7-Alison's+Lesson+Plans+(3rd+Grade)

 A Great Place to Live 5-Day Social Studies Collaborative Project for Third Graders

**Description:** To answer the guiding question -- What makes our community a great place to live? -- our students will engage in a comparative study of their favorite community, city, and state attractions. Lesson content will also pull from prior knowledge (obtained from student traveling experiences and classroom field trips) and from collaborative group study. As a culminating, authentic assessment activity, each individual class will create a printable travel brochure and collaborate on creating a VoiceThread to present their information. The National Social Studies Standards for Geography K-12 targeted by this project are: Standards 1-6 (The World in Spatial Terms, Places and Regions, Physical Systems, and Human Systems).
 * SPECIAL NOTE: These lessons are geared toward students in Tennessee, but can be adapted for any community, city, and state.**


 * DAY 1 ||  DAY 2  ||  DAY 3  ||  DAY 4  ||  DAY 5  ||
 * Research interesting places in Tennessee, Nashville, and Old Hickory. ||  Brainstorm and begin creating travel brochure.  ||  Finish creating travel brochure.  ||  Collaborate and create VoiceThread presentation.  ||  Finish VoiceThread presentation, post to class wiki, and view the wikis of the two other classes.  ||

Day 1 Geography enables the students to see, understand and appreciate the web of relationships between people, places, and environments. Students will use the knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts within the six essential elements of geography: world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and the uses of geography.
 * Geography Content Standard 3.0 **

Students will select and use appropriate technology research tools.
 * Technology Content Standard 5.0 **

1. TLW understand how to use maps, globes, and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective. 2. TLW demonstrate how to identify and locate major physical and political features on globes and maps. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. TLW use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">from a variety of sources.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Objectives: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. Computers with Internet access <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. Google Earth program downloaded on each computer <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. Old Hickory Village website: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4. Nashville, TN, Visitors’ Guide website: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5. State of Tennessee Travel Planning website: []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Materials: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW display on the LCD projector Google Earth. TTW discuss with the students geographic locations of their state, county, and city. As each location is introduced the teacher will go to each one using Google Earth getting closer to the students’ exact location, DuPont Elementary, on street view. TTW explain that during the week they will be collaborating to create a travel brochure and a VoiceThread project based on interesting places in either their community, city, or state.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Attention Getter: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. TTW have the students each choose a partner, find a computer, and launch Internet Explorer. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. TLW begin with the Old Hickory Village website. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. TTW point out interesting links and pictures on the website about interesting places in the community such as the following: the library, fire hall, post office, DuPont Plant, and the community center. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4. TLW explore the site for ten minutes. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5. TLW continue to the Nashville, TN, Visitors’ Guide website. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. TTW point out the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Parthenon, and the Tennessee Titans’ Stadium. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">7. TLW will explore this site for ten minutes. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">8. This process will continue for the State of Tennessee Travel Planning website. TTW point out the major cities of Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Procedures: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW label a blank Tennessee state map with the major cities, their community, and at least three pictures of interesting places. TTW observe students' responses and interactions with the group and make anecdotal records.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Assessment: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW say, “Great job today! Tomorrow, I will place you into groups and you will work together to advertise either your community, city, or state on a travel brochure, because this is a great place to live!”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Closure: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW choose another city or state that they have visited and find it using Google Earth and explore websites that give more information about the area such as a visitors’ guide.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Extension Activity: **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Days 2 and 3 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Geography Content Standard 3.0** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Geography enables the students to see, understand and appreciate the web of <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">relationships between people, places, and environments. Students will use the knowledge, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">skills, and understanding of concepts within the six essential elements of geography: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">environment and society, and the uses of geography.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Technology Content Standard 5.0** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Students will select and use appropriate technology research tools.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Technology Content Standard 3.0** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Students will use technology productivity tools.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Objectives:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. TLW use technology tools to enhance learning, increase <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">productivity, and promote creativity. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. TLW will use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing a <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">technology-enhanced publication. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. TLW create a travel brochure that explains the interesting places either in their community, city, or state.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Materials:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. On the Town: A Community Adventure by: Judith Caseley <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. Computers with Internet access <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. Old Hickory Village website: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4. Nashville, TN, Visitors’ Guide website: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5. State of Tennessee Travel Planning website: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. Various examples of travel brochures. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">7. Microsoft Word or Publisher program

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Attention Getter:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW read the book, On the Town: A Community Adventure by: Judith Caseley. TTW explain that the students will be collaborating with Kindergarten students in Florida and high school students in Connecticut. TTW explain they will be creating the travel brochure to explain why Tennessee is a great place to live. TTW explain that during the rest of the week they will be collaborating to create a travel brochure and a VoiceThread project with their group based on interesting places in either their community, city, or state that will be posted on a wiki for the other students to see and make comments.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Procedures:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. TTW place the students in six groups of three. The students will be working together, but each member will have a specific job. One student is the scribe, the second is the project manager/time keeper, and the third is the designer. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. Each group will decide if they will focus their travel brochure on the community of Old Hickory, the city of Nashville, or the state of Tennessee. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. TTW show the students various examples of travel brochures. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4. TLW use the websites that were explored on Day 1 to locate facts and pictures about interesting places that will be incorporated on their travel brochure. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5. TTW show the students how to use either Microsoft Word or Publisher to set up the page format for a brochure. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. TLW work with their group to decide on three interesting places and include three facts about each place.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Assessments:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW write a paragraph at the end of Day 2 and Day 3 about the group’s chosen topics and what was accomplished during that day’s Social Studies time. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW create a travel brochure highlighting why Tennessee, Nashville, or Old Hickory is a great place to live. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW observe students' responses and interactions with the group and make anecdotal records. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW assess the students' completed travel brochure using the Travel Brochure Rubric. (located on the Assessments and Rubrics page)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Closure:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW say, “Great job today! Tomorrow, you will begin creating your VoiceThread that will be posted to our class wiki.”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Extension Activity:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW add borders to pictures and include two more interesting places on their travel brochure.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Day 4

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Geography Content Standard 3.0** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Geography enables the students to see, understand and appreciate the web of <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">relationships between people, places, and environments. Students will use the knowledge, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">skills, and understanding of concepts within the six essential elements of geography: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">environment and society, and the uses of geography.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Technology Content Standard 3.0** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Students will use technology productivity tools.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Objectives:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. TLW use technology tools to enhance learning, increase <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">productivity, and promote creativity. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. TLW will use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing a <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">technology-enhanced VoiceThread presentation of their completed travel brochure.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Materials:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. Computers with Internet access <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. Microphones for computers <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. Examples of VoiceThread presentations

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Attention Getter:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW show the students examples of VoiceThread presentations. (Examples can be found on the Resources page.) TTW explain that each group will create a VoiceThread that they will place on the class wiki for the students in Florida and Connecticut to watch and discuss.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Procedures:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. TLW work with their group to decide the layout and spoken words for the VoiceThread of their travel brochure. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. TLW share ideas and complete as much as possible of the VoiceThread during the day’s class time.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Assessments:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW write a paragraph at the end of Day 4 about the group’s VoiceThread and what was accomplished during that day’s Social Studies time. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW create a VoiceThread presentation about their travel brochure explaining why Tennessee, Nashville, or Old Hickory are a great place to live. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW observe students' responses and interactions with the group and make anecdotal records.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Closure:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW say, “I am very impressed with the collaboration and hard work that I have observed today and this week! Tomorrow, you will have time to finish up your VoiceThread presentations and then we will post them to our class wiki.”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Extension Activity:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW add additional places to their VoiceThread that may not have been included on their completed travel brochure.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Day 5 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Geography Content Standard 3.0** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Geography enables the students to see, understand and appreciate the web of <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">relationships between people, places, and environments. Students will use the knowledge, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">skills, and understanding of concepts within the six essential elements of geography: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">environment and society, and the uses of geography.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Technology Content Standard 3.0** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Students will use technology productivity tools.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Technology Standard 4.0** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Students will use technology communications tools.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Objectives:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. TLW will use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing a <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">technology-enhanced VoiceThread presentation of their completed travel brochure. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. TLW use a class wiki to collaborate, publish, and interact <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">with peers, experts, and other audiences. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. TLW use a variety of media and formats to communicate <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Materials:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. Computers with Internet access <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. Microphones for computers <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. Previously set up class wiki

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Attention Getter:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW explain that today the students will have time to finalize their VoiceThread presentations and then post them to the class wiki. TTW show the students the class wiki and how to embed their VoiceThread presentations.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Procedures:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. TLW finish working with their group to complete the VoiceThread presentation. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. TLW work with their group to embed the group’s presentation on the class wiki. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. TLW explore the completed VoiceThread presentations of the students in Florida and in Connecticut. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4. TLW post a total of four comments or questions on the presentations created by the students in the other states.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Assessments:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW complete and post their completed VoiceThread presentation. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW post comments or questions on the wikis of the other classes. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW observe students' responses and interactions with the group and make anecdotal records. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW assess the students' completed VoiceThread presentations using the VoiceThread Rubric and the Multimedia Project Rubric. (located on the Assessments and Rubrics page) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW assess each group's collaboration using the Collaborative Work Skills Rubric. (located on the Assessments and Rubrics page)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Closure:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TTW say, “Fantastic job completing this project! We will continue to check our class wiki for comments and questions that have been posted so we can respond back to them.”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Extension Activity:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">TLW brainstorm other ideas for future VoiceThread presentations that can cover other subject areas. TLW compare and contrast the interesting places in Florida, Connecticut, and Tennessee.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Literature Review

Bennett, P. //Effective Strategies for Sustaining Professional Learning Communities//. Diss. Walden University, 2009. Minneapolis: MN, 2009. AAT 3397338. Print.

This research study was conducted to find out elementary teachers’ perceptions and strategies of maintaining Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). Data was collected from three teacher coaches and thirty-seven elementary classroom teachers from three rural public schools in one school district. The results of the study showed that PLCs are necessary for social change and can increase teacher expertise which positively affects student achievement.

Our project focuses on students collaborating to create a VoiceThread about their community and then sharing and commenting on VoiceThreads from other parts of the country. We are providing an experience for our students that defies distance and time while creating learning to occur through collaboration and relationships. A learning community is being created among the students. This project also allows teachers to create a community with each other to become stronger teachers by building relationships. It is an opportunity to have a PLC on a global scale and not just in your building. We are encouraging our students to do this so we should be doing the same. Collaboration among the teachers is necessary to partake successfully in this type of project.

Dalton, M. (2010). Teachers learn to master 'tribes': Process that promotes community, collaboration and independent problem-solving taught during summer session. //Waterloo Region Record,// B-3.

This newspaper article explains the basics behind creating “Tribes” in a classroom. Tribes are collaborative learning groups. These Tribes have four basic rules: attentive listening, appreciation, mutual respect, and participation with right to pass. This method originated in California and decreases behavioral problems while motivating students in a classroom community environment.

For students to collaborate as a “tribe” or a team, they must understand how to communicate with each other. This article provides the basic rules of collaboration. These rules foster an environment where students will feel safe and a part of a community so they will share their opinions and feelings with each other. During this process, respect will be expected among the students. Establishing the rules of collaboration will begin this process on a firm foundation.

Dede, C. (2009). Technologies that facilitate generating knowledge and possibly wisdom. Educational Researcher, (//38// )4.

Chris Dede researched how Web 2.0 tools can enhance the generating and sharing of knowledge in the education research community. He believes that using these tools together can increase the quality and pace of educational scholarship. He found that using Web 2.0 tools for research would provide a virtual setting for dialogue about sharing, thinking, a co-creating projects.

Through this research it is shown how Web 2.0 tools should be used together and not just as stand alone tools for the enhancement of research projects. Our project utilizes a wiki, VoiceThread, and the Internet for research and presentation of the findings. I strive to implement lessons in my classroom that are cross-curricular. This is similar to our project, because we are using several Web 2.0 tools while incorporating social studies, speaking skills, reading, and writing. Using all of the aforementioned elements creates a beneficial learning experience for the students.

Hancock, T. (2010). Web 2.0 opens worldwide possibilities in education. //Momentum,// //41// (1), 14- 15.

This article explains the Web 2.0 tools of social networking sites, Google Earth, podcasting, wikis, YouTube, VoiceThread, and several others. Each tool is described along with ideas of how to use each in an elementary classroom to a high school classroom. For VoiceThread, examples are given of elementary students giving a book talk or for showing and telling about a trip. Hancock explained that VoiceThread.com is user friendly, easy to learn, and contains helpful tutorials.

This article relates to this project, because it explains the benefits of using VoiceThread for student learning. It also describes other alternatives for creating a final product. This would be a good article to share with parents so they can understand that VoiceThread is one of many Web 2.0 tools that elementary students can use to show their understanding of the state standards.

King, M., Newmann, F., & Carmichael, D.. (2009). Authentic intellectual work: common standards for teaching social studies. //Social Education,// //73// (1), 43.

The authors of this article explain that authentic intellectual work in social studies should be complex with personal and social meaning. Authentic learning experiences will motivate students while increasing their content knowledge. These types of experiences involve careful study and end with a finished presentation or product.

This project is based on a meaningful topic, the students’ own community. Allowing the students to collaborate and choose the most important parts of their community makes the project personal to them. They will be motivated to learn more about their community and share what they have learned with others. Creating a VoiceThread about their community is an authentic learning experience that challenges the students to present information in a new way to a new audience.

Mayer, R. (2009). Multimedia learning: second edition. Cambridge University Press, New York:NY.

This book is focused on the use of multimedia in the classroom. The first section explains what works in multimedia learning and how to determine that multimedia learning works. It continues on to principles for reducing extraneous processing, managing essential processing, and fostering generative processes in multimedia learning. This book explains to teachers and parents that multimedia, if used and created wisely, can be a tool for increasing student achievement in the classroom.

Using the principles described in the book support the design of this project. It is an opportunity for students to use multimedia to create a final product that has meaning to them. As the students go through the collaboration process, they will begin to make wise choices about how to present their information, what is important, and what is visually pleasing.

McCall, A., Janssen, B., & Riederer, K.. (2008). More time for powerful social studies: when university social studies methods faculty and classroom teachers collaborate. //The Social Studies,// //99// (3), 135-141.

The focus of this study investigated the usefulness of collaborations between university professors and classroom teachers for designing more effective social studies teaching strategies. The professors and classroom teachers collaborated to improve the powerfulness of social studies lessons despite NCLB constraints and lack of time. This involved integrating social studies with literacy and math as part of a cross-curricular effort. The effort also involved the methods of utilizing teachable moments and incorporating technology and media skills with social studies research.

The basis of our project is for the students to research their community. The students will be using technology to find more information about places in their community and for creating their VoiceThread and sharing it with other students. This use of technology will sharpen the media skills of my elementary age students so they are better prepared for their future educational experiences in middle school, high school, and college. Collaboration among the teachers and students is vital to the success of the project. This project is a way to teach valuable social study standards about geography and community in a way that is meaningful to the student.

Sprankle, B. (2009). VoiceThread. //School Talk,// //15// (1), 4-6.

This article explains the Web 2.0 tool, VoiceThread. Sprankle described that VoiceThread provides a learning opportunity that includes collaboration, communication, creativity, and innovation. VoiceThread is compared to an online interactive bulletin board for students to share their work. It creates an opportunity for students and teachers to open up to the global community.

This is another article that could be shared with parents so they have a firm understanding of what VoiceThread is and how it will benefit their child’s learning experiences. This article will answer any questions that parents may have so they will be eager to sign a permission slip for their child to access the Internet and create a project that will be shared with students in other states.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Best Sources for Research When researching decisions that I make regarding educational technology, I look to professional organizations and online journals. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) provides professional development, educator resources, support, and other valuable resources. The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is another well respected educational technology organization. They offer publications, conferences, and an online store for purchasing books and journal subscriptions. Just a few of the available journals are TechTrends, Educational Technology Research and Development, and Instructional Science. These journals are available online or in print. These sources help in discovering new teaching strategies using technology. They also provide research support that can be shared with faculty members and parents. These sources give me the information that I need to better explain to parents the “why” of technology tools and their child’s learning experiences.