation. When finished, they compare their work to the rubric provided by Global SchoolNet and also assess other student work from around the world.

WebQuests provide a technology-based environment with online resources, and yet can allow students several options to creatively express what they understand about the content. Authentic learning activities can even be created by students! This WebQuest was designed for CyberFair's 2008 contest by two students who provided links and resources for site visitors to use in the quest for knowledge about recycling. It was encouraging to see that the students understood how to create an effective rubric for the projects they designed by incorporating standards I normally set for them on projects.

Researching information or applying content using open-ended digital tools is a great way to allow for diverse learning styles. Some students may find their voice and be more expressive using visual methods or auditory methods. Many embrace the freedom of choosing the way they use the tool to reflect their knowledge. Creating a Movie Maker video to write an original story and take her own digital photographs allowed this student to make an appealing project about helping others.

Flash and Photo Story combined are tools that students can use for expression through graphics and text. Using Flash to design all the graphics, and Photo Story to layout a storyboard, students can overlay text and add audio files to further develop their expressions. This short video of student expression allowed her to work with her favorite medium tool, Flash, while meeting requirements to storyboard with Photo Story.

Providing a rubric upon introduction of a constructive project is a direct method of keeping students on task for requirements and it also provides them immediate availability for re-evaluation of their goal. Generally, I publish a rubric online for student reference throughout an assignment and ask to them to evaluate themselves often as they work. Rubrics create a means for self-analysis and evaluation of ongoing work, as well as a review upon assignment completion.

Hot Potatoes is a terrific HTML assessment application. After my students log in to their Moodle account, they can take vocabulary unit tests or work on Daily Language Review assessments. Because they receive immediate feedback via their correct responses, these quizzes help students understand what content they still need to learn.