For my final post, I chose to create a VoiceThread to share my thoughts about this "Teaching with Technology" course. Although it was really stressful, I think that I learned a lot throughout this short semester. Since I had never used VoiceThread before, I decided to give it a try. I was a little confused at first but I think it would be awesome for more people to add to it. Please do if you have a chance! By completing this course, I think I am more dedicated and excited to use technology in the classroom. I don't think many people realize how important it is and I will do my best to become aware of the technology that will best suit my students!
Thank you for reading and listening to my blog!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Web of Wonders
As my final project, I chose to create a Prezi. I had never tried Prezi which is why I chose to use it. I'm still not sold on it. I think the layout of the presentation is really important when using Prezi. Sometimes they seem to jump all over the place without any reason. The layout I chose zooms in and does not make the viewer as dizzy. I chose to dive further and further into each topic as the Prezi zoomed in. It is simple and does not overwhelm the viewer and the tree can symbolize the growth of technology in education. See my Prezi below!
The topics covered in my Prezi are PicLits, Wordle, Voki, and GoAnimate. PicLits was new to me. I enjoyed learning how to use it and I think that students would enjoy using it as well. Wordle, Voki, and GoAnimate have already been discussed in my blog. All of these great Web 2.0 tools are free, however many uses of GoAnimate require a membership. Please view my Prezi above to learn more about them!
The topics covered in my Prezi are PicLits, Wordle, Voki, and GoAnimate. PicLits was new to me. I enjoyed learning how to use it and I think that students would enjoy using it as well. Wordle, Voki, and GoAnimate have already been discussed in my blog. All of these great Web 2.0 tools are free, however many uses of GoAnimate require a membership. Please view my Prezi above to learn more about them!
My Website!
My website contains a brief description of myself and the purpose of the site. It also includes my philosophy of teaching with technology, a link to this blog, professional organizations that I do or have belonged to, different assignments that I have completed this semester, and a variety of Web 2.0 tools that I enjoy. Most of the information on the website is also discussed in this blog. As someone who had never had a blog or a website before, I think that they both came out pretty well. The photo above is a screenshot of my home page that I took using Awesome Screenshot!
I hope that you enjoy my website and have enjoyed reading these posts! If you have time, check out Pia's Teaching with Technology Website or Sarah's Website ED5700 or Jackie's So this is where we are headed.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Personal Learning Networks
Personal learning networks can be a great tool for any professional. After listening to a voicethread of professions discussing their own personal learning networks, I've learned how beneficial they can be. By having a personal learning network (PLN), professionals can collaborate with others in their field. In addition to discussing ideas with others at your school, you can now discuss with people in other schools, other states, and even other countries! The phrase, "two minds are better than one" is really true in this case. There are other teachers all over the world. By talking to them, you can share ideas, problems, successes, and learn from each other. Of these professionals, Twitter seemed to be the most popular choice of a tool to communicate with many other people. I do not currently have a Twitter account, but I look forward to trying this in the future!
Digital Literacy and Citizenship
With technology being so frequently used in our classrooms, it is necessary that students understand how to use the internet safely and to be good digital citizens. Most schools, including those that I work at, make students and staff sign Acceptable Use Policies that state the rules and boundaries of school internet use. They typically do not include anything about how or why the internet should be used or explanations of their restrictions. A more beneficial way to create a safe internet environment in our schools is to have a digital citizenship curriculum and to teach those within the school about internet safety. Google provides a free series of lessons with handouts for both teachers and students. Through the Google and iKeepSafe program here, we can hold Professional Development workshops for teachers who can then teach students about internet safety, detecting lies, playing and staying safe, how to be a good digital citizen, stealing, respecting privacy, and what websites are good to use. Parents should also be made aware of this information. These are skills that they will have for life. To evaluate a website, there are important things to look for. The website should have an author posted somewhere on the site. It should also be current, accurate, and free of biased information. It is also important for the topic to be described fully to show that the author knows about what they are writing. All of this is described in the Google iKeepSafe program. Common Sense Media also provides a great program broken down by age groups. There are several units which address safety, security, digital life, privacy and digital footprints, connected culture, respecting creative work, searching, and research and evaluation. Each topic has an overview as well as lessons to go with it. These are wonderful, FREE, resources that schools do not take advantage of often enough!
Part of digital literacy is digital citizenship. There are nine elements of digital citizenship. They are 1. digital access, 2. digital commerce, 3. digital communication, 4. digital literacy, 5. digital etiquette, 6. digital law, 7. digital rights and responsibilities, 8. digital health and wellness, and 9. digital security. You can learn more about them here. Copyright laws are a big topic that we often ignore. Some guidelines to follow when taking things include that things that are creative and tangible are automatically copyrighted where as facts, published work, and things that are significantly altered are usually fair to use. Although there are more possibilities for educational use, there are still limits on how much and the frequency of information allowed to be taken by teachers. Multimedia copies are typically allowed but limited. In some cases, school districts may be liable for the copyright infringements made by their staff! Remember, the internet is NOT public domain. The best way to avoid problems is to ask permission to use something.
As for our students, there are many websites for children to learn about digital citizenship. Some of these include BrainPOP, Webonauts Internet Academy, OnGuard Online Games, AT&T Internet Safety Land, and others. By using interactive websites and playing games, students will be engaged and retain more of what they learn. These are great resources that many people don't know enough about!
Part of digital literacy is digital citizenship. There are nine elements of digital citizenship. They are 1. digital access, 2. digital commerce, 3. digital communication, 4. digital literacy, 5. digital etiquette, 6. digital law, 7. digital rights and responsibilities, 8. digital health and wellness, and 9. digital security. You can learn more about them here. Copyright laws are a big topic that we often ignore. Some guidelines to follow when taking things include that things that are creative and tangible are automatically copyrighted where as facts, published work, and things that are significantly altered are usually fair to use. Although there are more possibilities for educational use, there are still limits on how much and the frequency of information allowed to be taken by teachers. Multimedia copies are typically allowed but limited. In some cases, school districts may be liable for the copyright infringements made by their staff! Remember, the internet is NOT public domain. The best way to avoid problems is to ask permission to use something.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Search Stories Digital Footprints
Today, with the assistance of a classmate, I was able to compile a "search story" about myself. To do so, you simply go to the creator and enter up to seven search terms. There are options to do general web searches, image searches, maps, blogs, etc. I chose to use my name, schools I attended, and topics from my current course. Once all of the searches are complete, you can choose from a selection of music and publish the video to YouTube! It is all very simple!
I think that this site is great for teachers and students. It would be a great way to introduce students to a new topic. With a quick glimpse of the search results, students would get a brief idea of what's to come. It would also be fun for students to use as part of a bigger project. It is also nice for students to search things that are important to them. Search stories about their interests would be a nice way to begin the year and to get to know the students. My only complaint would be that it gives such a quick glimpse of each search. It would be nice to have the option of showing a little more of the searches of your choice.
See my search story.
Digital footprints are the traces that we leave online. Every time I enter something about myself onto the internet, I leave a digital footprint. When that term is entered into the search, my footprints can be found!
If you have time, check out Sarah's Blog about Digital Footprints!
I think that this site is great for teachers and students. It would be a great way to introduce students to a new topic. With a quick glimpse of the search results, students would get a brief idea of what's to come. It would also be fun for students to use as part of a bigger project. It is also nice for students to search things that are important to them. Search stories about their interests would be a nice way to begin the year and to get to know the students. My only complaint would be that it gives such a quick glimpse of each search. It would be nice to have the option of showing a little more of the searches of your choice.
See my search story.
Digital footprints are the traces that we leave online. Every time I enter something about myself onto the internet, I leave a digital footprint. When that term is entered into the search, my footprints can be found!
If you have time, check out Sarah's Blog about Digital Footprints!
The Wonderful World of Assessment and Differentiating Instruction
Typically, when teachers and students think of assessment, they think, "ugh!" Teachers picture endless hours of grading. Students think of studying and days spent quietly taking a test. Fortunately, there are better ways to assess students! One way that is more beneficial to students is to use student self-assessment. Self-assessment is a form of authentic assessment. Authentic assessment is when students are performing real life tasks to show what they know. This prepares them for the real world much better than a traditional pencil and paper test. By using a self-evaluation, we can give students a more personal assessment which motivates them to do their best. A possible downfall is that some students may just give themselves the highest grade without analyzing their work. To avoid this, it is important to teach students how to perform a self-assessment. The Four Stage Model to involve students. The most important aspect is to give students a criteria for their assessment and to help them to use it.
To help teachers to create authentic assessments, there is an Authentic Assessment Toolbox! This guide provides tips to teachers who are trying to create an authentic assessment. It stresses that teachers must first select the standards that they wish to address. Then they should give students an authentic task to analyze and perform. The task is rated by a criteria and then scored on a rubric that follows the criteria. Authentic assessment is much more meaningful to everyone!
Another authentic assessment that teachers can use is electronic portfolios. Student online portfolios can contain student work and teacher observations. It can be especially effective to allow students to help select the work that will go into their portfolio. They can also be shared with parents so that parents always have access to some of their child's work. With ePortfolios, schools won't need to dedicate as much space to storing student documents! Dr. Helen Barrett provides a lot of information on her website, although it is a little hard to find things on it. Some of the programs that she discusses are very expensive. Personally, I would rather just keep all of my work on my flash drive.
An important way to use assessment results is to differentiate instruction. This means that the teachers must alter their teaching based on the needs of each particular class. To determine appropriate instruction, it can be helpful to give a preassessment. The preassessment can be used to find out how students learn, their strengths and weaknesses, anything that they already know, and what they are interested in. By understanding more about our students, we can then differentiate our teaching to benefit them the most. In today's schools, this may also mean selecting appropriate technology for each particular class. The more we know about our kids, the more we will be able to teach them!
Sarah discusses Digital Storytelling in her blog post. Check it out!
Pia talks about differentiated instruction in her blog! Read it for more info!
To help teachers to create authentic assessments, there is an Authentic Assessment Toolbox! This guide provides tips to teachers who are trying to create an authentic assessment. It stresses that teachers must first select the standards that they wish to address. Then they should give students an authentic task to analyze and perform. The task is rated by a criteria and then scored on a rubric that follows the criteria. Authentic assessment is much more meaningful to everyone!
Another authentic assessment that teachers can use is electronic portfolios. Student online portfolios can contain student work and teacher observations. It can be especially effective to allow students to help select the work that will go into their portfolio. They can also be shared with parents so that parents always have access to some of their child's work. With ePortfolios, schools won't need to dedicate as much space to storing student documents! Dr. Helen Barrett provides a lot of information on her website, although it is a little hard to find things on it. Some of the programs that she discusses are very expensive. Personally, I would rather just keep all of my work on my flash drive.
An important way to use assessment results is to differentiate instruction. This means that the teachers must alter their teaching based on the needs of each particular class. To determine appropriate instruction, it can be helpful to give a preassessment. The preassessment can be used to find out how students learn, their strengths and weaknesses, anything that they already know, and what they are interested in. By understanding more about our students, we can then differentiate our teaching to benefit them the most. In today's schools, this may also mean selecting appropriate technology for each particular class. The more we know about our kids, the more we will be able to teach them!
Sarah discusses Digital Storytelling in her blog post. Check it out!
Pia talks about differentiated instruction in her blog! Read it for more info!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Grading and More With Engrade!
Engrade is an AWESOME tool for teachers and the best part is that it's free! Since I don't currently have my own class, I made up a few names to try out the features of Engrade as a teacher. I had previously used it as a student and really liked being able to see my grades as soon as my professor had entered them. I didn't have any complaints while using the site. Perhaps if I was using it with a real class, I would have had some suggestions for improvement. It seemed to me that everything worked really well. The online grade book was very simple to use and provided options of how things are scored, the percentage each type of assignment is worth, and the date of the test to add to the classroom calendar. I really liked how you can create a quiz for students to take online and it gives the option of randomizing the questions! This is a great tool! You can also create flashcards, rubrics, wikis, etc. right on the website. One of my favorite features is the ability to share up to date grades with parents and students. Parents and students will love this site! I know that I did when my teacher used it. If parents or students are curious about owed assignments are cannot remember their scores, all they have to do is login and they can access the information or message the teacher.
At this time, I really don't have any suggestions for improving the site. As far as I can tell, everything that I would need is there and very simple to use. I think all teachers would benefit from using Engrade. It is extremely convenient to have access to your grade book from anywhere and Engrade calculates averages for you based on the weights and points you assign to each entry. In addition, it makes it easy for the teacher to communicate with parents and to keep parents informed of their child's progress. This way, perhaps parents will at least know their child's current grades before calling to inquire about their success. With Engrade, things are easier for everyone!
Here is a quick snapshot of my imaginary class' gradebook!
At this time, I really don't have any suggestions for improving the site. As far as I can tell, everything that I would need is there and very simple to use. I think all teachers would benefit from using Engrade. It is extremely convenient to have access to your grade book from anywhere and Engrade calculates averages for you based on the weights and points you assign to each entry. In addition, it makes it easy for the teacher to communicate with parents and to keep parents informed of their child's progress. This way, perhaps parents will at least know their child's current grades before calling to inquire about their success. With Engrade, things are easier for everyone!
Here is a quick snapshot of my imaginary class' gradebook!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Web 2.0 in Action!
Sarah has some great insight comparing Wordle to Tagxedo in her blog!
Jackie compares Zoho to Google Docs in her latest blog!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Live Binders
Today was my first experience with Live Binders. I think that it is a very interesting tool, however I can't see myself using it. I would be more likely to view other people's binders. Entire web pages can be put into the LiveBinder. One of the first LiveBinders that I came across was all about Web 2.0 tools for teachers! This is perfect for our class. I had already seen many of the tools described on this page and I felt that they could have gone into a little more detail. Overall it seemed like a useful binder and had many different sections. Another LiveBinder that I found useful is Elementary Student Links. This binder had links to many websites where students can play educational games, watch videos, and create collaboration rooms. Another was called Elementary Student Resources and was perfect for a lower grade technology center. There were many websites where students could read to themselves and play simple educational games. I can't believe that I didn't know about this site before! There are so many great resources that people have compiled all in one place!Mapping the Mind
There are an incredible number of web 2.0 tools that you can use to create mind maps. After viewing many of them, it became obvious that some were a little too confusing to be easily used in front of elementary school students. The first that I would use is bubbl.us. Bubbl.us was really easy to use and could easily be made clear enough for elementary school students to follow along during a lesson. I would use it to create graphic organizers for my class and also to do some brainstorming while we are working together. I love that it is a free tool and easy to get started. The other tool that stood out to me was Project Draw. Although I don't think I found the actual site, I found another site that described it and showed screen shots. I think that it would be really fun to use Project Draw to create layouts of my classroom. It can be difficult to set up an elementary school classroom with tables centers, toys, desks, etc. With Project Draw, I could create different layouts to try before I bothered to move furniture. I just wish that it was free and easier to find online!
TDC Chapter 6 and Instructional Design
Although I had heard of many of the terms in this week's chapter, one thing that I really enjoyed learning about was Wellivers Instructional Transformation Model. It states that there are 5 hierarchical stages through which teachers integrate technology into their classrooms. In order they are: familiarization, utilization, integration, reorientation, and finally revolution. The stage names describe how well technology is used by that teacher.
Another thing that was discussed this week was instructional design models. I had only heard of Bloom's Taxonomy before this week. I didn't realize how many other models there are! Some other models include Merrill's First Principles of Instruction where learning is problem based and in the phases of integration, activation, application, and demonstration, and the ADDIE Model in which students are evaluated through analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Other models include Kemp's Instructional Design Model and Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction. Both of these include 9 steps to follow to educate students. Finally, there is Kirkpatrick's 4 Levels of Training Evaluation which are: reactions, learning, transfer, and results. All of these models can be used even though Bloom's Taxonomy is the most popular.
Another thing that was discussed this week was instructional design models. I had only heard of Bloom's Taxonomy before this week. I didn't realize how many other models there are! Some other models include Merrill's First Principles of Instruction where learning is problem based and in the phases of integration, activation, application, and demonstration, and the ADDIE Model in which students are evaluated through analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Other models include Kemp's Instructional Design Model and Gagne's 9 Events of Instruction. Both of these include 9 steps to follow to educate students. Finally, there is Kirkpatrick's 4 Levels of Training Evaluation which are: reactions, learning, transfer, and results. All of these models can be used even though Bloom's Taxonomy is the most popular.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Constructivist Theory With GoAnimate
We just finished going through the Constructivist Theory webquest and created a GoAnimate presentation to share what we learned. The Constructivist Theory really focuses on getting the students involved and learning by exploring the content. One way to do this is the 5E lesson plan. The five E's are engagement/excitement, exploration, explanation, extension/expansion/elaboration, and evaluation. These five components ensure that students are interested, actively doing something, and then that their learning is clarified and evaluated. One way of doing this type of lesson with technology is by creating a web-quest. By giving students a problem, they can then explore it further. See our GoAnimate presentation about this below.
the math masters constructivist theory by jackiewojtak on GoAnimate
Make a Movie - Powered by GoAnimate.
GoAnimate would have been more helpful if it was free. For example, our video could only be 2 minutes long so we had to edit some of it out. There were only two girls and there are three of us so we had to choose other characters. Overall, it was pretty easy to use. It just would have been nice if there were more available features for free.
Sarah discusses the 5 E's in her blog. Check it out!
the math masters constructivist theory by jackiewojtak on GoAnimate
Make a Movie - Powered by GoAnimate.
GoAnimate would have been more helpful if it was free. For example, our video could only be 2 minutes long so we had to edit some of it out. There were only two girls and there are three of us so we had to choose other characters. Overall, it was pretty easy to use. It just would have been nice if there were more available features for free.
Sarah discusses the 5 E's in her blog. Check it out!
Friday, June 8, 2012
When Kids Can Teach Themselves
Sugata Mitra conducted an experiment in which he went to schools in poor areas and left computers there. The children in these places had likely never even seen a computer for and were not given any kind of instruction as to how to use it. Without any guidance, the children amazingly figured out how to use the computers and some of the software that was on them such as photo software and games. The video of his experiment is a great example of our course topic this week. Children can use technology to demonstrate and learn higher order thinking skills even without lessons on their use. These children were able to to use strategies such as collaboration, inquiry, and problem-solving. Since their problem was authentic, not only did the children solve their problems, but they determined what the problem was as well. This proves that if kids are really interested and engaged in something, they are able to teach themselves to some extent. Technology can provide authentic and engaging tasks for our children and can help them to become better thinkers even without a formal lesson plan. They can do much of this on their own!
Check out another blog about this video here!
Check out another blog about this video here!
Do Schools Kill Creativity?
Sir Ken Robinson is a creativity expert who says that schools steer kids away from their creativity. I have to say that I agree with him. As Robinson states in his entertaining lecture, creativity is as important as literacy, but schools prioritize their subjects differently. Math and language are most important, followed by social studies, government, and other humanities. The arts are seen as less important. This seems fairly accurate to the way that my education has been. In high school, we were only required to take one credit (one years worth) of any art or music classes while we were required to take 3-4 years of the other subjects and to complete specific classes within each subject. My school also displayed what Robinson said about drama. Drama and dance are seen as even less important than art and music. At my school, drama was a club. It offered no academic value. I think that there are two big reasons for the loss of creativity. One is schools, as he stated, schools train kids to be university professors. The other is a statement he made earlier in his presentation.
Robinson described how people don't come up with new things, or things that are their own, because they are afraid to do things wrong. When we are creative, our products really depend on the way that others view them. No one wants to be frowned upon, scolded, embarrassed, or ashamed of themselves or their work. For this reason, people don't take chances. They stick to what they know is right. It is a shame that we aren't more creative. Who knows how many more products and inventions we would be using today if more people were willing to take a risk!
Read Pia's thoughts about schools and creativity!
"If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” (Ken Robinson)
Robinson described how people don't come up with new things, or things that are their own, because they are afraid to do things wrong. When we are creative, our products really depend on the way that others view them. No one wants to be frowned upon, scolded, embarrassed, or ashamed of themselves or their work. For this reason, people don't take chances. They stick to what they know is right. It is a shame that we aren't more creative. Who knows how many more products and inventions we would be using today if more people were willing to take a risk!
Read Pia's thoughts about schools and creativity!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Using Technology to Improve Literacy
As many of us know, literacy is an extremely important topic in today's schools. It can be difficult for a teacher to listen to students read individually on a regular basis within reading time. Students need practice rereading familiar texts to help to improve their fluency. Although they may be able to read a book to themselves over and over, what is really interesting in the video below is that the students are able to use iPods and iPads to record their reading and then listen to it to reflect. This is extremely beneficial because students can listen to a teacher tell them that they aren't reading fluently over and over and not understand. By being able to hear themselves read, they can more easily identify the issues and try to correct them. This makes it easier for the teacher and more engaging for the student. Teachers can also use the recordings to take running records; although it is best to observe the child and be there if they need assistance.
The teacher in this case is probably in level 4B or 5 of LoTi. Students are using technology in authentic ways to solve their own problems. The students are very engaged because they are responsible for their own learning and are creating recordings of themselves. They are being creative and also need to think critically about their recording as they play it back for ways to improve their reading.
Pia also discusses this video in her blog called "The Three R's Using iPad in Reading!"
The teacher in this case is probably in level 4B or 5 of LoTi. Students are using technology in authentic ways to solve their own problems. The students are very engaged because they are responsible for their own learning and are creating recordings of themselves. They are being creative and also need to think critically about their recording as they play it back for ways to improve their reading.
Pia also discusses this video in her blog called "The Three R's Using iPad in Reading!"
Monday, June 4, 2012
Voki
One of my favorite, free, technology tools is Voki. With this site, you can create a speaking avatar that can look like nearly anything you choose! It is perfect for every teacher's webpage and can also be emailed to parents. This is perfect for parents who have difficulty reading and parents who speak foreign languages. There are also options for translating your text into other languages (be careful with free translations!). Voki can also be used to announce homework assignments to your classes and to give short, simple, directions. It is great for students who may need to hear things repeated several times.
Students can also create their own Voki. I have seen these used in classrooms to introduce a wiki page or to briefly describe a topic that has been researched. The kids really enjoy creating one that looks a lot (or not so much) like they do. Another idea is to have students create a Voki to speak as an important historical figure or to promote a campaign such as anti-bullying. Although the talking time is limited, there are numerous possibilities to use Voki and to keep students engaged and enjoying themselves while learning or showing what they have already learned.
The Voki site is extremely easy to use. Just select a face, hair, clothing, and accessories. You can then alter skin, hair, eye, and lip colors if you decide to. It is also fun to add a background to your Voki to really make it come to life. If you don't want to voice record your message, there is an option to type it in. It is important to note that Voki reads things phonetically, so you may need to spell them they way they sound if it is having trouble with a word. Since your viewer does not see what you typed in, this is not an issue! Overall, Voki is a really fun tool to use and benefits everyone! See my newest Voki avatar below. I personally prefer to type in my messages since both my microphone and cell phone do not sound as clear as I would like.
For another example, check out Jackie's Voki!
Students can also create their own Voki. I have seen these used in classrooms to introduce a wiki page or to briefly describe a topic that has been researched. The kids really enjoy creating one that looks a lot (or not so much) like they do. Another idea is to have students create a Voki to speak as an important historical figure or to promote a campaign such as anti-bullying. Although the talking time is limited, there are numerous possibilities to use Voki and to keep students engaged and enjoying themselves while learning or showing what they have already learned.
The Voki site is extremely easy to use. Just select a face, hair, clothing, and accessories. You can then alter skin, hair, eye, and lip colors if you decide to. It is also fun to add a background to your Voki to really make it come to life. If you don't want to voice record your message, there is an option to type it in. It is important to note that Voki reads things phonetically, so you may need to spell them they way they sound if it is having trouble with a word. Since your viewer does not see what you typed in, this is not an issue! Overall, Voki is a really fun tool to use and benefits everyone! See my newest Voki avatar below. I personally prefer to type in my messages since both my microphone and cell phone do not sound as clear as I would like.
The Voki site is extremely easy to use. Just select a face, hair, clothing, and accessories. You can then alter skin, hair, eye, and lip colors if you decide to. It is also fun to add a background to your Voki to really make it come to life. If you don't want to voice record your message, there is an option to type it in. It is important to note that Voki reads things phonetically, so you may need to spell them they way they sound if it is having trouble with a word. Since your viewer does not see what you typed in, this is not an issue! Overall, Voki is a really fun tool to use and benefits everyone! See my newest Voki avatar below. I personally prefer to type in my messages since both my microphone and cell phone do not sound as clear as I would like.For another example, check out Jackie's Voki!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Weebly
I have just begun posting the technology tools that I have been learning about on my on website. My website is called Technology Tools and Tips. So far I have only written about Glogster EDU and Class Tools. I have found it to be pretty easy to use. I've been trying to write enough about each one so that it looks like a real website. I think that once I have enough tools to write about that I will put more than one on each page depending on what type of websites they are. I'm not totally sure if I am supposed to add more to the page other than what the website is used for. Any ideas?
WiZiQ... WiZiq... Wiziq... wiziq... SKYPE!
Today, my group met again to discuss and create our second group project. I was designated to be the person to create our class session. I was able to find the tab to change the time zone to the one that we live in and easily created the page. When 9 o'clock rolled around, all three of us were ready to begin our meeting. Once again, we ran into a problem using WiZiQ. Whenever someone would talk, we could hear it play on the other member's computers and then play back to our own computer. It was echo after echo and really confusing. We didn't see the point in muting everyone or talking by typing into the conversation box, so we decided to go back to using Skype. Skype was so much better for our purpose. Since we were all working on a Google Presentation, we wouldn't have been able to stay on the WiZiQ page to see each other and read the messages anyway. With Skype, everyone could hear each other clearly, we could talk without any problems, and were still able to work together to create our presentation. We decided to explain the sites that we had chosen first and then to add our information to each slide. This really worked out great and the two hours flew by. I really enjoy working with my group on Skype and I look forward to our next meeting. I am curious to see how an entire class session on WiZiQ will pan out...
The Views of Marc Prensky and the Visions of Today's Digital Natives
Marc Prensky wrote an artice called, "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants," in which he discusses the differences and needs of these two groups. Digital natives are those who have been brought up with technology and are fluent in its use. This is opposed to digital immigrants who have to learn how to use technology later in life. These ideas are very important in the world of education. Typically the students are the digital natives where as the teachers are digital immigrants. The students in classrooms today have been raised with technology. From the time these children are very young, they are surrounded by technology. They have functioning toy computers, toy cell phones, and virtually every other toy has some sort of power and technology incorporated in it. Students are use to learning by technological means and expect to do the same in their classroom. They want colors, graphics, excitement, and fun. They have practiced putting information into a computer and getting an instant solution or answer. Today's children, our "digital natives," do not want to sit and listen to a teacher. They want real life, fast paced, interactive learning, in which they can communicate with others and create new things.
This new way of life changes children’s thinking patterns. They aren’t use to being patient and taking the time to find a variety of resources to answer their questions. Children today expect things to happen instantly with the push of a button (or click of a mouse). When they have a question, they just type it into their favorite search engine and are provided with multiple sources to choose from. Children now expect to be entertained and to participate in their environment. They do not want to sit and stare at a teacher; they have grown up communicating with and learning from technology. Most of today's children's toys, starting with newborn toys, incorporate some sort of technology and educate the children as they play. Today’s children think very differently from their elders who were not raised with technology being a dominant part of their lives.
Prensky says that Digital Natives are use to getting information instantaneously, doing multiple things at once, and prefer graphics to written text. They prefer to be networked as opposed to working independently and like to play games instead of work. Digital Natives expect frequent rewards and enjoyment. This is all very different from Digital Immigrants who learned new things by following a step by step process and focused on a single task at a time. Their learning was very serious and mainly drill and practice. These differences have changed children’s thinking patterns and possibly their brains.
This new way of life changes children’s thinking patterns. They aren’t use to being patient and taking the time to find a variety of resources to answer their questions. Children today expect things to happen instantly with the push of a button (or click of a mouse). When they have a question, they just type it into their favorite search engine and are provided with multiple sources to choose from. Children now expect to be entertained and to participate in their environment. They do not want to sit and stare at a teacher; they have grown up communicating with and learning from technology. Most of today's children's toys, starting with newborn toys, incorporate some sort of technology and educate the children as they play. Today’s children think very differently from their elders who were not raised with technology being a dominant part of their lives.
Prensky says that Digital Natives are use to getting information instantaneously, doing multiple things at once, and prefer graphics to written text. They prefer to be networked as opposed to working independently and like to play games instead of work. Digital Natives expect frequent rewards and enjoyment. This is all very different from Digital Immigrants who learned new things by following a step by step process and focused on a single task at a time. Their learning was very serious and mainly drill and practice. These differences have changed children’s thinking patterns and possibly their brains.
We need to find ways to integrate the "legacy content" of mathematics, reading, writing, logic, etc. with the "future content" that includes digital media and technology. The digital immigrants must learn to use and teach these contents together effectively. Perhaps they present information on a SMART board and show videos to enhance their lessons. Students should be given choices of how they will present their learning as well. Where students may have once created posterboard presentations, they can now create posters on Glogster or presentations on their Google accounts or Prezi. By playing video games, students can create strategies and use critical thinking skills. If what we teach is as important as how we teach, then we need to create new methods to engage our learners in a fast paced environment where they can learn and enjoy coming to school. Today's students envision using all of these Web 2.0 tools, communicating, using technology, and having fun.
Clay Shirky and Web 2.0
In the video below, Clay Shirky talks about a “cognitive heat sink.” This is a very interesting combination of words. By the term “cognitive heat sink,” Shirky means that people’s minds and brain power dissipate by doing things that do not require thought. Predominately, he discusses sitcoms and other television programs that people just sit around and watch to fill a cognitive surplus. Shirky says that it is better to be doing something than to be doing nothing. By watching television, people do not think, they just sit and waste their asset of time. Even if television time is redirected to playing a somewhat “silly” video game, at least the time is spent thinking and participating in something. Reassigning our surplus time to tasks which require thought, production, and sharing will be much better for our society and will yield new possibilities.
This new Web 2.0 “vast civic surplus” may create new forms that we will live by. The possibilities here are truly endless. With such an enormous amount of time that can be spent creating and sharing utilizing technology, people can try out new ideas, work with others across the globe to improve them, and make ideas into reality. Perhaps we will use virtual classrooms or hold classes with students in other countries. We can work together with those we don’t know to share information,pool resources, and improve our world. With more minds at work, the ideas of physical objects being delivered via email and artificial intelligence mentioned by Ray Kurzweil may become our new way of life.
This new Web 2.0 “vast civic surplus” may create new forms that we will live by. The possibilities here are truly endless. With such an enormous amount of time that can be spent creating and sharing utilizing technology, people can try out new ideas, work with others across the globe to improve them, and make ideas into reality. Perhaps we will use virtual classrooms or hold classes with students in other countries. We can work together with those we don’t know to share information,pool resources, and improve our world. With more minds at work, the ideas of physical objects being delivered via email and artificial intelligence mentioned by Ray Kurzweil may become our new way of life.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Awesome Web 2.0 Tools
I just looked into a website called Class Tools. It has so many great features for today's educators and they can all be used for FREE! All of the tools can easily be used by teachers and by students. For example, there are several graphic organizers which can be customized to fit your needs! In addition, there are links which can help with any research paper. It can help teachers and students to summarize writing, check for plagiarism, search for key words, and help to determine if sources are good. Timers are always great to show kids how much time is remaining and spinners are helpful in games and when teaching probability. The site can also choose random names when its necessary to select students and it can generate random words for games as well. There is an abundance of make your own game templates available on Class Tools. They will appeal to our Digital Native learners. Finally, another method of engaging today's children is through the "Fakebook" link. They appear very similarly to Facebook pages but can be used for educational purposes. There is a link to create statuses as well!
To present many of the features of Class Tools, I chose to create a Glogster. Glogsters are digital posters. There is a separate Glogster site made for schools called Glogster Edu. With this free site, anyone can make posters of just about anything. Images can be uploaded from your computer, searched for on Google, and there are some preloaded into the site. My problem with the site was that I couldn't make my font bold, I felt like the text boxes didn't fit together well and my glog looks kind of unorganized. I didn't want to use text bubbles that looked like speech and the remaining bubbles don't blend together well. There are even fewer choices with Glogster Edu. I think with the right amount of experience using Glogster, that my next glog will look better. I have seen many of the 6th graders that I have worked with create glogs to present their Science research. Many of them didn't look very Science related because of the available graphics. It seems to me that it is easier to create a good looking glog when doing it based on appearance and not so easy when trying to present information through it.
To present many of the features of Class Tools, I chose to create a Glogster. Glogsters are digital posters. There is a separate Glogster site made for schools called Glogster Edu. With this free site, anyone can make posters of just about anything. Images can be uploaded from your computer, searched for on Google, and there are some preloaded into the site. My problem with the site was that I couldn't make my font bold, I felt like the text boxes didn't fit together well and my glog looks kind of unorganized. I didn't want to use text bubbles that looked like speech and the remaining bubbles don't blend together well. There are even fewer choices with Glogster Edu. I think with the right amount of experience using Glogster, that my next glog will look better. I have seen many of the 6th graders that I have worked with create glogs to present their Science research. Many of them didn't look very Science related because of the available graphics. It seems to me that it is easier to create a good looking glog when doing it based on appearance and not so easy when trying to present information through it.
The Googol of Uses of Google!
I thought that I had pretty much mastered the uses of Google. I could not have been more wrong! Google has a tool for everything! I have had a lot of experience searching information, images, and books with Google. I've created calendars and documents/presentations with Google, and found various places using Google Earth. I even have a GoogleVoice account that I plan to use with my future classroom. One thing that I had never heard of is iGoogle. iGoogle is a great tool to use as a home page. It can present you with a page of gadgets about things that you are interested in as well as your mail! You can choose from different preferences such as sports, entertainment, cooking, news, art, etc. They have something for everyone! You can even have your weather and YouTube right on your page. Along with news humor, and local information, you can add other gadgets to connect to your favorite social media including Facebook and Twitter. It is convenient and extremely easy to create. Here is a screenshot of my new iGoogle page that I took with Awesome Screenshot on my Google Chrome browser. Awesome Screenshot makes it simple to take screen shots as either a full page or the part that you can see, edit them, and make them into files.
Another thing that I did not know about Google is that Blogger is a part of it! It wasn't until I logged on to create this blog (my first ever) that I realized that the two were connected! Google is such a valuable, free, resource that provides opportunities for nearly everything. By using Google Sketchup, you can create 3D images of anything that you want. How great is it that you can create your room, home, etc, digitally rather than by using graph paper?! You can even customize maps using Google Maps and creating "My Maps." This is a great tool to use when you're going on vacation or want to plan a long walk.
Another thing that I did not know about Google is that Blogger is a part of it! It wasn't until I logged on to create this blog (my first ever) that I realized that the two were connected! Google is such a valuable, free, resource that provides opportunities for nearly everything. By using Google Sketchup, you can create 3D images of anything that you want. How great is it that you can create your room, home, etc, digitally rather than by using graph paper?! You can even customize maps using Google Maps and creating "My Maps." This is a great tool to use when you're going on vacation or want to plan a long walk.
The Math Masters
After a lot of confusion, my group was finally able to communicate together to work on Group Project 1. We had planned to use WiZiQ as our method of communication to create our group card. Unfortunately, we had a lot of trouble getting the time right and had to resort to other methods. Along with our frequent emails, we used Google Talk to decide what other method we should use. We settled on Skype, however it costs money to have a video chat with three callers. Between hearing each other's voices and typing, Sarah, Jackie, and I were able to come up with our similarities, experiences, preferences, etc. We chose to create a Wordle as a fun way to express what we had found. We added our Wordle to our Google Presentation slide and came up with a great product!
It was really fun collaborating with Sarah and Jackie over the internet and using such great tools. We were able to add our pictures to the slide at the same time since the presentation was "shared." I look forward to our next project and hope to be able to try out WiZiQ!
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