Learning With Technology: Fifth Graders Go to College

by Rachel Fowler, Joe Walsh, and Jenny Avery

abilities, and a greater understanding of subject matter are a few of the answers to this question. These were only some of the many positive results of a recent collaborative project between teacher education students at the University of Montevallo and fifth graders at Ala- bama's Calera Elementary School.

The collaborative project was ini- tially developed to provide pre-service teachers, enrolled in an advanced in- structional technology class, with ac- tual experiences in working one-on-one with elementary students while using technology as a tool. Clearly, this pro- ject proved to be a valuable opportu- nity for these future teachers, and the kind of experience that teacher educa- tion programs are increasingly being re- quired to provide for their students. The planned benefits for the fifth graders were equally valuable: an opportunity to research history on the World Wide Web, develop content for their topic, and create an interactive HyperStudio stack--all on equipment and software that far exceeded what was currently available in their classroom or school.

ABOUT THE PROJECT For the elementary students, the pro- ject required that they, with help from their regular classroom teacher, select a topic on the American Revolution from the Alabama Course of Study.

Then, with their assigned university pre-service teacher acting as facilitator, they had to plan their project, conduct the necessary research using the World Wide Web, and create a detailed story- board. Next, a few lessons and practice sessions on using HyperStudio and it was time for these fifth graders to begin creating their stacks. Each student was required to make many critical deci- sions regarding their project, such as the content to include, the selection of supporting graphics, and the design and layout of their unit.

For the college students, the main focus of the project was in preparation. These future teachers not only had to learn how to use HyperStudio but they also had to teach it to their students. Additionally, they were required to r e -

This is the home page linking the 22 stu- dent-created HyperStudio stacks.

fresh their knowledge of the American Revolution, develop instructional strat- egies to assist their students in con- ducting research and developing their stacks, assess their own strengths and weaknesses as teachers, and develop knowledge and understanding of the students they would soon be teaching.

The pre-service teachers were enthusiastic and enjoyed working with their students.

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THE OUTCOME From the moment the fifth graders ar- rived on the college campus and walked into the computer lab, the atmosphere changed. The computer lab was alive and filled with activity. The fifth graders were full of energy and eager to take their seats in from of the comput- ers and begin their work. While the room reverberated with the noises of talking, laughing, and beeping comput- ers, everyone seemed to be oblivious to all but their own work. The fifth graders were enthusiastic and, with a little help from their teachers, remained on task for each session over the five-week period. Their assigned pre-service teachers were also enthusiastic and deeply engaged in working with their students--experiencing, perhaps for the first time, the satisfaction of helping a student grasp a new concept or dis- cover a new idea.

By the last day in the lab, the young students had each completed an inter- active HyperStudio stack with anima

. . . pre-service teachers. . . [experienced], perhaps for the first time, the satisfaction of helping a student grasp a new concept or discover a new idea.

tions, sound and video clips, hyperlinks, navigation buttons, and plenty of graphics. Topics such as the contribu- tions of Benjamin Franklin, the Con- stitutional Convention, and the life of George Washington were depicted in a wide array of styles and formats. Then, through the efforts of one of the college students, all of the Hyperstacks were linked together through a main menu page. Now the class had a comprehen- sive computer-based unit on the major aspects of the American Revolution. (Incidentally, this year's new fifth-grade classes at Calera Elementary are using the multimedia as they study the Amer- ican Revolution.)

Once the work was over, it was time for the students to celebrate their ac- complishments. Their HyperStudio stacks were set up on the computers in

The atmosphere of the computer lab changed the moment the fifth graders arrived.

the Calera Elementary Media Center and the cake and refreshments were or- dered. Then, the fifth graders and their pre-service teachers displayed their work and described their experience to a room full of invited eleraentary and university faculty, county school board members, and parents. After the more formal portion of the presentation was over, guests had the opportunity to mingle with the students to ask ques- tions about the project and what they

had learned. With pride, each student explained such things as the chal- lenges of conveying the Bill of Rights in a multi- media format or the sig- nificance of the Battle of Yorktown.

The reports from the pre-service teachers were equally positive. Most felt that this experience with fifth graders, while limited, was very benefi- cial in developing their ability to inter- act with students. The added component of fifth-grade students in a class designed to help future teachers integrate technology into their class- rooms provided the future teachers with experiences they would not have encountered otherwise.

FINAL THOUGHTS The logistics of transporting 22 fifth graders to the college campus twice a week for five weeks, preparing pre-ser- vice teachers to assume a lead role in the learning experiences of these stu- dents, and coordinating all of the other facets of this project required a little

planning and diligence from all educa- tors involved. Was it worth it? One stu- dent wrote in a newsletter about her doubts at the beginning:

Dr. Fowler announced later in the se- mester that we would be doing a Hy- perStudio project with a fifth-grade class. My thoughts were, "Oh, great. Now I am not only responsible for my grade, but someone else's." As it turned out, I had the best time . . . . This project was no longer for a grade, but for the learning process. My student was so excited about working on the HyperStudio that it was contagious. He came prepared to class every time. He searched the In- ternet, wrote his storyboard, picked his graphics, and actually learned how to use HyperStudio quicker than I did! It changed my entire perspec- tive on children and technology." �9

The authors are with the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Montevallo. Rachel Fowler (left) is an associate professor and teaches classes in instructional technology. Joe Walsh is an as- sistant professor of curriculum and instruction and is the Director of Instruction Support and Technology for the College of Education. Virginia Avery is adjunct in- structor, teaching classes in instructional technology, and is the Director of the Malone Curriculum Center.

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