How will you apply what you have learned in this course to your future teaching and learning experiences?
There are so many ways in which I will apply what I have learned in this course to my future teaching. One, I will be using the website I created as the team site posting homework and major announcements, etc. so my students and their parents will have an easy place to obtain information outside of school. I will also be introducing my wiki lesson, created for my final project, sometime within the next school year. It is my hope that students will also be creating digital stories for presentations on African countries and weather (this of course, has to be approved by my colleagues and done within time constraints, but I feel I can "sell" the idea to them.) My co-teacher in Language Arts have already discussed blogging with students - now I know how. Furthermore, I'd like to explore some of the individual projects I did not undertake, from the Instructional Models to the Indivdiual Final Projects, and see if I can bring them in somewhere either next year or any years prior. Finally, students and I will be collaborating to create/edit wiki lessons for future classes to learn.
I really found this course to be much better than I originally thought. At first, I was extremely overwhelmed and thought I could never do half of the things I've actually completed! It is amazing to see how easy it all is (with time and planning,) and how much I've done.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
June 29th Homework Assignment!
• Does the digital divide exist in your school? Or have you seen instances where the digital divide has affected kids that you know? Please explain. Were any attempts made to remedy the problem? What accommodations were made?
The digital divide goes far beyond just every child having access to a computer, though that is a big part of it. In our school, we have students from varying socio-economic backgrounds, including students who attend from out-of-district through an integration program between our district, which is suburban, and an inner-city, urban district. Unfortunately, there is not much done to track the “haves” and “have-nots” when it comes to technology. We do, however, have computer classes for most students and computer labs (utilized frequently during lessons and activities,) which have enough computers for students. Time is given in school when Internet research is needed. Recently, SMARTBoards have been installed in at least one classroom on all teams.
What I am more concerned about is the digital divide with students with varying abilities. As mentioned by Leu, Leu, and Coirg (2004) in their book Teaching with the Internet K-12: New literacies for new times. Fourth Edition *“challenged students do not always participate in Internet experiences for any number of reasons.” Sadly, I do find this true at my school and I am somewhat of a culprit. Though it is really how our schedule is designed students with special needs who need resource support come to my classroom while the regular education students receive computer instruction (by the way, no Special Education Resource Rooms have SMARTBoards.) Furthermore, other students who miss out on this computer instruction time are ESL students, Title 1 students (who score under proficiency on the CMT’s in Reading and Mathematics,) and gifted students in an enrichment program. From this structure, it seems that only average students in our school are given the opportunity for further technological instruction. The other students are given only occasional in-class activities and independent time (when available, which is few and far-between.)
What I do, and will continue to do more often, is bring my resource students to the computer lab and/or allow them to use the two computers in my classroom. Also, I am planning more instruction in the computer lab and/or regular education classroom on the SMARTBoard during Resource time for the upcoming school year. Finally, there are some Special Needs students who can take the computer instruction and I have written Individualized Education Plans this year to include a clause that states I can send Special Education students to computers at my discretion.
*Leu, D. J., Leu, D. D., Coiro, J. (2004). Teaching with the Internet K-12: New literacies for new times. Fourth Edition. Christopher Gordon Publishing.
• What instructional strategies and approaches promote technology integration while addressing the participation gap (where low income and minority students have not had the same opportunities as their more affluent peers to use new technologies for learning)?
There are many strategies available to help bridge the participation gap, such as planning instruction so students have equal access time to computers. Teachers can also write grants to make more technology available. Furthermore, there are programs, such as Pennsylvania’s Service-Learning Alliance which offers free online curriculum so teachers can teach children how to refurbish used computers so each student can have access to a computer in their homes.
• What responsibility do you have, as an educator, to bring informating (learning) technology experiences into your classroom?
As an educatior, it is my responsibility to learn and explore the technology available and bring it into my classroom in meaningful ways. I must go beyond a simple “here’s a computer, now work,” attitude and actually teach lessons so students can learn and practice appropriate uses of computers and the Internet for research. It is my responsibility to introduce students to various programs available online and if necessary, practice with them the ability to use those programs (like using wiki’s, etc.) Not only do I need to make these programs available to myself in my repertoire, but I also must share with my colleagues (both within my school and online,) as a collaborator so the information is available for others to use. There are many responsibilities for educators in bringing technology into the classroom, but when done, the learning possibilities are endless.
The digital divide goes far beyond just every child having access to a computer, though that is a big part of it. In our school, we have students from varying socio-economic backgrounds, including students who attend from out-of-district through an integration program between our district, which is suburban, and an inner-city, urban district. Unfortunately, there is not much done to track the “haves” and “have-nots” when it comes to technology. We do, however, have computer classes for most students and computer labs (utilized frequently during lessons and activities,) which have enough computers for students. Time is given in school when Internet research is needed. Recently, SMARTBoards have been installed in at least one classroom on all teams.
What I am more concerned about is the digital divide with students with varying abilities. As mentioned by Leu, Leu, and Coirg (2004) in their book Teaching with the Internet K-12: New literacies for new times. Fourth Edition *“challenged students do not always participate in Internet experiences for any number of reasons.” Sadly, I do find this true at my school and I am somewhat of a culprit. Though it is really how our schedule is designed students with special needs who need resource support come to my classroom while the regular education students receive computer instruction (by the way, no Special Education Resource Rooms have SMARTBoards.) Furthermore, other students who miss out on this computer instruction time are ESL students, Title 1 students (who score under proficiency on the CMT’s in Reading and Mathematics,) and gifted students in an enrichment program. From this structure, it seems that only average students in our school are given the opportunity for further technological instruction. The other students are given only occasional in-class activities and independent time (when available, which is few and far-between.)
What I do, and will continue to do more often, is bring my resource students to the computer lab and/or allow them to use the two computers in my classroom. Also, I am planning more instruction in the computer lab and/or regular education classroom on the SMARTBoard during Resource time for the upcoming school year. Finally, there are some Special Needs students who can take the computer instruction and I have written Individualized Education Plans this year to include a clause that states I can send Special Education students to computers at my discretion.
*Leu, D. J., Leu, D. D., Coiro, J. (2004). Teaching with the Internet K-12: New literacies for new times. Fourth Edition. Christopher Gordon Publishing.
• What instructional strategies and approaches promote technology integration while addressing the participation gap (where low income and minority students have not had the same opportunities as their more affluent peers to use new technologies for learning)?
There are many strategies available to help bridge the participation gap, such as planning instruction so students have equal access time to computers. Teachers can also write grants to make more technology available. Furthermore, there are programs, such as Pennsylvania’s Service-Learning Alliance which offers free online curriculum so teachers can teach children how to refurbish used computers so each student can have access to a computer in their homes.
• What responsibility do you have, as an educator, to bring informating (learning) technology experiences into your classroom?
As an educatior, it is my responsibility to learn and explore the technology available and bring it into my classroom in meaningful ways. I must go beyond a simple “here’s a computer, now work,” attitude and actually teach lessons so students can learn and practice appropriate uses of computers and the Internet for research. It is my responsibility to introduce students to various programs available online and if necessary, practice with them the ability to use those programs (like using wiki’s, etc.) Not only do I need to make these programs available to myself in my repertoire, but I also must share with my colleagues (both within my school and online,) as a collaborator so the information is available for others to use. There are many responsibilities for educators in bringing technology into the classroom, but when done, the learning possibilities are endless.
Publishing Online Project
1. What pages on Wikipedia did you edit/monitor? (Please include URL to each page for individual and group work).
The page which I chose to edit was entitled “Tortoiseshell Cats” at the following URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoiseshell_cat
2. What is your Username on Wikipedia?
My username on Wikipedia is AWoronick
3. What is your reaction to the entire wiki project process? Please describe any positive and negative reactions.
I was pleasantly surprised by the Wiki project process. At first, I was very nervous about the process and afraid to “mess up” Wikipedia. Then, I also wondered what type of topic to post on. Fortunately, I pulled out my phone (which has a picture of my cat on it,) and I decided to talk about Calico Cats (I was linked over to the Tortoiseshell Cats page by Wikipedia and posted there.) With some research, I found some information to post and created a whole new section “Interesting Facts”. I was not sure how to reference at first, but I was able to go back and fix my errors. It was nice to know I could do that. Overall, it really was an interesting process and it gave me insight into what Wikipedia is and how it works. As Will Richardson states in his book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, 3rd Edition (2010) Wikipedia is a “phenomenon” that has “tens of thousands of editors in chief, people just like you and me…collecting the sum of all human knowledge” (56). It is not a scary, unknown world that fills the minds of school children with wrong ideas and incorrect knowledge. It really is a place for humans (who do make errors,) can share information with the entire world. Because some of the information may not be accurate, it is our responsibility not to shy away from it and forget it exists, but rather challenge our students to research the information for verification (and perhaps edit a few pages themselves.)
4. If someone from the general public updated or edited your work, how did that make you feel? What types of changes did they make? Did you think that their revisions were appropriate? Did you make any additional changes as a result?
Someone did edit my work and he was not nice about the process either. Personally, I did take some offense to his (I’m assuming it was a male, but I could be mistaken,) comments because they did not appear to adhere to Wikipedia’s Neutral Point of View. For example, I had posted a line about breeding for calico cats being very difficult and he removed my post and commented it was impossible to breed for calico cats. He had no research backing up his statement (I had some for mine,) and his comments did not seem very nice to me. I, being new to the process, did not make any changes back, but when I looked at the page again today, somebody had restored my post. This person commented that though rare, it was in fact possible to breed for the cats.
5. If someone discussed your contributions, how did that make you feel? Was the discussion positive, negative, or neutral? Did you make any changes as a result?
At first, since it was the less-than-neutral comments, I was somewhat offended. There were a couple of tags removed due to incorrect references and I was able to make adjustments based upon that feedback. When I saw that my original post was restored, I felt good, but was thankful that someone else had done for me what I should have done the minute I noticed the original changes to my contributions.
6. Did you personally contribute to the discussion (talk pages)? If so, in what capacity? Did you receive any feedback/comments from others?
I did not personally contribute to the discussion page. It looked as though that was not updated for a few years. I also noticed it was not very Neutral and I wanted to adhere to the Neutrality principal. Since I was originally offended by the person who deleted some of my contributions and he was rude in his comments, I decided not to add to discussion. I was afraid I’d take a similar rude tone in my comments back and did not feel this was an appropriate forum to “duke it out” with a stranger. I really felt that adhering to Wikipedia’s Five Pillars of Use was important to uphold the integrity of the site and my posts.
7. Will you continue to check the pages that you updated/created in the future (after this course ends)? Why/Why not? Please explain.
I might check if I have a free moment just out of curiosity. Of course, life’s business may get in the way of doing that regularly, however, I am now very fascinated by the process and think it will be fun to monitor all the changes the page can make (in a manner of seconds, entire sections of information may disappear and/or appear depending upon who is watching.)
8. Do you think you will edit pages on Wikipedia in the future? Why/Why not? Please explain.
Personally, I think I will also do some further edits. Who knows what I become an expert on in the future and maybe I might “scoop” a story for all the world (similar to Richardson’s [2010] discussion about the Tsunami Wikipedia page.
9. Would you consider using Wikipedia in your current/future classroom? Why/why not?
Yes. I would love to do a demonstration for my students in the future. I think it will speak to the necessity to validate information on Wikipedia, but also hopefully encourage their desire to edit and make their own contributions.
10. What web site did you select for Part 2 for publishing student work online?
I chose sciencebuddies.org
11. What process did you use to locate a web site for publishing student work online? Why did you select the site? Was it difficult to locate an appropriate and relevant site for your classroom?
Once I devoted time to actually sitting down and getting to the process, it was not as hard as I thought it would be. However, I took my time “thinking of ideas” and came up short on my own (a classmate had a good one, but I did not want to steal her thunder.) I used Yahooligans search engine (because it’s kid-friendly and would most likely yield “school appropriate” sites. Through searching a few minutes under various headings, I found sciencebuddies.org.
12. Who (what audience) would provide feedback on your student(s) work?
This site is interesting because it is a combination of science teachers, scientists, and high school students who are on the “expert panel”. An inquiry can be directed and answered by anyone of these people. I especially appreciated the employment of high school students as “experts” because I think it’s a nice way to increase their interest and performance in science. I also think that younger children look up to high school students like heroes and hearing information from kids that are older rather than adults is usually better to understand. Also, younger students can have something to aspire to in their high school years if they are interested in science.
13. Would you use this web site in the future with your students? Why/why not? Please explain.
I would use this site because I feel my students always need help with science. I also noticed some topics on the site that my students tend to struggle with and to be able to find an expert and/or further information on these topics will help their understanding of the science curriculum being learned.
14. Would you continue to explore the web for other authentic audiences on the web? Why/why not? Please explain.
Yes, I really think students do enjoy performing for and receiving feedback from authentic audiences. Plus, work quality is usually just that much better when someone else is going to see it aside from me and my co-teachers. I know my apartment is cleanest when company is coming over; it’s the same philosophy with students and their work. But then, they also love sharing their work with others. It gives them a sense of pride in what they do.
15. Overall, what were your reactions to Part 2 of this assignment, both positive and negative? Please explain
Though at first I was hemming and hawing over completing Part 2 of the assignment, mainly because I did not know which direction to take, I found the experience much easier once I explored using a kid-friendly search engine. It just ensured sites I was located were appropriate for a classroom and mainly educational in nature.
16. Optional: If you had a student(s) submit work online, what feedback did your student(s) receive? What did your student(s) think about submitting work?
This question is not applicable. Due to the school year ending prior to being able to have students post work, I could not have a student submit work. I will, however, attempt the process within the next school year.
The page which I chose to edit was entitled “Tortoiseshell Cats” at the following URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoiseshell_cat
2. What is your Username on Wikipedia?
My username on Wikipedia is AWoronick
3. What is your reaction to the entire wiki project process? Please describe any positive and negative reactions.
I was pleasantly surprised by the Wiki project process. At first, I was very nervous about the process and afraid to “mess up” Wikipedia. Then, I also wondered what type of topic to post on. Fortunately, I pulled out my phone (which has a picture of my cat on it,) and I decided to talk about Calico Cats (I was linked over to the Tortoiseshell Cats page by Wikipedia and posted there.) With some research, I found some information to post and created a whole new section “Interesting Facts”. I was not sure how to reference at first, but I was able to go back and fix my errors. It was nice to know I could do that. Overall, it really was an interesting process and it gave me insight into what Wikipedia is and how it works. As Will Richardson states in his book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, 3rd Edition (2010) Wikipedia is a “phenomenon” that has “tens of thousands of editors in chief, people just like you and me…collecting the sum of all human knowledge” (56). It is not a scary, unknown world that fills the minds of school children with wrong ideas and incorrect knowledge. It really is a place for humans (who do make errors,) can share information with the entire world. Because some of the information may not be accurate, it is our responsibility not to shy away from it and forget it exists, but rather challenge our students to research the information for verification (and perhaps edit a few pages themselves.)
4. If someone from the general public updated or edited your work, how did that make you feel? What types of changes did they make? Did you think that their revisions were appropriate? Did you make any additional changes as a result?
Someone did edit my work and he was not nice about the process either. Personally, I did take some offense to his (I’m assuming it was a male, but I could be mistaken,) comments because they did not appear to adhere to Wikipedia’s Neutral Point of View. For example, I had posted a line about breeding for calico cats being very difficult and he removed my post and commented it was impossible to breed for calico cats. He had no research backing up his statement (I had some for mine,) and his comments did not seem very nice to me. I, being new to the process, did not make any changes back, but when I looked at the page again today, somebody had restored my post. This person commented that though rare, it was in fact possible to breed for the cats.
5. If someone discussed your contributions, how did that make you feel? Was the discussion positive, negative, or neutral? Did you make any changes as a result?
At first, since it was the less-than-neutral comments, I was somewhat offended. There were a couple of tags removed due to incorrect references and I was able to make adjustments based upon that feedback. When I saw that my original post was restored, I felt good, but was thankful that someone else had done for me what I should have done the minute I noticed the original changes to my contributions.
6. Did you personally contribute to the discussion (talk pages)? If so, in what capacity? Did you receive any feedback/comments from others?
I did not personally contribute to the discussion page. It looked as though that was not updated for a few years. I also noticed it was not very Neutral and I wanted to adhere to the Neutrality principal. Since I was originally offended by the person who deleted some of my contributions and he was rude in his comments, I decided not to add to discussion. I was afraid I’d take a similar rude tone in my comments back and did not feel this was an appropriate forum to “duke it out” with a stranger. I really felt that adhering to Wikipedia’s Five Pillars of Use was important to uphold the integrity of the site and my posts.
7. Will you continue to check the pages that you updated/created in the future (after this course ends)? Why/Why not? Please explain.
I might check if I have a free moment just out of curiosity. Of course, life’s business may get in the way of doing that regularly, however, I am now very fascinated by the process and think it will be fun to monitor all the changes the page can make (in a manner of seconds, entire sections of information may disappear and/or appear depending upon who is watching.)
8. Do you think you will edit pages on Wikipedia in the future? Why/Why not? Please explain.
Personally, I think I will also do some further edits. Who knows what I become an expert on in the future and maybe I might “scoop” a story for all the world (similar to Richardson’s [2010] discussion about the Tsunami Wikipedia page.
9. Would you consider using Wikipedia in your current/future classroom? Why/why not?
Yes. I would love to do a demonstration for my students in the future. I think it will speak to the necessity to validate information on Wikipedia, but also hopefully encourage their desire to edit and make their own contributions.
10. What web site did you select for Part 2 for publishing student work online?
I chose sciencebuddies.org
11. What process did you use to locate a web site for publishing student work online? Why did you select the site? Was it difficult to locate an appropriate and relevant site for your classroom?
Once I devoted time to actually sitting down and getting to the process, it was not as hard as I thought it would be. However, I took my time “thinking of ideas” and came up short on my own (a classmate had a good one, but I did not want to steal her thunder.) I used Yahooligans search engine (because it’s kid-friendly and would most likely yield “school appropriate” sites. Through searching a few minutes under various headings, I found sciencebuddies.org.
12. Who (what audience) would provide feedback on your student(s) work?
This site is interesting because it is a combination of science teachers, scientists, and high school students who are on the “expert panel”. An inquiry can be directed and answered by anyone of these people. I especially appreciated the employment of high school students as “experts” because I think it’s a nice way to increase their interest and performance in science. I also think that younger children look up to high school students like heroes and hearing information from kids that are older rather than adults is usually better to understand. Also, younger students can have something to aspire to in their high school years if they are interested in science.
13. Would you use this web site in the future with your students? Why/why not? Please explain.
I would use this site because I feel my students always need help with science. I also noticed some topics on the site that my students tend to struggle with and to be able to find an expert and/or further information on these topics will help their understanding of the science curriculum being learned.
14. Would you continue to explore the web for other authentic audiences on the web? Why/why not? Please explain.
Yes, I really think students do enjoy performing for and receiving feedback from authentic audiences. Plus, work quality is usually just that much better when someone else is going to see it aside from me and my co-teachers. I know my apartment is cleanest when company is coming over; it’s the same philosophy with students and their work. But then, they also love sharing their work with others. It gives them a sense of pride in what they do.
15. Overall, what were your reactions to Part 2 of this assignment, both positive and negative? Please explain
Though at first I was hemming and hawing over completing Part 2 of the assignment, mainly because I did not know which direction to take, I found the experience much easier once I explored using a kid-friendly search engine. It just ensured sites I was located were appropriate for a classroom and mainly educational in nature.
16. Optional: If you had a student(s) submit work online, what feedback did your student(s) receive? What did your student(s) think about submitting work?
This question is not applicable. Due to the school year ending prior to being able to have students post work, I could not have a student submit work. I will, however, attempt the process within the next school year.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Final Project Reflection
For my final project, I created a Wiki-Based Strategy lesson. You can access it
by clicking here.
Here are my questions and responses.
Did you encounter any problems/issues with student use? Did students adhere to your guidelines? How would you rate collaboration and participation from your students? Please explain.
Due to the fact that the school year ended before I had this project completed, I did not have any students participate in this project yet. I did ask my friends through Facebook to view the wiki and give me any feedback they could, however the one friend that responded could not access it for some reason. So, I am just waiting for feedback from friends at this point and am ready to go live with students during the next school year.
How did your students react to this project? What is your reaction to this project? Please discuss any positive and negative reactions.
I really found this project to be time-consuming and I procrastinated because
I had some fear of creating a whole lesson that all the world could see and
edit if they’d like. That can be a bit intimidating. As for the process itself,
I found it fairly user friendly except that I needed to remember that the wiki
Space was not Microsoft Word and there were times I’d hit enter and lose everything I’d just typed. This got frustrating and there was no “Undo” button to get it back. I had to type a few things over and over again. Also, formatting text was quite tedious. Otherwise, however the ability to go and just start editing a page at will is set up fairly easily.
As the process unfolded in your classroom, did you find yourself modifying the project requirements/activities? If so, what types of changes did you make?
While the project has not gone live in the classroom yet, I am open to all feedback from students. In fact, I keep reviewing it and looking for more things I can add or change. Today, when I thought I was done, I added two more pages to my wiki space (guidelines and assessment,) and a you-tube video to help present information in a different way to accommodate varying learning levels. I can’t wait to see what my students say about it next year and hope they become invested in the collaborative nature of the project.
I will say that I love the fact that this is a living document and I think I may even be able to use it to help show students the editing and revising phase in the process of writing, too. I think it’s important to expose students to varying ways in which we could publish (using technology,) and how even when something is posted online, it does not have to be set in stone forever.
What would you do differently (if anything) in future years? Would you use wiki writing in your classroom again?
Next time I create a wiki lesson, I think I will include the students in the creation process from start to finish more. Perhaps toward the end of next year, we can collaboratively create a wiki-lesson that can be used for the next school year. It’s a great way to keep learning alive for years and years.
Any final thoughts, comments, concerns?
At first, I was afraid to do this. This project also overwhelmed me (mostly due to procrastination on my behalf,) but when I was finished, it was well-worth the experience. I may attempt one of the other projects so that I can get a feel for using multiple forms of technology with my students (perhaps I will take on blogging with my students next.)
by clicking here.
Here are my questions and responses.
Did you encounter any problems/issues with student use? Did students adhere to your guidelines? How would you rate collaboration and participation from your students? Please explain.
Due to the fact that the school year ended before I had this project completed, I did not have any students participate in this project yet. I did ask my friends through Facebook to view the wiki and give me any feedback they could, however the one friend that responded could not access it for some reason. So, I am just waiting for feedback from friends at this point and am ready to go live with students during the next school year.
How did your students react to this project? What is your reaction to this project? Please discuss any positive and negative reactions.
I really found this project to be time-consuming and I procrastinated because
I had some fear of creating a whole lesson that all the world could see and
edit if they’d like. That can be a bit intimidating. As for the process itself,
I found it fairly user friendly except that I needed to remember that the wiki
Space was not Microsoft Word and there were times I’d hit enter and lose everything I’d just typed. This got frustrating and there was no “Undo” button to get it back. I had to type a few things over and over again. Also, formatting text was quite tedious. Otherwise, however the ability to go and just start editing a page at will is set up fairly easily.
As the process unfolded in your classroom, did you find yourself modifying the project requirements/activities? If so, what types of changes did you make?
While the project has not gone live in the classroom yet, I am open to all feedback from students. In fact, I keep reviewing it and looking for more things I can add or change. Today, when I thought I was done, I added two more pages to my wiki space (guidelines and assessment,) and a you-tube video to help present information in a different way to accommodate varying learning levels. I can’t wait to see what my students say about it next year and hope they become invested in the collaborative nature of the project.
I will say that I love the fact that this is a living document and I think I may even be able to use it to help show students the editing and revising phase in the process of writing, too. I think it’s important to expose students to varying ways in which we could publish (using technology,) and how even when something is posted online, it does not have to be set in stone forever.
What would you do differently (if anything) in future years? Would you use wiki writing in your classroom again?
Next time I create a wiki lesson, I think I will include the students in the creation process from start to finish more. Perhaps toward the end of next year, we can collaboratively create a wiki-lesson that can be used for the next school year. It’s a great way to keep learning alive for years and years.
Any final thoughts, comments, concerns?
At first, I was afraid to do this. This project also overwhelmed me (mostly due to procrastination on my behalf,) but when I was finished, it was well-worth the experience. I may attempt one of the other projects so that I can get a feel for using multiple forms of technology with my students (perhaps I will take on blogging with my students next.)
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
June 22 Assignment
Hi all,
Sorry it's so last minute, but it's 1:02pm and since it's not due until 4:45pm, I guess this assignment's in on time (end of the year has been crazy for me-the kids just left for the year, I have two more days to go and can't believe another year has gone by so quickly.)
Alright, enough of my blabbing-here's the assignment:
• Should all teachers be encouraged to create online activities for students within traditional classrooms?
Absolutely, all teachers should be encouraged to create online activities for students within traditional classrooms. With more and more students of varying abilities being taught within the regular education curriculum, teachers need to differentiate instruction more than ever. Differentiating online learning activities can be done easily and efficiently. Take for example online classes. According to November (2010), online classes offer a forum that is less-intimidating for some students as would the regular classroom be and teachers can post assignments ahead of time (though November only suggests posting 2-3 weeks ahead so students do not feel too overwhelmed or get too far ahead,) and then students can work at their own pace. Gifted students that prefer more challenge can work ahead and students that need to work at a slower pace can break assignments up and work on them little by little.
In addition to being able to differentiate with online learning opportunities, teachers can also expose students to the world outside of the classroom using the Internet. One example is that teachers can have students Skype (video-conferencing,) with people all around the world. Teachers can also offer students opportunities to expose work to global audiences whether it is community members or experts on the topics which are being studied. As the Internet is limitless in scope, possibilities for the classroom are also limitless in scope when the Internet is used.
• At what grade level should educators begin teaching students how to use social networks? Find documentation to support your answer.
Considering in “Did You Know 4 – IV” (DiBlasi, 2008), there is a slide saying “The fastest growing age group for using the Internet is…2 to 5 year olds (Net Day News, 2005)”, it seems obvious to me that we do need to teach students as early as the preschool years to begin using the Internet. Of course, at that age, we may not think they are ready to know about social networking, however, if they can use the Internet, they can use social networking. It’s a fact of our lives today that we must face head-on. I would have never believed it myself, however, I remember back in 2001 having my then eight-year old niece IM’g me on AOL. Not that I condone a child that young being able to do that (my brother has tightened the reigns as she’s gone on into high school,) but IM’g then was almost a precursor to social networking. The median age for use on the computer keeps dropping and dropping so it is our responsibility to start students, at least in Kindergarten, with some knowledge of social networking.
• How can teachers use social networking sites as teaching and learning tools?
Using social networking sites, teachers can have online discussions with their classes, post classroom activities/photos so the community can share, connect with other classrooms throughout the world, and bring experts into the classroom (I personally have a high school friend on Facebook who is now a marine biologist who next school year I’d like to connect with for some lessons/activities.) They are also great ways to share work with other classrooms throughout the world, like Kevin Honeycutt did with his ArtSnacks program which has grown to include live lessons and art work (Richardson, 2010). Once again, the possibilities are only as limited as one’s imagination. Unfortunately, due to some of the dangers of these sites, like cyber-bullying and online predators, many school districts may not share the same imaginative visions and have blocked many social networking sites. Once again, this is a testament to learning how to use them well and then teaching our children how to use these sites appropriately.
• Envision the role of social networking in 21st century learning environments. Write a brief description of this vision.
Social networking in 21st century learning environments is going to help break down the walls of the traditional classroom and make it more global. I see students being able to access learning from their homes, perhaps not even needing to come to class sometimes. There’s also sharing with people from around the world. No longer are we limited in who we have discussions with while teaching as many, many experts (authors, professors/teachers, medical professionals, etc.) have their own pages on social networking sites that we can follow and post to. It is beyond belief what we can do with social networking. Finally, I see social networking sites making classrooms more accessible to students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access them. For example, students with severe health problems can access a classroom networking from home when they could not come to school. This would lesson the amount of work missed and increase participation more. Again, I’ve said it over and over, the possibilities are only limited by our thoughts and our imaginations.
Sorry it's so last minute, but it's 1:02pm and since it's not due until 4:45pm, I guess this assignment's in on time (end of the year has been crazy for me-the kids just left for the year, I have two more days to go and can't believe another year has gone by so quickly.)
Alright, enough of my blabbing-here's the assignment:
• Should all teachers be encouraged to create online activities for students within traditional classrooms?
Absolutely, all teachers should be encouraged to create online activities for students within traditional classrooms. With more and more students of varying abilities being taught within the regular education curriculum, teachers need to differentiate instruction more than ever. Differentiating online learning activities can be done easily and efficiently. Take for example online classes. According to November (2010), online classes offer a forum that is less-intimidating for some students as would the regular classroom be and teachers can post assignments ahead of time (though November only suggests posting 2-3 weeks ahead so students do not feel too overwhelmed or get too far ahead,) and then students can work at their own pace. Gifted students that prefer more challenge can work ahead and students that need to work at a slower pace can break assignments up and work on them little by little.
In addition to being able to differentiate with online learning opportunities, teachers can also expose students to the world outside of the classroom using the Internet. One example is that teachers can have students Skype (video-conferencing,) with people all around the world. Teachers can also offer students opportunities to expose work to global audiences whether it is community members or experts on the topics which are being studied. As the Internet is limitless in scope, possibilities for the classroom are also limitless in scope when the Internet is used.
• At what grade level should educators begin teaching students how to use social networks? Find documentation to support your answer.
Considering in “Did You Know 4 – IV” (DiBlasi, 2008), there is a slide saying “The fastest growing age group for using the Internet is…2 to 5 year olds (Net Day News, 2005)”, it seems obvious to me that we do need to teach students as early as the preschool years to begin using the Internet. Of course, at that age, we may not think they are ready to know about social networking, however, if they can use the Internet, they can use social networking. It’s a fact of our lives today that we must face head-on. I would have never believed it myself, however, I remember back in 2001 having my then eight-year old niece IM’g me on AOL. Not that I condone a child that young being able to do that (my brother has tightened the reigns as she’s gone on into high school,) but IM’g then was almost a precursor to social networking. The median age for use on the computer keeps dropping and dropping so it is our responsibility to start students, at least in Kindergarten, with some knowledge of social networking.
• How can teachers use social networking sites as teaching and learning tools?
Using social networking sites, teachers can have online discussions with their classes, post classroom activities/photos so the community can share, connect with other classrooms throughout the world, and bring experts into the classroom (I personally have a high school friend on Facebook who is now a marine biologist who next school year I’d like to connect with for some lessons/activities.) They are also great ways to share work with other classrooms throughout the world, like Kevin Honeycutt did with his ArtSnacks program which has grown to include live lessons and art work (Richardson, 2010). Once again, the possibilities are only as limited as one’s imagination. Unfortunately, due to some of the dangers of these sites, like cyber-bullying and online predators, many school districts may not share the same imaginative visions and have blocked many social networking sites. Once again, this is a testament to learning how to use them well and then teaching our children how to use these sites appropriately.
• Envision the role of social networking in 21st century learning environments. Write a brief description of this vision.
Social networking in 21st century learning environments is going to help break down the walls of the traditional classroom and make it more global. I see students being able to access learning from their homes, perhaps not even needing to come to class sometimes. There’s also sharing with people from around the world. No longer are we limited in who we have discussions with while teaching as many, many experts (authors, professors/teachers, medical professionals, etc.) have their own pages on social networking sites that we can follow and post to. It is beyond belief what we can do with social networking. Finally, I see social networking sites making classrooms more accessible to students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access them. For example, students with severe health problems can access a classroom networking from home when they could not come to school. This would lesson the amount of work missed and increase participation more. Again, I’ve said it over and over, the possibilities are only limited by our thoughts and our imaginations.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Website Project Post
You may access my website by clicking on the following link : http://homepage.scholastic.com/CHBuilderWeb/LoginAction.action or go to
Scholastic , Under Parents tab click “Class Homepage Login”. At the sign in, the User Name is “team6-3” and the password is “website”.
• What is your reaction to the entire web development process? Please describe any positive and negative reactions and obstacles that you encountered (if any).
Using a template-based web-page builder (I used Scholastic’s easy classroom
site builder,) made the entire process very easy. I found that Scholastic’s site
was very thorough and explained each step. It also was one of the easiest
projects I have done for this class so far as the builder I used had all the tools
I needed (including graphics, page choices, etc.) and was quick to use.
One drawback to using Scholastic was that some of the page choices (like
Software lists,) did not pertain to me and at first, I had a hard time figuring
out how not to include those pages I could not contribute to on my Home
page. I later realized, because I often signed in as a parent or student
looking at the site, that if I did not include information for the page, it would
be left off the home page. There was also a server problem I experienced
mid-way through building the project and I could not access the site to
preview my changes and edit my page as needed. I have not experienced
the same problem since then, however.
I also feel that with Scholastic, I’m limited in the style of my website and the page choices I have and I don’t feel the page is as easy to access as I’d like (the URL is a bit complicated.)
• Did you share this web site with your classroom? Family? Friends? If so, what type of feedback did you receive? Did this require you to make changes? Please explain.
I only showed the website briefly to my paraprofessional, Tom and the only
change I made from his feedback was to update my homework page (which
I actually have to do again.) After thinking about my site for a couple of
days though, there are some definite content edits that need to be done.
I’d also like to possibly add a page or two to the site, but I have not decided
what yet. As the summer ends and the new school year begins (I plan to
use this site for my team next year,) I am sure the ideas will come and
the appropriate changes will be made.
Another friend of mine at work had a great idea to have students update
and maintain the class website. This will be a great project and I have
some students coming in next year with some learning needs that may
find being the class “webmasters”(which is easy with the Scholastic
site,) will be a great way to boost confidence and engage them in learning.
• What errors/issues did you find when you tested your web site for 508 compliance? Based on 1 or 2 of those errors/issues, what changes would you make to your site?
I was in-shock to see all of the failures and warnings on my site. Many of
these I cannot understand at all and I tried to click on the link to view it
on a Website Map to better understand, but my browser did not support the
application (so maybe Truwex 2.0 fails its own tests – lol.) Anyway, one error
I received was that I had a “clickable image without Alt” which I gathered
from the explanation given means that 20 of my pictures do not have the
appropriate link or formatting to pass 508 standards. So, in trying to
investigate further, I copied a URL from the Truwex list and found what
they were talking about was the Scholastic logo. Now, I take responsibility,
but I did not design the Scholastic logo, so I wonder who would be the
real culprit here? I say Scholastic, but I’m pleading that it’s my first website
(well my first in 9 years,) and I can’t help that logo. To be on the safe side,
and to make myself look less guilty, I checked some of the other images
cited under this error and the ones I checked were also Scholastic site’s
images that are embedded into my site. Truthfully, I would not know how to
begin to make the changes needed.
For good measure and to try to find something I could fix, I looked at
another error which mentioned a data table not having headers. The only thing I could think of that would be causing this (Truwex did not indicate
exact what table it meant this time,) was that I’d linked a Google Calendar to
my announcements page. So, I removed it and tried Truwex once more.
Unfortunately, the same error came up so I am not certain where the error is
and how to fix it.
Personally, I thought that a company that is education and family-friendly like
Scholastic would be aware of Section 508 accessibility codes and ensure that
teachers building websites through their website building system would have
these issues taken care of. Again, I am unsure what I have control over (it
could all be me,) and am not shunning responsibility, but it just surprised me
to see so many problems with my site.
Scholastic , Under Parents tab click “Class Homepage Login”. At the sign in, the User Name is “team6-3” and the password is “website”.
• What is your reaction to the entire web development process? Please describe any positive and negative reactions and obstacles that you encountered (if any).
Using a template-based web-page builder (I used Scholastic’s easy classroom
site builder,) made the entire process very easy. I found that Scholastic’s site
was very thorough and explained each step. It also was one of the easiest
projects I have done for this class so far as the builder I used had all the tools
I needed (including graphics, page choices, etc.) and was quick to use.
One drawback to using Scholastic was that some of the page choices (like
Software lists,) did not pertain to me and at first, I had a hard time figuring
out how not to include those pages I could not contribute to on my Home
page. I later realized, because I often signed in as a parent or student
looking at the site, that if I did not include information for the page, it would
be left off the home page. There was also a server problem I experienced
mid-way through building the project and I could not access the site to
preview my changes and edit my page as needed. I have not experienced
the same problem since then, however.
I also feel that with Scholastic, I’m limited in the style of my website and the page choices I have and I don’t feel the page is as easy to access as I’d like (the URL is a bit complicated.)
• Did you share this web site with your classroom? Family? Friends? If so, what type of feedback did you receive? Did this require you to make changes? Please explain.
I only showed the website briefly to my paraprofessional, Tom and the only
change I made from his feedback was to update my homework page (which
I actually have to do again.) After thinking about my site for a couple of
days though, there are some definite content edits that need to be done.
I’d also like to possibly add a page or two to the site, but I have not decided
what yet. As the summer ends and the new school year begins (I plan to
use this site for my team next year,) I am sure the ideas will come and
the appropriate changes will be made.
Another friend of mine at work had a great idea to have students update
and maintain the class website. This will be a great project and I have
some students coming in next year with some learning needs that may
find being the class “webmasters”(which is easy with the Scholastic
site,) will be a great way to boost confidence and engage them in learning.
• What errors/issues did you find when you tested your web site for 508 compliance? Based on 1 or 2 of those errors/issues, what changes would you make to your site?
I was in-shock to see all of the failures and warnings on my site. Many of
these I cannot understand at all and I tried to click on the link to view it
on a Website Map to better understand, but my browser did not support the
application (so maybe Truwex 2.0 fails its own tests – lol.) Anyway, one error
I received was that I had a “clickable image without Alt” which I gathered
from the explanation given means that 20 of my pictures do not have the
appropriate link or formatting to pass 508 standards. So, in trying to
investigate further, I copied a URL from the Truwex list and found what
they were talking about was the Scholastic logo. Now, I take responsibility,
but I did not design the Scholastic logo, so I wonder who would be the
real culprit here? I say Scholastic, but I’m pleading that it’s my first website
(well my first in 9 years,) and I can’t help that logo. To be on the safe side,
and to make myself look less guilty, I checked some of the other images
cited under this error and the ones I checked were also Scholastic site’s
images that are embedded into my site. Truthfully, I would not know how to
begin to make the changes needed.
For good measure and to try to find something I could fix, I looked at
another error which mentioned a data table not having headers. The only thing I could think of that would be causing this (Truwex did not indicate
exact what table it meant this time,) was that I’d linked a Google Calendar to
my announcements page. So, I removed it and tried Truwex once more.
Unfortunately, the same error came up so I am not certain where the error is
and how to fix it.
Personally, I thought that a company that is education and family-friendly like
Scholastic would be aware of Section 508 accessibility codes and ensure that
teachers building websites through their website building system would have
these issues taken care of. Again, I am unsure what I have control over (it
could all be me,) and am not shunning responsibility, but it just surprised me
to see so many problems with my site.
June 15th Assignment
• What is the role of the teacher in helping students to make meaning of primary source material?
To help students make meaning of primary source materials, teachers have a
multitude of roles. One of these roles is to help students understand the perspective of the provider(s) of the primary source material. A perfect example November (2010) gives is of Lee Ann Potter’s class searching for information on the forced migration of Cherokees from their native land. At first, the students could not find any information using “Trail of Tears” (the term used to describe this from the Cherokee perspective,) because they were accessing U.S. government archives and the government referred to it as removal of Indians. If the students had understood the perspective of the primary source provider (here the U.S. government,) they would have saved much time and energy trying to complete their search.
Teachers also must guide students in analyzing and evaluate the primary source information. To do this, they can help students brainstorm questions to ask about the information so they can take a critical eye to what they are reading. One can also access the multitude of NARA worksheets, available at http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/. These provide worksheets to help students analyze print materials, movies, sound recordings, artifacts, and visual materials (like photographs and posters.) It is especially helpful because the worksheets are not only easy to use and comprehensive, but they can be printed and shared (I wasable to post a link right to my Facebook account as a sort of “test” to see how it worked.)
Finally, teachers must also be able to help students identify source information (usually by contacting organizations that can provide further insights into the material,) help students take/track/organize data about the information (which November [2010] reminds us can be done very easily with today’s available technologies like PDA’s and SmartPhones,) and find experts and authentic audiences for students to have questions answered and/or receive feedback for the reports and research presentations they make after consulting the primary source materials.
• Explain the differences between blogs, wikis, and web-based word processors (e.g. Google Docs).? Briefly identify one classroom activity for each type of tool.
While all three help present information and harvest collaboration, the primary difference between blogs, wikis, and web-based word processors
like Google Docs is who has the authority to edit and contribute to the
document/project. With a blog, there is usually only one author or a select
few authors. While readers are usually more than welcome to comment on the content (though the blog author(s) may have the capacity to control/
limit who can comment,) they are not able to actually change the content,
even if they do disagree passionately about what the blog says. Though
feedback from comments left about the blog may prompt the author(s) to
edit content, it is only the author(s) who have the ability to make the
changes.
Wikis, however, are almost a free-for-all. Any reader can update, delete,
add to, and edit content at will. This makes wikis the ultimate public
forum to share information. A powerful example of this occurs in Richardson (2010) surrounding the immediate growth (and change) of the Wikipedia page on the 2004 earthquake/tsunami. Richardson relays to readers that within hours, the original page was up and grew exponentially as more news about the tsunami was reported. He says that the page continued to grow and change like this for about six months after that fateful event. [As an
aside, I just love how Richardson refers to managing Wikipedia as “the
job of collecting the sum of all human knowledge” (2010, p. 56). It really
brings into perspective the impact and responsibility that every user of the
Internet, particularly wikis can have.]
On the other hand, on-line word-processor programs, like Google Docs, are usually created by one or a few people, but do have the ability for the
creator(s) to invite people to make changes. What is different with these
programs than a wiki or even a blog, is that it is the author(s) who chooses
who it is that can make these changes. It is not everybody like a wiki, yet it
is more than the author(s) who are the only ones in charge of editing blog
content.
In the classroom, a great way to use blogs is to have a literary discussion.
Blogs offer the teacher or even a student/some students the opportunity
to pose a question and the readers of the blog (the students/peers,) to
answer. The opportunity for discussion with a blog is endless and comments
can beget more and more comments. This is a wonderful way to inspire critical thinking.
A wiki can be used to present research in a fun and interesting way. Students
can be the experts and post information on a subject for all the world to see
and possibly, edit. This can allow students to value the need for validating
their research and understand the need for citation. It also allows them the
opportunity to “watch” their wiki to see if anybody’s added, changed, or
deleted their information. The Wikipedia posting of our publishing online
project is a great example of this. For example, my posting was pretty much
torn apart by someone who simply disagreed with me and nearly erased
everything I posted. (You can view the Wikipedia page by clicking this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoiseshell_cat. If you go back in the history,
you can see I created the Interesting Facts section, but a user had a few
differing ideas than me. I think the discussion page, which I haven’t yet contributed to because I’m gathering my thoughts on what to politely say to the person who changed my posting, is a great example of how not to collaborate and negotiate with other users.)
An online word-processor not only allows students a free way to produce word-processed documents if they do not have access to programs like Microsoft Word, but can also be used for teachers/peers to help students revise writing drafts prior to the final copy being submitted. I can definitely see a usage for online word-processing in Writers’ Workshop in which students work collaboratively to help each other through the writing
process.
• After completing the treasure hunt, use specific examples (web sites) to briefly discuss some of the ways the internet can enhance instruction beyond simply facts for essays and book reports.
The treasure hunt opened my eyes to the many ways that we can use the Internet to make learning “come alive” for our students. One site that I particularly liked was The Jason Project which offered a plethora of science curriculum and explorations to help students better understand topics like weather (which we cover in my grade-level by book work and a few movies, but now have the opportunity to have students interacting, and problem-solving real-life situations involving weather.) Simulation sites, like River City are wonderful ways to hook students into learning under the format of being game-like. They also promote problem-solving through real-life simulations in which students are given information (for example in River City figuring out why certain diseases are spreading in the community.) Furthermore, teachers can help students connect with others around the world with some of these simulation sites (like Teen Second Life .) They can also forge lasting friendships with their students and other children in the world through e-Pals which helps match e-mail penpals and connect children on projects, etc. all over the globe.
There are some sites, however, that show potential but may not be the best choices for students. For example, some of the sites that help students publish online such as Fan Fiction , I felt there was not enough introduction (actually on this site no introduction,) explaining
the site and how to use it, so I would shy away from it unless the teacher makes him/herself extremely familiar with it first to properly guide students with usage of the site. Plus, it should be noted that there was some pornographic content (a “zine” about Jenna Jamieson is one example,) on Scribd so I would only use this site with students at the college level.
To help students make meaning of primary source materials, teachers have a
multitude of roles. One of these roles is to help students understand the perspective of the provider(s) of the primary source material. A perfect example November (2010) gives is of Lee Ann Potter’s class searching for information on the forced migration of Cherokees from their native land. At first, the students could not find any information using “Trail of Tears” (the term used to describe this from the Cherokee perspective,) because they were accessing U.S. government archives and the government referred to it as removal of Indians. If the students had understood the perspective of the primary source provider (here the U.S. government,) they would have saved much time and energy trying to complete their search.
Teachers also must guide students in analyzing and evaluate the primary source information. To do this, they can help students brainstorm questions to ask about the information so they can take a critical eye to what they are reading. One can also access the multitude of NARA worksheets, available at http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/. These provide worksheets to help students analyze print materials, movies, sound recordings, artifacts, and visual materials (like photographs and posters.) It is especially helpful because the worksheets are not only easy to use and comprehensive, but they can be printed and shared (I wasable to post a link right to my Facebook account as a sort of “test” to see how it worked.)
Finally, teachers must also be able to help students identify source information (usually by contacting organizations that can provide further insights into the material,) help students take/track/organize data about the information (which November [2010] reminds us can be done very easily with today’s available technologies like PDA’s and SmartPhones,) and find experts and authentic audiences for students to have questions answered and/or receive feedback for the reports and research presentations they make after consulting the primary source materials.
• Explain the differences between blogs, wikis, and web-based word processors (e.g. Google Docs).? Briefly identify one classroom activity for each type of tool.
While all three help present information and harvest collaboration, the primary difference between blogs, wikis, and web-based word processors
like Google Docs is who has the authority to edit and contribute to the
document/project. With a blog, there is usually only one author or a select
few authors. While readers are usually more than welcome to comment on the content (though the blog author(s) may have the capacity to control/
limit who can comment,) they are not able to actually change the content,
even if they do disagree passionately about what the blog says. Though
feedback from comments left about the blog may prompt the author(s) to
edit content, it is only the author(s) who have the ability to make the
changes.
Wikis, however, are almost a free-for-all. Any reader can update, delete,
add to, and edit content at will. This makes wikis the ultimate public
forum to share information. A powerful example of this occurs in Richardson (2010) surrounding the immediate growth (and change) of the Wikipedia page on the 2004 earthquake/tsunami. Richardson relays to readers that within hours, the original page was up and grew exponentially as more news about the tsunami was reported. He says that the page continued to grow and change like this for about six months after that fateful event. [As an
aside, I just love how Richardson refers to managing Wikipedia as “the
job of collecting the sum of all human knowledge” (2010, p. 56). It really
brings into perspective the impact and responsibility that every user of the
Internet, particularly wikis can have.]
On the other hand, on-line word-processor programs, like Google Docs, are usually created by one or a few people, but do have the ability for the
creator(s) to invite people to make changes. What is different with these
programs than a wiki or even a blog, is that it is the author(s) who chooses
who it is that can make these changes. It is not everybody like a wiki, yet it
is more than the author(s) who are the only ones in charge of editing blog
content.
In the classroom, a great way to use blogs is to have a literary discussion.
Blogs offer the teacher or even a student/some students the opportunity
to pose a question and the readers of the blog (the students/peers,) to
answer. The opportunity for discussion with a blog is endless and comments
can beget more and more comments. This is a wonderful way to inspire critical thinking.
A wiki can be used to present research in a fun and interesting way. Students
can be the experts and post information on a subject for all the world to see
and possibly, edit. This can allow students to value the need for validating
their research and understand the need for citation. It also allows them the
opportunity to “watch” their wiki to see if anybody’s added, changed, or
deleted their information. The Wikipedia posting of our publishing online
project is a great example of this. For example, my posting was pretty much
torn apart by someone who simply disagreed with me and nearly erased
everything I posted. (You can view the Wikipedia page by clicking this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoiseshell_cat. If you go back in the history,
you can see I created the Interesting Facts section, but a user had a few
differing ideas than me. I think the discussion page, which I haven’t yet contributed to because I’m gathering my thoughts on what to politely say to the person who changed my posting, is a great example of how not to collaborate and negotiate with other users.)
An online word-processor not only allows students a free way to produce word-processed documents if they do not have access to programs like Microsoft Word, but can also be used for teachers/peers to help students revise writing drafts prior to the final copy being submitted. I can definitely see a usage for online word-processing in Writers’ Workshop in which students work collaboratively to help each other through the writing
process.
• After completing the treasure hunt, use specific examples (web sites) to briefly discuss some of the ways the internet can enhance instruction beyond simply facts for essays and book reports.
The treasure hunt opened my eyes to the many ways that we can use the Internet to make learning “come alive” for our students. One site that I particularly liked was The Jason Project which offered a plethora of science curriculum and explorations to help students better understand topics like weather (which we cover in my grade-level by book work and a few movies, but now have the opportunity to have students interacting, and problem-solving real-life situations involving weather.) Simulation sites, like River City are wonderful ways to hook students into learning under the format of being game-like. They also promote problem-solving through real-life simulations in which students are given information (for example in River City figuring out why certain diseases are spreading in the community.) Furthermore, teachers can help students connect with others around the world with some of these simulation sites (like Teen Second Life .) They can also forge lasting friendships with their students and other children in the world through e-Pals which helps match e-mail penpals and connect children on projects, etc. all over the globe.
There are some sites, however, that show potential but may not be the best choices for students. For example, some of the sites that help students publish online such as Fan Fiction , I felt there was not enough introduction (actually on this site no introduction,) explaining
the site and how to use it, so I would shy away from it unless the teacher makes him/herself extremely familiar with it first to properly guide students with usage of the site. Plus, it should be noted that there was some pornographic content (a “zine” about Jenna Jamieson is one example,) on Scribd so I would only use this site with students at the college level.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Wikipedia Post
Hi all,
I posted on the Wikipedia page about Calico/Tortoiseshell Cats. Here's the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoiseshell_cat.
My user name is Aworonick.
Thanks,
Amy
I posted on the Wikipedia page about Calico/Tortoiseshell Cats. Here's the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortoiseshell_cat.
My user name is Aworonick.
Thanks,
Amy
Sunday, June 6, 2010
June 8th Assignment
• Now that there is unlimited potential to celebrate the work of students with their communities, what is the best way to manage this opportunity?
The starting point here in managing opportunities to making the classroom more global is two-fold: 1. staff development (not for the technology, but rather how to use/manage the technologies that are available,) and 2. allowing students to teach/mentor their teachers in what they know about technology (November, 2010, pp. 48-49). Ultimately, at the heart of managing this opportunity is a dialogue with students and parents to find out where they want to take learning. Still, there must be careful planning which includes a mapping out various websites, technologies, etc. and also a sensitivity to cultural differences, the digital divide, etc.
This goes beyond simply using Skype to video conference in the classroom (though it sounds like a blast and with SmartBoards, much easier than before,) but a true understanding of the appropriate places/situations for using such technology. Teachers have to do this all while managing the responsibility of incorporating district, state, and government curricular standards into the everyday classroom; administering state and district assessments; and keeping their classroom (and now beyond,) a safe, effective learning environment. To do this, teachers will have to rely on open-minded and honest collaboration with each other, administration, parents, students, and the community (both local and global.)
• How can we create authentic work and relationships for our students to give them a deeper meaning in relation to complex issues such as globalization and cultural sensitivity?
The best way to create authentic work and relationships for students to harvest deeper meaning to globalization and cultural sensitivity is to begin finding more and more opportunities to post work and/or communicate through the Internet. One can do this through simply having students research and follow other cultures online, which is a good jumping board. From there, students can have email-based pen pals in which they have authentic dialogue with peers from other cultures and access student projects online (which can inspire them to create their own web-based projects.) Teachers can also blog with students via individual and/or classroom websites which once posted online are globally accessible. Aside from all this, there are opportunities for video-conferencing with people all over the world. The possibilities are endless, but in turn, our responsibilities for guiding students through this process (such as teaching cultural etiquettes, etc.) are also endless.
• If every teacher had a web site, what would be the most efficient design for teachers to share their best practices?
In searching through our readings, I realize that there is really no one “right” way for teachers to design the most efficient website to share their best practices, however a good one should first be easily accessible. There can be no sharing if nobody can find your site so having an easy to remember URL or a link to your website on the District’s or school site can ensure students and parents have access to the site. It is also important to regularly monitor and manage to site to ensure that it is up-to-date and fosters learning.
The starting point here in managing opportunities to making the classroom more global is two-fold: 1. staff development (not for the technology, but rather how to use/manage the technologies that are available,) and 2. allowing students to teach/mentor their teachers in what they know about technology (November, 2010, pp. 48-49). Ultimately, at the heart of managing this opportunity is a dialogue with students and parents to find out where they want to take learning. Still, there must be careful planning which includes a mapping out various websites, technologies, etc. and also a sensitivity to cultural differences, the digital divide, etc.
This goes beyond simply using Skype to video conference in the classroom (though it sounds like a blast and with SmartBoards, much easier than before,) but a true understanding of the appropriate places/situations for using such technology. Teachers have to do this all while managing the responsibility of incorporating district, state, and government curricular standards into the everyday classroom; administering state and district assessments; and keeping their classroom (and now beyond,) a safe, effective learning environment. To do this, teachers will have to rely on open-minded and honest collaboration with each other, administration, parents, students, and the community (both local and global.)
• How can we create authentic work and relationships for our students to give them a deeper meaning in relation to complex issues such as globalization and cultural sensitivity?
The best way to create authentic work and relationships for students to harvest deeper meaning to globalization and cultural sensitivity is to begin finding more and more opportunities to post work and/or communicate through the Internet. One can do this through simply having students research and follow other cultures online, which is a good jumping board. From there, students can have email-based pen pals in which they have authentic dialogue with peers from other cultures and access student projects online (which can inspire them to create their own web-based projects.) Teachers can also blog with students via individual and/or classroom websites which once posted online are globally accessible. Aside from all this, there are opportunities for video-conferencing with people all over the world. The possibilities are endless, but in turn, our responsibilities for guiding students through this process (such as teaching cultural etiquettes, etc.) are also endless.
• If every teacher had a web site, what would be the most efficient design for teachers to share their best practices?
In searching through our readings, I realize that there is really no one “right” way for teachers to design the most efficient website to share their best practices, however a good one should first be easily accessible. There can be no sharing if nobody can find your site so having an easy to remember URL or a link to your website on the District’s or school site can ensure students and parents have access to the site. It is also important to regularly monitor and manage to site to ensure that it is up-to-date and fosters learning.
I turned to Chapter 3 in both Alan November's Empowering Students with Technology, 2nd Edition [(2010). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.] and Will Richardson's Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for the Classroom [(2010). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.] to determine that once students/parents/anyone can access the site, it should contain profile information about the teacher with their unique background, vision for teaching, and credentials, a place for students to access assignments/homework with due dates and important school events (which can be as easy as a quick link, an interactive calendar, or scrolling box at the top of the page,) a place for collaboration from students, parents, and colleagues which includes a “contact the teacher” link, and a place for students to post work so it can be critiqued by others (this can be peers, other teachers, experts, etc.) One may also consider having a class blog to dialogue assignments and feedback about what’s happening in and out of school. Furthermore, it is a good idea to have “live” student-teacher feedback time, such as after-school virtual office hours, so students can receive help on assignments as they work on them. This, in turn, can build a trust between students and teachers and one for the entire process of using the Internet within the classroom.
Personally, though I'm meandering from the question a bit, I believe having trust in this process is the key to it working at all. Many parents are apt to shy away because like us, they are not technology natives like their children. Many students may find this to be a fun process, but may not see its true learning potential. So whatever you do with your website, make sure it is created to harbor learning and be open to suggestions for improvements. Remember, a global audience means a global opportunity to receive valuable feedback.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Digital Story Reflection Questions
1. What would you do differently if you could do it all over again? Are these changes based on feedback from your peers?
I think if I were to do this project over again, I would like to have more time to choose another topic. While my story was lighthearted and funny, the other Digital Stories I viewed were more specific and usable in the classroom with lessons for years to come. My story, on the other hand, was really created for one specific purpose and to be used on one specific day.
I can say, however, that while making the Digital Story, my students were very interested in the project and truly enjoyed helping with its production. This is one thing I would not change, having the students involved. I really appreciated being able to use pictures of them in real settings and having their feedback to make the story. (It was them who really helped direct my music choices.)
When reviewing my Digital Story and comparing it to what one student commented in Tom Banasziewski's 2002 article "Digital Storytelling Finds Its Place in the Classroom" posted on the MultiMedia Schools online journal, I still wonder if I "made all my thoughts and feelings come alive in an awesome movie." I do love my movie and think it really is very funny, but I'm not sure if it was my true vision? But then I also wonder, does it even matter what my true vision was? My students were involved for about 75%-80% of the planning and production of the movie and so the true question should be did their thoughts and feelings come alive in this Digital Story. That I will not be able to tell until I reveal the Digital Story to them next week, however, I plan to at the very least post an update to capture some of their reactions.
2. How would you implement a digital storytelling project in your class? Do you (will you) have the resources, time, and skills necessary to include such a project in your classroom?
I would love to have the students make their own Digital Stories to review books or create instructional stories of how to have appropriate literary discussions or writing workshop discussions. I think they would be very cooperative and would do a great job with this. As for the resources, time, and skills to include the project, I currently believe that we could, provided we had the students working in small groups and collaboratively creating stories, pull it off. Using a program like Photo Story 3 was very easy and I can see the students catching on very quickly to the skills necessary to produce their own Digital Stories.
I did get some great ideas from the Scott County School District Website about Digital Storytelling. Many of the stories presented on the site are about personal life experiences from the students, but some are about specific historical events like September 11th. I can definitely see my students next year creating Digital Stories for projects in Social Studies (we have a project the students do on countries in Africa and I think a Digital Story would be a great way to present those projects.) Truth is, the possibilities are endless, but unfortunately planning time is only one period a day.
3. Did you learn anything new from the process?
Absolutely, I learned that I could in fact make a Digital Story. It was much easier than I thought to create a story and realized that my students are true resources in creating future stories. Their enthusiasm to create stories and honest feedback holds true value to what I would want to include to grab their attention.
4. What did you like most/least about this project?
I most enjoyed working collaboratively with my students and found the process very fun. I least liked making mistakes in trying to save changes and realizing I've lost everything I've worked for (a few too many clicks can erase hours of work.)
I think if I were to do this project over again, I would like to have more time to choose another topic. While my story was lighthearted and funny, the other Digital Stories I viewed were more specific and usable in the classroom with lessons for years to come. My story, on the other hand, was really created for one specific purpose and to be used on one specific day.
I can say, however, that while making the Digital Story, my students were very interested in the project and truly enjoyed helping with its production. This is one thing I would not change, having the students involved. I really appreciated being able to use pictures of them in real settings and having their feedback to make the story. (It was them who really helped direct my music choices.)
When reviewing my Digital Story and comparing it to what one student commented in Tom Banasziewski's 2002 article "Digital Storytelling Finds Its Place in the Classroom" posted on the MultiMedia Schools online journal, I still wonder if I "made all my thoughts and feelings come alive in an awesome movie." I do love my movie and think it really is very funny, but I'm not sure if it was my true vision? But then I also wonder, does it even matter what my true vision was? My students were involved for about 75%-80% of the planning and production of the movie and so the true question should be did their thoughts and feelings come alive in this Digital Story. That I will not be able to tell until I reveal the Digital Story to them next week, however, I plan to at the very least post an update to capture some of their reactions.
2. How would you implement a digital storytelling project in your class? Do you (will you) have the resources, time, and skills necessary to include such a project in your classroom?
I would love to have the students make their own Digital Stories to review books or create instructional stories of how to have appropriate literary discussions or writing workshop discussions. I think they would be very cooperative and would do a great job with this. As for the resources, time, and skills to include the project, I currently believe that we could, provided we had the students working in small groups and collaboratively creating stories, pull it off. Using a program like Photo Story 3 was very easy and I can see the students catching on very quickly to the skills necessary to produce their own Digital Stories.
I did get some great ideas from the Scott County School District Website about Digital Storytelling. Many of the stories presented on the site are about personal life experiences from the students, but some are about specific historical events like September 11th. I can definitely see my students next year creating Digital Stories for projects in Social Studies (we have a project the students do on countries in Africa and I think a Digital Story would be a great way to present those projects.) Truth is, the possibilities are endless, but unfortunately planning time is only one period a day.
3. Did you learn anything new from the process?
Absolutely, I learned that I could in fact make a Digital Story. It was much easier than I thought to create a story and realized that my students are true resources in creating future stories. Their enthusiasm to create stories and honest feedback holds true value to what I would want to include to grab their attention.
4. What did you like most/least about this project?
I most enjoyed working collaboratively with my students and found the process very fun. I least liked making mistakes in trying to save changes and realizing I've lost everything I've worked for (a few too many clicks can erase hours of work.)
Monday, May 31, 2010
June 1st Assignments
1. Define what it means to be information literate.
"Understanding the grammar of the Internet, just as we do with print media, is the first step in helping students to be more astute and careful about how they interpret information on the World Wide Web. If you do not know the rules, it is impossible to win the game" (November, 2010, p. 12)
In the above quote, Alan November so graciously points us in the direction of what is information literacy. Ultimately, it is a deep understanding of the "rules" of the Internet. This understanding begins with the basics, being able to interpret the grammar used. November begins this explanation by teaching us how to break down the URL or web address to figure out the purpose and truth behind every website. This is done in parts to include the server name (basically, who is posting the information, domain name (where or what type of establishment the who comes from,) and then the specific page name and location. In starting here, we can glean essential information and weed out the sites that may not be the most beneficial sources of information.
Going one step beyond, informational literacy also entails having the ability to and critiquing a site for its appropriateness and value. One can do this in many layers, starting with finding the right search engine (such as Yahooligans when searching for kid-friendly sites,) to having a plan to critique (for example, Kathy Shrock's Web Evaluation site,) to communicating with others (educators, etc.) to help locate usable sites.
Informational literacy is being a thoughtful, critical, and responsible user of the World Wide Web. It is knowing how to find clues to "good" sites and using them to evaluate and ultimately improve our students use of the Internet. I think it is also guiding our students to be information literate in learning how to evaluate sites for themselves.
2. How can teachers and students thoughtfully evaluate online information resources, including the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia?
Square one, as said best in Cornell University Libray's Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools
is to know your purpose in using the web. You will look at websites very differently if you
are looking for the latest celebrity gossip as opposed to researching a site to use in a WebQuest for your students. (Cornell's site is a great resource in linking to other sites that will direct a critique.)
Once you determine your purpose, then you can break down the URL (like I stated in answer #1) to look for clues to the who, what, where, why, when, and how is behind the site you are looking at. From this step, the evaluation can branch out. Finding out if the site has an author (or authors,) and researching him/her/them is also very useful. I personally was very moved by November's account of the high school boy, Zack, who found that site about the death camps in the Holocaust being simply a method of controlling lice (2010, pp. 12-13). Imagine had Zack been able to find out the information November revealed to us about Arthur Butz being not only an engineering professor who had no authority to make claims about historical events, but also a "respected" (I use the term loosely,) professor hailed by white supremacy groups? Needless to say, a bit of investigation into an author can reveal tons about the site.
Still, there are sites, like Kathy Shrock's website which actually teach how to evaluate by offering evaluation checklists. The ABC's of Web Page Evaluation is a great tool that students in upper elementary grades (3-6,) can use, but it can also be adapted to older students (and some students, like my Special Education students, may find using this form is helpful regardless of their age.)
On sites like Wikipedia, where many can edit work without validating it first, one great way is to follow the edits made by using the "discussion tab". Other ways to do this can be to use tools, like the Wayback Machine mentioned in November (2010, p. 17), which track edits and website histories. One can also track links and find out "whoelse" links into a page to determine the page's purpose.
Finally, after using all of these great tools, we should also remember to rely on instinct and good old common sense. Especially as teachers, we have eyes in the back of our heads and will certainly know when something is / is not good for our students. Furthermore, most of our districts have (or certainly should if they do not,) Internet usage policies. These can be very valuable resources in determining the value and / or appropriateness of a site. Having a deep understanding of these is definitely paramount (it also helps us be more Information Literate.)
3. What are a few of the similarities and differences between the four instructional models of Internet use (Internet Project, Internet Workshop, Internet Inquiry, and WebQuest)?
Ultimately, all four models are ways in which we can have our students use the Internet to learn. All four involve the students using the World Wide Web to track down and follow information to gain deeper understanding. They are all student-centered learning activities in which they interact with the Internet and gain new experiences and new information.
They are different in that Internet Projects, are basically simulations or Internet-based learning activities in which students can participate in. They are pre-existing projects, like the Flat Stanley Project, in which many other students globally participate.
Internet Workshops, on the other hand, are still globally-based, however students research a specific topic (or topics) and then come together, in a workshop-type forum to share ideas and ask questions of each other. Unlike the Internet Projects, the workshop is more a place for students to generate ideas with each other and brainstorm (on a wider scale than a classroom would offer.)
Internet Inquiry is a guided tool for students to use the Web to ask questions and gain information. In the Inquiry, students are using the Internet to research and find information. An Inquiry starts on the simplest level with a search engine (like Ask Jeeves,) and a question or topic to study. It opens students up to much information, but does not have the global, team-based learning that would be found more in the Internet Project or Workshop.
WebQuest is also a guided tool for students to use the Web, however, it takes them through very specific sites, with very specific questions, to locate very specific information about a very specific and narrow topic. It is a great way to get students to interact with sites and find information (and students do have fun learning experiences from WebQuests,) but it can be very limited as it may lack the feedback and brainstorming tools that the other instructional models possess.
"Understanding the grammar of the Internet, just as we do with print media, is the first step in helping students to be more astute and careful about how they interpret information on the World Wide Web. If you do not know the rules, it is impossible to win the game" (November, 2010, p. 12)
In the above quote, Alan November so graciously points us in the direction of what is information literacy. Ultimately, it is a deep understanding of the "rules" of the Internet. This understanding begins with the basics, being able to interpret the grammar used. November begins this explanation by teaching us how to break down the URL or web address to figure out the purpose and truth behind every website. This is done in parts to include the server name (basically, who is posting the information, domain name (where or what type of establishment the who comes from,) and then the specific page name and location. In starting here, we can glean essential information and weed out the sites that may not be the most beneficial sources of information.
Going one step beyond, informational literacy also entails having the ability to and critiquing a site for its appropriateness and value. One can do this in many layers, starting with finding the right search engine (such as Yahooligans when searching for kid-friendly sites,) to having a plan to critique (for example, Kathy Shrock's Web Evaluation site,) to communicating with others (educators, etc.) to help locate usable sites.
Informational literacy is being a thoughtful, critical, and responsible user of the World Wide Web. It is knowing how to find clues to "good" sites and using them to evaluate and ultimately improve our students use of the Internet. I think it is also guiding our students to be information literate in learning how to evaluate sites for themselves.
2. How can teachers and students thoughtfully evaluate online information resources, including the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia?
Square one, as said best in Cornell University Libray's Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools
is to know your purpose in using the web. You will look at websites very differently if you
are looking for the latest celebrity gossip as opposed to researching a site to use in a WebQuest for your students. (Cornell's site is a great resource in linking to other sites that will direct a critique.)
Once you determine your purpose, then you can break down the URL (like I stated in answer #1) to look for clues to the who, what, where, why, when, and how is behind the site you are looking at. From this step, the evaluation can branch out. Finding out if the site has an author (or authors,) and researching him/her/them is also very useful. I personally was very moved by November's account of the high school boy, Zack, who found that site about the death camps in the Holocaust being simply a method of controlling lice (2010, pp. 12-13). Imagine had Zack been able to find out the information November revealed to us about Arthur Butz being not only an engineering professor who had no authority to make claims about historical events, but also a "respected" (I use the term loosely,) professor hailed by white supremacy groups? Needless to say, a bit of investigation into an author can reveal tons about the site.
Still, there are sites, like Kathy Shrock's website which actually teach how to evaluate by offering evaluation checklists. The ABC's of Web Page Evaluation is a great tool that students in upper elementary grades (3-6,) can use, but it can also be adapted to older students (and some students, like my Special Education students, may find using this form is helpful regardless of their age.)
On sites like Wikipedia, where many can edit work without validating it first, one great way is to follow the edits made by using the "discussion tab". Other ways to do this can be to use tools, like the Wayback Machine mentioned in November (2010, p. 17), which track edits and website histories. One can also track links and find out "whoelse" links into a page to determine the page's purpose.
Finally, after using all of these great tools, we should also remember to rely on instinct and good old common sense. Especially as teachers, we have eyes in the back of our heads and will certainly know when something is / is not good for our students. Furthermore, most of our districts have (or certainly should if they do not,) Internet usage policies. These can be very valuable resources in determining the value and / or appropriateness of a site. Having a deep understanding of these is definitely paramount (it also helps us be more Information Literate.)
3. What are a few of the similarities and differences between the four instructional models of Internet use (Internet Project, Internet Workshop, Internet Inquiry, and WebQuest)?
Ultimately, all four models are ways in which we can have our students use the Internet to learn. All four involve the students using the World Wide Web to track down and follow information to gain deeper understanding. They are all student-centered learning activities in which they interact with the Internet and gain new experiences and new information.
They are different in that Internet Projects, are basically simulations or Internet-based learning activities in which students can participate in. They are pre-existing projects, like the Flat Stanley Project, in which many other students globally participate.
Internet Workshops, on the other hand, are still globally-based, however students research a specific topic (or topics) and then come together, in a workshop-type forum to share ideas and ask questions of each other. Unlike the Internet Projects, the workshop is more a place for students to generate ideas with each other and brainstorm (on a wider scale than a classroom would offer.)
Internet Inquiry is a guided tool for students to use the Web to ask questions and gain information. In the Inquiry, students are using the Internet to research and find information. An Inquiry starts on the simplest level with a search engine (like Ask Jeeves,) and a question or topic to study. It opens students up to much information, but does not have the global, team-based learning that would be found more in the Internet Project or Workshop.
WebQuest is also a guided tool for students to use the Web, however, it takes them through very specific sites, with very specific questions, to locate very specific information about a very specific and narrow topic. It is a great way to get students to interact with sites and find information (and students do have fun learning experiences from WebQuests,) but it can be very limited as it may lack the feedback and brainstorming tools that the other instructional models possess.
Monday, May 24, 2010
May 25th Assignments
1. What are the new literacies and why are they important in the K-12 classroom?
The new literacies are multi-faceted: included is the acquisition and application of skills necessary to navigate through our technologically-advanced society (such as the ability to use the Internet and the Read/Write Web,) also the knowledge of the technology that is available, the knowledge of social constructs surrounding usage of these new skills (such as understanding that using all capital letters in a chat room is considered shouting and just not polite,) and also the ability to acquire new languages & terms associated with technology (such as usage of emoticons, text abbreviations, etc.) They are important in the K-12 classroom because our students are now technology natives and are coming to us with these new literacies. If we don't understand them, we will not be able to understand and/or teach our students appropriately.
2. Does your school district have a policy about posting student work online? What does the policy state?
Our school district (Wallingford,) does have a policy about posting students' work online. Ultimately, it must be advised by a staff member, administration must be aware, any work that the students produce for a class project must only be on our internal district server, work must be edited/updated periodically, and the advisor is responsible for checking and verifying content so that it is appropriate, does not violate copyright infringement, and is true and accurate. It cannot be personally identifying, contain threats, violate copyright laws, link to students' personal sites, contain advertisements, links to corporate sponsors, and/or be for-profit or link to profit-making companies.
3. What is a weblog? How might it be used to improve/informate teaching and learning?
The short of it is that a weblog is a piece of work on the Read/Write web in which an author posts information and viewers can interact and add/edit information within that work. It chronicles an author's experiences, however also contains links and/or other interactive features so that readers are involved in the production/editing/life of the weblog.
This is a great tool for the classroom as it can have students invested in their learning by being creators for what they learn. Also, it is a fun way to teach students in a mode that they understand: technology. Most students find using technology not only fun, but also easier in some ways (particularly students who have learning challenges because technology can make information more accessible.) Furthermore, teachers who use weblogs in their classrooms expand the walls of their classroom beyond the school. Students can access assignments from home and parents are able to track what their children are learning simply by clicking on their computers and pulling up a website!
The new literacies are multi-faceted: included is the acquisition and application of skills necessary to navigate through our technologically-advanced society (such as the ability to use the Internet and the Read/Write Web,) also the knowledge of the technology that is available, the knowledge of social constructs surrounding usage of these new skills (such as understanding that using all capital letters in a chat room is considered shouting and just not polite,) and also the ability to acquire new languages & terms associated with technology (such as usage of emoticons, text abbreviations, etc.) They are important in the K-12 classroom because our students are now technology natives and are coming to us with these new literacies. If we don't understand them, we will not be able to understand and/or teach our students appropriately.
2. Does your school district have a policy about posting student work online? What does the policy state?
Our school district (Wallingford,) does have a policy about posting students' work online. Ultimately, it must be advised by a staff member, administration must be aware, any work that the students produce for a class project must only be on our internal district server, work must be edited/updated periodically, and the advisor is responsible for checking and verifying content so that it is appropriate, does not violate copyright infringement, and is true and accurate. It cannot be personally identifying, contain threats, violate copyright laws, link to students' personal sites, contain advertisements, links to corporate sponsors, and/or be for-profit or link to profit-making companies.
3. What is a weblog? How might it be used to improve/informate teaching and learning?
The short of it is that a weblog is a piece of work on the Read/Write web in which an author posts information and viewers can interact and add/edit information within that work. It chronicles an author's experiences, however also contains links and/or other interactive features so that readers are involved in the production/editing/life of the weblog.
This is a great tool for the classroom as it can have students invested in their learning by being creators for what they learn. Also, it is a fun way to teach students in a mode that they understand: technology. Most students find using technology not only fun, but also easier in some ways (particularly students who have learning challenges because technology can make information more accessible.) Furthermore, teachers who use weblogs in their classrooms expand the walls of their classroom beyond the school. Students can access assignments from home and parents are able to track what their children are learning simply by clicking on their computers and pulling up a website!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Official First Blog Post-Amy Woronick
As many of you already know, I'm Amy Woronick. I teach 6th grade Special Education at Dag Hammarskjold Middle School in Wallingford. Ultimately, I hope to learn how to incorporate more technology into my teaching. My thought is that my struggling learners may find it much easier to express themselves using technology. I expect to learn how to use one or two applications fairly well and start bringing them into my classroom (hopefully that can be very, very soon considering we are down to 5 weeks left in the school year.) I'm not going into my personal interests too much because I just answered like 100 questions about them while setting up my E-Blog profile and do you really care about them anyway?
Wow! I Did It!
It seemed so scary at first, but I just created my very own blog. In less than one minute's time, I was online and blogging before I knew it. Now, I like blogging (I do so regularly on a social networking site I belong to where I dole out "life lessons" to all who will read,) and can be extremely wordy if I want to be. So, for your sake and mine, I'm going to say this is easy and we are all going to have a great time in this course!
Bye,
Amy
Bye,
Amy
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