Technology Integration- Career Exploration

2. 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..
Avid’s 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

3. 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

4. AUDIENCE
I will conduct this Career Exploration lesson on my 6th-8th grade AVID
students. I’ve 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.

5. TOPIC: CAREER EXPLORATION
Career Exploration is one of my favorite lessons to teach. As educators,
we can’t expect our youth to dream, if they don’t 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.

6. • Microsoft Office
• E-mail
• Blogs
• Skype
• Twitter
• SmartBoard
• Search Engine (Google)

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.

14. LEARNING THEORIES & INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
My approach for this lesson is closely related to Vygotsky’s (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. I’ve 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

15. UNIT LESSONS
• ABC’s of Skills
• How do I become a__? (Job Search)

16. ABC’S OF SKILLS
ABC’s 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

17. 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: ABC’s worksheet, My Skills worksheet, Internet, Blogs, Skype &
Twitter

18. 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 doesn’t mean you aren’t good at multiplying, though.
Tell students that they will be using today’s 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 ABC’s 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

19. 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?

20. 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

21. 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
student’s acquisition of knowledge and skill are more efficient, effective,
and appealing.

22. 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.

23. 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 don’t 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.