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EdTech Show Daily 2 1 Wednesday, February 7, 2018 How Does SRL Apply to Writing? Self-regulation of writing involves the thoughts, feelings and actions students use to achieve writing goals, including improving the quality of the writing process and writing skills as well as the products of writing. Studies of profes- sional writers have shown that experts use SRL behaviors, such as prewriting and revision strategies to manage cogni- tive load, environmental structuring to reduce distraction and emotional regula- tion to support persistence. How PEG Writing Can Help PEG Writing is a web-based learning environment and formative assessment program designed to help students improve their writing. The program pro- vides assessment opportunities critical to support students' self-monitoring and subsequent SRL. PEG Writing uses the Project Essay Grade (PEG) scoring engine to provide students with automat- ed scores and feedback for their compo- sitions. As a portal to a wide variety of prompts and stimulus materials, PEG Writing invites students to frequent, extensive practice that teachers can man- age more effectively without the burden of additional grading. Practice coupled with feedback allows for deliberate prac- tice, or practice that is appropriate, pur- poseful and repetitive. Researchers have found that under such conditions students can improve their ability to self-monitor, control and self-evaluate their perform- ance. Further, with automated feedback PEG Writing (Cont'd. from p. 1) teachers can step out of the evaluator role to focus on assisting students with inter- preting and applying feedback. This also frees teachers to model effective moni- toring and control strategies. These could relate to planning, goal-setting or self- evaluation (cognitive and motivational), use of writing resources (environmental), use of self-questioning (behavioral) and pre-writing (personal). Where to Start: Supporting Students' SRL First, teach students to set specific goals for their writing. Students who set specif- ic goals produce more effective writing than those who set general goals or do not set goals. Next, have students plan their writing using an appropriate graphic organizer. As observed with experts, self- regulated learners spend more time plan- ning tasks, which results in higher achievement. Use "think-alouds" to model writing strategies but also self- statements to assist with such aspects as task definition ("What do I need to do to get started?") and self-reinforcement ("I like this part!"). Observational learning about writing encourages SRL strategy use and has a positive impact on writing performance. Emphasize monitoring and evaluation as part of the writing process. By supporting the SRL process with practice and feedback, and by providing evidence of growth, PEG Writing can help students take control of their learn- ing. For more information, visit PEG Writing at booth #1820. Intermediate level students graduate from plastic VEX IQ robots up to the metal VEX EDR system, earning an elec- tive credit in a course that utilizes the free VEX EDR curriculum. The high schools participate in the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC), the best robotics competition and the first robotics compe- tition. All told, we have 23 out of 26 ele- mentary, nine out of 10 intermediate, and six out of seven high schools using robot- ics. We also create a competition within the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Principles of Engineering course, where 120 teams across the district compete using a modified version of that year's VRC game. ESD: How has VEX helped shape your robotics program? LM: As a former teacher, ease of use was most important for me. I needed some- thing that could be integrated with mini- mal disturbance to the classroom and be used by any teacher without expensive tools or shops. VEX fits that mindset – a couple of desks put together are perfect for building a robot. As for tools, VEX EDR basically provides everything you need. That was crucial to me, and was a key contributor to VEX's growth throughout my district. For elementary, we've had program- ming nightmares in the past due to incon- sistencies in battery life or motor strength. It was frustrating to try learning program- ming concepts without getting the same VEX (Cont'd. from p. 1) results every time. When VEX IQ solved that problem, it was a no-brainer for us. ESD: Have you witnessed robotics impact any particular students? LM: Absolutely. We recently had a stu- dent who had trouble with the law, had dropped out of school and was kicked out of his house. He came to our alternative school and joined their VEX course. After his first competition, he came to my office asking for torque and gear ratio lessons – his robot wasn't performing the way he thought it should, and wanted to learn how to improve it. We have a "no pass no play" policy, and this student is now maintaining all As and Bs so he can stay in the robotics program. It's truly a driving force for these students, and we shape our programs around them. ESD: What advice would you give to an educator looking to get started with robots in their classroom? LM: In my opinion, VEX nailed robotics education. Most platforms expect users to meet the needs of their product. Instead, VEX looked at what would benefit teachers, students and the district, and developed a product to meet those needs. It's cost effective and it does not require vast mechanical resources. My advice would be to go with a platform that is teacher-friendly and easy to implement – that's VEX! For more information, go to www.vex robotics.com or stop by booth #1149. budget level. They give you the ability to get exactly what you want – without pay- ing for features you don't want. A stock cart can be a better value than a less expensive, plain jane cart. Once you start to add options, such as cable manage- ment, a charging system or even handles, the cart becomes more expensive than stock carts that come with those features. 3. Safety First Safety should be one of your top consid- erations. The law requires a greater amount of care to be taken in situations where students are present. That means any equipment used in classrooms must be safe for children to be around. Consider these safety factors. Cart construction. Charging carts should have rounded edges, no pinch points, no open screw ends that can scratch and no ledges to climb on, which can be extremely dangerous. Open hinges, large stabilization feet and pull- out drawers are all potential hazards as well. Mobility. How are you going to use your cart? In a survey of Black Box cart users, 39 percent of respondents said they rolled their carts between the classroom and the library. Thirty-six percent of teachers push the cart and 39 percent said both teachers and students move the cart. Techs transport the cart in 24 percent of the schools. To safely move carts, five- inch casters are preferred for maximum Carts (Cont'd. from p. 1) maneuverability because they travel more easily over thresholds, uneven sur- faces and sidewalks. Cart strength. Rugged, heavy-duty carts constructed of 100 percent steel with welded steel frames offer the most durability. Lightweight carts or carts without a welded frame may not be able to support a full load of devices. They can also easily warp, tip over when force is applied to an open door and can be dif- ficult to push. Look for a cart that passes the UL ® 1678 tip-test safety standard. Electronics. Make sure all PDUs and charging equipment are UL 60950 certi- fied and capable of handling the power loads. You also want to make sure the power bricks are not on trays where there can be a dangerous buildup of heat. 4. Delivery Charges Some manufacturers include delivery. Find out up front if your cart includes delivery, which can run as much as $200 per cart. 5. Warranties Some manufacturers offer limited war- ranties, while others offer all-inclusive warranties. Check the warranty on the electronics too, which can vary from three months to three years. Before you make a major investment in carts, carefully consider these factors. For more information, go to www.black box.com/carts, call 724.746.5500 or stop by booth #509. SecuRam SmartEntry with Waterproof Finger Vein ID Technology SecuRam Systems, a leader in electronic security, is pleased to introduce SecuRam SmartEntry front door lock incorporating the latest biometric authentication – Finger Vein ID. Finger Vein ID technology goes well beyond fingerprint scanning – it analyzes the blood vessel or vascular pattern below the epidermal layer of your finger and then using its unique matching algorithm, validates entry to only enrolled users. One of the great deficiencies associ- ated with fingerprint biometrics has been its inability to work in outdoor condi- tions. With its invention of waterproof Finger Vein ID, SecuRam has delivered the absolute security of advanced bio- metric access to virtually any installation condition. Finger Vein ID was already a remarkable advance; SecuRam has per- fected it even further. With customers and applications ranging from home access to banking and automotive securi- ty, SecuRam remains the reference stan- dard in authentication technology. Blood vessel patterns are unique to each individual, as are other biometric data such as fingerprints or the patterns of the iris. However, unlike some biomet- ric systems, blood vessel patterns are almost impossible to counterfeit because they are located beneath the skin's surface. Biometric systems based on fin- gerprints, depending upon the technology, can be fooled with a dummy finger fitted with a copied fingerprint. The Finger Vein ID system is much harder to fool and it requires the finger of a living per- son to authenticate. SmartEntry represents a break- through in high security authentication for home or office use. This technology was once only available on high-end security equipment used by high tech companies. SecuRam Systems is the first security company to successfully incorporate this very secure biomet- ric authentication system into access control products for everyday use. Simply touch the SmartEntry scanner and then the science goes to work to determine if you are an enrolled user. A positive match sends a signal to the SmartEntry door lock to open immediately, allowing fast and secure access to your home or office. With optional Wi-Fi connectivity, you can manage and monitor your SmartEntry from your smartphone. SecuRam SmartEntry: Highly secure, easy-to-use biometric technology to protect those most precious to you. For more information, go to www .securamsys.com.